The Cold Is Coming: 5 DIY Home Improvement Get Ready Ideas

Investing in a new fall improvement project can be a great way to enhance the function of your home just in time for the flurries! Picking the right project is key to ensure the best preparation for winter. Here are 5 ways to get you ready for the cold and certainty that your home is fully prepared: 

Replacement Windows

When looking for a great way to prepare your home for this upcoming winter, one of the best remodeling projects you could start with is replacing your old windows with new ones! Old drafty windows are one of the leading causes of energy loss in a home. This can result in having to pay a great deal of money on energy bills in order to keep your home at a comfortable level for you and your family. When it really comes down to it, older windows weren't designed with the same level of energy efficiency in mind like they are today. If you’ve had older windows for some time, it’s likely they have developed cracks, warps, or just aren't sealed how they should be. TIP: Refinish window frames when replacing windows. Cracked paint build-up can reduce your window seal and make sealant cocking less effective. Refinishing projects can call for some harsh removal chemicals, but that’s not the case when using MAX Strip® products - the safer alternative. Visit Maxstrip.com for removal product recommendations.

New Doors

Much like windows, the doors of your home are also quite important when it comes to insulation in maintaining a comfortable living environment during the winter. If your doors are a bit on the older side, you may have noticed that damage has started to show, or feel a general draftiness around them. This fall is the perfect time to consider replacing them with an updated and more conducive door set to maintain a comfortable house setting. TIP: Refinishing your original door instead of a new set, will save you money! Visit Maxstrip.com for removal product recommendations.

Kitchen Improvements

Considering all the cooking that goes on during the holiday season, now is the time to make improvements to your kitchen! There are many ways you can go about updating the heart of the home. You can do minor things like replacing the hardware on your kitchen cabinets, or go big and refinish your wood surfaces. TIP: Refinishing projects can call for some harsh removal chemicals, but that’s not the case when using MAX Strip® products - the safer alternative. Visit Maxstrip.com for removal product recommendations.

Paint Your Home’s Interior

As the fall arrives; painting the sidewalks and streets with a whirl of golden leaves, you may feel inspired to pick up the brush yourself. If autumn has a hint of Jack Frost, interior projects are always preferable. Painting your home’s interior allows you to get creative, have fun and reinvent the look of your indoor living space. TIP: For best results with your painting project make sure to prep/prewash the surface for proper paint adhesion. Visit Maxstrip.com for surface prep product recommendations.

Winterize Your Deck

Autumn weather can go either way. If you’re enjoying an extended summer, you may feel inspired to get outdoors and complete some exterior renovations while you still can. To winterize your deck, first wash the wood with a power washer or surface prep product to remove dirt and grime. Then let the surface completely dry out before applying a fresh coat of protective sealant or stain. This will provide years of life to your deck and allow you to enjoy it once all that snow melts away. TIP: For best results choose a sunny day with no chance of precipitation to apply sealant or stain. Visit Maxstrip.com for surface prep product recommendations.

Whether it's your primary residence or an investment property, it pays to get some key tasks and renovations done in the fall before you settle in for the winter. Upgrading to energy-efficient windows and doors can reduce significant increases to your heating bill, make life more comfortable and increase your home’s curb appeal. Interior improvement projects can bring added value to your home and also increase the cozy feel you'll need to get ready for the chill of winter.

Pandemic Home Improvement Is Booming: What Are Your Neighbors Doing?

Online home remodeling platforms reported a 58% annual increase in project leads for home professionals in June. The money that folks have saved from not eating out or going on vacation is now being used to add value back into their homes as an investment. Sheltering at home influenced demand in a lot of home remodeling projects, as more than three-quarters of all U.S. homeowners said they had done some type of home improvement project during the pandemic. 

Kitchen and bath continue to be popular remodeling choices, but even those saw a 40% jump in demand in June compared to a year ago. With more and more people cooking and eating at home, kitchens are now, even more, the center of family life.  Home extensions and additions jumped 52%, and security and privacy also saw much greater demand with interest in fence installation and repairs up 166%. 

