Through the many years of operating a service business we have dealt with thousands of potential residential clients. After giving quotations you don’t hear back for a month and all of a sudden you get a call to come look at the house or deck again. The Homeowner has a slight problem. Seems he rented a portable pressure washer from the home center and attempted to wash his clapboard siding or deck with a zero degree tip and did severe damage. Can you do anything to fix this? Replace the siding or decking as it is torn up. The repairs cost them thousands. What did they save? True story-during a dental visit my dentist hobbles in to check my teeth. I ask him why he was limping. He looks at me, knowing what I do for a living, and says he was trying to power wash his own house and was working off a ladder. He lost his balance a fell injuring his leg. Sarcastically, I said Doc., well maybe next time you should call a professional instead, huh? These were pertaining to power washing field but this is applicable to any potential do it yourself project.
Things you need to consider before attempting any do it yourself project:
1. What is your free or family time worth to you?
2. Do you have access to quality, contractor grade materials?
3. Do you have access to all necessary tools to safely and efficiently do job? Or will you have to rent, buy or borrow?
4. What is your do it yourself proficiency level-BE HONEST!
5. What skill level is required to complete job? Some things require more skill than others.
6. What is the cost to have it done by a first rate professional? A real professional not a fly by nighter.
7. Are there potential risks involved-ladder work, caustic chemicals, power tools; potential damage to property?
8. Add up all material, rented and purchased equipment, labor and your own time, (including shopping for material). Figure cost and put a dollar figure for your time. Normally, most people under estimate their own time involved. So, if you guess 3 hours, it will probably be more, especially when you have two trips added in to a home center for materials.
9. Do you have access to necessary educational material to complete task in a first class manner or are you going to bluff your way through it and hope for the best?
10. Have you underestimated the actual difficulty of the potential job and the proficiency required to complete the project? Remember it’s never as easy as they make it look like on the New Yankee Workshop or the Home and Garden channel!
11. Consider what happens if you injure yourself and can’t work as a result of a fall or something similar? Are you comfortable on a ladder or using the necessary tools?
12. Analyze what the replacement cost would be to what your doing if damage occurred as a result of you not doing it right or making an error.
13. After honestly adding your guesstimate subtract it from the cost of what a professional would charge. Is the potential cost savings worth whatever risk is involved?
Exterior Painting/Staining Tips
Properly diagnose surface conditions prior to paint/stain purchase by either taking a picture to paint store or have an onsite inspection. Tannic acid, mildew, rust, iron stains, blistering and moisture problems should be identified and corrected. Remember different conditions may require different remedies. Having the type of product used previously and the type of siding may be important. Measure square footage to figure the correct amount of product to purchase. Pictures can also help sales people access product usage. If you have old cans, you may want to have paint store inspect to insure its still good. If it is still good you may want to mix old and new paint together prior to painting to insure you get the same color tone throughout the job. Take the time to properly mask areas and use drop clothes to protect bushes, steps, decks, etc. Always wear the proper protective safety gear when sanding-goggles, dust mask or respirators. Going from a darker color to a lighter normally requires two coats to get proper coverage, so be sure to plan accordingly. Check all boards, especially trim and around windows, for rot, cracking, splitting, etc. Repair or replace as necessary prior to painting. Repair any flashing, leakage or gutter problems, which may affect new paint job.
1. Prepare the surface –Remember Preparation is the key to long lasting paint job
- Surface must be free of mold, mildew, dirt and other contaminants.
- Power-wash with water and the proper detergents/sanitizers and/or or scrub with detergents and sanitizers and water. Always rinse well.
- Scrape and sand thoroughly to remove chipping paint-feather sand any rough edges
- Prime bare spots (or entire area for best finish). Conditions like tannic acid stains may require a special primer.
- Caulk any gaps around windows, doors, etc. Make sure to get the proper type of caulk to suit the job. Silicone based caulks normally are not paint able and will peel. So ask when you purchase paint.
2. Use the right tools
- High-quality tools and brushes give a smoother, even finish
- Use synthetic-bristle brushes dampened with water for latex paints, natural bristles dampened with paint thinner for alkyd
- Make sure brush bristles are packed together, tapering into the center
3. Watch the weather
- Paint only when the temperature is between 15°C and 29°C (and will stay that way for at least 36 hours afterward)
- Paint when there is little wind and don’t paint in direct sunlight (paint can dry too fast, leaving too little time to re brush or touch up the surface)
- After a rain, allow a surface to dry 24 hours before painting
4. Use the right paint:
- Select a paint/stain designed for your specific purpose and surface (a high-quality acrylic latex is best for most exteriors). Our research shows utilizing latex based products (stains & paints) reduces but does not eliminate the likelihood of reoccurring mildew problems.
Painting Supply Checklist
Primer, paint/stain, various brushes, stirrers, drop clothes, scraper, sand paper and sanding pad, edger tool, paint can hanger, ladders, step ladder, ladder extender, caulk and caulk gun, rags, mineral spirits, shop vac, wood filler or bondo, razor blade, painters tape, rope, razor knife, paint bucket, safety glasses, dust mask, respirator, hand cleaner, brush cleaning tool, hammer, nail set tool, putty knife, glazing compound, glazing points and glazing tool (if doing old windows), random orbit or palm sander, extension cord, bug/hornet spray, cordless driver/drill(removing shutters), vise grips, sun block, hat, ice pick or scratch awl, rubber gloves.
