Sylvia Porter's Money Book: How to Earn it, Spend it, S
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Hows it hanging? Your Wallpaper that is
For many people, hanging wallpaper is a complicated and frustrating experience. Though there are rooms that pose more challenges than others (a bathroom, for example), it doesnt have to be a stressful experience for you.
The first step is to choose wallpaper. Today there are all sorts of wallpapers out there for you to choose. If you are new to wallpaper hanging, you may want to choose a pattern with little or no matching. This will make things easier for you and may save you some money on the amount of paper you need since an intricate match often leads to more paper wastage (and thus more money wastage).
When thinking about choosing wallpaper, you want to think about what sort of room it is being used in and what it might come into contact with. For example, vinyl-coated wallpaper is suitable for a kitchen and bathroom because it has a higher tolerance for grease and moisture. On the other hand a coated fabric covering makes more sense for living rooms and bedrooms because it is more breathable and has a lower moisture tolerance.
You will need to make sure you measure your room carefully so you order the right amount of wallpaper. You dont want to get halfway through your room and then realize you dont have enough. There are online tools that will help you calculate how many rolls you might need or you can consult with someone at your local home or decorating store.
Now that youve selected your paper, you want to make sure that you have the right tools. You should have a knife and scissors for trimming the paper. You should also have a measuring tape or a ruler. Sponges and a seam roller are really important because they help you remove bubbles from the paper before it dries. A ladder, buckets, seam sealer (or vinyl adhesive) are also useful to have on hand.
Before you hang the wallpaper, you should make sure that your surface is properly prepared. Start by removing outlet and light switch plates. Clean the surface to remove any grease or stains. You should also try to fill any holes and repair imperfections in the walls surface. All of this preparation will help you in the long run.
You will need to pick a spot to begin hanging the wallpaper. Two things should be taken into consideration when picking this spot: the layout of the room and the pattern of the wallpaper. You want to select a shorter space if possible so any mismatch will be inconspicuous. Usually a door or a window is a good place to start especially a corner behind a door.
Once youve picked a spot, youll want to draw something known as a plumb line. This is a straight vertical line that you will line up your first strip of wallpaper with. Making this plumb line will ensure that your paper is straight right from the start.
Now its time to hang. If you have purchased pre-pasted paper, then you need to activate the paste by dunking it is water. There are special wallpaper trays that will help you with this process and will prevent your paper from becoming creased. If your paper is not pre-pasted then you will need to apply paste and book the strips (fold paste to paste without creasing the paper). It is really important that you not crease the paper at this stage because those creases can be seen when the paper is hung. If you do happen to crease the paper, there is very little you can do to remove those creases.
Next, you hang your first strip. Use the plumb line to ensure that your paper is hanging straight. Use your sponge to remove any air bubbles and ensure that the paper is pressed firmly against the wall. Once it is up, you want to trim the top and bottom of the paper using a razor knife.
After you have this first strip up, you can move on to the next strips. With each piece, you want to make sure that you are sliding it into place so there is no overlap or gap between the two pieces. You also want to watch carefully for matching points. When you have three strips up, you can run over all of the seams with a seam roller, but dont press too hard. This will cause excess glue to seep out and your paper will not stick as well to the wall. You should also have adhesive on hand to put on any spots that are sticking. You can also use this in the future if sections or seams start to lift.
If you choose to keep renting and pay money toward something you don't own - the home of your dreams will continue to slip away.
Garage Door Replacements Can You Do It Yourself?
Older garage doors are often the subject of replacement in a home. At some point in the life of the door, they simply wear out. The great news in this project, though, is that new garage doors have features manufacturers never even considered in older models. They are insulated which not only means warmth, but sound proofing too. That can be really handy when your teen decides to use the drum set his grandma thought to be a good idea to give him for Christmas. Moreover, they are far more secure than they used to be, which can be nice for people who store more valuables than just their cars in the garage. In these days of more and more possessions, the garage often becomes a place of storage for a number of important items. More than that, though, they provide the maintenance free beauty you would want for any part of your home.
While wood was once the first choice material for garage doors, steel, fiberglass and other synthetics are now the choice for many homes. These materials allow for a classic look, tailored to your preferred colors, without the hassle wood doors once provided. The tongue and groove features on newer models keep the wind, rain, and snow out of your garage area. They seal as well or better than most exterior doors on homes. Many often come with new safety standards too. Most will not close if they hit an object as they are closing. This means that whether it is your child's bike, your car bumper, or you dog, nothing will get crushed. Some even have a design that will push objects out of the way of panels as they close together. This can prevent crushed fingers should your little ones wriggle away from you as the door is closing. If you want natural light in your garage, but you do not want the security problems glass might cause, newer doors offer plastic windows that look like glass. This means that you can have the style you want without the security risk. Some companies have even gone so far to protect your valuables that your garage door opener sends a different code to your garage each time you open it. That means intelligent thieves who have the technology to steal codes will find it impossible to take yours.
While these new advances in garage door technology are great, they simply do not fit well with the modern do-it-yourself individual. The doors are both large and heavy. This can not only cause lifting problems, it can also prove impossible for inexperienced individuals. Should the door fall, it will easily crush the individual handling installation. Moreover, the springs that are used to help the doors open, store and release force, which can instantly kill a person. Not only should you choose not to replace a garage door by yourself, you should not choose to complete serious service tasks. At most, you should occasionally oil the wheels, hinges, and tracks. Any other projects should be left to garage door professionals, as your life simply is not worth the risk of a garage door.
If despite this warning, you insist on installing the garage door yourself, be sure you have a few extra pairs of hands around. Assistance with tough tasks can be one of the most important do it yourself safety tasks. When you get ready to start installation, be sure to begin with the weather stripping. This will keep the drafts and moisture out of your garage. If improperly installed, you could experience some real problems in your home. You will also be required to rent or purchase a spring tensioning tool. Renting or purchasing poor equipment in this case is just not a good idea. These springs can maim and even kill people who do not know how to properly use them. Going cheap on equipment in this arena simply is not a good choice.
When it comes down to it, yes, you can replace your garage door by yourself. You probably have the ability and the skills. However, because of the dangers involved, hiring a professional to do it for you is really a better and safer bet in the long run.
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