#2531 – Low-Cost Way to Dump a Stump | Fiberglass Doors Add Curb Appeal | Stackable Stone Creations

[Producer Jim]
The Money Pit is presented by RoofMaxx Roof Restoration Treatment and Ladera by Pavestone. Now here’s Leslie Segrete.

[Leslie Segrete]
Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, this is The Money Pit. I’m Leslie Segrete, joined by my pal Jim Kenzie, the show’s super smart senior producer and resident smarty pants. That’s you, mister.

[Producer Jim]
The check’s in the mail, Leslie, thanks. Thanks for saying that.

[Leslie Segrete]
So every week if I say something nice about you, you’re going to send me a present?

[Producer Jim]
Yeah, I just want to keep up status quo, you know.

[Leslie Segrete]
Nope, it’s all genuine, folks. I do adore Jim and I’m so happy that he sits by my side every week. Couldn’t do it without you.

[Producer Jim]
You’re cyber side.

[Leslie Segrete]
That is true. You guys know that Jim and I are not in the same place, right? We’re not even in the same state.

So it’s interesting that we only get to come together every week via microphone and headphones, but that’s the same way we get to come together with you guys. And we’re always so happy to be with you, learn what you’re working on, share some guidance and advice. And that’s what Team Money Pit is.

So coming up this hour, we have a lot of great home improvement advice to share. So let’s get to it. Now, a tree in your landscape could be a thing of beauty, but when it’s gone, it leaves behind a stump.

I’m always amazed this whole tree comes down, then you’re left with this like dud in the middle of your yard. And while there’s nothing easy about removing that stump, if you are patient, there are a number of ways that you can get rid of stumps for very little cost. And also ahead, if you want a front door that looks like real wood but stands up to the toughest of weather, we’re going to check out how a fiberglass door from Therma-Tru can boost your curb appeal and your home’s efficiency, all without the upkeep of wood.

And they are gorgeous, you guys. And also ahead, are you ready to rock your outdoor space? Well, there’s a new stackable stone called Ladera that makes patios, fire pits and garden walls easier and better looking than ever.

We’re going to tell you how Ladera takes the heavy lifting out of those backyard upgrades. But you know, guys, we are here to help you, and we couldn’t do this all without you. So reach out to us with the projects, all your questions, and there’s a couple of ways that you can do that.

You can give us a call now at 888-MONEYPIT, or you can post your questions to moneypit.com slash ask. All right, Jim, who’s first?

[Producer Jim]
We’ve got Eleanor in Virginia, Leslie, and she’s on the line with a decking question. How can we help out, Eleanor?

[Eleanor in Virginia]
We have trek decking for our deck, and also the porch, greened-in porch. But on the deck, which is not covered by any roof or anything like that, it’s all open to the environment. We have spots on that which are, it’s a gray-colored decking, and we have these dark spots all over it.

Almost kind of look like a mold, and we do not know what it’s caused by. My husband has tried to use a power washer with the soap that is recommended for that power washer. Also bleach with a scrub brush.

He can get it lightened, but not totally gone. And we’re wondering if you’ve ever heard of that with trek decking and have any suggestions.

[Leslie Segrete]
Eleanor, I’m sorry to hear that. You know, trek decking is such a fantastic product. Both Tom and I have had it in our homes, and it looks great.

It wears well over time. Generally, it cleans well, so it does stand up to those winters and summers of use. And it’s really a beautiful product.

You can pick so many different types or looks of the trek decking to achieve just a gorgeous deck. So I think what’s going on with yours, when we think about composite materials, it’s generally a mixture of products that make this up. Sometimes it’s recycled plastics.

Sometimes there’s a little bit of wood fiber into it. And here’s what’s interesting, because the wood fiber is a natural material. So even if there’s a little bit in that trek decking, which could be possible, you might be seeing some sort of fungus growing on it.

And that could be because, you know, of a variety of things. So you could try here something called Jomax. That’s like a deck wash, and it’s a detergent base, but it’s also mixed with bleach.

You apply it to the deck. You let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes, and then you scrub it off. And I’d be careful with the power washer just for rinsing purposes, because you don’t want to put too much pressure on it.

You don’t want to get any of that cleaner into the flower bed if you can avoid it. But another possibility is if you’ve got this deck in this area where you’re seeing this near a flower bed, does that flower bed have mulch? Because sometimes mulch carries a fungus called artillery fungus, and it looks almost like an overspray of paint, like pellet-sized.

Yes. Yeah, I mean, that could be it, because sometimes with mulch, especially that ground mulch, that shredded bark kind, it could contain this artillery fungus. And once it gets out and attaches to a surface like your deck, sometimes your siding, sometimes even your car paint, it’s very difficult to get rid of.

So if that’s what’s going on, don’t use the shredded mulch again. Only use bark mulch that’s in pieces, because that tends to not contain the fungus. It seems like the shredded mulch is what really attracts and contains that fungus.

So definitely try that Jomax deck wash and cleaner, because you’ll have much better success with that other than straight bleach, especially with a fungus like this. That Trex deck will be beautiful once again and ready for a summer of fun.

[Producer Jim]
Leslie, I’m going to head to Anchorage, Alaska someday. And join me, won’t you, where we’ve got Tommy on the line with an ice-cold water issue. Ooh.

I imagine you don’t normally have issue with cold things since you live there. What’s happening, Tommy?

[Tommy in Alaska]
We own a duplex. We’ve got about six to seven total faucets in the whole unit. And we only have one specific faucet that’s causing cold water to have super, super low pressure, just in our kitchen in the main house.

And we do live on a well. We do have pretty clean water.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right. So it’s just this one spot. Have you taken the aerator out of the kitchen sink faucet?

[Tommy in Alaska]
Yep.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right. Because usually when you have an issue like this, that aerator could have the smallest bit of smudge or something that gets in there. Maybe some metal fell out of the inside of the pipe.

And it just does a really good job at blocking that water flow. But if you’ve taken the aerator out and you still can’t get the faucet to run not that well, we’ve got to look somewhere else. So that sounds like what’s going on.

Is that correct?

[Tommy in Alaska]
Right. The lines that run from the main house and then it goes into those flexible kind of like braided.

[Leslie Segrete]
Oh, okay.

Yeah. PEX.

[Tommy in Alaska]
So where it connects into there, there is a screen that I was wondering if I should take apart and kind of take a look in that.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right. Well, any place that you see a screen, you want to make sure that it’s clear. Now, the other thing that could be causing this is that there’s a valve that’s just not fully open.

I mean, there could be one in your dishwasher. Maybe the dishwasher isn’t draining that well or filling that well. And it could be a valve that’s blocked.

And, I mean, this kind of happens over time. Maybe there’s just some movement. Maybe it just never was open fully.

Or now that slightly closed off one is blocked because if something has fallen through the pipe in that way. So I would definitely start with the screens. Any screens you see, make sure they’re not blocked.

And then I would check the valves and make sure that they’re fully open. And that’s going to help you get that water flowing exactly where you need it.

[Tommy in Alaska]
All right. Well, that sounds great. It’s a good place to start though.

[Leslie Segrete]
Yeah, it’s definitely a good place to start. All right. Good luck with that.

You got it.

[Tommy in Alaska]
Thank you so much. I appreciate the call.

[Producer Jim]
You know, Leslie, dishwashers are a lot like washing machines. Yeah. Where because they clean stuff for you, you assume that they’re clean.

[Leslie Segrete]
No, they’re gross.

[Producer Jim]
Disgusting. So as well as washing your washing machine out and properly sanitizing it, they make products for dishwashers that do the same thing. And I thought it was a bunch of malarkey, shall we say?

[Leslie Segrete]
I was going to say hooey.

[Producer Jim]
Hooey. That’s also broadcast acceptable. I actually tried a brand and it worked really well.

I think they’re like Fuji, F-U-J-J-I, something like that. But I’ve got them on Amazon and tried them and just cleaned the dishwasher right out. And I even think in my pea brain believes that it’s draining faster.

Who knows what magic’s taking place. But you do have to clean them just like your washer and people neglect it.

[Leslie Segrete]
Oh, yeah.

[Producer Jim]
They have odor problems and they can’t figure out why. Well, research that a little bit on MoneyPit.com and you will find the answer to your dilemma.

