Episode 1974
Spring Into Action: Eric G's Ultimate Guide to Painting and Refinishing Your Home
Get ready to roll up those sleeves, because Eric G is diving into the nitty-gritty of springtime home maintenance! We're talking all about the dos and don'ts of painting and refinishing everything outside your humble abode. Whether you're looking to give your house a fresh coat of paint or revamp that weathered deck, Eric’s got the insider tips to ensure your projects shine brighter than your neighbor’s new car. From choosing the right primer (it’s not as simple as you think!) to the importance of prep work—because let's face it, nobody wants a paint job that flakes faster than a bad joke at a dinner party—this episode is packed with pro advice. So grab your paintbrush and a comfy seat, because we’re about to transform your outdoor spaces into the envy of the block!
Spring is here, and with it comes the annual rite of passage: tackling those outdoor painting and refinishing projects! Eric G dives into a treasure trove of tips and tricks to help homeowners spruce up their exteriors with style and confidence. From the importance of using the right primer—because let’s be honest, not all primers are created equal—to the nitty-gritty of caulking and prepping your surfaces, Eric shares his wisdom with a dash of humor that makes the daunting task of home improvement feel like a breeze.
He kicks things off by addressing the critical steps to take before even picking up that paintbrush. Did you know that if your house was built before 1978, you might want to get a lead paint test? It's a good call to avoid turning your DIY adventure into a hazardous affair. Once that’s sorted, it’s time to roll up those sleeves and get to work! Eric emphasizes the significance of proper prep work, which can make or break your paint job. He even shares his favorite caulk for outdoor projects, highlighting its flexibility and durability—because no one wants to repaint every season!
As the conversation progresses, listeners are treated to insights on the right types of paint to use, with Eric stressing the importance of investing in mid to high-grade paints. Cheap paint might save you a few bucks upfront, but trust me, it’ll cost you more in the long run with multiple coats and touch-ups. With a mix of practical advice and light-hearted banter, this episode is packed with everything you need to know to make your home’s exterior shine this spring!
Takeaways:
- Prepping your home's exterior is crucial; it's the difference between a stunning finish and a total disaster!
- Always check for lead paint if your house was built before 1978—safety first, folks!
- For the best results, use a primer that matches your paint brand to ensure optimal adhesion.
- Don't skimp on paint quality; that cheap stuff will haunt you with peeling and fading!
- Weather matters! Avoid painting when it's too cool or damp to ensure proper curing.
- When staining a deck, remember that less is more; overdoing it can lead to a sticky mess that won't dry!
Links referenced in this episode:
- aroundthehouseonline.com
- monumentgrills.com
- montymcrills.com
- sitehypedesigns.com
- sashco.com
- sherwin-williams.com
- benjaminmoore.com
- amazon.com
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Monument Grills
- Sherwin Williams
- Benjamin Moore
- Sashco
- Harbor Freight
- Cabot
- Olympic
To get your questions answered by Eric G give us a call in the studio at 833-239-4144 24/7 and Eric G will get back to you and answer your question and you might end up in a future episode of Around the House.
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Information given on the Around the House Show should not be considered construction or design advice for your specific project, nor is it intended to replace consulting at your home or jobsite by a building professional. The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed on the podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Around the House Show.
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Transcript
Foreign the house on this episode of around the House.
Speaker A:The other thing is to make sure you're using the right primer.
Speaker A:The right primer is key here whether you have adhesion problems.
Speaker A:Where you want an adhesion primer or an adhesion primer that maybe is thicker, that'll smooth over all those places that you did your feathering on your sanding to make sure that those aren't dropping down too much and you don't see it.
Speaker A:Some of that stuff is almost like spray bondo where it just is really in there filling.
Speaker A:You want to make sure you're using the right primer.
Speaker A:And yes, paint and primer are not the same as primer.
Speaker A:So if you're going over an old finish or you had things that were chalky or you had things that were just not looking optimal, that's where you want to use the primer and then the paint.
Speaker A:Now check with your paint store.
Speaker A:They probably can turn around.
Speaker A:When it comes to remodeling or renovating your home, there is a lot to know and we have got you covered.
Speaker A:This welcome to the Round the House show, the next generation of home improvement.
Speaker A:I'm Eric G.
Speaker A:Thanks for joining me today.
Speaker A:This hour is brought to you by my friends at Monument Grills.
Speaker A:If you're looking for a brand new barbecue, something that's going to last more than a couple years in those cheapies at the home centers, get something decent with a solid warranty and all the features you've been looking for at a higher end grill, check them out@monument grills.com that way you can get some savings.
Speaker A:Buy something durable and pretty cool.
Speaker A:Time to impress your friends and family.
Speaker A:Time at that next outdoor barbecue.
Speaker A:Today I thought we're diving into spring.
Speaker A:A lot of people want to clean up the outside.
Speaker A:Little bit of staining, little bit of painting, all those things.
Speaker A:So let's talk about exterior maintenance as far as the painting and staining goes.
