Friday, November 29, 2013

Interior Designing Fresh paint Colors

Interior color choices range from simple cream to rich blues.


Color choices define the mood and personality of a room. Consider the size and function of your room as well as your own personal taste before deciding on a paint color. When painting, prepare your walls by filling any gaps or holes with putty and applying primer. Test out paint choices by painting swatches in the room and observing them for a few days. Take care to look at the paint at various times throughout the day as the shades will change with the light.


Browns and Grays


Hues from the brown or gray families create a versatile backdrop for your home interior. Pair wall color with complementary accents and accessories using lighter and darker versions of the same color for a cohesive look. Stone gray walls, paired with smoky charcoal accents, create a sleek and contemporary interior color scheme. To add visual stimulation incorporate punches of bright colors, such as a bouquet of chartreuse mums or ornately-patterned fuchsia throw pillows. For brown color schemes, from light beige to rich espresso, use rust and orange accents. Neutral color schemes can accommodate big bold artwork, allowing it to become the focal point of the space.


Blues and Greens


Use blues and greens from soft hues, such as sea-foam green and sky blue to evergreen and cobalt, to transform your interior into a relaxing space inspired by nature. Embrace an organic approach by looking outside your window for inspiration. Those in desert climates might incorporate cactus green and lavender-tinged sky blues while seaside locales may dictate marsh green and deep blue. For a crisp accent in your nature inspired space use white accents for window treatments, area rugs and furniture. Repurpose existing wood furniture by adding a fresh coat of white paint.


Cream


Creamy white walls paired with rich dark floor finishes make an instant statement in your interior design. Emphasize the character and finish of hardwood floors by contrasting them with light creamy wall color. Cream walls encourage experimentation with their simplicity, blending with other design features, such as furniture and fabrics. Add visual interest and pops of color with upholstered furniture and area rugs in bold patterns and hues. Stay bold with your choices as the simplicity of the wall color will not compete with accents and accessories. Use bright colors, such as turquoise or chartreuse, to punch up the space and add dimension to the room. Cream color palettes succeed in dining and living rooms as well as bedroom spaces.



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Ranch Style Exterior Fresh paint Ideas

The ranch often has an earth-tone exterior.


Ranch homes are known for their clean lines, low profiles and casual feel. This architectural style was especially popular from the 1940s through the 1970s, as Americans began to enjoy their newfound prosperity and flocked to the suburbs. The ranch's exterior paint typified the optimism that pervaded the nation with earthy tones and fun pops of bright color.


Optimistic Colors


Sherwin Willliams has a line of ''Suburban Modern'' colors befitting a ranch-style home. They include bright, sunny colors that reflect the optimism Americans were feeling post-World War II. Examples are Stratford Blue (SW 2864), Harvest Gold (SW 2858), Peace Yellow (SW2857) and Burma Jade (SW 2862). "Suburban Modern'' is part of the Exterior Color Preservation Palette, which recommends hues for various architectural styles and periods.


Earthy Palette


Benjamin Moore recommends an earthy palette for a ranch home. One natural color scheme calls for Interlude (AF-135), which is a stone-tan color, on the body of the house. Doors and shutters are painted Townsend Harbor Brown (HC-64), and the trim is painted White Dove (OC-17) for a crisp pop.


Bright Naturals


Behr recommends several color options appropriate for a ranch-style home. Most of them feature creamy, sand, taupe and tan tones for the body of the house, with accents and trim in brighter naturals. An example is Wild Honey (760C-3) on the body, Chianti (S-H-150) on the door and Mirage White (400E-1) on the trim. Another option is Quail Ridge (ECC-18-1) on the body, Blooming Wisteria (ECC-18-3) on the door and Pebbled Shore (ECC-18-2) on the trim.









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Fresh paint Brick Siding

When the brick siding on a house starts to look old and dirty, many homeowners attempt to paint the brick siding themselves. This is a reasonable option, but there are some steps that can be taken to ensure a job well done.


Instructions


1. Spray the house down with the hose. You may want to tackle one side at a time. The next several steps are for houses that already have painted brick siding and are re-doing it. If this isn't you, skip down to Step 6.


2. Mix 2 pounds of strong detergent with water.


3. Put the mixture on the siding and allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.


4. Scrub the siding with a stiff bristle brush and repeat Step 3, if you find any trouble spots where you can't seem to get all of the paint off.


5. Rinse the house off again, using the hose.


6. Inspect the brick siding to ensure there is no damage, cracks or holes anywhere. If there are, repair them with a concrete filler.


7. Lay drop cloths on bushes, porches and anything else you don't want paint on. Also, mask around doors and windows.


8. Paint the side with your latex primer. A roller would be the best option for this, unless you have a paint sprayer. Allow the primer to dry completely.


9. Switch rollers and apply your first coat of latex paint to the brick. Allow to dry.


10. Repeat Step 10 as many times as necessary; normally, 2 coats is enough.



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The Very Best Palettes For Houses

The Best Color Schemes for Homes


Interior decorators do not use colors haphazardly; they work with color theory, often using a color wheel to pinpoint color schemes. Colors opposite each other on the wheel create a complementary scheme. Colors next to each other on the wheel are analogous. Variations on a single color create a monochromatic scheme, and different colors evoke different moods. By combining a knowledge of color schemes with color families can you create many variations on a thoughtful decor that is best for you.


Yellows


Yellow evokes warmth, joy and creativity. Combined with its complement, blue, it suggests a traditional French country look, informal and welcoming. With its analogous color orange, it suggests warmth and autumn. Green is its other analogous color; with green, yellow creates a cheerful, fresh spring-like mood. Combined with white or black, it can become formal--think of yellow and white silk draperies.


Reds


Reds can provoke or evoke. A lot of red might suggest anger--or sensuality, but when used with its analogous colors, orange and pink, it softens to create a romantic environment that also suggests creativity. Against its complementary cooler color, blue-green, red creates drama, masculinity and perhaps mystery, if the hues are dark. For example, imagine a pool table with its green felt in a room with deep red drapes. As an accent color, red brightens a room and adds interest.


Blues


Blues connote coolness, serenity and reliability. Often used in business settings, blues can take on a serious tone. In the United States and Great Britain, blue with red connotes patriotism, but with grays and white, it takes on a sophisticated high-modern feeling. To some people, the high modern look is dull and uninspiring, unless splashes of blue's complement, yellow or one of the colors analogous to yellow, such as yellow-green, take the cool edge off.


