All Forum Posts by: David Handel

@John SanteroI agree completely on not using exterior products inside.  Mildewcides, fungicides, insect repellants, etc. are fine outside when there is plenty of ventilation (aka being outdoors), but inside is a horrible idea.  There are some products designed for interior/exterior use, which would be fine.

Another consideration for not using exterior paint inside is the characteristics of the products themselves.  Exterior surfaces don't have more or less abuse than interior surfaces, they just take a different type of abuse.  Exterior coatings are softer than interior coatings.  There might be 30 degree temperature swings over the course of a day.  Temperature fluctuations will cause the siding to expand and contract, requiring a more flexible, softer coating.  You don't have that issue inside.

Also, exterior paint (generally) costs more than interior paint.

Full disclosure...  I work as a Store Manager for the world's largest coatings manufacturer.

@Lance Anderson The CR ratings are not all they are cracked up to be (in this case).  I have worked in the paint industry for about 15 years, and have done a little homework on the subject.  

You will notice that 4 of the top 5 rated products are only available at big box/home improvement stores.  The only one that comes from a paint store will run probably $60-70 a gallon.  Where are a majority of the painters buying their paint nationwide?  Paint stores.  Look at the small specialty stores that have not died in the wake of the big box stores and you will still find paint stores.  They have to be doing something right, and have products they can stand behind.

Back to CR...  There are industry standard tests designed and performed by ASTM to insure consistency in performance.  CR sidesteps these standards and creates their own tests.  They tell manufacturers what the tests are to level the playing field (supposedly).  The leading manufacturers alter their formulas to specifically perform well on the CR tests so they get ranked near the top.  Those tests don't necessarily equate to "in the field" usage.  My company played this game a few years ago with one of our products and it came in 2nd place in CR.  The outcry from our customers was amazing!  They got so many complaints on how they performed in real life, that they switched it back the next year.  Since then we made a decision not to go for the CR rankings anymore.

My recommendation is PPG Pure Performance Eggshell.  http://www.ppgpaints.com/products/pure-performance...

It is 100% acrylic, making it more durable than a vinyl acrylic like the Promar 200, with good coverage.  It has 0 VOCs, which keep the odors down and is more environmentally friendly than many.  Pricing and availability will vary by the market you are in.

@Roger S.You brought up "after 2 coats it still looks like crap", so I will comment on that.  I don't know what you are using or who is applying it.  That could be from a few different things.  It could be a poor surface condition, poor prep, low quality product, a bad painter, or a combination of them.  An awesome product in the hands of a horrible painter can still look bad at the end of the job, and a bad product in the hands of a good painter can look pretty good when they finish.

Along with the other cleaning techniques above, check out a product called Paint ScentSations.  

It is a scented additive to mix into paint, and you will probably need to repaint the unit after they leave anyways.  It comes in a 10 oz. bottle, with a recommended mix rate of 1 oz. per gallon of paint.  It usually lasts 3-6 months, which (hopefully) is enough for the new tenant's household aromas to overtake the previous one's.

Gardz is a great product to use after removing wallpaper.  As far as I know, it is the only water-based product that will not reactivate any paste remnants left on the wall.  It does a great job at sealing up the powder on damaged drywall, and giving you a solid surface to hold your mud/spackle.  Use it again to spot prime your patches and you are sealed.

The only down side is that it dries clear.  It won't hide any ugliness in he wall.  As long as you have a topcoat with good coverage, you are all set!

I have seen a framed mirror put up over the box, hinged the way @Roy N. suggested.  If you were going the route of @Bob Hucker,  I would suggest a Velvet Elvis.

Is it only one room that has this issue?  It could be that there is little/no insulation in that exterior wall.  I have seen older homes where the insulation has settled or fallen inside the walls.  The bottom 3 feet of the wall are insulated but there is nothing in the top half!  

The temperature difference between them could be causing condensation to form.  Think of the moisture that builds up on the can of your favorite cold, tasty beverage.  Drywall is not very fast to dry out, so it may be acting like a sponge (holding on to the moisture) and creating a perfect place for mold to grow.  If you are not able to spot the source of the moisture, you will just keep putting on a band-aid rather than curing the problem.  

Once you get the source fixed, there are steps that can be taken to prevent future growth.  (Full disclosure:  My primary job is being a Store Manager for PPG Paints.)  PPG Paints has a few products that have antimicrobial properties.  Their Manor Hall and Pure Performance lines are great choices for residential work.  Their Speedhide Zero is a commercial product that also has those properties.

My father-in-law lives in Roselle, and is looking to have granite countertops installed in his home.  I thought this would be a good group to get recommendations from!  Who have you used?  Were you happy with their work?

I have been in the paint business for about 15 years, so I'll throw in my opinion.  If you are going to put down a floor coating (paint product), you will need to get all of the existing adhesive off of the surface.  The next coating can react to any adhesive residue, so prepping the surface is imperative.  The fastest/easiest way is to get a floor scarifier.  You can use it to grind off the material, without using chemicals with foul odors.  You can also use it to grind a profile into the concrete, giving your coating a better surface to stick to. 

There are a few reasons I would avoid the epoxy.  Epoxies are not good at holding their color.  If you have window wells that let in sunlight, the UV will cause it to discolor.  Eventually, you will need to try to touch up the floor, because someone dropped their dumbbells or they are moving their pool table.  Epoxies are more difficult to touch up.  You need to do a more in-depth prep before recoating, and it is not recommended to mix less than a full kit.  That mean if you have 4 spots totaling 8 square feet to fix, you need to buy and mix a kit.  If one of those spots is near the window, you will run into the afore mentioned color issues.  (Full Disclosure-I work for PPG Paints, so I am a bit biased on my recommendation.)

I would use a paint called Break-Through!  It is a super durable, fast-drying latex paint available in a satin or gloss finish.  It makes life easy when you can just clean up the touch up areas and go to town.  The satin finish will touch up better than the gloss will.  There is a video on this page (http://www.ppgpaints.com/painting-segments/residential/pro-painter/training-videos) showing this product being applied to a basement floor.

I hope this helps!

Dave

Our local REIA had a panel of appraisers come in for a group discussion. Solar power did come up, and here is what they explained. The values are based on your property compared to the others on the neighborhood. Neighborhood average compared to your house. If your property is the only one with solar in the comparable range, it will not have much of an affect on the price. It is seen like a luxury add-on (like a pool). If a majority of the area had it and you didn't the appraisal would be affected more than if you were the first on the block to have it. If you were putting it on a flip, you would not recoup the cost of installing it. The cost recovery comes from your use of it.

When it is time to paint (after cleaning the source of the aromas), there is an additive called Paint ScentSations to mix into your paint. It is a long acting air freshener, lasting 3-6 months. It is a great product to use in rehabs as well as during tenant turnover. Nobody wants to move into a unit that smells like the feet and farts of the previous tenant!