Home Improvement FAQ: Ask the Experts in Mountainside

As home improvement professionals, we are commonly asked questions by curious homeowners. People come to us with questions about how long paints and stains last, whether should they refinish their kitchen cabinets, if they need to power wash their exterior, and more.

As a member of the community, we want to help. We’ve compiled a list of home improvement frequently asked questions, so that you can feel confident when tackling your to-do list (or contacting a professional). Use this article to understand what needs to be done around your house now, what can wait another year, and what you should call a professional about. As providers of a number of painting and home improvement services we hope this helps in your project planning.

Do I Need to Re-stain My Deck?

It’s a common misconception that staining your deck will protect it forever. The majority of stains last less than five years, and some less than three if you live in a part of the country that experiences extreme weather.

If you are wondering if you need to re-stain your deck, consider the following questions:

• Have you recently moved into your home?
• Have you not stained your deck within the last three years?
• Are you seeing chipping and splitting in the wood?

If your answer to any or all of the above questions is yes, then it’s likely time to re-stain your deck.

If you are re-staining your deck or doing touch-ups, make sure you have the correct color. If you are unsure of the stain, an expert can help color match.

Want to prolong the life of your stain? Perform regular maintenance. Touch-ups and new coats of stain at the beginning of each year will help to protect your deck and stain. You should remove and re-stain your deck every five years to protect the wood and maintain a beautiful surface.

Want to remove the old stain and apply a new stain to the deck? Consider calling a professional. It can be difficult to properly remove the stain without damaging the wood.

When is the Best Time to Re-stain My Deck?

Fall is the best time to stain or re-stain your deck. Summer is too humid and the extreme temperatures can prevent the stain from properly adhering to the wood. Spring is commonly too wet. If you apply a stain in either of these conditions it will likely wear prematurely.

How Often Should I Power wash My House?

You should consider power washing the exterior of your home once a year, more often if you live in an area with excessive smoke, plant growth, or poor air quality. Ask yourself these questions: Is your house dirty? Is it showing wear? Are some spots darker than others? If yes, you should power wash.

When is the Best Time to Power wash My House?

You can power wash many different types of surfaces without the same weather and temperature limitations as painting and staining. That said, we recommend you do it in the spring or summer. The natural light will help you identify the areas that need the most work and the sun will help quickly dry the surface.

Can I Power wash Brick?

Power washing can bring out the rich colors of your bricks and make them look new. Before you start this process, understand your tool. The power washer should have different settings — be careful not to use too high a setting. Too much power may cause damage to the brick or the mortar.

Can I Power wash Vinyl Siding?

Yes, you can power wash vinyl siding – we actually recommend that you do to keep it looking new. This helps remove any mold, mildew, or built-up dirt. But as with brick, beware of the ‘power’ of a power washer. Using a high setting or using the tool without prior experience could result in lifting, removing, denting, or damaging the siding.

Can I Power wash Stucco?

Stucco has a textured surface that has a tendency to collect dirt, dust, mold, and general debris. Power washing will help remove excess dirt and make it look new again. But a word of caution here: be careful not to use too much power. A setting that’s too high can cause damage.

If you are unsure about power washing, fear you may damage your home, or simply don’t want to deal with the hassle on your own — consult an expert for help.

Do I Need to Repaint the Exterior of My Home?

There are a variety of different reasons why you should consider repainting your home’s exterior – beyond feeling like you would like a new/different color, which is an important reason by itself. A new color can completely transform the feel of your living space.

You should consider repainting your home if you are beginning to notice chips or fading. Many people also decide to repaint their home after they replace a portion of their exterior. Commonly the new section of the exterior does not look the same as the old and becomes an eyesore. Repainting the exterior fixes this.

If you are thinking about repainting your home because you ‘just think it’s time’, know that experts believe it’s best to repaint your home every 5-10 years, depending on the material. Contact a professional to talk about the current state of the exterior of your home and how often it should be repainted.

When is the Best Time to Repaint the Exterior of My Home?

The best time to paint your home is the spring, summer, or early fall. The majority of paints adhere best when they are applied between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

How Do I Know If It’s Time to Refinish My Kitchen Cabinets?

Whether you cook every night of the week or your kitchen is just a place to store drinks and half-eaten takeout
containers – your kitchen is likely a room that you use every day. You want it to look nice and be a place you enjoy spending time. To improve the look of your kitchen, you may want to consider refinishing your cabinets. Do your kitchen cabinets look outdated? Do they have food, grease, or fingerprint stains? Are they chipping and starting to show significant wear? Then it’s time to refinish your kitchen cabinets, giving new life to your beloved space.

Is refinishing different than repainting? Yes. Refinishing your cabinets involves removing the doors, sanding down the cabinets, stripping off the old finish, and applying new paint and/or stain.

It’s time to decide whether or not you want to refinish your kitchen cabinets. If you’re unsure, ask yourself:

• Do my kitchen cabinets look outdated?
• Do my kitchen cabinets have permanent food or grease stains?
• Are there chips, scratches, dents, or significant wear?

If you answered yes to any or all of the above questions, it’s time to consider refinishing your kitchen cabinets. If you plan to DYI this project, be sure to follow instructions on how to properly refinish cabinets. You can also contact an expert. Either way, you’ll love the way your refreshed kitchen looks.

How Do I Know If It’s Time to Repaint the Interior of My Home?

You spend a large amount of time inside your home – and even more time in it if you live in a colder climate. Your interior should be your personal oasis. It shouldn’t look dull, scratched, chipped, or outdated. If your interior is experiencing any of these issues, you may want to consider an interior painting project. But where should you start?

Unlike the exterior, which likely experiences the same wear all over, the interior of your home has high traffic areas and low traffic areas. High-traffic areas need painting more often, likely every 3-5 years. These areas include the kitchen, bathroom, stairs, hallways, and entryways. Low traffic areas may be able to get away with new paint every 7-10 years. These areas include the living room, dining room, bedrooms, office, and any spare rooms or spaces.

Does Wallpaper Go Bad?

Wallpaper is a wonderful long-term interior design solution. The odds of wallpaper going bad before your taste changes are very low. Wallpaper is known to last much longer than paint, sometimes up to 15 years or more. However, wallpaper can experience everyday wear. If your wallpaper is peeling, splitting at the seams, has bubbles, is faded from the sun, or is just beginning to look dated, you may want to consider replacing it.

If you want to remove old wallpaper and install new, contact a professional. Don’t spend the weekend picking at the wall. An expert will know the tricks to removing wallpaper seamlessly and installing it flawlessly.

Contacting a Professional

You can contact a home improvement expert to discuss all your ideas, questions, and concerns – with no obligation. CertaPro Painters^® of Mountainside offers free remote and in-person estimates to all customers. Exterior projects can be quoted by experts who evaluate the home from the street. This does not require any personal interaction. Interior projects can be quoted via pictures or Skype, Zoom, or FaceTime call. We do not require any personal interaction or contact and are working to enforce social distancing for all customers and employees. And if for whatever reason you don’t feel comfortable, you don’t need to hire us. But at least you’ll have a sense of cost and involvement.

Contact us today to discuss your project and schedule your free remote estimate.