Exterior Paint

I have recently had a painting contractor perform a re paint on the exterior of my house. It is mostly cedar siding and trim with ateas of stucco and some of the siding is hardy (sp). He came out and had the house painted in about 4 days with a spraying machine, but I have been looking at it, and I think that I may have been suckered. Any advice on how the paint job should look is appreciated.

Color me Red,
Hesperia, MI

Dear Red,

On a typical exterior re paint, there are measures and steps that need to be taken in order to ensure proper longevity.

Let me start by saying that the exterior of your house should be treated like your skin. Proper care of your skin will keep it from drying out, cracking and discoloring. The first step in ANY exterior paint job should be "exfoliation", which basically means get all the peeling and loose paint off from the house.

1. Removal of all loose paint
A good power washing or just a good scraping is the first job that should be performed before a paint can is opened. Old paint can be tricky, as it will look solid until you start scraping it, or putting the pressure from a power washer on it. You want to make sure that yourself or your contractor properly removes ALL loose and peeling paint from the exterior, before he does anything else. Once the house is power washed, the wood needs time to dry out completely before the next step.

2. Caulking
Don't let a contractor tell you that caulking is optional! Caulking seals up nail holes and cracks that paint will not fill, and keeps moisture from seeping into these cracks and holes where it will only cause rot in your wood! Nail holes, butt joints, joints where siding meets trim, etc, should all be caulked with a good quality white ( not clear) exterior siliconized acrylic caulking. DO NOT USE SILICONE! Pure silicone, while being extremely durable and water tight, will not take paint. If you feel the need to use silicone, please look at the label for "paintable" silicone. Be certain that all nail holes, and such are filled and no clumping of the caulk is left around the nail holes and cracks. This will show through your paint if the caulk isn't smooth. I require my employees to wipe any nail holes and cracks that will show easily with a damp rag, to remove any extra residue so the finish will be smooth. The idea behind the caulking is two fold. One, it seals your holes and cracks, but it also makes for a smooth, appealing finish.

3. Primer
Primer is definitely a MUST! Too many painting contractors today think that paint is "self priming". This is WRONG! You must, and I need to stress this, MUST prime any and all bare wood, any paint that is fissured (cracked, but still adhering well to the house) and any caulking that has been applied. There are several types of primer, that are all equally suitable for this application as long as it is a good exterior primer. for smaller jobs, that basically sum up to a small repair, i use a fast drying exterior latex primer. I apply two coats of this primer to ensure that the wood is sealed properly. For a large re paint or a new construction "first paint", I prefer an alkyd based primer. This is what most refer to as oil based. It is tougher to work with and takes longer to dry, so if you are a DIY'er, I would suggest the latex exterior primer.

Primer changes the PH level of the wood, especially in cedar, and prevents the color of the wood from "bleeding". It also provides a solid adhesion base for your finish paint. I always try to have the paint store tint my primer toward the color of my finish paint, in order to make it easier to cover. Darker colors aren't as easily tinted close, because primer is usually white, and there isn't enough room in the bucket for a lot of color to be added.

The primer should be applied liberally, avoiding drips, sags, and runs. Latex primer can be painted after about 3 hours, provided the weather is at least 50 degrees, and the temperature is around 5-10 degrees higher than the dew point. Alkyd primer should be left to dry for 12 - 24 hours depending on weather. It will form a film over the outside and appear to be dry must faster, but it hasn't "cured" and will still be wet inside. If paint is applied before this particular primer has cure properly, it will take forever to cure and your base for the finish paint will be compromised. Much as you wouldn't pour concrete into loose sand.

4. Applying your finish paint

Okay...here is the final and some would say, the tricky part. Paint CAN be sprayed. However, ALL paint has a warranty. This being said, there are steps to take that ensure that the warranty for your exterior paint will hold up if it fails.

Before I begin this, let me say that I know there are A LOT of contractors who aren't going to like have this piece of info out there, and I'm sure the hate mail will ROLL IN over this.

