Paint Lessons from the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Posted on July 13, 2010August 6, 2019

“The Leaning Tower of Pisa” by McPig is licensed under CC BY 2.0

I’m sure most of you have heard of the Leaning Tower of Pisa . . . you know that tower, in Italy? That leans? Yeah. Anyway, I’m sure you’ve heard of that tower, but I dug into it a little bit recently and learned some things I didn’t know . . . things that are, in the end, extremely paint-related!

Originally, the tower was built in 1173 and was supposed to be a work of art. That’s important to remember. It was meant to be something people marveled at–something stunning, astonishing, breath-taking. It was art!

With that goal in mind, construction continued for the first 5 years, until it halted in 1178, after completion of the third floor. It was at this time, during this pause in the construction, that the tower started to sink. Now, we’ve all heard in elementary school about the reason for the sinking: the tower was built with a thinner than usual foundation that was set in a weaker than normal substrate. Basically . . . it’s that classic object lesson about how a poor beginning will produce sketchy results. (You can almost smell the paint-related info!)

However, there’s more to the story–nothing groundbreaking–but something I didn’t know until recently. See, after the tower started to sink, construction was halted–mainly because wars kept breaking out. But after all the fighting was finally over, construction again resumed in 1272–nearly 100 years after the first three floors had been built.

When engineers started this continuation of the construction process, they analyzed the situation and came up with a solution: to compensate for the tilt, they would build the new floors with one side lower than the other. I never knew this, but it’s true. If you look at the tower, you can see that it’s actually curved. It leans to one side and then kind of starts to curve back the other way because of the goofball construction techniques. In the end, this didn’t fix the problem entirely but it helped.

The tower existed like that for another chunk of time and then, in the 1990’s, another attempt was made to fix it. Cables were attached to strengthen the tower and some excavation work was done to try to straighten it as much as possible. This worked to some extent and the tower went from a 5.5 degree angle to a 3.9 degree tilt.

And that was about the best they could do. Apparently, after that work was completed, engineers looked at it and determined that it’d last another couple hundred years or so.

Now, I bring all that up to build on the obvious point–and it’s something that’s definitely paint-related. See, the obvious point is all about the foundation. If the foundation’s bad, you’re going to have sketchy results. Yeah, that’s the obvious point, but I thought the rest of that story was interesting because it continued to hammer home this point, expounding on it. See, not only will you get sketchy results when you start with a poor foundation . . . but you’ll also find yourself doing all sorts of crazy stuff to get things back to good.

Think about it . . . the original designer of the tower would probably have been rolling in his grave if he knew that the people continuing his project were building floors with one side shorter than the other. This was supposed to be a work of art–not something I built in my basement. (And really, come over sometime–that’s how I build. I start something and if it’s not level, I just make the next part a little crooked, too until everything kind of balances out in the end).

Now, I’m not saying the tower of Pisa isn’t cool–it is–and honestly, the leaning thing is really what makes it cool. But that still doesn’t mean that it’s a great example of engineering. It’s a mistake followed by a bunch of bizarre fixes that never really end up fixing the original problem.

And the reason they don’t fix the original problem . . . is that you can’t. Not when your foundation is poor.

In construction and in painting and in most of life . . . the first steps you take in almost any project–the groundwork you lay–is going to determine the outcome. If you start the project correctly, use the right tools and the right supplies and take the time necessary to do things the right way . . . your end results will look great.

If you take shortcuts, skip steps, don’t prime when you should or don’t sand or wash a wall down when it’s recommended . . . you’ll probably get your initial work done faster, but it won’t be long before things start to look shoddy. Your work will start to lean, so to speak. And when that happens, you’ll be in the same boat as those folks who were tasked with adding on the additional floors to an already leaning structure: you’ll have to get creative. And chances are, no matter how creative you get . . . you’ll never be able to fix the original problem.

So the lesson–the paint related lesson, the life-related lesson is this: start with a good foundation. Use the right tools, take the time necessary and start on the right foot. Use primer when you should. Wash the surfaces when it’s recommended. Do a light sanding when you’re in doubt. Doing these things will take more time, but they’ll save you grief down the road. Think about it! And call us with any questions!

Decorating Kids’ Rooms: They’re Only Young Once!

Posted on July 12, 2010August 6, 2019

There are few places in your home where you can really cut loose and have a good time with color as much as you can in a kids’ room. When it’s your bathroom or your living room or a dining room we all tend to be a little more cautious. We don’t want to go nuts and create something on the walls that will drive us crazy or overpower our other decorating.

However, in a kids’ room, we really don’t have to worry about those things. Because really, with rooms for children, the crazier and more bold you go with your color choices, the more people will think you’re a really cool parent!

It’s amazing how it works: do that crazy stuff in your living room and folks think you’re “over the top” or “gaudy.” Put some bold colors in a kids’ room and suddenly, you’re “Hip Parent of the Year.”

