Orillia Home Inspector

Landscaping Basics

roger — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 09:53:03 +0000

Landscaping: Landscape Plan

Landscaping is a lot of work and can cost a lot of money. For these reasons, most do-it-yourselfers go with a 3 to 5 year landscape plan. That way the work and cost can be spread out over a few years.A good plan is essential in landscaping. Without it, you’ll end up wasting a lot of time and money.

At this point, you should know what style your landscape will be and what function it will perform for you.You also should have a good idea of what plants you want to incorporate in your plan.As a homeowner, look at where you spend most of your time and really focus on first enhancing the views from there. To keep the costs down, you can also try to re-use some of the plants in your existing landscape.

Getting Started

If you go with an independent designer, the plan could cost you up to a couple hundred dollars. But many nurseries will provide you with a free plan if you’re buying their plants.You can draw up your own landscape plan since the basic principles of landscape design are not that complex. But there are a lot of things to consider so you might want to have a landscape pro look over your plan before you start on it. You’ll need graph paper to draw out your plan. We use the kind with the grids laid out in eighth-inch scale. You’ll need to measure out the size of your lot, plus the dimensions of your house. You’ll also need a pretty good idea of where the house sits in the yard in relation to the boundaries of the property.

To be exact, measure from one corner of the house to a couple landmarks like a corner of the yard or a gate. TIP: We’ve learned to use tracing paper over our basic yard drawing at this point so you don’t have to re-draw it over and over again.

Drawing Your Own Plan
Here are examples of how we drew up an informal and formal plan.

Informal Plan
We framed the front of the house with taller plants anchoring the corners with a shade tree on one side and an ornamental tree on the other. Spreading these out a couple feet will make a small house seem a bit bigger. Next, we put in a series of medium-sized shrubs along the foundation to cover any exposed block. The entry was framed on each side with a group of taller deciduous shrubs. We used a series of short shrubs to round off the outside edges. Then we filled the area in with a mass planting of perennials. The finished plan shows how carefully planned the informal layout really is, despite the random look it presents.

Formal Plan
We started with a low, formal hedge, trimmed in this case to a height of two feet. We’d want straight lines and square corners for the hedge, nothing rounded or curved. Next, we framed the entry with a pair of upright, conical evergreens. Along the foundation, we continued the geometric sequence with a globe-shaped, medium-sized shrub. For color, we filled in the middle of the beds with tall perennials that would be visible above the hedge. To finish, we anchored the corners of the house with a pair of ornamental trees, pruned to hold their shape.If there was an immediate need for a privacy barrier with the neighbours yard, we could put up an 8-foot privacy fence along the boundary. An alternative would be a hedge of tall shrubs–like lilacs or arborvitae, but that would definitely take longer. A tall hedge like that would also be a way to soften a long featureless wall on one side of the house.A row of evergreens on the north side of the house would provide a real nice wind barrier in the winter.And a few shade trees on the south side would eventually shade the house in the summer but drop their leaves in the winter and let the sun warm the house. Always remember to have water available for watering and possibly adding ponds or small waterfalls for added effect. http://www.hometime.com

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How To Cure a Wet Basement

roger — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:36:13 +0000

Problems with water in your basement can often be corrected by controlling water above ground, according to a North Dakota State University engineer. “Correcting those above-ground problems may prevent structural damage to your home as well as dry up those basement damp spots,” says Ken Hellevang, an agricultural engineer with the North Dakota State University Extension Service. He notes that saturated soil increases the soil pressure on the basement wall which can lead to cracks, shifts, collapses and other structural problems. Start first by looking to the roof, Hellevang advises. An inch of water on 1,000 square feet of roof amounts to about 623 gallons of water. A foot of compacted snow on that same roof could contain up to 4 inches of water, or nearly 2,500 gallons. “Getting all that water away from the house is a big first step to preventing basement problems,” Hellevang says. “That’s why all eavetrough downspouts should have extensions to carry the water several feet from the house.” Just as the roof is sloped to shed water, the ground around your home should be sloped too, he notes. A slope of about 1 inch per foot near the wall is usually adequate, Hellevang says. Also, the ground should be sloped to carry the water away from the downspout discharge. “In some cases it is desirable to place an impermeable material under the soil next to the wall to ensure that the water flows away from the house,” he says. In addition to good drainage above ground, a drainage system below ground is important to keeping your home dry, Hellevang says. A properly installed drainage system at the house foundation and under the basement floor will ensure a dry basement and eliminate saturated soil conditions next to the wall. A study of leakage problems showed that more than 90 percent were due to improperly installed drainage systems. The engineer says a properly installed foundation drainage system includes drainpipes placed alongside the footing. In areas with high water tables, a drainage system can also be installed around the inside of the footing and under the basement floor. Using granular material to allow the movement of water and filtering material to keep soil from plugging drain pipes is essential to keeping the system functioning for the life of the house Hellevang says. Granular backfill should be used next to basement walls, he notes. Using soils that don’t drain well can cause pressure on the walls if the soils become saturated. Poor- draining soils also increase the potential for moisture or water vapor to move through the wall into the basement. In certain areas, that moisture can carry minerals that are detrimental to the concrete. Window wells also need to be correctly constructed with drains linked to the foundation drains. Soil elevation in the window well should be several inches below bottom of window and sloped to the drain. “The cost of installing the drainage system during new construction is minimal and the benefits are priceless,” Hellevang says. “Because so many problems can result from a poorly designed or installed drainage system, it’s important to install the system correctly or find a contractor who knows how to do the job. “In existing houses with wet basements, correcting the problem may be as easy as controlling the water above the ground,” Hellevang says. “If that’s not successful, then an exterior and interior drainage system may need to be installed.”

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Painting Tips for Home Owners

roger — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:00:37 +0000

Sequence for painting a room is from top to bottom: Ceiling first, then walls, then windows, doors and finally baseboards. Great interior painting is as easy as one-two-three There are many reasons why interior painting is the nation’s most popular home improvement project. Painting can quickly and dramatically transform the appearance of a room, an apartment or an entire home; it’s personally rewarding; it’s inexpensive; and it’s fun. Moreover, interior painting is easy. According to the Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute, even novices can often get professional painting results by following just three simple rules Rule number one: Prepare the surface properly Good paint performance depends on good paint adhesion, and paint adheres best to surfaces that are clean and sound. Before picking up a brush or roller, it’s important to make sure the surface is “inviting” to the paint. Accumulated dirt, dust and grime should be removed from walls, ceilings and trim with a detergent-water solution. After washing, the surfaces should be thoroughly rinsed with water and allowed to dry completely. Next, a putty knife should be used to fill cracks, holes and other surface imperfections with either spackling compound or a quality acrylic caulk. If spackling is used, after it is dry it should be sanded smooth and flush with the surface; caulk should be smoothed and feathered as it is applied. Finally, if walls or ceilings have water stains or other serious discol-oration, then before painting, it may be necessary to coat them with a latex or oil-based stain-blocking primer to prevent the stains from bleeding through the new paint. Rule number two: Use only top quality paint Compared with ordinary interior paints, top quality finishes are much easier to work with and offer superior long-term performance. In terms of application benefits, top quality paints won’t spatter or tend to show brush marks. And since they hide better than ordinary paints, a single coat is often sufficient to give a great looking paint job and save on time, labor and cost. Top quality interior paints also are tougher and more durable than ordinary interior paints, according to experts at the Paint Quality Institute. They resist fading, yellowing and staining. And even if they do get spotted or stained, discoloration can often be washed off without damaging the finish. Rule number three: Invest in quality tools To get the most from top quality interior paint, it should be applied with high quality brushes and rollers. Not only will they apply the paint more evenly, but they will also make the job more effortless The best brushes tend to be well balanced, hold a lot of paint and apply the paint evenly. Look for brushes with tightly packed bristles and test them for springiness. And be sure they don’t fan too much. When applying the more popular latex or water-based interior paints, it’s important to use brushes and rollers with synthetic bristles and covers. They’ll maintain the proper stiffness and keep their shape regardless of the amount of water they’re exposed to. Most oil-based or alkyd paints can be applied with brushes and rollers made either of synthetic or natural materials. Remember. interior painting can be as simple as one-two-three. But there are no shortcuts. Good surface preparation, top quality paint and high quality tools are all essential to get the best Ceilings First cut in a 2 inch wide strip with a brush around the edges of the ceiling. Switch to a roller (usually 3/8 or 1/2 inch for flat paints) with a 4 – 5 ft extension pole.. Staring at a corner, paint a section about 3 feet square. Use a zigzag pattern, paint a W” pattern on the ceiling, which will disperse the paint on the roller evenly. Fill in this 3 ft section without reloading the roller until you have complete coverage of this section. Continue to cover the ceiling, working across its shortest dimension in 3 foot square sections, overlapping while paint is wet to minimize lap marks. Walls Starting at the ceiling, cut in 2 inch strip with a brush. Continue with the brush to cut in 2 inch strips in corners, around windows, doors, cabinets and baseboards. Note – there are tools available at your paint retail outlets that help make this “edging” job easier. Other “tricks” include sliding the roller cover off the holder slightly so the rollers edge gets closer to ceiling, window or door. Switch to a roller and paint in a vertical direction using a zigzag pattern. Push the roller upward on the first stroke, then form an “M” pattern to evenly distribute the paint on the roller. (working in 3 ft sections is recommended). Fill in the “M” pattern without reloading the roller until you have complete coverage of the area. Continue with this approach until the wall is finished. Touching up spots you missed when the paint is wet will help minimize sheen potential sheen differences. Most manufacturers recommend that when you finish one wall, make sure you have enough paint to complete the next entire wall. Starting with another can of paint in the middle of a wall can result in slightly different colors, which will be perceptible side by side, but not wall to wall. Doors Open door wide to reach all parts to be covered. Protect hinges and other metal with masking tape. Always start at the