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Page RE2 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Staining an old deck
By Laura Firszt More Content Now
N
othing gives new life to an old deck like a fresh coat of stain. And staining an old deck actually packs a double whammy. The process not only revives your deck’s appearance, but also protects the wood, so it stays looking great for years to come. Benefits of staining an old deck Staining an old deck refreshes its surface and brightens the look of your house. By preserving the wood and increasing its longevity, deck staining also protects your investment. Overall, the process adds value to your home. When NOT to stain An older deck may no longer be structurally sound. If the wood surface is badly broken down and rotting, it’s probably time to completely replace your deck. DIY or hire a pro? Just about any DIYer can tackle this project, but it requires both muscle and patience. Before staining an old deck, you’ll need to scrub it thoroughly. The stain application itself is time-consuming. Waiting a day after cleaning to apply stain is preferable; you want the wood to be completely dry. That makes it a full weekend project. Staining a very large or elaborate deck (I’ve seen decks over 1,000 square feet!) can be quite cumbersome. So when deciding whether to do it yourself or hire
a pro, consider all these factors. Choose the right stain - Go for a premium quality. That way you won’t have to do the job again and again. Cheaper stains will get you by for a while, but you’ll have to redo your work in a year or two. A true oil-based stain penetrates deeply and becomes one with the wood. You end up getting excellent, long-lasting water repellency, together with a rich color. Some of the highest-quality stains will protect your deck for over 10 years. - Choose the right stain opacity. Stains range from transparent (which adds just a hint of color) to solid (which is more like painting the surface of the wood). Transparents or semi-transparents are ideal for newer decks to showcase the beauty of their wood, but if you’re staining an old deck, a solider opacity will cover up wear and tear. Protect the surroundings Before you start, protect nearby plantings, grass, etc. by sprinkling with water. Then cover with plastic masking film secured with painting tape, to keep off the cleaning solution and stain. If your deck is attached to the house, mask your siding with painter’s tape. That way you won’t end up with, for example, brown stain on white siding. Don’t skip the most important step It’s essential to scour the deck before you stain, using a high quality cleaner. You’ll need a strong brush to scrub the surface, sandpaper to remove existing stain, and a good garden hose to rinse it. Thorough cleaning gets rid of any dirt, old chipped
stain, dead wood cells, or mold and mildew. Otherwise, the stain may not adhere properly and the wood may eventually break down. Applying the stain: Try this tool A stain pad will simplify staining your old deck. This tool resembles a piece of foam with bristles at the end, which pushes the stain into the wood and then evens it out with the bristles. Mount the pad on a pole to avoid having to get down on your knees to brush stain into the wood. The advantage of a stain pad vs a roller? You won’t need to back-brush to spread the stain evenly. Stain pads usually cost about $5-10. Well worth it! Pro tips for a smooth appearance - Prevent stain from setting too fast. Apply when the sun is not beating down. On a hot day, begin early in the morning. Then take a break and resume the work later in the afternoon when the weather is cooler. For smooth even stain, always work end-to-end, maintaining a wet edge. - Allow suffi cient drying time. Wait 24-48 hours after staining before you use your deck, depending on the outdoor humidity. Touch the coating to make sure it’s no longer tacky before you walk on the surface or replace your patio furniture. Thanks to Vageesh Bakhshi, Product and Brand Manager for Valspar and Cabot Stains, for his expert comments. Laura Firszt writes for networx.com.
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, July 24, 2019 • Page RE3
Page RE4 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, July 24, 2019
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REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, July 24, 2019 • Page RE5
TIPS OF THE WEEK DECOR
RENOVATION
HOME SELLING
ARTWORK ON THE FLOOR
KEEP BATH FIXTURES IN PLACE
CALCULATE ITEM’S AGE
The right rug can make or break a room. Here are a few tips on how to tie a room together, from interior designer Laura Mineff, owner of Array Studio Design.
When renovating a bathroom, one of the costliest mistakes a remodeler can make is to relocate fixtures, according to AnytimePlumbing.net. Unless there is a necessity for moving the shower, bathtub or vanity faucets, expert advice is to keep them in place. Installing a new plumbing line is just going to increase your cost.
No matter how good your home looks, be ready for would-be buyers to question how old various appliances and home systems are, says Realtor.com. Savvy consumers will factor in the cost of maintenance, repair and replacement of major appliances when budgeting for a home, according to the National Home Service Contact Association.
“Incorporate a round rug to add visual interest and movement of energy, or if using a rectangular rug put it on an angle to make it a part of the space,” she said. Between pattern, texture and size, picking the best rug for a room can take some effort, but it’s worth it for how beautifully it can help pull all pieces of a room together. “In small spaces, the rug can be the artwork on the floor,” Mineff said.
— More Content Now
DEAR MONTY
Investing in home improvements can be tricky value of your property. Because certain variables impact the desired outcome, it may be challenging to determine if the blacktop played a role even if your home sells for much more in years to come. Another consideration is that blacktop is mostly aesthetic and as such visual interpretations are subjective. RICHARD MONTGOMERY
R
eader question: We are not selling our home any time in the foreseeable future. We are wondering how much the value of our property will increase if we blacktop our gravel driveway?
