Home Improvement & Appliances Articles

Article / Updated 07-28-2022

Before you begin painting your home's interior walls, ceilings, woodwork, doors, or windows, you need to estimate the amount of paint you'll use. Estimates require specific calculations for each surface you want to paint. To estimate the amount of paint you need in order to cover the walls of a room, add together the length of all the walls and then multiply the number by the height of the room, from floor to ceiling. The number you get is the room's square footage. Is that math class coming back to you now? How to determine square footage Now you have to determine how much of that square footage is paintable surface area. Because you use a different paint on the doors and windows, subtract those areas from the room total. No sweat, just subtract 20 square feet for each door and 15 square feet for each average-sized window in the room. You end up with a number that is close to the actual wall area you have to cover with paint. In general, you can expect 1 gallon of paint to cover about 350 square feet. You need slightly more than a gallon if the walls are unpainted drywall, which absorbs more of the paint. You also need to consider whether to paint more than one coat. If you're painting walls that are unfinished, heavily patched, or dark in color, plan on applying two coats of paint. When painting a dark color, pros often add a color tint to the white primer. Tints for both latex or alkyd paints are available at most paint stores. For best results, choose a tint shade that's closest to the top coat color. Now for the clincher of the math problem. Divide the paintable wall area by 350 (the square-foot coverage in each gallon can) to find the number of gallons of paint you need for the walls. You can round uneven numbers; if the remainder is less than .5, order a couple of quarts of wall paint to go with the gallons; if the remainder is more than .5, order an extra gallon. Of course, buying in bulk is usually more economical, so you may discover that 3 quarts of paint cost as much as a gallon. Examples of calculations The following examples walk you through the calculations for determining how much paint you need for a 14-x-20-foot room that's 8 feet tall and has two doors and two windows. Ceiling paint estimator Use the following formula to estimate the amount of ceiling paint you need. Double the result if the ceiling requires two coats. 1. Multiply the length of the ceiling times its width to find its area. 14 × 20 = 280 square feet 2. Divide that number by 350 (the estimated square feet covered per gallon) to figure out how many gallons of paint you need. 280 ÷ 350 = .8 For this example, you want to buy 1 gallon of ceiling paint for a single coat. Wall paint estimator Use the following formula to estimate the amount of wall paint you need. Double the result if the walls require two coats. 1. Add together the length of each wall. 14 + 20 + 14 + 20 = 68 feet 2. Multiply the sum by the wall height, to find the total wall area. 68 × 8 = 544 square feet 3. Subtract 20 square feet for each door (20 × 2 = 40) and 15 square feet for each window (15 × 2 = 30) to find the actual amount of wall area you're painting. 544 – 70 = 474 square feet 4. Divide this figure by the paint coverage (350 square feet per gallon), and the result is the number of gallons to purchase. 474 ÷ 350 = 1.4 For this example, you want to buy 1 gallon and 2 quarts of paint for a single coat. Woodwork paint estimator Measure the length of the trim in feet, and multiply that number by 1/2 foot (.5), as a rough size for the width of the trim. Include all the trim around doors and windows, at baseboards, along the ceiling, and for any built-in furniture. As an example, imagine that you have ceiling molding running around a room that is 14 feet wide and 20 feet long. 1. Determine the total length of molding around the room by adding together the length of all the walls that the molding covers. Round the numbers off to the nearest foot. 14 + 20 + 14 + 20 = 68 feet 2. Multiply the sum by .5 for an estimated width of the molding. 68 × .5 = 34 square feet 3. Divide this number by 350 to estimate the gallons of paint required to cover the molding. 34 ÷ 350 = .09 The result in this example is much less than a quart, but you may paint other woodwork in the room the same color, so buying a full quart may not be terribly wasteful. Door and window estimator Use the same figure for estimating door coverage as you use in your wall-area calculations — 20 square feet = one door. Multiply the number of doors by 20, doubling the answer if you plan to paint both sides. Wall paint estimates allow for 15 square feet for each window. Use about half that window area to figure trim and inside sash — the glass isn't important to the calculation. For the room in this example: 1. Multiply the number of doors by 20. 2 × 20 = 40 square feet 2. Multiply the number of windows by 7.5. 2 × 7.5 = 15 square feet 3. Add these numbers together. 40 + 15 = 55 4. Divide the result by 350 (the estimated square feet covered per gallon). 54 ÷ 350 = .16 Often, you end up needing to buy only a quart of paint, which goes a long way on doors and window trim. See also: How to Paint Ceilings and Walls How to Paint Paneled Doors How to Paint Trim Tools You Need for a Basic Paint Project

