Painting Woes

Painting must be done right otherwise this is the result. A good paint job involves a lot of preparation and quality materials. Often people paint over others' bad work and that just postpones the inevitable. I believe in doing things right. When I paint and the original paint looks like it's failing, I insist on stripping it to bare wood. Then I can prime and paint the way it should be done.

A new two-in-one prime/paint product seems like a good idea but the nice people at Cloverdale Paint think otherwise. Please ask for the writeup they have about this topic. It's very interesting reading.

The photo at top shows how paint will peel off  unprimed plaster. In order to repair the plaster correctly, the new plaster must have a good base to stick to. This paint obviously isn't adhering so any plaster applied on top would not stick well and the area could crack again.

Bathroom Remodel

The client wanted a large soaker tub in place of the shower stall. It took some creative means to fit it in but it worked and the client was very happy.

SUN ROOM PROJECT

Using nine year old Pella casement windows purchased from Habitat ReStore, I turned an area under the client's deck into a sweet sun room. Materials used included GP DenShield inside and Hardiplank for the exterior, utilizing the latest rain screen building practices.

The case of another leaking toilet

Due to a poorly fastened toilet drain flange - screws were not rust proof- the seal under the toilet allowed water to leak out and begin soaking into the sub floor, exacerbated by the use of an inferior product: particle board. When particle board comes into contact with water it wicks it up like a sponge and then expands and ultimately disintegrates. Because this material was under sheet vinyl, the water could not evaporate. This lead to mold, which is never good, especially when the client has breathing problems.

The old floor was removed including the original vinyl, new plywood was installed and the perimeter and seams caulked to prevent water entering underneath in case of a flood. Finally, before the trim boards were reinstalled more caulking was applied for even more waterproofing.

Correct materials, and a little bit of attention to details can lead to a much better job and doesn't add much to this type of installation.