Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The power of Caulk
Caulking is probably one of the most over looked inexpensive energy savors a home owner can do for theirself. Getting your caulking done during the warmer seasons is essential for a good bond. Caulk is not the kind of stuff to skimp on. At a dicount store you made be able to find a bargin on some professional grade ,but do not count on it. A good tube of caulk will cost five dollars and up. Before applying it make a detailed list of all the areas you beleive leak air. Your windows , doors , and around vents are some obvious places. Applying caulk takes a bit of practice . Cut a small angled hole in the tip about one quarter inch from end. Use gun carefully because it can be messy. Use your pinky finger to smooth out "beads" or caulk lines , once a true expert beads go on with no touch ups. There are jobs were it will call for a high heat resitant caulk , consult with , a sales man for assitance. Just take your time with it and make your list fully. Enjoy the hundred of dollars you create, not to mention be warm.
Monday, March 30, 2009
house painting
My career as a home improvement contractor began as a painter and now my companys painting divsion does about 20 jobs a year. I have used all magor brands of paint available .The two magor brands that i use are sherman williams and benjiman moore paints. And the truth is I use these paints the most becuase they market well. I can look back now 8 years at sme work and can see that jobs done with cheaper brands like behr and valspar may actually be doing better.
I am sure this is not the first time you hear this but preperation work is is the key to a long lasting paint job. and further more cheap wood right form the lumber yeard will not hold paint as well as higher grade wood , for instance #3 pine vrs #4 in the long run you will get what you pay for. YOu can also scarape and sand wood untill your hands fall of but but if that wood is not dried properly , you can be pretty much assured that once it is coverd by paint it never will be. weather conditions are a very big deal when it comes to exterior painting , but even inside paint will not dry or look as good as it could if it is to humid or cold. any weather dry sunny and between 60 to 80 degrees is about perfect. you could paint over almost compltly unprepped siding with a good quality paint in this weather and it will probly last 3 times longer than if you sanded it to bare wood and painted the bare wood when it had moisture in it, Of course i do not recomend sloppy prep work. nor would i recamend forgeting the primer even when the can says self priming, And lastly the next time you read the warrentty of any brand of paint try to keep a sense of humor about it , and realize that six years ago really was a lifetime..
I am sure this is not the first time you hear this but preperation work is is the key to a long lasting paint job. and further more cheap wood right form the lumber yeard will not hold paint as well as higher grade wood , for instance #3 pine vrs #4 in the long run you will get what you pay for. YOu can also scarape and sand wood untill your hands fall of but but if that wood is not dried properly , you can be pretty much assured that once it is coverd by paint it never will be. weather conditions are a very big deal when it comes to exterior painting , but even inside paint will not dry or look as good as it could if it is to humid or cold. any weather dry sunny and between 60 to 80 degrees is about perfect. you could paint over almost compltly unprepped siding with a good quality paint in this weather and it will probly last 3 times longer than if you sanded it to bare wood and painted the bare wood when it had moisture in it, Of course i do not recomend sloppy prep work. nor would i recamend forgeting the primer even when the can says self priming, And lastly the next time you read the warrentty of any brand of paint try to keep a sense of humor about it , and realize that six years ago really was a lifetime..
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