Archive for the ‘Home Improvement’ Category
Choosing Countertops
Choosing a material for your countertops involves considerations of cost, appearance and use. Some are as inexpensive as R40 per square meter, others as high as R500 or more. Which you choose will depend on your taste and budget, as well as how you plan to make use of the surface.
Laminates are the least expensive, at around R50 – R150 per square meter. They’re relatively easy to install, but they don’t hold up well against scratching and gouging. They also tend to look old fairly quickly, though occasional replacement is a more viable option at those prices.
They come in a dizzying variety of textures and colors today and they offer good stain resistance. They’re easy to clean as well. Laid down over plywood, they can be replaced in a weekend, though scraping glue off for hours isn’t much fun. It’s sometimes easier to replace the entire plywood plank.
Ceramic tile can be another modest cost option. Some tiles are as low as a few rand per square meter, though prices can reach as high as R50 or more per tile. They’re easy to install in new kitchens, but fairly difficult to replace or repair. Once glued down, they form a strong bond with the surface. Replacing them requires gouging out the grout and prying up the old tile.
Grout is always a problem with ceramic tiles, since the rough surface and the type of material make cleaning a difficult chore. Tiles are often very durable, but once they crack replacing them is often not carried out. Over time, the surface looks old and shoddy.
They do offer a very easy to clean surface and can last the lifetime of the house if they’re well cared for. They’re heat resistant and don’t stain or scratch easily.
Styled concrete is one of the newer options. It’s almost impossible to scorch and can be colored to taste.
Concrete is heavy, though, and requires extensive drying time before it can be used. It needs to be properly sealed, usually more than once. Installation is generally best left to professionals.
Stainless steel is also coming into vogue again. It is in the middle of the pack in terms of price. It does show scratches easily, though some pre-roughened styles help to hide this. It’s easy to clean, but the surface can become splotchy over time.
Marble has been around for countertop use for centuries. It can be expensive, but it looks great new or old. Since it’s porous, it will require regular re-sealing to avoid absorbing stains and becoming discolored. Marble comes in a wide variety of styles, each one unique to the source of the material.
Granite makes for one of the best countertop surfaces, though you pay a premium for that. The material is highly resistant to scratching and won’t stain if sealed properly. It looks stellar, but installations almost always make seams and have to be carried out by a professional.
Combining the best of old-world looks with modern technology, engineered stone is a good option. Just about any stone-like pattern can be reproduced and surfaces can be made unique.
The material never needs sealing and resists stains and scratches. Heat resistance is rarely a problem with these materials. Professional installation is common, but some can be carried out by skilled do-it-yourselfers.
Whichever you choose, consider how long you’ll own the house and what you intend to use the surface for. Initial outlay should not be the only factor. Think long term.
Fixing clogs and blocked drains
Modern chemistry has created both friend and challenge. Hand soaps, shaving cream and other concoctions make life a lot more healthy and convenient than it was a hundred years ago. But some traditional problems are still with us: clogs.
Correspondingly there are traditional ways and some modern, that help overcome the problem.
If you have metal pipes, try pouring a pan of boiling water slowly down the sink. If there’s not too much accumulated water, and the clog isn’t too severe, the plug of hair and soap (the typical villains) may be dissolved, freeing the clog. Follow with a steady rinse of hot water.
For plastic pipes, the boiling water method may soften joints presenting a risk of leakage. Unless you know your pipes are made of material that can withstand the heat, it’s best to use another method. Some can even stand up to hot grease, which may have cooled and caused the problem in the first place.
For more stubborn clogs an ordinary plunger may do the trick. Be sure to use a cup plunger, not a flange plunger. The latter is shaped for use with toilet bowls.
In double-sided sinks it may be necessary to use two simultaneously or plug up the second hole. Often a towel is sufficient, sometimes you’ll need to improvise with a heavy pan, a plastic bowl or some other means.
Plunges should be sharp and short. If pressure is going to relieve the plug, it will need to be high, but not long. If that seems to have worked, once again follow with a long rinse of hot water. That will both cleanse out remaining debris and test the results.
For those serious stoppages, you’ll need an augur or at minimum a straightened metal coat-hanger. If you can find the latter anymore! An augur is a stiff, coiled wire typically in a metal housing with a handle for moving the wire.
Take care when using the augur not to puncture pipes or drain traps. Did we mention you should first remove the plastic and/or metal drain stop? Sometimes removing hair and soap from this is enough to clear the passage.
