A short post on a routine deck refinishing job around the home with some commentary including why YOU should start a website.
The Job
I’m not going to overcomplicate this one.
My deck was last treated at least three years ago and it was showing signs of wear. In an effort to take care of the things I own, I spent the July 4th holiday playing around the yard, and refinishing my deck.
Shout out to Dad’s Helper in getting this project done on the July 4th Holiday.
The Process
Fortunately, I was able to borrow a pressure washer from work. If you haven’t used a pressure washer, they’re pretty amazing. In general, the whole process is pretty simple and looks like this:
- Clean the deck: sweep and pressure wash
- Strip the old finish: I used a chemical stripper and a stiff bristled nylon brush to rub in the stripping agent, let it sit for a few minutes, then pressure wash off. Repeat as necessary.
- Pressure wash: The pressure washer will remove all the stripping agent, and clean out the cracks, and remove some finish too.
- Let dry: A good opportunity to play in the kiddy pool with my daughter.
- Apply Finish: Roll it on, touch up the corners and edges if necessary. The container said only one coat was necessary, but I ended up doing two, and am thankful for that. This year I used Thompson Water Seal, Signature Series in Timber Brown.
You can totally do this job yourself. If you’re a visual leaner, like myself, please check out my video on the process here:
More Than a Deck Job
There are some important messages I’m trying to convey on this website and this simple job around the home can be used to illustrate what I’m after:
Take Care of Your Stuff
The motto I try to live by is that if I won’t be able to take care of something, be it due to time or money or something else, I shouldn’t buy it. Therefore, I should be taking care of everything that I own, and if I’m not, I should get rid of it. I think that’s a valuable way to live, and it’s something I want you to consider.
The end result is acceptable and should get us another few years of use.
Track What You Do
This is so valuable for a variety of important reasons. First, writing, like I am now, helps organize and formulate thoughts. It provides clarity. It relieves frustration and vents emotions. Next time someone irritates you, write them that NASTY ‘email’ and never send it. Just putting the thoughts down on paper or screen is therapeutic.
Secondly, when it comes to taking care of things you own, keeping a maintenance record can be an invaluable reference in the years to come. We all think we’ll remember, and the reality is most of us don’t. Had I been keeping better records 3 years ago I could have easily referenced when I did this job, and more importantly, known which products I used so the colors would match better than they do.
Share Your Knowledge
As I write this, my website has limited to no following, but I’m still inspired to share what I learn and know with the hopes that someday it will serve as a tool for somebody else trying to better themselves. Imagine if this was our culture. Everyone trying to help everyone else. I know. I’m a total weirdo dreamer, but if you want to change the world, start with yourself.
Even if my messages never impact a stranger, or my community of like-minded people never grows, I’m leaving an archive of my projects and philosophies here for my family. This is SO HUGE. Imagine if your parents kept a blog. Would you read it? Man, I sure would. There are a lot of messages that I share with my children that don’t totally sink in yet. By writing down as much as I can I’m building an archive for them to reference in the future, maybe when the time is right for them.
Please, document your life for your children. There’s no better reason in the world than that to start a website.
There ya go, kids
So, Lilly, Owen; if you ever get here, I hope this adds value to your life. And for the rest of you, I hope the same for you, too. Take care of your stuff, track what you do, and share what you know.
If you want to learn more about my approach to parenting, check out this page, and if you want to be informed of more projects to help add resilience to your life, sign up for my newsletter here.
Be well,
NHMan