[Leslie Segrete]
Hey, you’re tired of living in a money pit? Well, we’re here to help. And if you want us to help out, it would be awesome if you could leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts.

Just go to MoneyPit.com slash review. It’s only going to take a minute and it means the world to us. Summer is here.

Thank goodness. I love those summer nights in the backyard. Do you guys love hanging out in your backyard?

I mean, I could pretty much hang out in any outdoor space if there’s like a twinkly light involved in any way, shape or form. It really just makes me want to spend a lot of time out there. So, why not extend your evenings outdoors by upgrading that landscape lighting?

Solar-powered path lights, they are super easy to install and they are very energy efficient. For patios and decks, try string lights or lanterns to add that ambiance without breaking the bank. And if you want a DIY challenge, you can install low-voltage landscape lighting to highlight those trees, the walkways, garden features.

It’s easier than you think and it makes your yard safer and more beautiful at night. And it totally makes the hanging out last longer with your friends and family and creates just a beautiful, magical space. So, let’s hear some more about your projects.

Jim, who’s up next?

[Producer Jim]
Pat is on the line with a painting question, Leslie. What can we do to help you out today, Pat?

[Pat]
Yes, I would like to paint my aluminum siding on my home. I can’t afford to side it right now. And I was wondering if it’s possible to paint aluminum siding.

[Leslie Segrete]
I mean, there’s really no reason you can’t paint aluminum siding. But what you have to do first is make sure you really clean the house well because, as you know, siding just collects dirt and yuck over the years. So, you want to start with a good cleaning, maybe a power wash if you can.

And then you’re going to have to prime the siding because that’s the super important step here. For the primer, you want to pick one that’s designed to work with the paint that you’re selecting. So, if you’re going to work with Benjamin Moore, kind of stick in that same family.

So, if you have one that you love, go there. And the primer’s important because it’s the glue. It’s the adhesive coat that makes that paint stick.

And then you can put that top coat right on top of it and it’s going to do a great job.

[Pat]
Now, will this peel on the south side where the sun hits?

[Leslie Segrete]
No. I mean, you shouldn’t have any issues with the sun on the south side if you’ve cleaned well, the house is dried, you’ve primed well. And because the siding is metal, that paint should last you a good 8 to 10 years.

I mean, it’ll last less if it’s like on a wood siding or something that’s organic because it just starts to kind of break down over time and holds moisture. But because it’s aluminum, that paint should stick very well.

[Pat]
Oh, good. That’s a good thing to know. OK.

I wasn’t sure I could even do it. I thought maybe it would just peel right off. Now, the power wash, I’d have to hire somebody to probably do that.

[Leslie Segrete]
No. I mean, you don’t have to hire someone to do the pressure washing. If you have a pressure washer, great.

If you don’t, then you can hire somebody. And it’s good if you do hire somebody with the good equipment because they’re going to have the detergent, they’re going to clean off any dirt, debris, algae, all of that. And it lets you clean that siding really, really well.

Plus, they probably charge by the hour. It’s not going to take them that long. Maybe they also do the driveway or the walkway or the sidewalk.

Pressure washing is kind of one of those like addictive projects that when you start and it’s really fun to kind of watch the cleaning process and you see like what a big difference it makes, then you can maybe have them do a couple of other things. Plus, if you’re not comfortable working on, you know, I don’t know if your house is multi-level, you might need to be on a ladder with that pressure washer. You might not feel comfortable going that high.

So in that case, you might want to go ahead and hire a pressure washer to clean. But on that note, you might need to hire somebody to paint. If your house is multi-story, maybe you don’t feel comfortable on a ladder painting either.

So maybe we should think about hiring a pro.

[Pat]
No, I’d probably hire someone else to do it.

[Leslie Segrete]
I think painting is probably going to be way less expensive than new siding. So it’s kind of six of one, half a dozen of the other here. Do you like the idea of painting it and want to go with a wide variety of colors?

Is it probably a more cost-effective price? Awesome. If you’re over the look of aluminum siding and maybe you want something that has more of a natural texture to it or has a different style, then maybe switch over to vinyl.