Extend the augur or snake the coat-hanger down a few inches. It will be difficult to distinguish between resistance from curving pipe versus running into the clog, but try. Turn the crank handle firmly, but don’t force it.
Be careful not to force the snake or augur to the point that in-pipe traps or filters are broken. Those plastic pieces will make a bigger problem to solve, requiring you to remove the pipe. Some types of augurs can be attached to a drill, but if the clog is that severe you’ll generally want to try other methods first.
As a next to last resort, chemical drain cleaners can be useful. Used according to the directions, they’re safe for pipes and people. Always be prepared to wash off any that contacts your hands or arms, and wear safety goggles if there’s any risk of splashing.
Really severe clogs may require removal of the pipe. Usually it’s the bend in the U-shaped pipe that contributes to the clog. But if you can’t clear the clog without removal, you may or may not make any better progress having the pipe in hand. Sometimes a plumber is your only remaining option.
Gardening Without Pests
Deer and raccoons, rabbits and gophers, moles and chipmunks! They capture your heart when in a book or zoo, but when they invade your garden. Oh! That’s a different story. Yet how can a rabbit resist munching on your crisp lettuce? Or a possum or raccoon stay away from your sweet corn patch? And your berries will always be attractive to a squirrel.
Fending off the various animals that want to enjoy both your flower and vegetable gardens can be both time consuming and frustrating. Learning how to chase them off without poisoning both them and your vegetables remains a crucial part of being a good gardener. As scientists begin to realize the damaging effects of pesticides and other poisons on the human body, the use of toxic methods needs to be carefully considered, and then rejected.
Birds are a bird-watchers delight and somewhere between a mild and major nuisance to the gardeners. They actually do less harm than the four-legged animals. Birds have a number of natural enemies, so you can scare the birds by fooling them into thinking their enemies are around.
A humming line made of very thin nylon will vibrate and hum in even the slightest breeze. It’s inaudible to us, but heard by the birds. This works well with strawberries. Unusual noises can be created with aluminum pie plates loosely tied to stakes or leaving a radio on at night. Installing some blinking lights, hawk-like balloons or kites that mimic larger birds can also be effective. And of course, the two old stand-bys – scarecrows, or a dog or cat – always help out with the bird problem. Because birds and other animals need a source of drinking water, eliminate any standing water near the garden.
Night time is prowl time for the four-legged pests. Each animal has a distinctive footprint and each has its favorite delicacy to munch on. Many of them, such as deer and raccoons, can be eliminated by putting an electric fence or other barrier around the garden. Pocket gophers can be stopped by putting a fence made of hardware cloth two feet below and two feet above the surface of the garden.
A chicken-wire fence works the best for rabbits, but the holes need to be 1″ or smaller. Those young rabbits aren’t very big. To keep the mice from eating your fruit tree’s bark, sink wire mesh or ¼” hardware cloth several inches into the ground around the fruit trees.
How can you tell which animal is doing the munching during the night? Footprints are one way. Another is to place about 10 marshmallows out in one spot where the animal has been feeding. Cats won’t eat the marshmallows. Raccoons and skunks will eat all of them in one sitting.
Possums will only eat one or two, and then come back later for another one. Some animals will only be eliminated by being caught in a trap. After they are caught be sure to take them at least one mile away and release them in a natural habitat. And, be careful not to get bitten. Rabies is a reality among wild animals.
Gardening saturates one with a feeling of accomplishment and peace. The joy of picking your fresh vegetables right before dinner can hardly be matched by any other activity. Well, perhaps the fragrance of your freshly picked flowers can compete!
About the Author: Paul Babs is the owner and operator of Evergreen Lawns Resource to the gardening industry. For more information, go to: http://www.leegardening.com
Home Air Conditioning Maintenance Made Easy
Left alone, cool things warm up from their warmer surroundings. Every air cooling system takes advantage of some very interesting laws of physics to reverse this and make your home temperature lower than the outdoors. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a scientist to keep that system working well. Here are some simple tips to do just that…
The most common AC system problems result from something being at least partially clogged. There are several possible sources for that congestion, but the most common is dirty drain lines.
Just like clogged arteries, when your drain line gets filled with material your system will have a ‘heart attack’. In this case, the cooling capacity is reduced and sometimes compressors will stop functioning altogether.
Every system has a condensate drain pan and drain line. AC systems don’t just cool the air, they de-humidify it too. The moisture removed from the interior has to go somewhere. That somewhere is into the cooling coil and out the condensate drain line.
