Wallpapering, even more than painting, is a great do-it-yourself project. With a few hours of labor and some patience you can alter the entire theme of a space.
Although wallpapering appears easy, there are many techniques that the pros employ to achieve a great finish. There is nothing worse than putting in the work to repaper your walls, to see that you were making a simple error from the beginning which makes the work look unprofessional.
The next six guidelines can save you time and frustration.
1) Use activator instead of water for pre-pasted wallpaper. It allows for better adhesion, and stays wet for a longer period of time, as a result you can accurately place your wallpaper. It is a better practice to take the time to apply the activator, than to have your wallpaper fall off the wall in a few days or weeks.
2) Wallpaper varies from batch to batch. It may not be obvious in the roll, however once it is installed on the wall, you will see the discrepancy. Make certain while you get the wallpaper rolls they are from the matching batch. There will be a batch number on the sticker, also save your labels until you know the job is done, just in case you have to get additional rolls.
3) When choosing patterns, match up the seams properly. Some seams match easily, but some you have to slide the paper to acquire the perfect match.
4) Utilize the correct tool for getting clean straight cuts. You will want to use a razor-sharp blade and change it regularly. Although it will appear sharp to you, the cutting edge dulls fast and you are risking tearing your paper. A lot of pros use razor blades in a specialty handle.
5) Always work from the top and work down. Not only does gravity then aid you, but you are able to keep a better eye on your placement.
6) Repair and prep your surface. Many people think that putting up wallpaper will hide problems with their walls. Sorry to say, they are wrong, even with wallpaper you have to patch all holes and cracks. If you do not you will see the problems through the wallpaper. Luckily, there is a trick for very bad walls, panelling and cement blocks. You will need to do some patching, but paper liner will hide some problems. It is heavier than wallpaper, and allows for a number of discrepencies in the walls.
By implementing these 6 do-it-yourself tips, you are giving yourself a better probability of getting a professional looking job. It requires patience, so take your time, and you can get a wonderful looking room when you are finished.
One of the easiest and best renovation projects you can do is changing the paint color of a room. It is rather low-priced, nevertheless has a radical impression on the overall ‘look’ of any room in your home.
Painting is additionally one of the most popular do-it-yourself projects, but numerous people make some basic mistakes which can cause the completed job to look like it was a do-it-yourself project.
To create a professional paint job, there are simple techniques which will have a huge effect on your painting.
1. Always prime before you paint. Some time ago a friend of mine phoned in total disappointment. After painting a wall four times, he could still make out an old stain. He told me how following the first two coats it appeared to be good, but a couple of days later the stain came back. And after his fourth coat and a gallon of paint, he wasn’t sure what to do.
My response. “Did you prime the walls?”. Not surprisingly his response was no. I went on to explain to him that especially with stains, you have to use a sealing primer to stop a stain from bleeding through your new paint.
Paint provides durability and color, but primer is needed for bonding and stain blocking.
Save yourself time, frustration, and money. Prime prior to paint, it provides a nicer, smoother finish and seals any impurities from bleeding through the paint.
2. Select the right finish. There is nothing worse than spending hours painting to produce your new area, and in the first week someone puts a dirty hand print on your wall. You take your moist rag and wash it off, to realize you wiped off paint at the same time. Now your new wall has a distinct color blemish.
While you are picking your paint, ensure you are choosing the right finish as well as the color you want. You do not want to paint a flat finish in a high traffic spot as flat paint can’t be cleaned often.
In the same case you don’t want a high gloss finish in a room with a lot of natural light, as the walls will literally glisten and display every flaw or discrepancy in your wall.
Consider in terms of traffic, light, and room use as you decide on both your paint color and finish.
3. Let the paint work. You spend a lot of time prepping the walls or doors, meticulously sanding and priming so you will have the perfect finish. As you begin to paint you recognize there are horrible brush marks everywhere. All your prep work is for nothing if your paint brush leaves lines all over.
While you are painting with a brush, don’t overwork the paint. Brush it on and let the paint flow to fill the brush marks. By pushing too hard or not using sufficient paint on your brush, you will not get rid of those brush marks.
If you do get brush marks, let it dry, sand with 220 grit sand paper to score the surface, and do it over again allowing the paint to fill in the lines, not you.
By using these three simple tips you will have a drastic impact on the way your paint project will look. Be patient when you prep, choose your proper paint, and allow the paint to do it’s job. You will then be very pleased with the work that you put into it.
RSS FEED