Article / Updated 05-27-2022

The bed is the key piece of furniture in any bedroom, and it naturally becomes the focal point. Bedroom furniture is traditionally arranged according to a few general rules. For the most part based on common sense, here are some general guidelines for you to follow: Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/hikesterson Traditionally, folks tend to place a double, queen-sized, or king-sized bed against the center of the wall opposite the main door to the room. With this arrangement, the headboard is the center of attention as you enter the room. If the dimensions of your room prevent you from positioning your bed on the wall across from the door, other possible choices depend on which walls are long enough to accommodate the bed. Diagonal placement works well when you have the space. Do not place a bed under a window, if the window will frequently be open. Open windows can create uncomfortable drafts. Positioning a bed between two windows, however, works well. If your home is air-conditioned or heated year-round and the windows are seldom open, you may be able to ignore this rule. Do not place the bed where it obstructs a door into the room or a walkway through the room. Consider nontraditional furniture arrangements if doing so will free up space or use space in a more interesting way. For example, a bed may look dramatic placed in front of a secure window; on a diagonal, which takes up extra space; sideways along a wall, to maximize floor space; or in an alcove (a technique called lit clos). If your closet is large enough and you'd like to free-up floor space, put your chest of drawers inside your walk-in closet. Doing this will let you add additional pieces of furniture, such as a writing desk, a seating group, or a big screen TV, to transform any bedroom into a luxury suite. Bedrooms used by a specific group of people have unique needs. Whether you're decorating a master bedroom, a guest room, or a room for children, the following sections provide you with the tips you need. Master bedrooms A master bedroom doesn't have to be huge, but it does need to offer the amenities you need. If your space is less masterful than you'd like, look at some of the following suggestions for decorating your bedroom: Make the bedroom look larger by eliminating clutter. Use only necessary furniture. If you can, push a chest of drawers into a walk-in closet to free up floor space. Keep the bed visually low. Use a headboard, but don't use a footboard, and opt for something other than a four-poster bed, all of which tend to take up space visually, making the room seem smaller. Keep all your furniture — like the rest of your color scheme — light. Light colored furniture, walls, floors, window treatments, and bedding make a room seem bigger. Regardless of the size of your master bedroom, the following tips can help you to make it as comfortable as possible: Add bedside tables that are as big as space will allow. If you read or watch TV in bed, you'll find these tables helpful. You can buy restaurant café tables for very little money and drape them with quilts. Try to make room for at least one comfortable chair. Chairs are great for company on a sick day, for daytime resting, or for reading. Consider carpeting all bedroom floors to reduce noise in the room. Add a lady's desk — a small, delicately proportioned furnishing for writing letters and so forth — if you have room. Teen bedrooms Teenagers usually know what they want in a bedroom and aren't slow to tell you that they need storage for books and music and space for their collections of just about anything you can name. They have firm ideas about style and colors, so ask! And when your son or daughter requests a wild color, do your best to persuade him or her to use it as an accent. More and more activities from surfing the Net to entertaining take place in a teen's room. Extra seating and small tables provide space for visitors. Keep furnishings practical and easy to care for. Children's bedrooms Nurseries must be planned with the child's future years in mind. But from the beginning, make room for a changing table near the crib. As always, keep safety in mind. The following tips will help you do all of these things: Keep cribs away from windows and window blind cords. Make sure cribs and bunk beds meet federal safety standards. Check to see that mattresses fit snugly against the crib's sides. Slats, spindles, rods, and corner posts should be no more than 2-3/8 inches apart from each other. Make sure a child can't release the drop side of a crib. Choose chests and cabinets that can't be tipped over (even when drawers are opened and a child crawls up and into them). This may call for fastening them to the wall for security. Find hardware that's rounded, sanded, and has no sharp edges. Equip all electrical outlets with plastic safeguard plugs. Eliminate any small throw rugs on slippery floors. Make sure all flooring is skidproof. Eliminate dangling cords on window blinds. Choose bunk beds with sturdy ladders, handrails, and safety rails. Make sure you have a guest bed for occasional sleepovers. A trundle bed, which neatly stores a second bed beneath a regular one, is the ideal solution for children's rooms. Guest bedrooms Setting aside a room for guests makes their stay more comfortable not only for them, but also for you. You can furnish the guest room with a marvelous bed and all the necessary furnishings and forget about it. Check out the following suggestions for ways to make your guest room comfortable: Buy a handsome, space-saving daybed or sofa bed that fits smartly against the wall and out of the way. The versatility of these beds makes them a delightful option in a home office or other double-duty room. You may even consider installing a Murphy bed that hides away in a closet. Make sure that your guest has plenty of closet space. Dedicate two sets of sheets, a comforter, special pillows, a duvet cover, and pillow shams to your guest room.

