How to Paint Wood Paneling

Wood paneling is easy to paint if you follow good surface preparation procedures. Removing the paneling can be a big job. The paneling may be glued to the drywall underneath it and the drywall underneath it may not be finished very well. The thought of just tearing out the paneling is enough to make many homeowners decide to simply leave it in place and paint over it.

Paneling is painted over all the time and it looks good when painted, so if the thought of tearing out , patching the drywall and finishing it doesn't appeal to you - there is nothing wrong with leaving it in place and painting it.

Surface preparation:

The universal rule of surface preparation is: "Clean - Dull - Dry".

Lead paint note:

Do not sand or scour (with a scouring pad), or in any way abrade or disturb the paneling varnish or clear coat finish if your house was built prior to 1978. Lead was banned (in America) for use in residential paints and varnishes in 1978. Do not proceed any further if your house was built prior to 1978 - it would be best to let a trained and qualified professional do the work instead. To learn more about the hazards of lead in paints and coatings see EPA's lead page:

http://www.epa.gov/lead

Cleaning

Extremely important to the painting of paneling is the cleaning of it. There may be layers of "Pledge" and residues from various cleaning solutions, and perhaps a bit of "grime" and dirt from years of service.

A good cleaning solution for cleaning the paneling is called "Krud Kutter". As the name implies, it is designed for cutting and removing all sorts of "krud". I use the spray bottle version of this and spray it on and let it "dwell" on the surface for five minutes or so to give it a chance to work, then wipe it off with the "Shop Towel" type of heavy duty paper towels. I also use a scouring pad in conjunction with the Krud Kutter (on homes built after 1978 only). The procedure is as follows: Spray on the Krud Kutter, allow it to dwell five minutes or so, then scour the wet surface with the scouring pad, then wipe it off. I work in small 4' x 4' sections and work my way around the room this way. You will need to protect all electrical outlets and switches with duct tape to prevent them from the Krud Kutter ( You should also turn the electrical power off to the room while doing the cleaning to prevent accidental electrical shock ), Also cover up any light fixtures etc.. with plastic and duct tape to waterproof them.

Clean all the paneling as described above and when you are finished, go back and re-clean it a second time. Seriously, I always clean the paneling completely - twice, that way you know it is clean and you did not miss any spots. Cleaning is probably the most important step in preparing the paneling for painting.

Priming

After the cleaning is done, allow the paneling to dry out. Once dry, you may proceed to priming the paneling. Priming is important to ensure adhesion to the paneling and to block any staining that may occur. The best primer for paneling are the solvent types of universal stain blocking and bonding primers. You can either use shellac or oil (alkyd ) primer for this purpose - Zinsser's BIN or Coverstain work well for priming paneling.

Test the adhesion first before priming the whole room

The purpose of testing first before priming all the paneling is to ensure that the paneling was cleaned well enough and that there will be no adhesion problems down the road - before proceeding any further.

How to test adhesion

The way to test adhesion is to do a cross cut tape test. You will want to check a variety of spots throughout the room with the tape test.

Apply the primer to the paneling in small 4" square patches and allow them to dry and cure overnight. The next day you will come back and using a razor knife cut a "tick - tack - toe" cross hatch cut into the primer. After the primer is cross cut , apply a piece of masking tape (regular masking tape - not the easy release type) or duct tape over the cross cuts and rub it down. Then take the duct tape and pull it off sharply. If the paint pulls off - you will need to further clean and perhaps pole sand with fine (220 grit ) sandpaper to get the paneling ready for painting. Test all the spots the same way. If the adhesion passes ( I.e. the primer did not pull off with the tape ) then you are ready to proceed with total priming of the whole room.

Tinting the primer

You may tint the primer to approximate or match the finish paint color. Both BIN and Coverstain can be tinted with universal colorants ( up to 2 ounces per gallon) to come close or match the finish color. Tinting the primer acts as a first coat and makes finish painting easier to cover or hide the underlying paneling. Ask the paint store that you purchase the primer from about tinting it.