Greens


Greens, of course, suggest the natural world. Interestingly, they can be cool or warm, depending upon which way you turn the color wheel. Toward the brown and orange side of the color wheel, they are warm and homey. But brighter greens that turn toward the blue side of the color wheel are cooler, more playful and often used with primary colors to create a child-friendly environment. As the predominate color in a decorating scheme, green can be difficult to live with, so unless it's a light hue, green is more often used as a secondary or accent color.


Earth Tones


Not as adventurous as some of the other colors, earth tones--browns, beiges, taupes, grays and even mauve--are tried and true in the world of home decor. They can also be boring, especially if the decorator uses a lot of brown and beige against contractor white. On a wall, they work effectively in saturated versions--coffee and taupe, for example, with other furnishings introducing one or more of their analogous cousins, dusky purple for example. Splashes of one of the brighter, cooler colors, such as magenta, can brighten the room.


Whites


White by default--meaning the decorator didn't make an effort to change what was there--rarely works. But by design, a white monochromatic color scheme is another story, a sophisticated one. White always requires a thoughtful approach. While other colors may allow for more play, with any vibrant shade white can be harsh. On the other hand, it adapts to neutrals with ease. In fact, it looks good with most subdued tones, such as beiges, water-washed pastels and grays, with which white creates a calm, perhaps dreamy, environment.



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Fresh paint A Dining Area Table & Chairs

Sand off the shiny varnish coat before you paint.


If you would like to paint a dining room table and chairs, you will need to focus on a pair of important issues. First, because dining room furniture is usually varnished, you must execute specific preparation techniques to encourage paint adhesion or the finish will peel up over time. In addition, you will need to employ a specific application strategy that will help to prevent sagging and brushstrokes in the final finish coat.


Instructions


1. Clean the dining room table and chairs with soap. Rinse all surfaces thoroughly using a damp rag. Allow the furniture to dry completely.


2. Sand off the shiny varnish coat. Sand with the grain of the wood. Continue sanding the dining room table and chairs until the finish appears dull.


3. Wipe sawdust from the dining room table and chairs using a tack cloth.


4. Cover any parts of the dining room table and chairs you want left unpainted with painter's tape. Cover flooring beneath the furniture with drop cloths.


5. Apply a thin coat of oil-based primer to the dining room table and chairs using a 2- to 4-inch paintbrush for use with oils. Allow the primer to dry for three hours.


6. Wash the 2- to 4-inch oil-based paintbrush with mineral spirits.


7. Pour one gallon of acrylic latex paint into a 2-gallon painter's pot. Dilute the paint to encourage a smooth, professional looking finish by stirring in one ounce of water. Stir for five minutes.


8. Apply two thin coats of acrylic latex paint to the primed dining room table and chairs using a 2- to 4-inch latex paintbrush. Do not overapply as this may lead to sagging and brushstrokes in the final finish coat. Allow two hours of dry time between coats.


9. Clean the 2- to 4-inch latex paintbrush with water.



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Thursday, November 28, 2013

Fresh paint A Dog'S Portrait

Paint a Dog's Portrait


So you want to immortalize your beloved pooch in art? While a sonnet or song written to Spot are nice ways to express your love, no medium will capture your canine's inner essence like a good portrait. Follow a few steps to put your dog's likeness onto the canvas so you can enjoy it forever.


Instructions


1. Pay a professional. The simplest and easiest way to paint a portrait of your dog is to pay someone else to do it. Services like Pet Portraits by Lorri will give you a lifelike and expressive portrait of your dog that any pet lover would be proud to hang over the mantelpiece.


2. If you want to stay more connected to the process, you can paint the portrait yourself. Begin by taking a portrait photo of your dog. Put the pooch into an expressive, elegant or dignified position and snap a good shot. The photo is only a basis for the rest of the process, so it doesn't have to be perfect.


3. Digitally alter the photo. If the photograph wasn't taken digitally, you can scan it. Then, import the digital image into a photo-altering software. Enhance the contrast of the photo so you primarily see the contrasting lines between different colors. Print the photo when you are done.


4. Trace the photo. Use a piece of tracing paper to trace the photo and then transfer it to your canvas. You can either paste the thin tracing paper onto the canvas or you can use a water-based paint to outline the traced lines and then stick them to your canvas to leave a "watermark."


5. Once you have your traced image on the canvas, you can begin to fill it in with paint. Start lightly since you can always add more. Choose your palette of colors and mix a number of different hues to match the subtle coloring of your dog's coat. Work from the original photo you took to accurately incorporate shading and lighting.









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Charge Through The Sq . Ft .

Charging by the square foot allows you to charge by the job.


There are quite a few projects for which you might want to charge by the job by using square feet. Some of these jobs include painting, building and lawn services. If you are going to charge by the job instead of by the hour, a price that covers your expenses and labor and is still fair to the customer can help you to gain business.


Instructions


1. Establish your cost of materials and supplies per square foot. You may have to do some division to calculate this. For instance, one basic material that you would need for a painting job is the paint. If you know that it takes $50 in paint to paint a room that is 100 feet square, divide 50 by 100 to get a price of 50 cents per square foot just for the paint. Add the cost of all supplies related to the job, as well as any maintenance costs that you might have to spend in order to keep up your equipment.


2. Estimate how many hours it would take you to do a specific job. For instance, you may figure that it would take you four hours to paint a room that is 100 square feet. You also might decide that your labor is worth $30 per hour, which means that the job would cost $120 in terms of labor.


3. Divide your calculation by the square footage of the job to determine the cost of labor per square foot. For example, if the job would cost $120 in labor, and the square footage is 100, divide 120 by 100 to get a cost of $1.20 per square foot.


4. Add your labor calculation to your materials and supplies calculation to determine the overall price to charge per square foot.


5. Call other professionals in your area who are doing the same type of work and ask them about their prices per square foot. You'll want your price to be similar in order to be competitive, so you may have to adjust your fees if necessary.









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Painting Approaches For Doorways

Colored doors add visual interest.


Paint your doors if you're redecorating, or if you just want to breathe new life into a living area. Like other home painting projects, painting doors involves some cleaning and sanding preparation, but the work you put into it is worth it in the end.


Cleaning and Sanding


Give the door a good dusting with a damp cloth. Whether the doors are old or new, previously painted or stained, they will have to be sanded down before you apply the primer. Sand any bumps or old paint drips with a fine-grit sandpaper. Fill dents and chips with spackle.


Stains and Soiling


If you have difficult stains and soiling, scrub with a solution of TSP (trisodium phosphate), and allow it to dry. If these areas have surface imperfections, sand them or fill them with spackle. When the spackle is completely dry, sand the whole door thoroughly with a palm sander or by hand with 180- or 220-grit sandpaper.


Remove the Doors


If working on the door while it's hanging on hinges is bothersome, take the door off the hinges and place it on two sawhorses, or against a wall. Tape off the hinges and windows (if it has windows) with masking tape, and apply a coat of primer. Allow the primer to fully dry, and apply the first coat of paint. Apply a second coat after the first coat dries.


Painting Exterior Metal Doors


Use a wire brush to remove rust or flaking metal. Scrub the door thoroughly and allow it to dry. Re-scrub stubborn spots with a solution of TSP and water, and allow it to dry. When using TSP, follow all manufacturer's warnings, as this is a highly toxic chemical cleaner. Mask off any weather stripping, locking mechanisms and glass.


Prime and Paint


Paint on a coat of thinned exterior oil primer (eight parts primer to one part thinner). When this dries, apply a coat of exterior acrylic house paint, and allow it to dry. Follow this with a second coat.









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Match Siding & Roof Colors

It's important to choose a roof and siding that will match each other, because its exterior appearance will affect the resale value of your home.


It's absolutely critical that when you're picking siding and a roof for your home, the colors you choose should match each other, because this color scheme will affect the value of your home. However, it's also important to choose a scheme that you find attractive and personally representative of your tastes. For this reason, you should spend a lot of time considering your choices before you make a final decision.


Instructions


1. Choose the siding that you wish to install on your house. It's important to choose a color you like, but it is also important to pick a color that won't make the resale of your house difficult in the future. You should choose a color that others will find attractive and tasteful. For this reason, conservative colors such as white, gray, brown, beige, gold, sage or light blue are commonly used. If you are keeping your old siding and simply wish to match your old siding to your new roof, you can skip this step.


2. Determine if your siding is a warm color or a cool color. Warm colors are those colors that correspond to red, yellow or orange on the color wheel. Cool colors include green, blue and purple. Therefore, most colors such as gold, beige and brown are warm colors, while common siding colors such as sage and sky blue are cool colors. Neutrals include white and gray.


3. Choose a roof that will match the siding. Warm colors will generally look better with brown-tinted or warm-tinted roof colors. Cool colors and neutrals will generally look better with cool-tinted or gray roof tiles. For example, a dark-brown roof tile will match well with a middle-value brown siding, while a sage-colored home will match up with a gray-green roof tile. Note that a gray roof tile is a common fit-all roof color that will generally match just about any siding. Although there may be a better, more interesting roof color you could choose for your home, it's difficult to go truly wrong with gray. In addition, homes that have a neutral siding (white or gray) will look best with a neutral-colored roof tile.









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Remove Acrylic Fresh paint From Clothes

Acrylic paint spills can be removed with soap and water if you act quickly enough.


Acrylic paint is a versatile water-based substance that can provide vibrant colors to any project, but when it gets on your clothing it can be difficult or impossible to remove with washing alone. Once acrylic paint dries, it can become water-resistant, so work quickly to remove the stain. For dried-on stains, acetone can help dissolve the acrylic paint. You can find acetone at most beauty supply, hardware and home improvement stores.


Instructions


1. Scrape off any paint with a butter knife or paint scraper.


2. Rinse the clothing under warm, running water to remove as much paint as possible. Allow the water to soak through, reaching the back of the stained fabric.


3. Mix equal parts dish detergent and warm water in a container. Dip a sponge into the solution and apply it to the paint stain. Press and blot the stain vigorously to remove the paint from the fabric. Rinse the fabric with warm water and continue scrubbing the stain until it is gone.


4. Remove any remaining stain by blotting it with a cotton cloth partially soaked in acetone. Don't use on fabrics with acetate or triacetate. Wash the fabric as usual.









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Clean Mold From The Outside Of A Home

Mold, mildew and other fungi can grow both inside and outside your home.


An unsightly fungus growing on the exterior of your home is mold. Mold thrives and breeds in damp, dark and humid areas and will feed off the surface it is growing on. The exterior of your home offers the perfect breeding environment for mold and -- if you do not remove the mold -- it can deteriorate and stain the outside of your home. Once you remove the mold, take the necessary steps to keep the exterior mold from returning.


Instructions


Remove Exterior Mold


1. Clean leaves, twigs, dead plants, decaying vegetation and other debris from around your home's foundation. This will eliminate a common food source for fungus.


2. Mix 1 gallon of warm water with 1 cup of chlorine bleach. Add 1/4 cup of liquid dish soap and mix with a spoon. Alternatively, replace the chlorine bleach with 1 cup of oxygen bleach. Oxygen bleach -- which comes in a powdered form -- is a safer alternative to chlorine bleach. Unlike chlorine, oxygen bleach will not harm plants or discolor surfaces.


3. Dip a brush broom in the mixture and scrub all molded areas. Scrub siding, wood and painted surfaces with the mixture. Let the mixture sit on the surface for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse the surface clean with a water hose. Continue until you have removed all traces of the mold.


4. Use a ladder to gain access to your roof. Scrub the roof with the brush broom saturated in the mixture. Continue scrubbing until you have removed all mold, mildew or moss growing on your roof. Rinse the roof clean with a water hose.


Prevent Exterior Mold


5. Protect wood decks and patios from future fungus growth by applying a wood sealer. Furthermore, apply a mildew-resistant paint over painted outdoor items.


6. Remove leaves, twigs and other vegetation from your roof regularly. Keeping your roof free of debris will reduce the chance of mold, mildew and moss growth.


7. Trim back tree branches that hang over your roof. This will keep leaves and twigs from falling on the roof while allowing the sun to shine on the area. Mold and mildew cannot live in sunlight.