Speaker A:Now the first rule I have is if you're working on your house and you want to get that dialed in, maybe it's a brand new paint job this spring or summer.
Speaker A:The first thing is I'm going to ask you is when was your house built?
Speaker A: If it was built before: Speaker A:You should probably do a quick lead test on the outside because in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, up until 78.
Speaker A:Now it really stopped earlier in the 70s, but they gave some time for it to work its way out but lead was used in the premium paints.
Speaker A:And this is something that I learned with lead paint is, one, it's pretty dangerous for you.
Speaker A:But two, in neighborhoods that had a really good paint store with really good salespeople that was maybe mid to upper end or had a good salesperson in it, those neighborhoods have more chances of lead paint than others because the cheap stuff didn't have lead in it.
Speaker A:That doesn't mean you don't have to test it, but I can look and see if I talk to my friends that do lead in asbestos testing, I can see in the Portland area where people spent more money on paint, whether it was a good salesperson or not.
Speaker A:Those areas had higher amounts of lead or positive test results.
Speaker A:So make sure if you have lead paint, if you get that swab out, you test it and it turns bright red, and you go, oh, I'm dealing with lead paint.
Speaker A:That's something you want to take a look at and follow all of the federal and local rules and regulations for dealing with it.
Speaker A:Now, that can be significant, but the problem is it can be unhealthy for you if you don't follow them.
Speaker A:And the fines can be excessive.
Speaker A:I have seen someone that did a paint job on the outside of their house in Tacoma, Washington.
Speaker A:It happened up there.
Speaker A:They came through scraped painted.
Speaker A:They had a neighbor that was not their friend.
Speaker A:They called and reported them.
Speaker A:They got fined, and they had to come in and dig up the soil out of the area that was contaminated from the paint, including in the neighbor's yard, and haul that all off as hazardous materials.
Speaker A:So you need to follow the rules and be super careful about it so that way you don't create another health, health hazard outside and make the neighbors really upset with you for creating one in their yard.
Speaker A:So treat it carefully.
Speaker A:Follow the rules.
Speaker A:You can search it online.
Speaker A:I'm not going to tell you how to do it here, because there are areas that will do things differently.
Speaker A:So you need to know what happens in your area.
Speaker A:And when in doubt, hire an abatement company to come in, remove it, or encapsulate it correctly.
Speaker A:So you want to make sure you do that to follow all those rules and regs so you don't get in trouble or cause a bigger problem down the road.
Speaker A:So watch out for that.
Speaker A:Now, what happens, though, is if you've got peeling paint, like you've got moisture behind it, or a paint that failed, you could have multiple layers back there.
Speaker A:So you just want to test all those places where you know where the paint could be flaking off.
Speaker A:And so you get a better idea of what's going on.
Speaker A:Now, the thing is, when we're talking exterior paint on your house, the most important thing is that prep.
Speaker A:And I have had some homes that, I tell you what, that didn't have lead paint, but they had dinner sized plate pieces of paint failing coming off the siding.
Speaker A:Now, this was a lap sighting.
Speaker A:So it could have been a couple things.
Speaker A:It could have been moisture pushing it off the wood.
Speaker A:It could have been someone didn't prime it correctly or didn't prep it correctly, or both.
Speaker A:So those are things we all need to take a look at when we're doing this.
Speaker A:And that's where that prep is a big deal.
Speaker A:So the first thing you want to do is get out there, scrub it down, get all the environmental junk off of it.
Speaker A:Whether it's bugs, whether it's dirt, whether it's soot, whether it's exterior contaminants from the air.
Speaker A:Could be anything out there.
Speaker A:Make sure you get that cleaned up.
Speaker A:I am not a pressure washer fan.
Speaker A:Because now you're driving water in behind that old siding.
Speaker A:You can cause damage.
Speaker A:You can cause water damage and bigger problems.
Speaker A:So I'd much rather see it.
Speaker A:And when you're spraying, you want to spray from the top down and get an angle.
Speaker A:You don't want to come up under the siding.
Speaker A:So you want to get out there weeks beforehand and spray it down and clean it up.
Speaker A:The next thing is, once you get it clean, that's when I start taking a look at, okay, what do I need to do as far as scraping?
Speaker A:If I have paint coming off, I need to scrape it all, make sure I get it all good, and then get it sanded down.
Speaker A:And this is why you want to make sure and do that.
Speaker A:Lead paint testing, make sure you're wearing a mask and you don't want to be doing this with lead paint.
Speaker A:Make sure you get it all sanded down and smooth.
Speaker A:Because if you just scrape it and prime it, Unless you're using one of those specialty primers for peeling paint.
Speaker A:That's an asterisk right there.
Speaker A:You really are going to need to go through and prep this.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Which means they have different tools.
Speaker A:You can use sanders, things like that, to get it dialed in and get it looking good.
Speaker A:But that's what it's going to take is to get that all scraped, all primed.
Speaker A:But first, I want to make sure you got everything caulked and make sure you're following the directions.
Speaker A:Some guys want you to caulk right over the edge of the raw wood.
