A friend of mine was painting a room and she had no idea that her plastic paint tray had a crack in it. As she finished, she looked around and saw a bunch of paint spills all over her carpet. I'm Dan Hansen and this is a minute at RepcoLite Paints sponsored by Benjamin Moore.

Over the next few days we'll talk about the best way to remove paint spills from your carpet. First, though, let's talk 4 quick steps to help you preven a spill in the first place.

We'll get the first two today. And let's start here: Always use a dropcloth. Even if it's a small project. Even if you think you don't need it. Always use a dropcloth.

Second, use a metal paint tray and a tray liner. Plastic trays are good for a few projects, but a lot of us buy a tray and keep it for years. If that's you, spend the extra dollar or two and get a metal tray. Plastic trays can crack--especially as they're kept and used for years. Metal pans are much more durable and there's much less risk. Tomorrow we'll hit two more prevention steps. I'm Dan Hansen and that's a minute at RepcoLite.

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On our latest podcast episode of the RepcoLite Home Improvement Show, I sit down and talk with Mark Prium from Village Customer Interiors talking about trends in countertops I'm Dan Hansen and this is a minute at RepcoLite Paints sponsored by Benjamin Moore.

One of the questions we dug into on the interview was the popularity of quartz.

[QUOTE FROM MARK]

Mark discusses everything from trends and pricing to installation--if you're in the market for new counters, this is a good resource. You can find the podcast at repcolite.com or search for the RepcoLite Home Improvement Show on Apple podcasts, spotify, audible, youtube . . . or pretty much anywhere you get your podcasts. Check it out! I"m Dan Hansen a

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We've been talking about what you need to know to successfully paint outside late into the fall season. Let's wrap it up today. I'm Dan Hansen and this is a minute at RepcoLite Paints sponsored by Benjamin Moore.

Previously, we've talked about the times to paint and the temperature and weather conditions to pay attention to. Today, I've got a couple last minute considerations before you jump in. First, be careful about painting in direct sun. Sometimes you want to because the surfaces in the shade are too cool . . . but it's possible the darker surfaces in the sun will become too hot. You'll just have to play it by ear. My point is to keep it in mind as you work and make the best decision in your situation.

Last thing: store your paint at room temperature overnight. Paint stored in the garage can thicken up if it gets too cold making it tough to work with until it warms up. Store it inside and you won't have issues.

You can successfully paint outside quite late into fall . . . just follow all the tips we talked about and your project will turn out great. I'm Dan Hansen and that's a minute at RepcoLite.

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Fall's a great time to get exterior paint projects finished, but painting in cold, potentially damp weather can lead to issues if you're not careful. I'm Dan Hansen and this is a minute at RepcoLite Paints sponsored by Benjamin Moore.

Last time we talked about keeping an eye on the temperatures--air temperatures and surface temperatures. I also mentioned that you should avoid painting when rain is in the forecast in the next 24 hours--unless you're using Element Guard from Benjamin Moore--ask about it if you're painting outside in the fall or early spring--a great safeguard. That's Element Guard.

The next thing to do is to make sure you paint in the right window of time. This will vary by the weather and the temperatures, but a good rule of thumb is to start painting mid-morning, once the dew has evaporated, and finish in the early afternoon, allowing the paint time to dry before the temperatures drop later in the day. So, if you're looking for literal times, we think starting by 11 AM and wrapping things up around 4 PM would be ideal. We'll finish this off next time with some general tips! I'm Dan Hansen and that's a MInute at RepcoLite.

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Fall's a great time to get exterior paint projects finished, but painting in cold, potentially damp weather can lead to issues if you're not careful. I'm Dan Hansen and this is a minute at RepcoLite Paints sponsored by Benjamin Moore.

To help you avoid any issues on your late season exterior paint projects, here are some things to keep in mind.

First: Temperature. We stock a lot of exterior waterbased paints that can be applied in temps as low as 36 degrees--but that's not just just air temps. The surface temp is equally critical. If you're looking for an easy rule of thumb: just make sure the surface and air temps are 40 degrees or above and you'll be fine.

Second thing to keep an eye on is the weather: If there's rain in the forecast in the next 24 hours or so, hold off on your project. Unless you use Benjamin Moore's Element Guard. Element Guard is unique in that it offers extreme early moisture resistance. In fact, Element Guard is moisture resistant 60 minutes after application. Element Guard is a game-changer for late season painting. We'll keep going tomorrow. I'm Dan Hansen and that's a Minute at RepcoLite.

