Dirty Kitchen Floor Tiles

Posted on October 11, 2015 by Tim Carter

Terri Williams has a perplexing dilemma with dirty kitchen floor tiles in her Baton Rouge, LA home.

Allow her to give you the story.

Tell me in the comment section below if you picked up on the most important clue she shared in her description.

I believe I know exactly what's going on. Let's see if you do too.

"I just moved into a house that has a slate tile floor and the tiles are on the counter top in the kitchen.

Here's Terri's kitchen. There's a clue in this photo too. Let's see if your Columbo trench coat has strong mystic powers. Photo credit: Terri Williams

I also have white carpet (not my choice) in my bedrooms and they show black where the wear pattern is.

I have a cleaning lady that comes once a week. Every time she comes she says when she wipes the counters her rags collect black and rust (reddish color).

The floors always feel gritty to me.

Do you think this tile "sheds" and is causing this grit and grime and if so, do you think sealing them would stop this "shedding" and help keep the carpets cleaner?

It is more than just dirty floors because right after she mops the floors I get dirt on my bare feet. Help!"

Here's my cunning Sherlock Holmes response:

Terri, based on what you reported to me, and that's all I have to go on along with your great photo, I believe you're using two invalid data points to arrive at your conclusion.

I've got lots of experience with slate flooring. I had it in the entrance hall, powder room and connecting hall in my Queen Victorian house I built for my family. Slate is extremely durable and I've never heard of it "shedding" gritty particles. In the twenty years I lived in that home, it never produced grit.

Let me share a story from decades ago. When I was a freshman in high school, I used to sneak out of my house with a friend at 4:30 am and walk a mile to mop the floor of the Skyline Chili parlor in the Clifton suburb of Cincinnati, OH.

I was fortunate one of the owners really showed me how to mop a floor. Most people I see mop floors use the wrong tools and techniques.

The best way to mop, in my opinion, is to use a traditional string floor mop. You need to dunk it in the soapy mop water bucket and squeeze out the excess water. Then comes the most important step.

As you take the mop from the bucket, you must spin it so the strings extend outwards and look like the blades on a flying helicopter.

The strings land on the floor in a crude circle. You then slide the mop sideways creating an overlapping pattern of S's.

After cleaning about twelve square feet, you then lift the mop up, put it back in the bucket and pump it up and down in the bucket getting all the dirt, grit, etc off the mop.

I'm willing to bet your cleaning lady is not doing a great job of cleaning the floors and the countertops.

There is a true art to cleaning.

Many cleaning people just push the dirt around on surfaces.

As to why the floor feels gritty to you, the evidence of the most likely cause is in your photograph.

Slate is not naturally shiny. There is some sort of polish or coating on the slate.

Is the cleaning lady applying that? Did she apply it to a DIRTY FLOOR covered in grit locking the grit into the floor finish?

Here's how you can test to see if the cleaning lady is doing a good job and trapping grit in the clear finish.

Next time she cleans the kitchen floor, you hopefully can be sure no one walks on it after it dries. Ask the cleaning lady to clean it the LAST THING before she goes home. Tell your family members to not walk on the floor.

When the cleaning lady leaves, get a few white paper towels damp and rub a few of the slate tiles. My guess is the paper towels will pick up all sorts of dirt. The same thing will happen on the counter top.

CLICK here to order Stain Solver Oxygen Bleach

You should then clean the floor with my Stain Solver Certified organic oxygen bleach. Watch this video to see how to do it the right way.

After cleaning it well with a scrub brush, be sure to rinse it well with CLEAR water. Change the water FREQUENTLY if it clouds up.

The floor is only clean once the rinse water STAYS CLEAR.

After the floor dries, then do the paper towel test again. If you did everything right, the towel should stay white.

Once the floor dries, if you still feel grit, you know the grit was locked into the clear finish.

You can clean your carpets with the Stain Solver too. They should come out looking BRAND NEW.

CLICK HERE to see amazing Before and After photos taken by a professional carpet cleaner who uses my Stain Solver.