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Look At Your Central Ac Before Calling A Repair Guy

The central air conditioner's condenser coil lies behind a protective grate.


When summer heat arrives, you may find the central air conditioner running but your house less cool than you want. When this occurs, you may be tempted to call a repair person immediately and spend hundreds of dollars on a simple repair you could have done yourself. Before calling the repair shop, check a few things on your own.


Instructions


1. Look at the air conditioner return vent inside your home. Pull the filter out of the return vent and check for dirt. Change the filter if it is clogged with dirt, dust or animal fur. If it does not look dirty but has not been changed in awhile, change it anyway given the likelihood of dirt inside the filter that you cannot see. A dirty air filter can cause an air conditioner to freeze up, creating a rise in temperature in the home.


2. Clean the condenser coil located on the outside unit with a regular garden hose. Turn the unit off. Hold the hose about four inches from the coil and slowly spray it as if you were painting, with a right-to-left motion. That way you do not miss any areas. You cannot see the dirt in the coil until brown water emerges from the bottom of the condenser coil. Allow the unit to dry for 10 minutes before restoring power.


3. Allow the central air conditioner time to cool the house after restoring power. If you replace an extremely dirty filter and do not see a change in the temperature, the reason is most likely to the unit freezing up. Shut off the unit for several hours so it can thaw before calling a repair shop. If the repairman comes and has to defrost the unit himself, you may have to pay for the time allotted for defrosting.









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Kill A Wasp Within My House

Wasps deliver a poisonous venom in their sting that causes red, itchy, painful welts and a serious allergic reaction in some people. You can differentiate a wasp from a bee by its slender, smooth body. Their papery nests can be found near roofs and windows. Take careful precautions when killing a wasp because wasps are naturally defensive insects that sting when threatened.


Isolating the Wasp


A wasp is difficult to kill when it flies from room to room. Locate the wasp and close all doors and windows in that room. Take children and animals out of the room in case the wasp retaliates and stings a bystander. Turn on all lights to get a full visual perspective; however, high ceiling lights will only draw the wasp up to an unreachable location because they are attracted to lights. It's rare to see a wasp flying inside a home at night because wasps aren't nocturnal insects and typically fly back to their nest at dusk. Use a ladder if you have high ceilings, but have someone hold the ladder steady. To attract a wasp from the ceiling of a room, set out food and sugary drinks or turn on table lamp lights. Wear a thick coat and pants to minimize the wasp's ability to sting you through your clothes.


Sprays


Grab a can of wasp-killing spray, such as Raid Wasp and Hornet Killer or EcoExempt Jet Wasp and Hornet Killer. Use a can of aerosol spray if you don't have a bug killer in your home. Pick a time to target the wasp when it is away from kitchen counters and open food. Instead of killing a wasp in a kitchen, it is best to wait for the wasp to go into another room of your house to prevent contaminating your food preparation areas. Wait for the wasp to come into spraying distance. Refrain from spraying a cloud of insecticide in the direction of the wasp. Hold out your hand and spray. When coming into contact with the spray, the wasp should immediately fall to the ground. Spray the wasp again once it has fallen. Pick up the wasp with a towel and throw it in an outside trash can. Avoid using tissue paper; if the wasp is still alive, it will attack and can do so easily through tissue paper. Use soap and water to clean all surfaces that may have been sprayed.


Killing a Wasp Without Spray


If you don't have an aerosol spray or don't want to breathe toxic fumes, you can kill a wasp by using other methods. Throw a towel over the wasp and step on it. Stomp on the towel thoroughly, and then pick up the entire towel with gloves to take it and the wasp outside. You also can use a flyswatter as long as you get a good shot. For a wasp flying near a ceiling, use a broom to smash the wasp against the ceiling or a nearby wall. Always be extremely careful because wasps are aggressive insects that will attack when you try to kill them.









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Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Beach Condo Designing Ideas

Beach condo


Beach condos can serve as a vacation getaway or a year-round home. Often, the closer you get to the water, the more expensive real estate becomes. An affordable beach condo may be short on space, so you must decorate to maximize what you have. Decorate a condo differently than you would a traditional home, so it blends in with the surroundings.


Beach Colors


Ocean colors are soothing and relaxing. Use muted blues, grays, greens and taupes to decorate a beach condo. If you want a breezy beach house feeling, accent with white or use it as your main wall color. Paint the walls of your main living space the same color to make a small condo feel more cohesive.


Function


Beach condos have special considerations. Choose flooring that can withstand wet feet. Look for fabric that you can easily brush sand from. Put a grass mat by the entry door to catch sand. Use energy-efficient lined drapes or window film to cut down on cooling bills. Find a sofa that can double as a guest bed for visitors.


Outdoor Living


Take advantage of the outdoor living space in your beach condo. Set up a small dining area on the balcony if your condo doesn't have a dedicated indoor dining space. Place a grill outside for parties, and accessorize with outdoor lights so you can use the space throughout the day. A pergola or canvas canopy provides shade. With the proper decorating, a patio or balcony can feel like another room in your home.


Accessories


You can create a beach room just by adding accessories that you buy on the boardwalk. Go to craft stores to find fake shells and star fish if your beach doesn't allow you to collect shells. Place the shells on a stack of books. Fill a glass vase with shells for a fun centerpiece. Find accessories that can double as storage such as wicker baskets. Hang a capiz shell chandelier for added sparkle and texture.


Beach Themes


Beach themes can be chic or funky. Paint graphic waves on the walls of a nursery or child's bedroom. For a more elegant room, use a more subtle beach theme. Place over-sized photographs of the ocean in a neutral room to make it pop. Elegant themes allow you to infuse the space with your personal style while paying homage to the area.


Be inspired by different locations for a beach theme. Lighthouses and lamps adorned with rope will give your home a Cape Code feeling. Hang a breezy canopy over the bed for a Caribbean room. Bring in small indoor palm trees for tropical accessories. Decorate with an art deco design to invoke a Miami Beach feeling. Use pale vintage colors such as pink and green for an unusual beach condo.



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Design Tools For Siding For Houses

Choosing the color and style of your siding can be made easier with online design tools.


Siding, besides keeping the elements at bay, is an important aesthetic and stylistic factor for any home. If you are repairing old walls, making your own home, or simply want to update your house's look, siding is an important element to consider. The sheer variety of different wood and plastic sidings can be overwhelming but there are a number of online tools that can help you find the perfect combination of material and color.


