In the Midwest many people still have wood docks that they put in and take out of the water every year at the cabin or home on the lake. While most wood docks are made out of Cedar, some are made from Spruce, Pine Fir or even teak.

Regardless of the type of wood, though, they need to be stained and protected. Certain types of wood turn gray over time. This is from being out in the elements, if they are not treated. They can also warp, crack and decay without proper protection. Protecting a dock is not a “set it and forget it” operation. It must be repeated every few years, and done properly if you want it to last that long.

In order to protect your wood dock you can paint it, but staining it is really the best way to go. It is important to finish any stain job with a good quality wood sealer. Another option is to purchase a stain that has a sealer combined with it. This way, instead of needing to cover the entire fence with two different products, you will only have to cover it with one.
Stain your dock sections immediately after taking your dock in for the season or immediately before putting it out for the summer.

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Before staining your dock, you should prepare an area to do the staining. DO NOT STAIN YOUR DOCK WHILE IT IS IN THE LAKE. You will inevitably drip toxic stain and/or sealer into the lake and that is not good for anyone or anything. Find an area that is out of the wind and lay down a tarp, drop cloth or newspaper. This will keep the stain from getting on your grass, shoes, driveway, etc.

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Next prepare the wood surface. Follow the manufacturer’s directions on the stain container in order to achieve the best results. Make sure that rain is not forecast for the next 24 to 48 hours. You don’t want your freshly stained dock to get wet before the stain has set. General rules of thumb are to make sure the surfaces to be stained are thoroughly dry, clean and free from oil, grease and other pollutants. Because of the application of a dock with water coming from above and below, it is good to plan to stain both the top and the bottom. Staining the bottom first is usually easier.

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The next step is to begin to apply the stain on your wood dock. Don’t forget to put on your protective eyewear and some latex gloves. Also be sure that you read and follow the manufacturer’s directions on the stain container in order to achieve the best results. Using a clean, good quality paint brush, apply the stain to the wood in the same direction as the grain. Starting at one end of the dock apply the stain on a small section at a time. Apply the stain in short, even strokes; thinning it out any heavy spots so it doesn’t puddle.

After you have finished the first side (bottom of dock), wait at least 12 hours or until the stain is dry to touch (see manufacturer’s recommendation). Then turn the dock sections over and repeat the process on the top side of your wood dock.

Tip: Mask off (with masking tape) any hardware that you do not want to stain. Remove masking tape when all staining and sealing is complete.

Make sure that you stain every wood piece of the entire dock, including the sides, ends, etc. Most manufacturers will recommend applying a second coat of stain to the wood after the first coat has thoroughly dried. Then, allow the stain on your entire wood dock to dry thoroughly. If you are going to apply a wood sealer your wood dock is now stained and ready to accept the sealer. Again, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the sealer container.

Enjoy your beautiful dock!

Many people may already have their docks in the water for this summer season, so remember to refer back to these tips this fall. Or apply them to your wood privacy fence, you should treat them basically the same way. Although if you have a really long fence you and your drop cloth or tarp may need to work your way down the fence section by section.

 

 

What does this summer hold for us with regard to rain?  There will be drought somewhere, I’ll guarantee it.  I’ve mentioned my interest in rain gardens.  My significant other and I took our first step over Memorial weekend by getting the gutters up, and linked to water barrels for watering our two large gardens out at the farm (it is way out near Ortonville, MN where there is BIG wind all the time, and that wind sucks the moisture out of the ground super fast).  We also invested in a fabric landscape material that has soaker hoses built right into them.  If you cover them with mulch, as we did to protect them from the deteriorating effects of UV rays, they will not only hold more moisture in for your plant roots, they’ll also last up to 20 years.

Here are a couple links to where you can find this type of product (we used the first one, you need a header hose to go with it):

http://02a5830.netsolstores.com/rainweave22x-1-1.aspx

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=177

We should all be conscious of water usage all the time, we only have so much clean water on this planet and that amount is shrinking as we contaminate it, and as glacial ice melts running into our oceans (it’s all fresh water, those glaciers). 

If we suffer a drought this year, there will be even more reason to conserve. 

 

There are a number of simple things that we can all do to conserve and use our water more efficiently, here are a few ideas:

·          Turn hot water down.  When you are running water for something – dishes, bath, washing machine, anything, if the water is too hot, don’t turn up the cold water – turn down the hot water!  You pay money to heat the hot water, so use less of that.