Water Puddles on Concrete

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: When it rains or snow melts, I have large water puddles on the concrete sidewalk in front of my house. The puddles have at least 2 inches of water at the deepest point. This sidewalk in parallel with the city street that has a modern rounded curb. It's dangerous in the winter as the water freezes and becomes a skating rink. The neighborhood kids love to play in the water, but I want to get rid of it once and for all. What are all my options? Bobby O'S., Canton, MI

DEAR BOBBY: Your neighborhood moms are probably going to thank you, although some may get pleasure watching their kids play and jump in the water. I remember riding my bicycle through water puddles like that for fun. It's sad that as we grow older the magic of puddles transforms to misery.

The photo you sent was excellent and really helps me give you rock-solid advice. You've got a few options and the good news is I believe you'll be able to eliminate the puddles with a days work and minimal supplies.

The puddles on this sidewalk are unacceptable. They can be eliminated with a little bit of work. Photo Credit: Bobby O’Steen

The first thing you need to do is determine if the street edge of the sidewalk along its entire length is higher than the top of the curb at the street. Looking at the photo it's crystal clear that's the case across the street from your home. I can see your front yard slopes to the sidewalk and I'm hoping this same slope continues to the curb.

If I was there, I'd use my laser level to do this or my old-fashioned builder's transit. You probably don't own these unique tools so you're going to have to use a 4-foot level, a straight board and some scraps of 2 x 4. You'll need a helper to assist you to make this easy.

You need to place enough 2 x 4s on the sidewalk at the deepest point of the puddles so the bottom of the straightedge board clears the grass in between the sidewalk and the street. If you place two pieces on the sidewalk, you need to place two pieces on top of the curb as well. When you do this and place the straight board on the blocks and the level on the board and look at the bubble in the level.

What I'm hoping for is when you look at the level, the bubble in the vial is crammed up against the house side of the vial. This means, assuming you have equal numbers of scrap 2 x 4 under each end of the board, that the sidewalk is higher than the top of the curb. This is what you need to make this job easy.

Before we tackle solving the problem, let's compare your sidewalk with a normal roadway. Roads are normally constructed so they're higher than the surrounding ground. Water on the road naturally flows to the culverts on the side of the road.

In your case, and many modern subdivisions, the road is lower than the surrounding ground. Water that flows to the street is diverted to storm sewers along the curb. You have one of these right in front of your home.

I feel the root of the problem is the grass that's between the sidewalk and the street. It's preventing the water from draining to lower ground. It's a miniature dam.

Assuming the curb is lower than the sidewalk, you might solve this problem by digging a 3-inch-wide channel about 6 inches deep along the entire length of the sidewalk on your property. I'd then dig two connecting trenches that cross the grass and run to the curb at the street. Be sure you call 811 to have all the utilities marked in this area. You're digging very shallow trenches but I've seen cable TV lines buried 2 inches deep in public right of ways!

The trenches you dug need to be filled with rounded gravel that's no smaller than the size of a grape. Water will disappear into gravel this size and it will flow on it's own towards the street.

If you don't like the look of the gravel strips, then you have to get rid of the pesky soil at least in one or two areas and make a gentle swale where the soil acts like a green gutter to channel the water to the top of the curb. If the curb is lower than the sidewalk, this is a very viable option, although it will take some effort to get the grade just right.

The water will probably still puddle if you go the grass swale option, but it will drain to the street in a couple of hours. This could be problematic in the winter if you get a cold front that passes that drops the temperature below freezing in just an hour or so.

If you discover the sidewalk is lower than the curb, eliminating the puddles becomes a major job. The sidewalk may have sunk because of poor fill conditions under it. Companies can pump grout under sidewalks to lift them, but this is an expensive proposition. You can also do a thin concrete or stucco overlay on top of the sidewalk to get it higher than the curb and so it tilts ever so slightly towards the curb at the street.

My gut tells me that the problem is the soil strip between the sidewalk and curb is just too high and once regraded, your puddle problem will be in your past.

Column 1112

October 1, 2015 AsktheBuilder Special Alert

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Tim Carter

This is NOT a normal newsletter.