Speaker A:Some people want you to prime first and then caulk.
Speaker A:So follow the directions on the caulking that you use.
Speaker A:My favorite one for latex out there is called big stretch.
Speaker A:When you're chasing around the house, what I like about this stuff is it is a water based latex caulking, but it really stretches more than anything else on the marketplace.
Speaker A:That's the cool part.
Speaker A:That's what changes things.
Speaker A:That's what gets you dialed in.
Speaker A:So make sure you get that stuff taken care of.
Speaker A:Make sure you've got it looking good and then more importantly, make sure that prep is dialed in.
Speaker A:Now if you've got those areas where you've been scraping those things that are looking a little bit rough, what you can do is like Sherwin Williams makes a adhesion primer that is thicker, that will.
Speaker A:It'll fill in those areas where you have a lot of paint, little bit of paint, all that, you can make it look really good.
Speaker A:So get that dialed in, make it look golden, get that primer on there, let it cure correctly.
Speaker A:And with all the right caulking cleaned out all the old stuff, that prep work is going to be golden for you.
Speaker A:And that's how you get that prep work looking good.
Speaker A:And that's the difference from a blow and go, horrible paint job and somebody that went around and did all the prep.
Speaker A:The prep usually takes longer than the paint and making sure things are sealed up, caulked in.
Speaker A:Don't caulk things that don't need it.
Speaker A:Like for instance, you'll see people go around and they've got brick weep holes or things like that.
Speaker A:Make sure you understand what you're caulking around the windows.
Speaker A:Get that stuff.
Speaker A:And now the one secret with the big stretch made by Sashco, you get that Lowe's and some other places across the country.
Speaker A:What I like about that stuff is that when you use it, you want to have a little bit bigger gap if you can get it because it gives more room to stretch.
Speaker A:So the little wider gap that you have, you fill that up with that.
Speaker A:If the material is slightly wider, it will stretch really well.
Speaker A:That can save you a lot of time.
Speaker A:I have to come back and do it.
Speaker A:I've used that stuff in the outside of my house.
Speaker A:I have a black house.
Speaker A:So it's cold in the wintertime, it's hot in the summertime.
Speaker A:When it does get a little direct sun and it moves well.
Speaker A:And I haven't had to go back and recall in the last few years.
Speaker A:So it's really nice stuff.
Speaker A:So take a look at that stuff.
Speaker A:It works out really well.
Speaker A:Called big stretch.
Speaker A:It's super flexible, which means it's not going to split, peel off and you're gonna have to deal with it later.
Speaker A:So make sure you get that dialed in.
Speaker A:And then of course, before you go in and paint it, make sure before you prime, before you paint, make sure you get everything clean.
Speaker A:If you're out there with a leaf blower blowing around, get all the dust off of it, get all your stuff scraped up and make sure it's looking good.
Speaker A:And then you can go around and mask or do whatever you're going to do on the paint stuff.
Speaker A:Now we'll talk about that just as soon as around the House returns.
Speaker A:To find out more about us, head to aroundthehouse online dot com.
Speaker A:We'll be right back.
Speaker A:Don't change that dial.
Speaker A:These days will never understand what it's like to play an instrument, to be in a band.
Speaker A:What's up?
Speaker A:This is Sticksy, Denia and Satchel from Steel Panther.
Speaker A:And you are the listening to around.
Speaker B:The House with Eric G.
Speaker B:Yeah, we.
Speaker A:Love Eric G.
Speaker A:And you should, too.
Speaker A:1987.
Speaker A:Welcome back to the around the House show, the next generation of home improvement.
Speaker A:I'm Eric G.
Speaker A:Thanks for joining me today.
Speaker A:This hour is brought to you by our friends at Monty McGrills.
Speaker A:Check them out at montymcrills.com if you want to find out more about us, head out and see our brand new website, powered by site Hype Designs.
Speaker A:You can check it out at aroundthe house online.com we've got content up there.
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Speaker A:Make sure you're following both of those.
Speaker A:And we're having a great time over there.
Speaker A:And I've got a lot of great information for your next project.
Speaker A:And one other thing too, and we'll be putting more up about this.
Speaker A:We do a lot of homes on the around the House Northwest page.
Speaker A:So if you're looking for classic homes, you're looking for contemporary, you're looking for design ideas.
Speaker A:We have one that we do every single week and that's over at aroundthe house online.com you can find out more information there.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:We've been talking painting tips, spring tips for painting, refinishing, all those things outside.
Speaker A:And we were talking in the first segment about house painting and really the next big thing that I want to make sure is when you're priming that, I want to make sure that that primer is going to be compatible with the paint that you're putting on the home.
Speaker A:And yeah, it makes a difference.
Speaker A:If I have a Sherwin Williams paint, I like to use a Sherwin Williams primer.
Speaker A:If I'm in the Pacific Northwest where I am, and it's Miller or Rada, same kind of thing, it's Benjamin Moore.
Speaker A:I think using the same system throughout is going to be your safest bet because we know that those two companies have formulated those to work together, and that's really where you can get the best adhesion, the best issues, and the best backing behind that.