Video / Updated 04-21-2022

Audio Transcript To remove ordinary wallpaper, you need to gather a few simple items. A pre-tape drop cloth A bucket of water A paint roller and pan A perforator A scraper (which looks a lot like a putty knife but has a slot for replaceable blades) Wallpaper removing solvent And a bucket full of patients The first step is to protect the floor and molding from water damage. Use a pre-taped plastic drop cloth and tape it to the top of the baseboard floor molding. Go all around the perimeter of the area and then unfold it into the room to cover the floor. If you skip this step, it can get messy, not to mention the damage that water can do to floors and baseboards. The second step is to score the wallpaper with a razor scraper or perforating tool. It's a perfect gadget for removing wallpaper from walls made of wall board or drywall, because it won't damage the paper face of the wall board. And that means you won't have to spend time repairing the walls later. When you score the paper with holes or slits it allows the moisture, when applied, to break down the adhesive. If at any time you notice the razor is getting dull, be sure to change it. The next step is to mix the wallpaper removing solvent with water. The solvent breaks down the adhesive, so that the wall covering loosens and can easily be scraped off. Use either a 50/50 combination of vinegar and water or a 25/75 solution of liquid laundry softener and water. The fourth step is to apply the wallpaper solvent with a paint roller or a liquid sprayer. Start with a three foot section of wallpaper. After a few applications of moisture and a little time to let it soak in, you'll be ready for the next step. Now peel and scrape off the wet paper. Work on a three foot wide section of the wall at a time and then move on to the next area. As you scrape off the old wallpaper, let it fall onto the plastic drop cloth. When all the wallpaper is removed, use a sponge and some warm water to remove any excess paste from the walls. Then just roll up the entire mess — wallpaper, drop cloth and all.

Step by Step / Updated 04-21-2022

Chalk paint can be used to paint almost anything — walls, kitchen cabinets, metal, wood, and even fabric — but the most common use is to give new life to old furniture or to make newer pieces look old. The great thing about chalk paint is that there isn't a huge learning curve or a lot of prep work. You can just dive right in.

Video / Updated 04-20-2022

Painting the corners and edges on a wall is the meticulous part; once you've done that, you're ready to paint the main part of the wall. Be sure you have the right tools — having the right roller for the surface of your walls is critical.

Video / Updated 04-20-2022

You don't want to run out of paint midway through painting a room. Use simple math the determine how much paint you need, and you're good to start painting.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-20-2022

It's a good idea to be prepared for things going wrong in your home, whether it's something relatively simple that you can fix yourself, or a more complex problem requiring a qualified professional. Following is advice for both situations. First, we list some non-tool items you'll want to have around for DIY home repair. We also suggest questions you should ask before hiring a professional to make a repair or renovation in your home.

Article / Updated 04-20-2022

Installing a ceramic tile floor may appear to be beyond the abilities of some homeowners, but most DIYers can handle it. Just don’t rush it — have a little patience! The materials are relatively easy to work with, and you can rent the tools, even the big ones. Install ceramic tile over a subfloor that’s no less than 1 1/8 inches thick. A thinner subfloor will cause the floor to flex due to the weight of the tile. A flexing subfloor results in cracked tiles and grout — and a lot of headaches. Most tile manufacturers recommend installing a cement backer board instead of any other type of underlayment, such as plywood. The boards come in 3-by-5-foot sheets and are available where tile and grout are sold. After you establish your guidelines or layout lines, it’s time to install the tile: Before you think about setting the tile in place with mortar, make sure that the layout is even from side to side in both directions. To do so, dry-fit the tiles along the layout lines in both directions and make sure that the finished layout looks good to you. One important measurement to note is the width of the tiles that meet the wall. Make sure you never have less than half of a tile’s width at the wall. If you do, adjust the layout until you get an adequate end tile size. After you establish this, snap a new layout line to follow. Pick up the loose tiles and set them aside. Use a notched trowel to spread thin-set mortar over a 3-by-3-foot section at the intersection of the layout lines. Trowels come with different-sized notches, so check the tile manufacturer’s recommendation for the correct size. Working in small, square sections — say 3 feet by 3 feet — is important. If you work with a larger section, the mortar may harden (known as setting up) before you put the tiles in place. Be careful not to cover the layout lines. Begin laying tiles at the center point of the two layout lines, setting each tile into the mortar by tapping it gently with a rubber mallet. Use plastic spacers at each tile corner to maintain even grout lines between the tiles. Spacers are available where tile is sold. Continue laying tiles until you’ve covered the mortared area. Continue the process by applying mortar to another section and then laying tiles. Fit the last tile in the row at the wall. This step usually requires that you measure and cut the tile. First, set a scrap tile against the wall — it allows space for grout. Next, place a loose tile directly over the last full tile you laid (this is the tile you’ll cut to size). Then place another tile on the loose one and up against the tile on the wall. Mark the loose tile and cut it to fit along the edge. After all the tiles are set in the mortar, mix the grout according to the manufacturer’s instructions and install it by using a rubber grout float. Use a sweeping motion, pressing the grout into the gaps. Wipe away the excess grout with a grout sponge. Let the grout dry slightly and then wipe off the haze that appears. Cutting the tiles For most installations, you need a tile cutter, which you can rent. To make a straight cut with a tile cutter, simply place the tile face up in the cutter, adjust the cutter to the proper width, and score the tile by pulling the cutting wheel across the tile’s face. Then snap the tile along the scored line. If you need to make a cutout, say to go around a corner, mark the area you plan to cut out. Secure the tile in a vise or clamps — just be sure to cushion the vise jaws to protect the tile from scratches. Cut along the marks with a tile saw, which is a hand saw that’s similar to a coping saw, except that it has a carbide saw blade designed for cutting ceramic tile. If you need to make a round or circular cut, mark the area and then use a tile nipper to nip out small pieces of tile until you reach the line. A tile nipper is similar to a pair of pliers, but it has hardened cutting edges for cutting through ceramic tile.