But I think you’re going to find the budget’s very different. So figure out what look you like and then figure out what budget you’re comfortable with. Good luck with the project and thank you so much for calling us at 888-MONEYPIT.

Well, if you have a stump that you want to get rid of and a tree stump we’re talking about here, guys, there’s really a couple of expensive ways that you can get rid of it, but there are some less expensive ways, too, to make that stump disappear. Now, first, the most common method of stump removal is grinding, but that job is pretty far from DIY. You’re going to need to hire the tree guy who’s going to use a specialized stump grinder, and that can get pretty expensive.

For the hardy do-it-yourselfer, you can dig out a medium, I mean, small, it’s a big project. You can dig out that stump, but remember, the larger it is, the bigger the root base, the deeper it goes down to. So it could be too much.

You have to expose that trunk below grade, chop out the wood, and repeat until the stump is gone or you’re exhausted. Whichever comes first, it’s probably going to be the exhaustion.

[Producer Jim]
Wait a second, Leslie, you said I have to do this? That’s why I have kids. I don’t let my kids use an axe.

 

[Leslie Segrete]
Do you let your kids use an axe?

[Producer Jim]
Well, yeah, I call them my kids. You probably think they’re 11, but they’re 33 and 31.

[Leslie Segrete]
I know, and your kids are adult, but I wouldn’t let my 17-year-old use an axe.

[Producer Jim]
Oh, he’s a Boy Scout, isn’t he?

[Leslie Segrete]
Yeah, he was, but I can remember going camping with my little guy. I mean, all of them, but Charlie was probably like 10, and we were with some friends, and all the kids had like a knife, and they were whittling sticks, but it was like evening time, fire pit time. And all of a sudden, I see Charlie come over, and he’s like, oh, I poked my finger, and I’m like, great.

He totally like sliced his finger open. So I’m like, ever since then, I’m like, oh, sharp thing’s bad. So this is a project where I’d be like, maybe I’m going to definitely hire the person, but if you want to do it, dig out that bottom of the stump, chop away until you are exhausted.

[Producer Jim]
Have at it.

[Leslie Segrete]
It’s going to happen. You might come back the next day. You might hire a guy the next day.

I don’t know.

[Producer Jim]
There are easier ways, Leslie.

[Leslie Segrete]
There are, and that’s using a stump removal chemical. You can find them in home centers, hardware stores. They contain potassium nitrate, which speeds up sort of that microbial process of decomposition.

So basically, you drill deep holes in the stump, pour the chemicals into the holes, and then cover it with a tarp. It is going to take like four to six weeks for the wood to become spongy, at which point you then chop out the softer wood, which is a lot less exhausting. Lastly, you can burn out the stump.

This works better on older, more dried out stumps. It could be a dangerous project, so you do need to know what you’re doing, but it generally involves sort of pre-treating the stump with a flammable liquid. Start a small fire on top of the stump.

We do have the step-by-step on moneypit.com. I remember my Uncle Patrick trying this out a couple of years ago. It did not go well.

Fire department was involved, but he did not follow the Money Pit step-by-step. But you can. So think about the way you want to go.

Get exhausted first, and then figure out the best route after that. All right, you guys. Give us a call.

Let us know what you are working on at 888-MONEY-PIT. Jim, who’s up next?

[Producer Jim]
We’re going to head north of you now, Leslie, into upstate New York, where we have Anthony on the line, who’s dealing with a chimney that’s losing its stucco. What’s going on, Anthony?

[Anthony in New York]
The house is 80 years old. About 20 years old, I had stucco put on it because some of the bricks were loose and a few were broken. Now it’s starting to deteriorate.

Some of the stucco has taken off, and some moisture has got under a lot of the other stucco. And I would say about 70% of it is loose. And I’m just wondering what would be the best way to repair it.

[Leslie Segrete]
Well, it seems like you got a lot of years of good service out of it, though, Anthony. But what you’re going to have to do now is remove as much of that loose stucco as possible. And the good news is that in the 20 years since you’ve used any of these masonry products, they’ve gotten a lot better at adhesion.

So if you look at some products made by Quikrete, they’ve got a wide variety of products that are designed to adhere to old concrete or to brick surfaces. And that’s the secret. It’s the adhesion.

Quikrete has a great variety of products, and they’re really meant to, when you buy the right product, adhere well. So you’re looking for something that’s going to adhere this new concrete to old concrete or brick surfaces. And there are a couple of things that they do.

One of their products is called ReCap. And that’s because it’s a compound that’s meant to patch and adhere to the old surface there. And that’s the thing you want, is you want it to bind well with whatever you’ve already got there.

And that’s going to give you the longevity that you want because in the winter, you’re going to see freezing, you’re going to see thawing, you’re going to see movement. There’s just a lot of different things that could cause it to go wrong or detach. So you want to pick up the right product, and then you should be able to repair it again, and then get a good number of years.

[Anthony in New York]
Should I take all the stucco off?

[Leslie Segrete]
Well, I wouldn’t go aggressively taking off all of the stucco, but if you’ve got some loose pieces, that’s what you want to take off, because you don’t want to put the patching compound over the bad stucco. It’ll just fall off.

[Anthony in New York]
Okay. Thank you very much.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right. I hope that helps you out. Good luck with that.

That’s going to be a good project. Well, a beautiful front entry can definitely make your home stand out, but a beautiful and a well-designed front entry, oof, that’s even better. It can keep you and your family safe in extreme weather, and it can provide unparalleled energy efficiency.

ThermaTru has been dedicated to helping homeowners have that gorgeous front entry, but also understand how important that front door can be in your home’s energy efficiency. So joining us is Jay Solarik, the Senior Product Manager for ThermaTru. Welcome, Jay.

[Jay Solarik]
Hi, Leslie.

[Leslie Segrete]
So I think a lot of people think, ah, a front door is a front door, but what makes Therma-Tru really stand out here when we’re talking about beauty, but also efficiency?

[Jay Solarik]
Yeah. One thing that Therma-Tru really prides itself on is having a really large breadth and depth of product options. We’d like to say we’ve got something for everybody, and it really goes beyond just the beauty of a front entryway.

You’ve got to have the performance, and that’s where energy efficiency really comes in. One thing that we do as an organization is we test our products for NFRC, that’s the National Fenestration Rating Council, and 99.8% of our products are qualified and tested under NFRC guidelines, and that really ultimately drives the best energy performance of our door systems.

[Leslie Segrete]
I mean, it’s amazing, and I think this carries over to the windows, to all of the glass that you use in the doors themselves. You have low-E glass. I mean, you want to reflect away that heat, so this really helps.

It’s sort of this whole package of efficiency, correct?

[Jay Solarik]
That’s right, yep. We’ve got a wide variety of different options. We’ve got standard clear glass, and then we’ve got what you had mentioned, low-E glass, which is a low-energy, that’s a factory-applied coating that’s applied to our glass, and it’s a thin layer that reflects infrared and ultraviolet light, helping deliver exceptional energy efficiency for our homeowners.

[Leslie Segrete]
Well, and I think it’s interesting because when people think of a door, they just think of the door part itself, but it’s really a whole system from the jam to the framework and everything, and that really sort of enhances that efficiency and protects everything, correct?

[Jay Solarik]
That’s right, Leslie. It’s about all of the parts and pieces that come together, and that’s one thing that differentiates Therma-Tru from many other fiberglass door manufacturers is that we engineer and design all of the components that go into the pre-hung system in order to deliver the highest level of performance against air, water infiltration, and providing the highest level of energy efficiency as well.

[Leslie Segrete]
That’s so great. We’re talking with Jay Solarik, the Senior Product Manager for Therma-Tru. So, Jay, I think a lot of people hear fiberglass, and they think, oh, this can’t look great, but I have seen, I have touched, I have used these doors.

They are absolutely stunning, from the graining to the coloration. They look just like wood. They perform better than wood.

How does the insulative value compare when you’re talking about a wood door versus a Therma-Tru fiberglass door?

[Jay Solarik]
Yeah, and what we often hear from homeowners is that it’s really indistinguishable against a wood door when you compare it side by side. We’ve created technology to provide the highest level of beauty, and really the key benefit of purchasing a fiberglass door is that it provides much better insulating performance. So we actually have four times the insulating performance compared to a standard wood door, so that will ultimately help drive energy efficiency for the homeowner.