Any and all exterior applications of paint MUST be rolled or brushed, and be a minimum of TWO (2) coats! Not one heavy coat, Not 3 good coats that were only applied by spraying. I'll tell you why this is. Part of this goes back to skin care. You wouldn't use the "Bullfrog" brand sunscreen that has the little pump on it, and spray on sunscreen without rubbing it in, right? Right. Because, it won't cover as well and it can wash off. Paint is much the same way. it must be brushed and/or rolled (especially on wood) in order to push the paint into all the little cracks and fissures, and ensure that all the wood is properly sealed. It also provides a solid color and prevents uneven paint coverage. My crew uses an airless spray rig on every job, but the spray man had a man with a brush and roller coming behind him, brushing and rolling every square inch of the paint being applied. Let me make this clear;

If you call your local paint store and tell them that your paint isn't holding up, they will send someone out to check the paint. They will look at the millage (thickness) of the paint and will be able to determine just by looking whether or not the paint was back rolled and/or brushed or just sprayed onto the siding. If it was just sprayed, your warranty is void. If your warranty is voided, then your screwed. The contractor will not likely return and repaint your house without a court order to do so, and even then, it's unlikely.

Every paint job I perform is warrantied for the same duration as the warranty of the paint, barring damage from hail, tornadoes, falling limbs, etc. I'm this positive of the workmanship.

Finally, after the first coat is applied, the paint will need to dry. If it is anything other than a flat paint, which I strongly advise against due to the less than appealing appearance that it leaves over a few years not to mention the lack of durability, then the first coat must be allowed to dry, keeping in mind the weather guidelines, I mentioned the the primer section. After the first coat has dried, then the second coat can be applied using the same method, taking care to watch for areas where old paint was removed to the bare wood, and applying extra paint in those areas, for extra protection as well as to camouflage these areas.

If, upon surveying the finished product, BEFORE you write a check to the contractor, you happen to see light spots, "holidays" (unpainted areas or spots), cracks, holes etc., don't be afraid to mention these to your contractor before payment is submitted to them. Require that they be repaired and I would suggest that you go so far as to find someone you know, or call an inspector ( it's worth it) that isn't afraid of ladders and heights to do a final inspection and write up a "punch list" for the contractor. ALWAYS make certain that you are 100% satisfied with the job performed. If you aren't satisfied, don't submit payment until you are. If the contractor doesn't want to comply, then hold his check, get another contractor to finish the job, submit an invoice and pay him out of the original contractors final payment.

These are the steps required to acquiring a trouble and virtually maintenance free exterior paint job that will last you for years to come. The only other advice I would give is to paint before it needs it. If your paint is starting to discolor, or you find chips in it from the weather, FIX IT! Fix it right then. It will save you further cost down the line.

There of course are other things to be considered in painting your home, but these are the basic steps to applying a good exterior job.

In closing, and in answer to your question, Red; Your paint job, in it's entirety should look SOLID. Everything should be uniform and basically look like it's been poured from a mould and installed on your house. Even your Hardi siding, which is fibered concrete, should be treated the same as your wood siding to prevent bubbling and peeling later.

Rotting Stucco Walls

We had our Home built in 1995, and went with a stucco exterior, barrel tiled roof, arched windows and doors, etc. Basically a Santa Fe style home. Recently, we had an large cover built over our back patio, that cover part of our pool, for entertaining purposes. The contractor building the cover, stopped construction, when he found an extreme amount of rotted wood behind the stucco walls where he was tying in the new porch cover. I asked him what would cause the wood to rot, but he said he only builds decks, fences, porch covers, etc., so he really doesn't know why and a roofing contractor was called to look for leaks but non were found. What could be causing this and what can I do to prevent it in the future?

Rotten to the core
Holden Beach, NC

Well........shoot. How to put this..? I don't have to come to Holden Beach to guess that your stucco probably looks like it has a Styrofoam layer, a mesh over that and the color coats over that. If I'm wrong please correct me.

Chances are very very great that you don't have Stucco. You may have been sold stucco, but your exterior finish sounds like EIFS, or more commonly known as "dryvit". This is a mainly commercial application, that is suitable for insulating and coating over masonry, or over metal stud framing. It isn't suitable at all for wood framing because if not applied right by a REAL EXPERT in the field, you're going to get moisture in, and it will not come out which causes the framing to rot.

With a problem of this magnitude, you are going to need to hire a home inspector, to assess the extent of the damage, and determine if your home is safe to live in at all. If there is moisture within your wall cavities, then there is going to be mold. YOu definitely need a mold test performed. One sure sign is if you or anyone in your house has been suffering with headaches, runny noses etc., when @ home but seems to improve with a prolonged absence from the home. With EIFS, windows are sometimes not installed correctly, and the same goes with doors. The problem could and probably is widespread. After the assessment from the inspector your next step is to contact the homebuilder to find out what the product should have been. Also contact your homeowners association if applicable and your neighbors and ask about any problems that they may be experiencing, eg; mold on interior walls, soft wood door frames, etc. This may be a widespread problem and further legal action against the builder and/or contractor, may be in order.