Amazing Siding & Windows


Amazing Siding & Windows has an online home design option that allows you to browse a gallery of 20 pre-formatted homes for which you can choose whatever siding you like. Alternatively, you can upload a picture of your own home and, by using a simple masking process, you can choose different sidings and colors to get a feel for what the options are if you're considering a home renovation.


Heartland Siding


Heartland Siding operates a more basic design tool. Although you're not able to choose from different house models, or import your own, you can use their example home to select from a multitude of different colors and imagine what they may look like on your own. The design tool also has trim and roof color options so you can get a feel for what all the pieces will look like when they're put together.


James Hardie


James Hardie operates an exterior design center that allows you to choose from a number of example homes and then select from many different products and sizes including shingles. You can also choose from different trim, roof and accessory styles to create a very detailed example image. The design tool also has color and zoom options to get a closer look at the subtleties of the different products and sizes.


Exterior Portfolio


Exterior Portfolio has an extensive site with different planner and design options and long lists of different materials to consider. Features include a design planner and recommended styles. Their do-it-yourself design planner is available for $14.95 (as of March, 2011) and includes a number of recommended styles, as well as an information packet that will take you through the process of choosing a home exterior right form the beginning.









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Design An Area In The Search Engines Sketchup

SkecthUp can be used to create 3D rooms.


If you want to create a new room for your house, you will probably employee the services of a professional contractor, designer or architect. But it is often difficult to perfectly convey your wishes for your new room just in words. And while sketches can help, unless you happen to be a talented draftsman, these might not work either. One possible solution to this problem is to use the 3D modeling program SketchUp to create a 3D representation of the room your hope to build. SketchUp is offered by Google in both purchasable and freeware versions. The freeware version will more than meet the needs of the average homeowner.


Instructions


1. Take careful measurements of the room you want to redesign and write these numbers down. List the features that you would like for the room to have.


2. Sketch out your ideas for the room on paper before your start working on SketchUp. These don't have to be perfect, since they are just for your own reference, not what you will be showing to your professional.


3. Start Google SketchUp. You will see a default human figure in the view that is there to act as a relative sizing reference when you are making your room. You can delete it if you prefer.


4. Select the "Line" tool from the toolbar and use it to draw out the shape of your room on the ground plane. Then use the "Push/Pull" tool to raise this shape to the correct height for the room. You can judge the size of the room you are making by referencing the numerical display in the lower right of the screen.


5. Switch to the "Selection" tool and select the top polygon. Hit "Delete" on your keyboard to remove it. You now have an open view of your room.


6. Select the "Paint Bucket" tool from the toolbar and, from the categories in the dialog that pops up, choose the color or texture that you want to apply to a surface. Then click on the surface to apply it. Repeat this to apply textures to all the walls and the floor.


7. Click on the "Get Model" icon. This will bring up the 3D Warehouse dialog (you have to be connected to the Internet for this to work). The 3D Warehouse is a free online resource of downloadable models of furniture and building components such as windows and doors. Browse to find something you want to add tand select it. Resize it to fit your model and place it where you want it. Repeat this to get all the fixtures you want to your model. Then save your work.









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What Can Cause Vinyl Siding To Buckle

Vinyl siding can warp or buckle for different reasons


Vinyl siding is a common exterior used on homes because it requires less maintenance than wood. This low-maintenance material is easy to install and periodically needs cleaning. Warped or buckled vinyl siding cannot be repaired because once it is warped it will continue to hold that shape. The warping can be caused by a few problems and once a section is warped, that section needs replacement.


Painted


A common cause of warped or buckled vinyl siding is repainting the original vinyl siding. The use of a darker color paint than the original color of the vinyl siding causes the siding to warp in different places. Dark color retains heat from the sun causing the temperature of the vinyl to rise and buckle because of the intense temperature. This intense temperature makes the vinyl expand and once the vinyl siding expands it cannot return to its original shape creating a warp in the siding. A homeowner that wants to repaint vinyl siding needs to use a color that is slightly darker than the original or use the original color.


Inproper Installation


Improper installation of vinyl siding causes it to warp or buckle. Vinyl siding that has been nailed too tightly will begin to buckle in a short time. The siding does not have enough room to move with the changing climate. The siding can move a 1/4" from side-to-side when nailed properly. The nails should not be driven through the vinyl siding. The vinyl siding has nail holes located at the top of each piece and run the length of the siding.


Old Vinyl Siding


Over time the vinyl siding will begin to warp because it is old. Weather conditions cause vinyl siding to expand and contract throughout the year depending on the temperature. It is like continually stretching a rubber band, after stretching the rubber band so many times, the rubber band does not contract back to its regular shape. The vinyl siding does the same thing, when the siding does not contract to its original shape it will begin to warp or buckle.


Extreme Conditions


Extreme weather conditions can also cause the vinyl siding to warp or buckle. Vinyl siding that is exposed to extremely cold temperatures for a long period of time can become brittle and warp. The same is true for extremely hot temperatures. Even though this is rare, prolonged weather conditions can damage the siding and cause the siding to warp in place. Cold temperatures causes vinyl siding to contract, while hot temperatures cause vinyl siding to expand. Vinyl siding that remains in a contracted or expanded condition for long periods of time will not go back to its original shape creating a warp or buckle.









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Rollerpaint A Roof

Apply paint quickly and evenly with a roller.


A fresh coat of paint can enhance your home's appearance and protect the roof from moisture. Light-colored paint can also reflect sunlight, keeping your home cooler and reducing air conditioning costs. Paint manufacturers design roof paint for a wide variety of surfaces, including asphalt shingles, metal, concrete, slate, wood shake, gravel and masonry shingles. Spraying a roof is the quickest way to apply paint to the surface, but paint sprayers can be expensive and the extensive preparation and mess can be a hassle. Paint rollers allow you to paint a roof relatively quickly with minimal risk of property damage.


Instructions


1. Scrub the entire roof with a soft-bristle brush and roof-washing solution to dislodge dirt, grease and mildew.


2. Power-wash the roof with a high-pressure hose.


3. Hang plastic sheeting beneath the edges of the roof to prevent paint dripping onto exterior walls and windows. Lay plastic sheeting around the perimeter of the house to prevent paint from dripping onto the ground.


