Search results for "Loose dirt" in Home Design Ideas

Design ideas for a small contemporary partial sun backyard mulch water fountain landscape in Baltimore.
Find the right local pro for your project

Custom transition strips made. Due to irregular floor heights and widths, a store bought transition strip would not work. These were custom cut and then stained to match.

Salzano Custom Concrete
Home theater - traditional home theater idea in DC Metro
Home theater - traditional home theater idea in DC Metro

Beautiful layers of indigo purple geometric structures blend together. This modern geometric abstract art print has many shapes and forms for you to escape into. A diverse assortment of vivid deep indigo, purple and violets mix together with black. Bring this abstract artwork on your wall and give your space a refreshing ultra contemporary feel.
Premium metallic print with a sharp, vibrant and exceptionally rich color. It provides the depth and pop of color you are looking for.
Limited to 10 editions in this style. This artwork may be found on other online galleries, but not of this quality print.
• Premium metallic print
• Includes print only (no frame)
• limited to 10 editions
• Colorful, vibrant shades of blue
Art is a premium metallic print, face mounted under a sleek and modern ⅛” acrylic glass. Art arrives ready to hang with a sturdy aluminum cleat hanging system and floats ¾” off the wall for a contemporary look.
The acrylic glass provides UV protection. Sunlight will not damage the art. The inks used are rated to last 100 years. All art includes hanging material with instructions for your wall.

Example of a mid-sized trendy backyard patio kitchen design in Orange County

A beautiful hand loomed pure wool carpeting was used on this project. This subtle pattern can be used in a modern or transitional space. The dark hardwood floor relates nicely with the Taupe, White and Grey colors in the carpet. Our fabrication team used a complimentary color in a cotton binding material to complete the sides. Our installer completed this staircase install within a two day time frame. Wool carpet is a great choice for a staircase because it is an easy material to clean, stain resistant and flame retardant.

Scott & Catherine Buley, HTT&T, High Tech Turf & Trees, LandscapeMakeover.biz, Rain Garden Nursery. Walking on some embedded river rock is a bit like cobblestone.

