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

Pliers and Wrenches – How to Choose and Use

Whether you are a professional plumber or one of those people who venture to do some repairs in your home, surely you need some tools for your work to be perfect. Start by purchasing a wrench, also known as adjustable wrench. Available in different sizes, this tool is suitable for regular bolts and nuts. A pipe wrench is used for hydraulic systems, specifically when you dock and turn the threads of pipes. As a result of being adjustable, the tool fits different sizes of parts. The best known type of Allen key has the body profile in shape of an L, which enables leverage during tightening or loosening screws. It is used in screws with hexagon socket fitting. The fit should be perfect without clearance. Thoroughly clean the screw of the internal fitting, removing any kind of dirt. A poorly fitted key can escape and cause an accident. KEY TAKEAWAYS:
  • Grooved-joint pliers quickly adjust to grip several different sizes of hexagonal and square nuts and fasteners.
  • To prevent grooved-joint pliers from slipping, always grip the nut so that you're pulling the handle toward the pliers' smaller, adjustable jaw.
  • Combination wrenches come in a wide variety of sizes. Each has an open-end wrench on one end and a box wrench on the other.
"Tools List for How to Choose and Use Pliers and Wrenches: - Grooved-joint pliers - Combination wrench - Adjustable wrench - Pipe wrench" Original Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPNlAXnTbWI