Tag Archives: bathrooms

EP208: A Little Ghosting Problem

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SEGMENT 1: Is Dirt the New Prozac?

Here’s a segment from last year that’s worth replaying now that the weather’s warming up! If you’ve got flower beds that need work, there’s actually scientific evidence that digging in the dirt can be calming! Here’s one of the articles we reference in the segment….

SEGMENT 2: Which Wood?

Normally, we talk about cleaning and staining your deck for the Spring. But maybe you actually need to build a new deck altogether! If so, here’s an interview with Jason Slenk from Overisel Lumber that might help you decide which material to use.

SEGMENT 3: Goodbye Soap Scum and Hard Water Stains!

Last year, during the lockdowns, Dan stumbled on a bathroom cleaner that really helped clean up some of the trouble spots in one of the bathrooms in his home. It’s CLR: Brilliant Bath and it’s worth checking out!

SEGMENT 4: A Little Ghosting Problem….

Last year, on Memorial Day, Dan pointed out a ghosting (or thermal tracking) problem going on in his parents’ condo. He was happy to dish out the info . . . they were less than thrilled to realize that the things they thought were shadows on their walls were actually something else entirely!

What Paint Sheen Should I Use in My Bathroom?

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As is usually the case with paint and coatings, there’s no “one-size-fits-all” answer. Before recommending a finish paint and sheen for any room, there are questions that must be asked. In this case, we’re dealing with a bathroom, so the first question is this: Is it a half bath or a full bath? If there’s a shower or tub present, the recommendation is potentially different than if there isn’t.

Other questions we’d ask would concern any problem areas or situations that have manifested over the years.

  • Are mold and mildew a routine issue?
  • Is the current paint in good condition, or are there areas where it’s peeling?
  • And on and on….

It’s always good to talk to someone personally to get a recommendation that fits your space and your needs. However, with that said, we can make some generic recommendations.

So What Sheen is Best?

For the most part, the answer hinges on the product used more so than the sheen itself. Aura Bath and Spa from Benjamin Moore is our favorite bathroom paint. It’s designed for high humidity environments, is mildew resistant, and hides and covers extremely well. Best of all, it does all of that in a matte finish.

That means you can finally have a bathroom that fits in with the rest of your home! Before Bath and Spa, we were forced to choose shinier paints for our bathrooms and we just had to tolerate the look. Now, there’s an option to get a matte look and still get excellent durability.

If you don’t want to use Aura Bath and Spa, we’d most generally recommend a satin sheen. RepcoLite’s Hallmark line offers mildew resistance and great washability. 

If you have a bathroom fan that moves the moisture out of the room quickly, or if the tub/shower doesn’t get a lot of use, Hallmark Eggshell would also be an option to consider.

If it’s only a half bath, your options are wide open when it comes to sheen.

Always Talk It Over!

In the end, we love to recommend Aura Bath and Spa. In our experience, it’s the perfect bathroom paint and eliminates most of the issues that you’ll ever run into when painting that room. But always call, chat on our website, or stop in at any Repcolite, Port City Paints, or Snyder Paints and talk through your exact situation before buying your paint! 

EP70: Drip Irrigation with Grapids, Surfactant Leaching, Peeling Decks, and Other Common Paint Problems

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It’s largely been a dry summer. And while the landscaping at Dan’s house is doing remarkably well, the landscaping at Betsy’s is shriveling and dying. The difference? Drip irrigation! Today, we sit down with Aaron Katerberg from Grapids Irrigation to talk about some DIY solutions you can implement today!

We’ll also be talking with RepcoLite Sales Rep, Erick Lowing, about some common paint problems he runs into from day to day. In fact, the topics he plans to discuss are topics he’s dealt with multiple times just this week! That’s about as “common” as you can get! Tune in for the problems and most importantly, the fixes!

Listen here:

EP40 – January 6, 2018: 15-Minute Regimen, Gel Stain Cabinet Fix, Winter Pet Safety, and Dan’s Bathroom Re-do

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This week we cover a number of interesting topics. One of which is a concept that Dan thinks is brilliant: a 15-minute home improvement regimen! Yes, it sounds a little goofy, but you will be amazed at the amount of work you can accomplish by just spending 15 minutes a night working on it. It’s painless, quick, almost fun. And if you do it a few nights in a row, you’ll be blown away by how much work you crank out! On top of that, we spend some time talking about what we need to do as pet owners to keep our furry friends safe during these cold winter days!

Listen here:

Show notes for episode 040:

Things pile up over time when we don't stay on top of them. Weight is a perfect example. Let it go for a little while and before you know it, some unwanted pounds have found a new home around our middle!

Well, the same thing happens in our home. Little projects add up and before you know it, we've got tons of jobs to do and no idea where to begin!

Rather than jump into a crash-course of home improvement projects, why not instead create a manageable schedule that will help you easily and relatively painlessly take off those "extra pounds"? That's what we talk about today!

Looking to refresh your kitchen cabinets without completely stripping them down and starting over? If you're dealing with a few scratches or some worn areas, we might have a fix for you that will save you tons of time!

Here are a few photos submitted by a customer who gave the project a try!

The weather has been frigidly cold and while we all bundle up with layers and layers, we don't always think about our pets! Sure, they're covered in fur, but they can still get hypothermia and they can still suffer in weather like this. But just moving them into the garage may not be the answer. In this segment we talk about a number of different precautions we should all be talking to keep our furry friends safe and warm!

In this segment, we break down a bathroom re-do Dan just recently undertook. We talk about the materials used and the lessons learned! And hopefully provide everyone listening with the information and encouragement to step outside of their comfort zone and jump into a project!

EP14 – July 8, 2017: It’s Toilet Talk Time!