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It's September 18 today . . . and its my daughter, Hannah's 17th birthday. I'm Dan Hansen and this is a minute at RepcoLite Paints sponsored by Benjamin Moore.

But it's not just Hannah's birthday. It's Rose's birthday as well. I've talked about my kids on these minutes, but I don't think I've ever mentioned Rose. And I want to fix that. Because it's not right.

Rose was Hannah's twin sister. They were born crazy early: 25 or 26 weeks . . . I can't remember any more. They were so tiny, so fragile. Hannah spent nearly 3 months in the hospital. Rose spent just a day.

She was beautiful--like any parent would say--but I don't remember her face. I don't remember much. It's been so long. I remember having to tell the other kids after she had passed away and we all grew up fast after that.

She wasn't here long, but she gave my family a gift: she made it clear that life was utterly fragile--no guarantees. And so we've done our best to squeeze everyting out of it.

So happy birthday Hannah and happy birthday Rose. Love you both. I'm Dan Hansen and that

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On our latest podcast episode of the RepcoLite Home Improvement Show, I sit down and talk with Ali Bryde from Mustard Seed Beginnings about a wood floor refinishing project she just completed. I'm Dan Hansen and this is a minute at RepcoLite Paints sponsored by Benjamin Moore.

[QUOTES FROM ALI]

Ali pulled up carpets, sanded the floors down, and then stained and refinished them. She talks about the work involved, the steps required, the bumps along the way, and all the products she used. You can find the podcast at repcolite.com or search for the RepcoLite Home Improvement Show on Apple podcasts, spotify, audible, youtube . . . or pretty much anywhere you get your podcasts. Check it out! I"m Dan Hansen and that's a Minute at RepcoLite.

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If you're renovating an older home there are some things to keep in mind to make sure you don't inadvertently lose some of your home's inherent charm. I'm Dan Hansen and this is a minute at RepcoLite Paints sponsored by Benjamin Moore.

If you're using wallpaper in your project, remember that some patterns are more versatile than others. Think geometric designs and subtle textures. These can blend into a variety of settings. More ornate patterns like Victorian florals might feel out of place in a minimalist, modern home. They CAN work if you bring them in in small doses or as a statement wall--and really . . . they can work in large doses too--it just takes a little more intentionality to pull it off.

If wallpaper is going to be a part of your next project, make sure you stop out at RepcoLite and check out some of the great patterns that are available. Just head to repcolite.com to find a list of which stores have a wallpaper collection for you to view. I'm Dan Hansen and that's a Minute at RepcoLite.

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If you're living in an older house--or really ANY home with a distinctive architectural style--and you're thinking about making some renovations . . . Here are some things to keep in mind to help you make sure you don't inadvertently cover over some of that inherent charm. I'm Dan Hansen and this is a minute at RepcoLite Paints sponsored by Benjamin Moore.

And of course we're going to start with color. Paint color has a huge impact on the atmosphere we create in a space. And that atmosphere can work against the style and charm of your space if you're not careful.

If you're struggling to nail down colors, remember that neutral or classic color palettes usually have more flexibility across different styles. Soft grays, whites, and beiges, for example, can work in both modern and traditional settings. If you're looking for resources, stop out at any RepcoLite and take a look at Benjamin Moore's Williamsburg Color collection and their Historical color collection. And by all means . . . let us help! We have color experts at each location who can help you make the right choices for your space! We'll keep going with this tomorrow. I'm Dan Hansen and that's a minute at RepcoLite.

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My family and I recently spent a few nights on Mackinac Island in one of those classic old hotels. Before, the rooms always felt like a trip back in time . . . but this year we arrived to find things a bit different. I'm Dan Hansen and this is a minute at RepcoLite Paints sponsored by Benjamin Moore.

We walked in to find everything had been redone: new paint, wallpaper, carpet, you name it. And while everything LOOKED good and worked well together, there was a problem we all noticed. The room didn't FEEL right. The natural charm of the space had taken a hit.

It may be surprising, but it's absolutely possible to lean into colors, and wallpaper patterns, and furniture styles that together look great but which negatively impact the original charm of our homes. That's what happened in this hotel.

If you live in an older home and are planning to make some updates, I've got 4 things to keep in mind to help you make sure you don't inadvertently cover over some of that inherent charm. We'll get started next time. I'm Dan Hansen and that's a minute at RepcoLite.

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