Oxygen's Profile

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November 9, 2009

HEPA Vacuum Rental?

I'm looking to clean up my apartment after some construction was done. Building is from the 1920s and likely there's lead dust contamination here (owner played shenanigans with a 'bogus' lead test pre-construction). There is no doubt lead dust and the owner isn't going to deal with it (no kids or pregnant women here). I cannot afford to hire a professional cleaning service, but I would like to rent a HEPA vacuum that is approved for lead dust. I'm going to try to follow EPA guidelines, wipe down all surfaces with cleaner, vacuum from ceilings towards floors, then mop floors with three bucket system.

Where do I rent a HEPA vac in Brooklyn (I'm in Clinton Hill)?

October 28, 2009

Epoxy Painting Bathtub

Recent construction damaged the finish of an already well used many decades old cast iron bathtub. I’m a long term renter and the owner has expressed she might pay to have the tub refinished.
I’ve seen this done elsewhere in the building and they merely used what looks like a can of ordinary gloss enamel appliance spray paint…not such a great solution and doesn’t look so great.

I’ve read of epoxy refinishing, and also the plumber on the construction project whispered to me, “Don’t tell her I said this, but you should ask her to have the tub refinished with epoxy paint, I’ve seen this done and it’s fantastic…durable and looks as good as new!”

I know for certain that the owner isn’t going to pay a premium for this service. Maybe a couple hundred at the very most. Does anyone know of a handyman or refinisher that will epoxy paint a bathtub, in situ, at the lower end of the spectrum?

Conversely, I’ve heard of do it yourself epoxy kits…you tpae off and cover the surrounding area, chemical etch or sand the tub to clean and give tooth for the paint to adhere, then a coat or two of a special epoxy spray paint it. I’m very handy and have the skills and can very likely do this very successfully…has anyone done this that can give some feedback or info?

October 23, 2009

Heat Riser Rusted After Painting

I refinished a heat riser pipe in my bathroom a year ago. I stripped off the decades of paint using a combination of elbow grease + tools: putty knife, electric grinder with wire wheel, and sandpaper. I stripped that pipe GOOD and got it down to bare metal.
I cleaned the pipe well with mineral spirits before painting. I used heat resistant brush on paint, silver colored.

A little over a year later, the paint is starting to flake and separate from the pipe...I can see rust coming through the paint film. Gah!

It was a BIG MESS to strip that heat riser and I ended up painting the bathroom afterwards. I am not looking forward to redoing this, but I must. I also have a couple other heat risers to paint in other rooms as well as three radiators (the radiators will be disconnected and painted in another location.

Can anyone offer some prep/paint tips for the heat risers so as to avoid the rusting?
Note that the heat riser WAS NOT primed prior to painting with heat paint. It was my impression that no primer was needed and that the point of the heat paint was that it is formulated as a very thin paint film so as to transmit more heat , and a primer would add to the film thickness, negating that function. Also, is it Ok to paint the risers when the heat is on, as it;s heating season now?

October 6, 2009

Looking For Moulding Source

I’m skim coatinga few room in my 1920’s apartment. I’ve stripped 80 yrs of paint off of some baseboard and picture rail molding….savage work.
Some wall panel molding I’ve chosen to remove permanently.
Other panel molding, I’ve semi-striped…it’s just too much effort. I’d like to just remove it from the wall and proceed with the skim coat, then replace it with new molding.

Here’s a few pics of the moulding’s profile, it measures 1-1/4” wide by 1/4”or 5/16” thick.:

[IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b278/Lopvegasoline/PanelMoulding2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b278/Lopvegasoline/PanelMoulding1.jpg[/IMG]

Does anyone know of a source for molding with a matching profile, or a rough approximation of this profile, for cheap? I’m NOT looking for anything clotted with numerous layers of paint I’d have to strip. It can be new or used, once installed it will be painted, NOT stained, so surface appearance doesn’t need to be pristine as long as there is not thick paint on it obscuring the detail and that it isn’t scratched or gouged to hell. I do not own the apartment, so price is important.

I’m looking for anywhere from 30’ to a few hundred feet.

Thanks for any leads.

Matching Parquet: Update!

This is a follow up to a previous about a month ago entitled:
Help Matching Parquet

http://www.brownstoner.com/forum/archives/2009/09/help_locating_p.php#comments

Well, I did some research and was able to find a close match.

[IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b278/Lopvegasoline/ParquetFloor2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b278/Lopvegasoline/NewParquetFloor1.jpg[/IMG]

It is a close match but not perfect. The main difference is that on the new flooring the white oak wood parquet strips are 2-1/4” wide, vs. the 1-1/2” wide strips on the old flooring. So, instead of 6 wood strips side by side to make up one parquet ‘module’, (one module is 18” x 9” wide) 4 strips of the new wood is used to make the 18” x9” module. We could have had the 1.5” strips milled to our specifications (it is not a standard size stoked these days) but it would have taken a week or two and we had not time. The 2-14” was in stock. Remember, I am a long term renter and my LL was doing this to please me, but I had to the research finding a source for the wood and within a certain budget. The parquet wood flooring itself was not much more than the standard select white oak strips.

The new wood is white oak select (of course it is not the same as the 80 year old grain of the white oak in the rest of the apartment that was laid in the 1920s). The boarder is 1” walnut inlay. I am pleased because the floor design and flow in the apartment is maintained and it looks much better than the regular strip wood that would have been used. The herringbone parquet could have been installed diagonally within the walnut boarder and that looks pretty cool too (I know because the installer screwed up and accidentally laid a third of the room this way), but I wanted to maintain the design with the rest of the apartment.

The floors were installed and finished by Lyon Floor Corp., call Edder @ 732-272-4438.

Thanks for all the ideas and input.

I want to give special kudos to:

BESTWOOD FLOORING INC.
93 Montague Street, #283_Brooklyn, NY 11201 _Telephone: 1.347.327.1106 _Fax: 718.504.5457
http://www.bestwooddesigns.com/index.html

Although he knew from the outset I would not be contracting him, the owner generously spent his time to explain what was involved in spec’ing, buying, and installing the floor,and what suppliers would have it and who to talk to. He gave me options in case the product was not available. BY FAR the most knowledgeable and helpful individual out of the many I contacted. If you need parquet or wood flooring installed, hit him up!

Radiator Paint Color Options

I have three cast iron radiators I'm soon going to paint them and want some finish ideas. Two of them have new fittings installed by a plumber so they can easily be removed and painted in a separate area.

I'd like to hear some ideas for available color finishes.
From what I've read, the high-heat paint (example: Rustoleum) is the type to use. I've used this paint before in both the spray and the can...it is very thin paint made to leave a thin paint film for maximum transmission of heat.

The Rustoleum I've seen only comes in three colors: white, almond, metallic. The metallic color is a bit uninspired...it just looks like the blah aluminum paint you see on most repainted radiators.
Are there any other products or finishes out there that have some more character? The radiators themselves are sort of interesting and certainly can be made to be more so with the right paint treatment.
Some sort of patina’d cast iron look, or pewter, or slightly weathered bronze…or perhaps something with color? I recall reading Farrow and Ball literature that their paint is acceptable for use on radiators.
Ideas? Pics?

