Home Improvement & Appliances Articles

Article / Updated 09-05-2023

When you think of children’s bathrooms, primary colors, clown motifs, and other tried-and-true themes may come to mind. If that’s what your child likes, that’s fine, but ask before you decorate. In a child’s bathroom, safety takes center stage. Following are some suggestions that spring from real-life experiences: Avert scalding by installing hot stop valves that prevent a child from turning water on to the highest, hottest temperature. Avoid using slippery area rugs, make sure the tub and floors are skid-proofed, and consider adding child-height grab bars. Check that the glass for the shower or tub doors is tempered so that it doesn’t shatter. Make sure it’s properly installed. Include rocker-type light switches low enough for a child to reach. Install easy-to-maneuver lever faucet handles. Mount them on one side of the sink, near the front edge of the counter, so that a child can reach them without having to climb on top of the vanity. Keep a nightlight on at all times. Lock medicine and cleaning supply cabinet doors. Make sure the shower door opens out so that no child (or adult) can become wedged in. (Make sure doors can swing freely.) Place lever handles on all doors at a child’s height. Prevent a child from locking himself in the bathroom; make sure that you can unlock the exterior door from the outside. Provide a stool that doesn’t tip over for small children to use at the sink. Remove electrically powered radios, hairdryers, and any other small appliances that could be dropped into the tub or sink. Substitute batter-operated products if desired or necessary. Round corners on countertops to prevent injury to tots whose heads may be near the same height. Screw freestanding storage cabinets to the wall so that they don’t tip. Verify that your Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) works. It shuts off electrical current when an appliance comes in contact with water. When it comes to decorating, if you’re thinking of resale any time in the near future, take a moment before adding, applying, or installing anything that will cost time, effort, and dollars. Consider some temporary ways to bring special colors into your child’s bath with accessories. Colorful accents and fun motifs in towels, bath mats, framed art, soaps, the shower curtain, and so on add fun. Perhaps use some of the new peel-and-stick ceramic tiles to create a border on the sink wall or cabinets. Peel-and-stick wallcovering borders add interest, too, and they’re easy to remove when you’re ready to move.

Article / Updated 09-05-2023

Have you ever noticed how decorations on a wall can look so organized and attractive in some cases and just be a distracting mess in other homes? If you follow these steps, you can create a perfect grouping every time, without making frustrating mistakes: Measure the wall space that you want to fill. Outline that exact size on your floor using masking tape. Arrange the art on the floor within the given area. Doing so enables you to move pieces around until you arrive at the optimum arrangement. After you’re pleased with the grouping, measure and hang. Be prepared for some surprises. You may need to shift pieces from spot to spot, because unusual factors can affect the sense of balance that you’re striving for: Generally, heavier pieces should go below lighter pieces: A large, delicate oil may seem lighter than a smaller, darker, more rustic woodcut. Size alone doesn’t make a picture seem heavier — color does. Ultimately, you’ll have to use your own judgment. Leave several inches of breathing space around each piece: Pieces hung too close together lose any sense of individuality; those hung too far apart don’t look like a group. Use the correct hooks designed to hold the weight of the art you’re hanging. Using two hooks for larger works helps keep them hanging straight. And make sure that the hook you’re using is the right one for your type of walls (plaster or plasterboard). If you’re nailing or screwing a hook into a plaster wall, put a crisscross of adhesive tape on the wall to keep the plaster in place and then drive the nail or screw through the tape. If you’re hanging art on a slanted wall such as a dormer (slanted) ceiling, attach the artwork at the top and bottom of the frame. If you’re creating a precise rectangular or square grouping, secure the pieces at the bottom, too, so that none become crooked. For added excitement, add mirrors, sconces, and brackets with sculpture to your art grouping. Add textural interest with tapestries and quilted, woven, or embroidered wall hangings. You don’t have to hang art to display it: Intersperse paintings with books in a bookshelf. Lean your art on an easel. Easels, large and small, have never gone out of style. Place an array of artfully framed miniatures inside a glass-topped display table, coffee table, or end table, or atop a big round table. Set a large picture on the floor (unless you have small children or pets). Set a small picture on the mantel, place a bunch of pictures atop a bookshelf, or just lean them against the wall. Prop up a plethora of small artwork, including black-and-white photographs, on wooden shelves. This allows for quick and easy changing of your display.

