Monthly archives for July 2017

Cedar Decks

Monday, July 31, 2017

Traditionally, new cedar decks would be allowed to age for close to a year, this to ensure that the grain had opened up enough to let the stain penetrate deep into the wood. New smooth cedar usually has some degree of “mill glaze” on it. This is caused by the spinning planer blades that made…

The Ingredients of Paint

Common VOCs in paints, primers and varnishes include benzene, formaldehyde, kerosene, ammonia, toluene, and xylene, all of which are known carcinogens and neurotoxins. Exposure to VOCs can irritate your eyes, nose, throat and skin and are proven to increase allergies, asthma, and respiratory problems, central nervous system symptoms (such as headache, rapid heartbeat) and even…

Lightening existing colour

It may slightly shift undertones, but it’s not going to go from a blue-gray to a brownish grey. (the reason for the shift is that color and pigments aren’t linear at all concentrations) Adding white is different from cutting the colorant load. It can take A LOT of white paint to significantly affect a color….

Choosing the Right Stain

Decks and Fences can be one of the trickiest projects to tackle. In my last post I shared why preparation is so important and what you need to do get your deck of fence ready to receive to receive the stain and make it last longer. In this post I’ll share a few differences between…