[Leslie Segrete]
I love it. The doors are beautiful. Folks, you should check them out for yourself.

You can look at their website, Therma-Tru.com, and that’s T-H-E-R-M-A-T-R-U dot com. There truly is a design and door style for everyone, but the efficiency tops the gorgeousness, if that’s even possible, Jay.

[Jay Solarik]
I’d have to agree.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right, well, thank you so much for stopping by the Money Pit. We welcome you back anytime. Have a super day.

[Jay Solarik]
Thank you. You too, Leslie.

[Leslie Segrete]
You truly know how to make a front entry durable and gorgeous. Given that it’s a summer weekend, maybe you’re listening to the Money Pit by the poolside. We’re not going to judge.

We’re just going to be jealous. I wish I was swimming in a pool right now.

[Producer Jim]
Or surprise visit, then.

[Leslie Segrete]
Just let us know where your pool is. Do you have a slide? Can I come over?

I’ll also work on a project. It seems like fair trade. Hey, guys, are you still sort of in the beginning phase of summer temps where you live and not quite ready for the air conditioning?

Well, ceiling fans are summer’s unsung heroes. You want to make sure that yours is spinning counterclockwise. This is going to create a downdraft that makes you feel cooler.

And if your fans are dated or noisy, you might want to consider upgrading to a more efficient and stylish model. Many newer fans are Energy Star rated and come with remote controls or smart home integration. It’s a small change that can cut cooling costs and add comfort all season long.

All right, Jim, get out of the pool. Let’s get back to the callers. Who’s next?

[Producer Jim]
Jeremy is in Pennsylvania, and he’s dealing with a leaky basement, and boy, can I relate to that. What can we do for you, Jeremy?

[Jeremy in Pennsylvania]
I have a finished basement that has block foundation, and I have a small leak. It’s not pulling up water or anything like that. It just kind of causes me some moisture problems.

It smells kind of musty and damp and things like that.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right, well, boys, I’m sorry you’re both dealing with this. Jeremy, where is the leak?

[Jeremy in Pennsylvania]
Before I finished it, it was at the corner of the slab and the block wall, and it seemed like it was coming up from underneath. I sealed it, I think, inadvertently with dry lock, and I don’t think that that necessarily did the trick. And I didn’t know if there was another thing that I could do without gutting the basement completely, because I have laminate floor down and drywall up, if there was anything I could do from the outside.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right, but does it get worse after a heavy rain?

[Jeremy in Pennsylvania]
It has before. It hasn’t gotten much worse, no.

[Leslie Segrete]
But it does kind of seem somewhat consistent with how much rain you’re getting outside, correct? All right, so listen. The good news is that there’s nothing you need to do inside the house to fix this.

The problem’s outside, and I would suspect that because this is at a corner, you may have a downspout near that area of the house. But generally, if you have a leak against the foundation wall like that, it’s caused more by drainage than it is by anything like a rising water table. So if you look outside the foundation in that area, you’re going to probably see that you have a blocked gutter, or maybe you have a gutter that doesn’t have enough downspouts, or you’ve got downspouts that are discharging that water too close to the house.

And when you have a moisture problem, you really want to move those spouts out about 4 to 6 feet, or perhaps you could have some grating that’s too flat, and it doesn’t allow the water to go away from the house. That first 4 to 6 feet around the home’s perimeter is really the most critical. And if the water is allowed to sort of sit and collect that close to the house, what’s going to happen is you’re going to get that moisture right back down into the basement.

So the solution there is to fix the drainage outside, and then the inside is going to fix itself.

[Jeremy in Pennsylvania]
I think it’s probably a combination of the two. I have a gutter right there in that corner, and then I think my grating is… I think it actually comes towards the house.

[Leslie Segrete]
Yeah, that sounds like a double whammy, kind of like a recipe for disaster, right?

[Jeremy in Pennsylvania]
No doubt.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right, well, start by getting that downspout extended, and then you could see an instant result, okay?

[Jeremy in Pennsylvania]
Okay, terrific. Thank you so much.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right, well, Jeremy’s spoken. Good luck with that project. I knew you’d get a kick out of that, Jim.

[Producer Jim]
Spoken, spoken.

