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DO-IT Sample Column Publication prohibited. Do-it-yourselfer Q&A By Gene Austin Q: I have a one-year-old cedar fence that gets a lot of sun. It has not been stained. What is the best treatment to preserve the wood? Color is not as important as longevity. - Keith A: The treatments that can last the longest and give the best protection to outdoor woods such as fences, decks and siding, are paint and solid-color stains, which are much like paint. They protect wood well because they are good at screening out the sun's damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays and sealing out moisture. Unfortunately, they are sometimes a poor choice because they can peel and flake if the surface is not properly prepared or poor quality products are used. They also conceal the grain and natural color of the wood Cedar and redwood also contain oils that can bleed through latex paint, so a stain-blocking primer should be applied first or an oil-based paint used. High quality paints and solid-color stains, properly applied, generally last up to 10 years on outdoor wood. Other finishing choices fall well short of paint and solid-color stains in protection and longevity. Clear water-repellent preservatives are seldom effective for more than two years. Lightly pigmented stains (sometimes called semi-transparent stains), are better at screening out UV than clear finishes and can last for up to about five years. If this was my fence, I would not give it any finish at all. In fact, I did just that with a cedar fence I installed more than 20 years ago, and I am still happy with the fence. Cedar and redwood are naturally durable woods that can survive sun and rain for many years. Like other outdoor woods, they will gradually turn gray if left unfinished, but the color is not necessarily displeasing. The natural color can be restored by spraying the wood every few years with a bleach-type deck cleaner. ___ Q: The vinyl siding on our seven-year-old house has separated at the seams in several places, leaving spaces between the panels. What causes this and can it be repaired, or must I get new siding? - Michael A: The bottom of each vinyl siding panel has an L-shaped flange that locks into the top edge of the panel below it. The top edge of each panel is attached with nails. Strong winds or an improper installation might cause some panels to separate at the locking joints. If the panels are not otherwise damaged, you should be able to lock the joints back together with an inexpensive zip tool, sold by some vinyl-siding dealers and home centers. This simple metal tool has a hook on one end that can be used to either unlock or lock the joints of vinyl siding. To reattached siding, hold the tool in your right hand and insert the hook under the bottom edge of a loose panel, with the point of the hook facing out. Start at the left end of each panel. Use the hook to pull down the locking edge of the panel while using the heel of your other hand to push the locking edge so it snaps into the top edge of the panel below it. Run the tool slowly along the loose panel, pushing with the other hand, until the joint is completely locked in place. Repeat the process with each of the loose panels. ___ Q: I'd like to replace the heating/air-conditioning registers in my house with brass registers to match other decor. The existing registers are different colors and are spattered with paint. Some of them might be difficult to match in size and type. Can you help? - M. Ishak A: Many sizes and styles of registers, including brass, are available from Atlanta Supply Co. (www.atlantasupply.com or 1-). You might want to consider a couple of other options. For example, you can paint the registers a brass color. Brass paint is sold at many home centers and paint stores. The registers will appear painted, of course, not like real brass. It might also be possible to plate the registers with brass. Check under Plating-Replating in your yellow pages if you are interested in this option. It probably won't be practical for your registers, but kits are also available to allow do-it-yourselfers to do their own metal plating of smaller objects. Brass, silver, chrome and a number of other finishes are available. For more information, check the Web site www.caswellplating.com. Readers' questions and comments are welcome and should be sent to Gene Austin, the Box 861, Blue Bell, Pa. 19422. Send e-mail . Questions cannot be answered personally. (c) 2005, Gene Austin Call your TMS representative to buy the HOME-DO-IT column. |