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The_Black_Log Foler

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I'm not handy at all so I really don't belong in this thread, but I put in a deck last summer that's a composite. We shopped around a number of contractors/brands including Trex and Azek and found that there was a new version of Trex that doesn't use a fully thick board but has some hollowed out grooves so it doesn't use as much material but is still plenty strong to support a deck. Quotes for the normal Trex/Azek were around 25k and using the slimmed out Trex ones it cost about 15k.
Those grooves are for the fastener system right? Was it trex transcend? That's what I'm looking at. How's the deck held up?
 

Lanx

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Need a new lawn mower as the 40v electric I was using in Jersey isn't going to cut it (see what I did there?) in florida. I have about 1/4 acre mostly grass, any recommendations? I'd like to avoid a rider as I don't have the storage space right now + cost, and don't really care either way on electric vs gas
what d you have before?
 

Dandai

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Need a new lawn mower as the 40v electric I was using in Jersey isn't going to cut it (see what I did there?) in florida. I have about 1/4 acre mostly grass, any recommendations? I'd like to avoid a rider as I don't have the storage space right now + cost, and don't really care either way on electric vs gas
I've never used an electric mower so I can't speak to that. I'm a fan of the Toro Super Recycler. I've had it for a few years now and abused it and it's still running like a champ.
 

Alasliasolonik

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Need a new lawn mower as the 40v electric I was using in Jersey isn't going to cut it (see what I did there?) in florida. I have about 1/4 acre mostly grass, any recommendations? I'd like to avoid a rider as I don't have the storage space right now + cost, and don't really care either way on electric vs gas
Anything with a honda motor will last ten years if you dont fuck it up majorly. It will be worth it for a few extra bucks. I have a Husqvarna for the smaller grass areas and its awesome. The honda motors will cost a tad more but it doesnt really what company throws it on there.

I dont like the battery stuff for anything but the new stuff works well, i wouldnt get it though. Im 100% over buying shitty products like this and I throw down the cash for something nice and not have it work after a year or two.
 
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BrutulTM

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Briggs and Stratton make a real reliable small engine too. We have a lot of stuff with small engines and I used to try hard to get Honda but we have 3 or 4 Briggs and Stratton tools and if anything they are better than the Honda's for pulling the generator or the transfer pump or whatever out of the shop and it hasn't been started in a year and the old gas is still in it and it starts on the first pull.
 

Lanx

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i've only had 2 mowers an electric corded mower that did well until i had a really rainy week and it was defeated by the thicker grass, i got husqvarna awd clearance and theres no thick patchy grass that will scare me now.

it's an odd husqvarna in that it uses a khol motor, which worked great 1 pull each time a year, until it stopped and i gotta squirt starter fluid in it to get it going (its probably clogged, the carb or something)

anyway, this one review, does 24 mowers and then compares em to gas
54e0e015e408996f1b19e183a6324560.jpg


576d60f5fbe92f59c564a55111816ca5.png


 
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Deathwing

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What's the best method for removing loose paint from a deck? I've power washed, power sanded, scraped, wire brushed, and I still can find spots that I can pick and peel paint. I've spent 10s of hours on this shit and I'm motivated enough to ask the previous owners wtf they were thinking painting their deck and thus forcing me to as well. Fucking idiots.
 
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BrutulTM

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Maybe someone will have a cool trick for you but sometimes it's just about staying focused and doing the shitty job until it's done. I have a friend whose favorite saying is "work smarter, not harder" and the result is he never gets anything done. Sometimes it's just about shutting off your brain and not stopping until you're finished.
 
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lurkingdirk

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Maybe someone will have a cool trick for you but sometimes it's just about staying focused and doing the shitty job until it's done. I have a friend whose favorite saying is "work smarter, not harder" and the result is he never gets anything done. Sometimes it's just about shutting off your brain and not stopping until you're finished.

This is absolutely true. I'm helping a friend build a deck - the deck is 1,800 square feet. We spent a month planning it, and now we're just head down grunt labouring until it' done. We're about 1/2 done the support structure. We did it up pretty right. Rather than dropping posts into the ground, we did concrete pillars on which all the support will sit, no wood touching the ground. The deck surrounds a pool, so there is always moisture.

As far a mowers go Fogel Fogel for 1/4 acre you don't need a rider. That's a quick push mower job. But probably more than an electric can do. I've had a Craftsman push mower that has made me pledge to buy a Craftsman mower whenever I need one. I've had it about 8 years, and it's so easy to start that my very small, slight 12 year old son starts it on the first pull every time. Blade is made of good steel that holds sharp for ages. It's just a nice, reliable, light mower.
 

ver_21

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What's the best method for removing loose paint from a deck? I've power washed, power sanded, scraped, wire brushed, and I still can find spots that I can pick and peel paint. I've spent 10s of hours on this shit and I'm motivated enough to ask the previous owners wtf they were thinking painting their deck and thus forcing me to as well. Fucking idiots.

I don't like using liquid or gel removers if I don't have to.