Since that water almost always contains minerals, and often some mildew, lines can get clogged. Quarterly cleaning will help keep that part of the system healthy and functioning efficiently. Use a commercial coil cleaner and a wire brush a few minutes every few months and your system will stay in good working order.
Apart from cleaning the system, do a little preventive maintenance to head the problem off before it happens. Change the filter monthly every month it’s in use, and before first use. Most modern filters have an anti-microbial capacity, but check to make sure.
That has the added advantage of reducing mold, mildew and algae buildup within the system. It also helps keep it out of your home where it can contribute to discomfort and cause medical problems. And it helps to keep dust from being blown inside the house.
Lots of allergies are made worse by dust-borne pollen, dust-mites and other air-circulated nasties. You’ll be doing the allergy sufferer in the house a favor by keeping the system clean.
AC systems often have places that moisture gathers and remains where mold, mildew or algae can build up despite the best filters’ efforts. Heavy buildup may need to be removed by a professional. But for smaller jobs, a mild disinfectant will help eliminate the problem. Just spray into the filter intake and let the system do its job normally.
Help keep the motor working efficiently by following the manufacturers guidelines. Usually that amounts to no more than a few drops of electric motor oil squirted into the oil ports once a year. While you’re at it, inspect the blower motor fan blade to check for mold or mildew buildup.
Since the whole idea of an AC system is to take warm air, cool it and put it into the house (expelling even warmer air outside), your system should be several degrees cooler than any other area. The duct temperature should be from 15-25 degrees cooler than the air inside your home. It warms slightly as it moves through the system.
Check the supply duct with a stem-type or electronic wire thermometer. If the difference is too small, check filters, lines, circuit breakers, etc. If need be, call for professional help.
Gardens for Profit and Beauty
Gardens provide a healthy, relaxing hobby and give beautiful results, enhancing the appearance of any home or business. But they can also be profitable.
It isn’t necessary to produce flowers in abundance and market them in order for your efforts to pay off. An investment of a small amount of cash and a couple of hours per week for a few weeks can substantially raise the value of your home.
Drive around your neighborhood as if you were in the market for a new home. Examine the houses you pass and decide which appeal to you visually and which are boring or unattractive. Discard those that are good looking because of the house and lawn and focus on what’s left. You’ll find that many are greatly enhanced because of the gardens.
You can create a garden to raise the value of your home, or simply because you want to enjoy the beauty yourself. In either case, here are some simple, low-cost, easy guidelines for creating one or more gardens.
Keep it low maintenance. Unless you have lots of spare time (rare these days) and want to spend much of it weeding, pruning, spraying, etc, plant things which require minimal maintenance.
Perennials are flowers that you plant once, then bloom for several years. (Hence the name.) Non-perennials or annuals generally bloom once and die, unless you live in a climate that stays warm all year.
Annuals often provide more color and variety and you can sprinkle them around, but perennials make for a low time-investment option. And with a little effort, perennials can be found in a variety of colors: blue, pink, yellow, purple, red and others.
Foxgloves, lupins, daises, irises and many other species are colorful and bloom year after year with very little or no work. Poppies are another popular type that comes in different colors, such as yellow and pink.
Non-flowering or minimal flowering plants help to flesh out a garden, provide ground cover, and look great. Hostas, herbs such as oregano and sage, or yarrow all work well.
You can even find plants, like tansy, that contain natural insecticides. Rubbing your hands and arms with the juice from the leaves helps keep mosquitoes off. They also produce a beautiful, tiny yellow flower.
Besides looking good, these plants often have delightful aromas that can be smelled from much further away than many flowers.
All are low cost, especially since they usually have to be purchased only once in order to last for years.
Weeding is probably the major time consumer, after initial planting. To minimize the yearly effort, put down a layer of weed cloth, then cover with an inch of dirt. It lasts for years and provides a barrier that keeps weed seeds from blooming by lowering the amount of heat and sunlight passing through, as well as suppressing physical growth.
Many people don’t have ‘green thumbs’. Use these guidelines and, provided the garden has adequate water and decent starting soil, you’ll have a colorful healthy garden for many years.
Replacing Doors
Replacing doors falls into two categories: (1) replacing just the door, (2) replacing the door plus the frame. The first is easy, but the second is within the skill set of the average do-it-yourselfer as well. Here, we’ll cover the first case only.
To remove the original door, open it far enough to expose the hinges and give yourself ample working room. Whenever possible, put a wedge under the door on each side to take the pressure off the hinges. One on each side helps prevent the door from falling in either direction after the pins are removed. In most cases, the door is attached to the frame with a two-part hinge – one part attached to the door, the other to the frame.