One last question: a heat riser I did a year back is starting to rust through the metallic paint. I used a grinder with a wire wheel and sand paper on that riser to strip it down to bare metal (took time and made a mess). Finished it before it oxidized with Rustoleum high heat metallic paint. Another riser finished in similar fashion is doing fine.

Thanks.

September 9, 2009

Help Matching Parquet

I need some help finding parquet wood flooring to match the floor in the rest of my apartment. The flooring in my dining room was removed for construction (contractor claimed he couldn't save it). The individual wood slats measure 1.5" x 18" and are made of either white or red oak. I would need approximately 250 sq/ft of flooring. The building is from the 1920's so the wood is from that era. My budget is roughly $5/square foot. Taking into account these limitations, does anyone know of any possible sources or have tips where I can obtain, new or used, either the same flooring or something that is a close approximation? I'm not looking for an installer, only for the flooring materials. I do not own the apartment, however my landlord had to do construction and now he's getting ready to replace the floor. Unless I can find flooring, he is just going to use straight boards, no parquet. The dining room opens out via double french doors to a large foyer and through double french doors into a large living room a grand sweep of space all with the same parquet flooring. I want to keep the same general feel to the floor. My landlord is willing to install the parquet if I can locate some for a reasonable price, within a week or two.

Ideas?

Thanks a bunch!

August 5, 2009

Paint Prep: Old Paint Peels Off?

I’m prepping a room for repainting (building built in 1920’s). One curious thing: I have interior doors that when I take a putty knife to them, the paint comes off pretty easily in sheets. I have ‘sheets’ of paint that are flexible and that are the size of a poncho. I can get a piece like this stripped off pretty much just by pulling on it with one hand and using a putty knife behind it to separate it easily from the door…when I do this, a very fine powdery dust is released from the underlying paint surface (the paint underneath is a different color). My suspicions are that the ‘sheet’ is thick latex paint (maybe a few coats) that was painted over a previous oil-base paint and that it didn’t adhere well. Btw, the underlying paint isn’t glossy

Anyway, before repainting these doors, are there any recommended preparation procedures and/or product(s) recommended to use to assure proper adhesion with the new paint? Maybe a certain primer? I was thinking of wiping the doors down with either water or mineral spirits (in the event there is a fine dust layer still there). I’ll be repainting the doors with latex interior paint, probably Benjamin Moore).

Thanks.

August 3, 2009

Paint Scheme Ideas w/Molding?

I’m having some rooms renovated and I would like to get some paint scheme ideas. I figure if anyone should know, you guys would.

My apartment building was built in the late 1920’s. The cove ceilings are 9’high (cove: the wall-to-ceiling contour is a curve rather than a 90 degree angle) and the ceiling itself appears as a large, slightly ‘inset’ panel.
There is a molding on the walls at approximately the 8” level that runs around interior perimeter of the room. The long walls also have molding that forms three rectangular panels about 6’ tall and spaced about half a foot apart: each panel has a smaller rectangle panel inside it separated by a 3” border. The short width walls have a similar rectangular molding panel between the windows (the windows also have molding of course), and finally there’s 7” high base molding. Kind of hard to describe, but there’s a bunch of molding!

Does anyone have a good online source that has a plethora of images of walls with molding so I can get some ideas about how and where to apply the paint? Right now everything is white. I want to seem how it would look to either accentuate the molding and/or the boarders with different tones (or possibly different hues).

Thanks a bunch for any references or ideas!

July 31, 2009

Lead Test

Prior to undertaking some construction in an apartment, I first want a fast, quick, and dirty test to verify if there is LEAD present, before going forward and paying the full lab costs of a fully EPA Certified LEAD sampling and lab testing procedure.

Can anyone inform me if the XRF Analyzer (the gun pointed at walls that read presence of LEAD) is the accepted method of determining the presence of lead in wall and ceiling paint prior to any abatement efforts; also if it is possible to get a quick reading (i.e.,without having to send out for lab results) from just a lead testing firm with their XRF analyzer...If the LEAD tester in his experience can make an educated determination that there is LEAD present, I'll go for forward the full battery of tests.
Can anyone recommend me someone that can do this initial quick & dirty test for a reasonably low fee?
I need to have a tentative initial determination within a few days.

Thanks a bunch.

PS: someone informed me that the wipe test (also called 'swab' or 'swipe' test) is only used AFTER an a lead abatement has been performed, to determine the presence of residual lead, but it doesn't test for lead in the walls and ceilings. Is this true?

Author's Comments

I doubt there's more lead in the subway than the sanding that was done in my apartment.
Furthermore, I do not live in the 'A' train tunnel, whatever brief exposure from a subway tunnel can't compare to sleeping in a bedroom with lead dust covering everything...eating in a kitchen with lead dust....using a bathroom with lead dust...for year, decades, to come. This is long term exposure.

Posted by: Oxygen at November 9, 2009 11:59 PM in response to HEPA Vacuum Rental?

I have a Shop Vac. Although you can purchase a HEPA filter for a Shop Vac, the filters are NOT certified for lead abatement or hazardous materials.
Real certified HEPA vacs have special seals and construction and do not pass particles of a certain size/amount through the vac system.
'HEPA' has become a marketing term with little real meaning: just because a filter can theoretically filter down to a certain micron size, doesn't mean the vac system can.

I suspect lots of lead dust and want the real deal to vacuum it up and not worry about blasting back out through the exhaust and distributing it throughout the apartment.

Posted by: Oxygen at November 9, 2009 4:52 PM in response to HEPA Vacuum Rental?

***Pardon the fragmented posts. I wanted to add that shellac is a very good sealer coat, both water base and oil base adhere superbly to it: but make 100% certain you are using DEWAXED shellac. It will not likely give you the problems that staining pine will, do some tests though.

I would not recommend shellac as the TOP COAT however, as it can be damaged by alcohol and also can be affected by water. It will perform excellent as a sealer/toner coat. You may find one of the darker varieties of shellac will darken the floor up sufficiently to your tastes and with a vintage feel....and shellac is an old school wood finish, used for centuries in very high end furniture making. The freshly sanded pine will also naturally darken up a little on its own over time as it ages and is exposed to light. If you want to go darker still, yet stick with waterbase topcoat, you can tint the topcoat a bit with a colorant to shift the tone/hue a little deeper.

Posted by: Oxygen at October 30, 2009 4:24 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

.....

"Bysakhi Button
Rich Brown - Warm Cast
A Deep Rich tone for woods like Walnut, Antique Pine, Older or Aged Fir.
Also used to intermix with other button lac to adjust the tone and color.

Buttonlac is a unique shellac product preferred by restorers
and those looking for a very protective shellac finish.
It is superb for French polishing because of its hardness.
The processing of buttonlac polymerizes it, resulting in a very tough material.
Button Lac is the prefered choice for finishing floors, tough & moisture resistant."

