Woodiwiss Painting Guides
How can I paint a room for an adult with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease?
Dementia patients suffer a loss of cognitive abilities and memory. Alzheimer’s disease also induces memory loss and as both progress, memory care patients are at risk of confusing objects for things they’re not, wandering away, loss of spatial awareness, and all the other trappings that come from the loss of cognitive functions. So when adult…
What rust, bubbling paint, and popping nails mean for this winter
Those of us here in the East Bay are lucky (or not, depending on your view of snow) that we don’t have a harsh winter. Like much of California and the southern U.S. we get a little rain, some cold but not freezing weather, and then it’s back to spring sunshine. But winter still poses…
Ask Woodiwiss: Can (or should) I paint vinyl siding?
Insurance, warranties, age — and skill — are deciding factors in whether or not you should paint vinyl siding We talk a lot on this site about how to DIY all sorts of interior and exterior paint projects. But for once, we’re going to suggest you leave painting vinyl siding to professional painters. To properly paint…
Ask Woodiwiss: how should I ventilate a room while painting?
The obvious way to ventilate a room while painting is by opening the doors and windows for natural ventilation. As we’ve discussed before about paint fume dissipation, you could cycle fresh air and any paint fumes or smells multiple times an hour with the windows open. Coupled with today’s modern paint formulas, that chemical smell…
Here’s how professionals paint brick walls and fireplaces
Painting an interior brick wall or brick fireplace may be the most controversial painting decisions we encounter. Most people strongly disagree on whether you should ever paint brick. Plus, once you paint brick, you can’t ever restore it to its original state. Brick is a porous material and painting it is virtually a final paint…
What’s the best paint I should use in my bathroom?
Your bathroom walls are not unlike your kitchen walls. Unlike your kitchen, however, bathrooms are high-humidity environments because of hot showers. That means the best paint for bathrooms is semi-gloss paint. You want moisture-resistant paint that’s easy to wipe down, won’t bubble or peel under temperature stress, and expect them to last at least five…
Ask Woodiwiss: “How do I touch up paint on walls?”
Unless you’re using flat paint with a flat finish, or it’s a small blemish in a corner, you probably can’t touch up paint on walls. To get the best results, you’ll need to use the leftover paint or get new, original paint that matches the wall as it is today and paint “break to break.” …
Ask Woodiwiss: What should I know about painting after removing wallpaper?
Wallpaper removal is easier when done methodically, giving you a better surface for new paint. Grandma’s floral prints were nice, and the baby’s room is now home to a teenager—so perhaps now is the perfect time to start stripping wallpaper off the walls and giving it a fresh coat of paint. Removing wallpaper is a…
Ask Woodiwiss: When should I stain or paint my deck?
Unlike blue jeans, a weathered deck is not a good look. Get your deck maintenance in order with these tests and tips Does your deck look so gray that people confuse it for the sidewalk? When it rains, does your deck hold on to water like a mulch bed? Did your guests spend the 4th…
Ask Woodiwiss: Why should I hire someone to stain my deck?
We talk a lot in this blog about how to do some home painting and staining projects yourself. As DIY projects go, a weekend of deck staining seems like a good project. Grab a gallon of deck stain and some brushes, and have a go at it. Unlike interior house painting projects, if you don’t…