Tori and Bob's, Peterborough · updated Sep 10, 2026

Exterior finish after the carpenter

Ben stains what Matt Smith builds, primes the bare wood that gets the house red, and paints it red. One page: what was asked, what is in the garage, how each product wants to be applied, and what is still open.

Back-step railings: primed Sep 7 Treads: waiting on dry wood Second-floor deck: floor only, railings wait for Matt Billing: settled, inside the weekly hours

Where it stands

Surface	Carpenter	Finish	Next
Back steps, treads	Done, Sep 1	Stain: Arborcoat Translucent Mahogany	Two or more dry days after rain, then stain
Back steps, railings and other bare wood	Done, Sep 1	Alkyd gray primer, then the red, two coats	Railings primed Sep 7, caution signs up. Red at the next dry window
Second-floor deck off the bedroom, floor	Existing boards	Stain	Floor only, per Tori Sep 2
Second-floor deck, railings	Matt to replace with the other projects	Stain, later	Wait (Matt, via Tori, Sep 2)
Other decks and railings as Matt finishes	In progress	Stain decks and railings; primer and red where it is painted	Follow Matt piece by piece

What is in the garage

Three Benjamin Moore cans on the garage floor: the red exterior paint, the Arborcoat stain marked DECK, and the quart of alkyd primer — Left as part of the job, photographed Sep 7.

Can	Role	Covers
Regal Select Exterior, MoorGard Low Lustre W103 4X · gallon · custom red, Belletetes mix	The red	300 to 400 sq ft / gal / coat
Arborcoat Waterborne Stain, Translucent, Mahogany W623 60 · gallon · lid says DECK	The stain	200 to 400 sq ft / gal
Fresh Start Deck and Siding Primer, alkyd 094 00 · quart · lid note reads as a tint mark	The gray primer	about 110 to 140 sq ft per quart

The quart of primer is enough for the steps and not much more. The W623 code on the stain shows as discontinued online; if more is needed, ask Belletetes for Arborcoat Translucent, Mahogany, 623-60.

Added Sep 8 from Belletetes ($91.30): TSP substitute, mineral spirits, brushes including a round one for between the posts, 40 and 120 grit sandpaper, tape, gloves, drop cloth, mixing container, paint cups, wire brush. Receipts emailed to Tori Sep 8. Tools and leftovers stay at the house after the job unless they say otherwise.

How each piece goes

Dry wood first. Two or more dry days after rain. The stain wants wood under 15 percent moisture. Surface temperature 50 to 90°F for the primer (the tightest of the three), 40 to 90 for the stain, 35 to 100 for the red.
Prep new smooth boards. Light sand, or Benjamin Moore Brighten 317, to break the mill glaze. Water-drop test: it should soak in fast. If it beads, prep again.
Stain treads and deck boards. One coat, kept to a wet edge, two or three boards at a time end to end, out of direct sun. Second coat only where the color is uneven. Half an hour to touch, one to three hours dry, 24 hours before foot traffic. Soap and water cleanup.
Prime the wood that gets red. One coat of the alkyd, unthinned. Six hours to touch, eight before the red. Mineral-spirits cleanup. Rags go in a water-filled, sealed metal can; they can self-ignite.
Red. Two coats, four hours between. Soap and water cleanup.
Start early. Nothing should still be wet at dew, and the alkyd needs its six hours before evening damp.

Source: Benjamin Moore technical data sheets for Arborcoat Translucent 623, Fresh Start 094, and Regal Select Low Lustre W103.

The instructions, as received

Tori · Jul 6 · text

"We are hoping to have our Carpenter do some work replacing rotting railings, decks, etc. outside the house. If he can accomplish that, would you be up to doing the painting on those surfaces? Would probably require both primer and one or two coats of paint."

Tori · Jul 8 · email

"If we increase your hours, we might ask you to do some things like the painting but within the hours allotment for the week... shift what we are budgeting for things like the painting to your hours. Is that something you would find acceptable?"

Ben, same day: "Your proposal for additional hours works for me... priming, double coat painting, and so on, I am happy to take those on."

Ben · Aug 13 · email, the budget

"Two things are deliberately not in these numbers: the exterior painting, which becomes its own scope once the carpenter's is settled, and storm cleanup."

Tori, same day: "you may see Matt Smith deliver some wood to the garage, he's the one doing the carpentry for us."

Tori · Sep 1, 8:06 am · text, relaying Matt

"Matt has finished the work on the back steps. Once it is no longer raining, and the wood has dried out, he says: Ben can prime bare wood with the alkyd gray primer in the upper garage, goes under the red color. The stairs will be the stain."

Ben: "I will prime the bare wood with the alkyd gray primer once the wood has dried out for a couple of days. The stairs will be stained." Tori: "Sounds like this is the way we should treat all decks and railings, stain the decks and the railing. Get the primer and paint when they are ready."

Tori · Sep 2 · text

"I wrote to Matt about the railings on the second floor deck off our bedroom... Otherwise, I would just do the floor of the deck and leave the railings for next year or until Matt gets them replaced."

Later that day: "Matt says to wait on the railing since he hopes to get it done with the other projects." Ben: "Will do."

Ben · Sep 8 and 10 · email and text

"Priming the railings showed me what I needed, so I made a Belletetes run... Two receipts, two budgets, both yours: $91.30 painting supplies, $17.99 for a 50 ft soaker hose on the gardening side."

Tori: "Do you need these receipts reimbursed before we get home?" Ben, Sep 10: "I'll charge it through Venmo with the weekly request, split as painting supplies $91.30 and garden budget $17.99." Bob: "Looks great! Thanks."

Open questions

Which parts of the back steps go red? Treads are stain per Matt; the railings were primed for red on Sep 7. Risers, stringers and skirt: confirm before priming.
One coat of red or two? Tori said one or two. The data sheet says two. Plan on two.
Is the primer quart tinted gray, and is it enough? Open it. If the second-floor deck edge work needs more, buy before the wood is dry, not after.
Is the new wood pressure-treated or cedar? Both take the stain. Cedar is why an alkyd primer is on the shelf.
Matt's number. Not on file. Ask Tori for it so sequencing does not route through her while she is away.

Calendar

When	What
Sep 2 to 20	Tori and Bob in Ireland. Karen cat-sits 8 to 9 am and 4 to 7 pm; leave a note on the back door when working inside.
this week	Electrician Aaron Rosenlund and Dane Sauvola (gutters) missed Monday and are expected later in the week. Aaron only needs the outside now (Bob, Sep 8).
mid Sep	From the budget notes: done by mid September means the painting happens this fall while they travel; later means it waits for spring.
Sep 23 to 27	Tori and Bob away again.

Rate on file: $40 per hour, paid weekly by Venmo for the previous week. Painting is billed inside the weekly hours (settled Sep 10). Painting supplies ride on the same Venmo request as their own line, separate from the garden budget.