4. Pour primer into a paint tray. Dip your roller into the primer and roll it up and down on the angled part of the tray to evenly distribute primer onto the roller. Use a foam roller for a corrugated or textured roof surface and a universal cover roller for flat surfaces.


5. Roll the paint roller up at an angle, starting on one edge of the roof. If your roof is highest in the center, start at the center and work your way down. Draw the roller down, up, down and up again in four zigzag strokes, each about 2 feet long, to make a big W. Turn the roller on its side and roll horizontal paint strokes over the angled strokes to eliminate stroke lines. Use this W-pattern method to cover the entire roof.


6. Prime small, hard-to-reach areas of the roof with an angled foam brush. Allow the primer to dry overnight.


7. Paint the roof using the same strokes and techniques you used to prime the roof. Let the paint dry overnight and apply a second coat if desired.









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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Fresh paint Having A Spray Gun

Paint With a Spray Gun


It takes a long time to paint a room using a paint brush. If you use a paint roller, the chore goes much faster. But if you really want to speed up the process, use a spray gun. Some spray gun styles have a tube that is inserted into a can of paint and the paint is pulled up the tube and through the paint gun nozzle onto the surface. Other spray guns have a hopper which is filled from the can.


Instructions


1. Choose a spray gun that comes with a trigger guard and safety shield.


2. Flush the unit prior to adding paint, following the manufacturer's instructions. One way to do this is to run water through the unit instead of paint.


3. Cover the surrounding area with drop cloths and use masking tape when necessary. A spray gun will generate a mist of paint that can settle on areas where you don't want paint. Be sure to cover those areas to prevent unwanted paint speckles.


4. Cover your nose and mouth with a painter's mask to avoid breathing in the fumes, and work in a well-ventilated area.


5. Add paint to the hopper or insert the tube into a can of paint after it has been sufficiently stirred and blended. If your unit has a hopper, filter the paint through nylon when adding it to the hopper. Plug the unit into an electrical outlet and turn on the machine.


6. Starting at the top of the wall, and using even horizontal strokes, spray one patch at a time--about 3 or 4 feet square. Keep the gun nozzle about a foot from the surface. Release the trigger of the gun before moving downward to the next patch. Each patch should overlap slightly.


7. Turn off the unit and disconnect it from the electrical outlet before cleaning the machine. It will need to be cleaned immediately after using, following the manufacturer's instructions.



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Prepare Exterior Wood Trim On Doorways To Carry Fresh paint

Properly painted door trim can last for years.


Exterior wood trim on doors needs to be prepared properly before painting. Bare wood is porous, and finish paint soaks in. This soaking-in process can cause the sheen of the paint to change. A semi-gloss would become a lesser-gloss such as a satin or eggshell. The color of paint used also can be compromised without proper preparation. Bare wood often has imperfections that need repairing before paint is applied. Failure to prepare wood trim for painting may reduce the adhesive ability of the finish paint.


Instructions


1. Fill all nail holes, dents and scratches in the door trim with wood putty using a stiff putty knife. Allow the putty to dry completely, then sand it smooth with the wood surface using 120-grit sandpaper.


2. Remove wood dust from the surface of the wood with a tack cloth.


3. Caulk all wood joints using a caulking gun. Run a line of caulk along each joint or crack with the tip of the tube of caulk, then run your finger over the caulk to push it into the crack. Wipe off excess caulk with a damp painter's rag.


4. Pour 1 quart of primer paint into the paint holder. Dip the tip of the paintbrush in and out of the primer to load the bristles with paint. Apply the primer paint to each surface of door trim in steady, even strokes. Keep applying paint to the brush bristles throughout the priming process to avoid leaving visible brush strokes in the primer coat. Prime over the wood putty and caulked areas until the door trim has been primed. Allow the coat of primer to dry completely.


5. Inspect the door trim for raised wood-grain fibers. These lift up as the primer dries and cause the surface to feel rough. Lightly sand the door trim using 150-grit sandpaper to smooth the surface without sanding off the primer.


6. Apply a second coat of primer if you sand back to bare wood. Wait for the second coat to dry. Sand once more, then tack off the primer dust.


7. Wash out the paintbrush and paint holder. Shake out excess water in the brush and holder.


8. Pour exterior finish paint into the holder and load the bristles of the brush by repeatedly dipping the brush in and out of the paint. Paint the door trim with long, even strokes, keeping the brush wet with paint to avoid brush marks in the finish. Paint all the trim work as quickly as possible to avoid paint gumming between strokes. Allow this coat to dry, then add a second coat.



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Fresh paint A Chimney

While it's not exactly the norm, a painted chimney can individualize your home.


Even though some homeowners prefer the natural look of a brick, stone or even concrete block chimney, a good coat of paint can add a distinctive flair to your house. Painting a chimney, however, is a bold move that should not be taken lightly. First, before you begin painting, consider the fact that once the job is done, the paint will be quite difficult to remove. This is due to the fact that brick, stone and concrete tend to have a porous texture. The actual task of painting a chimney should prove a relatively simple task.


Instructions


1. Clean the exterior surface of the chimney. The best tool to thoroughly clean the chimney is a pressure washer set at roughly 1,500 or 2,000 PSI. If you have access to a pressure washer or opt to rent one from local rental center, you should also purchase a small bottle of mild soap. If you don't wish to use a pressure washer, clean the chimney by hand using a sturdy scrub brush and some laundry detergent dissolved in a bucket of warm water.


2. Allow the surface of the chimney to dry out. Check the chimney for any loose and/or missing mortar. If you find areas of damaged mortar, repair it with acrylic mortar patch. Acrylic mortar patch can be purchased at most building supply stores and comes in a tube-like package similar to caulk. If the chimney was painted previously, remove any loose or flaking paint with a scraper or 80-grit sandpaper.


3. Apply an acrylic or universal primer to the surface of the chimney. The primer will help seal the surface and make it easier for you to apply the actual coat of paint. Use a roller to spread the coat of primer onto the chimney. Wait for the primer to dry completely before attempting to paint.


4. Fill any holes, cracks or gaps in the surface of the chimney with caulk. Basically, caulk any opening that is larger than 1/16th of an inch. This will prevent water from seeping into the surface of the chimney, potentially damaging it and the paint.