·          Use shorter cycles. A shorter cleaning cycle in your dishwasher is often enough. Try using the “quick wash” or “china and crystal” setting, especially if you rinse the dishes first. Using the air dry feature also saves energy. The same goes for laundry. “Quick wash” or the “light” setting is often all that is needed.

·         Use only what you need. Your bathroom faucet is often used only for washing your hands and face.  Try turning those water faucets full open, then go under the sink and turn the hot and cold water valves one half, to three forth OFF.  You should have enough water to wash hands or fill drinking glass and not waste water.

·         Reuse water.  Whenever we shower or wash vegetables we waste gallons of water.  Place a bucket in the shower to collect water during your shower and in your sink when you are washing fruits and vegetables.  Then use that water for potted plants inside and out, or anywhere there is a plant in need of water.

Feel free to add your ideas to these and share with others!!!

I don’t think that Martha Stewart is the end all to gardening or signage for that matter. Every year I plant bulbs and perenials in my garden. In the spring I go to weed my gardens and I am never sure what is a weed and what is a plant just breaking ground. The bulbs aren’t so hard to identify, but I often forget which bulbs I put where. Martha’s idea is not original, in fact people have been painting on stones since the dawn of time all around the world (cave paintings, fun images, and park signs). 

Martha just told me what I’d need in case I didn’t want to think too hard.  It is easy and super inexpensive.  All you need are some smooth stones (the north shore has some great stones if you happen to be in the area).  They can be large or small, and you can choose how you want the finished product to look.

Use a permanent dye-based ink and a set of alphabet stamps (or freehand if you are that good), stamp or paint the names of your plants on cleaned stones and then put them in your garden next to the corresponding plants.

If you want to get your kids involved, you could also use a paint brush and an exterior paint. Let the kids paint the words on the stones (you may need to spell the words out for them).  It’s a fun weekend project for the whole family.

Just leave those stones in your garden when winter comes and next year you’ll know exactly where all your perenial herbs, plants and bulbs are. PLUS every surface the stone covers is that much less area to weed!!!

You may have heard a lot about the economic “Stimulus Bill” that President Obama signed in February of 2009, but you may not know how it can save you money.

Part of owning a home is the regular maintenance a home requires. This maintenance can range from major appliance replacement to a new roof. Often home owners inherit items within their homes that are less than desirable. Items like inefficient and/or leaky doors and windows come to mind. Replacing these items is a major investment in your home that should ultimately pay off with energy savings.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (or the “Stimulus Bill”) has made changes to the energy efficiency tax credits available to Americans.

The biggest change is that the credits have been raised from 10% of the cost to 30% of the cost for installations put in place from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010. The maximum credit has been raised from $500 to $1500 over this two year period. Along with that, the cap of $200 on windows has been removed.

It should be noted that some ENERGY STAR qualified windows will not qualify after June 1, 2009. It is important that you check to see if the windows you are considering installing will qualify for the tax credit. Absolute Construction and Remodeling Inc. can help you install qualified windows.

Looks like asphalt, but its not!

Did you know that metal roofs can look just like asphalt roofs and be significantly more energy efficient? This Metro Shingle roof is an example of how a metal roof can look like traditional asphalt shingles. Your savings don’t need to stop with a tax credit, you can get immediate savings to your heating and cooling bills with a metal roof.

ENERGY STAR Water Heaters, Furnaces and AC Systems Qualify for Tax Credit

Roofs and windows aren’t the only things that qualify for tax credits.  Everything from HVAC systems (furnaces and air conditioners), to water heaters, to insulation and even the car you drive can qualify.  If you’d like to learn more about how you can take advantage of the tax credits available, or if you are considering a new water heater, furnace or air conditioning system, contact Absolute Construction and Remodeling Inc.  The following website may also be of interest to you:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits 

If you are considering alternate energy sources for your home, please be aware that Absolute Construction and Remodeling Inc. has experience with geothermal heating systems. Geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters and solar panels are not subject to the $1,500 maximum tax credit. This is true for fuel cell, and small wind energy systems as well. In addition credits for these systems are available through 2016. These credits are especially applicable to new home construction and secondary residences where credits for ENERGY STAR roofs and windows do not apply.