Last year we did some limestone repair at Omaha’s Old Market. It was at the corner of 12th and Howard. This was part of a exterior panting project at wheatfields. This was followed by some foundation repair on a residence in La Vista and we used the same process
The home had lots of foundation damage that needed repair prior to our painting it. We used the same mixture as before. A bonding cement mixed with a urethane bonding agent. I mix it up to about the consistency of silly putty. When using this mixture you always want to have several pairs of chemical resistant rubber gloves. The stuff is hard on your skin.
I find that using your hands works much better then any tool for forming and pressing it into the surface to be repaired. It’s necessary to build the surface up with several layers of cement spaced over several days to allow for drying.
Once the surface is where you want it you will want to use a Alkali resistant primer prior to painting. We did two coats primer and two coats of Satin Latex.
The metal railing got and epoxy primer followed with an Aliphatic Urethane. We made certain to caulk where the rails went into the concrete to prevent moisture problems and damage down the road. We used Sikaflex caulk for this. Sikaflex is a single component polyurethane.
If you read this blog then you know I’m a stickler for doing things right. We typically don’t do exterior work in November. Certainly not mid November. We made an exception this weekend with a quickie exterior because the weather was almost hitting 60 plus the fact the customer is anxious.
A quickie
It’s not the time of the year so much as it’s the weather conditions. If the temperature is right and the dew point is acceptable then we can get things rolling.
I’ve mentioned the specifics of acceptable temperature and dew point before so there is no need to go into any detail there. Just stay at least 5 degrees away from the dew point and stay above 50 degrees. Be aware what the conditions will be in the evening and overnight. That’s how most contractors get burned. The conditions are good while they are working but they go bad fast after they have left for the day.
It is very important to make it a short work day. Quit much sooner then you normally would. You don’t want to stop as the weather is getting cooler. You want to quit while it’s still nice out. That’s hard for many. There are still many hours left in the day that can be worked. The paint is curing and needs that time to set up.
This job we will only work maybe 3 or 4 hours a day and only as long as everything stays within the parameters.
If you live in Omaha then you are most likely familiar with the “Best of Omaha” contest for all the different businesses in town. People apparently vote for their choice as the best Dentist or in our case Painter.
I know that some businesses really get into it and hire PR people, social media experts, etc. to get their business voted number one. I have had various companies approach me with their pitch to get to number 1.
I have always assumed it was a bit of a gimmick or that it was a rigged “contest” with employees logging in under different names/email addresses to “vote”. That may still be the case, I don’t know, but imagine my surprise when I opened a letter notifying me that we were number 1. Voted the Best Painting Company in Omaha. I didn’t vote and only one person I know voted for us and they told me after I told them of our new professional standing.
we’re number 1
It’s kinda cool. Nice to be recognized. Have you ever voted in one of these contests? I may next time around.
Oh and I got a couple banners, a sticker and the card informing me of the results.
Glazing cabinets is not really difficult. It is more time consuming and does take a bit of technique or experience. There are several way to glaze a cabinet. It can be done both when staining or painting a cabinet. The attache d photos are of a job we just did that was originally a classic golden oak cabinet that we prepped out and painted. Then we glazed it.
no glaze yet
So we went through the same process as when we paint a cabinet. The same masking, sanding, priming, etc. then we started the glazing process. In this case we used two different dyes and a glazing paste. We covered the cabinets or doors and then removed as much glaze to achieve the desired look.
glazed
We did several samples to determine the look the customer was looking for. After the cabinets have been glazed with the custom mix they are sealed with a clear coat. In this case we used a Satin Laquer.
Many different looks can be achieved by simply how much you wipe off, how you wipe it off and slight adjustments to the formula can have a dramatic change in appearance.
Occasionally we will dry brush a second glaze or more to achieve a unique look.
