Fade to black….
Tip of the Month-May 2013
Fade to black….only in the movies! This is the director’s way of ending a scene….it just fades to a black screen. In the world of paint, colors just fade, period! If you look at the picture below, you can see where a sign had been installed and then later removed. The area at the bottom that was protected from the sun and the elements is very close to the original color, while the surrounding color has faded quite markedly.
Why is this important you ask? Well, as professional painters, we are frequently asked to provide color information about projects that we did a number of years ago. The good news is that we track that information, the bad news is that the paint that you purchase now to touch up something that was painted years ago will not match, even if you have the right product/color information. Communities that decide to repaint and specify that the “existing” colors are to be used are sometimes surprised when their new paint looks dramatically different than what is really the existing (faded) color. Odds are that if your left-over paint is more than a year old it may not be a good match. Of course, this points out the necessity of doing color samples prior to painting. It also means that when touching up an area, you may have to paint an entire wall, from corner to corner, to avoid creating the appearance of a giraffe. If you are painting a small surface, like a door, it is no big deal just to paint it all and then you don’t have to worry about touch-ups showing.
If you are considering repainting, I strongly suggest you make your color selection very early in the process. If more than one person will be involved with the choice of the colors it is guaranteed that the time needed for this process will lengthen. Knowing the colors before bids are requested will enable your contractors to know if there will be coverage issues that may require more than one coat. Generally, we can steer you toward colors that will cover in one coat, saving you thousands of dollars.
Please let us know if we can help you and your community with paint specifications, color selection and methods to save money on your paint job.
Free of heart?
Tip of the Month-April 2013
Free of heart?
No, I’m not talking about the Tin Woodsman 
, I’m talking about wood that is not cut from the heart 
or center of a tree. Heartwood is the non-living central part of a tree or woody plant and is also called duramen. Sapwood is the outer layers, or rings of the plant, where nutrients and water are transported up and down the tree. Lumber that is free of heart will not twist and turn as much as wood that is cut close to or from the center of the tree. Twisting is what causes some of the larger cracks that are visible on the wood’s surface.
When ordering wood for various projects, it is important to know just a little bit about wood, its characteristics and how it will perform in a given application. Most of us are aware of the difference between soft woods and hard woods. Hard woods (Maple, Oak, Walnut, Cherry, etc.) are great for applications like flooring because they can take the abuse but their downside is cost….they are pretty expensive. Softer woods (Douglas Fir, Pine, Spruce, etc.) are generally used in framing, wood trim and other exterior locations because they are less expensive and provide a good paintable surface. Other woods, such as Cedar and Redwood are better used in exterior applications such as fences, trellises, etc.
Having a knowledge of wood and paint products is of great value. For example, Redwood has a lot of tannins in it and knowing the proper primer to use on it will help keep those tannins from bleeding through the finish paint coat. Spruce may cost a little more than Douglas Fir but it paints better. Pressure treated lumber is great for fencing but not aesthetically pleasing for handrails or other highly-visible areas.
and experience…..PrimeCo Painting and Construction!2 Guard or not 2 Guard….
Tip of the Month-March 2013
2 Guard or not 2 Guard……that is the question! Of course, the answer is yes, guard your exposed metal surfaces. Most frequently, this is done with a paint product but there are some metal surfaces that don’t lend themselves to paint. Mailboxes are clearly an example of this. Some of them are made of cast metal and others are powder-coated in the factory. Both present re-finishing challenges in the field, due to logistics. Painting mailboxes in general is a cumbersome process because it typically involves the Postal Service having to suspend mail service for a day or two. There is also the challenge of adhesive lettering that may have to be removed for painting and then re-installed, which is time-consuming and costly.
2 Guard is a coating that can be applied directly over painted surfaces and it makes them look like new. The photo below shows a set of mailboxes where three were coated with the product and one was not. Unlike paint, the doors of the mailboxes did not have to be left open for hours to allow dry-time. It dries in minutes and can be applied over the painted surfaces and adhesive numbers alike. It made coating the mailboxes shown below much easier than painting them.
The coating has a useful life of about 3 years and is easily re-coated. It can be used on other surfaces such as light poles, street light fixtures, street signs and anodized aluminum windows and a multitude of materials, including fiberglass, metal, wood, and PVC furniture.
Please let us know how we can assist you with any special concerns or specialty coatings.
I’m gonna deck you!…..
Tip of the Month-February 2013
I’m gonna deck you!…..or if I don’t, you’re likely to get hit with a large bill. Keeping your deck walking surface coated with appropriate waterproof coating or system is a cheap fix, compared to the cost of having to rebuild your deck. As you can see in the photo below, the deck coating has deteriorated to the point where bare plywood is showing:
FREE LABOR! What you talkin’ ‘bout Willis?