5. Paint the exterior surface of the chimney with a quality latex exterior paint. Apply the paint with a thick paint roller. If you don't have a roller, you may use a paint brush, though it will take longer to cover the chimney. Use a small touch-up brush to get any hard-to-reach areas or crevices.









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Fresh paint Aluminum Trailer Siding

Paint Aluminum Trailer Siding


The lower portion of most mobile homes is covered with aluminum siding. More often than not, this siding is already painted to match the rest of the mobile home. However, anytime you need to replace damaged trailer siding, you'll likely need to paint it to match. Unfortunately, paint doesn't adhere well to aluminum trailer siding. If you want to paint aluminum trailer siding, you'll need to use special materials and apply them in a specific way, or you will end up with a finish that won't last very long.


Instructions


1. Clean the aluminum trailer siding using a pressure washer. Use a low setting or you may end up creating dents in the surface. Allow the siding to dry completely.


2. Pour the exterior acrylic latex paint into a 5-gallon bucket. Stir in one pint of an exterior latex paint additive such as E-B Emulsa Bond using a wooden stir stick. The paint additive improves exterior latex paint adhesion, making paint stick to hard-to-coat surfaces.


3. Apply the exterior acrylic latex paint to the siding using a 4-inch latex paintbrush. Allow the surface to dry for two hours. Apply another coat if necessary.


4. Never attempt to paint over trailer siding without first adding an exterior paint additive such as E-B Emulsa Bond to the paint, or you will eventually see peeling.









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Choose Carpet Color

The selection of carpet color helps set the overall tone and feel of a room because it is the largest decorative item seen by all who enter. No matter the beauty of artwork, comfort of furniture, or ambiance offered, if the floor color isn't pleasing, the room will not feel right to guests. While beauty and style are important, function and durability shouldn't be forgotten either. Here are a few things to think about when selecting carpet colors.


Instructions


1. Pick a carpet color that works for your family. Families with small children would want to avoid very light colors. White and cream carpets are modern and meant to offer a crisp, clean presentation, but this is not always possible when young children will be going in and out, or playing on the carpet, because accidents happen. If you have small children, pick carpet a shade or two darker that offers easier cleanup and is more forgiving of stains.


2. Consider other colors present in the room for which you are selecting carpet. For an eye-pleasing room, choose complementing colors throughout. Chocolate walls are beautiful next to light tan or cream carpets, and vice versa. Grey, black, or navy are nice carpet color selections with stark white walls.


3. Select carpet colors that make a room stand out. To create the ultimate little girl's room, go with a plush pink or lemon yellow carpet. A little girl wants her bedroom to represent her overall personality. White furniture will stand out nicely against either of these carpet colors. This works best if the wall is a lighter shade of the same color used in the carpet.


4. Make your carpet selection part of the theme of a room. This is a great idea for a little boy's room. For a baseball-themed room, pick sand or grass-colored carpet. Grey carpet would be good for a racing-themed room, or you could go with a black-and-white checkerboard pattern if you use carpet tiles.


5. Set the tone of a room with your selection of carpet color. If relaxation were the desired effect, rose or dusky blue would be good carpet color choices. These colors are soothing to the senses, allowing the worries of the day to melt away. Add cream or white pillows, and curtains that incorporate all the colors of the room to complete the scene.


6. Use bright colors in rooms mainly used for entertaining, because they will energize guests. Reds, oranges, and light greens are some colors to consider. Use primary colors on furniture and walls to be really bold or white furniture for pop.









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Fresh paint A Door With Oil Fresh paint

A well-painted door can have a great effect on the look of a house or room


Painting is not the easiest of household maintenance chores, but if you prepare yourself properly and follow all the right steps it is not as complicated as it might initially seem. Oil-based paints, while not the most environmentally safe choice, provide versatility that often makes the job easier to complete.


Instructions


Painting a Door


1. Ensure that you are painting in a well-ventilated area. Oil-based paint emits harmful fumes, so always make sure there is a ventilation fan running or a number of open windows close by. If possible, painting outside is a healthier and more comfortable option.


2. Tape the door frame and any areas that will not be painted, such as windows and handles. Regular masking tape can be used, but painter's tape is made to peel off more easily, which reduces the risk of damaging the surface it is taped to. A second option is to remove the door from the hinges and paint it separately. This method can get a better effect as it reduces dripping and running of the paint.


3. Place a dropsheet or newspapers at the base of the door to catch any drips that may fall from the brush or can. As careful as you may try to be, it is inevitable that a drop will fall at some point and oil-based paint is not easy to clean.


4. Paint the door. Paint in broad strokes in an even motion, painting in the same direction as much as possible. Oil-based paint is more difficult to paint with than latex, but it is also more likely to need only one coat. Don't get too much paint on the brush at a time, as this will cause dripping or running on the door. It is recommended that you apply a second coat for better coverage, especially if the new color is lighter than the original.


5. Allow the door to dry. With oil-based paints, this can take anywhere from 8 to 24 hours. Keep the area well ventilated over the drying process. When the door is partially dry, remove the tape. If it is still wet, the paint can drip or run onto the previously painted surface. If it is completely dry, it can crack.


6. Clean the brushes using turpentine or paint thinner. Unlike latex-based paints, oil-based paints cannot be cleaned with soap and water. Make sure all of the paint is out of the brush so the brush doesn't harder and can be used again in the future.









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Fresh paint Vinyl Trim

Paint Vinyl Trim


In most cases, installing vinyl trim means no painting and little maintenance, but occasionally, vinyl fades or a homeowner wants to change the color. In that case, vinyl trim can be painted using latex paint. Unlike other paints, latex will expand and contract with the vinyl, preventing cracks and peeling. Painting vinyl trim isn't difficult, but it does require some prep work to ensure that the paint sticks.


Instructions


1. Prep the vinyl trim. Begin by lightly sanding the trim with fine sandpaper. The slick surface of the trim only needs to be slightly scuffed up, not deeply sanded. After sanding, clean the trim thoroughly with a wet rag and mild detergent to remove the dust from sanding, as well as any dirt or residue already on the trim. Rinse well and allow the trim to dry thoroughly.


