Hot Water To The Solution To Our Sticky Situation

Written October 2, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

We have been working on our deck for a while. We discovered that the deck preparation required much more work and patience than we initially anticipated. One of the problems we faced was the sap on the deck. We had sap from the maple tree all over the deck in our backyard, and it was a real hassle. My wife, multitasking between work and cleaning, was trying to tackle the sticky mess. The sap stuck to everything, including the tools we were using. While we worked, she mentioned how the sap reminded her of pine resin—the kind she used when playing stringed instruments.

After wrestling with the sap for a while, I reached my breaking point. But our conversation about pine resin gave me an idea. I very briefly played the violin when I was younger, and I remembered that the resin softens with heat. It made me think about how I always warm honey in the winter to make it pliable. I decided to try the same method with the sap. I boiled water using our electric kettle and poured it directly onto the sap.

To my surprise, the boiling water softened the sap right away. I’d expected to have to scrape the sticky stuff afterward, but when I poured the water over the sap-covered boards, it just washed away. There was hardly anything left to scrape! I’ll check the deck again once it’s fully dry, just to make sure the sap doesn’t resolve, but for now, it seems like the hot water did the trick.

It was a pleasant surprise to see how well my plan worked. It’s funny how a bit of knowledge or past experience can spark an idea. I bet there are probably plenty of videos or articles out there on removing sap, but figuring it out on my own gave me a sense of satisfaction that’s hard to beat. I feel like we are pretty ready for painting.

Planning Ahead Is A Key To Complete

Written August 23, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

About two months ago, my wife proposed a few yard projects we need to do this year. Some projects can depend on temperature or seasons so that they can be tricky. For example, she insisted that we do deck staining this year. My wife planned to do this sometime this summer. 

My wife usually plans projects for at least several months to eliminate any obstacles to completing a project ahead of time. Her problem is that she needs more time since she is busy. 

Deck staining demands many external conditions, which we need to watch for. She told me the deck must be stained when the temperature is 50F to 90F without rain for at least 24 hours. That eliminated substantial summer days. The ideal temperature would be Spring. However, we got a lot of rain in Nashville in the spring, so she did not want to do this project in the spring. So, we have between September and October to do this project.

There is something we can do ahead of time. For example, we can clean our deck beforehand so that the deck will be easy to sand and stain. 

My wife combined two projects at once. One was to clean the siding of our house and the deck. She wanted to rent a power washer from a nearby Home Depot so we could do both simultaneously. She took a day off this Friday, Thursday, and Friday of the upcoming week. The following week is a long weekend, so it would be the perfect time for a project like cleaning and washing.

After my run, we did some yard work to prepare for winter and the upcoming projects we have been forming. Today, we wanted to remove any weeds or extra trees that may interrupt our side or deck washing. 

Afterward, we got some delicious gyro plates from a nearby restaurant. I also completed my daily chores: bottled kombucha, did laundry, and put it away. So I called, and today was our successful day.