Bad News Bearer

Customers come in to the store seeking help and advice on how to do a home improvement project and usually they take our advice, use the products we recommend, and come back with the good news that it worked. But there have been times when people react in surprising ways.

I distinctly remember 5 or 6 years ago a woman came in for paint. She wanted to repaint the kitchen walls. We asked what kind of paint was currently on it-flat or shiny. She said shiny so we told her that she would have to dull the shine with sandpaper or use liquid sandpaper to make sure the new paint would stick. She was indignant. She said the other store had not told her to make the surface dull and if we were expecting her to prepare the surface she was just going to go back to the store that hadn't told her to do that first step. I was completely surprised. She decided if no one told her to prepare her wall for paint then, magically, the paint would stick to this shiny, slick surface. I told her the shine of the paint was there to repel anything that landed on it, including paint. But she was convinced that if she didn't acknowledge the fact it didn't exist.

We have never sugar-coated the advice we give for a project. To do so would violate our "Hardware Hippocratic Oath" that says, "do not BS the customer." We have been told we should be called the "Tough Love Hardware Store" because we tell it like it is. And, with the depth of knowledge we have, we have good, solid advice. Plus, we have done every project in the book and know how to make sure you have a good outcome to your project.

One of the best DIY projects is repainting your home. The first thing you want to ask yourself is how much do you like to paint? If you like to paint every two or three years, buy a cheap paint. If you hate to paint and want the paint job to last, buy a quality paint. We have the paint quality and the applicators suitable for your project.

My favorite new thing is the "paint and primer, one-coat" paints being touted everywhere. Our paint has always been good at one-coat coverage as long as there isn't a dark color or surface that requires extra attention. Read the fine print on any "paint and primer" and it will state that it may need more than one coat or may require a primer. But, many people want to believe the myth and are disappointed when it turns out not to be true. Here we tell you the truth, not because we want to annoy you or make you sad, but because we want you to have a successful project that you will be proud of. Who said all DIY projects are easy? Certainly not us at the Tough Love Hardware store, Pioneer True Value Home Center. [See our ad for specials and location on Front Page]