[Leslie Segrete]
We don’t want to give Pearl Jim the money, so just cool it, Jim. Well, if you’ve been dreaming about giving your backyard a little wow factor, but the idea of hauling heavy stone and figuring out complex layouts makes you break a sweat, let me introduce you to Ladera. It’s a brand-new stackable stone product that gives you the gorgeous dry-stack stone look without that dry-stack headache.

Now, get this. Ladera’s fire pit kit can be assembled in under five minutes. That’s no exaggeration, no cuts, no fancy corner blocks, no special caps.

You just grab some quick-create construction adhesive, and it’s as easy as adhere, stack, level, boom. You’ve got a beautiful fire feature, a garden bed, a sitting wall, and you didn’t even break a nail, guys. Now, each piece comes in one easy size but features seven different face patterns with false joints built right in, and that means no obvious repeats and a totally custom look without that custom price tag or that timeline that can go with it.

And don’t worry about the weather. Ladera is made from precast concrete, so it is built to last. Rain, snow, heat, it can take it.

Whether you’re building a cozy fire pit, raised garden beds, columns, or even a stylish seat wall, Ladera brings that look and the lasting power. It’s good-looking, durable, and DIY-friendly. What more could you ask for?

If you want to see it yourself, see what it looks like, find a dealer in your area, find out where to get it, head on over to pavedstone.com and check out Ladera. All right, Jim, who’s here to ask us a question?

[Producer Jim]
All right, in Missouri, we’ve got Beverly. Beverly, you’re on the Money Pit with Leslie. What can we do for you today?

[Beverly in Missouri]
Well, I have a house that’s just been built a year and a half ago, but I have a covered patio, and my builder put cedar posts up there. The rest of my trim is all white. So I wanted to cover or paint the cedar, but he’s telling me I can’t do it because I’ll rot them out.

And that doesn’t sound right to me, but I’m not sure.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right, so, Beverly, in your ideal sort of design look for the exterior of your home, do you want to see what those cedar posts, do you want them to be white and match the rest of the house?

[Beverly in Missouri]
Yeah, all of my trim is white, and so I would rather them be white. They’re a year and a half old now, so they’re starting to turn the cedar look and get all dark.

[Leslie Segrete]
I mean, are they kind of decorative?

[Beverly in Missouri]
No.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right, so here’s what I would do. The first thing I’m going to recommend is a staining process. You’re going to do a primer first.

An oil-based or a solvent-based primer is going to adhere the best to these posts, and then you’re going to stain them. And I would suggest using a solid color stain because it doesn’t go on like paint. It’s still absorbed into the wood.

The color kind of gets absorbed in. You still see a little bit of the grain, and it is a very saturated look for the color, and you can get it in white. It’s not going to be like super solid like paint, but it is going to have a white appearance.

And the stain is great because it will protect the wood. It looks attractive.

[Beverly in Missouri]
But you said if I covered it or painted them that it causes the moisture to hold to the base, and then they rot.

[Leslie Segrete]
I would disagree with what this builder is telling you because stain or paint does not cause it to hold moisture. It doesn’t cause it to rot. It actually does the opposite.

It helps protect it. So definitely if you want to change the color there, that’s the way I would do it, a solid stain. Good.

Thank you so much. Oh, you’re so welcome. I can’t wait to hear how this project turns out for you, Beverly.

[Producer Jim]
All right, Leslie, we’ve got Max who’s working on a decking project. Can you give us some of the details about this, Max?

[Max]
Yes, I was looking at putting on a Trex deck, and I was checking to see if the floor joists should be 16 on center, 12 on center, or 24 on center. What is the best for putting Trex on top?

[Leslie Segrete]
Oh, that’s a great question, Max. Composite decking, because the boards themselves are a little bit more flexible, I mean, they are awesome, but this is one part of it. They’re a little bit more flex than a wood counterpart.

So because of that, you would want that spacing to be a little bit closer together if possible. Like a 24-inch is going to, I think, be too far apart. So a 16-inch, if not 12, 16-inch on center would be great.

And if you’re doing like a deck over project where maybe you’re taking off the old wood decking, but you’re keeping the framework and replacing that wood decking with the composite, I mean, that’s really great. You want to make sure that you’re using the correct fasteners that’s recommended by the manufacturer. You want to make sure that they’re on center as you’re applying them.