Speaker A:Now, when it comes to paint, there is one thing that you can make.
Speaker A:The biggest mistake when you're painting, especially outside, is buying the cheap stuff that will cost you more money every single time.
Speaker A:Because here's what happens.
Speaker A:You want to get at least a mid grade on up.
Speaker A:So if they have a level one, which is the cheapest house flipper paint.
Speaker A:Number two is they're good.
Speaker A:Number three is they're better.
Speaker A:Number four is their premium.
Speaker A:If you're gonna live there more than a few months, you want to go with the number three, which is that better one that will save you the most money every single time.
Speaker A:Now, if you're using a specialty color like reds or blacks or something like that, you might want to go to the next step up because it's going to give you more durability, more washability, and it's going to last longer with that bright color.
Speaker A:With whatever you're doing.
Speaker A:Now, where it gets expensive is if you buy that number one house flipper paint, you'll probably need twice as much paint to get the job done.
Speaker A:The problem being, yeah, you need twice the paint, but you're not saving half by it.
Speaker A:So you're going to pay more money and do twice the work for buying that cheap paint.
Speaker A:So never buy the cheap paint.
Speaker A:It will cost you every single time.
Speaker A:So if you can't afford to paint it, hold off, save up, get the money you need and then do it.
Speaker A:Because that cheap paint will cost you.
Speaker A:I don't have a good reason to ever use that stuff.
Speaker A:Unless you just need a gallon for painting a shed you don't care about.
Speaker A:And it's a throwaway type project.
Speaker A:I get it.
Speaker A:But I tell you what, anytime that you're doing something, paint on something that's a investment, like your home.
Speaker A:Get the better stuff, if not the best.
Speaker A:It pays for itself every time.
Speaker A:Unless you like painting again or having adhesion problems or all the Other things that can happen with fade.
Speaker A:And when you've got a mat that makes a difference too, spend a little bit more.
Speaker A:Because I tell you what.
Speaker A:Yeah, I have seen people spend twice as much money because they spent too little on the paint and had to keep going back for more and more.
Speaker A:Now what I recommend for most homes out there, depending on the material, but usually for most homes I recommend if it's an older paint job, like over 10 years, or if you've got some issues with cracking and things like that, I recommend a primer and then two coats of paint and not the all in one.
Speaker A:The all in one doesn't do much good.
Speaker A:Yeah, I might be a little better on coverage, but it's not a primer, but it's a paint.
Speaker A:So there is not an all in one that I will swear by out there.
Speaker A:It just doesn't work that way.
Speaker A:You want to have that primer first and like I said in the last segment, have it tinted to match if they'll do it for you and that will help you out.
Speaker A:But really I want to see you if you're spraying the house.
Speaker A:Awesome.
Speaker A:I want to see you spraying it and then back rolling it with a roller.
Speaker A:So you make sure that you're driving that paint in and you get the best adhesion and it lays out correctly.
Speaker A:So it's a great two person job, one person spraying, one person back rolling behind you.
Speaker A:And you can just start chasing that house all around it and it'll go pretty quick, especially if you've got things masked off or if you've got some good.
Speaker A:Basically you can use paint spray panels that you hold up and it's basically like a long rectangle and you can mask off with that, not have to cover everything up, but you can mask off and not have to do as much taping and papering and all that stuff to do it.
Speaker A:But prep is big and yes, all it takes is a slight little breeze for that paint sprayer to be blowing stuff around and get on other stuff.
Speaker A:So be really careful.
Speaker A:When in doubt, buy some more plastic.
Speaker A:Get a couple blue tarps from your favorite import store like Harbor Freight, whatever you're going to do, and protect everything first because it's a lot harder to go out and get that stuff later when you realized what happened.
Speaker A:So take the time on that, make sure you get that dialed in and you'll be good to go.
Speaker A:And a little bit goes a long ways.
Speaker A:I like to paint the body first and then do the trim because that way if I did get A little bit of overspray on it.
Speaker A:When I'm painting it, it's not that big a deal.
Speaker A:I can go back and touch it up and it'll be good to go.
Speaker A:So that's the best way, in my opinion, to do it, Especially after you've done all that time and all that prep.
Speaker A:Now, there's a ton of materials out there you can be painting.
Speaker A:It could be cedar shakes.
Speaker A:It could be your traditional fiber cement siding.
Speaker A:It could be wood T111, which is the 8 inch or the 4 inch stripes of wood panels.
Speaker A:It could be anything.
Speaker A:Could be stucco.
Speaker A:You just want to make sure you're using the right primer and the right paint for that.
Speaker A:Now, there is one product I do not recommend painting and that is vinyl siding.
Speaker A:I have never seen it look great, and here's why.
Speaker A:Depending on your climate, if you have a climate that gets really cold and really hot, you'll be out there probably on a 70 degree day painting and prime it so you'll be following the manufacturer's directions in the paint.
Speaker A:And yes, companies like Sherwin Williams do make a paint that will paint vinyl siding.