Posted by: Oxygen at October 30, 2009 4:06 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

You need to be careful with staining pine. Pine generally doesn't accept stains very well...it gets blotchy.

Possibilities;
Either consult with your floor guy or If it is DIY, consider a toner coat or maybe shellac for underneath the finish. You could seal the wood (for example with a darker variety of dewaxed shellac, this would add a deeper tone than the fresh pine Shellac comes in dry flakes, you add denatured alcohol and mix it fresh yourself, it comes in many grades and tints from blond ['clear'] to brown). Then, you could also add colorant to your top coats, either oil or water base, to tint them so they would act like a glaze further darkening the floor. A professional will likely have some other ideas.

http://www.shellac.net/BysakhiButtonPic.html

"Bysakhi Button
Rich Brown - Warm Cast
A Deep Rich tone for woods like Walnut, Antique Pine, Older or Aged Fir.
Also used to intermix with other button lac to adjust the tone and color.

"This is made from seedlac of Bysakhi origin (summer season from Palas and Ber trees, an April - June/July crop). Bysakhi is a hard resin, warm brownish in color, & prepared in the Hand made process by heating the seedlac in a cotton tube. The resin secretes through the pores of the cloth and the molten shellac is formed into buttons. A good choice for floors."

Posted by: Oxygen at October 30, 2009 4:05 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

You need to be careful with staining pine. Pine generally doesn't accept stains very well...it gets blotchy.

http://www.shellac.net/BysakhiButtonPic.html

Posted by: Oxygen at October 30, 2009 4:04 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

I agree it sounds unorthodox. Regular linseed oil isn’t a particularly fast dryer. With only a cup of turps and pint of stain, the majority of the mix was pure oil. If it was brushed on and not wiped off, it will perform perhaps less like a stain and more like a toner glaze with a thin barrier film on the wood? Usually, stain is vigorously buffed off the floor so as not to leave a film coat, but just so it penetrates the wood pores and seals them (even when straight oil is used as a final finish for furniture, it is applied and wiped off…oil isn’t a varnish and doesn’t harden like a film finish). If you can’t get as dark as you want, try reformulating the stain and/or water popping the floor.

The point of wiping off the stain, particularly for a water base topcoat, is you want the stain to penetrate, color, and also seal the wood….that is, to prevent the waterbase finish from soaking into the wood and from raising the grain. However, traditionally, you do not want a thick oil film layer on the floor as that can create adhesion issues for the waterbase topcoat…check with the manufacturer if they recommend that. Long term durability will be the acid test.

Also, plain linseed oil isn’t a particularly fast dryer. Make certain the stain is dry before a waterbase top coat is used. You do not want the oil/solvents off gassing underneath of a dried/drying water base topcoat. Again, it could lead to compatibility adhesion issues. Time will be the true test: if it works, it works.

If you are experimenting, best to consult with the technical department/chemists of the brand of top coat you are using.

A Leonardo DaVinci masterpiece, The Last Supper started peeling apart and falling off the wall not long after it was painted…he was experimenting with a new technique, but apparently he didn’t do enough testing for bonding issues before committing.

Posted by: Oxygen at October 28, 2009 5:52 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

I have access to a supplied air respirator...pump, hose, hood. Chemical proof gloves. I have a lot of painting experience and was thinking I could do this...safely.

$300-$500 will be too much as I was offered a new cheap non-cast iron bathtub as a replacement which I declined.

Posted by: Oxygen at October 28, 2009 5:27 PM in response to Epoxy Painting Bathtub

I know it can get expensive even more so if the tub has to be removed/replaced.

I need the budget option...but it needs to be EPOXY PAINT.

I do not own the tub and if it's expensive, the owner will NOT go for it..

Posted by: Oxygen at October 28, 2009 5:05 PM in response to Epoxy Painting Bathtub

The other benefit of waterbase is floor color.

With oil, you get a nice popping of the grain when the oil saturates the wood, it makes the grain look rich. However, polyurethane darkens radically with age to an orangy amber, some like it and some find it somewhat gross. It can obscure the beauty of the wood as it darkens.

With waterbase, the finish is crystal clear generally and does not darken. Thus, you can show off the natural beauty of the wood if you have a fine wood species with lovely color and/or you can stain the wood to the exact hue, saturation, and tone you want. The color you get is the color the floor will always be (accept for slight changes in wood lightening/darkening/oxidation in time after it’s been sanded, this is species dependent) and the clear varnish topcoat will not be obscured through time by orangy opaque darkening. Many people are used to old dark ploy floors, so they think that is what they like…but once you’ve seen nicely stained wood against old darkened polyurethane, the old poly can look quite gross and dull. You can have a floor of outstandingly beautiful wood and grain in a variety of colors that will compliment your décor.

With waterbase, you stain with an oilbase stain, so you get the oil popping effect of oil in the grain, but the stain doesn’t sit on top of the wood’s surface and form a thick film which darkens. The watebase film goes on clear and stays clear, protecting the wood and giving clarity to it’s beauty, color, and tone.

Posted by: Oxygen at October 28, 2009 4:58 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

Depends on the quality of the waterbase finish and the application...you get what you pay for. There are cheap water finishes that offer poor durability and there are expensive finishes that are state of the art and where the industry is going.

My apartment floors have very old oil modified polyurethane finish. I am refinishing several room and I am using Bona Kemi's Traffic, a clear high end, durable, waterbase finish that costs about $100/gallon. Since my floors are newly finished I cannot comment, but I selected Traffic because of the feedback from professionals and it's durability.
More durable = more $$$.

Posted by: Oxygen at October 28, 2009 4:44 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

You need to wipe off excess stain...you apply it so it soaks into the wood, then you wipe off the excess: do not leave it on too long. Generally, whether you use an oil or waterbase topcoat, the stain is an oil base. Usually stains made for floors have driers in them to speed the dry time...you apply, leave on for 5 minutes, then wipe off the excess.

You can go darker by 'water popping' the floor, by raisin the grain.Wood is a fibrous and has a grain to it...it soaks up water which makes the fibers expand. If you wet smooth, freshly sanded wood you will find it is rougher when it drys…the grain has expanded. Different wood species do this to different degrees.

Water popping opens the grain thereby allowing more stain to penetrate which equals darker stain. This is done after the final sanding of the floor…the floor is uniformly wiped with a wet rag…the grain raises. However, you do not want a rough floor, only opened grain, so one method is to VERY LIGHTLY(!) scuff sand the floor at this point, which has the effect of knocking of the small wood fibers that now protrude from the floor’s the surface which were making the floor feel rough. Sand too much at this point, and you effectively have re-closed the wood fibers defeating the purpose of the water popping.

Key is to wet-wipe the floor uniformly…do it as if you were applying stain…if some areas are dryer/wetter than others the floor may not accept the stain uniformly.