I send out SPECIAL ALERTS when something extraordinary is about to happen.

If you live on the East Coast of the USA, you need to take action NOW.

Hurricane Joaquin could be a replay of Hurricane Sandy from three years ago.

If you have a family member, friend, co-worker, etc. on the East Coast FORWARD this email to them NOW.

This applies to anyone who might experience flooding, forest fires, tornadoes, flash flooding, etc.

Instead of me retyping everything I did three years ago, CLICK HERE for what you need to do.

Did you watch the news AFTER Hurricane Sandy struck?

Everything, and MORE, I mentioned in my ALERT came true.

GO HERE NOW AND READ THIS.

I'll be back later this week.

Tim Carter
Founder - AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

September 29, 2015 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Tim Carter

This is going to be a shorter strange newsletter.

I need to leave to get on the train.

If you're a newer subscriber, I have the good fortune to have a fun part-time job in the summer and early fall.

I'm a conductor on a full-size real scenic train here in New Hampshire. Right now we're heading into the busiest time of year with the tree leaves changing color.

CLICK HERE NOW for your Mystery Link

Susan's Story

Yesterday Susan purchased two of my 15-Minute Phone Consults. She had an emergency and I was able to get on the phone with her in less than two hours.

I believe as we hung up she said, "Tim, thanks so much for offering this product. You really put my mind at ease and I'm now well prepared for tomorrow's meeting!"

Susan and her husband are getting their house resided with a custom-painted Hardieplank product.

I need to add that Susan is a subscriber to this newsletter and she's done a great job in the past of reading and processing some of my advice.

She hired a contractor that the James Hardie Company said was certified to install their siding.

That was the first thing she did right.

The second thing Susan did correctly was to go online and download all the installation instructions and any technical bulletin updates about how to install the product.

She read all of this material BEFORE she signed the contract with the siding contractor.

I preach that all the time.

Susan also INSISTED there be a line in the contract that read:

"Contractor agrees to install the siding according to all the written installation instructions and technical bulletin updates published by the James Hardie Company."

I preach that all the time too.

When the contractor started to put up the siding, Susan immediately saw they were making mistakes and pointed them out to the lead carpenter on the crew.

She had the instructions in her hand along with illustrations provided by James Hardie.

His response was classic:

"Ma'am, that's how I've been installing flashing for the past eight years."

Guess what?

He's been installing it WRONG for the past eight years.

The owner of the siding company has been trying to strong arm Susan and she wanted to talk to me about strategy moving forward.

I want to add that Susan also was smart and still has lots of the money that's owed to the contractor.

Realize that MONEY is your only leverage with 99.9999% of the contractors out there.

You NEVER EVER want to forward more money to a contractor than he deserves.

You want to have a payment schedule in the contract that gives the contractor periodic payments for work that's completed to your satisfaction and is done right.

The only mistake Susan made was she submitted to the contractor's demand of getting some money up front before he started the job.

The ONLY TIME you ever do this is if the contractor has to purchase custom-ordered product for your job.

The contractor does NOT pay his employees in advance.
The contractor does NOT pay his subcontractors in advance.
The contractor does NOT pay his material suppliers in advance for regular materials that are stock items.

Knowing this, WHY WOULD YOU EVER PAY a contractor in ADVANCE since he doesn't practice that policy?

Don't allow a contractor to strong arm you about money.

Our conversation centered around what Susan needs to do to maintain control of her money and to ensure the job gets done right.

All too often, I receive emails from people that HOPED the contractor would do everything right.

Hope is the emotion of last resort.

You HOPE for things you can't control like the weather, tsunamis, lava flows and salt water on Mars.

You CAN CONTROL your destiny with contractors if you just do your due diligence like Susan did.

If you need to talk to be about a large job BEFORE you get in trouble, than consider my one of my 15-Minute Phone Consults.

CLICK HERE to WATCH one of my Videos - Guaranteed Wonder in your Eyes

That's enough for today.

I need to get ready for the train.

