Why Does Wood Turn Gray?
Every once in a while, we get a call from someone who recently noticed exterior natural woodwork at their home begin to “gray out”. It does not matter whether it is a deck in their backyard or siding on the outside of their home, it could be either or, but the question is still the […]
To Prime, or NOT to Prime…
At times when working on the act of painting our homes, whether exterior or interior, it is not unusual to feel our inner Hamlet cause us to ask the head scratching question “To Prime, or NOT to Prime” as to whether something should be primed or not primed prior to applying a finish coat. As […]
Incorrectly Overlapping Flashing or Aluminum Trim Wrapping
One of the things that we seem to have developed a reputation for over the years is being able to diagnose leak sources stemming from seldom thought of places which moisture can be penetrating one’s home from. When it comes to figuring out from where uninvited water may be entering the home, there are seemingly […]
How to Save House Plants While Away on Vacation
Deep down inside my soul, I realize that I have better chances starting at Center for any team in a professional basketball league than I do at being trusted with any type of garden advice whatsoever. Recently I came across some neat tips however that seemed to be perfect for the interior plant enthusiast in […]
What is the Most Proper Way to Store Paint?
When repainting someone’s home, it is not uncommon for them to want to paint it the same color that it was painted previously. Obviously, we do not expect Clients to rattle off the paint formula off the top of their head (a paint formula might I add that often looks like some type of ancient […]
Why Are Some Porch Ceilings Painted Blue?
Many moons ago, when I first started off in the contracting trade, one of the projects we took on was the exterior painting restoration of a cool, old farmhouse in Northern RI. I remember vividly as we worked on this project in the sweltering late summer heat that is synonymous with Northern RI at this […]
The Differences Between a Wood, Steel, or Fiberglass Entry Door
We are VERY fortunate in that we are called upon to replace A LOT of entry doors every year. The spectrum across the different types of doors we replace varies greatly. Sometimes we are called to replace an old wooden entry door that has served its useful purpose over the decades and now is the […]
What is a Finial?
Working on people’s homes day in and day out admittedly provides me quite the advantage when having conversations with folks about their differing projects. Not that I am actively seeking some type of superior home improvement edge for when discussions occur centering around home items which need fixing, this just kind of naturally happens as […]
What Causes Pressure Treated Wood to Rot Out?
One of the main reasons why pressure treated wood is used in areas of construction that may be more susceptible to moisture exposure than others, is that it is much more resistant to rot than other wood used to build things, whether on the framing side or the finish side. Even this being the case, […]
What Causes a Carbon Monoxide Detector to Go Off?
There are few things more unsettling than a carbon monoxide detector going off in your home. Unlike a smoke detector, where the reason why the alarm is going off is quite obvious (typically visible smoke/steam), carbon monoxide detectors are set off by an invisible/odorless/tasteless gas. Carbon monoxide is associated with the gas that stems when […]
