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Planning Construction Of New Home

 

planning your home

For most people the idea of building a new home seems like climbing a very steep mountain. They know that once the peak has been reached the view will be worth it but they seem fixated on the trip up there. For these people there is an old saying. When asked, How do you eat an elephant? The answer is, A teaspoon at a time.

Like any other big project new home construction is actually a multitude of small operations that fit together much like a puzzle. The end result is a beautiful shelter that provides heat, water, lights and sewage disposal in a safe and functional manner. A residential builder has to have all these items have to be in place in order for the unit to receive the occupancy permit.

Planning

During the boom in home building after World War II most homes in subdivisions were cookie-cutter types. The trim and other decorations were different with each home but the basic shell and layout were identical. Because the workmanship and materials were excellent these homes are in great shape over fifty years later.

Today most people who want to build look for a custom home and builders are constantly working with new and different home plans. The great thing about a buying a set of home plans from an established home designer is that all the aspects in the blueprints have been tried and tested. It’s like using the cookie-cutter approach that worked many years ago and the various contractors are following something that has worked dozens of times before.

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Painting Tips for Beginners

house painting tips

How to paint a room if you have never painted a room before and need some help.

The beauty of painting your space is that it allows it to become your own. However, if you’ve never painted before, you might be unsure where to start.

Prepare Your Space

First, you need to prepare your space for the job. Painting can be messy and if you have unnecessary things lying around you can risk wasting something you value with paint that does not come off. The most important house painting advice is to remove all the furniture in the room you are painting. Move the furniture into another part of the house. If there is furniture that cannot fit through the door, place it in the middle of the room and away from the walls, and cover it with a nylon cloth for protection.

Protect your floor from spilled paint by using professional drop cloths on the entire surface. Remove everything hanging from the wall so you can cover the whole wall. Before painting, make sure that you have thoroughly cleaned the walls with a solution of water and a mild detergent. This will ensure that you get a smoothly painted surface after you are finished.

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Choose Your Paint Color

The key to a successful paint project is choosing the perfect color. Color is very important because it interacts with your mood. Think about the way you view colors and what kind of a mood certain colors evoke. Depending on the purpose of the space, consider the following colors.

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Painter

Safe Painting On Ladders

painting exterior on ladders

Some homeowners want to paint their home’s exterior, but the thought of working on ladders is enough to make them cringe, and they end up putting it off or hiring a professional. Painting at heights can be a daunting task, and it is a good idea to leave this job to a professional painter, or at least let them take care of the high soffits and roof areas.

This can be hazardous work and requires skill using ladders and sometimes even a harness system, as well as steady nerves. But if you are set to tackle this project on your own, there are important guidelines one should know to be successful and not end up on a stretcher! This article will discuss the methods of safe and effective exterior painting on ladders, so that you can paint your two- or even three-story home on your own.

The first step is to obtain the right equipment. This means a tradesman and fully functional ladder. Don’t borrow just any old ladder; you need it to function properly. Ladders are rated which indicate their durability in increasing order.

Grade-3 ladders are homeowner grade, and they can be quite narrow and are not advisable if working higher than 20 feet off the ground. Grade 1A ladders are very rigid, but the downside is that they are heavier, which can cause safety issues when moving the ladder. In most cases, you want grade 2 for painting; they are robust, rated at 225 pounds, and will also be light enough to maneuver safely.

You can rent ladders if necessary; you’ll need a 28′ or longer for many two-story homes to reach the second-story soffits, and third-story areas will require a 32′ or a 40′ ladder. It is usually more cost effective to buy a ladder or two, since you won’t be rushed this way, and you are saving lots of money anyway by doing this job yourself. For lower areas, you want a shorter ladder. Some of the most versatile are called “3-way” ladders, which can be set up as an A-frame, or a small extension ladder, which makes reaching various first story house extremities easier.

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Painter

Tips For Painting A Roof

painting a roof

Painting a roof can vary slightly depending on what material your roof is made of but there is one thing they all have in common and that is they must be cleaned before you apply any paint.

How To Clean A Roof

Depending on your budget and what you have available to you will depend on how you clean your roof. Using a high pressure water blaster is one of the best ways to clean a roof, specially any roof with a rough surface. You can use a broom and hose but you will need some type of chemical to help remove the mould from within the pores of the surface. This is where high pressure is good, it does get into all those nooks and crannies.

A roof with a smooth surface such as galvanised iron could be washed much easier with a boom, some detergent and a hose to wash it off after. High pressure is also good to use but it is not as important to use on smooth surfaces.

How To Paint A Corrugated Iron Roof

If you are painting a new iron roof you will need to wash it with a degreaser before you start unless the roof is more then a year old and has weathered. This means that the oil from fabrication has worn away and the iron has been slightly etched through weathering.