And really, it’s a “win-win” proposition. Sure, other people will think it’s great and fun and amazing–but really, is that all that important? No, the real benefit will come from the fact that your kids will gain so much from a project like this. They’ll be excited about the new look, excited about the colors you’ve brought it, and you’ll give them a place of their own–a place that looks completely untouched by the boring, drab world of adults.

Sure, it’s not terribly easy to reconcile yourself with the thought of moving from nice, neutral earthtones into something bold and wild . . . but your kids will thank you for it. And honestly, remember this: they’re only young once! Have fun with it while you can!

Painting Metal Roofs: Some Do’s and Don’ts

Posted on July 9, 2010June 3, 2020

Every summer, we talk to a number of folks in our stores who are curious about the right way to paint an old, rusting metal roof. They want to know what types of products to use, they want to know the steps involved, they want to know what cleaners they should purchase (and also, at least a little bit, they’re wanting us to tell them that the surface is unpaintable and should just be left as is).

Well, sadly, for many of these folks, we don’t tell them to leave it as is. You just can’t do that. Metal roofs, when they exhibit signs of rust, need to be painted in order to be protected. Failing to protect and coat them properly will lead to larger and more expensive (and, of course, painful) failure down the road.

So, let’s cut to the chase: if you’ve got an old metal roof that needs to be painted, here’s what you need to do and what you should use:

Supplies:

Wire Brush or a wire wheel on an angle grinder.
TSP cleaner
Power Washer
Rollers, Brushes, etc.
Met’l Clad 449 Rust Inhibitive Metal Primer
Met’l Clad or Glo-Enamel oil base topcoat in desired color
Ladders/scaffolding as needed
Scrub brush

Steps:

Wire brush or grind as much of the loose, flaking rust off the roof as possible. This is a critical key to the success of your project, so take the time necessary to do this part right.

Once the rust is removed, it’s best to still wash the roof down to remove any grease, grime, or contaminant that might be there. Apply TSP (mixed according to directions on label) and scrub with the scrub brush. (And this probably doesn’t need to be said, but BE CAREFUL. A wet roof is obviously extremely slippery and potentially hazardous–so do as much of the cleaning as possible from a scaffold or a ladder.) Once you’ve scrubbed the roof, rinse it off well with a power washer and allow it to dry.

After the roof has dried, simply apply the 449 Met’l Clad primer using a brush, roller or spray. Allow this product to dry for at least 24 hours.

Once the primer coat has dried, we recommend that you apply two coats of your oil-based finish paint–whether it’s the Met’l Clad or the Glo-Enamel. Products should have about 24 hours between coats.

Tips:

Start early in the day and quit when the roof gets too hot to work on. Working on a roof when it’s extremely hot can be tough on you . . . and tough on the paint you’re trying to apply.

Exercise extreme caution. Whenever working at heights of any level, remember to take things slowly and take nothing for granted. One slip or missed footing can result in months and months of recovery time! So be careful!

While Latex paints are absolutely perfect for the sides of metal buildings, they’re not quite as durable for the roof. Remember, a roof doesn’t have just the sun to deal with: it’s pelted with driving rain and is subjected to Michigan winters and piled up snow. All of these things will damage a Latex paint quicker than they will an oil. So, for your metal roofs, stick to oil!

The Little Old Man Who Blended In

Posted on July 8, 2010August 6, 2019

OK, years ago, I was working at the Lakewood RepcoLite and a lady came in with her husband. She pulled him–nearly dragged him–to the color chip rack and started holding up color chips to his face.

Well, this isn’t something we usually see and so I watched for a second, trying to figure out what was going on. One after another, she’d hold up a chip and then look at it, squint, turn her head from side to side and then toss the chip aside in disgust. Over and over.

I watched for a few seconds, still completely confused about what was happening, and then I walked over and asked if I could help.

Well, the little old man kind of put his head down like he was embarrassed, and his wife launched into a long explanation. And slowly, as I listened, things started to make sense. On a very limited scale–but still, at least I understood what was happening.

See, apparently, this poor little old man had just had his study at home remodelled and repainted. And unfortunately, the new paint blended in perfectly with . . . him. Yes. I’m not making any of this up. The paint blended in so well with the little old man that his wife told me she could never tell if he was sitting at his desk or not. He simply blended away into the wall color.

Well, I listened to her and then looked at the little old man. I think he was doing his best to blend in with the color behind him right then.

But the woman wasn’t done yet. She carried on with her story and concluded by telling me that she needed to find a color that accented him–a color that complimented and coordinated with her husband without blending in with him. And then, she dropped the big pressure bomb on me. She said, “That’s why I came to RepcoLite. Because I want the right color.”

Well, suddenly at that point, I was thrust into a much more complicated scenario than I’d previously realized. I had to find a color that would look great with a little old man. I had to stand in the store and hold color chips up to his little, wrinkled, humiliated face. Do you know how embarrassing that is? How awkward? For both of us?

