News

Summer is almost over, which means it’s time to complete all those projects you’ve wanted to get done this season, specifically those paint projects. But, you might be hesitant when remembering all the DIY paint problems you could inevitably run into. Well, I’ve been where you are and I have six different problems that can be easily fixed.

1. Fish Eyes – This is when you paint over oil, dirt, silicone or incompatible coatings. Luckily, fixing fish eyes is a breeze. All you’ll need to do is to remove all greases and oils with a cleaning solution. The best choices for cleaning aids are bleaches, thinners or TSP. Then, you’ll want sand the area to remove the underlying problem. As a last resort, you might have to sandblast.

2. Cratering and/or Pitting – This is when air pockets get trapped in your wet film. The solution to this problem is to sand or smooth out the existing finish and then simply apply another coat.

3. Uneven Gloss – The cause for this problem is non-uniform film thickness, moisture in the coating, but mostly the topcoat may have been applied over primer before it was dry. Fixing this problem is simply letting the primer completely dry.

4. Fading – This is a very common problem for all painters. I found out the biggest thing to this is the pigment in your paint and the ultraviolet rays reacting with the paint. If moisture gets trapped behind the coating, this will cause fading. The best solution is to use a paint already colored from the factory. These types of paints have powder tint instead of liquid. I have colors already tinted for your roof or I can tint them myself. I painted a few green, red, black and they hold up well. As a reminder, dark colors draw the ultraviolet rays to your roof faster.

5. Wrinkling – This is when there’s just too much paint in the application. To fix this problem, you need to remove the paint and recoat. Haste makes waste!

6. Blistering – This is when a solvent or moisture gets trapped in or on the surface. The best solutions to blistering are adequate ventilation of air across your coating film or cleaning the surface that is contaminated.

As your paint specialist, I myself have come across each of these problems and I hope my suggestions and tips will help you with your projects. If you wish for an estimate, you can reach me at 618.972.9516 or bgarleb@gatewayfs.com.

 

With fall harvest quickly approaching, now is the best time to make sure all your equipment is operating properly, including your portable augers. If you’re in need of a new, portable auger, it’s also a great time to make the investment with FS Construction Services. We make sure our farmers are fully prepared for the biggest time of the year and they’re moving grain with confidence and efficiency.

Our brands, such as Hutchison, provide our customers with a variety of configurations that easily adapt to their grain handling needs. We ensure our customers have the mechanical swing hopper auger, top-drive auger or low-profile drive-over hopper to get the job done efficiently. Our reliable and durable brands will have you confident in the investment you’ve made in the future of your grain equipment.

We also highly recommend routine preseason maintenance to keep your existing portable augers in check and fully prepped. To ensure overall quality performance and the most efficient harvest possible, you’ll want to closely inspect your augers for any noticeable wear. It’s wise to check the drive system, bearings, wheels and/or tracks, lights, hydraulic hoses, safety chains and any other required auger maintenance or safety repairs. Be sure to always consult your owner’s manual for more specific maintenance.

If you need additional help, have questions about auger maintenance or how you can make an investment before fall harvest, contact FS Construction Services today to talk to one of our grain specialists at 866-551-3454.

 

As the area’s paint specialist, we know a lot of you do your own painting.  So, we thought you would like to know how to keep your brushes clean and in good working condition.

First, no matter how much of a hurry you’re in, at least three generous rinses are needed to properly clean your brush. If you’re right-handed, hold the brush in your left hand and dip the brush deep into the thinner or water. Next, bring the brush up until the bristles are pointing straight over the pot of thinner or water. Then, take your left hand and squeeze the bristles, forcing the water or thinner from the heel of the brush. Spin your brush in your palm to remove any excess water or thinner at the end of your last rinse. If you followed the instructions, you should see paint coming out.

I know some customers try to get that final water or thinner out by hitting the brush on top of their boot or any other hard surface. This is a big “no-no!” Doing this may cause bending in the metal frame, which holds the bristles in place and straight. If the metal is bent, it’ll cause the bristles to stick out much like a cowlick and it can loosen the parts that hold the bristles together.

Another problem I’ve found is that people use wire brushes to remove dried paint or to reshape the brush after you’re done spinning. A wire brush will damage the filament, which in turn will not let the paint flow evenly onto what you’re painting. I’d recommend a paintbrush comb that cleans from the inside out and doesn’t damage the filament.

Finally, when cleaning your natural bristle brush with a hot solvent such as lacquer thinner, it’s good to give a final rinse with mineral spirits. If you’re working with deep colors or latex, wash your brush in hot, soapy water. If it doesn’t come out thoroughly clean, do a final rinse in mineral spirits.

Also, don’t ever leave your paintbrushes in paint or water overnight. This will disfigure the bristles because of the weight of the brush sitting on the bottom of the can. When you go to use the brush, it won’t make a decent edge.

I hope this gives you a little insight on how to keep your brushes clean while lasting longer. If you need any painting inside or out, call me, Brian “Boomer” Garleb, at 618-282-3454 ext.15. I’m happy to help you with all your painting needs.

On Monday, March 10^th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced in a news release that they’re expanding on their Farm Storage and Facility Loan program. This program provides low-interest financing to producers for grain storage systems and other commodity storage and sorting equipment.

What does this mean for local farmers and farm-property owners? It means it may be easier financially to expand and/or upgrade your grain storage facilities.