Heat gun might come in handy, too.
 

Deathwing

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Maybe someone will have a cool trick for you but sometimes it's just about staying focused and doing the shitty job until it's done. I have a friend whose favorite saying is "work smarter, not harder" and the result is he never gets anything done. Sometimes it's just about shutting off your brain and not stopping until you're finished.
Probably true, but I consider myself an amateur regarding home ownership, so I always think there's something I'm doing wrong.

The real annoying part is that don't remember it being this annoying last time, about 5 years ago. But, we also cut down a huge silver maple(it was growing into our leech field) that was shading the deck, so I suspect the aging of the paint has accelerated. I'm going to put the time in this time, and then replace it next time. I'm not confident, but I think the deck is original with the house, so it's going on 45+ years. Actually, that seems too long...

ver_21 ver_21 a manual wire brush is the most damaging. At least, obviously damaging in term of frayed wood fibers. The power washer and sander damage as well, but don't leave quite as much mess behind. I'm not sure I want to see what a power wire brush can do.

If I was going to employ chemical strippers, I'd just remove all of the paint and seal the deck instead. Or replace it entirely.
 

Dandai

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Maybe someone will have a cool trick for you but sometimes it's just about staying focused and doing the shitty job until it's done. I have a friend whose favorite saying is "work smarter, not harder" and the result is he never gets anything done. Sometimes it's just about shutting off your brain and not stopping until you're finished.
 
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ver_21

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ver_21 ver_21 a manual wire brush is the most damaging. At least, obviously damaging in term of frayed wood fibers. The power washer and sander damage as well, but don't leave quite as much mess behind. I'm not sure I want to see what a power wire brush can do.
[/QUOTE]

If damaging the wood is a concern, they make nylon variants.

There are more specialized tools, too. I think this is an anglegrinder attachment: Wood, Decks, and Siding Tool - Diamabrush
 

BrutulTM

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Nice. I've watched a few of that guy's videos but I haven't seen that one.

This story probably isn't interesting, but I had to get it off my chest.

My neighbor whose ranch we lease is the "work smarter not harder" guy and he's also my 2nd cousin or something like that. He literally has been planning to rebuild his corral for 11 years now. This isn't a big corral. Maybe 12 or 15 posts and some steel panels and 3 gates. He bought the posts and rails like 7 years ago. His dad had an old 50's Farmall tractor with a post pounder on it and for a couple years he was planning to get it running. He thought it just needed a battery but then when he got the battery it still wouldn't start and he gave up on it for a couple of years. Then he bought an old Belarus tractor (yes built in the former Soviet state of Belarus). For a while he was going to mount the post pounder on that and actually bought several items to adapt it since the mounts wouldn't work. Then he discovered that it didn't have enough hydraulic flow to run the post pounder. At that point he told me "I don't know, if I can't get this thing working I guess I'm just going to have to start digging holes by hand". I resisted the urge to scream at him "IF YOU HAD STARTED DIGGING HOLES WHEN YOU STARTED FUCKING AROUND WITH THIS POST POUNDER YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A WEEK LATER EVEN IF YOU ONLY DUG 2 HOLES A DAY AND NOW IT'S BEEN 7 YEARS". The hydraulic flow thing set him back for a couple of years and then 2 years ago he actually bought an antique Farmall tractor just like his Dad's old one at an auction AND bought a fucking trailer to haul it home (like $6k for the tractor and $3k for the trailer). 2 years later that god damn tractor is still sitting on the trailer. Hasn't moved an inch since he brought it home and now the tractor has a flat tire that the sidewall is split on which will probably be another insurmountable obstacle.

It gives me anxiety every time I see those posts rotting on the ground or that tractor sitting on the trailer. I have fantasized about just going over there with my brother and building the corral in 2 days which would be easy to do. I'm not like a workaholic or someone who never procrastinates or anything, but this guy breaks all records. When we renewed the lease with him this spring he told us "Well I have that tractor to put the post pounder on so you will have that corral to use pretty soon". I've never had to work so hard to not roll my eyes. I don't even care about using the corral, it just drives me nuts to see all that stuff sitting there when it would be so easy to do if he would just fucking get to work.
 
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Deathwing

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Brutul is likely right, just gotta put the hours in. This was supposed to be a 3 day project that lined up with weather and vacation(not so easy to fit this around normal house maintenance on weekends), so finding more paint more paint more paint to peel off is super frustrating.
 

lurkingdirk

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Nice. I've watched a few of that guy's videos but I haven't seen that one.

This story probably isn't interesting, but I had to get it off my chest.

