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My dad told me to always check the weather before starting a big fence job
I was 22, setting up for a full day of installing a privacy fence in a backyard in Decatur. My dad, who did this for 40 years, called that morning and said, 'Check the radar, not just the sky.' I brushed it off, thinking the clear blue morning was enough. We got the posts set and were about to start the panels when a storm rolled in out of nowhere. It dumped rain for two hours straight, turning the whole site into a muddy pit. We lost the whole day waiting for it to dry out enough to work safely. Now, I check three different weather apps before I even load the truck. It seems simple, but that one piece of advice would have saved me a full day's pay and a lot of frustration. Anyone else have a simple tip from an old timer that you ignored at first?
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stellaa691mo ago
Check the radar, not just the sky" is so real. My grandpa was a painter and his big one was to never trust a dry looking deck in the morning. Said to always pour a cup of water on it to check for sealant. I learned the hard way too when a whole day of staining just beaded up and washed right off. Now that little test is part of my setup every single time. Those old guys really did know all the tricks.
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the_mila28d ago
Read a great piece in an old woodworking magazine about tapping the wood with a screwdriver before sanding. It said if you hear a dull thud instead of a sharp click, there's hidden moisture trapped under the surface. I tried it on a shed door that looked totally dry and sure enough, two spots came out sounding dead. Let it sit for another week and those sections sanded smooth as glass. These little tricks passed down are gold.
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