Take a hammer and a flat-head screwdriver, with a thin blade and flat, sturdy handle and tap the pin on the bottom hinge upward. Try to get it about 7/8 of the way out then stop. Tap the top pin up the same amount.
Pins can stick for any number of reasons. If the door hasn’t been used for a while, or if the hinges are rusty or painted over, you may find it necessary to apply rust remover or paint remover first. Usually tapping with persistent, sharp blows is enough to do the job, however. Avoid scraping the frame with the blade of the screwdriver.
At this stage, it’s helpful to have a partner to ensure the door doesn’t fall after the pins are completely removed. Remove the bottom pin first, while holding the edge of the door to prevent movement. Take care to keep your fingers out of the space between the inner door edge and the frame. If the door moves, you’ll get a nasty pinch. Holding, or with your partner holding, the outer edge of the door remove the top pin.
With luck, the door will still be balanced on the hinges and you can insert your fingers into the inner edge and lift the door away. If necessary, grab the outer edge and the top and lift away.
Provided the old door isn’t too warped, it can be useful for size comparison with the new door. New doors sometimes need to have the bottom trimmed an inch or two. Trimming is best carried out at the location you bought the new door, if possible. Measure the old one before you purchase.
If you need to replace the hinges, unscrew the hinges from the frame and the old door. If you plan to reuse the old hinges, now is a good time to clean them and dust the hinge cracks with carbon or silicon powder.
It’s possible to use sewing machine oil or light grease to lubricate hinges. But, over time, that causes them to accumulate dirt and grit and eventually wear and squeak. A better method involves using a kind of powder popular with professional locksmiths.
This very fine carbon or silicon powder is sprayed inside the lock to keep tumblers rotating smoothly. It makes for a good lubricant for hinges, too, and can be easily wiped away cleanly.
Check the door frame and ensure that the screw holes will stand up well to reuse. If necessary, fill with wood putty, let dry, then drill a small starter hole for new screws.
Screw the refurbished or new hinge into the door frame. Measure and trim the new door to size and attach the hinge. Set the door onto the hinges and work the top pin in first about half way. Then work the bottom pin in part way (at least half, if possible).
Tap the pins in the rest of the way. Congratulate yourself on a job well done.
Choosing An Alarm System, Hardware AND People
Few things are as important to most homeowners as the security of his or her home. Fortunately, today there are more options than ever. Here are some tips on how to select one with confidence…
Home security systems aren’t just hardware, though that’s important. A key component of the overall package is the company and people that support the system.
Find out about hiring practices. Most security professionals are dedicated, trained personnel. But, unfortunately, it’s often difficult to know whether you are dealing with an experienced individual or a newcomer.
Some are low paid and becoming a guard can sometimes be accomplished with very little training. Be cautious about those wanna-be police officers. Individuals who repeatedly fail the entrance requirements are sometimes resentful and bitter. Weed out companies that hire them.
This is one time it doesn’t pay to give the benefit of the doubt. Be courteous, but rigorous when asking questions of any prospective alarm system provider. Check with the local police department and the Better Business Bureau and other local organizations.
You’ll also want to find out about their procedures when the alarm is triggered. Everyone hopes it’s a false alarm. Ask how they distinguish those accidental alarms from the real thing. Find out about response times, password procedures and so forth.
Find out about any charges associated with false alarms. Most companies will allow one or two accidents per month, then charge a fee thereafter. This is reasonable, but check the policy. Discuss some scenarios.
Only after you’re confident you’ve selected a company with good personnel and practices, should you investigate hardware.
Alarm systems come in a variety of technologies. For decades, and still today, many window systems consisted of a tape or wire system through which passes an electric current. They typically include magnetic contacts around the door and window frames. When the window is lifted or the door opened, the current is interrupted and the alarm tripped.
Such systems aren’t bad, but a good glass cutter can make them useless. If the intruder doesn’t interrupt the current by opening a door or tearing the tape or wire, no alarm is sounded. Some systems make this difficult by activating if a screen or frame is removed. Ask your company for details.
Newer systems offer several alternative supplemental methods. Infrared or motion detectors, floor pressure and window vibration sensors are some of the devices employed. Some include glass breakage sensors that can detect when the glass is cut or broken.
Ask about the details of how these systems operate from your prospective security company. Many are good at distinguishing false alarms from the real thing, but you want to be sure.