There’s even some sort of hidden attachers as well. So you want to just kind of see what the best recommended attachment method is by the manufacturer. And whomever you’re buying with, if it’s Trex, you’re going to find a great way to install that, and it’s going to look great, and it’s going to last a long time with sort of minimal maintenance other than like a good cleaning every summer.

It’s awesome. You’re going to love it. So hopefully you have a great project, and we can’t wait to hear about it when you’re done.

We’d love to help you guys out. You can call us at 888-MONEYPIT, or you can send a question or post a question at moneypit.com slash ask. So Jim, who reached out by email?

[Producer Jim]
Well, Carrie did just that, Leslie. She says, I have some floor tile left over that would look pretty cool on my porch and sidewalk in front of my house. Can I do that, or would it be too slippery?

[Leslie Segrete]
Well, it depends. I mean, regular floor tile for inside a house is going to be too slippery for the outside. What you want to find out from that manufacturer is what is the COF number?

It’s the coefficient of friction, or COF. It’s a standard rating for how slippery that item is. The higher the COF slip resistance numbers, the better.

So if you have stuff like terracotta tile or quarry tile, even brick, that’s a very high COF rating and they are very slip resistant, but anything less could be dangerous to put on the exterior of your house. So find that out first, Carrie, and then if you can, have fun with it. And if you can’t, head to the center, find a paver stone or some sort of stone veneer that could look really beautiful outside.

It will have the correct slip resistance. I mean, the last thing you want to do is put something outside that’s dangerous. Everybody walks by, people are walking their dogs, kids are going to the bus stop, God forbid something happens, you are liable.

So make sure you’re putting something outside with the correct slip resistance, and you’ll be good to go.

[Producer Jim]
Want to add some high-speed sparkle to your yard this summer? We’ll share some simple tips to attract hummingbirds, nature’s finest acrobats, using flowers, sugar, water, and a little backyard magic. And all that’s coming up right this second with Leslie’s last word.

Leslie?

[Leslie Segrete]
That’s right. If you are looking for a little magic in your backyard this summer, here’s a tip. Invite some hummingbirds over.

Apparently they are all over the country. I never knew we had them, but we do. They’re tiny, fast fluttering, adorable creatures, and they are not only fun to watch, but they’re also pollinators that will help keep your garden thriving.

And the best part, it’s easier than you think to roll out that red carpet for them. You want to start with the basics, food and color. Hummingbirds are drawn to bright red and orange, so consider planting flowers like bee balm, trump vine, salvia, columbine.

You want to go for native plants when you can. They’re easier to maintain and more beneficial to your local ecosystem. If you want an instant invitation, you can hang up a hummingbird feeder.

You want to look for one that’s easy to clean and has several feeding ports? Then make your own nectar. Skip the red dye, just mix four parts of water to one part plain white sugar.

Boil that mixture for a minute, then let it cool and fill it up. You can store extra nectar in the fridge and refresh it every few days, especially in the hot weather to keep it from spoiling. Now, let’s talk real estate.

Hummingbirds will not nest in birdhouses, but they do love a cozy natural space, so provide trees or shrubs for shelter and consider adding a mister or shallow water feature because they love to bathe mid-flight, and a little water will bring them running. I mean, buzzing. You know what I mean.

One final note here, skip the pesticides. Hummingbirds eat tiny insects and spiders for their protein, and spraying chemicals in your yard can wipe out the bugs that they rely on and possibly harm the birds themselves. So, there you have it.

A few flowers, a simple feeder, some fresh water, and a no pesticide policy, and your yard could become a hummingbird haven in no time. Just be ready. They might show up fast, and once they do, you’re going to wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

I love hummingbirds, Jim. They’re so pretty, and usually I feel like I only see them on vacation or like when I’m out east by the beaches, but it’s so nice to know that they’re here, and you can just have them show up at your home. Alright guys, thanks so much for joining us.

It’s been a super busy hour here on The Money Pit. We can’t wait to see what you have next week. Give us a call.

Remember, you can do it yourself, but you don’t have to do it alone.