North Carolina, I believe was the first state where the problems with EIFS over wood framing was discovered. Houses built before 1997 in general were the worst cases. This is a very well known problem in the area, as well as across the US.

In closing, my advice would be to spend the few hundred bucks for a reputable, thorough inspector to ensure your safety forst and foremost, and then proceed from there.

Bottom of privacy fence

I am building a 6 foot tall privacy fence and I started putting my pickets on and had a question about the bottom of my fence once it's installed. How long will it take before it starts to mold and rot from the wet grass? Also I am worried about how durable it will be when I trim around it with a weed eater. Any suggestions?

Lilly S.
Waco TX

Dear Lilly,

Kudos to you for taking on suck a project! My advice is pretty simple. When you install the pickets on the runners, lay a long 2"x4" flat on the ground against the outside of your posts. set your picket on the board and nail them in place. When you are finished, this will leave at least 1 1/2" between the ground and your fence to allow for the trimmer string to pass without damaging your fence, and it will keep the fence from direct contact with the ground to avoid soaking up constant moisture. You can also install metal flower bed type edging along the bottom of the fence if you would like, in order to keep snakes and such from coming under the fence and out of your yard.

I would also suggest using a flat sheen spar or marine varnish along the bottom 6" of your pickets just to seal them, if you're not planning to paint the fence. If the plan is to paint, then be sure to prime and paint at least one coat of finish paint over every part of the pickets before installing them. Once installed, caulk your nail holes and prime them. Them apply your final coat of paint. This should provide you with ample protection and a beautiful fence for years to come.

Determining property lines

I've recently purchased a parcel of land that butts against a mobile home park. There is a road that separates my property from the mobile home park. I recently started building in the middle of the property and I cut a driveway from the road to the house.

The manager of the mobile property stacked logs in my driveway and when confronted about it he stated that the mobile property ends 10 feet from the road into my side of the road. I can cut a 1/8th mile driveway from another road into the property, but I'm not sure that he is correct. He can't or won't produce a land map showing his property line. I can't afford to hire a surveyor, and definitely not a lawyer. HELP!

Ron J.
Lincoln NE

Ron,

Take this for what it's worth, as I'm not familiar with line boundaries and laws in Nebraska.

The only thing that I can suggest to you is a poor man's survey. Set some "T" posts along the line where you believe your property line is located. If they are torn out by the manager, call your local law enforcement. They will usually tell him to leave them alone until a survey is performed. If they are that serious about their 10 feet, then they will hire a surveyor themselves, or leave your property alone. Other than this, I don't know what to tell you. Land laws vary from state to state and county to county. You should be able to locate your property pins with a metal detector and a good shovel. Your best bet would be to just go to the county seat with your legal description of the property and buy a survey platte. They will have them on record. Use those measurements to locate the area where your pins are, and get yourself a line from one to the other.

Under sink plumbing

I am rebuilding the plumbing under my sink, and just had a simple question. What is the "U" shaped piece that goes from the sink drain into the wall? What is it for?

R.F.
Little Rock AR

Dear R.F.,

The "U" shaped piece is called a "p-trap". It was designed by Thomas Crapper ( YES REALLY) in 1880.

Before this there was an S trap but it wasn't practical because it required an overflow due to constant jamming.

Because of its shape, the trap retains a small amount of water after the fixture's use. This water in the trap creates a water seal that prevents sewer gases from passing from the drain pipes back into the occupied space of the building. Essentially all plumbing fixtures including sinks,bathtubs, and toilets must be equipped with either an internal or external trap.

Because it is a localized low-point in the plumbing, sink traps also tend to capture heavy objects (such as jewelry) that are inadvertently dropped into the sink. Traps also tend to collect hair, sand, and other debris and limit the ultimate size of objects that will pass on into the rest of the plumbing, thereby catching over-sized objects. For all of these reasons, most traps can either be disassembled for cleaning or they provide some sort of cleanout feature.

Questionable Contractor

I have recently started looking for a contractor to perform a kitchen remodel for my mother. This is going to be a birthday/ retirement present. ( She will be turning 65 in March). It has been hard to get someone in there to look at the kitchen, seeing that we are going to send her on a 2 week vacation to Italy, our home country, and I want to make it a surprise. I have to take contractors in while she is working, or not at home. My question is this. How do I make sure that I am getting a good contractor that will perform his duties in a timely manner, without taking dangerous short cuts, and scamming me out of money? Also, should I go with a General Contractor or should I hire each trade independently?