Big rain happening here over the next few days.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

Concrete Block Crumbling

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I own a diner where decorative concrete block forms the lower part of the exterior walls. At the front of my building, a wing wall extends away from the building. Some of the solid concrete block are crumbling away to nothing while others adjacent to them appear to be in perfect condition. The cap block at the top of the wall are showing the worst deterioration. These block are less than fifteen years old and the builder assured me they'd last at least 100 years. Why are they failing, what's the best way to repair them and how can I prevent failure in the future? Marty S., Concord, NH

DEAR MARTY: Wow! The photo you sent really shows the damage. Isn't it incredible that the mortar joints between the block are still in great shape while the block is crumbling? That's a significant clue as to why the block failed.

Some of the concrete blocks in this wall are beyond repair. The mystery is why only some failed. Photo Credit: Marty S.

Concrete block is a great material when it's made correctly. It's artificial rock when you think about it. Your builder's statement about it lasting at least 100 years is not far off when you look around you. With minimal effort, I can show you concrete walls built by railroad companies that have been exposed to harsh winter weather and the walls look much like the day they were poured.

To understand why some concrete can last so long and other crumbles in a short amount of time you just need to think about how concrete is made. The most basic concrete has just four ingredients: rock, sand, water and Portland cement. All the ingredients are important, but only one is responsible for the long-term durability of the concrete and that's the Portland cement.

In the case of the railroad bridge abutments that are over 100 years old and in great shape, I'm sure the reason is because the builders added extra Portland cement to make it extremely strong. The current minimum requirement for exterior concrete is to make it so it's a six-bag mix or tests out to 4,000 pounds per square inch (PSI) of compression strength. Nothing says you can't add more cement to get to 5,000 or 6,000 PSI!

There are many possible reasons why the concrete block crumbled and it's virtually impossible to point to the smoking gun. It could be that when the concrete block were made, that portion of the mix didn't get thoroughly blended. It's possible that the batch was mixed correctly but extra water was introduced into the block that are deteriorating. That extra water can dilute the amount of Portland cement in the mix.

It's also possible the failed block were not cured properly and the water in the block evaporated too quickly. This water is required to fuel the continuing hydration chemical reaction that causes the billions of microscopic cement crystals to grow and interlock with the sand and rock. If concrete is not cured correctly it never attains its design strength. I could go on and on with other possible causes, but those are the top ones I feel might be the cause.

The fact that the mortar in between the block is still there and in great shape tells you that it's not just a simple matter of the wall getting wet and then repeated freeze / thaw cycles blew it apart. If that was the case, the mortar would probably be rotten as well.

The repair process is not too hard at all. It's just time consuming. Any seasoned mason can do the repair. The key is obtaining concrete block that match in color so the repair doesn't stand out like a sore thumb. This is a perfect example of why I always tried to order a few hundred extra brick or block for my jobs and leave them behind for the owner. Wouldn't it be nice if you could just go grab the extra ones the builder left behind?

You'll want to pay attention to the existing mortar in the wall near where the failed block are located. Look at the mortar very closely, even with a magnifying glass. You should be able to see individual grains of sand. Note the size and color of the sand particles.

When mortar is fresh and new, the cement and lime paste coat all the sand and mortar looks uniform in color. But after a few years Mother Nature erodes and washes off the thin gray mortar paste revealing the sand. This sand makes up close to seventy percent of the matrix of what you see, so the color and size of the sand particles must be matched if at all possible.

I'm sure the sand came from a nearby sand and gravel pit, so go get some brick sand from the pits, allow it to dry and see if it looks like the sand you see in your mortar joints.

Once the mason repairs and lays the new block, keep the mortar damp for at least a week if possible. After that allow the repaired area to sit for another four weeks. At the end of the wait period, wash the wall with a dilute solution of muriatic acid and water. This will help wash off the mortar paste revealing the sand in the repaired joints.

You then want to coat the entire wall with a silane-siloxane water repellent. These are readily available both online and from specialty stores that sell products to brick and concrete masons. Beware some of the highly advertised products you see on TV as these are not silane-siloxane products.