Speaker A:But the problem is vinyl siding sits there and expands and contracts and gets really tough because it's meant to expand and contract.
Speaker A:So it's lapped.
Speaker A:So you have one piece snapped over the other piece.
Speaker A:If you're painting out there at 70, I've seen it happen.
Speaker A:All of a sudden it gets to be down below to zero and it shrinks.
Speaker A:And now you've got a stripe everywhere.
Speaker A:You have that overlap because it's not overlapped as much.
Speaker A:So you'll see shadow lines, you'll see the old color.
Speaker A:That can be an issue.
Speaker A:The other issue is I don't ever recommend going darker because if you take it from a.
Speaker A:A light white beige to a charcoal, half the time I've seen people get out there on the sun.
Speaker A:They get it all done.
Speaker A:When it gets to be 80 degrees and some direct sunlight, all of a sudden the stuff looks like you had a house fire next door.
Speaker A:And it's all hanging off the side of the house because the heat or the reflection of the heat off of a driveway or the neighbor's windows or whatever that reflection is, it now overheats.
Speaker A:What's going on there?
Speaker A:And now you've got melted vinyl siding, which means you're just going to pull it off and throw it away around the house.
Speaker A:Be right back after these important messages.
Speaker A:Don't change that dial.
Speaker A:We've been talking exterior painting coming up.
Speaker A:We're going to talk working on that deck just as soon as we return.
Speaker A:Don't go anywhere.
Speaker B:To find out more information, head to aroundthehouse online.com.
Speaker B:don't change that dial around the house.
Speaker B:We'll be right back after these important messages.
Speaker A:Hey, this is Ron Keel, the metal cowboy from Kiel, the Ron Keel Band and Steelers.
Speaker A:We are rocking around the house with Eric G.
Speaker A:Raise your fist.
Speaker A:Welcome back to the AROUND the HOUSE show, the next generation of home improvement.
Speaker A:I'm Eric G.
Speaker A:Thanks for joining me today.
Speaker A:This hour is brought to you by our friends at Monument Grills.
Speaker A:Check them out for your brand new barbecue, Father's Day Mother's Day just around the corner.
Speaker A:Now that we're past Easter, make sure you got that gift ready to rock from great old mom and great old dad@moneymc grills.com so we've been talking about house painting.
Speaker A:One last thing I wanted to talk about was watching your weather forecast.
Speaker A:Springtime can be nasty for outside painting projects.
Speaker A:You don't want that morning dew where things get too moist and the paint doesn't cure.
Speaker A:And maybe you're painting last night and it was cool.
Speaker A:Cool weather does not cure paint well, and especially if you're getting under 50 degrees.
Speaker A:So read the can of paint that you're working with and if that low temperature during the night is too low, that can cause problems like even here.
Speaker A:This last week in my area, we had some freeze warnings or we had some frost warnings that can be murder for paint if it's fresh.
Speaker A:So make sure that you're above 50 degrees and it's going to be nice and dry for a few days.
Speaker A:So that has a chance to dry.
Speaker A:If you push it too much, what can happen is you can get moisture, you can get a little mist, whatever it is, a little breeze, and then you're going to have a blotchy paint job, which means you're going to have to let it cure and then go back and do another coat.
Speaker A:And that can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars to fix that once it's there.
Speaker A:So make sure you got that dialed in and you'll feel a lot better about it and you'll be good to go.
Speaker A:So watch your weather, watch your temperature and you'll be better off.
Speaker A:Now the next thing I wanted to talk to you about was staining that deck.
Speaker A:Now, a lot of people out there have been putting composites down, but there's a lot of people out there.
Speaker A:I've got a wood deck out here that's made out of that Pressure treated.
Speaker A:It's not the injected, but it's like the outdoor wood.
Speaker A:It's got a few coats of paint on it.
Speaker A:And I'm going to make it last a few more years, at least till I put the house up for sale.
Speaker A:And that's not going to be a project I'm going to tackle anytime soon.
Speaker A:So I'll be doing some repairs on that and putting one more coat over the top of it.
Speaker A:But here's the thing.
Speaker A:These type of projects take a lot of sanding, a lot of prep.
Speaker A:And again, the first thing I want you to do is check your weather to make sure you're good.
Speaker A:So most deck projects, when you're standing, that temperature needs to be under 90 and above 50, so 50 to 90 degrees.
Speaker A:And if not, you're going to have some issues.
Speaker A:Now, I want to say that you need to watch for your area.
Speaker A:If you're doing your deck, you might have to do it down in Florida way different than we do it up in the Pacific Northwest.
Speaker A:But I'm going to give you here some of the general rules to watch.
Speaker A:And always just make sure you're reading the directions of the material you're putting on to understand it.
Speaker A:I like to do early morning or late afternoon on stains so it's not causing any issues, because that hot surface can cause bubbling or worse.
Speaker A:So you want to make sure that it's not being placed in the middle of the day when you have the hottest sun.
Speaker A:So make sure that.
Speaker A:And then most stains need to be dry for at least 24 hours to cure.