Painting

Once the paneling is cleaned and primed you may paint it in any latex (or oil if you wish) paint that you desire. The finish painting is the easy part. Use a ¾ inch roller nap to help with pushing the paint into the paneling grooves. The best way to do this is to roll the paint on and then with light pressure "lay it off" to smooth it out and minimize roller texture.

Dale Slater is a professional painter and faux finisher. To learn more about all aspects of painting and decorating visit http://www.paintinganddecoratingconcourse.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dale_Slater

Effective Ways to Remodel on a Budget

There are a number of ways that you can remodel your home even if you do not have a large budget. It really depends on exactly what you are looking for in the way of a remodel. Are you looking to tear down and redo walls or whole rooms or are you looking to do just a few things to give your home a face lift and new life.

If you are planning on removing walls or doing heavy remodeling you may want to consider using a project manager or contractor for part of the work. Do not forget that even some interior work will require inspections and permits. Check with your contractor or permit office to see if the work you want to do requires permits.

The first thing to do is determine your budget. What do you want to do and how much are you willing to spend to do it. Next shop around, you want to get the average price of materials and decide what materials you want to use.

Depending on the type of remodel you are doing you may be able to save money through energy saving programs by installing different windows or certain types of lighting fixtures.

You should shop around for contractors too. Many of them provide free estimates. Be sure to check the reputation and history of the contractor of your choice.

Do as much of the work as possible yourself. This will help to save on labor costs. If you are doing face lift style remodeling and simply changing things like carpet, paint and wall paper consider taking classes in wallpaper and painting techniques instead of hiring a professional. Carpet laying is easy in certain areas consider the area and if possible do it yourself if not consider hiring a professional.

Cheryl Criswell: I am also a registered builder, and build 2 spec houses a year for the market. I also provide project management for those wanting to be their own builder. For more information got to http://www.renovatingreferral.com Find out how this website can find the best contractor, project manager, or remodeler for you and your project.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Criswell

When to Consider Replacing Windows

Every house needs windows to shield the inhabitants and their belongings from the elements. If you are having old and worn out windows, you may as well not have any shelter from the heat or cold, making the installation of new windows essential.If you have determined that there will be no more repair for your existing windows and need to get new ones, shopping would be very exciting, but could also be a bit intimidating. There are a lot of options when you shop for windows, as there are double paned and slide up to open windows; double paned windows that don't open at all and have blinds inside them; and there are double paned windows that opens in just about any fashion. The windows are also available in many different styles from plain to decorative.

Overview of window replacement Many homeowners put off replacing the windows in their residence for years at a time, because they don't want to waste the money on new windows or seize the time for installation to be completed. As new windows can be fairly costly, they can also save you a lot of money spent on heating and cooling bills and will also make the exterior of your house more beautiful than it was before. Old windows actually take away from the whole look of the house, make new window installation an investment that will beautify the house and add value to it, as well.

Replacing the windows in your house doesn't have to place you in the poor house; you can do it in such a way that it will be reasonable, and you would get the windows that you want. With a little maintenance and correct installation, you can sure extend the life of your new windows, so that you need not have to replace them for many years, if ever. Windows are varying and becoming more resourceful all the time, and today, there are great products on the market that are fairly affordable and will give protection from the elements for as long as you like.

Who Should Consider Replacement Windows?

House owners can consider replacement windows, if they have already tried many times to repair their outdated windows to no avail. The problem with most of the drafty windows is that they are simply outdated or the installation was less perfect. This is usually something that cannot be repaired. The aged single pane windows are not all that effective, even if once it was high quality windows. If you wish for the most efficient windows, you upgrade to a double pane window that will give you two layers of protection from the elements, particularly if you live in an area that has very high or low temperatures.