2. Prepare your work area. Using painter's tape, tape off the areas around the trim that you do not want to paint, on both sides of the trim. Lay a drop cloth on the ground underneath the trim to protect any walkways, driveway or plants. Open a can of latex primer and stir well. Pour a small amount of primer into a container that you can comfortably hold in one hand.


3. Prime the vinyl trim. Brush the primer onto the vinyl trim, making sure to cover all edges, corners and crevices. The direction and appearance of the brush strokes do not matter; neither does even coverage. Just make sure you apply a thin coat that covers all areas. Let the primer dry completely.


4. Paint the vinyl trim. Open the latex paint and mix it well. Pour a small amount into a hand-held container. Begin painting the vinyl trim at the highest point, starting at one end and working your way across in long, even strokes. Be sure to paint edges, corners and crevices. Brush only a thin layer of paint onto the vinyl trim. After applying the first coat, allow the paint to dry completely.


5. Continue applying coats of paint until you have achieved a smooth finish with complete coverage.









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Make Scratch Pads With Glue

Make your own scratch pad and never search for a piece of paper to write on a again.


Making your own scratch pads allows you the opportunity to decorate them with any words, colors or designs you want to add. They are simple to make at home and can be designed in any size you like. Keep your homemade scratch pads near the telephone, in the kitchen or on your desk in your home office so that you never have to search for something to write on again


Instructions


1. Create a scratch pad template on one sheet of paper. Cut letters out of old magazines, or use rubber stamps to design a decorative accent along one side of the paper template.


2. Make a copy of the template on to any size paper you desire. Use a photocopier or scanner and printer to print several copies of the design.


3. Cut a sheet of chipboard or thin cardboard to the same size as the paper you have chosen using a paper cutter or scissors.


4. Lay the printed paper in a neat stack on top of the chipboard or cardboard sheet. Make sure all sides of the paper and chipboard are in line with each other and place a binding clip on each side of the stack, near the top, to secure them together.


5. Pour a small amount of liquid glue on to a scrap piece of paper. Use a paint brush to "paint" a thick line of glue across the top edge of the stack of paper. Allow the glue to dry and remove the binding clips before using.









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Monday, November 25, 2013

Replace A Window On The House With Vinyl Siding

Get around the vinyl siding problem by replacing old windows from inside.


Replacing windows in a home built with exterior vinyl siding can take a bit of hard work. Most windows are removed and replaced from the exterior of the home. Vinyl siding presents a challenging obstacle when replacing windows because of the difficulty and expense of cutting and replacing it. The easiest way to replace windows in a home with vinyl siding is to do the job from the interior.


Instructions


1. Measure the old window for dimensions for the replacement window, using a tape measure. Measure the window width --- from jamb to jamb --- at the top of the window. Write these measurements down on a piece of paper. Repeat this same process for measuring the middle and bottom width of the window. Write all measurements down and circle the smallest number.


2. Measure the height of the window, from the top of the window sill to underneath the bottom of the head jamb, at the left, middle and right side locations. Write these numbers down, and circle the smallest. Use the smallest height and width measurements for the replacement window.


3. Cut old insulation, silicone or paint surrounding the window frame with a utility knife.


4. Pry off, or unscrew, any nails and screws attaching the old window to the window frame by using the pry bar or screwdriver, then pull the old window from its frame.


5. Pry off any wooden window trim or jamb liners with a pry bar. Use the notched end of the pry bar to remove all nails.


6. Scrape away any loose paint from the window jambs with a paint scraper.


7. Sand the window jambs until they are smooth. Apply a thin coat of exterior primer onto the window jamb with a paintbrush. Allow the primer to dry. Paint the jamb surface with exterior paint, and allow it to dry.


8. Apply a thick, continuous bead of caulk around the perimeter of the interior windowsill.


9. Insert the replacement window unit into the window frame. Use wood shims and a level to square out the window. Add or remove wood shims underneath the replacement window until it is level.


10. Place a wood shim behind each pre-drilled hole in the replacement window frame and use a drill to screw the screws into the window frame.


11. Score the wooden shims with a utility knife and break off the excess sticking out.


12. Insert elastomeric caulk into any small gaps surrounding the exterior window frame. For bigger gaps, stuff the spaces with foam-rubber backer rod.


13. Spray minimally expanding foam into gaps surrounding the interior perimeter of the window frame.


14. Reinstall all wooden or decorative trim with finishing nails and a hammer.



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Repair Stucco By Painting Regarding This

Damage to stucco walls can be repaired with exterior paint.


Stucco finishes are found on a large number of houses built between 1940 and 1960. Stucco works well as an insulator, keeping it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The only disadvantage to stucco is its susceptibility to moisture when it starts to develop cracks. Stucco cracks can be repaired professionally but this can be expensive and time consuming. Use standard house paint to coat exposed stucco, sealing small cracks in the process.


Instructions


1. Loose stucco must be removed prior to painting.


Remove any loose stucco and debris from the surface being painted. Use a putty knife to remove the larger pieces of stucco and a wire brush to remove any smaller pieces or surface debris. Paint will not adhere to stucco if there's debris between the paint and the surface.


2. Vacuum the stucco surface to remove any remaining debris. Stucco finishes have a rough texture. This texture allows dirt to build up on the surface, creating a barrier that will inhibit the paint's ability to bond to the stucco. Pay special attention to areas close to the ground where debris buildup is highly concentrated.


3. Wash the stucco surface being painted. Use a mixture of 8 tablespoons of concentrated detergent to 32 ounces of hot water. Add 8 tablespoons of bleach to the soap and water mixture. Scrub the surface with a stiff scrub brush. Rinse with water and allow 24 hours to dry.


4. Examine the surface one final time, especially areas where there are noticeable cracks. Run the putty knife along the crack as if scraping paint off of a surface. This will remove any remaining loose stucco. Since the surface is already clean, no further preparation needs to be done.


5. Paint the surface. Start with the cracks. Use a paint brush to apply paint into the cracks. The paint will act as a sealer, filling in the crack. Apply at least two coats of paint to each crack. Allow the paint to dry for at least 6 hours before applying another coat. After the cracks are sealed, paint the entire stucco surface with one coat of primer followed by two coats of paint. Use paint to seal the cracks rather than primer because paint is thicker and will fill the cracks. Either oil-based or latex paint will work.









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