Allow the floor to thoroughly dry before any scuff sanding. Vac or wipe all dust off the floor. Make sure it is really dry and preferably wait 24 hrs before applying the top coat (different seasons/temps/humidity will effect dry time…you can use fans at this stage to dry the stain). Wipe stain on, let penetrate, wipe off…do NOT allow it to site on the surface for a darker effect…you may have issues with the bonding of the finish. The stains made for floors generally are formulated as a seal coat, so you do not have to put on a separate coat of sealer.
You should do tests on spare wood flooring sanded like the rest of your floor, or in an area like a closet where you can make mistakes. If it is STILL not as dark as you want, either reformulate the stain, sand it all over again, and start from scratch….or try another wipe on/wipe off pass of the stain, mindful not to let it forma surface film. These floor stain/sealers are generally made to be one shot deals.

Posted by: Oxygen at October 28, 2009 4:37 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

The paint I used was heat paint made for the purpose, in a solvent base, NOT latex.
If a primer is recommended, what brand primer???

Thanks for the Benjamin Moore recommendation, but I do not want a GLOSS paint. Do you know if that same paint is in this application in a flat or matte sheen?

Posted by: Oxygen at October 23, 2009 2:54 PM in response to Heat Riser Rusted After Painting

The new Parquet was purchased at Premium Wood Floors (premiumwoodfloors.com).

Bestwood was found doing a google search (I called folks all over, in state and out). This place is outstanding. I have no doubt he does incredible work.

Lyon Floor was the flooring guy my LL had contracted. He had used him in his private home to install his floors, so he was using him for the job, that was clear at the outset. My job was to spec the wood and find a source for the flooring. The guy from Lyon picked up the wood and did the installation, then sanded, ad finally applied the finish. I had three coats of Bona Traffic semigloss waterbase finish, stained with mix of Bona Drifast Natural + Rosewood color. He did another room and shortly he will do the halls and foyer.

My LL doesn't like spending money and this is not a luxury rental, so I assume Lyon was very reasonably priced...in fact I'm certain of it. They also refinished my kitchen floor and their estimate was significantly less than all others I had consulted.

Posted by: Oxygen at October 6, 2009 6:43 PM in response to Matching Parquet: Update!

I'm curious: do you have the name of the Brazilian floor refinshing company? Was one of the Brazilian guys named Edder?

Sounds like the guys that just did some floors for me.

Posted by: Oxygen at October 6, 2009 4:02 PM in response to Verrazano Flooring NOT WORTH IT

Speculation. Might as well speculate if the LL is overcharging the OP. Or, if you are overcharging your tenants. The point is, none of this information is available to us, nor is it productive here.

The OP wanted to sublet her place and was ignorant of what that entailed. Now she has some good info regarding her legal requirements, along with various opinions about her situation. Hopefully now, her actions will result in an equitable and satisfactory outcome for all the principle parties.

Have a good weekend.

Posted by: Oxygen at September 11, 2009 12:42 PM in response to Questions About Subletting

The OP has a legal right to go abroad and teach temporarily, and to sublet while she is gone. It's that simple.

Due to her ignorance and fear, she didn't cross her i's and dot her t's. It sounds like she merely wants to sublet her place - not rent gouge or profiteer off of a friend or to screw her LL- but unfortunately, due to the unrestrained greed and an often predatory climate propagated by certain, but by no means all LL's, she was fearful of how to proceed and rightfully so. What she has done so far is not set in stone nor is it irrevocable. Also, since no sublease was signed I do not think any court would recognize this as a sublet: it's definition is indeterminate but it sounds to me more like a roommate situation at this stage, although the issue of the amount her roommate is paying is of concern. If it is indeed a roommate, and she is charging him more than half the legal rent, she is in violation of the law and could have eviction proceedings brought against her for rent overcharge.

She needs to follow the law, which is what I am suggesting that she do, or she deserves to suffer the consequences. From her post, I do not think she has a clue how shrewd many landlords are, nor does she seem to have a solid grasp of the monetary value as an asset that her stabilized apt. represents, and the tens/hundreds of thousands of $$ her LL stands to make if he gets her out. If she understood the money clearly, she would understand better the danger of ignoring the law and making herself vulnerable.

Since she seems naive and ignorant, I suggest she seek the advice of an attorney who can advise her what she needs to do. If she takes my advice and follows the law, she can develop her career and broaden her horizons by teaching abroad: the LL will be paid his rent and will be allowed his annual rental increases. No one is cheating anyone and greed does not consume either party. The status quo is maintained. I do not see a federal case here, other than greed, rancor, and fear in the air.

Posted by: Oxygen at September 11, 2009 12:37 AM in response to Questions About Subletting

I'm still trying to find a source. Finding the wood already milled to 1.5 (W)x 18"(L) x 3/4"(H) is not happening.
I may need to find a source to custom mill the wood. Each strip have a tongue and groove joint cut on each of its four sides.

I did find one source that sells 1.5"(w) x 3/4"(T) flooring [regular long lengths] with tongue & groove joints cut on the two sides. I'd have to find someone to mill the wood: cut it into 18" lengths and also to mill matching tongue & groove joints on the two ends, likely with a shaper.

Anymore ideas, please keep them flowing.

Thanks again...

Posted by: Oxygen at September 11, 2009 12:06 AM in response to Help Matching Parquet

As Modsquad hints at, maintaining the apartment as your Primary Residence is important if you wish to keep it, more so if you have a landlord who has an incentive to wants to deregulate it. If you are gone for a year this would be the better method for your LL to evict you.

I suggest also discussing with your attorney what you will need to do to validate your apartment as your primary residence. If you get sued, expect to have your personal data submitted as evidence in court, as per the link above in Modsquad's post. Utility bills/usage are also used to prove a tenant was not living in an apartment during a certain period. FYI, it is also very common for a landlord to video tape their tenants' comings and goings via either an exposed or hidden video camera. My landlord had a video camera the size of a thimble hidden in the lobby, by chance a flash digital photograph of someone's child showed an unusual reflection and that was how it was discovered.

I would advise against notifying your landlord that you now have a roommate. If the LL sends you a request in writing for your roommate's name, then you can consider what you wish to do.

You really need to discuss your situation with a qualified and experienced tenant attorney...DO NOT go to an all-purpose attorney as he will not be familiar enough with these kinds of cases to give you good advice.

Posted by: Oxygen at September 10, 2009 12:04 PM in response to Questions About Subletting

Instruct the brother of your friend to say nothing if questioned. He can pretend not to speak English. Don't start making up stories. Don't start planning intricate ruses.

Speak with an attorney and find out what you need to due to legitimate a potential sublet or prepare to either forfeit the teaching in China and/or your apartment of 14 years. It will be money well spent. If you try to game the system and trick your landlord, and he has the monetary incentive to get rid of you, as you claim he has, you may just find yourself enmeshed in a lawsuit(s) and having to spend thousands of dollars just to defend your right to continue living in your apartment.

Posted by: Oxygen at September 10, 2009 3:11 AM in response to Questions About Subletting

[cont.]

...bad faith by withholding consent.