Tip of the Month-January 2013
Ok, some of you more seasoned folks, who are actually old enough to know who Willis is may not be enlightened by this Tip but some of the newer members of the management community will appreciate knowing it.
It is unreasonable to expect that property and community managers know all about paint. It is also unreasonable to expect that they would be able to assess the paint needs of their structures, put together a comprehensive set of bid specifications, produce color imaging and then oversee the actual application of the coatings.
The good news here is that you don’t have to! All of the major paint manufacturers have representatives who will perform these services for you, free of charge. They will visit the property, write specifications based on the type of surfaces to be painted and their condition, provide color images with suggestions for paint colors and visit the project during the course of painting to verify that the contractor is following their specifications. Did I mention that they do this for FREE? The only caveat is that you have to give them the time to do it properly. That means you should get them on board well in advance of the time that you want to paint. Color imaging usually takes a couple of weeks and would only be done for larger jobs.
The written specifications will assure you of “apples to apples” bid comparisons because potential contractors will be bidding on exactly the same products and quality, not their concept of what should happen. As a courtesy to the paint reps, decide on the brand of paint you want to use first and then get their rep involved. A reliable painter (such as PrimeCo) can assist you in selecting a manufacturer.
I can see clearly now…..
Tip of the Month-December 2012
I can see clearly now……why my drywall’s bad! (Go ahead, sing it out) Windows are a part of the building’s “envelope” and they are supposed to provide an integral part of the waterproofing system. When they fail, for one reason or another, it creates problems, not only on the interior of the building but also on the exterior. The picture below shows a defect in the drywall caused by a leak in the window. Note the crack at the corner of the window. When the drywall was cut away, it revealed pretty serious damage to the wood components in the wall. Water was poured into the track at the bottom of the window and it very rapidly leaked out the corner. On the second photo, you can see where the caulking and vinyl strip has been removed to allow a more thorough inspection. When the water was introduced into the sill (bottom track), it went into the wall where the studs are. The light blue paper has turned dark blue because it is wet from the leak. The water on the shop towel was previously blocked by the trim piece and the caulking, forcing all of the water into the wall cavity.
The damage caused by this leaking window was not limited to the interior. The water worked its way to the building’s exterior and caused the stucco to deteriorate and the fasteners (staples) that hold the lath (chicken wire) to rust out. The result was that the stucco pulled away from the building, opening a crack in the wall, further exacerbating the water intrusion problem.
Most sliding windows have tracks on which the window slides. These tracks have weep holes to allow water to drain out the front of them. If these weep holes are filled with dirt or debris, it is possible that an excessive amount of water may accumulate in the track, and find its way into areas where it shouldn’t. The weep holes should be kept free of dirt and debris.
As I’ve said before, listen when your building speaks to you. Cracks in the interior walls are one thing but cracks that have water stains on them, particularly around windows should be investigated.
Universal solvent…..
Tip of the Month – November 2012
Universal solvent….not the solution to world problems! Water is called the universal solvent because more substances dissolve in water than in any other chemical. This includes stucco! Stucco is a terrific product to enclose our living spaces but it is not impervious to the long-term effects of water. By itself, stucco has no moisture resistance to it at all. In fact, it absorbs water rather readily. An old painter’s trick (I’m not referring to myself) is to throw water on stucco to see if it is original stucco or if it has been painted. If it is original stucco, the surface will turn darker when the water hits it. If it stays relatively the same color, it has most likely been painted. The image below shows where water was applied to unpainted stucco:
The illustration above points out the moisture absorbency of stucco and it is important to note that if stucco has never been painted, it remains very permeable. This is particularly important to communities located very near water, i.e. the beach! The constant moisture on uncoated stucco takes its toll on the stucco much more rapidly and dramatically than buildings located inland. This photo shows stucco that has deteriorated primarily due to the constant exposure to moisture.
The destructive power of water is not limited to stucco. In the photo (below, left), the moisture coming from behind the wall is actually deteriorating the cinder block. This condition was made worse by someone having applied elastomeric paint over the block wall to try to keep the moisture in. It did…..and hastened the deterioration of the block itself. The image to the right shows water damage to plywood roof sheeting, most likely caused by a leaky roof coating.
Water is an important part of our world. We can survive longer without food than we can survive without water. However, most of your buildings will survive longer without water! Please let us help you with any water-related issues in your communities.
My thanks to Peter Ruehl of Vista Paint for providing the information related to last month’s Tip on the paint recovery fee!
Green, good……taxes, bad!