Major home renovations may not be in the spending range for everyone, but there are still some fall DIY projects that any homeowner can sink their teeth into! Here are a few budget-friendly DIY home improvement projects to consider:

Paint the Front Door

Hands down, the easiest exterior project is also the one that reaps the biggest rewards. A freshly painted front door will help your home stand out from the block, and can be finished in less than an afternoon. Fall is an ideal time to get your exterior paint job done; just choose your afternoon wisely. Normally, exterior painting should be done at a time when the temps are at least or above 50°F/10°C and aren’t dipping below the 40°F/5°C at night. This allows the paint to adhere properly and prevents it from freezing before it is fully dry. If you need to refinish first to ensure proper paint adhesion or want to change to stain we recommend using a safe stripper. Caution: Most paint stripping products are toxic. Only use products you are comfortable with using based on your level of expertise. For safe DIY wood/fiberglass/metal refinishing, we recommend using Max Strip Paint & Varnish Stripper

Clean & Cover the Grill

It’s time to break out the cleaners and steel-bristle brushes because your grill needs attention. Get rid of any remaining scraps of food or grease, turn off the gas, and cover the grill to protect it from weather and pests. Overwhelmed with grease? Cleaning your grill after a busy summer of BBQ delights can seem a little daunting but we have a solution that will transform your grill into the beauty it was when you bought it. Max Strip All Purpose Remover is the safer removal option for tough baked-on grease.

Repair & Treat Wood Furniture

Is your outdoor wood furniture starting to splinter, fading, or peeling paint? Then it’s time to get those repairs in before the snowfalls! If it is not properly treated for water damage prevention, the project will just be more work after the snow melts. For damaged water sealants or peeling paint, always strip off the damaged coating. This will ensure you are getting the proper coating adhesion to protect your wood from water, weather, pests, and wood rot. For safe DIY furniture refinishing, we recommend Max Strip Paint & Varnish Stripper

As the weather starts to cool down and we continue to stay home, take this perfect opportunity to clean up summer messes and prepare your home for colder days. Use this time to get these fall maintenance and renovation projects done before it’s too late!

For more information on safe removal products from Max Strip visit the website @ Maxstrip.com

  

Renovation Clean Up

Congratulations on your newly completed home renovation or home improvement project! Now, all that's left is the cleanup. For some projects, all you need is a good vacuum and some soap & water. For other projects, you may need something a lot stronger but that doesn't mean you need to put yourself at risk to complete your tough clean up task. For anyone who has ever done a big paint, refinish, or stain project you may notice the cleanup part to not be as easy as you would like. And most of the removers for your clean up turn out to be quite toxic and dangerous to use especially inside your home!

So what do you do? Use the safer option, Max Strip. Our strippers and removers were specifically designed for safe and easy use for everyone. No skin burns or toxic fumes, no environmental worries, and no additional products needed to finish the project. Unlike other strippers that require an additional neutralizer to complete, Max Strip products neutralize with just water. Instead of having to carefully dispose of your stripping waste at the local dump, you can put it right in your regular household garbage, without harming our environment. You will no longer have to throw away your rags and application tools from your clean up. With Max Strip products, you can just rinse them with water and re-use them. Rags can go in the regular wash and you can even use Max Strip to remove paint from your clothing. All Max Strip products are water-soluble and biodegradable so you don't have to worry about it going down the drain!  

Want to know if Max Strip will work for you? 

Visit the website @ MAXstrip.com and see what Max Strip can do for you!

Here are some before and after pics of Max Strip's clean up power in action.

Before Raw Wood Stairs
-paint splatter 
-glue drips
-grease residue
-dirt & grime

















After Treated with Max Strip

Max Strip can tackle a lot of tough clean up jobs after your home renovation or home improvement project use the Max Strip All Purpose Remover for spot treatments and Max Strip Paint & Varnish Stripper for treating larger surface areas. 