4. If your apartment is rent stabilized, the following provisions also apply:

You cannot charge your subtenant more than your current rent unless the apartment is furnished during the sublet. In this case, a 10 percent surcharge may be added. The landlord may also collect a vacancy-allowance increase during the term of the sublet. It is rolled back when the prime tenant returns. The increase is the vacancy allowance, if any, provided in the Rent Guidelines Board Order in effect at the beginning of the lease, provided the lease is a renewal lease.

You must establish, and should say so in your initial letter to your landlord, that at all times you will maintain the apartment as your primary residence and intend to reoccupy it at the expiration of the sublease. Primary-residence status requires that during your absence from your apartment, you pay New York City resident income tax, listing the apartment as your residence, and that all records of your residence, including your driver's license, car registration and voting records, reflect the apartment as your home.

You, as the prime tenant, retain the right to a renewal lease, and the rights and status of a "tenant in occupancy" as they relate to conversion to condominium or cooperative ownership.

The law limits your sublet to two years, including the term of the proposed sublease, out of the four-year period preceding the termination date of the proposed sublease. Your landlord may agree to waive this limitation, but the law allows him to refuse. There is no harm in asking. If he says yes, get it in writing.

If your lease expires during the term of the proposed sublease, your subtenant is subject to your renewal lease. The landlord is required to offer and accept a renewal lease from you during the sublet period just as if you were in occupancy.

Should you overcharge your subtenant, he or she shall be entitled to damages of three times the overcharge and may also be awarded attorneys' fees and interest from the date of the overcharge. "

If you have questions, here is a good place to ask them:

http://tenant.net/phpBB2/

Good luck.

Posted by: Oxygen at September 10, 2009 2:58 AM in response to Questions About Subletting

The law for rent regulated tenants allows you to sublet your apartment for two years in each four year period. This is your right by law, regardless whether your lease grants you this: if you are rent stabilized and your lease states otherwise, the law trumps your lease. You have rights, but along with your rights come obligations, it's a two way street: fail to meet your obligations and you may forfeit your rights. It's great that you have a teaching opportunity, but it's time to become a student and get a better education in NYC housing law.

So yes, you have the right to go and teach in China for two years and sublet your apartment, the only problem is that you did not do the sublet via the correct legal procedures, but rather that you attempted to sublet informally. I would suggest contacting a tenant attorney...not an all-purpose attorney but specifically a tenant attorney whose practice is focused primarily on representing tenants in NYC. Call by phone from China and explain the situation and see if you can get a free phone consultation and/or purchase a consultation (usually 45 minutes to one hour where you discuss your situation and get a sense of your options). This can be done via phone and I'm sure payment can be arranged via credit card or other means. You may be able to handle the entire process from where you are in China, casually. OTOH, yo umay need to contract an attorney to assist you and/or you may need to return to NYC...get some sound legal input before you do anything.
It sounds to me like you may have a 'roommate' situation now - that you took on a roommate and that you are just out of the country for a few weeks/months (you haven't been gone a full year yet, have you)? If an opportunity to teach has opened up in China, maybe you can sublet your apartment to your roommate....he would then become the tenant for the duration of the sublet, and that may even mean he can take on one roommate of his own if he so chooses. Of course, you would have to do this LEGALLY, formally, and with the landlord's permission in order to preserve your rights to continued tenancy when the sublet terminates.
If you act foolishly now, you very well may lose your apartment. Do not be penny wise and pound foolish. Get advice and/or representation from a practitioner who is experienced in these issues.
You will need to document in writing many things during this process. This is NOT a matter to be handled informally as you are now doing. You need to document the process in writing so you will have proof in the event you are unreasonably denied the sublet by the landlord and also so that you will retain your tenancy rights after the sublet terminates.

Here is some more info for you and for the edification of those following this thread (sorry for the length but this cuts through much confusion):

http://tenant.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4933

"Subletting

Even if your lease forbids it, you have the right under the law to sublease your apartment, and the lease provision is null and void. The subletting procedures below apply generally to tenants renting an apartment pursuant to an existing lease in a building having four or more residential units. The exceptions are tenants in public housing, limited-profit housing, or housing subject to rent control. Rent controlled tenants may, however, sublet if they have a current or prior lease that contains a clause permitting subletting, or if the landlord consents. To sublet, you must closely follow these procedures:

1. Send a letter to the landlord by certified mail, return receipt requested, requesting permission to sublease. (You should retain copies of this correspondence, as well as all other correspondence sent to the landlord.) This letter must contain the following information:

The term (starting and ending dates) of the sublet, not to exceed two years. (If you are uncertain about the term, choose the longer period, because it is difficult to extend the sublet. You can always return early.)

The name of the proposed subtenant. (Choose someone you know if possible. Subleasing to strangers is risky and often full of unhappy surprises.)

The business and permanent home address of the proposed subtenant.

Your reason for subletting (work transfer, school attendance, family crisis, etc). Your reason must reflect an intent to return.

Your address for the term of the sublet.

The written consent of any co-tenant or guarantor of your lease.

A copy of the proposed sublease, to which a copy of your lease is attached, if available.

A separate letter wherein both you and your proposed subtenant state that the attached sublease is a true copy of such sublease. This statement must be signed and notarized.

2. Within 10 days after you mail your initial request, your landlord is allowed to ask for additional information, in order to determine if rejecting your request would be unreasonable. Expect a list of inquiries about the proposed sublessee's resources and rental history.

3. Within 30 days after you mail the initial notice, or after you mail the additional information if requested, your landlord must send you a notice of consent to the sublet, or their reasons for refusal.

If your landlord consents, you may sublease, but you remain liable for future rents.

If your landlord reasonably withholds consent, you can't sublet, and you are not released from the lease and can be held liable for future rents.

If your landlord fails to send a response within the 30 days, this shall be deemed consent to the subletting.

If your landlord unreasonably withholds consent, you may sublet in accordance with the request. If your landlord then tries to evict you, you may recover the costs of any eviction proceedings, together with attorneys' fees, if it is found that your landlord acted in

Posted by: Oxygen at September 10, 2009 2:52 AM in response to Questions About Subletting

Each parquet strip is 18" long.

6 individual strips make up one rectangular 'block' measuring 9" x18"

Posted by: Oxygen at September 10, 2009 2:06 AM in response to Help Matching Parquet

Steve, thanks for the ideas.

These are most definitely not face nailed.
I'm almost 100% positive this is 3/4" thick and I'll confirm that with the contractor tomorrow.

Posted by: Oxygen at September 9, 2009 10:21 PM in response to Help Matching Parquet

Steve, thanks for the ideas.

These are most definitely not face nailed.
I'm almost 100% positive this is 3/4" thick and I'll confirm that with the contractor tomorrow.

Posted by: Oxygen at September 9, 2009 10:21 PM in response to Help Matching Parquet

I haven't checked, but I'm fairly certain the floors are thicker than 1/4", probably 3/4". I begged the contractor to save the wood, but he gave me a lame excuse and said it had nails in it so was impossible to save (of coarse it had nails in it). He just didn't want to deal with it. About 1/3rd of the floor is still in place, it was never removed.

