Ahhhhhh! I have finally finished scrubbing, sanding, and staining the damn deck! It made need a few touch-ups after it is dry, but I think it looks pretty good. I can’t say it looks amazing or brand new, but I can say it looks a hell of a lot better than it did before — hence the term ‘home improvement.’
Anyone looking for advice on refinishing a deck? Here it is:
a. Hire someone.
b. If you cannot hire someone, then gather together a crew of friends and relatives, perhaps people who owe you something. Slate a day for scrubbing. Slate a day for sanding. And slate a day for staining. Order pizzas and provide soda and beer. It’s a huge job.
c. If you decide to do it yourself, first make an appointment with a shrink.
As I finished up the last few boards today, it gave me a greater appreciation for those with the home improvement aptitude. Actually, it is a talent, a gift. I worship people who are good at home improvement. I’m lucky enough to have a couple of friends who fall into that talented category — really, they are a couple.
They have completely renovated three condos in Amherst, MA at a condo community called The Brook, which they now have for sale (well, they sold one –so two left). Here is the MLS website and you can plug in her MLS numbers. The MLS number for the one bedroom condo is: 70605492
The number for the two bedroom condo is: 70605598
The totally gutted the two bedroom — including tearing down all the drywall to insulate better. The have all sorts of recessed lighting, speakers, etc. It’s a very funky style, and they have paid such close attention to detail. Check out the photos if you can, because they are really nicely redone.
Update: I found Lara’s website for her condos.
The Connecticutian 