Answers to some Frequently asked questions about Deck & Fence Staining. 1. What is the cost to stain my deck?
Pricing varies from location and condition of the deck, the product used and labor needed. On average to wash a deck properly cost around .50¢ per foot and to stain it runs about $1.35 per foot by a pro.
2.Can you stain a weathered wood deck or fence without pressure washing?
Wood grays naturally over time. The black that you may see is most likely mold/mildew. In order to protect the wood and have good absorption the surface must be cleaned. New wood may not need to be washed, and sometimes you will shorten the life of the wood if your pressure wash it. In the hands of a pro you should be ok. Never use bleach, as this is harmful to the wood.
3.Why do some people say it’s better to sand my deck rather the pressure wash it?
Sanding should be done only as a last resort and left to a flooring professional. When you sand you are removing a layer of the wood, and possible releasing harmful poisons into the air. Pressure treated wood is injected with insect replant and rot repellant. Pressure washing if not handled correctly can damage the wood. Even after a Pro washes your deck the grain of the wood is raised and needs to be conditioned.
4.Should I spray or hand apply stain to my deck?
Opinion differs greatly on this subject, being a Pro for over 15 years I prefer hand application. When you hand apply stain you build up friction and there is a transfer of energy that equates to a lasting finish. Spraying can get messy it uses a lot more product but is quicker then hand application. Also, the over spray will travel far, and it is not good for the environment to have these chemicals floating around.

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The problem with the deck was that it had been pressure washed with bleach

and left for about a year without any coating. It had the usual problems

associated with such neglect. It had very dry and cracked boards, boards

where all holding water and had mold and mildew.

We decided a pressure wash was not the best option seeing the condition of

the wood. so we elected to do a chemical wash instead. We the hand brushed

and rolled semi-solid oil base stain. The deck came out great and the client

was highly satisfied.

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What to do with a problem deck.

Some decks require extra prep work to achieve a quality finish. I will discuss how to finish a deck that has multiple problems. Use this link to go to my Youtube page. "http://www.youtube.com/user/MannionCustomPaintin"


Here you will see a deck that has about three coats on it two of stain and one with a clear sealer. Also present was mold and mildew. What we did was to use a chemical stripper and allow it to sit for about thirty minutes, we then pressure washed it off using as little pressure as possible and a wide tip. After the wash we soaked deck cleaner on all areas, let it sit for about five minutes and then followed up with a wood conditioner. The conditioner is needed as the grain is raised during the pressure wash. As you can see the
Deck came out great.

Peace
John

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Deck Preparation.. The Key Ingredient to a Beautiful Deck!

Above you will see two pictures of a deck we did recently. The one to the left shows the
Deck after we pressured washed it and conditioned it. Notice the bright color with darker grain show through? We do not use bleach. This oicture shows how the deck should look prior to staining. The after picture shows is almost done. Please notice how we brush between each board, an important step to ensure a good quality job. Yes, there is a lot of labor involved, but the fruit is well worth it.

Peace

John


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Why you should not use bleach on your deck.

We never recommend using household bleach, because it only kills mildew and does not clean other contaminates on the deck that lead to pre-mature coating failure. Fact is that labotory tests have shown that decks cleaned with bleach suffer from a coating breakdown 60% sooner then that deck that has not bleach. Think about it, do you wash your cloths with bleach only? Of course not! Bleach also can damage the celouse fiber in the wood especially if a pressure washer is used. There are plenty of good deck cleaners on the market and we recommend using one of them.

Peace
John (2011)

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Service Areas MAnnion Custom Painting,LLC


We thought it important to blog about using a local painting contractor. It’s important for you the potential customer to feel good about who will be in your home or on your property. We are a local company and that serves the local area only. We never sub-contract or use day labor. We stand behind all of our work and offer written gurantees.
Local professionals live and work in your area, our kids go to local schools and we are known in the local paint stores.

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Interior and Exterior Painting Estimates... What Should You Expect?