Posted by: Oxygen at September 9, 2009 5:49 PM in response to Help Matching Parquet

Arkady, I called Honerkamp and unfortunately they do not deal in flooring. Any other ideas?

Posted by: Oxygen at September 9, 2009 4:35 PM in response to Help Matching Parquet

I've lived here 25 years...and will likely live here another 25. It's my home. I'm trying to maintain the beauty of my home. I love all woodworking and floors in particular.
The landlord is the one paying for the floor. He has his own floor installation guys and as I said, he's just going to use straight plain wood, no parquet. I expressed my disappointment and he then offered that if I can locate the parquet flooring for about $5/sq. ft. (which is twice what he's paying for the plain straight wood flooring), he'll buy it and tell the installers to install it with an effort to match as closely as possible the original floor. I'm asking here to try and locate a source for the flooring.

The owner wants to get the floors down next week, so I'm in a rush to find a source within the budget.
Thanks for the references and please keep them coming. Much appreciated!

Posted by: Oxygen at September 9, 2009 4:08 PM in response to Help Matching Parquet

renomandru,
I went to the Farrow and Ball website and it’s a gold mine of info and ideas!

I decided to get a little deeper in my plastering. The ceilings many thick paint layers which add eight and cause cracking. I am now going to have it all scraped off, then a large sheet of mesh put on with plaster on that to bond it to the substrate, then the whole thing skim coated.
This will look really nice and it also gives me some more time to decide on paint schemes.

I am going to look over the color charts on the Farrow & Ball website, and if I see some colors I’m interested in, I may take you up on the paint sample pot offer if you have those colors.

Shoot me an email:
xxxfringe@hotmail.com

Replace the ‘xxx ‘ above with ‘purple’

Thanks again for all the great ideas. It is really a rich subject, it gets more fascinating the more I understand a bit of the history of these rooms and moldings also. I just discovered that the molding one foot below my ceiling is actually called ‘picture rail molding. And was designed to accept ‘S’ shaped hangers to hang picture wires/pictures from. I’m an artist and had devised a not too dissimilar system in my studio to hold paintings I’m working on…it’s fascinating to learn the functional aspect of these older homes and the molding. Previously, I just thought that stuff was an impediment to the clean modern lines.

Posted by: Oxygen at August 6, 2009 11:59 AM in response to Paint Scheme Ideas w/Molding?

rneomandru,
Thanks for the Bins tip. I do have good Purdy brushes that lay it on smooth.

Btw, what sheen did you paint your walls with the F&B paint?

Posted by: Oxygen at August 6, 2009 11:48 AM in response to Paint Prep: Old Paint Peels Off?

Thanks for the replies. There's no children here, but I'm mindful of the lead issue and am handling it safely.

Steve, thanks for the info. I do not see your phone number. From your description, the primer you recommending sounds like an oil base product: are you suggesting that the doors/frames be repainted with an oil base paint, as opposed to a latex base paint? Would latex paint be able to be applied over the oil base primer you referenced?

Thanks again.

Posted by: Oxygen at August 5, 2009 12:28 PM in response to Paint Prep: Old Paint Peels Off?

Thanks for the many excellent ideas! My mind is starting to get a feel for the terrain now…the more I delve into the sources mentioned, the more interesting this topic becomes. I just wish I had a bit more time to process it: I need to make a decision on the paint scheme today.

Please post up any more additional comments or ideas if you have them.
Thanks!
-Oxygen

Posted by: Oxygen at August 5, 2009 8:28 AM in response to Paint Scheme Ideas w/Molding?

renomandru, thanks for the good advice.

I'm actually an artist, trained as a painter, but frankly I do not have much exposure to this sort of interior. I'd like to see how these walls with molding were traditionally painted, as well as the more modernized approaches that avoid the 'gingerbread house' effect you mention.
I need to make some decisions today, with very little time, which is why I'm trying to find some online sources. I'm thinking of using one hue, mixed into three subtle tones without too much contrast between the tones.
If anyone else has any online sources for this sort of thing, please post.

Posted by: Oxygen at August 4, 2009 10:56 AM in response to Paint Scheme Ideas w/Molding?

Yes, there's very good reason why I need t have the LEAD test. I understand fully about building age and the presumption of lead: and that isn't what I am inquiring about. I 'm familiar with EPA guidelines for lead abatement and materials handling.

I repeat my question: can anyone recommend an inexpensive individual experienced with an XRF test in a residential apartment context?

Thank you.

Posted by: Oxygen at July 31, 2009 7:59 PM in response to Lead Test

Yes, there's very good reason why I need t have the LEAD test. I understand fully about building age and the presumption of lead: and that isn't what I am inquiring about. I 'm familair with EPA guidelines for lead abatement and materials handling.

I repeat my question: can anyone recommend an inexpensive individual experienced with an XRF test in a residential apartment context?

Thank you.

Posted by: Oxygen at July 31, 2009 7:59 PM in response to Lead Test

You just have to use your intuition, a few external checks, and then just take your chances. There are no guarantees.

Look at the divorce rate. If that is any measure of an individuals flawed judgement about inability to plan and manage their future I'm not so sure what credit reports are going to tell you.

Look at all the corporations with glowing credit agency reports, AAA ratings, the best of references, and enjoying the height of respectability .... that completely sh|t the bed.

You think your bank check and spending habits are going to put you in the winners circle? What we don't know about each other outdistances what we do know...

Posted by: Oxygen at July 1, 2009 4:31 PM in response to How to Assess Potential Tenants?

Lots of useless info here.

If you are living in the same house with someone and sharing resources, either renting a unit or seeking a roommate use some simple and direct methods.

Do not rent on the spot. Take you time.

Quick telephone conversation to screen if the candidate is compatible with what you are looking for. Ask them why they are moving. Try to avoid those that are in desperate situations, as they may not be thinking in terms of a longer time frame other than just getting themselves out of hot water (ie. they are getting evicted in 5 days and have not found a place yet and are panicked). Tell them you will not accept payment the same day as you will not rent it on the spot. Set up a meeting. Weed down the candidates.

Have a day or two set aside to show the place: appointment intervals at the half hour mark can be useful. Some will be late and not call, some will not show and never call. You have just eliminated some deadbeats.

After showing the place to the rest (who pass a minimal test of at least being able to meet an appointment) some will not like it. Those are eliminated and save you from fruitless effort. Speak privately for about 10-15 minutes or so with the other candidates. Get a feel for them. Ask the questions directly face to face so you can see their reactions to the questions instead of just the info in the reply. Invaluable insight is gained thereby. If they like the place and are serious about renting, tell them they will need to provide three references. See how they respond. Tell them to get them to you ASAP so you can work on calling them….they can also write them out while they are there and when you meet with the next candidate. Inform them that after checking references if they are selected, they should be prepared to provide proof of income (and whatever other financial info you need) so they should get that prepared. See how they respond. Finally, tell them to sleep on it and think it over, you want someone who will be happy moving in, not someone grasping at the place due to desperation and the difficulty of finding a great place at a great place (if you are rent gouging them, disregard all this advice as you will need to take what you can get).