But regardless of all of that, I persevered. I asked questions I couldn’t believe I was asking. I asked him what color clothes he usually wears. I leaned in close and tried to determine his eye color. I wanted to ask if he was always this pale or if it was because he was just nervous. But before I could ask, his wife told me. “He’s not always this pale. He’s just nervous.” Then she hit his arm and told him to stop being nervous and start coloring up to his normal tone. “Or else,” she continued “we’re going to have the same problem as before–the color won’t be right.”

Well, we worked on it for a while and finally, I ended up just custom matching a color. We sent them on their way and I waited. I didn’t have long to wait. About a day or so later, I got a phone call from the woman. She was ecstatic. She told he that her husband was sitting at his desk right now–and that she could see him sitting there from the other room. All because the color of the wall behind him was perfect. It brought out the color of his eyes without blending too perfectly with his skin. She thanked me profusely and hung up happy.

And all that to answer some common questions folks have: namely, how do I get the right color? How do I know what is the right color? What can I bring in for a color match?

The answer to all of these questions is simple. You get the right color by coming to RepcoLite. You know what the right color is by talking with our color experts and letting them help you. And, in answer to “what can I bring in for a color match?” . . . well, I’d like to ask you to surprise us. We’ve matched cups of dirt, a handfull of leaves, flower petals, dining room chairs, magazine photos, sectionals from public restrooms, toilet seats and one embarassed little old man. See if you can come up with something crazier–we love the challenge and it always makes for a great story.

Recycled Paint, Here We Come!

Posted on July 7, 2010August 6, 2019

The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that over 69 million gallons of paint are discarded every year.

Now, I know the temptation is to buzz right over that sentence and move onto the next, but hold on…. Stop for a second and think about that fact: 69 million gallons of paint are discarded every year. 69 MILLION gallons.

“OK,” you’re probably thinking, “that’s a big number. But still, that doesn’t seem totally unreasonable when you think of the size of the US.”

Well, let’s put it a different way. Let’s say that every gallon of paint will cover about 400 square feet, 1 coat–we’ll say that because it’s typically true. So, when we get 400 square feet for every gallon of paint . . . and when we’ve got 69 million gallons of paint to work with . . . well, that means we end up with enough paint to cover 27.6 BILLION square feet. That’s Billion with a “B”!

“OK,” you may say, “I agree that’s a big number–a crazy number–but really, in this day and age, we’re throwing numbers like that around all the time. Give me something concrete–something I can understand.”

Well, if you’re thinking something like that when you hear about those big numbers, you’re right. They’re so large, they really almost lose their value. So, let me put it in a way that’s practical–a way that’s easy to understand: 27.6 Billion square feet will cover over 990 Square Miles, 1 coat.

In America, we discard enough paint to paint every square inch of a 990 square mile section of our country. With that in mind, consider that according to the US Census Bureau, Ottawa County in Michigan contains 566 square miles of land. So basically, with 1 year’s worth of America’s discarded paint, we could paint the entire land area of Ottawa County, Michigan . . . nearly 2 times.

That’s a lot of paint.

And as far as we’re concerned, that’s just not acceptable. But what do you do about it? What can we do to make sure as much of the discarded paint can be used as possible?

Well, we’ve got an answer. And there’s a hint–a pretty obvious one–in the picture at the top of the page.

Tomorrow, we’ll dig into it a little further and let you know what we’ve got up our sleeve.

http://www.re-coat.com

Defy Extreme: The Proof It Works

Posted on July 6, 2010August 6, 2019

Last time I wrote about DEFY Extreme Deck Stain. It’s available in several colors, but the main thing I was writing about last time was the fact that it comes in a clear.

Now, for many folks who’ve never worked with a clear, that’s no big deal. But if you’ve ever put a clear wood protector down on your deck, you know what you usually get out of it: typically about 6 months before it starts to look terrible.

Well, DEFY’s Extreme Clear product makes use of Nano-Technology to put, in your hands, a clear wood protector that WILL resist the harmful UV rays from the sun. See, as we wrote last time, most of your typical deck protectors that color the wood contain UV inhibitors. They block the harmful rays and keep your deck looking better for longer. Clear protectors, however, don’t possess these blockers. The sun’s rays just beat right through the coating and damage the wood.

The above picture is a perfect example. The center squares on all of those sample boards were coated with a clear wood protector from a number of different companies. They were then left outside to weather for about six months. All of the boards except the DEFY board–no matter what the brand–show significant evidence of product failure and wood damage. Only the DEFY product looks virtually unchanged.

So think about it and be aware: if you’re interested in a clear deck coating, don’t get suckered by great advertising and slick commercials. The best solution for your deck–the one that will give you the longest amount of time between maintenance coats–is DEFY’s Extreme. Check it out!