MAXstrip.com

Paint Stripping: Tips, Tricks, & Need To Knows

Removing or stripping paint from any type of surface is seldom an easy job. Every surface takes paint differently and every type of paint reacts differently to the surfaces. Add in environmental conditions and paint removal takes a bit of study and, usually, some elbow grease to accomplish.

Chemical Stripping

For years most professional painters and do-it-yourselfers have relied on chemical-based

paint strippers. While they can do a good job, many are also highly toxic to humans and the environment. Improper use of chemical strippers can cause damage to the respiratory system, brain, nervous system, and skin.

One of the worst offenders and potentially deadly chemicals in paint strippers is methylene chloride. Major home improvement stores have pulled products that contain the chemical from their shelves, but it is still readily available.

Before you tackle a paint removal job, take time to read the labels on commercial paint strippers. In addition to methylene chloride, active ingredients that are potentially dangerous to your health include toluene, methanol, ethanol, and acetone.

Manual Paint Removal

Skipping any type of paint stripper may seem like the most non-toxic method to remove paint.

Unfortunately, there are still some hazards from the paint itself, especially lead paint in older homes. If you choose to manually remove paint, always wear a mask, safety glasses, skin protective gear, and test the paint you want to remove for lead before proceeding.

1. Scrape Away the Paint

Using a plastic or metal paint scraper is effective in removing peeling paint, but must be used carefully to prevent damaging the surface under the paint.

2. Use a Heat Gun

A heat gun can be used to loosen paint to a point where it will eventually bubble making scraping easier.

3. Sand Away

Using an electric sander or manually removing paint with sandpaper takes patience and skill. Take care not to sand too deeply or the surfaces will be permanently marred.

Less Toxic Chemical Stripping Options

There are less-toxic paint removers on the market. If you choose to use a chemical-based stripper choose a gel or paste water based formula that is less volatile and toxic because it produces fewer fumes than a liquid formula. Read the instructions carefully and always wear protective gear including safety glasses, gloves, and a mask.

Our top recommendation for water based chemical strippers is removal products from Max Strip. Their low VOC formulas clean up with just water and provide an environmentally friendly paint and varnish removal option that is much more DIY user friendly. Visit their website today for detailed product and purchase info here MAXstrip.com

How To Remove Painted Popcorn Ceilings

Removing drywall textures that have been painted can be very difficult and Max Strip has the DIY solution that can help! Drywall textures have many names to describe the style of texture but they are all created with drywall mud compound. So no matter if you have popcorn, stomp, swirl, orange peel, knockdown, or any other name for your texture its all the same when it comes to removal. Mud compound by itself is a water soluble material that can be removed with just water however once it has been painted which is often the case it becomes very difficult to penetrate with water solutions. Max Strip Popcorn Ceiling Remover is a dust free removal solution that will penetrate through multiple layers of paint and soften your drywall texture. Below is the everything you need to complete your project. Be sure to watch the how to remove video at the end!

First thing you need to do is gather your materials you will need:

1. Max Strip Popcorn Ceiling Remover (coverage is approx. 120 sq ft per gallon)
2. Painters' Tape
3. Plastic sheeting (thin plastic is better)
4. Container for product
5. Wide brush
6. Step ladder to reach
7. Broom
8. 6 - 10 inch mud spatula
9. Paint tray
10. Clean cloth
11. Water 

Step 1 Prep

You want to start by taping off any surfaces you do not want to treat with plastic. Be sure to protect your floors and any painted surfaces before application. If you can remove your furniture before hand it will make the project much easier. This type of removal project can be a little messy so protect your stuff!

Step 2 Apply

Shake Max Strip Popcorn Ceiling Remover very well then pour product into a container. Apply a thick even coating to surface. Tip: work in manageable sections (one room at a time) so you can cover treated areas with plastic before product drys out. Tip: if you drip EZ Strip on anything you don't want it on wipe clean with water immediately to neutralize.   

