Worst home projects, EVER!

[zach]

Most projects around the home don't bother me. However, one that I hate every 6-8 years is staining cedar picket fences(Not the ones that are placed together that you can spray, but the true pickets that you have to paint with a brush) and a large Italian Shade cedar deck(That you can't spray 70% of it). The deck especially is bad since you have to stain all sides of the slotted roof made of a bunch of 2"x2"s that runs 26' long spaced every 2", 20 feet wide. Plus you have to protect the floor and sides of your deck from unwanted drips and the house itself from drifting stain. I have yet to figure out the best way other than tearing it all out and burning it for a pregame celebration!

What projects that are recurring or you are dreading that you must do around the house this summer? For the college kids heading home, any home projects your parents are waiting for your help when you get home this summer?

Z

[cyfan964]

Painting vs. Siding an old home... either way I go... not fun.

[IcSyU]

I've redone my grandparents fire pit four times in the past four years. I started on this year's edition a few weeks ago.

I don't mind landscaping...however, landscaping the same thing over and over gets old. I did all the landscaping around our house, and I know my parents are thinking about a deck or patio off the back of our house that I'll get to landscape around.

[clones_jer]

I decided to make my itty-bitty back yard pond into a twice as big pond ... it's become quite the project.

I'm in such a stupid rush to fill it ... then I have to drain it when I figure out I don't have something right. With recent wet weather isn't helping either.

Worst indoor project was fixing a leaky shower... thought I was hot **** since I could copper weld in wide open spaces. Almost burned my stupid house down trying to replace a shower valve in a closet crawlspace.

[Chizit]

A sink in our bathroom was connected to a sewage line and everytime you turned the sink on the whole room would fill with the worst odor I have ever sniffed. That was not fun.

[stvfarmboy]

I'm going to be reroofing my house this summer. I would like to do it myself, but with the steepness of the roof and my busy schedule I will probably hire it done. So it won't be fun when I have to pay for it.

[cytech]

Most projects around the home don't bother me. However, one that I hate every 6-8 years is staining cedar picket fences(Not the ones that are placed together that you can spray, but the true pickets that you have to paint with a brush) and a large Italian Shade cedar deck(That you can't spray 70% of it). The deck especially is bad since you have to stain all sides of the slotted roof made of a bunch of 2"x2"s that runs 26' long spaced every 2", 20 feet wide. Plus you have to protect the floor and sides of your deck from unwanted drips and the house itself from drifting stain. I have yet to figure out the best way other than tearing it all out and burning it for a pregame celebration!

What projects that are recurring or you are dreading that you must do around the house this summer? For the college kids heading home, any home projects your parents are waiting for your help when you get home this summer?

Z

I would spray your fence and your roof section, we use canvas tarps of varying lengths to collect over spray. All the decks/ fences we do are two men jobs. As for stuff you can't spray we use stain pads not brushes. They are made by sure line. You can goto lowes and get a few different sizes. They have the ability to be put on a pole also. For the floors I have a stain pad that is the size of a push broom.

Those drips and over spray do happen, I find it is easier to go fast and clean up later with exception to spraying. Just have towels and mineral spirits handy.

Here is a tip on how to stain where a deck meets your home without a mess. Take a canvas tarp ( I use 6' x 9' ) and run it between the deck and the house. Have your helper hold another one and spray away. Can get right up to the house without making a mess. Caution don't use a used/wet tarp for this as the stain goes through them.

Having to proper equipment makes every job that much easier.

[clones_jer]

so ... you're telling me I should be staining my fence?

What is fence maintenance? I've been here 4 years and mostly I just look at it.

[Psyclone Brian]

...plumbing on a house that was built in 1919

[Blandboy]

I'm going to be reroofing my house this summer. I would like to do it myself, but with the steepness of the roof and my busy schedule I will probably hire it done. So it won't be fun when I have to pay for it.

Roofing ain't fun (I've done three houses). Your back will thank you for paying someone else to do it.

[Cyclonepride]

Sewer back up in the crawlspace of my old house. Had to dig a 4'x 4' wide, by 4' deep hole out of the crawlspace to get to the joint in the line, only to find out the problem was outside. And let's just say I wasn't removing a lot of dirt in my little excavation.

I WIN

[cytech]

so ... you're telling me I should be staining my fence?

What is fence maintenance? I've been here 4 years and mostly I just look at it.

If you build a brand new cedar fence, you let it sit about 6 months, clean it, then stain it with a semi transparent oil based stain. It Should be good for 4-8 years then you give it a light wash, and a light recoat. You can do the light wash recoat 4 times before you need to strip it off and start over.

If you do that it will stay looking good and in good condition for it's life. Fences that have been left to get alot of UV damage ( when the wood turns gray) You can still clean and stain them but you will need to maintain them every 4 years.

If you just use a clear water sealer then you should do it every 2-4 years.

Any product that claims it last longer is generally not telling the truth.

[Blandboy]

Totally gutted my kitchen and remodeled it in 10 days (wiring, cabinets, ceramic flooring ... the whole deal). Worst part was crawling on my belly (like a reptile) in the attic through rock wool and fiberglass insulation running new wiring. Was July and temperature was triple digits ... reminded me of the hotbox scene in Cool Hand Luke.

[clones_jer]

If you build a brand new cedar fence, you let it sit about 6 months, clean it, then stain it with a semi transparent oil based stain. It Should be good for 4-8 years then you give it a light wash, and a light recoat. You can do the light wash recoat 4 times before you need to strip it off and start over.

If you do that it will stay looking good and in good condition for it's life. Fences that have been left to get alot of UV damage ( when the wood turns gray) You can still clean and stain them but you will need to maintain them every 4 years.

If you just use a clear water sealer then you should do it every 2-4 years.

Any product that claims it last longer is generally not telling the truth.

Mines definately gray ... so step one is powerwashing?

[zach]

[quote=cytech;1072296]I would spray your fence and your roof section, we use canvas tarps of varying lengths to collect over spray. All the decks/ fences we do are two men jobs.(Wife and I) As for stuff you can't spray we use stain pads not brushes. They are made by sure line. You can goto lowes and get a few different sizes. Is this what is similar to lambs wools? They have the ability to be put on a pole also. For the floors I have a stain pad that is the size of a push broom.

Those drips and over spray do happen, I find it is easier to go fast and clean up later with exception to spraying. Just have towels and mineral spirits handy. Nice tip!

Here is a tip on how to stain where a deck meets your home without a mess. Take a canvas tarp ( I use 6' x 9' ) and run it between the deck and the house. Have your helper hold another one and spray away. Can get right up to the house without making a mess. Caution don't use a used/wet tarp for this as the stain goes through them.

Having to proper equipment makes every job that much easier. Amen to that!![/quote]