Closed-circuit TV systems are usually available, but at a significantly higher cost. Much of the cost is not the extra hardware but the people behind them. If the owner takes on all monitoring function, the cost is less. If the signal is transmitted to an outside location, the costs are much higher, naturally.
Many systems operate through the phone lines, since they retain electrical power during most outages. Check to find out whether they’re redundantly supported with cellular or radio systems.
Ask about annual or more frequent system testing and maintenance. You want to be sure your system continues to operate over the life of your occupancy. After all, there are lives occupying the home.
Installing Kitchen Cabinets
Even beginning do-it-yourself’ers will find that installing kitchen cabinets is do-it-yourself-able. With care, the results can be as fine as any professional job. Here are some tips to achieve that goal.
One thing professionals know that most others don’t is what tool makes the job easier. With kitchen cabinets there are more choices than you’d suspect. Key to installing cabinets that are level and secure, with low hassle, is to use a support system of some kind.
Assuming you don’t have two or three people who are willing to stand and hold the cabinet in place for an hour or more, you’ll want a support or jack. The people take up more room anyway and would just get in the way.
Everything from a standard car jack to specially designed jacks have been used. A simple wooden T-shaped brace will do for some jobs. The tool is nothing more than a horizontal member firmly attached to a vertical one. The cabinet is placed on top and the support wedged firmly underneath.
However, they can be subject to slipping, especially on slick floors. Also, unless you use several, the cabinet may wobble or tumble off. But they’re inexpensive to make, tall and useful if the base cabinets have not yet been installed.
If base cabinets are already in place, take advantage of them and use a couple of short jacks with wide resting areas to support the cabinet while you work. Even tall, metal stain buckets topped by a thick phone book can serve, if you can make the system stable enough.
With that problem solved, you’ll next need to find studs (2 x 4 support beams) to screw the cabinets into. Never install cabinets into drywall or wood panels alone. Most homes are constructed with studs 16 inches apart. Use an inexpensive, commercial stud finder to locate the first one. Measure 16 inches down the wall and search for the other stud. Try to find the center of each stud for maximum benefit.
Mark the stud locations along a line on the wall with a pencil. For easier installation, it might be worthwhile to pre-drill support screw holes. Be sure to use a drill bit smaller than the diameter of the screw.
Pre-drill any holes needed in the bottom of cabinets before lifting into place. Those holes may be needed for wiring, under-cabinet lighting fixtures, microwave ovens, paper-towel racks, etc.
Make all the necessary measurements on both the wall and the cabinet and hoist the cabinet into place. Set it securely on the supports. You’ll want at least 18 inches of clearance from the countertop.
Using 3 inch support screws fasten the cabinet onto the studs, through the trim or corners – not through the thin back wall, if you can avoid it. Depending on the size, type and location of the cabinet and studs that may not be possible.
For extra support, take a 1 inch thick x 2 inch tall strip of wood at least a few inches wide and place under the bottom at a stud position. Screw into place.
In theory, you could place the bottom strips first then set the cabinet on top, making support easier. The difficulty is, cabinet placement almost always requires fine adjustment after they’re hoisted. Once you screw in the supports you’re locked into position.
Install any needed door handle hardware last.
Congratulations! You just did it yourself.
Installing Your Hot Tub
If you’ve ever installed an outdoor deck and patio and hooked up an indoor dishwasher, you’ve got the skills needed to install your own hot tub.
Depending on the layout of your yard, installation choices vary from a simple gravel and sand pad to a raised platform. You can get help designing your installation from one of the many good home design software packages available. They don’t pour concrete, but they’ll help you visualize the results, provide measurements and sometimes even contain local building codes.
Start by measuring the base of your hot tub, then add two feet around each side for access. Multiply the width (plus the four extra feet) by the length (plus the four extra feet). That gives you the area occupied by the installation.
Now find out how much water your tub holds. You could calculate the volume, but most manufacturers will list the figure in the specs.
Each gallon of water weighs about eight pounds (3.6kg). A filled tub can weigh 5,500 pounds. Add the weight for, say, four people and that total is over 6,000 pounds on average. You need to ensure that the surface holding your tub can support that weight over the area of the tub.
If you’re installing on the ground, level the surface with a rake and long two by four, ensuring there aren’t any rocks that can puncture the underside. If your tub has a wooden skirt, you may not have to do anything more than lay some weed paper over the dirt.
A raised wooden or concrete platform helps to increase the beauty and utility of your tub. It gives you a nicer view of the yard and can help prevent moisture buildup around the base, which leads to mildew and wood decay.