Here are some new enhancements to the USDA program:

1. Security requirements have been eased for loans between $50,000 and $100,000. Before the recent change, all loans higher than $50,000 required a promissory note or additional security, such as a lien on real estate. But now, loans that are up to $100,000 are secured only by a promissory note.
2. Low-interest funds can be used towards building or upgrading permanent facilities to store eligible commodities such as grains, oilseeds, peanuts, pulse crops, hay, honey, renewable biomass commodities, fruits and vegetables. The qualified facilities include grain bins, hay barns and cold storage facilities for fruits and vegetables.

If you want more information regarding the expansion of the Farm Storage and Facility loan program, contact your local FSA office or visit www.fsa.usda.gov.

We’ll be happy to help, as well. Call Gateway FS Construction Services and we’ll give you the details to design your new or upgraded grain storage solution with the help of this USDA program.

Spring is FINALLY here and now is a great time to start building or planning the building process on your dream structure, whether it’s suburban, commercial, or agricultural.

At FS Construction Services, we want our customers to be aware of the entire building process, while also educating them on the importance of the building components that go into each and every structure we build. In that regard, we like to reinforce a start-to-finish process developed by Walters Buildings. The Walters Building guide has been implemented so that no step is overlooked and each building aspect gets the appropriate attention that it needs.

In addition, the guide’s purpose is to outline each building component and why they’re vital for the completion of your structure. With this instructional and educational guide, it helps us to demonstrate our building standards and the qualities of the products we use to build your dream building. We believe in accuracy, efficiency and reliability.

We also believe that having an overall understanding of the building and its progression gives our customers a stronger involvement during the building process. It’s important to us that we provide our customers with comfort and ease, especially when it comes to completion dates and the overall integrity of the structure.

If you have questions regarding the Walters Building guide or you’re thinking about building a new structure, contact FS Construction Services today at 866-551-3454 to get in contact with our building specialists.

 

There are endless advantages to rolling when using an extension pole. The most important advantage is that they allow you to get the job done faster by being able to reach higher without wasting time. Extension poles allow two-hand control on your roller while you’re painting inside or outside the house. Plus, there’s nothing better than stepping back from the job you’re doing to see exactly what you’re covering.

 

Accidental falls from ladders happen at an alarming rate. Using a pole reduces your chances of getting hurt while working on a project. There are many types of poles for many types of jobs. A 1-to-3-foot pole is excellent for closets, hallways or other tight areas. In addition, you can have the length without hitting the opposite wall. They also work exceptionally well for heavy furniture that’s difficult to move. The next pole is 2-4 feet, which is a really good size for interior walls that are 8-feet high. This size is perfect because you won’t have to stand on a ladder and it’s easier to carry when the pole is collapsed to only 2 feet.

For painting ceilings, the 4-to-8-foot poles make it easier to reach over covered furniture. And the last poles are 6-to-12 or 8-to-16 feet. These poles are great for high interior walls and exteriors. You can use a brush and tool holder with the pole or cut in the trim and corners and then reach the rest safely from the ground.

When selecting an extension pole, be sure to look for the following features:

-Large diameter composite handle

-Non-slip rubber grip

-Anodized aluminum or composite slider

-Positive locking mechanisms

-Rugged die-case metal threads

-Quick tool-changing feature for rollers and other tools

I hope this will help you paint a little safer this year! If you’d like to get a bid on a paint project, feel free to give me a call. Ask for Brian “Boomer” Garleb at 618-282-3454 or try me on my cell at 618-972-9516. I’d be happy to look at your building and give you any recommendations.

What’s more exciting than planning a new building project? Seeing what it looks like before it’s built!

You’ll love the Walters Buildings’ online creative color guide that allows customers to mix and match potential colors of their new structure – whether it’s residential, equestrian, commercial or agricultural.

You even get the color detail down to the roofing, siding and trim. Honestly, it’s fun just exploring the color combinations offered by Walters Buildings.

If you’re in the planning stages of a new building, visit the Walters Buildings’ color guide and experiment with the color schemes for your very own structure. Even if you have no plans for a new building, we encourage you to try it out and experience it for future building purposes.

For more information and tips on building your new Walters Building, contact FS Construction Services today at 866-551-3454. We’re here to help you through the initial planning and entire building process.

 

It seems the brutal winter temps are already upon us and are showing no sign of backing down. Our main concern this winter is keeping your residential or commercial area protected from the below-freezing temps through insulated and energy efficient overhead doors.

In most residential areas, garages are connected and sometimes adjacent to living spaces such as living rooms or bedrooms. This is when you’d definitely want to look into insulating your garage door in order to cut down on cost and being as energy efficient as possible. Insulation will keep those rooms more comfortable especially in a climate with extreme winter temperatures such as ours.

When it comes to commercial doors on any stand-alone structure, insulation isn’t necessarily a necessity unless you’re storing materials or equipment that cannot withstand the harsh winter temps. Depending on what you keep in your storage spaces will determine what kind of insulation options are best fit for your structure.

As an authorized dealer of Raynor overhead doors, we offer an entire energy and thermal efficient line of doors for both residential and commercial buildings. These lines include the Innovations Series (residential), TC Series, ThermaSeal, TH160, and TC200 (commercial). All these products contain polystyrene or polyurethane foam that promotes unsurpassed energy efficiency and maximum thermal protection.

If you’re looking into options on insulating your overhead door this winter, contact FS Construction Services today at 866-551-3454. We offer a wide range of products and services for energy efficient doors and we’ll help you find the best fit for all your insulation needs.