Homeowners with aging windows will certainly want to think of having new windows installed in their home. In addition, they have windows that simply were not installed well should also consider to have replacement windows installed by a professional to fix the problems that occurred the first time. These windows are really an investment, but it is one that is fit worth for those who need or even those that want new windows in their home. You can see an improvement in your heating and cooling bills.

Ron Victor is a expert author for Replacement windows and Vinyl Windows. He has written many articles in various topics such as Vinyl Replacement windows, New Construction Windows, custom vinyl windows. For more information visit: http://customorderonline.com Contact me at ron.seocopywriter@gmail.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ron_Victor

Bathroom Moisture Problems - Home Repair

Right above my bathtub in my master bathroom the paint is peeling off the wall. The area is peeling above the tile in my bathtub and shower combination. I tried to glue the peeling paint back and only made the situation worst.

First things first. The paint is peeling because there is to much moisture in the bathroom while you are using it. Do you have any windows you can open or a ventilating bathroom fan. If you have a window crack it open part way while you are showering.

The water droplets will accumulate on the walls and drip into any cracks. Right above the tile grout is a great place for moisture to accumulate. Oh yeah moisture loves grout and drywall. If you have any unpainted areas or an area that has cracked. Guess what you have now.

Your paint is peeling because the bathroom gets hot and cold. Moist and dry. If you have the door and windows shut. You just created a moisture trap. Most people prefer their privacy and will closes the door when using the shower. Well then open the window and let some cold air in while you are taking a nice warn shower. I don't think so. Most showering fools don't like that idea either.

Ok one more idea keep the windows shut so you don't let the cold air in. Then lock the door so no on barges in on you. If you have a ventilation fan turn it on. This will at least pull fresh air in from under the door and send the moist air out of the house.

But the fan is so noisy and I can't enjoy my nice warm vapor producing shower that will eventually cause me to get sick from mold particles floating around in the air while I am using my bathroom. Does this about sum it up for you and don't we all do this from time to time. We want to enjoy our shower time, so we close up everything and when we are in our bath sauna environment relaxing our house is getting some damaging moisture that could cause mold and mildew.

Open a window or door a little when you shower. Get some air circulating through the bathroom and prevent damage to your nice house.

Put up with a little inconvenience for you homes sake and your pocket book.

Greg Vanden Berge has been in the home building and remodeling business in California for over 30 years. With this knowledge he has created a few websites that provide useful information for home owners as well as contractors. His main goal is to educate professionals in the home related businesses, dealing with problems that can easily be avoided with just a little bit of information.
His website provides all kinds of answers to remodeling and new house building in North San Diego Home Remodeling Carlsbad Home Remodeling

Visit us now for Bathroom Ideas

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Vandenberge

All You Need to Know About Showers

Everyone would like to have a good shower in their washroom. This desire however depends on individual preferences. The production procedures for these systems vary in many ways. The design structure constitutes the most integral part of the process. Making your choices based on reliable information is therefore very imperative, particularly with the increase in technology. Among the best classic bathroom showers is the combination of the old traditional classic with the modern advanced material . Everything depends on the taste of an individual.

Bathroom showers come with different designs made by different companies. Most people prefer having a low key bathroom that is still classy which will not cost much and at the same time will not occupy space. On the other hand, some prefer large shower places because they have enough space. All these have been made easy for people to enjoy their showers any time of the day and night. There are also electric showers that will always produce hot water the whole day which is an advantage to many who would like to shower using the hot water.

Consumer satisfaction ranks premium. A compelling fact, that should motivate the search for the most ideal product. Looking for the best shower is very important to know the material it has being made from in order to forecast the durability of the shower. Some of the showers are made of materials that will rust after some time with water so it is very important to know the material used. It is also better to get showers that can be fixed without the help of anyone, so as to reduce the cost. It is better to get a shower that will last longer, comfortable and pocket friendly.

If you want to know more about Showers then feel free to visit Bella Bathrooms.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jitesh_Arora