Once again, the key is to ensure you have a level surface and that it can support the needed weight over the area. The pressure on a surface is the force – in this case the weight – divided by the area. It’s the pressure that really counts, not just the total weight.
Making concrete platforms that are strong and level requires skill and patience, but it’s within range for most do-it-yourself’ers. You’ll need to build a retaining box into which you pour the concrete. Follow the guidelines provided by local building codes.
A wooden platform is both attractive and fully capable of supporting most tubs. A series of a dozen 2 x 6’s laid on edge, bordered with 2 x 6’s and attached via good L-braces on a platform of 4 x 4’s can support a medium sized hot tub safely. 4 x 4’s could be used for the entire platform, though of course the results will be lower by the two inch difference.
Lay out the grid on level ground, ensuring the spacing is compliant with local building codes, generally no more than 12 inches between joists (individual boards). Boards can be attached via bolts and nuts through pre-drilled holes, or via strong L-braces.
Even empty hot tubs weigh in the neighborhood of several hundred to a thousand pounds. You’ll need several strong helpers to move the tub into position.
Most wiring jobs, to run the controls, lights and motor are best carried out by an electrician. But if you’re skilled in that area, it’s possible to do this step yourself, as well.
Run PVC conduit from the junction box at least 18 inches deep in a trench. Use an electrician’s fish tape or similar device to pull wires from the 240V GFCI protected equipment. Connect the wires according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
(Fish tape is a flexible reel used to snake down pipe. Wires are attached and pulled back through. Computer cable installers use long flexible wire hooks to perform the same task.)
Be sure to have your installation inspected before filling the tub. If you can avoid it, you don’t want to have to drain the tub in order to re-do anything that’s non-compliant. Hot tub cleaning chemicals can be hard on nearby grass, and you’ll have wasted the money to fill and heat the tub.
Enjoy!
Low Hassle Exterior Painting
Fortunately, painting the outside of most homes is easier today than ever. Easier… not easy. When the average cost of a professional paint job runs several thousand dollars (though they do earn it), you may want to tackle it yourself.
Get started right by investing in one of the many home design software packages available. You can’t judge color and finish on a computer monitor. But, it will help you estimate the amount of paint needed, provide a list of materials and assist you in budgeting.
Unless you know the effect of a particular paint on your home, try some inexpensive and quick experiments. Buy a pint of your proposed color and finish and try it on a small, out-of-the-way section of the house.
Prepare the surface as you would for the whole job, by cleaning and sanding, if necessary. Scrape off any chips or cracking sections. Apply and let dry for a week and, if possible, observe in different weather conditions (cloudy, sunny, overcast). Take into account the amount of shade in your test area. You may have to try it in more than one spot to get a realistic idea.
You can repeat the experiment using both latex-based and alkyd(oil)-based paints. In years past, oil would have been the hands down favorite for exterior work, but as paint products evolve the choice is now a toss up.
Latex is easier to work with and dries faster, but tends to be less durable. It also bonds more readily with weather stripping. It breaths well, allowing moisture in the wood to come out (or in, unfortunately) more easily. Clean up generally requires no more than dish detergent and water.
Oil-based paints stand up well to wear, making it especially good for doors, trim, porches and so forth. Clean up is more difficult though, particularly since disposal now requires special procedures. Some cities fine residents for placing oil-paint cans into trash, requiring disposal at stores or special facilities – usually for a fee.
If you select latex-based paint, use a synthetic material roller, such as nylon. Couple that with synthetic bristle brushes for trim and crevices. Natural fiber brushes absorb the moisture in latex paint, making spreading more difficult. For oil-based paint jobs use a natural bristle brush. Pair that with a roller made of lamb’s wool or other natural material.
Rollers come in different pile lengths, from very smooth to very rough. For a more polished look and/or use on smooth surfaces the smoother roller is an option. For rough surfaces, you’ll need the rougher roller in order to get good coverage with minimal hassle.
To save time on clean up when using oil-based paints, experiment with popping the brushes and rollers into plastic bags and freezing. The next day or following weekend, allow to thaw for an hour and take up where you left off.
Before you begin, inspect the entire area and prepare the surfaces. Sand any rusty nail heads (or replace, if practical). Putty cracks and sand smooth the result after drying. Remember that paint dries slower on plastic than newspaper. Visit the local journal and pick up a few stacks of returns to cover those plastic drop cloths.
As you plan your job, get two or three weather reports. Aim for a period of moderate temperatures and low humidity.
Good painting!
