Month: November 2020

The holidays are here, and first up, we have Thanksgiving! Enjoy your small gathering this year around the table with your closest family or friends to enjoy some delicious food, quality time, and give thanks for all you have in your life.  

Don’t let the anticipation and stress of the big day get to you. Now is the perfect time to plan and prep for Thanksgiving so you’re ready and the festivities go off without any problems. Remember, even if you’re the one doing the hosting, cooking, and work, you deserve to have a stress-free, enjoyable holiday just the same!

Plan Out The Menu

The worst thing to do would be to wait until the last minute to decide what you plan on cooking. Look through your recipes, think about what you did last year, and what is realistic for you to be able to cook in your kitchen and with your time. You’ll be thrilled you planned this all out ahead of time.

Make A Grocery List

Now that you’ve got your meal planned, it’s time to make your shopping list! Right down every ingredient and item, you need to bring your Thanksgiving meal to life, so you don’t find yourself confused at the grocery store, or even worse, you forget something!

Do Some Cleaning

Make sure your home is all clean and tidy before the big day. This will save you lots of stress and help put you in the right mindset the day of knowing everything is already clean and clear. This includes clearing space on your kitchen counters for all the food, cleaning out your oven so it’s ready for all the food you’ll be cooking, and getting rid of any clutter that can get in your way or distract you from enjoying the holiday.

Prep Your Fridge And Freezer

Another essential part of your home to prep is your fridge and freezer! Whether it’s to keep items cool before the big meal or store all your leftovers, you won’t want to be fumbling to make room with the food already in your hands. Take some time beforehand to move items around and clear out space in both your fridge and freezer.

Plan And Set The Table

Why wait till the day of to set your dining table? Knock off another thing on your list by clearing and setting the table you plan to dine at ahead of time, so it’s one less worry on the big day, and you can focus on your cooking and other responsibilities. 

Schedule The Day

If you haven’t already, make a list and schedule everything you need to do on Thanksgiving day. Having this list to refer back to will keep you on track and distressed so you can focus on enjoying the holiday as well.

We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Home Exterior Care in Norwalk, CT

Need help making your home and property look its best? The experts at Landmark Exteriors are here to help your home’s exterior look and perform its best this fall season and all year long! Give us a call at (203) 838-3838 to learn more. 

Wood siding is a beautiful addition to any home! It’s a classic look that can up your home’s value. However, because of their natural state, decomposition likely will occur, and if ignored, that once valuable and stylish home could look dated and unkempt. 

Though we’d suggest contacting a professional to get the job done right, there are certain situations where it could be a simple DIY project. If you’re handy and looking to make some minor repairs on your wood siding, here’s what you’ll want to consider for a job done right:

Collect The Correct Tools

Before you begin replacing your siding, you’ll want to be sure you have every tool you’ll need to get it done right the first time. Some main things you’ll want to ensure is on hand include: 

• A utility knife and replacement blades
• Pry bar
• Hammer
• Speed square
• Carpenter’s pencil
• Safety glasses or goggles 
• Dust masks
• Tape measure
• Your replacement boards
• Nails (stainless steel meant for siding)
• Caulking labeled exterior-grade
• Primer and paint

Decide What Makes The Cut

Knowing what needs to be replaced and where the cuts will be made is the next step. You’ll need your speed square to mark your cutting lines, which should be centered on a stud. You can identify this by where the current nailheads are. 

How to do a Job Done Right 

You’ll want to slice away any paint and caulking that might connect the board to another. Use your knife to ensure this is fully complete. When it comes time to make your vertical cuts, you’ll want to be sure, precise, and careful and stop as soon as you make it through the board. Next, you’ll want to safely remove the nails with the back of your hammerhead. You can then use your old siding piece to measure the new one. When nailing the new board in place, you’ll want to ensure that the nails are piercing through the bottom panels.

Lastly, you’ll want to caulk and paint. All horizontal seams that lie between the boards should be caulked; anything vertical, inject caulk, and forced farther into the seams by rubbing with your fingers. Let the caulk cure and prime, and paint. You’ll want to ensure the paint is exterior and that you do a minimum of two coats. 

When to Call a Professional 

A job like this requires attention to detail, and a strong knack for outdoor work. If you are unsure of what’s damaged, what should be replaced, or how to remove or install a new piece of siding properly, it’s best to call an expert to come to get the job done right. 

Landmark Exterior Siding 

Looking to keep your wood siding in the best shape it can be? The experts at Landmark Exteriors can ensure that your siding is at its best and help you fix any problems. Give us a call at (203) 838-3838 to learn more.

While spring is the season that comes to most people’s minds when talking about planting or gardening, fall is another great time of year to redesign your home’s landscape. 

Don’t wait till the warmer weather arrives to make changes to your property. Fall is the perfect time to plant some beautiful trees you’ll be able to enjoy all year long. Roll up those sleeves, and get your planting started now!

Benefits of Fall Planting

Taking the time to plant new trees in the fall allows for extra growing time before the warmer seasons when you’ll want to enjoy the trees’ presence and beauty the most. The combination of the cooler temperatures and heavy rain totals throughout the fall season helps trees establish their roots well into the soil, allowing them to adjust and grow easier when the summer arrives. 

While many believe that most trees aren’t capable of handling harsh winters, that is for sure not the case. Trees go dormant, similar to an animal’s hibernation, in the winter months. This sleep-like state allows trees to slow down their growth and metabolism to survive. When the warmer weather returns, they leave this state and continue their development.

Types of Trees To Plant During The Fall Season

Consider planting these trees on your property this autumn for a new, beautiful addition to your landscape:

• Honey locust – These trees produce beautiful fall colors each year and grow to heights of around 30 feet. Common around New England, honey locust can be planted any time between the spring and fall and require much care, water, and sunlight to grow to its potential.
• Weeping willow – Elegant and classic, the weeping willow is a tree that impresses with its beautiful sweeping, bright, falling branches. Plant this tree during the fall as it can last through freezing temperatures, but be careful to avoid planting near pipes or septic systems since they have an aggressive root system.
• October glory red maple – This type of maple tree will indeed brighten up your property in the fall with its bright red leaves. This tree is also reasonably low-maintenance and can survive the harshest of winters.
• Thuja green giants – Known for their bulky green branches that make the perfect ready-made privacy fence, the thuja green giant tree is suited for planting all-year-round. Thuja trees are also easy to plant and not challenging to grow.
• Jane magnolia – If you’re already thinking spring, consider planting a jane magnolia tree that blooms beautiful, delicate flowers in the warmer seasons. This easy to grow, low-maintenance plant will live through the harsh winter, making it a perfect cold-weather tree to plant.
• Bloodgood Japanese maple – Unlike other maples, the bloodgood produces scarlet-colored foliage all year-round that will be sure to boost your curb appeal. As well, the roots are well-behaved, and they can grow in either full or partial sun.

Home Exterior Care in Norwalk, CT

Need help making your home and property look its best? The experts at Landmark Exteriors are here to help your home’s exterior look and perform its best this fall season and all year long! Give us a call at (203) 838-3838 to learn more.