With unpainted iron you will need to prime it first with a suitable primer, this is also the case for any sheets of iron that may have been replaced on an existing roof.

You will need to apply two coats of suitable paint, and the choice of colour is up to you but do remember lighter colours will reflect the heat and darker colours absorb the heat.

Airless spraying is the quickest way to paint any roof and if you decide to paint your roof this way there is a technique to applying the paint. When you are spraying you should spray about a metre wide section and work your way down the sheet, spray in the direction of the flutes in the iron. If you like you can use the joins in the iron as a guide, it is an easy way to tell exactly were you are at. Once you have worked your way down the sheet and completed that section move back to the top of the roof and repeat for next sheet of iron. You must keep a wet edge at all times and that is why you go back to the top of the roof before it starts to dry, if you decide to work back from the bottom to the top, the top part could have tacked off when you get back up there.

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Painter

PROTECT YOUR HOME’S EXTERIOR FROM WINTER WEATHER

protect exterior of home in winter

Unfortunately, we have little control over the havoc that winter weather can wreak on our homes. In New England, homeowners see snow ranging from light and fluffy to wet and heavy, dangerous ice storms and unforgiving freezing rain.

While you cannot secure your home in a bubble for the duration of the season, you can take some simple steps to help protect the exterior of your residence all winter.

Check Your Paint

During the fall season, we can see seasonably warm temperatures before winter weather arrives. Take advantage of these mild days to get outside and inspect your home’s exterior paint job.

If you notice buckling and chipped paint or rotting wood, act now to ensure the damage does not worsen over time. Make your paint touch-ups and contact a professional to evaluate the state of the wood.

Clean the Surface

Pressure washing is popular maintenance in spring, but it should be done in the fall too. When winter arrives, you may not see your lawn, porch or fence without a pile of snow on top for several months.

If you clear away dirt and debris beforehand, you are protecting these surfaces from further contamination. For your paint in particular, it is better suited to face the elements clean than dirty.

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Painter

Tips and Techniques for Antiquing Wood

Tips and Techniques for Antiquing Wood

“Aged”, “antiqued”, “distressed” … these are some of the adjectives that people use to describe how they envision the finish on their cabinets or furniture. From an artist’s perspective, these are very vague terms. They cover a full spectrum of different techniques that all fall under the generalized category of “antiquing”. There is a big difference between a little bit of color in the corners and truly “aged”.

The charm of “aging” is that it represents what happens naturally over time as previous finish treatments are exposed to different elements. For example, there is more wear around edges and handles. Dust settles low. Sun shines inconsistently on vertical surfaces and causes layers of paint to fade and split. Horizontal surfaces and corners take the brunt of the burden for scuffs and scrapes. When done correctly, these pieces actually tell a story. It is helpful to create a mental image about how the object was used or where it was as each layer and technique is applied.

It is important to define exactly how “old” you want it to look. Begin by gathering photos that will show examples of your expectations. You may already have a small piece, like a picture frame, that will provide inspiration. One client even took me outside to view her weathered shutters!

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Painter

Challenges with Painting a Brick House

Challenges with Painting a Brick House

Thinking about painting your brick house? Think again … and even a third time. While coating brick walls with a shade of sunny yellow or crisp white will certainly brighten the appearance of your property, you may be dismayed to find that it’s not easy to paint brickwork with a professional touch, and it will sharply increase the amount of maintenance your home’s exterior requires.

Read all about the advantages of unpainted brick, as well as alternative ways to give your outside walls a fresher, more modem look without painting.

Advantages of Unpainted Brick
Low Maintenance. Unpainted brick is surprisingly low maintenance. It’s durable and doesn’t peel or bubble, even in harsh weather; in fact, its “built-in” color actually develops an attractive patina as it ages. Once you put that paintbrush to the surface, however, you’re committing yourself to regular repainting. Even if the idea doesn’t faze you, think of its impact on curb appeal. When you eventually put your home on the market, many potential buyers will be turned off by the prospect of all that upkeep.

Weather Resistance. Another advantage to just leaving your house exterior alone is the fact that bricks are made from a kiln-fired mixture of clay and shale, which is naturally porous. This quality allows brick walls to breathe, expelling moisture as your home goes through rainstorms or freeze-thaw cycles. Painting, unless meticulously done with high quality, vapor-permeable masonry paint, tends to trap dampness and cause your bricks to crumble, often in as short a period as 5-10 years. The deterioration will be hidden beneath the paint, making it difficult to spot — and treat in the early stages.

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House Painters

How To Paint An Accent Wall In Your Home

how to paint accent walls
Color sets the stage in any room. One way to bring more color into your home is to use an accent wall. It’s easy to create an accent wall in your home with some painting advice. If you are wondering how to paint an accent wall yourself instead of hiring house painters, you’ll find out here.