Article / Updated 04-20-2022

Planning the layout of your tile floor is an essential step in guaranteeing the success of your project. Ever wonder how a professional tile layer always seems to get those tiles at a perfect 90- or 45-degree angle to the wall? You can do it, too, and here’s how. Install ceramic tile over a subfloor that’s no less than 1 1/8 inches thick. A thinner subfloor will cause the floor to flex due to the weight of the tile. A flexing subfloor results in cracked tiles and grout — and a lot of headaches. Most tile manufacturers recommend installing a cement backer board instead of any other type of underlayment, such as plywood. The boards come in 3-by-5-foot sheets and are available where tile and grout are sold. Begin planning by using a pair of perpendicular reference lines for establishing your layout instead of relying on measurements from walls, which are neither straight nor square to each other. To ensure the reference lines are square, use a 3-4-5 triangle rule as follows: Establish your first reference line by measuring across opposite sides of the room. Mark the center of each side and then snap a chalk line between the two marks. Measure and mark the center of that line. Then use a pencil, a framing square, and a straightedge held against its shorter leg to mark a second 4-foot-long line perpendicular to the first line. Before snapping a second line across the room, you want be sure the angle you formed is truly 90 degrees. Measure out 3 feet from the intersection and mark the penciled line. Then measure out 4 feet from the intersection and mark the spot on the chalk line. Measure the distance between the 3-foot and 4-foot marks. The distance should be 5 feet — the 3-4-5 rule. If it isn’t, make an adjustment and pencil a new line. Now snap a chalk line across the room that falls directly over the penciled line. After you have reference lines, use them to establish layout lines, which actually guide tile placement. Dry-set two rows of tiles, extending from the center to adjacent walls. If the last tile in a row would be less than half a tile, plan to shift the first course to be centered on the reference line rather than next to it. Snap your layout line a half line away from the reference line. Repeat the procedure for the other row. Laying out your tiles at 45-degree angles instead of 90 isn’t that difficult. You need only a couple more layout lines. Mark the two layout lines as you would for a 90-degree job and then follow these steps: Measure out the same distance (for example, 4 feet) on the perpendicular lines. From these points, make marks 4 feet out at right angles to the original lines. Snap a chalk line through these new marks and through the intersection of the two original layout lines. The two lines are now your layout lines for a 45-degree pattern.

Article / Updated 04-20-2022

Buying ceramic tile for floors requires measuring and math. Estimate how many ceramic tiles to buy by calculating the total floor area you plan to cover and dividing that number by the size of one tile. Ceramic floor tiles typically come in 4-, 6-, 9-, 12-, and 18-inch squares. First, determine the square footage of the room (don’t forget the closets!); just multiply the room’s length by its width. [Length of Floor] x [Width of Floor] = Total Area. Choose your tile size from the following list and use the accompanying equation to figure out the number of tiles to buy: 4-inch tiles: Total Area ÷ 0.1089 = Number of 4-inch tiles needed 6-inch tiles: Total Area ÷ 0.25 = Number of 6-inch tiles needed 9-inch tiles: Total Area ÷ 0.5625 = Number of 9-inch tiles needed 12-inch tiles: Total Area = Number of 12-inch tiles needed (you’ve measured your room in square feet, and a 12-inch tile is 1 square foot) 18-inch tiles: Total Area ÷ 2.25 = Number of 18-inch tiles needed Because there are variations in the color of tiles from one tile run to another, buy enough tiles to complete the job and have some leftovers for later repairs. You can always bring your room dimensions to a tile dealer, who can help you figure out how much tile and other supplies to purchase.