Video / Updated 08-09-2023

A brush is a brush, right? Not quite. If you know how to choose the right paintbrush, you can save time painting. Choosing a paintbrush requires a good understanding of what each brush does and what your project requires. Paintbrushes come in various shapes and sizes, each with a different purpose in mind. To choose right brush you need to consider the paint you'll be using, the cost, and the finish you want. Paint Choice: If you’re using latex paint you'll need synthetic bristles, but if you’re using oil-based paint or a varnish, spend the extra money to get a good quality natural bristle brush. The better the quality of natural bristles the smoother and glossier the finish you'll achieve. Handles: Handles are made of a wide variety of wood or plastic materials. They also come in many different sizes and shapes. With all those choices, the only one that really matters is how it feels. Get a handle that feels comfortable in your hand. Size: Smaller brushes, called trim or sash brushes, are intended for use in small, tight spaces, and if the bristles are tapered, they are able to get into corners and grooves much more easily than a flat-bottomed brush of the same size. Likewise, wider brushes (called paint or wall brushes) are designed for painting large flat surfaces. As you increase the width of the brush, you compromise control and precision. The following paintbrushes are helpful to keep around. 1-inch angled sash brush: Choose one with a stubby handle to paint edges and trim. 2-inch angled sash brush: This brush is used for cutting in corners and edges, and painting narrow window sashes and sills. 3-inch flat bristle sash brush: We recommend the regular handle; use it for wide trim and sashes. Small chip brush: Use this brush to get paint into tight corners and spaces. 5-inch wall brush: Use this one for floors, walls, and ceilings.

Video / Updated 08-08-2023

A roller is a roller, right? Not quite. Knowing how to choose the right paint roller can save you time. Choosing the right paint roller requires a good understanding of what your project requires. Paint rollers come in various sizes and roller covers come in different coverings, each with a different purpose in mind. To choose right roller you need to consider the size of paint roller you want and the kind of surface you'll be painting. Roller cages (the skeletal frame that includes the handle and “ribs” that rotate) and their covers come in several lengths. Rollers are available in mini to 12-inch (and bigger) sizes. The mini (or trim) rollers are good for painting woodwork and other small areas. To work on walls and ceilings, choose a 9-inch roller; the larger sizes are heavier and will make you tire more quickly. A roller cage with plastic ribs holds up better than cardboard cages. Plastic can be cleaned, and it lasts longer than a cheaper version. You have to select the length of the nap on covers and what it’s made of. Roller nap is made from natural or synthetic fibers. Nap is available in various lengths, so use the one recommended for the surface you’re painting. In general, the longer the nap, the more paint it will hold. Use the following as a general guideline. 1/4-inch nap for smooth or fine surfaces, such as new walls, ceilings, wood doors, and trim 3/8-inch nap for smooth to light-textured walls 1/2-inch nap for most walls and medium rough surfaces, such as textured plaster, and concrete 3/4-inch nap for rough surfaces, such as textured walls and ceilings, textured plaster, and concrete 3/8- or 1/2-inch nap is a good general-purpose roller cover. You find helpful information about selecting the right tool for your project on the packaging, and you can ask a salesperson for help. Choose a roller cover based on the texture of the surface to be painted.

Video / Updated 08-08-2023

Getting water based paints out of your paint brushes is easy, and you won't make a mess, if you have the right tools and follow the appropriate steps. Mild liquid soap cleans away latex paint, but a paint brush comb will be sure to get all of the paint so you can use the brush again on future paint jobs.

Video / Updated 08-07-2023

Latex paint is water based, and alkyd paint is oil based. Latex paint dries much faster than oil-based paint and it comes in a range of finishes, from flat to glossy. Alkyd (oil-based) paint is often used in high-end kitchen renovations.

Video / Updated 08-07-2023

Getting oil paints out of your paint brushes is easy if you have the right tools and follow the right steps. Since you have to use paint thinner to remove oil paint from brushes, it's very important to be sure you're cleaning your brushes in a well-ventilated room and away from flames. You should also where protective eye goggles and gloves.

Video / Updated 08-07-2023

Dust that collects around doors, windows, corners, and even on your wall surface, can ruin your paint job. Clean your walls before you paint to be sure that your finished paint job looks great.

Video / Updated 08-07-2023

Adding vertical stripes to a wall creates a great effect for bathrooms, dining rooms, hallways, and other spaces in your home. Make sure your base color is the lighter of the two. Aim for a stripe between 8 and 12 inches wide.

Video / Updated 08-07-2023

Before you repaint a room, you need to prepare the walls for the change. This video shows you the supplies you need to prepare your walls properly for a perfect paint job.