top. If the door is paneled, paint the panels first, the horizontal sections next and finally the vertical sections. If the door opens into the room you are painting, use the same color on the latch edge that you have used for the rest of the door. If it opens into the next room, do not paint the hinged edge. It should be the same color as the other room Decks Due to the growing popularity of decks, there are now a wide variety of Deck finishes – ranging from conventional penetrating ones to new water based latex ones. In the alkyd category, there are clears, semi transparent and opaque finishes. In latex, semi transparent and opaque. Many homeowners are starting to use the semi transparent or opaque to maximize the protection and duration of their deck coating. Begin by cleaning and power washing to remove dirt, mildew and old coatings. If you are using a clear, penetrating coatings, deck brightening products help restore a “new wood” look to the wood.. Both sides of the railings should also be powerwashed. Brushes and Rollers – Once the deck is clean and thoroughly dry, start with a brush on the outside of the deck, on tops of the railing and work your way down to the deck, then in toward the house. Then switch to a roller for the deck, starting at an outside edge and working toward the house. Use even pressure on the roller on each board to give uniform coverage and sheen. Spraying is another way to coat decks – faster than brush/roller, but you must be sure to protect scrubs etc. from overspray. Spray equipment can be rented at many paint stores, home centers or rental companies. Check with a paint professional for tip size and pressure setting – which will depend on the type of coating you use. Spray railings first, unless the railings are to be a different color than the deck. Then the deck should be coated first. One trip for protecting plants or other objects from overspray is to tape kraft paper to the outside of the railing, which will catch the overspray. When spraying the deck itself, spray evenly over a six foot square area, then go over that area with a 1/2 inch nap roller to spread coating evenly into deck. Continue this procedure in sections until deck is covered. Be sure to use a large shield (such as 4 ft square piece of cardboard) when painting alongside the house to protect it from overspray. Windows Of all the woodwork in the home, windows suffer the most stress. Constant exposure to temperature changes and condensation means that windows often need to be painted more frequently than doors, moldings and trim. Unfortunately, the process involved in painting windows can be confusing. To simplify things, the Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute offers some window painting guidelines that can save you time, money and aggravation. Start by gathering the right tools for window painting: a 1 1/2″ or 2″ quality brush (use synthetic bristles if you are painting with one of the popular latex interior paints); a cutting-in brush for precision work; a paint shield or masking tape; a screwdriver; enough top quality paint to complete the job. Remove locks, curtain hooks and other hardware from the windows. This will speed your work and produce a better-looking paint job. Double-hung windows For double-hung windows, follow this six-step procedure: 1. Raise the bottom sash and lower the top sash most of the way, so that there is a 6″ overlap. Paint the bottom horizontal section of the top sash, then the accessible vertical members. Use care to keep paint from getting in between sash and frame which can “glue” the window in place. 2. Nearly close the upper and lower sashes, then finish painting the rest of the top sash. 3. Paint the entire bottom sash. 4. After allowing the sashes to dry, paint the window frame. 5. Close the windows and paint the exposed parts of the runners. If your windows have sash cords, avoid getting paint on them. 6. Paint the window sill and apron. Casement windows If your home has any casement windows (windows that open out or in, rather than up or down), use a different technique: 1. Open the windows and paint the top, side and bottom edges. 2. Paint the crossbars and frame casings. 3. Complete the job by painting the sill and apron. Regardless of the type of windows you are painting, if you have a steady hand, you can keep paint on the frame and off the glass by using the cutting-in brush. But be sure to overlap the paint onto the glass slightly to help seal off moisture and drafts. There are two other techniques for keeping paint off of the window panes: holding up a paint shield as you work or applying masking tape to the glass. When using tape, press it firmly to the glass to keep excess paint from creeping beneath it. (If stray specks of paint get onto the glass, simply remove them with a razor blade.) Remove the tape before the paint dries to a hard film. Some final tips from the experts at the Paint Quality Institute: Before starting to paint, repair any damage to the window and properly prepare the surface. This can be done by scraping off old paint, then sanding, and priming any spots where bare wood shows. (Get more advice on surface preparation at your local paint retailer, hardware store or decorating center.) Paint windows early in the day so that they have enough time to dry before you close them in the evening. Finish painting each piece in the direction of the wood grain.

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