Pay attention to the label on the water repellent you purchase and follow the instructions to the letter. Some require two coats be applied within so many minutes of each other. To get fantastic penetration of the sealer into the wall, have a helper with you. As you apply the sealer with a hand-pump garden sprayer, the helper uses a powerful leaf blower to blast the wall right behind you. This air pressure drives the sealer deep into the mortar joints and the block. Don't skip this important step.

Column 1110

How to Store and Care for Small Engines

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Tim Carter

I'm willing to bet at one point in your life you've cursed like a sailor when trying to start your gasoline-powered lawn mower, weed trimmer, snow blower or any other machine that's powered by a small engine. Not only have I said nasty things, but I've also nearly worn out my shoulder rotator cuff pulling the starting cord!

At the end of the day, I'll bet you didn't know that you've had the deck stacked against you for quite some time. You can thank the person or group who thought that putting ethanol in gas for most of your woes.

Ethanol in gasoline is a good idea for farmers and those companies that repair and service small engines. Just about everyone else, including you and I, suffer because of the alcohol that's blended into the fuel.

Degree of Difficulty: hammer-1-5

Step One: If you recall your high school chemistry class, you might remember that ethanol attracts water. It's not a good idea to put water into the fuel tank of a small engine, yet you set yourself up for this bad jujumagumbo each time you fill your small engine fuel tank with gasoline that contains ethanol.

Step Two: Water accelerates corrosion of metal parts in small engines. Rust is not a good thing to have inside small engines. Not ever. The ethanol can dissolve built-up gum and varnish deposits in older small engines. If this happens and a clot of this gunk gets stuck in an orifice, you'll only start the engine once it's been taken apart and deep cleaned.

Step Three: Realize that gasoline can oxidize just like bare steel rusts. When gasoline oxidizes, it creates the gum and varnish that will clog your engine. You can stop the oxidation of gasoline by using the fuel stabilizers sold at any auto parts store. The fuel stabilizers are chemicals that love oxygen and grab it before it can ruin the gasoline.

Step Four: Don't use gasoline that's been stored in your small gasoline can in your garage or shed for months. Pour that old gasoline into your car or truck gas tank and burn it up when you drive to the gas station to get new fresh gasoline. Do this every two months unless you start to treat the gasoline with the stabilizer chemical.

Step Five: Minimize the amount of oxygen in your small engine. As soon as you turn off your small engine, allow it to cool for a few moments. Once cool, fill the tank with fresh gasoline that contains the fuel stabilizer before you push it back into the corner of your garage or shed. With the fuel tank filled, there's no space for air.

This is especially important in hot humid weather. As your engine consumes fuel, the space inside the tank fills with humid air. Untreated gasoline will suck this water out of the air inside the fuel tank. If the weather gets cooler, the water in the air inside the tank will condense to liquid water on the sides and top of the fuel tank.

Be sure the fuel stabilizer you buy says it offers vapor technology. This means the stabilizer will grab the oxygen out of the air in the fuel tank if you forget to fill it.

Step Six: Avoid the entire issue of the problems caused by ethanol and purchase gasoline that doesn't contain the pesky additive. You can get ethanol-free gasoline at quite a few locations. Some gas stations in your area might sell it. Some boat marinas might offer ethanol-free gasoline as well. Small airports sell higher octane ethanol-free gasoline. You can purchase ethanol-free gasoline at auto parts stores or online.

Step Seven: If you've never used fuel stabilizer before, you have to make sure this new fuel gets all the way up inside your small engine. You can't just pour it into a partially filled gas tank and expect miracles. You need to start the engine. Running it for three minutes allows this new fuel to travel up into the carburetor and into the piston.

Step Eight: Don't forget your oil and air filters. The number one cause of small engine failure is dirty oil. The dirt originates from the air brought into the engine that's needed to combust the gasoline. Change your air filter or clean it regularly. Read your owner's manual to discover the best way to clean a re-usable air filter. Change the oil before you store a small engine for a period of time.

Summary: Understand that ethanol and small engines don't like one another. At the very minimum, use a great fuel stabilizer in gasoline. To make your small engine happy, use a gasoline that doesn't contain any ethanol. Keep your air filter squeaky clean and your small engine will start first or second pull every time!

