Whether you own a small office complex, manage a multi-unit shopping center, or are the lead maintenance supervisor for a school, Colour Solutions can help you with your commercial pressure washing needs. Our trained and experienced team of technicians are able to asses your structure’s condition, the severity of the issue, and develop a plan that will suit your facility’s needs without going over your budget. [Read more…]
Pressure Washing for Commercial Facilities
April 5, 2019 By
Tips for Maintaining Your Stained Deck
June 27, 2014 By
Did you know that a deck is considered a valuable investment for your home? According to Remodeling magazine, a deck can offer a return on investment of roughly 87 percent of the original cost. And like any investment, it pays to protect it.
Having your outdoor wood deck stained not only increases its aesthetic value, it helps protect it from the elements and prevent damage. However, a coat of stain isn’t the only thing you need to keep your deck in great shape. Regular maintenance and cleaning are essential to extending the life of your deck.
Here are a few tips for making sure you get the most out of your stained deck.
1. Keep it clean!
A deck that doesn’t get a good wash now and then can be subject to mildew, mold, and even rot. Your deck’s stain can do a lot of good by preventing much of these issues, but without yearly cleaning, debris can build up and wear the stain down, eventually causing unattractive spots and worse yet, costly wood rot. You can remove debris between deck boards by using a long comb or putty knife. Attach one of these items to the end of a long pole, PVC pipe or broom handle to go easy on your knees and back.
After you clear out the debris, make sure you give your deck a thorough sweeping. Finally, choose a cleaning solution that is appropriate for your deck’s material. It’s also a good idea to clean the deck on a mild weather day. Extreme heat can cause the cleaning material to evaporate more quickly. Last, but not least, rinse the deck thoroughly by running a hose across the deck several times.
You can also schedule a pressure washing service to come out and remove any mildew that may have built up over time. Professional pressure washers will know the right solution and pressure levels to use to get your deck clean without damaging the stain.
2. Perform a deck check-up.
In addition to keeping your deck looking great, it’s important to give it a once-over from time to time to make sure the structure is still holding up. Grab a flashlight and look underneath the deck to inspect the ledger. The ledger is the part that connects the deck to the home. A weak or damaged ledger can cause the deck to collapse. The ledger should be attached with lag screws, not just exterior nails. Also make sure the flashing (the material that covers the top of the ledger) is free from rust, holes or other signs of wear and tear. While you’re under there, you might as well check the rest of the hardware and ensure everything is attached properly and no screws/nails are rusted or missing.
After inspecting the deck underneath, check the railings and steps to make sure there aren’t any loose boards or missing hardware. Don’t be afraid to give the railings a good shake to test them. Also look for cracks that may have developed around the fasteners over time. If you find any, you can seal the crack with an exterior-grade adhesive after removing the fastener. To add a new fastener, drill a new pilot hole and add a new galvanized deck screw.
Check for signs of rot by gently probing areas with a flat head screwdriver. If you’re able to push the screwdriver more than a quarter of an inch into the wood, you likely have rot in that area.
3. Call a professional.
It never hurts to have your deck professionally inspected once every couple of years. And if any of the tasks above sound too complicated or time consuming, hiring a pro can be a great way to save you from the headaches of doing everything yourself. At Colour Solutions, we offer a wide variety of home improvement services, including deck staining and refinishing as well as some light carpentry. Call 910-686-3067 today to set up a consultation.
Time to Seal the Deck!
June 15, 2014 By
Your deck just called and said, “What are they waiting for? Summer and prime deck season are practically here!”
There’s no question that sealing a deck falls under the category of “big jobs.” That’s why you should leave it to the experts at Colour Solutions.
We have learned that in order to ensure the best protection for your deck, annual maintenance is key.
Here in southeastern NC, decks can take a beating from all that heavy rain, frozen precipitation and brutal ultraviolet rays. Unless the decking timbers are sealed each year, rapid deterioration is a danger.
If you’ve been told that a good way to judge if your deck is due for a sealant is to see if water droplets bead up, sorry not true! Although some products contain paraffin wax, which does lend to beading, others such as oil-based sealers do not. The best policy is to just take care of this task annually, either each spring or at least by early summer.
A bonus that comes when you use our team to seal your deck is that we’re also professional pressure washers! (say that 3 times fast) We use low-pressure powerwashers that will not damage the wood surface of the decking timbers.
New Deck
If you’ve just built a home that has a nice new deck, we suggest having it professionally sealed four weeks or more post construction. To speed up the aging process which is sometimes necessary for new wood, we would likely pressure wash your deck to remove any glazes or treatments that were applied at the mill.