Leonora B.
Apple Valley, CA

Dear Leonora,

The advice I am about to give in no way applies to every contractor, and even with the most careful planning there is absolutely no way to completely avoid being scammed. People are just people. Some are good, honest, hardworking individuals with a solid background, and good references, and they can still put the screws to you, if they so choose. Here are a few guidelines to help you along.

I have been involved with several residential and commercial construction projects in the last few years. Troubles can arise, even with licensed, bonded contractors. Here are some of the things I noticed before the problem started:

*Contractor in question’s bid was far below all of the others. This is a sure sign that the contractor is either unfamiliar with the work in question, or has under bid on purpose because he intends to have cost over runs. Another play on this theme is if the contractor offers a great bargain in order to use your project as an example. The lowest bid, in my personal experience, is never the one I want, and usually upon reading it, I end up trashing it.

*Contractor has questionable or no references and or no fixed business address. Always ask for references, if the contractor does good work, he will have many, many examples of this through his references. Any contractor that does not have a fixed business address could be a fly by night operation.

*The contractor does not want to go through the formalities of signing a contract. When you are doing any major work, a contract that spells out what the scope of work is, and what the contractor’s responsibilities are. This is standard business practice and any person who does not want to follow that needs to be asked to leave at that time, without question.

1. You get a bad feeling. Trust your gut feeling, the guy who seems like a sleazy sales man probably is. High pressure sales tactics such as “This price is only valid until I walk out of that door, you have to sign this right now…” are a very bad sign.
2. Contractor uses scary scenarios to get you to buy more expensive options or more extensive work than what you initially wanted. If problems are uncovered during a project, they should be obvious. Sometimes, there will be things overlooked or just not apparent upon initial inspection of your home. This usually occurs behind walls or on an exterior, high above where you personally would want to climb. Make the contractor show you exactly what the extra work entails, even if it means climbing a ladder to view the problem. DO NOT LET YOURSELF BE BULLIED. Like a doctor, you can always get a second opinion.

The best way to find a good contractor is to ask your friends, family or neighbors. More often then not, they have used somebody with a good result. Be extremely wary of the guy who pulls up in front of your house out of the blue and tells you that you need a new roof (or something else). Best to tell that person to be on his way. Additionally, many locations require contractors to have licenses. If you live in one of those locations, it is perfectly reasonable to ask for a copy of the contractors license and insurance certificate.

If you feel that you have been ripped off, call the local authorities. Blatant theft, such as a contractor took your money and left town, should be reported to the police. Other situations may need to be handled through civil courts, The Better Business Bureau or other organizations.

Finally, if you have fired a contractor who you provided a key to access your home, change your locks as soon as possible.

Leonora, in closing, I would use a General Contractor. I'm not just saying this because i happen to be one. A General Contractor, while costing you more in the project will be the one using his sub contractors, and overseeing the project. He will usually have a superintendent at the job for the duration of the project, or available to stop by several times a day to inspect the project and answer any questions. If you choose to hire each contractor independently, you will be responsible for accepting and going over each estimate, acquiring all licensing and insurance information from each bidding contractor, answering every question each hired contractor puts forth, and inspecting each phase of the project as well as paying out a check to each contractor according to the contract signed. This is fine if you have a solid knowledge of all aspects withing the construction trades, and you have absolutely no life.

A GC will make sure everything is scheduled, done properly, and meets all local building codes. You will have one firm to deal with, vs as many as 10 separate contractors. One Contract with that individual firm, and they will have the responsibility of ensuring everything is right before they get paid.

One last note, any contractor who acts too "hungry" should usually be avoided. I have found that these types of contractors have been slow or without work for a long enough period of time to make them desperate. You may feel that you are at an advantage by taking a great deal, but the contractor can easily turn the tables and do a quick job in order to get a check, that looks good at first but will ultimately fail very soon.

Good luck with your project and I hope your Mom loves it!

House Framing

I'm framing an addition on my house consisting of 2 bedrooms, an office and a bathroom........... I'm using 2x6 lumber for the exterior walls..................... Should I frame them 16" apart, or 24" apart? I heard that they could be framed on 19" as well. Which is best?

Louis Reed
Excelsior Springs, MO

Louis,
Your building code is going to call for 16" centers on exterior and load bearing walls. you can frame any partition walls with 2x4 lumber on 24" centers if desired. Be sure that any lumber touching concrete, is pressure treated. 19 3/16" (black diamond on your tape measure) framing is for roof trusses. It allows one less truss under an 8' piece of plywood. Be sure that you obtain all applicable building permits and inspections, to avoid problems later.