How To Maintain Your Deck

Step 1: Scrape off loose finish

Remove loose paint or opaque deck stain with a paint scraper. Scrape down damaged areas to bare wood. Then sand each area to feather the edges of remaining finish material down to bare wood. Sanding will also help prevent splinters.

 Step 2: Scrub the surface

Use a stiff scrub brush to remove flaking stain or dirt. Important note: Do not use a metal brush on cedar or redwood as the bristles may scar the soft wood.

Step 3: Apply cleaner

It is important to properly clean your deck before staining. Failing to properly clean your deck before staining may result in poor stain performance and quality results cannot be guaranteed. Always remember to refer to the manufacturer’s product information to ensure the best possible outcome.

Apply the deck cleaner to the wood. Work the cleaner into the wood with a stiff deck brush, using an extension handle on the brush, if necessary.

Step 4: Pressure wash the deck

Wash the deck surface to remove the cleaning solution and other residue using a power washer with a fan spray nozzle. Be careful power washing your deck if you have soft woods like cedar. Try to use the low power setting to avoid damaging the wood, or refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations based on the wood type and product being used. Let the deck dry thoroughly before applying the new finish.

Step 5: Apply deck stain

Depending on your deck stain product, a pump sprayer, paint brush, paint roller, staining pad or a combination of these tools can be used to apply the stain. To ensure the best results, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for applicators as some deck stains require specific tools to ensure the best outcome.

 It is easiest to work in small sections to ensure the stain’s color uniformity, proper coverage, and the ability to start and stop with more flexibility – just in case it should rain.

Source : homedepot.com

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How to Paint Wall & Ceiling with a Roller

A. Wall

Start by loading the roller until the paint is evenly distributed but not dripping. Begin at one corner and make an M or W shape in a 3-foot section without lifting the roller from the surface. When you get to the end of the “letter,” lift the roller and reverse direction, filling in the unpainted areas. Take care not to spin the roller when you lift it from the surface.

Continue painting the wall above and below the section you have finished using the same M or W pattern. When you have finished painting the entire wall, run your roller, unloaded, along the four edges of the wall using one continuous stroke for each edge. This will blend the cut-in brush strokes and the roller marks.

B. Ceiling

There are a few different options for painting a ceiling, but by far the best one is using a roller on an extension pole. Painting with a brush or roller while standing on a ladder is not only neck-straining work but also arduous because it requires moving the ladder every few feet as you finish a section. In addition, using a roller on an extension pole gives you a better angle at which to work and prevents paint from dripping on you.

To begin, start at a corner and roll slowly along the ceiling’s shorter dimension. Make an M or W shape across a 3-foot section and then reverse direction, filling in the unpainted areas as you go. Continue painting the ceiling in 3-foot sections, taking care to distribute the paint as evenly as possible and reloading the roller as needed.

When you have finished rolling the entire ceiling, run the roller from corner to corner around the perimeter of the ceiling. Do not load the roller with paint, and roll each edge in one continuous stroke.

Source : Hometips.com

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