I’m going to outline what you can do to paint a wide variety of materials without making it look like a botched, amateur job.

Plastic

Plastic can be painted but the problem has traditionally been an inability to get the paint to stick to the surface properly.  This led to ugly, application issues or peeling once the paint has dried – generally, a very poor looking finish.  Now there are paints which are specially formulated for application to plastic surfaces.  You are now able to give a new look to tired old garden furniture with a simple coat of paint – if the plastic surface is old, you usually only need to give it a wipe down prior to application, but if you have new plastic this needs to wiped with paint remover which will “rough up” the surface and improve paint adhesion.

Concrete & Masonry

Concrete is found around the home in all sorts of places from the floors and passageways, your basement and outside the home such as the driveway. You have a couple of options with concrete – you can paint it or stain it but, in either case make sure it is clean and dry.

A stain will seep into the concrete much the same way as it does with wood, the stain bonds with the concrete and forms a protective shield which provides a long lasting, decorative look.  Staining does not “cover” the concrete, unlike paint, so imperfections will be visible once you have stained it – if you need to perform a “cover up”, you will need to consider painting it.  Consider using a stain or paint which contains an anti-mildew ingredient and provides additional waterproofing.

Metal & Aluminum

Metal can be painted too and a simple coat of paint can dramatically improve the appearance simply by getting rid of rust!  You’ll need a wire brush to take to the metal surface or railings and once you have performed this chore, you should apply a primer and make sure it contains a rust inhibitor.  Use a high gloss paint for the best effect and enjoy!

Aluminum siding is not cheap and because it does get to look tired and unsightly with time, many homeowners consider replacing it with new siding.  They are pleasantly surprised when they find out how simple and easy it is to spruce up their existing siding installation with a paint job.  The first step is to remove the chalk residue which builds up on aluminum siding, and this must be done thoroughly using a degreaser or even a regular cleaner.  Don’t worry – it’s simple and easy to do.  If the original coating has completely worn away, you should use a primer but this is frequently not the case unless it is completely down to the metal.  Use an acrylic paint with a satin finish for the best results.

]]> http://www.homeimprovementforyou.com/paint-options-how-to-paint-anything/feed/ 0 http://www.homeimprovementforyou.com/winterizing-weather-stripping/ http://www.homeimprovementforyou.com/winterizing-weather-stripping/#comments Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:42:56 +0000 admin http://www.homeimprovementforyou.com/?p=14 Continue reading →]]> Now that cold weather is upon us, it is time to consider winterizing your home. With soaring electric bills, one huge consideration is heating costs. There are a few simple steps that you can take to substantially lower your heating bills and stay warm in the process.

First, you will need to inspect your home. Check the exterior first. Check the roof for missing shingles or leaks. Make any necessary repairs. If your home has a fireplace, check to make sure that the chimney is in working order. Replace any broken or cracked bricks. Now make sure that your gutters are free of debris. Check the exterior window screens and window casings.

Now, you want to check the interior. Check the fireplace first. Repair any cracked or broken bricks, check the damper to make sure that it is working properly and shuts tightly, and clean out all of last years ashes.

Walk through every room. You will need to check all electrical outlets to make sure they still fit close to the wall. Now check all windows. More heat escapes and cold air penetrates through loose or broken windows than any other area of your home.

If you have an older home, you will need to pay close attention to your windows. Weather stripping your windows is one easy and inexpensive way to save money on your electric bills.

If you are planning on installing the stripping yourself there are a variety of choices:

· Felt-If you are on a tight budget felt will work. It will not insulate as well as the others, but it will definitely work and is very easy to install.

· Foam-It should have adhesive on one side for easy installation.

· Interlocking-This is probably the most difficult to install as the pieces need to fit together perfectly, so you may consider hiring a professional.

· Spring Metal-It is usually packaged in a roll and should come with the brads you will need to install it.

· Vinyl-It comes hollow or foam-filled and it is generally applied to the exterior of your home. The foam-filled provides more insulation than the hollow variety.

You should be able to find most weather stripping at any home improvement store and the majority will be sold separately or in a kit that will include all of the hardware that you will need and they are all sold in a variety of colors and finishes. Depending on which type you choose, you will need a few simple tools-a hammer, screwdrivers, tape measure, pencil, scissors, and a hack saw or tin-snips.