Request references: previous LL’s, employers, teachers, past or current roommates. Best are those with a professional relationship to the candidate, as they are not bound by ties of friendship to bend the truth.

Call the references. You will know when you get glowing reports about the individual’s responsibility, respectfulness, punctuality, courtesy, etc. You’ll get a good feel about the person. Some candidates will stand out both in your meeting and in their references. You will get a sense of what people are about and also a bit about their lifestyle (you can also have asked those lifestyle questions when you interviewed them). See if the references confirm your personal impressions and intuition.

Further narrow down the candidates.
Form your list you select your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th 5th choice. Call back the candidates and tell them their references spoke highly of them and confirmed your impression, and you would like to offer the rental to them, but you have others in line, so time is of the essence. Request to meet again and tell them to bring proof of income/employment (and any other financial info you may need…I have never needed credit report as this system has never yielded a dud candidate). Tell them also to bring a deposit.

After deposit is paid, set up a date to meet with the prospective tenant ASAP and accept first month rent payment/security deposit, sign the lease, and give them the keys. Call the other candidates to inform them they should consider the place rented, barring a last minute reversal..in which case you will call them ASAP and offer them the place, going down your runner-up line up.

YMMV.

Posted by: Oxygen at July 1, 2009 4:18 PM in response to How to Assess Potential Tenants?

Thank you.

My advice is to examine the issue and amounts more carefully and then make an informed decision...and AT ALL COSTS avoid taking advice from landlords. Landlord's will not represent the OP's best interests.

The housing and civil courts exist to resolve disputes such as these. Judges will gladly inform you of this....that you are NOT wasting their time, it is what they are paid for. This situation...breech of warranty of habitability and withholding of rent, are among the most common housing court cases.

If the OP is not being adequately compensated for damages and the LL is unwilling to remedy this, she should by all means seek resolution in court. There was a oral contract that the work would be completed in 3 days.

Without the complete factual info about what transpired, any specific advice we give is unrelated to the OP's specific situation.

Next time you are without use of your bathroom (...and your living room) for a week++...based on someone else's breech of contract, you'll have occasion to effectively evaluate it's monetary value to you.

Posted by: Oxygen at June 29, 2009 6:05 PM in response to Withholding Rent?

You have a lease which is a contract. The LL is required to maintain the apartment, 'warranty of habitability'. Furthermore, it sounds as if essential services were withheld. You were 'constructively evicted' from your bathroom and possibly your living room as well. If a LL is going to do repairs that will prevent you from using your apartment, he will generally need to relocate you (in another unit, hotel etc). Yes, your LL is liable to you. It is his fault. If his contractor breeched the repair contract then the LL can sue the contractor, or seek compensation from him...why should you be the one who is screwed? You were informed that the work would not last longer than three days.

The value of the compensation would need to be determined by your rent amount, the services/areas that were not fully usable and the duration. Perhaps inconvenience suffered would also be an issue. If you had rented a hotel room the LL while your apartment was undergoing those repairs, I'd think any judge would easily order reimbursement.

You can either negotiate for what you believe to be fair compensation, initiate a small claims court case, or withhold rent and let the LL take you to court and put in your answer with warranty of habitability defense.

You have to factor in what is reasonable compensation with the effort of court.
Without knowing the type of unit, your monthly rent, etc. it is impossible to calculate an abatement so take any advice given here with a grain of salt (i.e., a $300 abatement has a different meaning if your rent is $500, $1000, $5,000...how can anyone here offer reasonable advice without the essential facts?).

You would do better to consult tenant advocates for advice, rather than landlords.
Go here for a better discussion of the merits of various options then decide what is the best course of action:

http://tenant.net/phpBB2/

Good luck.

Posted by: Oxygen at June 29, 2009 4:47 PM in response to Withholding Rent?

Thanks for the ideas.

The owner is saying they prefer a solvent Urethane for durability.
So, I may have to change direction. THe stuff they use is super cheap, and the last time a floor was refinished in here after about a year or two it starting wearing off.

Any recommendations for a good quality solvent based polyurethane or urethane, preferably as non-yellowing as possible? I'll post this in anothe thread as well.

Thanks again.

Posted by: Oxygen at April 16, 2009 8:16 AM in response to Water Base Floor Varnish?

Thanks, unfortunately they are out of stock on water base floor products.

Posted by: Oxygen at April 15, 2009 10:06 AM in response to Water Base Floor Varnish?

I live 2.5 blocks from AY and have no interest whatsoever in the project. I can't see what it will do to 'improve' the neighborhood.

Posted by: Oxygen at March 31, 2009 7:39 PM in response to Atlantic Yards: The Play-by-Play

Bong,
I actually like the love the raw industrial buildings.

I did LIKE the previous grit and rawness of that AY area…just as I liked the raw vibe of old DUMBO before it became completely converted into yuppie condo town. DUMBO had that rare quality that carried the DNA of the Brooklyn waterfront...it sickens me now.

I had a dream where I walked east down Atlantic Ave. and there was a lot of old industrial buildings with open lots. I awoke with a great feeling of thrilled excitement and a great feeling of loss…that some of the best character of Brooklyn was being removed in order to homogenize the city.

Posted by: Oxygen at March 31, 2009 6:42 PM in response to Atlantic Yards: The Play-by-Play

It's never a good thing to be mugged.

Independent of neighborhoods, folks need to know how to walk on streets, particularly if they are alone on deserted streets late at night. You can't be walking staring at the ground oblivious to what is around you. That sends certain signals. Even a tiny female walking down the street and situationally aware, will project a vibe that will repel a mugger.

When I first came to NYC in the early 80's I saw a man get beaten in the face by a 5 foot long crowbar...in East Soho. Got struck in the eye and his eye turned into a bloody peach. Then, struck about the body several times with the crowbar, with tons of people standing within just a few feet people standing around watching. My intro to NYC.
About 10 years ago, I saw the jewelry store owner on Macdougal St. (between Bleeker and 3rd St., I believe the store was called C’est La Vie?) laying on his back, dead, with his throat slit in a pool of his own blood soaking the carpet.
Of course, you live here long enough, you see all sorts of stuff.
I’m sure if you are a cop in any precinct house, you’ll see all types of criminal sitting in your holding cell before being on his way to central booking.

To bad it is so difficult to get a CCW here in the Big Apple.

Be safe.

Posted by: Oxygen at March 11, 2009 5:27 PM in response to Condo of the Day: 430 Clinton Avenue, #4D

11217,
You seem a bit out of touch with this neighborhood.
I’ve lived on this block for decades.
I ‘ve been mugged in the 80’s and early 90’s in the late night/early morning but the area has changed considerably. I do not feel threatened on the street alone at any time. There’s an Associated supemarket 2 blocks away. There’s another Associated supermarket on Futon (5 blocks) away that is open late, last time I shopped at night I think they were open to 9:30 (maybe 10PM?). 24 hr. Bodegas within 1.5 blocks. Restaurants, Bedogas, bars on Dekalb 5 blocks (=5 mintues walk). Or, walk down Green/Laffeyette towards dining, bars maybe 10 minutes. Myrtle dining/commercial area is also a 5 minute walk.
Two subway trains 1.5 blocks walk in either direction . Plenty of bus lines.