Column HT045

September 20, 2015 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Tim Carter

This is a relaxed issue of my newsletter. It's got a few juicy home improvement tips, but there are other surprises too.

Every now and then I just try to share other helpful stuff that's not hard-core home improvement.

There are some GREAT TIPS in this issue. Don't close it without reading it.

Years ago, I read a fascinating book.

Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea

The main character is Tommy Thompson.

He was a brilliant scientist and he discovered the USS Central America, a ship loaded with vast amounts of gold from the California Gold Rush days, in 8,000 feet of water off the coast of North Carolina.

The ship sank after losing a battle with a hurricane. The crew and passengers tried to keep her afloat, but Mother Nature had other ideas.

There were quite a few survivors who lived to tell all about the storm and sinking.

This is a book that will captivate you.

It truly is one you can't put down.

I actually was so taken by the story, I reached out and contacted the author Gary Kinder. He was kind enough to take my phone call.

Why did I call Gary?

Well, a demon crept into Tommy's heart / soul and he got a little greedy.

Tommy's been in the news the past few years, and he's become a classic example of one of my father-in-law's best idioms:

"The mills of the gods grind slowly, but thoroughly."

I mention this because I want you to constantly think of your legacy.

How will you be remembered?

Tommy had two choices:

Brilliant scientist with the highest integrity who rewarded that small group of investors that BELIEVED in him
Thief - Scoundrel - Rogue

As the ghost knight in the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade movie said,

"He chose (pause) poorly."

Don't be a scoundrel.

MYSTERY LINK! I'll bet you NEVER heard of this chain before!

Fake Photos and Videos

It's getting worse.

What does this have to do with home improvement? Maybe you've seen some crazy photos of home improvement nightmares with plumbing fixtures, electrical outlets or ladders set in crazy ways.

One video that is constantly making the rounds is a video of a stunt airplane at an air show that loses part of a wing.

Unbelievably, in the video, the pilot regains control and makes a hard, but safe landing.

Have you seen this video?

It's FAKE.

CLICK HERE to see it.

Be sure to WATCH all three videos on that Snopes.com page.

Here's the bottom line - and it pains me to say this:

You can't trust ANY photo or video you see on the Internet unless you took the photo, shot the video and/or you would trust the photographer-videographer with your life.

The software to alter photos, videos and any image is getting better by the day.

Always check Snopes.com before you stake a claim or make yourself look like a fool in an online discussion.

Now, if you want a great laugh, then watch one of my all-time favorite videos that shows you how to use software to alter photos and images.

CLICK HERE to watch my favorite You Suck at Photoshop video.

I love this series and you've heard me use some of the lines in this video right here in this newsletter.

"....you were reaching for the magic wand tool..."

"....little man self-discovery trip."

"....juice box and fruit roll up..."

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!

LIVE Video Program a Go!

You may have been one who responded in the past few days about my idea of doing a live Ask the Builder streaming video.

It's going to happen.

I'll put together a survey to try to discover the best time to do it.

The format at the start of this journey is simple.

It's just an online streaming video version of my Ask the Builder live call-in radio show I did for twelve years.

I'm going to answer real questions submitted to me and you can ask follow-up questions via a chat window.

I'll also talk about new products and give a tip or two.

It's only going to last 30 minutes each time.

If you can't watch it LIVE, it will be recorded and you can watch it later at your convenience.

I'll be using questions that come with great photos so you can see the problem.

If it grows legs and becomes popular, who knows where it might go.

Are you a PR or marketing person for a home improvement product? You need to adjust your radar now because there could be a sponsorship opportunity here for your client or your company.

You Suck at Photoshop 5 Super Funny

Posted on September 19, 2015 by Tim Carter

This video is several years old and is part of a series that shows you, in a soap opera format, the power of Photoshop software. This was featured in the September 20, 2015 AsktheBuilder Newsletter, where Tim was discussing Fake videos.

The main character, Donnie Hoyle, is hilarious.

This is video #5 and it only makes real sense if you watch the series in order.

Your takeaway from this video is that you simply can't trust ANY photo you see on the Internet or in your email unless you took it yourself.

I recommend you go to the bathroom before you watch this.

You need to watch this video SEVERAL times to get all the jokes.

Did you pay attention to the UNREAD subject lines in Donnie's email?

Adhesive Chain

Posted on September 19, 2015 by Tim Carter

Adhesive Chain | The paint has failed because the glue bond was poor. That paint is really peeling!

Adhesive Chain - This is Why Lots of Paint Peels

You've heard that old saying before, right?

A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link.

When you hear the words adhesive chain, that truism should pop into your mind.

Layers and Layers

What does this have to do with things around your home?

When you start to glue things to one another and have multiple layers, the weakest bond of one of the layers is where failure will almost always happen.

Guess what? You use products all the time that are basically glue, but you don't think of them as *glue*.

How many coats of paint does the exterior of your home have on it? My previous neighbor's house back in Cincinnati had no less than ten or fifteen.

The house was built before WW II in the late 1930's and in the fifteen years my neighbors owned it they painted it three times! How many times was it painted from the day it was built to the year 1990 when my neighbors moved in?

Paint is simply colored glue. Each layer of paint sticks to the one below it. The layers of paint create an adhesive chain.

Not all paint is made with the same quality of glue! Some paints are made with low-quality glue similar to the white glue kids use a school.

Other paints have great glue in them like urethane resin that's VERY STICKY.

What is a Great Urethane Paint?

Here's a fantastic urethane paint:

Here's a great urethane-fortified paint. That's why on the label it says it's for porches and floors! It's tough enough to walk on! CLICK or TAP HERE or THE IMAGE NOW TO ORDER IT.

The same is true of layers of wallpaper. The adhesive used for each layer of paper only has so much strength.

The same is true of pre-mixed drywall compound you buy in buckets or boxes. It's just dust and a water-based glue. Really.

The same is true for layers of shingles. The nails used to hold each layer on the roof only have so much holding power.

The same is true for plaster. Each layer of plaster has a finite amount of holding power to bond to the layer below it.

The same is true for cement stucco. Each layer of cement has a fixed amount of bonding strength depending on many factors.

Get Maximum Strength

To achieve maximum adhesion you need to follow the instructions that come with the product.

The surface you're about to stick something to MUST be free of dirt, oil, grease, etc.

Sometimes it needs to be perfectly dry.

Sometimes the temperature has to be between a certain range.

Sometimes you need to work in the shade and provide slow drying time.

It's all on the product label or written instructions that come with the product.

For example, if you apply a fresh coat of paint to a dirty glossy surface, don't be surprised that it peels.

You can get fantastic results if you take the time and follow the instructions.

It's really that simple.

September 18, 2015 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Tim Carter

It's Friday. That means Weekend Warrior Update with some tips for you:

CLICK HERE to watch a video about how to patch cracks in exterior concrete sidewalks, driveways or patios before the cracks get any worse.

"Tim, you dolt! I can't watch video and want a shortcut to the actual products you use!"

Okay then you need to CLICK HERE.

"But Tim, I've got cracks in my BLACKTOP or HOT TOP drive!!! How do I patch those?"

You know I'd not forget you hot toppers!

CLICK HERE for my blacktop repair SECRET METHOD where you hide the crack completely using magic materials you already have!!

BEST House Paint

Are you trying to do exterior painting?

If you hired me, what paint do you think I'd use? What paint is on my own home?

I tell you at the end of this column. READ IT NOW.

LIVE Video Show Online!

I'd like to do an experiment.

Did you know I can do a LIVE video show you can watch on your computer screen?

It would be FREE.

You only have to invest your time.

During the show, I can answer your questions LIVE.

You can send me chat messages to ask follow up questions.

Is this of interest to you?

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The show would be RECORDED so if you couldn't make it you could watch it later?

If you and enough other subscribers reply, "HECK YES, let's TRY THIS TIM!", then I'll do a survey to discover what might be the best time to try to do this so we get the greatest amount of folks watching it LIVE.

PLEASE RESPOND and let me know.

Have a great weekend.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

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