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We know, it’s something people don’t normally talk about in social circles. It’s a topic left for the privacy of our own homes. But we’re breaking the mould and asking all the toilet questions you may have pondered. Mark DeVisser from The Plummer Is Here stops by to answer our questions and walk us through the options when buying a new toilet. The subject matter makes us uncomfortable, but the information is worth the discomfort!

Listen here:

Show notes for Episode 014:

Kitchens are the most commonly redone room in a house. They are also some of the most costly. And there are some things you can do to change the look, without spending a ton of money. We've all heard of painting the cabinets and replacing the hardware. But there is one more project that is often overlooked, but dramatically changes the look of your kitchen.

Painting a tile backsplash can really change the look and feel of your kitchen. It can make a dated kitchen feel current. And, with a little creativity, you can make your backsplash a one-of-a-kind. Check out our Backsplash Ideas Pinterest board to see what inspired us!

Figuring out the perfect lighting for your home can be a challenge. But it can be more difficult as we get older. Our eyes go through drastic changes as we age and most people will require more and different types of light.

Renee Huff from The Lighting Corner in Grandville stops by to discuss how eyes change as we age and some things that we can implement to help us, or our loved ones, see better as we gracefully age.

Outdoor living spaces are the fastest growing segment of home improvement. Everyone is trying create that backyard spaces that every neighbor wants. And all may be perfect until it comes to the furniture.

There are three general issues that come up when it comes to patio furniture:

  1. It looks terrible from sitting in the weather.
  2. It's the wrong style. You bought log furniture, but now hate it!
  3. It's an eclectic collection of yard sale finds.

When people find themselves in one of the above situations they generally do one of two things: they either live with it, or they toss it (for the eclectic collector to find!) and buy new. But there is a third option that we like a lot better! It will save you money over replacing and you can make it something the neighbors will envy! You can find amazing ideas on our Outdoor Furniture Pinterest board.

Yes, we have finally come to Dan's favorite segment of this episode! He has been dying to have all of his hard-hitting toilet questions answered by an expert plumber. And lucky for us, The Plumber Is Here!

Mark DeVisser from The Plumber Is Here! stops by to answer all Dan's questions and add a few laughs.

Mark DeVisser is a Master Plumber and Owner of  Great Lakes Plumbing Services, LLC (or, as it is more commonly known, The Plumber Is Here!). The plumber Is Here can take care of all your plumbing needs including water heaters, faucets, tubs and showers, water and sewer hookups, drain cleaning and so much more! They service residential, commercial and new construction in all areas around Saugatuck, Holland, Zeeland, Grand Haven, Grandville, Jenison, Hudsonville, and beyond. 

EP03 – April 15, 2017: Benjamin Moore Color of the Year

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Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year is purple. Yeah. And we’re hearing a lot of questions in the store about how in the world to decorate with purple. Today, we’re on the phone with Hannah Yeo from Benjamin Moore. She has a TON of great color information. It’s easily one of the most interesting interviews we’ve done so far. If you have any interest in decorating with color (purple or otherwise) give this a listen!

That and more on today’s episode!

Listen here:

Show notes for episode 003:

In this first segment, we're on the phone with Hannah Yeo from Benjamin Moore to discuss Benjamin Moore's Color of the Year for 2017. We're just letting you know: It's purple! But, of course, that's being a little too simplistic.... Benjamin Moore's Color of the Year is sophisticated, unusual, interesting, and the perfect "enabler" color.

Hannah's here to explain how Benjamin Moore came up with this color and how you can easily use it in your own home.

Hannah Yeo is a Color & Design Expert for Benjamin Moore, North America’s favorite paint, color and coatings brand. As part of the Benjamin Moore Color & Design team, Hannah plays an integral role in forecasting trends, developing and curating colors, and managing four sub-brands at Benjamin Moore & Co.

Prior to joining Benjamin Moore in 2009, Hannah began her career at Fisher-Price as a Graphic Designer. Her background in graphic design and color gave her a unique skill set: infusing graphic design elements to communicate color.

Hannah holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications Design from Pratt Institute.

At RepcoLite, we get tons of questions on a regular basis. Tons of questions. In our Ask RepcoLite! segment today, we focus on a couple of very common questions.

The first one is simply: "What in the world is a RepcoLite?" We know that our company name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. And we also know that it doesn't make tons of sense. But apart from that, we still think we're a pretty interesting company with a lot to offer! So we take a minute to introduce ourselves! (And if you'd like to read our origin story, check it out here!)

The second question gets down to the nitty gritty: "I just painted my bathroom. How long before I can start using my shower again?"

Brian Stacey from Bergman Power Equipment is a lawn equipment specialist and he joins us in the studio to talk about the Must-Have Lawn Equipment Every Homeowner Needs. Some of us think we can get by with a lawnmower. Some of us feel we need a different edger for odd and even numbered days. Brian's going to walk us through the 4 pieces of equipment he feels are absolutely necessary.

When we told co-workers that we were interviewing a vet for the last segment of today's show, everybody figured we meant a veteran! Nobody could imagine what in the world we were going to talk to a Veterinarian about on a home improvement show. But Betsy is both an animal lover and extremely creative and she came up with the idea of interviewing a vet about how a home remodel project can produce stress in our pets. To find out what we can do as pet owners to alleviate this stress, we interview Dr. Jim Havinga from the Animal Clinic of Holland. He's got some great advice and recommendations regarding how you can keep your pet safe and calm during the next project.

And, after the interview wrapped up, Dr. Jim started telling us stories from his practice: A dog who rattled, a horse on the tracks, and a number of others. Betsy and I thought the stories were great and we want you to hear them, too! So we've got them below. They're really worth a listen!