Prior to installing the new weather stripping, remove any old stripping or debris. Now is probably a good time to clean around the windows and window sills. If you are applying adhesive stripping, make sure that everything is completely dry before starting the application process.

It is best to install weather stripping to windows before the cold weather hits. Set aside a nice day and take your time. This is not difficult but does take patience. As with all home improvement, if you have any questions, consult a professional.

PROS

• Vinyl Siding can be a lot less expensive than brick or wood
• It is very easy to maintain and never has to be painted
• It comes in a variety of colors (mostly light) and styles (scalloped, smooth, wood grain)
• Most siding comes with a lifetime warranty
• Vinyl Siding can be easily installed over the original home material (brick, wood) allowing the material base to breathe
• It sheds water helping to alleviate mold and mildew
• It is termite and dust mite resistant
• Vinyl Siding has a beautiful, new appearance
• It won’t rot which alleviates replacement
• It can be trimmed with other materials such as wood for a less generic look
• Everybody’s doing it

CONS

• Vinyl siding can be very expensive depending on the type and grade that you are purchasing
• It may be very difficult, in case of damage or fading, to find exact duplicate replacement siding that is the exact color or style of your current siding
• It has not proven to be very weather resistant. Consider carefully because if you live in an area prone to tornados, hurricanes, or extremely bad storms, siding has not proven it’s durability or resistance to strong winds as well as brick, wood, or cement have
• A lot of vinyl siding comes with a lifetime warranty but you should read the contract very carefully to find exact replacement clauses
• The color fades over time
• It is not as noise resistant as brick or wood
• Vinyl siding will crack very easily after being exposed to extreme sunlight and inclement weather

• It is very “cookie-cutter” in appearance leaving little room for visual personality and is unoriginal
• It has proven to chalk over time
• Vinyl Siding cannot be removed unless you are willing to replace all of the removed trim, fill all the nail holes leftover from the siding, and restore the beauty of the brick or wood by treating or replacing

While any choice comes with its own set of problems it generally boils down to personal preference. Whatever you decide, be sure that to do your research and price comparisons.

Wade, a very handy man in his own right, did not have the time to handle the project, so they turned to a contractor for this major home improvement. It was a time-sensitive matter, so they carefully took the following advice and precautions to make the renovation go as smoothly as possible.

• Know exactly what you want renovated before tackling a home improvement project. Consider the interior and exterior of your home. Do you want the add-on to look like the rest of the house? If you have a brick home, will you want to use vinyl siding or wood on the exterior? If adding a room, do you want to add windows? If so, how many? Will you be adding a bathroom?
• Consider hiring an architect. If there will be major structural changes to your home, as in the case of Ruth and Wade, an architect is trained to make the addition visually flow with the rest of the home. You don’t want something that still resembles a garage.
• Do not rush. Take time to ask friends and family if they have ever used a reputable contractor in your area. Find at least two. If you know someone who made the same renovation(s), ask to see the finished product.
• Accept no less than two bids. Multiple bids would be ideal. You don’t want to be ripped-off. To help cut costs, tell each contractor that you are taking multiple bids.
• The contractor should be a member of at least one trade organization, and have property damage, personal liability, and workman’s comp insurance. He should be familiar with State and county laws pertaining to home improvement.
• Know that a general contractor should be able to do the entire job and that a subcontractor has an area of specialization.
• Once you select a contractor, you will need a contract. If you do not understand or have the time to read a contract, find an attorney.
• Ask as many questions as possible and discuss the materials that you want, the time in which you want the job completed, and the total price for the project.
• Avoid the common Bait and Switch scam in which the contractor will guarantee a job using specific materials and a certain price. Sometime after the onset of the project, the contractor will try to either upgrade the material or will tell you that the project is going to cost more than originally planned.
• Oversee the project as much as possible. Don’t get in the way, but remember that it is your property. If the project is not going as you think it should, call the contractor. One reason that this project went very smoothly for the Richardson’s is because they lived on-site and were present during the renovation.

What could have easily been a nightmare for the Richardson’s and Maxine went very smoothly because they followed these home improvement rules and are quite happy with their new living arrangements and the renovation.