Home Improvement Thread

[Tomas]

2 questions:

1. Specific: Anybody has experience with brick face peeling repair? After the most recent sleet/ice storm, one of our bricks got its face chipped away:



At this point, I don't think that there is any significant "cosmetic damage" (it's right below the dining room window, which is on the front side, but really low), but something tells me I should at least put some sealant on it so that more water/ice does not get in. Any suggestions what to do?

2. More general: I am not thrilled about the house facade. I guess some like it, but the "mortar flowing all around the bricks" style would not be my choice (you can't even touch the wall without risking being cut). Anyway, something tells me that exactly this style would be more prone to ice/water damage. Is there some proven treatment (say, sealant) that should be applied periodically on these types of bricks?

Thanks!!

[mac5155]

I would have a Mason just come look at it. I think whatever sealants you're able to put on it now, well it's too late. You'd be surprised how inexpensive it is for a Mason to hammer out that old mortar and tuck point it.

In my experience the best masons prefer payment in budweiser, Jack Daniel's and Marlboro reds. Perhaps you could find one of those and get it real cheap.

[Willie Kool]

Oh my. What's with the row of horizontally split bricks, and why is there basically no mortar joint above them?

It kinda looks like it was originally laid real cheap by someone who had been drinking too much, so I probably wouldn't follow mac's advice on who to pick to fix it, but I too would be getting a few mason bids...

[meow]

Zip tie

[AuthorTony]

I need to replace the roof on my storage shed. Do I really need a row of starter shingles going up the gable ends? I'm seeing both ways on youtube videos ha. It's a gambrel-style roof if that makes a difference.

[NTP66]

I need to replace the roof on my storage shed. Do I really need a row of starter shingles going up the gable ends? I'm seeing both ways on youtube videos ha. It's a gambrel-style roof if that makes a difference.

I'm trying to think of a reason why you wouldn't need it, and am coming up empty. The videos that say you don't need it, do they mention why not?

[AuthorTony]

No, no reason given. This is the vid I watched, fwiw.

Also, this guy is just flipping a shingle over rather than use a true starter, so he's probably not the best source. ha

[NTP66]

The video makes more sense now. That said, I defer to Tom:

[AuthorTony]

Awesome - thanks!

[dodint]

A windstorm knocked a standing dead pine tree into my maple. I'm going to end up losing the branch on the maple that gives me my only bit of privacy between me and the neighbor I can't **** stand. I think I'm going to put up some latticework on the one side of my porch so I don't have to look at them.

I'm hoping I can just cut it to size and then mount it to the house. But we have siding and I'm not sure exactly how that works. I can probably sink the bottom into the concrete face of the steps with no problem.

[mac5155]

Shed roof? I'm not bothering with starter shingles. I'm flipping the first one over just like that dude and pulling the plastic off the center seam thing

House roof, yes absolutely.

[mac5155]

Pressure washer gang: for concrete cleaning does the big circular pressure washer wand attachment work better than just waving the wand back and forth?

[dodint]

I have never, uh, pulled the trigger on renting one.

[meow]

Pressure washer gang: for concrete cleaning does the big circular pressure washer wand attachment work better than just waving the wand back and forth?

Yes. To an incredible degree

[mac5155]

Pressure washer gang: for concrete cleaning does the big circular pressure washer wand attachment work better than just waving the wand back and forth?

Yes. To an incredible degree

My washer is a blackmax 2800psi. Do you suggest I just go with one of the ryobi ones? I guess the proper term is a "surface cleaner". I need to do my walks, patio, and porch all this spring. And apply sealer.

[Kane]

Yeah those scrubbers are the bee's knees.

[NTP66]

They work well unless the staining is really bad/deep.

[mac5155]

Shouldn't be too bad. Concrete is only 3 years old.

[Kane]

Nothing like a cold beer after an unexpected plumbing repair.

[mac5155]

Or after literally anything, for that matter.

[Kane]

Also true. Especially after a cold beer.

[mac5155]

5 gallon of concrete sealer came today. Going to try and get it applied tomorrow. Pressure washed yesterday and the patio looks clean.

[NTP66]

Which sealer did you get? When I did it myself, I used a water based sealer, and it sucked. Went back to an alcohol based sealer the next year.

[mac5155]

Which sealer did you get? When I did it myself, I used a water based sealer, and it sucked. Went back to an alcohol based sealer the next year.

Eagle Natural Seal is what I went with. It had really good reviews at home depot and was only $105 for a bucket. Other stuff was close to or over $200 for a bucket.

I got decent coverage out of it though I probably should have done 2 coats. About 2.5 gallons to 750sf of concrete.

[NTP66]

Interesting, let me know how it goes after a year. Curious to see if it holds up. Are you adding something like SharkBite to it for grip? The last time I had my stamped concrete patio resealed, they used CSS Emulsion, which I'd absolutely recommend. That company (contractor) no longer exists, so I'm going to try and find somebody to do it again using similar stuff.

I actually reached out to the company who makes it (EliteCrete), and they pointed me in the right direction of contractors who use their stuff. Wish they had an actual list of contacts, though.