Making Your Old Deck New Again – Part Two

Earlier this week, your read A Real Advantage Construction’s tips for giving your Westchester County, NY deck a makeover just in time for summer. Read the last two tips and get your deck in tip-top shape in time for a weekend party!

1.       3. Apply a stain

a.       Now that your deck is repaired and cleaned, you need to apply a protective finish.

b.      If your deck is newer, clear finishes and transparent stains are fine. But if your deck is older, use a semitransparent stain.

c.       Use a sprayer and 2-inch brush to apply the stain, starting at an inside corner and working out.

d.      When applying subsequent coats, make sure the first coat is still wet so that it will be absorbed into the wood. 

2.     4.  Replace a railing

a.       If your original railing is really beat up, replace it with a maintenance-free system.

As affordable licensed residential contractors in the Bronx, we know a thing or two about decks and hope these tips helped!

{Photo Credit: Tom Purves}

Making Your Old Deck New Again – Part One

The first day of summer is tomorrow (June 21), which means it’s time to get your deck prepped for summer parties! Follow A Real Advantage Construction for tips on whipping your Staten Island, NY deck into shape in no time at all. Divide this project into two weekends to make sure the wood is dry before you apply stain.

Four steps for transforming your deck:

1.       Make repairs

a.       Inspect the whole deck, paying special attention to parts that are in direct contact with the ground.

b.      If the tip of a screwdriver can sink into a joist or post, you have rot—which means you have a major renovation on your hands.

c.       Inspect the deck-to-house connection, as screws and bolts can loosen and rust.

d.      Lastly, check for cosmetic damage to ensure the wood on the railings and decking are secure. You don’t want a splinter to ruin your next family bar-be-que!

2.       Clean the deck surface

a.       Your deck should be cleaned annually. Assuming your deck has been regularly maintained, it should be able to be revived using a deck cleaner.

b.      As affordable commercial contractors in Queens and surrounding areas, we always stress that you wear eye protection and gloves while working with concentrated chemicals. Be sure to protect nearby plants as well.

c.       If you have tough stains that won’t budge, use a pressure washer. You can rent one for around $70 per day. 

Stay tuned for part two later this week!

{Photo Credit: Ame Rainey}

What To Do About Overhanging Roof Shingles

When it comes to roofing repairs in Morris Heights and other areas, overhanging roof shingles are a common problem. If the roof shingles on one side of your house hand over the gutters to the point that birds are building nests under the overhand, read on.


The issue likely stems from the fact that when your roof was installed, the shingles were set too far over the edge—which means you didn’t use A Real Advantage Roof Construction company in Queens, NY. Don’t worry though, it is an easy fix.

Ideally, shingles should extend past the drip edge of the roof by only about ½ to ¾ inch. Determine how much overhang you need to cut off and mark your cutline using a piece of chalk and a straightedge. Note: on some roofs, you might be able to use the exposed butt edges of the roofing course as a guide to keep your cuts in line.

If you have asphalt or fiberglass shingles, use a sharp utility knife to cut them. Support the edge of the shingle on a block of wood as you make each cut and make sure to frequently change blades. If you have wood shingles, use a circular saw or reciprocating saw fitted with a short metal-cutting blade. Make sure to hold the recip saw at a low angle so the blade doesn’t jab your gutters or cut the brackets.

Choosing Gutter Colors

When making a gutter repair or installing new gutters, color isn’t the first thing that comes to mind, but it should be considered to maximize your home’s curb appeal. When choosing a color for your gutters, consider the following:


• You don’t want your gutter to stand out and become a focal point of your home. Choose a color that will go with colors already in place so that your gutters blend into your home. If you have white trim near your gutters, for example, choose a white gutter for a cohesive look.

• Along those lines, make sure that the color of your gutter doesn’t clash with the color of your home.

• Take the color of your roof into consideration, because if a color works with your home as a whole it will work with your roof color.

• Lastly, make sure that your gutters don’t compete with the trim of your home. If you are looking for a goof-proof color for your gutters, choose the same color as your trim.

Stay tuned for more home advice from A Real Advantage Construction!

Photo via.

An Easy Home Construction Fix

Whether you are looking to sell your home or simply want to spruce it up for the summer months, A Real Advantage Construction is here to help! One of the easiest ways to give your home an easy makeover is by replacing or repainting your entry door.

First, figure out if you need to repair, replace or simply repaint. If you have a wood door that is binding in the jamb, you may need to sand it down so it will swing freely. Another option is to put a thin cardboard shim behind one of the hinges to help the door hang true.

Are your hinge or door-lock screws stripped? If so, replace them with three-inch screws, which will offer more security by penetrating the thin door jamb to reach the studs (thus providing more resistance to impact).

To make your door more secure, replace the strike (that’s the metal plate that is mounted on the door jamb and into which the lock’s bolt slides) with a $10 box strike. Installing metal reinforcements around the door where it had been drilled to accept the lock and knob may also work.

If you have a wooden door with nicks (which can rot) or a steel door with chips (which can rust), repaint the door. Make sure to sand steel doors before painting. If painting a wooden door, fill in cracks with wood filler and sand the wood.

Painting is also an opportunity to add a décor element to your home. Color-batching software can help you find colors to complement your landscaping, siding or roof, for example. To make your door a focal point, use semi-gloss paint; to hide imperfections, use flat or satin paints.

As affordable residential contractors, we know what we’re talking about so we hope this helps!