Tip of the Month – October 2012
Green, good…….taxes, bad! There is a new law that was passed that requires paint manufacturers to charge and collect a fee on the wholesale price of architectural paint products. The positive side of this is that it creates a recycling process for paint, similar to the one that is currently in place for electronic devices. The new law and fees take effect on October 19th and is known as the California Paint Stewardship Assessment Fee aka, PaintCare Recovery Fee. The downside is that it adds what is tantamount to a new tax on paint.
In practical terms what this means is that $.75 will be added to the cost of a gallon of paint and $1.60 will be added to the cost of a five-gallon can of paint. Naturally, this cost will have to be factored into the cost of painting by painting contractors.
What the program does is to facilitate the disposal of unused paint. Most manufacturers will have drop-off points (select stores) where people can bring in paint. There will also be services available where you can have unused paint picked up, free of charge. This service will be available to contractors and homeowners alike.
Some products are included in the program and others are not….here is a list of some of the most common items in each category:
Water-based paint products that are INCLUDED in this program are:
Interior and exterior acrylic and latex paints
Deck coatings
Primers, sealers
Stains
Concrete sealers
Swimming pool paints (single component)
Metal coatings, rust preventatives
Products that are EXCLUDED in this program are:
Oil-based paints
Paint thinners, mineral spirits, solvents
Aerosol paints (spray cans)
Auto and marine paints
Traffic paints
Art and craft paint
Caulking
Paint additives
2-component coatings
Wood preservatives
There are some other restrictions that will apply; no leaking, unlabeled or empty containers will be accepted at drop-off sites.
We welcome the opportunity to serve you, your communities and property owners. Please let us know if you have any upcoming painting and/or wood replacement projects. Now is an opportune time to have a wood survey done on your buildings to provide you with realistic budget amounts for potential wood replacement costs.
Stairway to Heaven?
Tip of the Month - September 2012
Stairway to Heaven?……only if you’ve been good! Stair stringers and stair treads are often times the site of well-hidden damage and potential liability. Since you typically see only the top surfaces of staircases and landings, the damage below them goes unnoticed for years. The damage may first be detected by an aware person who notices a “wobbly” step. That should serve as a red flag and looked into immediately. If you note the bracket shown below, it is attached to a wood surface that is pretty badly damaged by dry rot. If left unchecked, the dry rot will worsen, leaving no stable wood to hold the bracket. The result could be some broken bones, or worse!
The stair stringers (sides that the steps are attached to) are pretty heavily damaged by dry rot and termites. The steps themselves are shaky at best. The potential for personal injury and liability here is pretty high.
The bottom of this stair case shows the damage to the stringer but also to the pickets. Note that the bottom of the stair stringer is rotted out and the first picket is also damaged. Since the bottom three pickets are attached to an unsound piece of lumber, it is likely that they would not provide the fall-protection that they should.
It is easy to overlook changes in your building because they happen over years. For that reason, it is imperative that your buildings be inspected periodically by professionals who are trained to identify existing damage and potential liability.
If you have a challenge in your community, please contact PrimeCo Painting and Construction for solutions.
Thanks to our construction estimator, Joshua Schultz for his contribution to our Tip of the Month!
Fill ‘er up please!……
Tip of the Month – August 2012
Fill ‘er up please!……just make certain you are filling ‘er up with the right stuff. Filling, rather than replacing wood is a cost-cutting measure that many communities are taking to keep their wood in presentable condition and their wood replacement costs down. While filling holes in wood is a stop-gap option, it is imperative that the proper materials are used. In the photo below, you can see that someone has used concrete to fill in a hole that was the result of dry rot. Needless to say, this is not an acceptable, industry-standard “fix”.
Most everyone has heard of “bondo” even though most folks have never used it. It is actually a brand name for a number of fillers produced by 3M but has become synonymous with the word, filler. It is a resin-based filler that came out of the auto repair industry but has been long-used in the carpentry arena to fill holes in wood. Applied as a putty, it dries relatively hard and it is easy to sand to conform it to the surrounding surfaces. Because it does dry hard, it is vulnerable to the expansion and contraction of the wood to which it is applied and this may cause it to pop out.
As a rule, we advise against filling termite holes with bondo. The reason for this is that termites holes are generally only the exit to a long tunnel that permeates the wood. It is better to replace the wood. Filling holes caused by dry rot is often times more successful, if the holes are not too big (less than the size of a quarter). Since dry rot is a decay that spreads, it is recommended that prior to filling the hole, it is treated with a borate product similar to Copper Green to kill the fungus first. There new products that contain the same chemical compounds that are rods that can be inserted into holes that have been drilled into the wood. They release the chemical over time, providing a long-term barrier to the dry rot fungus.
In almost every case and despite the skills of the applicator, holes filled with bondo remain visible. This is because it creates a smooth surface on a substrate that typically is rough. Money is always a factor but you have to weigh aesthetics against cost.