My neighbor whose ranch we lease is the "work smarter not harder" guy and he's also my 2nd cousin or something like that. He literally has been planning to rebuild his corral for 11 years now. This isn't a big corral. Maybe 12 or 15 posts and some steel panels and 3 gates. He bought the posts and rails like 7 years ago. His dad had an old 50's Farmall tractor with a post pounder on it and for a couple years he was planning to get it running. He thought it just needed a battery but then when he got the battery it still wouldn't start and he gave up on it for a couple of years. Then he bought an old Belarus tractor (yes built in the former Soviet state of Belarus). For a while he was going to mount the post pounder on that and actually bought several items to adapt it since the mounts wouldn't work. Then he discovered that it didn't have enough hydraulic flow to run the post pounder. At that point he told me "I don't know, if I can't get this thing working I guess I'm just going to have to start digging holes by hand". I resisted the urge to scream at him "IF YOU HAD STARTED DIGGING HOLES WHEN YOU STARTED FUCKING AROUND WITH THIS POST POUNDER YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A WEEK LATER EVEN IF YOU ONLY DUG 2 HOLES A DAY AND NOW IT'S BEEN 7 YEARS". The hydraulic flow thing set him back for a couple of years and then 2 years ago he actually bought an antique Farmall tractor just like his Dad's old one at an auction AND bought a fucking trailer to haul it home (like $6k for the tractor and $3k for the trailer). 2 years later that god damn tractor is still sitting on the trailer. Hasn't moved an inch since he brought it home and now the tractor has a flat tire that the sidewall is split on which will probably be another insurmountable obstacle.

It gives me anxiety every time I see those posts rotting on the ground or that tractor sitting on the trailer. I have fantasized about just going over there with my brother and building the corral in 2 days which would be easy to do. I'm not like a workaholic or someone who never procrastinates or anything, but this guy breaks all records. When we renewed the lease with him this spring he told us "Well I have that tractor to put the post pounder on so you will have that corral to use pretty soon". I've never had to work so hard to not roll my eyes. I don't even care about using the corral, it just drives me nuts to see all that stuff sitting there when it would be so easy to do if he would just fucking get to work.

I might periodically just go over and slap your neighbour. That's just so many unacceptable things all in one story. Holy crap. Letting wood just rot, not using equipment, buying superfluous equipment and not using it, sheesh. I'm rustled. If you decide to go in and rebuild the corral, give me a call. I'll help.
 
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The_Black_Log Foler

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This is absolutely true. I'm helping a friend build a deck - the deck is 1,800 square feet. We spent a month planning it, and now we're just head down grunt labouring until it' done. We're about 1/2 done the support structure. We did it up pretty right. Rather than dropping posts into the ground, we did concrete pillars on which all the support will sit, no wood touching the ground. The deck surrounds a pool, so there is always moisture.

As far a mowers go Fogel Fogel for 1/4 acre you don't need a rider. That's a quick push mower job. But probably more than an electric can do. I've had a Craftsman push mower that has made me pledge to buy a Craftsman mower whenever I need one. I've had it about 8 years, and it's so easy to start that my very small, slight 12 year old son starts it on the first pull every time. Blade is made of good steel that holds sharp for ages. It's just a nice, reliable, light mower.
Is there any advantage to staining a deck board by board prior to install or just staining visible areas?

Random question. Nice idea on the concrete pillars. I wouldn't have thought of that. My deck has wood pillars, they're probably the only part of the deck that's reusable... They're in great condition and I think they're original. Honestly NFC how that's possible with florida weather heh. 🤷‍♂️
 

The_Black_Log Foler

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Bought a dewalt oscillating tool after I saw how awesome they are when my electrician had to cut in ceiling. Also bought a dewalt hammer drill because my gimp dewalt normal drill could barely drill through would with large bits and I'll need to drill through concrete soon.

Pretty stoked - my schedule completely frees up for a month starting Wednesday. Gonna work on house 24/7. First I'm gonna finish the network install. Got washer/dryer inc on Friday. Nest install/ac service on thurs. Septic tank rebuild on thurs. Terrazzo floor refinish in two weeks. Going to take a room in the barn (did i mention there's a barn? Small one) and make it into tool storage and home gym. Need to install a mail box.

Need to fix up wood trim on house. Gonna try to treat roof with cleaner. Need to pull out my pressure washer, chain saws, weed eater that haven't been used in years and see if they work.

Wish I could show you guys the house and get your opinion. Kinda wanna do siding on it or something. Heck it could use drywall inside but I'll save that for when I redo the kitchen in a few years. Right now it's literally just concrete block painted on outside/inside.

Does anyone know good elastomeric paint brands? Structural engineer suggested it to help seal cracks in outside block. Zapatta Zapatta
 

The_Black_Log Foler

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Question. I need to fix these COSMETIC cracks with non shrinking grout to prevent them from getting worse. Are there any gotchas here I need to know? Best way to prep surface? Does it need to be injected into the crack? Can i just pickup some quikrete from home depot and follow instructions and that's good enough? Would I need grind into cracks to clean them out first? Chiseling away at them would make it look weird because some cracks are more so in the block than grout section. I feel like if you did it the way this video does you'd end up with repaired portions looking like they have wider grout between blocks.


Is non-grout product like this a better alternative? Structural engineer specifically said grout, this is polymer based.


20200725_142343.jpg


20200725_142332.jpg


20200725_142330.jpg


Edit - this looks legit.
 
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