Speaker A:So rain needs to be days out, you'll be good to go.
Speaker A:So the first thing I say is to make sure you start.
Speaker A:And this is again, prep is king.
Speaker A:Make sure you get all the stuff off of there, clean it up, get it all dialed in, get all the dirt off of it.
Speaker A:So it's all about the prep here, and that's the important part.
Speaker A:So really you're going to clear the area of any furniture, take out the plants, anything off that deck, get the barbecue out of there.
Speaker A:And then you're going to sweep away the dirt, junk, get the leaf blower out, all the pollen, tree SAP, whatever you got on there, get it out of there.
Speaker A:And then the next thing I want you to do is now's the time to do that inspection.
Speaker A:Like, I've got a couple spots where things have sunk a little bit.
Speaker A:I need to pull it back and see what's going on.
Speaker A:I've got some damage, so I need to make sure that Now's the time to repair that and get it looking good so you're dialed in.
Speaker A:And then really I want you to get down and get all of the dirt hosed off, cleaned off once you get all those repairs done.
Speaker A:And then you need to really let it dry and really let it dry.
Speaker A:So give it some days to dry, depending on your weather.
Speaker A:And then anywhere that you've got siding, concrete plants, plastic sheeting, make sure it's dialed in.
Speaker A:Now you can burn lawn in plants with plastic sheeting, so make sure you're doing that correctly and make sure that you're not killing the stuff that you're trying to protect.
Speaker A:So that's it right there.
Speaker A:And if it's a brand new deck, you're probably getting close right there after that to having it stained and ready to rock.
Speaker A:Now the older decks is where this gets more interesting because you could have, you could have some serious issues.
Speaker A:Now here's the thing.
Speaker A:One way to do this is to sand it.
Speaker A:Another one is to get out there weeks beforehand and give it a good pressure wash so you can get the old stain off.
Speaker A: degree tip, maybe: Speaker A:But the first thing is depending on the deck, you want to test it on a small section that's maybe going to have a planter over it or something like that to see if it's going to work.
Speaker A:With a pressure washer on a wood deck, you can do significant damage with that.
Speaker A:You can raise the grain up.
Speaker A:And now you're going through and doing a big sanding project again, which looks absolutely horrible until you get it done.
Speaker A:You want to make sure all the fasteners are down below the top grade of that, so they're countersunk in so you're not hitting those with anything and you're going to get it really good.
Speaker A:Now the first thing after I get that done though, I like to use the deck cleaner because in my area, mildew is a big deal.
Speaker A:So I'm going to get through and get that deck cleaner, get it all cleaned up, get it looking good, and then if I've gone through with the pressure washer, then I've taken 90% of the finish off.
Speaker A:So now I'm going to go through and rough sand any areas that need it.
Speaker A:It could be all of it for a deck, a belt, sanders, a way to go.
Speaker A:You can also rent some floor sanders that work good to some of the pad ones.
Speaker A:If you want to do the whole thing, that can save you some time and you won't be on your hands and knees to do it.
Speaker A:So you'll want to through get that done, take off everything, get it all blown out, and then what kind of stain is a big one?
Speaker A:So what I would do is really go through and hit some deck stripper on it to see what happens.
Speaker A:If you've got some there, if that deck stripper takes it off really easily, then it's probably a water based material and if it's oil based, it's not going to probably touch it.
Speaker A:So then you know what you have to work with.
Speaker A:You want to use water based on water based and oil based on oil based.
Speaker A:So you make sure you get it in there good.
Speaker A:So really the next thing is going to be staining.
Speaker A:And this is where a lot of people get in trouble with staining.
Speaker A:When you're looking at it, this is a big deal.
Speaker A:Now when you're out there staining, you want to follow the manufacturer's directions.
Speaker A:But too much can be really bad.
Speaker A:So many people will stain it and then what happens?
Speaker A:Oh my gosh, we got a hot mess because it will be sticky for months on end.
Speaker A:Because especially with these stains, you will create this, it won't soak in and that stain sits on top and it's just a messy deal.
Speaker A:So a little goes a long way.
Speaker A:You're almost better to be light on the stain than heavy because at least it's going to dry.
Speaker A:Now a lot of people try to spray, that's tough.
Speaker A:Sometimes you might be better with a roller or a pad, depending on what stain you're using.
Speaker A:There's lots of great water based, there's lots of great oil based.
Speaker A:You just want to make sure that you've got that dialed in with what you're doing.
Speaker A:So for most, when you're dealing with wood like this, on new wood, really you're going to need 200 to 250 square feet of coverage per gallon.
Speaker A:Now when you get into the rough boards, it could be 100, 200.
Speaker A:So you really want to apply so the wood will absorb along the grain and you'll be good to go.
Speaker A:If you let it to pool or puddle sit on the surface, you're gonna have a hot mess.
Speaker A:So make sure that you've got that cleaning and then just let it cure and get after it.
Speaker A:So do your homework, understand what finish you're doing, read the directions, understand the tips.
Speaker A:Oil based stains can be really rough as far as cleanup.
