We have always told friends, family & clients that painting is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to improve the appearance of a home. After years of renovating our own homes, you would think we would stop being amazed by the transformations. But this is just too good ... we have to share.
We bought a place at Lake Merwin Campers Hideaway in May 2006. We were told that it sat for 8-10 years with little or no maintenance. If there had ever been stain on the deck or siding, it had long since broken down. The wood deck has gray and had cracks from years of being exposed to the elements. Unsure whether we wanted to paint or stain, we talked with our friends at Home Depot, Jantzen Beach. They recommended a relatively new products called Behr Premium Solid Color Wood Stain.
Though a little more expensive than regular paints and stains, Behr Premium Solid Color Wood Stain has a lot of features that make it well worth the extra cost. The stain is self priming, offers UV protection against fading, is mildew resistant and is a urethane-fortified 100% acrylic formula that resists scuffing, and cleans up with water. We love that it hid the imperfections, while still allowing the wood texture to show through. Its durable finish resists cracking, peeling and blistering and is available in more than 1,600 custom colors and is formulated for computer matching. It can be applied to wood and composite decks, fences, siding and furniture. Unlike some stains and sealers that may only last 1-2 seasons, this product offers a 10 year satisfaction guarantee on decks and a 25 year satisfaction guarantee on fences and siding. How cool!
We decided to give it a shot figuring if it even lasted 1 extra season, it would be well worth the price. The siding and deck now look almost new. The cracks are gone, but the natural wood texture still shows through. We were even able to bring the old picnic table back to life! For less than $500 in materials and a couple weekends of work, we were able to completely transform our sad little shack into a welcoming weekend retreat.
We were so happy with our results that we told Scott's mom about the solid color wood stain. She and her husband had spent 2 years trying to get a good finish on the deck at their home. Everything they tried took unevenly, broke down too quickly, or just didn't look good. With 1 coat of Behr Premium Solid Color Wood Stain and a little bit of touch-up, their deck looks great and they look forward to a durable finish that will last for years.
If you have a deck, fence or siding that you are planning to stain, we encourage you to take a look at Behr Premium Solid Color Wood Stain. And don't forget ... you can save 10% on your purchase by ordering a Home Depot coupon on our website.
Be sure to check out the Palmer/Wirfs Antique & Collectible Show this weekend, October 25 & 26, at the Portland EXPO Center. Visit more than 1,350 booths filled with everything from estate jewelry, vintage toys, furniture from early American oak to European, paper Americana, china & glass including Fenton, Cambridge, Heisey, Tiffany, enticing smalls in silver, enamel and gold, country store, decor for every room in your home, kitchenware, coin-operated items such as jukeboxes, antique tools, costume jewelry, vintage clothing, barware, men's & ladies' antique watches, Native American, quilts, textiles, clocks, phonographs, sterling flatware, holiday memorabilia, lunch boxes, board games from the '60's, pop culture items, vintage gambling 
items, sewing, dolls from the 1870's to the 1970's, Western Americana, tobacciana, price guides and more!
Hours are Saturday 9-6 and Sunday 10-5. Admission is $7 and is good for BOTH days.
Expert Identification & Evaluation will be offered all hours of the show for $5.00 per item.
For more information, visit www.palmerwirfs.com
Get into the Halloween spirit (pun intended!) with a visit to the Bi-Zi Farms Harvest Festival & Pumpkin Patch. Our granddaughter went there and had a blast!
Some of the activities include farm animals, hay rides, antique farm equipment, a pumpkin launch, bale maze, corn maze (with 6 acres of trails!) and, of course, the pumpkin patch. Bi-Zi Farms is a great place to get all your festive decorations including pumpkins, gourds, winter squash, corn stalks, straw bales, apples and decorative Indian corn. Food concessions are available including a free hot coffee, cocoa or spiced apple cider.
The Pumpkin Patch is open to the public each Friday (2-6p), Saturday & Sunday (10a-6p) through the end of October. Admission is $8.00 and includes all activities and one pumpkin. Children age 2 and under are free. Bring your flashlights! Group tours can be scheduled during the week by calling (360) 574-9119.
BiZi Farms has been owned by the Zimmerman family since 1872. They are located at 9504 NE 119th St in Vancouver. They can be reached at (360) 574-9119 or Bi-ZiFarms@juno.com ... or visit them on the web at www.bizifarms.com.
Most of us know that we can recycle cans, bottles, paper and cardboard. But did you know that you can also recycle rock, branches and old lumber?
H&H Wood Recyclers in Vancouver WA offers an alternative to dumping organic waste into landfills and at a fraction of the price! H&H Wood Recyclers accepts a wide range of items such as yard debris, rock, and wood debris. The materials they take (that would otherwise be land fill material), are then converted into landscaping and gardening products such as barkdust and compost
Here are some of the materials H&H accepts and the corresponding disposal fee:
For estimating volume, figure that a full size pick up bed (full and level) is approximately 2.5 cubic yards and a small pick up bed (full and level) is approximately 1.5 cubic yards.
The materials H&H receives are then converted to useable materials like compost, screened soil, fir barkdust, barm nuggets, rock, pea gravel that are available for sale at their site.
H&H Wood Recyclers are located at 8401 NE 117th Ave in Vancouver. Their phone number is (360) 892-2805. You may also visit them on the web at www.hhwoodrecyclers.com
Operating Hours Are:
MARCH-OCTOBER
Monday-Saturday, 7:00am to 6:00pm
Sundays, 9:00am to 4:00pm
NOVEMBER-FEBRUARY
Monday-Saturday, 8:00am to 5:00pm
Sundays, 9:00am to 4:00pm
You can help put the finishing touches on the last of 15 homes that have been painted this fall as a result of the Rose Village Paint-a-Thon. There are just 2 more homes awaiting a full paint job and several waiting for finishing touches.
You'll get the opportunity to see how a simple project like this is creating a new view for people's lives -- not just what they see on the outside of their homes, but more importantly what they see from within themselves and in the hearts of their neighbors and new made friends. We are truly creating a new community in Rose Village - what one of our recipients refers to as a "psychological bomb" targeted on people's hearts from the many hands who choose to care.
Please join us for 2-3 hours ... or plan to stay all day (9a-3p). Either way, you are sure to have a good time and your efforts will be very much appreciated. There will be a good supply of brushes, rollers, scrapers and ladders, but feel free to bring your own tools if you have them. We wouldn't want anyone lacking for something to do!
The Rose Village Paint-a-Thon is the brainchild of Mark & Patti Maggiora. Inspired by a southeast Portland Paint-athon that gets hundreds of volunteers each year to help improve the homes of area senior citizens, the Rose Village Paint-a-Thon will have transformed more than 15 homes in just 2 months.
Once a popular neighborhood where many of the city's long-term residents were raised, Rosemere / Rose Village had more recently been perceived as a highly transient area with an elevated crime rate. The increase in property values seen in recent years, though, has drawn the attention of investors and value seeking home owners and many of the vintage and historic homes are benefiting from a renewed pride of ownership. The team of volunteers who support the Rose Village Paint-a-Thon have the vision of increasing these positive trends and restoring the neighborhood to its former splendor.
The following Columbian link provides a great story about the effort: Revitalizing Rose Village
This weekend, activities will be continue to focus on a 3 block section of L St in Vancouver between 33rd Street and 37th Street. Volunteers will start assembling at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday in front of Patty & Scott Carroll's recently renovated "church home" at 3409 L St.
Volunteers are needed. If you would like to volunteer to help with the Paint-a-Thon project, please call Mark & Patti Maggiora at (360) 992-9969 or email mark@groupnw.net or patti@groupnw.net.
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
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