Does your iron fence look like Chicago winters have been winning the battle for years? That slow orange spread across pickets and rails is not just an eyesore - it is active corrosion undermining the structural integrity of metalwork that frames some of Chicago's most architecturally significant residential properties. Windy City Painters addresses iron fence rust at the source, using professional-grade rust conversion chemistry and direct-to-metal coatings engineered for the specific abuse Chicago's climate delivers.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
This project involved a heavily rusted ornamental iron fence on a Chicago North Side residential property. Rust had progressed beyond surface oxidation into moderate pitting on lower rails, a pattern Windy City Painters sees frequently on properties within blocks of treated roadways where salt drift accelerates corrosion. The scope included mechanical descaling, chemical rust conversion, DTM priming, and a durable gloss topcoat matched to the original fence color.
MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS
Ospho Rust Converter: A phosphoric acid-based treatment that chemically reacts with iron oxide, converting it to iron phosphate - a stable, paintable compound. Corroseal Water-Based Rust Converter is an alternative for situations requiring lower VOC handling. Rust-Oleum Professional DTM Primer and Sherwin-Williams DTM Acrylic Coating serve as the primary coating system, formulated for direct metal adhesion with built-in rust inhibitors. For structurally compromised sections, welding is coordinated before any chemical or coating work begins.
THE PROCESS
Step 1 - Mechanical Preparation: Wire wheel grinding on an angle grinder removes loose rust scale, mill scale, and flaking paint. For advanced pitting, Windy City Painters deploys a needle gun descaler, which impacts the metal surface thousands of times per minute to drive scale from deep cavities. This step determines whether the fence can be coated or needs welding first.
Step 2 - Chemical Rust Conversion: Ospho or Corroseal is brushed onto all remaining rust surface. These products do not simply seal rust - they react with it. The conversion process takes 24 hours to fully cure before topcoating. Skipping this step is the single most common reason iron fence paint jobs fail prematurely.
Step 3 - DTM Priming: Sherwin-Williams DTM or Rust-Oleum DTM primer is applied by brush to ensure full penetration around decorative elements, picket tips, and weld joints. Spray application is used on open sections for even film build. DTM formulations bond directly to prepared metal without a separate shop primer.
Step 4 - Finish Coating: A DTM topcoat in gloss or semi-gloss provides the final weather barrier. Gloss is preferred for iron fencing because the harder surface sheds water more effectively and resists dirt adhesion between maintenance cycles. Windy City Painters applies two finish coats for maximum film thickness.
CHICAGO-SPECIFIC CHALLENGES
Chicago's freeze-thaw cycle is the primary enemy of iron fence coatings. Water infiltrates micro-cracks in paint film, freezes, expands, and delaminate coating from beneath. Properties on the North Side and Near West Side also contend with lake-effect humidity that keeps metal surfaces damp for extended periods, slowing cure times and promoting under-film corrosion if preparation is inadequate. Greystones and Victorian brownstones typically feature ornate cast iron or wrought iron fencing with complex geometries that trap moisture and demand hand-brush application to fully coat recesses.
WHAT TO EXPECT LONG-TERM
A properly prepared and coated iron fence in Chicago should hold 5-8 years before requiring recoating. Annual inspection of weld joints, picket tips, and base rails closest to grade will identify early rust return. Addressing small spots with touch-up converter and primer extends service life significantly between full recoats.
PRO TIPS
Tip 1: Never pressure wash a rusted iron fence immediately before painting. Water drives moisture into pits and delays the surface drying needed for chemical converter adhesion. Allow 48 hours of dry weather before prep begins.
Tip 2: Picket tips and rail ends are the first failure points. These end-grain equivalent areas on metal concentrate corrosion. Ask your painter to apply an extra brush coat to every tip and terminus.
Tip 3: Black is the traditional and most durable color choice for iron fencing. Dark pigments absorb UV rather than reflecting it, reducing thermal cycling stress on the paint film at color change boundaries.
FAQ
Q: What does iron fence painting cost in Chicago?
A: Most residential iron fence painting in Chicago ranges from $400 to $1,200 depending on linear footage, rust severity, prep method required, and whether structural welding is needed before Windy City Painters can coat the surface.
Q: How do I know if my fence needs a welder before painting?
A: If you can press a screwdriver through a rail or picket, the metal wall has failed. Windy City Painters inspects all fencing before quoting and identifies weld-required sections so repairs happen before any coating investment.
Q: Is Ospho or Corroseal better for my fence?
A: Both convert rust effectively. Ospho is solvent-based and fast-acting, preferred for heavy rust. Corroseal is water-based with lower odor, preferred in enclosed or residential settings where off-gassing is a concern. Windy City Painters selects based on site conditions.
Q: Can iron fence painting be done in winter in Chicago?
A: Application requires temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit for DTM coatings to cure properly. Most iron fence painting in Chicago runs April through October, with scheduling flexibility based on extended warm stretches.
Q: How do I maintain my fence between professional recoats?
A: Inspect annually in spring. Sand any rust spots to bare metal with 80-grit paper, apply Ospho, let cure 24 hours, then spot-prime with DTM primer and touch up with finish coat. Windy City Painters offers maintenance inspections.
Q: Do you paint courtyard building fences and coach house gates?
A: Yes. Multi-unit courtyard buildings and coach houses are common in the North Side neighborhoods Windy City Painters serves. We coordinate with property managers and HOAs for larger perimeter fence projects.
Q: How long after painting can I touch the fence?
A: DTM coatings are typically dry to touch in 2-4 hours and hard dry in 24 hours. Full cure for maximum hardness takes 7 days. Windy City Painters advises against pressure washing or heavy contact during that cure window.
Visit windypainters.com to request your free iron fence assessment and project quote.

Small minimalist master gray tile and porcelain tile gray floor and pebble tile floor alcove shower photo in Portland Maine with beige walls

Mark Adams Pictures
Example of a mid-sized minimalist master gray tile corner shower design in San Francisco with white walls
Example of a mid-sized minimalist master gray tile corner shower design in San Francisco with white walls

Backyard Getaway
Inspiration for a small traditional drought-tolerant and partial sun backyard mulch landscaping in Tampa.
Inspiration for a small traditional drought-tolerant and partial sun backyard mulch landscaping in Tampa.

This kitchen features Blue Fantasy granite countertops.
Inspiration for a large timeless l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor enclosed kitchen remodel in Baltimore with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, blue backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and blue countertops
Inspiration for a large timeless l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor enclosed kitchen remodel in Baltimore with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, blue backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and blue countertops

The Cobblestone Stencil gives you an affordable way to create a faux cobblestone look for your landscaping. Perfect for a little bungalow style home or in the backyard to add a masculine design element. All you need is this stencil, a pressure washer and dirty concrete. Replace the cost of expensive hardscape pavers. The Cobblestone design uses simple registration marks to create a pattern. Just use the outside windows to align the stencil each time with the previous pressure washed area. No need to worry about being perfect, you won’t notice a minor discrepancy. Watch our How-to Video below so you know how the pattern works.
All Driveway Art stencils are reusable and made proudly in the USA. You are turning your dirt into custom artwork that your friends & neighbors won’t believe you did yourself.
Dimensions: 22” x 22” reusable plastic stencil
13