Speaker A:You could have rags that could Self combust.
Speaker A:Read the directions on the can to make sure you got it dialed in so you know what you're doing and then just give it the time.
Speaker A:This is a weekend project and probably a multiple one because you're going to want to clean it up, get it prepped the weekend before and have a good week of dry weather so the following week you can get it stained.
Speaker A:You're not going to pressure wash it, get it clean and do it the next day.
Speaker A:Chances are it's not going to be dry enough.
Speaker A:When in doubt, jump on Amazon, grab a moisture meter and then see what the moisture of the wood needs to be for that deck stain.
Speaker A:All right, guys, we come back, we're going to talk about fences, how to get that dialed in, making that look good.
Speaker A:We'll do that just as soon as around the House returns.
Speaker A:Don't go anywhere.
Speaker B:To find out more information, head to aroundthehouse online dot com.
Speaker B:Don't change that dial around the house.
Speaker B:We'll be right back after these important messages.
Speaker A:Welcome back to the around the house show, the next generation of home improvement.
Speaker A:I'm Eric G.
Speaker A:Thanks for joining me today.
Speaker A:Boy, we're have some great stuff coming out here for YouTube videos coming up.
Speaker A:So make sure you follow us on our around the House YouTube page.
Speaker A:Just look for around the House show on YouTube or head over to around the house online.com and of course we're brought to you by our friends at Monument Grills.
Speaker A:It's barbecue season, guys.
Speaker A:Check them out@monument grills.com we were talking about staining your deck.
Speaker A:And one more thing to remember, even buying the best stains, like in my area, if I get two years out of a stain, I'm happy.
Speaker A:And that's why I went composite decks because I got tired of doing that.
Speaker A:Every couple years of having to do that, you might get three.
Speaker A:But if you've got a traffic area like going to a hot tub or something like that, tell you what guys, it just doesn't hold up.
Speaker A:And the problem is whether you use an oil based or water based, it just starts to look dingy.
Speaker A:And unless you're putting down some super expensive hardwood, that's the reason why I've done it.
Speaker A:And that's also the reason why I haven't gone for a long time with building a pressure treated deck because you've got all the chemicals in there, whether it's the copper and the other stuff that's in that.
Speaker A:But I just don't like doing that.
Speaker A:And so it's just too much Work where I live and tell me about your place.
Speaker A:But many times that can be a big issue.
Speaker A:And you know the pressure treated lumber, sometimes when you put that in and build it for you to stain that later, you might have to wait three, four, five months to be able to stain that.
Speaker A:So make sure when it's a new deck, be careful what you're doing and that has to be really dried out and that can take a while for that to happen.
Speaker A:So I have seen some pressure treated decks that were literally, as you're putting the screw in, the moisture was coming out of it and it was pooling around where the fasteners were.
Speaker A:So just make sure that you've got it dried enough because otherwise you're going to have a hot mess and you're going to be starting over and doing it again, which is never awesome.
Speaker A:So beware on those projects.
Speaker A:There's a lot of gitches with that now.
Speaker A:Decks and fences are a little bit different.
Speaker A:Fences can be a little bit tough.
Speaker A:And I get a problem.
Speaker A:I really have a problem with fences sometimes because they really get the dirt more often.
Speaker A:And so really, if you go through, sometimes people with a cedar fence in my area, they just put a clear coat on it and they let it go.
Speaker A:Or there's people like me that wanted to do a dark stain on it, but the problem is a couple of years later, here's the problem with the black stains is they start to look a little dingy, they fade, they show dirt.
Speaker A:It's like a black car.
Speaker A:So be careful with what you're doing.
Speaker A:It can be a lot of work with those.
Speaker A:And staining that deck can be a big issue.
Speaker A:So take your time, think about the color.
Speaker A:Sometimes you might be way better off just going through and doing a more natural cedar look.
Speaker A:You can come back and touch up later, versus getting all tricky with the color because that can be pretty expensive when you're doing it.
Speaker A:Now there's a lot of prep with that.
Speaker A:Stains can be interesting.
Speaker A:I like to spray them.
Speaker A:But if you've got a neighbor on the other side, I hope your friends, because it's hard to stain that and not get the other side and make it look horrible or get it all over their stuff on the other side.
Speaker A:And my brother, oh my gosh, he had a big issue at his place.
Speaker A:Neighbor decided to paint theirs and it all blew across his pool.
Speaker A:And they had to spend some serious money, the neighbor did, having professionals come out and get it off of everything.
Speaker A:So that can be a very expensive one.
Speaker A:So buyer Beware on that.
Speaker A:Sometimes you're better off out there with a brush or a roller and doing it that way.
Speaker A:And then you can come back and maybe rake up the barker and then get your drips out of the way and not be so worried about it.
Speaker A:So just be very careful with that.
Speaker A:The other issue is just make sure cedars, natural oils can resist some water based stains without the proper prep.
Speaker A:So make sure that you've got that dialed in and you get into any of the exotic woods, you just gotta do your research and call the companies to make sure that you're putting something on there that's not gonna react with that.
