Before starting an exterior paint job, make sure to sand the surface and remove peeling paint. Next wash the surface to remove dirt, power washing if necessary. Patch small cracks and seams with caulk, and check for proper ventilation. Finally, add primer to any bare wood.

Pressure washing—also known as power washing—is a fast, effective way to restore siding, decking, stone and cement surfaces to their natural color and beauty.

Don Humphrey is spraying a cement and polymer mix from Innovative Concrete Technology called Texture-Krete 2000 onto the pool edge and deck in Punta Gorda, Florida. He moves in a circular motion to splat the cement mix onto the deck. As the gloss begins to leave the spots, a crewmember follows behind to knock it down with a trowel. This removes the pointy tops but leaves a 1/16-inch stucco pattern to the pool deck to make it easy to walk on. The deck is cleaned and scratched to remove any rough points before Humphrey and his crew apply an acrylic paint to the textured deck surface. The key to a well-sealed surface is to roll the paint firmly into all the nooks and dips in the surface. Bob talks about the embedded deck drain set in the concrete that is pitched slightly away from the pool. Excess water and dirty deck water drains away from the pool and is carried off to the sides of the pool deck by the deck drain. Humphrey applies two coats of paint and a topcoat for protection. The deck can be maintained with gentle soap-and-water washing to prevent any white spots from drying chlorine on the painted surface. Humphrey says the paint should last three to five years before it is redone. One key to maintaining the surface is to avoid abrasive cleaners or power washing. Should any mold or mildew attack the surface, Humphrey suggests using a mild bleach-and-water solution to kill the mold. The oyster color the homeowners have selected should wear well and stay cool in the hot Florida sun. Editor�s Note: The deck surface product with cooling properties used in this application was not Kool Deck from Mortex.

Bob joins Ron Boyajian and the painters for the prep work and painting of this 100 year-old wooden Victorian. The painter explains that they power wash the surface with a 50/50 mix of bleach and water to blast away loose paint and kill any mildew. He then shows how to feather the edges of the paint with a sander for a smooth finish. A drop cloth, and a catch on the sander keep chips out of the soil, but it's critical to check for lead content in the paint before disturbing it. Boyajian shows Bob the moisture meter used to check the moisture content in the wood and verify the right type of paint to use on the surface. At around 10 percent moisture, a latex paint will adhere without peeling, but at 25 percent, oil-based paint will peel, so it's important to get an average for the house. Boyajian gives Bob the basics on priming before painting. At 60 percent bare wood, he says it's best to prime the entire house. California Paints uses their Trouble-Shooter linseed-oil-based primer to hold back the tannic acid in the new cedar clapboards so that they won't bleed into the new paint. The painter shows the proper technique for covering clapboards, using a hand-brushing technique to cover the butts first and then the face of the clapboards for good coverage. This primer is tinted to half the depth of the color of the finish coat so that it will hide any imperfections in the top coat.

…angle. • For best adhesion, be sure to "tool" caulk, using your finger, a disposable spoon or a damp rag for latex caulks. • For better energy savings, caulk windows & doors on the inside AND outside. • Check around your home…

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