u/brent962002

Looking for recommendations on a sealer for an outdoor irregular flagstone walkway with mortared joints. Is anything from a local big-box store actually good enough?

The photo is of the stone dry; the last photo is slightly wet. I want a product that deepens the natural color the way the stone looks when it is wet, without peeling, flaking, or haze.

A wet look with no sheen, or only a slight sheen, is what I am after. It has to hold up in Northern VA freeze/thaw cycles. I may also want to seal the bluestone treads, so I am looking for a product that works on both.

Prep would be a cleaning and a muriatic acid wash before sealing. Local products and anything that has to be ordered online are both welcome.

Also, what is a considered a fair price range to seal the walkway plus nine bluestone treads?

This is my first time doing one of these, by the way.

Appreciate anyone's input. Thanks

I'm repairing a garage door opening, replacing it with PVC. After removing the exterior trim, I found a deteriorated board directly beneath the brick.

The main structural header looks solid, but the outer board has water damage. I'm also seeing surface rust on the steel angle iron and a vertical crack in the mortar above the opening that lines up with the damaged area.

I'm trying to figure out the proper way to repair this without creating a bigger problem. Could that mortar crack be the source of the water, or is it more likely a flashing issue behind the brick?

Does that outer board usually extend under the brick, or can it typically be replaced without removing brick?

Is the rust on the angle iron something that can usually be cleaned and coated, or does it suggest a more serious issue?

And if you were tackling this, what would be the most cost-effective fix that you'd still consider a proper repair?

And on the flip side, what's the more extensive repair if it turns out worse?

I'm repairing a garage door opening, replacing it with PVC. After removing the exterior trim, I found a deteriorated board directly beneath the brick.

The main structural header looks solid, but the outer board has water damage. I'm also seeing surface rust on the steel angle iron and a vertical crack in the mortar above the opening that lines up with the damaged area.

I'm trying to figure out the proper way to repair this without creating a bigger problem. Could that mortar crack be the source of the water, or is it more likely a flashing issue behind the brick?

Does that outer board usually extend under the brick, or can it typically be replaced without removing brick?

Is the rust on the angle iron something that can usually be cleaned and coated, or does it suggest a more serious issue?

And if you were tackling this, what would be the most cost-effective fix that you'd still consider a proper repair?

And on the flip side, what's the more extensive repair if it turns out worse?

I'm repairing a garage door opening, replacing it with PVC. After removing the exterior trim, I found a deteriorated board directly beneath the brick.

The main structural header looks solid, but the outer board has water damage. I'm also seeing surface rust on the steel angle iron and a vertical crack in the mortar above the opening that lines up with the damaged area.

I'm trying to figure out the proper way to repair this without creating a bigger problem. Could that mortar crack be the source of the water, or is it more likely a flashing issue behind the brick?

Does that outer board usually extend under the brick, or can it typically be replaced without removing brick?

Is the rust on the angle iron something that can usually be cleaned and coated, or does it suggest a more serious issue?

And if you were tackling this, what would be the most cost-effective fix that you'd still consider a proper repair?

And on the flip side, what's the more extensive repair if it turns out worse?

The stones are natural fieldstone, not thin flagstone. They're irregular and vary from about 2" to 4" thick, with fairly wide joints in some areas.

I've been getting conflicting advice.

One suggestion (from an AI program) was:

Excavate.

Install and compact 21A/crusher run.

Set each stone individually on a thin mortar bed over the compacted base.

Adjust the base elevation under each stone so the tops are flush.

Fill the joints afterward with mortar.

The other common recommendation I've heard is:

Excavate.

Install compacted stone base.

Pour a reinforced concrete slab.

Mortar the stones to the slab.

Mortar/grout the joints afterward.

The AI suggested the first method would tolerate movement and freeze/thaw better than a full concrete slab.

Questions:

Which method would you use and why?

Is it realistic to build this on a compacted stone base with a thin mortar setting bed instead of pouring a concrete slab?

What mortar would you recommend for the joints? I've read about veneer mortar, Type N, and Type S, and I'm getting different answers everywhere.

Any tips for getting stones of different thicknesses (2"-4") flush without ending up with excessively thick mortar beds?

I'd appreciate advice from anyone who installs natural fieldstone walkways regularly.

Hello, Running a handyman business. Been testing organic posts on Nextdoor to pull local work.

Earlier posts were hitting 1,500–1,700 views in the first 48 hours with decent engagement. Recent ones dropped hard to under 100 views.

Anyone else seeing a big drop in Nextdoor post reach lately for service businesses?

What am I doing wrong? Understand they changed a few things on their platform. Would appreciate any insight, tips, loopholes, or different strategies to try. It's killing me severely. Thanks

Hello, Running a handyman business. Been testing organic posts on Nextdoor to pull local work.

Earlier posts were hitting 1,500–1,700 views in the first 48 hours with decent engagement. Recent ones dropped hard to under 100 views.

Anyone else seeing a big drop in Nextdoor post reach lately for service businesses?

What am I doing wrong? Understand they changed a few things on their platform. Would appreciate any insight, tips, loopholes, or different strategies to try. It's killing me severely. Thanks

Hello, Running a handyman business. Been testing organic posts on Nextdoor to pull local work.

Earlier posts were hitting 1,500–1,700 views in the first 48 hours with decent engagement. Recent ones dropped hard to under 100 views.

Anyone else seeing a big drop in Nextdoor post reach lately for service businesses?

