Hour 1
Learn more about how to paint aluminum siding, install a mailbox post, and more!
How to Paint Aluminum Siding
A homeowner has a 30-year-old two-story house with painted aluminum siding. The original paint is chipping off on one side of the house, exposing the metal.
He wants to know, “Can I repaint the aluminum, or must I replace it entirely?”
The good news is, it is re-paintable! Because the surface is smooth, applying the paint with a spray gun is always best if you can. A cordless sprayer is homeowner friendly and provides an easy and smooth application process.
Before painting, make sure to thoroughly clean the siding by using trisodium phosphate (TSP). Wet the surface really well, use the TSP, wash it down, then dry.
If you do have peeling paint, you must sand and scrape the loose paint off before applying new paint. And after sanding, apply a primer because you wanted an even paint application.
To paint the house, we recommend 100% acrylic latex house paint because as it expands and contracts, it will continue to stick to the surface, and as the siding heats up and cools down, it will not crack. Or, you can try a paint specific for metal and is recommended for aluminum siding.
Read for a more extensive guide: Can You Paint Aluminum Siding?
How to Install a Mailbox Post
A homeowner is planning to install a new mailbox. He says he is going to dig a hole, set a 4 x 4 post in it, and our concrete around it.
He asks two questions, “How deep and wide should I dig the hole?” and “Do I premix the concrete with water or not?”
Since mailboxes experience wear and tear from being bumped into and the constant opening and closing, we would recommend a hole with a minimum of 18 inches deep and 4 inches wide. This will provide the mailbox with good support, but more is always better.
In terms of adding water before or after pouring the concrete, both methods are correct. As long as you follow the direction stated on the concrete, your pour will be successful.
An important tip when pouring concrete like this is not to allow the post to directly contact the concrete. To do this, wrap the post in some type of plastic or felt. Then, take a few screws and screw them into the side of the post. This way, the concrete forms around them and has little points of added support. This will make a difference in the strength and longevity of the post.
After successfully installing the new mailbox, you can make it your own by painting or staining it.
Finally, make sure to check with your local post office before installing a mailbox because they have rules pertaining to how high and far it can be!
Hour 2
Listen to learn how to remove adhesive from concrete, repair a cracked wall, make a concrete floor not slippery, and more!
Tips to Make Plant Removal Easier
Sometimes, improving your landscape requires the removal of old plants to make way for new ones. If those old plants are well-established shrubs or bushes, you can be in for a big job.
So here are a few things to consider before you tackle a chore like this:
First, be sure the area doesn’t have any buried utilities by calling the 811 “call before you dig” hotline in your area. They’ll arrange to mark any public utilities in the area so you can avoid them. You’ll still need to keep an eye out for your own irrigation lines, so begin digging cautiously.
When you encounter roots, be sure they are actually roots before cutting them. An irrigation wire or pipe looks a lot like a root when it’s covered in dirt. Try scratching the surface to see if the bark peels away to reveal raw wood.
If it is a root, you can use a pair of loppers or a reciprocating saw to cut it out. These tools work more quickly and precisely than simply hacking at the stump with a shovel or axe.
Plus, they won’t shower you in dirt with every swing, if you work around the plant methodically, cutting roots this way.
Finally, you should be able to pry the stump out of the ground with a shovel.
This “Around The Yard” segment is brought to you by Quikrete.
How to Remove Adhesive Concrete
A homeowner had a vinyl floor on concrete for about 20 years. She wants to remove that flooring and replace it with ceramic tile, but there is adhesive underneath the vinyl floor that she cannot remove.
She asks, “How do I get the adhesive off the concrete?”
The good thing about this project is because a new floor is being placed on top, all of the adhesive does not need to be removed. However, it is important to make sure that there are no ridges and that it is smooth.
The easiest way to remove the adhesive is an orbital floor sander, but it does require some practice. It works by grinding the adhesive and leaving behind a smoother surface.
If it is only a small area, it is probably not worth it to use the orbital floor sander to sand the adhesive. In this case, we would recommend using a hand sander or scraper.
Another method is to pour boiling water on a small section at a time and use a heat gun to heat up the adhesive. Or use Klean-Strip adhesive remover. Then, use a scraper to scrape it up, but it is very messy.
Also, remember the end result is not removing the adhesive entirely but creating a smooth surface to apply the new floor on top of.
How to Repair A Cracked Wall
A homeowner has a vertical eight-inch crack over the doorway between her living room and dining room. She has tried to spackle over it, but it keeps reappearing. Now, she wants to paint the rooms but doesn’t want the crack to come back and ruin her new paint job.
She wants to know, “What do you suggest?”
When you have vertical joints above doors, often in the framing, the seam is not over a joint, or they did not put enough sufficient screws or nails in it.
We recommend taking drywall screws and put two or three on each side of the crack. Slightly recess those screws, then put a piece of drywall tape over the crack and the screws. Next, cover all of that in a joint compound and make sure to smooth it out.
This will help because if there’s any expansion or contraction taking place, it will happen behind the tape and joint compound now and will not be visible once it’s painted.
Watch this video to learn more: How to Repair Cracks and Dents in Drywall
How to Make a Concrete Floor Not Slippery
A homeowner has an open concrete porch that has never been painted or stained. It looks nice but is slippery.
He asks, “Is there a product I can use to make it not slippery?”
A great product to use is from Daich Coatings called TracSafe. It is a clear sealer, so you won’t be able to tell a difference after it’s on there, except for the fact that it is no longer slippery. Another good thing about it is it helps keep your concrete clean for longer.
Before applying the sealant, make sure to thoroughly clean the concrete floor.
To apply it, you can either roll it on or brush it on, depending on the size of the surface. One coat should be sufficient, but if you haven’t had any finishing or painting, you might want to apply two coats.
For how-to videos and more information, visit the Daich Coatings website!
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Simple Solutions
4 Flowerbox Tips—Here are four ways to keep the plants in your flowerbox or window box healthy and happy. 1) First, be sure to drill 3/8-in.-dia. drainage holes in the box bottom so the soil doesn’t stay soggy. Space the holes about 8 in. apart. 2) To stop the soil from washing through the drainage holes, cover the box bottom with an inch of gravel. Or, if you’re concerned about the added weight of the gravel, line the bottom with empty 12-oz. water bottles instead. 3) Plant various flowering species of different colors: put flowing vines in front, short plants in the middle, and tall plants toward the rear to create an attractive tiered presentation. 4) At the end of the season, remove the boxes, empty out the soil, and store the boxes indoors until next spring.
Time-Saving Sanding Tip—It’s often necessary to remove the sharp edges of boards by sanding them by hand or with an electric orbital sander. But you can save a considerable amount of time—and create much less dust—by first knocking off the sharp edges with a block plane. Set the plane to make a shallow depth of cut and run it over each edge two or three times. That’ll cut your sanding time in half, and as a bonus, you’ll save on sandpaper, too.
