The April/May 2010 issue of Old-House Journal listed the top ten restoration mistakes. Following these tips can help to save time and money (in the long run). The entire article can be found at: http://www.oldhousejournal.com/top-10-restoration-mistakes/magazine/1673
- Cheap Paint (good paint is hard to find – we are trying linseed oil paint on our house available from http://www.solventfreepaint.com/)
- Poor Paint Prep (paint will not adhere to dirt or loose paint)
- Mixing Metals (unlike metals can react)
- Epoxy Overuse (I would also add using the wrong type of epoxy, such as, marine or automobile filler on wood)
- Waterproofing Exteriors (houses need to breathe and moisture trapped behind the coatings can cause the underlining materials to rot)
- Waterproofing Interiors (use holistic building approach when solving water infiltration – look at source of water and ways to direct away from the house)
- Removing Masonry Finishes (removing paint or formstone from a brick wall is often not recommended because of the likelihood of damaging the brick by removing the veneer)
- Removing Wood Finishes (take care that the paint prep does not damage the wood underneath)
- Using the Wrong Mortar (use soft lime-based mortar with older brick to stop the damage from the thaw-freeze cycle – a good source is http://www.limeworks.us/)
- Bad Design (use water-shedding designs for all exterior repairs)