Speaker A:So that's where you're working with your professionals to make sure that you're getting that done correctly.
Speaker A:So many times.
Speaker A:That fence, think about the maintenance and what you have to do.
Speaker A:My black fence, I don't think I would do it again that way.
Speaker A:I think I would not go with wood and stain it.
Speaker A:I would go metal because at least I can get out there with a hose and deal with it correctly.
Speaker A:So that's the big thing right there, just making sure you got it.
Speaker A:And then nobody wants to sand, but maybe that pressure washer will get it or you're just going to put another coat over the top of it.
Speaker A:At some point you're going to have to deal with something on that.
Speaker A:Now there is one type of finish that we haven't talked about and that is for decks and that is that deck restoring finish.
Speaker A:Now this stuff here is, it's tough.
Speaker A:It's a finish that has got really thick and some aggregate in it.
Speaker A:Now the problem with that, and this is where I struggle, this stuff is a one time only.
Speaker A:For instance, you've got Cabot, they've got their deck correct.
Speaker A:You've got all these other brands out there of these wood deck restoration coatings.
Speaker A:Now I like them, but holy smokes, once you use it, you're replacing the deck.
Speaker A:The next time it's not worth the time to finish is tough.
Speaker A:So make sure you're doing it right.
Speaker A:Make sure that you're using the right material.
Speaker A:But that deck stuff, it is that last hurrah for that finish.
Speaker A:Now it's super thick, it's expensive as well.
Speaker A:So if you look at it and go, there's all these different companies that make it out there.
Speaker A:But this stuff here, like Olympic has their max rescue it.
Speaker A:It'll fill cracks up to a quarter inch, locks down splinters, near about 40 bucks a gallon for some of that stuff, which is great.
Speaker A:But Once it's down, you're pretty much done.
Speaker A:Once it starts to peel, you're in trouble.
Speaker A:So you want to make sure that you're working with the right stuff and you've got it.
Speaker A:And that's your last hurrah before you're replacing that deck and doing something differently there.
Speaker A:So this is not a, oh, I'm five years in.
Speaker A:I want to do this because I want to have that.
Speaker A:No, once it starts to peel and come off, it's horrible.
Speaker A:Now, I had a project.
Speaker A:I'll tell you this one.
Speaker A:This was a nightmare.
Speaker A:I had a rental house that I was in for.
Speaker A:Oh, I think we were in for 18 months, getting the kids through school.
Speaker A:Holy smokes.
Speaker A:They had built the back deck with the wrong wood.
Speaker A:They bought white wood, two by fours, like you were framing a wall and it was a hem fur.
Speaker A:And then they used the cheapest stain known to mankind, that orangey red.
Speaker A:That's like water.
Speaker A:Five years in, six years in, this stuff was rotten.
Speaker A:I was literally falling through the deck.
Speaker A:You need to make sure that when you're doing these kind of projects that if it's pressure treated, it's pressure treated.
Speaker A:If it's five quarter cedar, it's five quarter cedar.
Speaker A:But you want to be using materials that are exterior rated.
Speaker A:The framing should be metal or pressure treated, and that way you're good to go.
Speaker A:So be really careful out there on the materials because you can't just take a cheap wood, put a good finish on it, think it's going to hold up.
Speaker A:It's not that way.
Speaker A:Any scratch, any type of wear comes through the finish and it will rot prematurely and you're going to have a heck of a mess.
Speaker A:So take the time, build the deck, repair the red the right way, and you should be much better off.
Speaker A:But just be really careful with what materials you're using.
Speaker A:And these, these deck refinishers can be cool, but oh, man, that is insanely messy to clean up afterwards.
Speaker A:So when you're done, and my tip for any of these things, I don't recommend going into the home improvement store.
Speaker A:You can, but I would much rather walk into a store, talk to the professional behind the counter.
Speaker A:And that's the problem.
Speaker A:Mo many paint stores you've got, you could have somebody at that independent retailer that's got 20 years of finishing back there, they know it, they've seen it, they've dealt with it, they've been on our warning claims and the paint person could have just read a brochure on it and they were the lawn and garden expert or the cart gatherer the day before.
Speaker A:So you want to make sure that you got the right person doing the right job for you.
Speaker A:So you're good to go.
Speaker A:So deal with the company.
Speaker A:If you're doing online searching and you want to do it, call the company up.
Speaker A:Many of these people, if you go onto their website, they will have a technical help.
Speaker A:Call the technical help up and ask those questions.
Speaker A:That way you know what you're doing.
Speaker A:That way you're good to go.
Speaker A:And especially if you're using one of these deck corrects or things like that, which are these resurfacers, they're designed to put a good face on a bad deck and it gives you something that hoses off easily.
Speaker A:That'll make it look a little bit better.
Speaker A:But like I said earlier, it's something that you can't take back off again without a ton of work.
Speaker A:At that point, you're just better off to put a new deck on there and most likely a composite.
Speaker A:Hey, if you got any questions on any of these projects, reach out to me around the House online dot com.
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