I for one am pleased NOT to have view, or hear, a supermarket across the street from me…or worse, on the ground floor of my building. I prefer the beautiful peaceful residential street that is Clinton Ave.

Posted by: Oxygen at March 11, 2009 4:45 PM in response to Condo of the Day: 430 Clinton Avenue, #4D

And yes, the relentless basketball too, early in the morning.

Posted by: Oxygen at March 4, 2009 3:29 PM in response to New Signage at Teen Challenge Center a Real Bummer

"Aren't awnings meant to go over doorways?"

LOL, that was my first response as well. Botching something as routine as an awning doesn't send a message of competence.

Posted by: Oxygen at March 4, 2009 3:27 PM in response to New Signage at Teen Challenge Center a Real Bummer

I wouldn't say they are very good neighbors. I live next door next to one of their buildings and if weather permits, early in the morning a dozen of the brainwashed will be placed in a circle and will loudly chant religious brainwash material. Would always wake me up, is highly disturbing, and not too neighborly.
I have intimately witnessed decades of the brainwashed clientele undergo their day. If the alternative is jail than it's a good thing. The brainwashing is pretty scary though, if you saw what goes down.

Yeah, the awning is ugly.

Posted by: Oxygen at March 4, 2009 3:20 PM in response to New Signage at Teen Challenge Center a Real Bummer

I agree with Ringo.
Even with late fees, you have then have a new hassle of enforcing them. How much new aggravation are you going to expend on that???
With this tenant, put the pressure on them to pay on time, but assume that they will not. If they are consistently yet reliably late in their payment, it may just be their nature....procrastination. If you just make yourself a little financial cushion to work with, YOUR problem will go away (no the late payments will not go away). You can still pressure them for timely payments and if they comply it is just icing on the cake.

Posted by: Oxygen at February 5, 2009 5:49 PM in response to Late Rent Notice

Rent regulation gives the tenant some modicum of parity. The housing laws are evolved from the European legal system...even the term 'landlord' is from a time when it was legal to OWN the people who lived on your property, your serfs. LORD of the land.
The laws in the USA grew out of that European system and are unjustly weighted in the favor of the property owner. Rent regulation has thankfully made an effort to bring some legal justice to tenants. Unfortunately, the real estate lobby (and their money) in NYC has had a stranglehold on NYC housing laws. I am glad to see the Democrats making an effort to reverse some of that.

The fact is this: there is widespread predatory landlord abuse in buildings with RS and RC apartments. The business model is based upon converting all the rent regulated units completely to market value apartments (save for the token senior citizen tenant who is allowed to remain for PR purposes, the ethnic minority tenant also permitted to remain for PR purposes, and of course the rare tenant who knows the laws, is tough skinned, and is willing to engage in an eternal fight who the landlord cannot get out or buy out). This destroys affordable housing in NYC. Vacancy decontrol permits the landlords to cook their books and play the odds when illegally boosting an apartments rent to deregulate it.

Of course, many NYC'ers are ignorant of what actually goes down and how the process plays out. You only see a truck pull up to a building and a tenant loading his possessions into it; a couple months later another truck pulls up and a wealthier tenants unloads his possessions. It is a hidden process, you do not see the living hell and harassment tenants are placed under until they relent and move. Hopefully, these new laws will pass and give some relief to the tenants who are being preyed upon based on the current laws.

Posted by: Oxygen at February 3, 2009 7:39 PM in response to Democratic Assembly Passes Pro-Tenant Legislation

Responses to Author's Forum Comments

Stain may not be the right product. For dark, rich, vibrant floors evocative of 19th Century use an aniline dye. These dyes, though dark and potent, are very transparent thus allowing the grain to shine through. An experienced flooring contractor, such as Norwegian Wood, will be very familiar with this type of application. Ed Kopel Architects, PC

Posted by: edkopel at October 29, 2009 9:18 AM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

Saw this process on This Old House. Found the clip here:

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,1631531,00.html

Posted by: allans at October 29, 2009 11:47 AM in response to Epoxy Painting Bathtub

Any thoughts about what to do with old pine floors from the 1890s? The floor guy told me they will be very light with water-based polyurethane. I was planning to stain them a medium to dark brown walnut type color.

But now that I'm reading these posts I'm wondering if that's a good idea. Is it tacky to stain old pine floorboards? The house is full of very dark (painted) woodwork, so I think light floors will look very weird.

Probably originally the house had wall to wall carpets and linoleum.

Thanks!

Posted by: mopar at October 30, 2009 1:48 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

Also, I'm sure you already know this because everyone does, but don't leave oil soaked rags balled up, make sure the room has plenty of ventilation and don't smoke. The Daily News had a story in the last six months about some guy who created a fireball by not ventilating the basement unit he was refinishing.

Posted by: serpentor at October 30, 2009 2:02 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

You need to be careful with staining pine. Pine generally doesn't accept stains very well...it gets blotchy.

http://www.shellac.net/BysakhiButtonPic.html

Posted by: Oxygen at October 30, 2009 4:04 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

You need to be careful with staining pine. Pine generally doesn't accept stains very well...it gets blotchy.

http://www.shellac.net/BysakhiButtonPic.html

"Bysakhi Button
Rich Brown - Warm Cast
A Deep Rich tone for woods like Walnut, Antique Pine, Older or Aged Fir.
Also used to intermix with other button lac to adjust the tone and color.

Posted by: Oxygen at October 30, 2009 4:05 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

.....

"Bysakhi Button
Rich Brown - Warm Cast
A Deep Rich tone for woods like Walnut, Antique Pine, Older or Aged Fir.
Also used to intermix with other button lac to adjust the tone and color.

Posted by: Oxygen at October 30, 2009 4:06 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

Posted by: Oxygen at October 30, 2009 4:24 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

Gosh, thank you so much!

Posted by: mopar at October 30, 2009 4:58 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark

Hey all, if anyone is still reading, I saw the stain samples today. Our floor guy sanded the pine, then sealed it with something to even out the coloration slightly, then painted five samples.

He tried Minwax Early American, Golden Oak, Pecan, Cherry, and Natural. Early American was the darkest and Natural was the lightest, and they both showed the most contrast -- the highest mix of lights and darks. Natural gave a real "pine" look, if that's what you're after. We nixed both of those because the contrast was so extreme.

Cherry and Golden Oak had the most even tones of all, and I happened to like the Golden Oak color, so we went with that. You have to try the samples on your own floor, because the colors will be different, but on our floor, Golden Oak was a nice warm light medium brown with no red, orange, or yellow tones. Cherry and pecan also looked nice, but not as close to the color we were looking for.

Posted by: mopar at November 4, 2009 12:27 PM in response to Staining Regular Oak Floors Dark