Monty’s answer: Blacktopping your driveway may or may not increase the
Potential reasons to proceed:
• Your home is the only one in the neighborhood with a gravel driveway. It might draw attention that would not otherwise be apparent if few or none of your neighbors had blacktop. • The driveway is short. If the driveway is short, say 20 feet or 30 feet, the cost, while still significant, is likely a tiny percentage of the total value of your home. • Your home is within a subdivision
containing a variety of improvements. The higher the level of improvements such as curb and gutter, storm sewers and street lights, the more out-of-place gravel appears. Reasons not to proceed:
• The price range of your home compared to the market as a whole. Older homes in the lower quartile of the housing stock may not benefit to the extent of homes in higher price ranges. • If your home has other condition issues, there may be other high-cost improvements that are more likely to provide a return. Some examples are exterior siding, a furnace and landscaping. • Country property is far more likely to have gravel driveways as the norm. • If the driveway is 250 feet long, the
more likely it is that you will not recover the entire cost. Some buyers may not consider blacktop at all in the buying decision. For example, if the buyer is currently living in a home with a gravel driveway, they may not even notice the lack of blacktop. Finally, no home, in any price range, has an exact price it is worth. Every home has a range of value. Would a blacktop drive bring you closer to the high end of the range of value? In many circumstances, that answer may be difficult to determine. Find Richard Montgomery at DearMonty.com.
Page RE6 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, July 24, 2019
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, July 24, 2019 • Page RE7
P a g e R E 8 • R E A L E S T A T E W E EK K LL YY • W W ee dd nn ee ss dd aa yy ,, J u l y 2 4 , 2 0 1 9
Time for
reflection
Create a moonlight garden
By Carole McCray More Content Now
W
e think of beautiful daylight gardens; however, you can have a lovely garden for the evening hours, too. Plants that light up in the early to mid-evening will have you enjoying your garden at twilight time. Choosing a site will be the first step. Does the area receive full sun, partial sun, full shade or partial shade? This will determine the plants for your garden. Plant your moonlight garden where you will spend a lot of time. It might be on a back deck or a secluded spot on the side of your house.
On a moonlit night, walk around the place where you pplan your garden. What kind of light does it receive in tthe evening? Keep in mind the shadows from large trees. Where the moonlight strikes is what you are aiming for W tto best showcase your plants. A large area for a moonlight garden is not necessary. Even if you live in an apartment or have limited space, conEve tainers filled with plants to catch the moonlight and outdoor tain garden lights can work. One of the benefits of containers is This floribunda is a their mobility for placing them where they will be seen in beauty for a moonlit evening, and it smells like the moonlight. sweet raspberry.
Plants to choose: • Annuals in white: Cleome, petunia, cosmos, mari-
golds and low-growing zinnias for sunny spots. For shade, begonias, impatiens and snapdragons. • Perennials with silvery foliage: Artemisia, lavender, santolina, lamb’s ears, white yarrow, hostas and thyme. Most of these should survive the coldest and warmest climate zones, but check your plant tag before you buy. All of them except hostas prefer a sunny spot. • Perennials in white: Shasta daisies, peonies, astilbe, foxglove, delphinium and white bleeding heart. • Scented plants in white: Nicotiana, Claire Austin rose with a strong fragrance of myrrh — named for the late British rose grower David Austin’s daughter — white petunias, Casablanca lily and other Asian lilies — especially Stargazer — nightscented stocks, night blooming jasmine, garden phlox and fragrant evening primrose. • Vining plants: White clematis, morning glory and moonvine, a night bloomer. A small pergola, trellis or arbor can support these climbers. • Bulbs: Gladioli, tulips, hyacinths, snowdrops, daffodils, dahlias and irises can be planted in a variety of white tones. You can begin as early as spring and plan for the next season for your garden, or plant now and plan as the season progresses. • Trees and shrubs: White flowering dogwood, Royal Star Magnolia, hydrangea, Madame Lemoine lilac and Korean spice viburnum. Keep in mind the growing habits of plants as to their preference for sun or shade. The plants will bloom in the daytime, so if a sun-loving plant is in a shady spot, or vice versa, the plant will not flower well in the night garden. A shade-loving plant will wilt by nighttime if given too much sun. Think about ornaments in the garden to catch the moonlight. You can use a soft gray statuary, a birdbath made of gray stone, a water fountain and some gray stones. Lightcolored elements such as paving, fencing, arbors and benches will highlight the landscape. Installing some lighting in the garden will add a glow to the garden and enhance the viewing. Our eyes view objects differently at night. For instance, colors vanish and blue becomes white. You might add some bluecolored flowering plants in your garden: forget-me-nots, rosemary, balloon flowers or scabiosa daisies. Your moonlight garden filled with fragrant blooms will send a heady scent throughout and cast a spell of enchantment. A full moon or your garden lights will beckon you to your garden for magical moments.