Step 3 Cover 

Max Strip Popcorn Ceiling Remover is a water based remover that stops working if it drys out. For removal times that require an over night set time (thicker textures or textures painted with oil based products or multiple paint coatings) cover treated area with plastic. Tip: apply plastic sheeting by taping the starting edge to the wall (here is where you need some help) have someone lift up the opposite edge while you push the plastic up to treated surface with a broom, plastic should stick to wet product. Continue to tape edges as you go until entire treated surface is covered. Then use the broom to push out any air bubbles so you have a tight seal. This will keep the product wet and working and improve texture penetration.  

Step 4 Scrape

Once texture is soften enough to scrape peel back plastic and scrape surface with your mud spatula catching falling material with a plastic lined paint tray to minimize mess. Softened material should scrape off fairly easily and fall with no dust. Be sure to scrape a long the drywall tape seems not against. You do not want to remove the drywall tape that covers the seems between drywall boards. Scrape evenly along seems without too much pressure to remove texture but not expose tape.

Step 5 Wipe

To finish wipe surface with a damp clean cloth. Be sure to remove any remaining Max Strip product
and texture. This will ensure you have proper paint adhesion. Max Strip Popcorn Ceiling Remover cleans up with just water. All tools and containers can be cleaned with just water. Be careful to not over saturate the exposed drywall a damp cloth is all you need. Let surface completely dry before patching and painting. 

Thank you for reading! For purchase details and more removal info for Max Strip Popcorn Ceiling Remover and other removal products from Max Strip visit the website @ MAXstrip.com 

DIY Health Risk Alert: Know What's In Your Removal Products!

With the COVID health crisis keeping people stuck in their homes DIY projects have been at an all time high to help pass the time. Sure DIY projects around the house keep you home and safe from COVID but your health could still be at risk. Exposure to harsh removal chemicals is one of the number one health risks DIY enthusiasts face. We have all heard about the hazards of methylene chloride in paint strippers but there is another chemical still not regulated and found in a lot of removal products you could have in your home. 

NMP, also known as N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone, is a chemical that is widely utilized during the manufacturing and production of polymers, pharmaceuticals, agrichemicals, and petroleum products. The chemical is also utilized in various consumer products including adhesives, sealants, paints, paint and coating removers, adhesive removers, and degreasers.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that the following uses that present an unreasonable risk to consumers include the use of NMP for paints, coatings, and paint and coating removers, and the use of NMP for cleaning and furniture care products, such as wood cleaners. The EPA evaluated consumers for potential risks from inhalation, dermal, and vapor through skin exposures and determined that there was an unreasonable risk of adverse effects to consumers, including fetal mortality.

A group of leading public health organizations, including the Learning Disabilities Association of America and Autism Society, publicly called on retailers to protect kids from toxic paint strippers. The groups warned that parents’ exposure to the toxic solvent NMP has been linked to a host of health problems for their children, including low birth weight, impaired motor and verbal skills, attention deficit hyperactivity behaviors, increased risk of brain tumors, miscarriage, and fetal death.

The groups wrote:

We are especially concerned with exposures to pregnant women and children from  NMP in paint strippers. During the prenatal period, the developing brain is extremely vulnerable to harm from even low-level exposures to toxic chemicals. Scientific evidence from multiple studies shows that both men’s and women’s exposures to the toxic solvent NMP were linked to lasting problems with brain    development, cognition and behavior in their children…              

“DIY shouldn’t spell danger,” said Mike Schade, Mind the Store Campaign Director for Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families. The Mind the Store campaign first sent letters calling on retailers to stop selling these dangerous products in February of 2017. Now retailers all across North America are voluntarily banning products containing NMP in the interest of public safety and health. Keep in mind the bans are voluntary and can still be found in some stores. You could also already have products containing NMP in your home and not realize it.

