How To – Maintain Stucco

Stucco is used both outdoors siding and indoors wall finish, to ensure stucco looks and performs its best patching may be necessary and cleaning and with the right combination of products and tools, any homeowner can get the job done. Indoor stucco may need some paint sporadically, however as outdoor stucco are exposed to the elements, the sidings will most probably need cleaning and repair. To clean indoor stucco it often requires water and some elbow grease. Simply scrub the dingy stucco with a dampened nylon brush to saturate the surface, then rub away the buildup with a moistened microfiber cloth (or clean cotton rag). A chemical solution known as trisodium phosphate, or TSP maybe needed for deeply set stains. Homeowners must take the precautions when applying the solution, such as ventilate the area by opening windows and running a fan, wear rubber gloves, protective eye-wear, and long-sleeve clothing. Home centers and hardware stores usually have available the solution and they can advised how to use TSP safely. Combine the TSP with water in a bucket, diluting to water-to-TSP ratio of 15 to 1. Finally, apply the TSP to the affected area by means of a nylon brush and allow the stucco an hour or two to dry. KEY TAKEAWAYS:
  • The good news is that cleaning indoor stucco usually takes nothing more than water and a bit of elbow grease
  • Don’t give a minor crack the chance to become a major headache. Take swift action.
  • In fact, due to its unique formulation, you get the job done in remarkably little time.
"if the existing surface features a smooth finish, then no problem—you can smooth the patch to an equally smooth finish with a traditional plastering tool. If, however, you need to match a decorative effect like stippling, then you may wish to take a cue from the pros who often employ ad hoc tools like sponges and kitchen whisks to create the desired effect. Once you have finished the patch to your satisfaction, you can more or less call it a day." Original Source: http://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-maintain-stucco/?#.V85vB5grLIU

Brackets vs. Spikes: Choosing The Best Gutter Fastener for the Job

Today, most aluminum gutters are attached to the house with brackets. However, many old timers remember when spikes were the standard fastening method. On rare occasions, we get a call asking for spikes. Alloy Gutter Company does recommend using brackets but the choice is yours. Gutter brackets are commonly referred to as hidden hangers. The brackets use screws instead of nails. Using screws provides a much more secure connection to the roof or fascia board. Temperature changes have little to no affect on the brackets. Gutter spikes are long nails that are hammered inside the gutter and attached to the fascia board. Gutter-Brackets-vs-Spikes Changes in temperature can cause the spikes to expand and contract. After a while, they can pull out of the fascia board. The fix for this is to pound them back into the fascia board. However, most of the time the nail hole has enlarged and the spike pops back out again. If you have ANY gutter questions give Alloy Gutter Company a call. We have been in business for over thirty five years. Way back in the day before there were brackets!