If you have a challenge in your community, please contact PrimeCo Painting and Construction for solutions.
Thanks to our construction estimator, Joshua Schultz for his contribution to our Tip of the Month!
Hold me back! …….
Tip of the Month – July 2012
Hold me back! …….no, really…..the railing is supposed to hold me back. The balcony railing shown in the photo below is a tragedy in the making. As you can readily see, the pickets are rotted out at the bottom, as is the fascia that they are attached to. According to Structural Engineer, Rhett Savoie, of Dunn Savoie, Inc., the 2010 Uniform Building Code requires balcony railing to withstand a 200-pound concentrated pressure to simulate someone falling against the rail. The railing below will fall very short of that and the resultant fall when someone pushes through it will not be a short one. The cause of this damage is probably poor design and deferred maintenance. Since the wood pickets are attached directly to the wood fascia, a moisture-trapping environment is created. This moisture leads to dry rot and the early demise of the railing. More modern designs have spacers that maintain an air gap between the surfaces.
Another danger with balcony railings is the spacing of the pickets. Most everyone knows that current code requires a gap less than 4” between pickets or between the deck surface and the bottom of the railing. This is to keep small children from falling through. I have heard of insurance companies that require owners to retro-fit non-compliant railing systems in order to keep their insurance intact. Despite the pressure from insurance companies and common sense, some buildings have rail spacing that is a definite fall hazard. Shown below are examples of rail spacing that presents such a hazard. Many communities add pickets in their railing or fencing to reduce the spacing or they install a mesh that prevents children from falling through. A caution with mesh, it might be preferable to attach it with fasteners (stainless steel screws) instead of welding it. When it is welded on, it is impossible to re-paint the back side of the mesh and the surface that it is mounted to once it is installed. This usually leads to rusting that cannot be effectively abated and a shortened life expectancy of the fence.
If you have a challenge in your community, please contact PrimeCo for solutions.
Thanks to our construction estimator, Joshua Schultz, and structural engineer, Rhett Savoie, for their contributions to this Tip of the Month!
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream….
Tip of the Month – June 2012
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream….not the nightmare shown below! Ok, that might be a little harsh but for those who have never experienced sandblasting, it is a bit of a shock to see it up close and personal.
In the midst of the cloud of dirt, dust and sand, there is actually a worker performing sandblasting of a retaining wall. While this is a very necessary step in repairing stucco damage caused by water migrating through the wall, it clearly is a very messy process. As is the case with many retaining walls, there was insufficient waterproofing and drainage behind the wall and that allowed the moisture to penetrate the wall, causing the damage shown below:
The absolute best “fix” for this very common scenario is to completely excavate behind the wall, down to the footing. The wall should be thoroughly waterproofed (not just Henry’s black goop) and subterranean drainage system installed to evacuate underground water. Once backfilled, a v-ditch along the top of the back side of the wall will drain off surface run-off. Due to the severe degradation of the stucco, the old stucco still needs to be sandblasted off. Unfortunately, this is a hugely expensive proposition and so Plan B may be the best alternative.
Plan B includes sandblasting the old stucco surface off, down to the brown coat. Then, a coat of a waterproof stucco is applied (Thoroseal) and finally, the finish stucco coat and paint is applied. This system is not nearly as expensive as the first option and has a pretty good success rate of resisting the damage caused by the water migration. Installing drought-tolerant plant material that needs less water behind the wall helps and holes along the bottom of the wall will relieve some of the hydrostatic pressure.
If you have a challenge in your community, please contact PrimeCo for solutions.
Come on Baby, Light My Fire….
Tip of the Month – May 2012
Come on Baby, Light My Fire….or so sang The Doors. The door below should be set on fire!
We frequently see improper doors used on the exteriors of buildings and doors that suffer a premature fate, due to the environment that they are in. In the case of the doors shown above, they are made of a composite particle board and are really intended for use as interior closet doors. As you can see, they are not faring well.
The metal door shown above is a casualty of the irrigation system. While not visible in the photo, there was a sprinkler just behind the bush and door. Even though it might have been properly directed, wind can cause the water to blow back on the door, into the vents, causing it to soak the wood piece in the bottom of the door. Bubblers, in lieu of a spray head, could have averted this. If there is no keeping moisture from the doors, a fiberglass door would be a better option when the door is replaced. We frequently recommend fiberglass doors instead of metal-clad ones to eliminate the possibility of rusting.
And lastly, keep your doors protected with a good coat of paint. The doors shown above would cost close to $2-$3,000 to replace and a fraction of that to paint. They are getting so badly damaged that before long, the latter option will not be a viable one. Please contact PrimeCo Painting and Construction for assistance and pricing with your wood replacement and painting projects.