Safer options are available so you can still DIY without the risks. You can find safe alternatives for chemical coating removal with Max Strip. Eco-friendly Max Strip formulas are gentle on skin and completely free of toxic fumes. Max Strip’s advanced water based technology surpasses competitors with professional performance and low environmental impact. 100% water soluble and biodegradable formulas. All product components are sustainably resourced and manufactured with local ingredients. Follow this link for more info and where to buy Max Strip strippers and removers today MAXstrip.com

               

The REAL Story Behind "Safe" Paint Strippers

VOC stands for volatile organic compound -- any of several chemicals found in numerous consumer products, from gasoline and glue to correction fluid and colored markers. Even cosmetics, mothballs, air fresheners and household cleaning supplies contain VOCs.

Because they're volatile, these compounds vaporize and emit gasses. Paint strippers, for example, can emit high levels of VOCs into the air during use causing serious health problems and environmental impact.

What Are the Risks Associated with VOC's?

VOCs are linked to a range of health problems, including some very serious diseases. Methylene Chloride once a common chemical found in paint strippers, is one of several VOCs that's known to cause cancer ... not suspected -- known, beyond any doubt. Other health effects besides cancer include kidney damage, liver damage, damage to the central nervous system (including the brain), as well as complaints like headaches and eye, throat, nose irritation, and death.

The health effects of VOCs vary from source to source, and from person to person. Professional painters have been found to have a range of serious health problems, especially liver and kidney damage. People with pre-existing conditions, pregnant and nursing women, small children and other sensitive people are at particular risk.

Even an occasional paint stripping project can increase your risk of physical problems. Levels of VOCs inside your house can increase up to 1,000 times after doing something like paint stripping. Paint stripping products, in fact, are the second-largest source of VOCs after cars. The VOCs in paint strippers can seriously affect the indoor air quality of even a well-ventilated home or work shop.

Avoiding VOCs and Considering "Green" Paint Strippers 

Lots of manufacturers are now claiming to make Eco-friendly paint strippers, but some of these claims are dubious and may be just greenwashing. Greenwashing is the practice of making an unsubstantiated or misleading claim about the environmental benefits of a product, service, technology or company practice. Greenwashing can make a company appear to be more environmentally friendly than it really is.

First of all, always follow all the manufacturer's recommendations regarding safe use. Use only in well-ventilated areas, and keep stripping products away from children and pets. And always look for paint strippers that have low-VOCs.

What is N-Methylpyrrolidone?

N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), is an organic compound found in some "safer paint strippers" often citrus or soy based stripping products. The problem is they are safer than Methylene Chloride but that is where it ends as they can still pose high health risks when used and because they pose as safe, people do not use the proper safety precautions required when using them.You can be exposed to NMP through inhalation and skin contact with liquid or vapor forms of NMP. It is considered a reproductive toxin and has a high organ toxicity rating.

What is Sodium hydroxide?

Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, is an inorganic compound that can be found in paint removal products. It has a highly caustic base and alkali that decomposes proteins at ordinary ambient temperatures. Removal products with this chemical can cause severe chemical burns and pose high environmental impact if disposed of improperly in drains and waterways.

What is Acetone?

Acetone is an organic compound and has become one of the most popular chemicals in safer paint removal products however it can still pose some serious hazards to your health and the environment. Acetone is highly flammable and has a high aquatic toxin rating. It is a confirmed animal carcinogen and possibly carcinogenic to humans. Overexposure can cause kidney, ureter, and bladder tumors.

What can you do? 

Check the Safety Data Sheet on any paint stripper you plan to use before you buy. Many of so-called Eco-friendly paint strippers still have plenty of toxic chemicals in them, like solvents, binders, etc. In any case, follow safety recommendations, dispose of them appropriately and use common sense. If you are concerned because you have small children or chemical sensitivities, consider a paint stripper with tested and proven science to back it up.


Truly safe alternatives for paint and coating removal are available. One of the safest chemicals in removal products proving to be an effective substitute in removers is dibasic esters. They are non-flammable, low VOC, readily biodegradable, non-corrosive, and have a mild, fruity odor. One company that is utilizing these innovative chemicals with world patented technology is Max Strip.


Visit MAXstrip.com today for safe alternatives to paint removal with no greenwashing needed! Your health and the environment is worth it!