Usually, Chelsea and I improve homes, but this week, we’re renovating something close to our hearts: the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park.
The USS Alabama is a World War II battleship docked in our hometown, Mobile, Alabama. Because of the ship’s historical value, it is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
This park features the ship, along with aircraft, submarines and memorials. It’s one of Mobile’s biggest attractions, so we invited our neighbors to help improve something that is so important to our city.
The Project
Repainting The Bow
What’s really cool about the Battleship is the ability to go aboard. One of the most impactful parts of the ship is its bow. Because of this, we decided to repaint it — battleship grey, of course!
We worked tirelessly to ensure that each part of the bow had a fresh coat of paint.
Volunteers and Battleship staff work hard to paint every crevice of the USS Alabama’s bow. This project contained the most painting of all. We painted everything in sight — especially the floor, chains, and guns. We covered the ship’s giant black chains with a fresh coat of black paint.
Now, the USS Alabama’s bow gleams. The fresh coat of paint makes the ship look brand new, and it’s so rewarding to see our work and to know how much it is appreciated and how much of a difference it actually makes.
Giving the Gift Shop Curb Appeal
To fix up the gift shop, we pressure-wash the building and its surrounding sidewalks. The walls and sidewalks are porous, so pressure washing is the perfect way to make the exterior look brand new.
Next, we removed the old shrubbery and replaced it with new Knock Out Roses. The roses’ bright color adds new life to the gift shop’s exterior. Overall, the new landscaping makes it more inviting and enhances its curb appeal.
The black paint on these iron handrails was cracking and peeling, so we sanded and repainted them to round out the gift shop projects.
Sprucing Up The Parking Lot
With the number of people who drive and walk over the concrete, it was looking worse for the wear. The parking lot has big yellow lines for caution reasons, but over time, they became worn and faded. So, first, our team cleans the concrete with a circular pressure washer.
After cleaning, we used a paint roller directly over the previous yellow lines. This not only makes the parking lot look better but also creates a safer environment for visitors and employees.
The final step in sprucing up the parking lot? Replacing a missing curb! First, we create a mold out of wood, curving it in the shape of the curb. Then, using Quikrete 5000, we fill the mold with concrete. We let that harden and remove the mold and are left with a flawless curb.
We also:
- Painted the anchor at the front of the park
- Unveiled a new welcome sign
- Updated landscaping around the park
- Added lighting around the aircrafts
- Re-bricked walkways
- Replaced missing stone in memorial
Post Production Thoughts
The USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park is an enormous complex full of historic artifacts and memorials to the men and women who have given themselves in service to our country.
This week, we helped maintain and improve the ship itself as well as the memorials and facilities that surround it.
And we’ve gotten a lot accomplished, but the real transformation here is much more than just some fresh paint or new rose bushes; it’s the transformation that happens in our communities when we team up with our neighbors to serve each other and honor our history.
That’s real home improvement.
| Other Tips From This Episode | |
|---|---|
 | Simple Solutions How to Remove Rust From Gardening Tools |
 | Best New Products Makita’s String Trimmer Helps Prevent Tangled Messes |
Further Reading
- How to Remove Paint from Concrete | Ep. 176
- 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Pouring a Concrete Slab
- 7 Pressure Washing Books You’ll Want to Read
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