Along with sealing, of course we can handle any type of accompanying paint or stain job. Many coastal homeowners love the look of white painted trim and natural, but sealed, decking. Another popular look for decks today involves using stain on the railings and a sealer on the floor. The stain is usually tinted to match the trim of your house.
We’d love to work with you and get your deck in the best shape possible!
Please give Colour Solutions a call to learn more about our services: 910-686-3067
Put Pressure Washing on Your Springtime “To-Do” List
May 7, 2014 By
There are plenty of seasoned homeowners out there who have their homes pressure washed on an annual basis. They have recognized the amazing results this quick and cost-effective procedure delivers. In addition to cleaning up a home’s exterior, pressure washing can make decks, porches, patios, walkways, and driveways look like new!
Many homeowners put off having their residences professionally pressure washed because they are afraid that doing so will cause the paint to pop off here and there. They worry that in turn; they may have to paint the entire place. In fact, we have had customers who contracted us for pressure washing in anticipation that afterwards, their home would be in need of an exterior paint job. Imagine their delight when after the Colour Solutions team washed away a year’s worth of dirt and mildew, the existing paint looked great!
Another reason we are such fans of pressure washing is that it is handy for a number of applications. Did you know that a variety of things can be transformed with a little pressure washing? It could be that your entire exterior is ok, but other areas around your home could benefit from the expertise of our pressure washing crew. Consider these smaller jobs that may be on your “to-do” list already:
- Fences and gates – Exposed to the elements, they take a beating and are not the easiest things to clean, until you call Colour Solutions’ pressure washing team!
- Porch ceiling s- These tend to gather cobwebs, mildew, and dust. Who wants to look at that all spring and summer?
- Patio/deck furniture – Oh yes we can and what a difference you’ll see!
- Front steps/stoops/deck steps – Because steps and stoops are also exposed directly to the elements, they can get filthy in a hurry. Excessive moisture can contribute to the growth of mildew and sometimes moss, which are very slippery and dangerous when wet. Why not let us blast it away?
- Foundations – When the foundation is not looking its best, it casts a dreary shadow on the entire home. Pressure washing is the perfect solution for every type of foundation out there, including, brick, stone, wood, and stucco.
- Garage floors – What a difference pressure washing can make in one of the home’s heaviest/dirtiest traffic areas (See: Tired of your Garage Floors? Colour Solutions Can Help!)
We like to think that no job is too big or too small. As part of your spring cleaning, please give your home the critical eye and decide if a visit from the Colour Solutions pressure washing crew is in order! Just give us a call for a free estimate: 910-686-3067!
It’s Time to Wash Winter Grime Away!
April 30, 2014 By
Spring is here at last! We certainly had more than our usual share of frozen precipitation, high winds, and bone-chilling temps during this past winter. Did you know that aside from hurricane season, winter weather is likely the hardest on a home’s exterior? Here are just some of the reasons why this is the case:
- Excessive moisture may cause mold, mildew, and rot.
- A home’s siding, trim, and foundation can suffer from too much moisture.
- The freeze/thaw cycle causes expansion and contraction of numerous building components and an increased amount of wear and tear.
- Wind gusts of 20mph + (we had plenty of those!) wreak havoc on the roof and fill gutters with debris at an accelerated rate.
If the north wind and Jack Frost left you with a mess, the Colour Solutions team is at your service. In addition to professional painting services, our talented crew handles a variety of other jobs. Here are a few “spring cleaning” tasks that we are happy to take care of:
- Gutter cleaning – Are your gutters full of leaves, pine cones, and small sticks? They cannot possibly be effective until they are thoroughly cleaned out.
- Small carpentry jobs – Do you have warped planks on the deck, loose trim, or missing pieces of siding? Perhaps you have discovered a little wood rot or moisture damage? The time to address such issues is now before they lead to bigger headaches.
- Fence cleaning and painting -Is your once lovely fence stained or showing signs of mildew? We can restore it back to fresh and new!
- Pressure washing – Whether your home is dingy from months of yucky weather or it’s time for an exterior paint job, nothing does the trick like pressure washing!
- See Our Services.
Of course you had rather be spending these gorgeous spring days in the garden, at the park, at the beach, or on the golf course. Guess what? There’s plenty of time for doing the things you enjoy most when you allow Colour Solutions to handle the big jobs!
We are a quick phone call away: 910-686-3067