Rough Weather, Beautiful Deck

Weather in Michigan is radical. Whether it's winter or spring you never know what to expect. Sun, rain, and snow can be detrimental to the condition of an outside deck. However, it turns out there is a way to protect your deck from showing the season.

You start off by thoroughly cleaning your deck to remove dirt, mold, mildew stains and weathered gray surface wood. This can be done with an acid-free, biodegradable deck cleaner. Be careful if you use chlorine bleach as a cleanser as it tends to degrade the structure of the wood.

Maybe you want to refinish your deck, or just give it a new look. If so, all you have to do is use a stain and finish remover.

Once you have cleaned and restored your deck it's time to protect it. Use a stain or finish that will repel water and that contains a UV-blocking pigment to protect against damage by the sun's rays. You can even use a transparent oil finish, which will give your new or weathered wood a beautiful oil sheen. Oil finishes will also protect against the rot and decay caused by mildew and fungi growth.

Protecting your deck from the elements may take a little work, but your neighbor's awe is worth it.

How to Give Your Walls Texture and Dimension

Textured stencils are a quick and easy way to add class and dimension to an already painted surface. All you need are stencils, some painters' tape or repositionable spray adhesive, measuring tape, a metal trowel, and a texturing medium. Before you begin to use the stencils you must make sure the surface has been previously painted or primed and is clean, dry, and dust free. It should also be sound enough to work with.

The next step is to find a suitable stencil. Finding stencils should be relatively simple, for they can be purchased at any paint or craft store. The only real trouble is deciding which stencil to use.

Once you've made your decision you can follow the reference guide on the stencil. Using painters' tape or repositionable spray adhesive, position the stencil onto the area and press down firmly.

To give your walls a dimensional effect Modern Masters recommend that you use Modern Masters Texture Effects Multi-Purpose Texturing Medium instead of ordinary latex paint. This medium is durable and versatile. It can be tinted to any color with universal colorants or at a local paint store. It is also highly effective for texturing all over a wall, stenciling, making raised reliefs, and making heavily distressed textures.

You can maximize on your walls textured look by first creating an overall textured wall finish with Texture Effects, and then once it is dry, you can add a stenciled look using your texturing medium. The last step is to trowel Texture Effects over and through the stencil at a flat angle using a light; even pressure like you would to ice a cake. This will keep the material from being pushed under the stencil.

When the texture is smooth and even, you carefully remove the stencil by lifting it and pulling straight away from the wall. Then you repeat the pattern and texture throughout the surface to achieve the texture of your dreams.