What am I doing wrong? Understand they changed a few things on their platform. Would appreciate any insight, tips, loopholes, or different strategies to try. It's killing me severely. Thanks

​

I recently did my first railing repaint job. The existing paint wasn’t peeling badly, just some rough spots. I prepped with a flat disc on a grinder, wiped it down with a tack cloth, and hand sanded between coats. It came out decent, but the process was pretty time consuming.

I have another similar job coming up and want to improve my process. I’m not planning on sandblasting or anything extreme.

A few questions for the experienced painters.

Would switching to a palm sander or orbital sander make a big difference for prep and between coats?

I plan on hand-rolling it again. For my first job I used a rust converter, oil-based Rust-Oleum primer, and two coats of oil-based topcoat.

I’ve been seeing a lot of talk about DTM paint, but some say it’s not ideal for railings that get touched frequently. A lot of people are recommending water-based alkyd urethane instead.

Is water-based alkyd urethane actually the better option? If so, can I still use the oil-based Rustoleum primer I used before, or would that cause an issue?

What are the real pros and cons compared to the traditional oil-based system when it comes to ease of use, runs/drips, sanding between coats, durability, and final finish?

Appreciate any input. Still fairly new to painting. Thanks!

I recently did my first railing repaint job. The existing paint wasn’t peeling badly, just some rough spots. I prepped with a flat disc on a grinder, wiped it down with a tack cloth, and hand sanded between coats. It came out decent, but the process was pretty time consuming.

I have another similar job coming up and want to improve my process. I’m not planning on sandblasting or anything extreme.

A few questions for the experienced painters.

Would switching to a palm sander or orbital sander make a big difference for prep and between coats?

I plan on hand-rolling it again. For my first job I used a rust converter, oil-based Rust-Oleum primer, and two coats of oil-based topcoat.

I’ve been seeing a lot of talk about DTM paint, but some say it’s not ideal for railings that get touched frequently. A lot of people are recommending water-based alkyd urethane instead.

Is water-based alkyd urethane actually the better option? If so, can I still use the oil-based Rustoleum primer I used before, or would that cause an issue?

What are the real pros and cons compared to the traditional oil-based system when it comes to ease of use, runs/drips, sanding between coats, durability, and final finish?

Appreciate any input. Still fairly new to painting. Thanks!

Seeking advice on paint products for metal handrail restoration

I recently did my first railing repaint job. The existing paint wasn’t peeling badly, just some rough spots. I prepped with a flat disc on a grinder, wiped it down with a tack cloth, and hand sanded between coats. It came out decent, but the process was pretty time consuming.

I have another similar job coming up and want to improve my process. I’m not planning on sandblasting or anything extreme.

A few questions for the experienced painters.

Would switching to a palm sander or orbital sander make a big difference for prep and between coats?

I plan on hand-rolling it again. For my first job I used a rust converter, oil-based Rust-Oleum primer, and two coats of oil-based topcoat.

I’ve been seeing a lot of talk about DTM paint, but some say it’s not ideal for railings that get touched frequently. A lot of people are recommending water-based alkyd urethane instead.

Is water-based alkyd urethane actually the better option? If so, can I still use the oil-based Rustoleum primer I used before, or would that cause an issue?

What are the real pros and cons compared to the traditional oil-based system when it comes to ease of use, runs/drips, sanding between coats, durability, and final finish?

Appreciate any input. Still fairly new to painting. Thanks!

Railing Restoration Pricing Advice – Northern VA

I just finished my first full railing restoration job in Northern Virginia. I made a previous post asking about spraying vs rolling and decided to roll everything by hand. I’ve attached before and after photos.

The job turned out really well, and now I have 5 more railing restoration projects lined up from neighbors who saw the quality. I want to make sure I’m pricing these correctly moving forward.

Here’s the full scope of work I’m doing on these jobs:

Scrape off all loose and failing paint

Grind down to bare metal on all rusted areas

Repair deeply rusted sections with Bondo and sand smooth

Apply rust converter

Remove embedded rust stains from the concrete

Order, prime, and paint 14 new base caps (2" and 4" diameter)

Install base caps and properly seal all gaps with backer rod and polyurethane caulk

Apply 2 coats of oil-based primer (sanding between coats)

Apply 2 coats of high-quality oil-based exterior paint (sanding between coats)

Final pressure wash of the steps and cleanup of any paint droplets

On the first job, I only charged $2,500 and felt like I undercharged once I saw how much work was actually involved — especially ordering, prepping, and installing the base caps.

Now with more jobs coming in, I’m thinking $3,500 to $4,000 depending on the size. I want to be fair but also make sure I’m not leaving money on the table.

What would you guys charge for this type of work in your area?

Can this circled area (the outer brick mold on top of the jamb) be easily removed?

My plan is to replace the entire piece if it comes off cleanly. If it’s not removable, I’ll cut out the rotted section instead. I’m unsure how difficult it is to remove without causing damage, or whether it’s a separate piece from the main jamb.

..

I just finished my first railing restoration project. I installed base caps, removed the rust, primed, and applied two coats with a roller. It turned out well, but now I have four more projects lined up from it and most likely more to follow. Time and efficiency is very important now, so I’m considering using a paint sprayer t

My main concern is overspray, I’ve heard oil-based paint can be tough to clean up if it gets on cars, or other surfaces. Has anyone used a sprayer with oil-based paint on similar setups like these homes in the photos?

I have no experience with sprayers, this was my first painting job. Looking for recommendations on a good basic, user-friendly, affordable sprayer that works well with oil-based paint.

Also, any tips on prep work, masking, techniques, thinning ratios, or other methods to make this project efficient and easy as possible.

Any advice or product recommendations would be greatly appreciated to help avoid mistakes and keep the projects moving smoothly. Thanks