So you have decided to hire a professional painting contractor to do your next painting project, That's a great idea as some jobs should only be handled by the pros. But, how do you tell the professional from the hacks? Whom should you choose? That's a tough question to answer, and I will only address some things to look for when hiring a professional painting contractor. A major consideration is the estimate. We use the estimate as a rough contract, so we try and make it as detailed as possible. I have listed a few things you should be looking for when ever a contractor furnishes you with an estimate. You need to look for specifics pertaining to how many coats of paint and of what thickness will be applied. It should be clearly noted the method of application, spray brush or roller. There is a big difference in over all quality and longevity between spray and roll. It should be clearly listed what brand and grade of paints are going to be used as they vary greatly in price and quality. It should be clearly indicated as to how many painters will be used and how many days it will take to complete the project. Most professional painting contractors both interior and exterior give detailed estimates. So a good sign of a reputable trustworthy contractor is a detailed estimate. If yours is lacking any of the basics I have listed then “Buyer Beware”. I will try and blog other things to look for in my next post.
Peace


John Mannion



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Mannion Custom Painting, LLC Service Areas.



Hi There- I have decided to quickly blog about the areas we cover, as many customers ask if we go to their neighborhood. Following is a partial list of our coverage area. Alpharetta, Roswell, Johns Creek, Dunwoody, Buck Head, Atlanta, Norcross, Duluth, Sandy Springs, Gainesville, Buford, Suwanee, Crabapple Woodstock. We also have started to service Gainesville, Flowery Branch and Hall County GA. If in doubt just give us a shout! We provide interior and exterior painting along with decroative Faux finishes, We also provide our clients with complete handyman services.






Thanks

John Mannion



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Many times most homeowners do not take in consideration paint finishes. That is too bad as the wrong finish can detract from the overall beauty of a job. Quickly I will discuss the flat paint finishe. Flat is the most popular finish. It is most often chosen because flat hides imperfections the best and give a velvety look. Until recently flat did not wash well, as most people find out when they try to clean a stain. Today there are washable flat paints on the market, so you get the best of both worlds. The beauty of flat with it high hiding attributes and in some instance extreme scrubilibity. Customer beware, all the manufactures make claims, and that is what exactly they are claims! Only a professional paint contractor with experience can guide you to the best performing products. So go ahead and contact us and "Experience the Difference a Pro Can Make".

Thanks
John Mannion



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Many times my clients ask me what is better Latex or Oil on the exterior of their homes? That's a fair question, with no simple silver bullet answer. In most exterior paint jobs we do I always recommend an oil base primer, tinted towards the top coat color and then a latex top coat. I have a few reasons for this. Most of my competition sell the one coat spray and run. When a prospective client inquires about protection, a second coat is usually sold. Two coats are good but "a primer is finer". I always explain a oil base primer is best value and will give longer lasting protection, hence you have to paint less often. Some advantages of the oil primer coat is that oil will pull out any moisture that may exist, will help seal small cracks and makes a great foundation for adding the top coat. Then I recommend a latex top coat as latex forms a barrier that helps keep out moisture, fight mold and will expand and contract with the temperature changes. As an added step we will add mold and mildew killer to our paint at levels allowed by the EPA to fight mold/mildew.
Hope This Helps!

John



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You should not paint latex over oil for the most part. The latex will not adhere well to the oil, and after drying it will crack and scratch off very easily. There are a few latex products out there that we professional painters use when called for. If you are not sure if you are painting over oil or latex you can test in the following ways. Nail polish remover is one test, rub a little on the area, if paint comes off the surface is probably oil. Try putting a little spot of latex paint on the area and let it dry. If you can scratch the area with your fingernail and paint comes off, probably the surface has been painted with oil. A good rule of thumb is oil on top of oil and latex on top of latex. If still in doubt just contact us and we will be happy to help.
Peace
John Mannion





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On this blog we will discuss what to expect on the fist day that Mannion Custom Painting starts work on your interior project. If you are using another contractor please feel free to use these steps as a benchmark. The steps described will pertain to just about any room being re-painted. First thing is protection of your carpet, hardwood or tile floors we cover them all, from the front door all the way into the room being coated. Next we remove all switch plates and outlet covers. After that we start the preparation process on the walls that may include but not necessarily in this order. We will sand the walls or ceilings with 150 grit paper to remove imperfections and give a good bonding surface for the new coats of paint. The next steps is repairing those dings, gouges and nail pops with plaster, and then when completely dry they are sanded and oiled primed. We then caulk the baseboards and any moldings. Then we start the cutting in process with high quality brushes. If you would like this service on your next painting project, please just contact us. On our next blog we will continue on what you should expect when hiring a Pro…

Thanks

John

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Paint Contractor Estimates Interior & Exterior What You Should Know!


Hi there- we will continue with our discussion regarding getting an estimate from a painting contractor. So you scheduled three contractors to give estimates, they have come by your property to look. How do you separate the professionals from the hacks? A professional will almost always supply you with copies of recent references, a copy of certificate of insurance and maybe some photos of recent work. The professional will take the time to carefully go through the project area and take notes as well as ask questions. The professional contractor should explain and make recommendations regarding paint brands and the different finishes. Finishes are very important and should not be taken lightly. The professional should be well versed to talk about light reflection value, color hues and color flow, and make the needed recommendations. If your estimates were lacking any or all of these above-mentioned steps, you better give us a call. It’s your property and money, invest and protect it wisely.
John Mannion



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Hi there- John Mannion here from Mannion Custom Painting, LLC. I'm a professional contractor with over 20 years of experience. We are continuing to discuss what to look for when hiring a professional painting contractor. On our last discussion we talked about finding a contractor and what to look for. We will continue on. So, you have a few referrals and have checked out the contractors web site is applicable. Now you need to make contact, and I recommend a phone call to speak to the pro in person versus sending an e-mail. Speaking directly to the contractor or their office will speak volumes about the professionalism. Most pros will try and qualify the estimate by asking a few basic questions when you first make contact. We do this to qualify the lead. Some leads are price shopping, this is good for the consume, not so well for the contractor as it can be a big waste of time and money for us. So if you are price shopping tell the contractor this. So, we always try to qualify or leads, this is the norm and should be expected. You should be cautious of any contractor that does not ask questions about your project. Some basic questions you can expect are your expectations and time frame, how big a job, interior or exterior. If you both feel comfortable with each other, then it is time to set the estimate appointment. When the contractor shows up at your home or office you need to be on the look out for certain things such as signage. Does the contractor show up in a company vehicle, a clean well marked van or truck? Or are they in an unmarked car, with their friend driving?As professionals we are proud of our work and our company, and we like to show off our company name, so look for signage. Next look for the business card, is it professionally done, with matching logos from the truck? It should be, if not you need to ask why not? The contractor should be neat in appearance, groomed and have some basic estimating equipment with them. If not. why not? Ask! After a few pleasantries the estimate begins, most pros will take a physically measurement of each room or building, not just an eyeball. Some pros are real good at eyeballing but still exact measurements are your best bet. The contractor should discuss all aspects of your job from type of paint and finish to exactly what preparation will be preformed. They should inform you of how long they think the job will take, how many workers will be on site and the exact brand and grade of paint used along with how many coats. It is most important to understand brand and grade of paint being used, because they vary widely. The brand my be top notch but the grade could be sub par. So ask and make sure it is included in the estimate. I will mention here that some customers want to buy their own paint, as they think they will save money. Sometimes for the customer this is not always the case. As professionals, we have a vast knowledge of coatings and their applications and what is the best product to use when and where. A customer buying their own paint usually tends to try and save a few dollars by purchasing a cheaper paint. A cheaper paint does not cover as much area, does not cover as well and tends not to last long. So if additional coats are needed or painting is needed more frequently, it will cost the consumer more money. So my advice, let the contractor supply the paint, or at least direct you where and what to purchase. Oh, one last thing on the customer supplying the paint, most pros will not offer the material warranty unless we purchase the paint. Ok next installment we will continue on discussing what to look for when hiring a painting contactor.
Peace

John



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Hello there, My name is John Mannion and I own and

operate Mannion Custom Painting, LLC. We are a complete

professional paint contractor company and have over

fifteen years experience in both commercial and

residential re-repaints. The mission of this

blog to bring both informative and current information

pertaining to the many aspects of the coatings industry.

We will also give you the opportunity to "

Ask The Contractor", any of your paint

related questions. With over 25 years residential

handyman repair experience, I can yeild and answer most

any questions you may have.

We will discuss and give “pro tips and how to info” on a

regular basis. So, please bookmark our web page and stop

by often.

Thanks

John M. Mannion
Mannion Custom Painting,.LLC

http://www.mannioncustompainting.com

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