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Your deck is a favorite gathering place in summer and lets the whole family enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. In order to keep your deck functional and looking great for years, you do need to make sure the deck is properly weatherproofed. Taking the steps to weatherproof your deck now will insure your investment for many, many years.

Weatherproofing a deck isn’t difficult; it requires a minimum of materials and a bit of elbow grease. You should seal your deck to weatherproof it when it is first built and periodically (every few years or so) reapply the sealant to make sure the wood continues to hold up.

Materials that will you will need include a hose, dust mask, pail of water, safety glasses, deck cleaner, waterproofing staining sealer, broom, belt sander or sandpaper, and paintbrush. Try renting a paint sprayer if you can as applying the sealer with a sprayer instead of a brush can really save you some time.

It’s important to gather your materials together beforehand so that you have them ready the day you plan to weatherproof the deck, but what’s even more important is the weather. You must be certain that there is no rain in the forecast for that day and the next before you call over all your friends to help with your weatherproofing project!

After you have verified that there is no threat of rain and you have all your materials on hand, you should start by giving the deck a thorough cleaning. Make sure you get all the cracks and corners. If you find any rough spots sand them down. Carefully remove left over sawdust and debris with the broom. Always use a dust mask as well as safety glasses while sanding.

After the deck has been cleaned and has dried fully, you are ready to start sealing. Be sure to
follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the weatherproofing seal. If you are going to use paint after you seal the deck, make sure that what you use for sealant will work with a paint overcoat.

Whether you are using a paint brush or sprayer, you must make sure to cover the entire deck - every crack and crevice, leaving no spot unsealed. This means paying close attention to things like railings, beams and wall supports if they’re present.

Once you are done sealing, you will have to resist the urge to get on the deck and enjoy it right away. You need to let it dry thoroughly according to the manufacturers instructions on the sealant. This might be difficult, but, making sure you can enjoy your beautiful deck for years to come is well worth the wait.

Lee Dobbins writes for Home Improvement publications. See more on remodeling and home improvement at http://www.dailynewz.info

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So think you’d like to build a bathroom cabinet. Perhaps a new curio for the front room is in order. You even recognize how nice it would be to make a captain’s bed with a full set of drawers underneath and a headboard that holds books. If you have big plans for building something out of wood, then make sure you have the right woodworking plans and patterns so that you can do it like the professionals.

What’s In a Woodworking Plan

Commercially sold or free woodworking plans found online take all the guess work out of a project. A good plan, not only list the lumber you will need - type and quantity, but it can give you estimates on how long the whole project will take and evaluate it by skill level. For example, a beginner may not be ready for a curved wood curio cabinet top, but could really do nicely making a lighthouse style birdhouse.

Wood working patterns also contain a hardware and accessories list. You will know ahead of time just how many hinges, knobs and drawer rails your project requires. It will give a description of the best materials to use and even where to get them.

A tool list helps you make sure you have everything you need to work with your supply list. Many plans don’t assume you already own any of the tools so the list is comprehensive and complete. If you need a particular saw blade, the plans will let you know right there in black and white.

Another helpful part about using a woodworking pattern is that all your measurements are there. If you are making the captain’s bed with underneath storage drawers, you will not need to calculate or guess the width each drawer needs to be in order to fit three across. The figuring has been done for you. Even better than just planning, the plan author has most likely made the project several times, so they know from experience.

How Hard Is It To Read Woodworking Plans?

Many plans are created to overcome the language barrier. Pictures illustrate each step and are often all that is necessary without added written descriptions. For those steps that may need the additional explanation, written directions are usually in several of the most common world languages.

You don’t need to have a degree in hammering and gluing to understand how these directions work. If you have every put one of those “some assembly required” toys together, then you will be pleasantly surprised that reading woodworking plans is actually easier!

The Finishing Touches

Many wood working patterns come with illustrations or photographs of the finished project. Line drawings are always included, but it is also nice to see the finished piece in a photograph. This will give you ideas for staining or painting the finished wood project. Also you can get an idea of how it might look in a room in your home. Don’t be afraid to take on a wood working project just because you can’t see how it’s all put together from the outside. Chances are somebody has wanted to make one of their own and has drawn up just the pattern you need.

Peter J. Wilson regularly makes detailed articles on issues similar to scroll saw patterns. You can come across his comments on scroll saw patterns and woodworking plans over at http://www.insidewoodworking.com/projectsplanspatterns/index.html and different sources for free woodworking patterns knowledge.

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Drywall, otherwise known as gypsum wallboard, has replaced plaster as the most common wall surface in American homes. It is used as a backing for wall treatments such as wallpaper, fabric, tile and wood paneling. Or it can simply be painted. Drywall has the virtue of being easy and inexpensive to install.

Repair

To fix nails that have popped from drywall, make sure the panel is secured to the studs above and below the nail. Hammer the nail in and dimple the nail; drive in and dimple a nail of the same size right next to it to hold it in. Use joint compound to cover the nails. When that has dried, sand the area, prime, and paint.

To fix small holes in your dry wall, clean the holes and dampen them with a sponge. Fill the holes with spackling compound using a narrow putty knife. You can also use patching plaster to fill the holes. Let the spackling compound dry, prime, and paint to match the rest of the wall.

Some large holes in wallboard can be patched with precut, adhesive wallboard patches. You may need to widen the hole so the patch can fit. After you have popped it in, cover the seams and the patch with joint compound, according to label directions, then prime with a wallboard primer and paint the surface.

Joe Kahler is recognized as an expert on helping young adults successfully transition from home to being “out on their own”. His latest work has recently been assembled in his book, Out On My Own… Now What? Tips and Insights So You Won’t Be Left Hanging in the “Real World”!

Joe received his undergraduate degree from Whittier College in Social Sciences and his Masters in Education from Arizona State University. His experience includes teaching, coaching, running numerous businesses, investing, selling insurance and real estate AND attending numerous personal, “hard knocks” training classes!

http://www.outonmyown.com

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