1. Picking A Wall

An accent wall is a wall painted a different color from the rest of the room and will naturally garner attention. Choosing the right wall will highlight an already prominent feature of the room.

It’s best to select a wall in an open area that has lots of light, either natural or artificial.

The wall that your eye is pulled towards or that has interesting architectural features is especially good.

2. Choosing the Color

A single accent wall can help tie everything in the house together, if you choose the color carefully.

Many people like to go with bold colors when making an accent wall. However, almost any contrasting color will do, so look at your favorite colors to highlight a wall.

If you have minor hints of one color in the room, like red, adding in that color as an accent wall is ideal. The entire room will look organized and part of an overall design scheme.

3. Choosing a Paint Sheen

Next, think about the kind of paint sheen that you want. Each paint sheen reflects light differently and you can use that knowledge to set the mood of the room.

A subtle eggshell finish can make the entire room feel softer.

Shinier finishes, like semi-gloss or satin, will help add light and make the wall stand out even more.

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Painter & Decorator

Painting Wooden Kitchen Cabinets To Different Colour

painting kitchen cupboards

Painting wooden kitchen cabinets aren’t that a difficult task, but it can be quite a messy and tedious job if you are not entirely familiar what to do or how to approach it. By simply following the steps below, painting your wooden kitchen cabinets will become a stress-free and organised job without any unnecessary hassle.

  • If you have a breathing problem or are pregnant painting your wooden kitchen cabinets now is not such a good idea.
  • Having proper ventilation in your kitchen during the entire painting process is essential as some paints can be flammable if exposed to high heat, and will also prevent any health problems that could occur from inhaling the paint for a continues amount of time.
  • Cover all the surfaces in your kitchen, from the countertops to anything on it. If there is anything else that you think could possibly run the opportunity of getting paint on it cover that as well.
  • Once everything is protected and covered it is now time to remove the shine off your wooden kitchen cabinets. The product to use is called TSP and can be found at any hardware store or home improvement store. Be sure to read the instructions carefully before you apply it.
  • Decide before-hand whether you are going to paint the entire cabinet, inside and outside or just the doors and face frames. Although it is much harder work to paint the whole cabinet it will look more professional, and at the end of the day you are going to have to look at those cabinets every day.
  • Remove everything including the handles, the hinges and the cabinet doors themselves. Don’t try and paint them while they are hanging on the cabinet frames. Cover the painting area with drop clothes and place the cabinet door on a block horizontally, preventing droplets of paint gathering at the bottom of the cabinet. It is also important that the area you paint in are dust-free and free from dirt.
  • Reuse the hardware by soaking it in paint remover overnight, and buff it with steel wool or rub it with a metal polish to restore its lustre.
  • Prepare the doors by filling any dents or holes, sanding it afterwards. For severe scratches sand it with medium-grit sandpaper and to finish the surfaces use a fine grain sandpaper.
  • Once you’ve covered all the surfaces and other surfaces with masking tape or painters tape you can start painting the stiles. First paint the hard-to-reach areas and work your way out, paint the inside before painting the outside and paint the framing with long, smooth strokes.
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Painter & Decorator

Refresh Your Walls With This Checklist

Read this great article from Dulux Paints

refresh your walls by painting themOur handy decorating tips check-list arms you with all the tools and tricks you need to get a professional-looking finish.
“I’m about to repaint my walls. How do I make sure I get it right”

A lick of paint is an easy and affordable way to give a room an instant update but, according to an AkzoNobel survey, around one in 10 people say they are put off decorating because they don’t know where to start.

Our handy decorating tips check-list arms you with all the tools and tricks you need to get a professional-looking finish – whether you’re a first-time painter or a regular re-decorator.

1. Pick your paint

The colour of your walls has a huge impact on the overall look and feel of a room, so it’s important to get it right. If you’re struggling to choose, the Dulux Visualizer app gives you an instant digital impression of your wall colour, so you can try out different shades before you pick up a paint brush.

Once you’ve found your perfect shade, you can use the Dulux paint calculator to work out exactly how much you need to buy.

2. Reach for the tape

Cover wall sockets, window frames, coving, door hardware, and anything else that you don’t want to paint, with masking tape. Make sure you apply it in a neat, straight line so the edge of your paint turns out equally neat.

3. Cover Up

It’s usually a good idea to remove all furniture from the room, but if you don’t have the space, cover it with drop cloths or plastic sheeting instead. Plastic carrier bags are a cheap and easy way to protect things like light fittings.

You should always place a drop cloth underneath the area you are painting, ideally taping it down. Paint drips have a tendency to sneak onto your floor no matter how careful you are, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

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