Install Doors after Drywall
Install Doors after Drywall This article is an excerpt from the book called “Built-ins” by “Robert J Settich”. Install doors after drywall is a challenge which needs special assessment and the instructions below should help. INSTALL THE DOORS, DRAWERS AND SHELVES For a full discussion of the procedures for making doors, drawers, and shelves, please refer to the earlier chapters of the same names. Installing some period-correct hardware reinforced the Arts and Crafts theme of this project. If you’re intimidated about installing the entertainment center’s sound and video components, it’s easy to get professional help. A skilled installer will be able to optimize your system, coaxing every bit of performance from your gear. Install the Cabinets Repeat this process for the other side cabinet, then fasten the top center cabinet to the wall. Add the face –frame to the top center cabinet with pocket hole screws.
Drywall and Insulation
Drywall and Insulation This article is the excerpt form the book called “How to build a house” by “Larry Haun”, about drywall and insulation. Various Drywall insulation materials used are discussed here. In old days, insulation was either nonexistent or the walls might be packed with old newspapers, hemp, straw, corn husks, or other organic materials. The trouble with this type of insulation was that it gradually settled, leaving a gap at the top, and animals often burrowed into it. The top of a wall is where hot air gathers, so as the insulation settled over time, many walls lost effectiveness. Today we know more about the science behind keeping homes heated and how to retain the most heat from the he4at source. Insulating a home means creating a complete protected envelope that can be kept warm while the world outside it is cool, or in hot climates, keeping the envelope cool while the outside is warm. Insulation Materials There are many types of insulation on today’s market depending on how you plan to install it, where you want to put it, and how much insulation you require. If you need to insulate an existing structure, you might blow in a cellulose material through a 2- in. hole into the cavity between the studs. A foam plug is inserted after the insulation is in place and the wall is covered with shingles or clapboard siding. If you are insulating a new structure, your choices are far wider. You might install fiberglass batts, lay foam panels between the studs and fill any gaps with spray into the wall, or build the entire home using structural insulated panels. Fiberglass Insulation If you build a 2×4 stud wall, the area between studs spaced 16 in. apart is available for insulation, and manufacturers make rolls of fiberglass insulation (known as batts or blankets) 14 ½ in. wide × 3 ½ in. thick to fit perfectly between the studs. Some fiberglass insulation is paper backed. When installing this type of insulation, always make sure that paper is toward the inside of the room. However, 3 ½ in. of fiberglass only gives your wall an R-value of about 11, which means that if you plan to live in a hot climate or a cold climate, you will probably need more insulation. For this reason, many states have now mandated that exterior stud walls of fixed dwellings be made from 2×6 lumber instead of 2×4, which allows 5 ½ in. of fiberglass. Be aware that the R-value of a fiberglass-insulated wall may be lower than the stated R-value of the fiberglass. This is because it is difficult to ensure that every hole is totally filled with fiberglass. In addition, there might be slight gaps between plywood, between wood studs, and around windows and exterior wall outlets and switches. These gaps allow air exfiltration and lower the overall R-value. Rockwool Insulation Rockwool, or mineral wool, insulation comes in sheets, rolls, and batts and has similar values (and installation methods) to fiberglass insulation. Unlike fiberglass, however, it is a natural, sustainable material, made by heating rock or blast furnace “slag” (the stuff left over from making iron or steel) to a very high temperature and forcing the mixture into a spinning chamber, where the stands are compressed into mats. It will not rot, is impervious to moisture, and is fire- resistant. Foam Insulation There are two basic types of foam insulation: open-cell and closed-cell foams. Closed-cell foams are by far the best in that the closed cells are filled with gas and air, and water cannot permeate through the foam. They also have a much higher R-value. Open-cell foams are less expensive, have a lower R-value, and can absorb water in wet locations. Many applicators spray 2 in. to 3 in. of closed-cell foam and then finish the application with 3 in. to 6 in. of open-cell foam. Foams are sprayed into the spaces between studs to form a complete envelope enclosing the living space. It has been found that leaving gaps in the insulation can cause moisture ingress, which might lead to mold and mildew. In general, foams are sprayed by professionals, but Foam it Green has been developed specifically for homeowners who want to spray their own foam insulation. Most foam insulations today do not use chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as a propellant because they are harmful to the earth’s ozone layer, but you should check before using any spray-on foam.
Decorative Paint Finishes
An interesting article from the book called “Design Ideas for Kitchen” by “Susan Hillstorm”. The article gives us some innovative ideas about decorative paint finishes, Some of these techniques were exclusively used by our staffs in our team. And we offer this to our DIY Painters. Many Professional Paint techniques for creating unique wall finishes are surprisingly easy to master. Most of these decorative styles employ the same formula of a base color that shows through the broken color and translucence of one or more top coats of colored glaze. The differences lie in whether the glaze is added or subtracted on the surface and how it is moved about. Stunning results can be achieved by using a crumpled rag, but can be even more striking when applied with a special brush or tool. Always start with a well-prepared surface and a good base coat of solid color. We offer drywall repair in Washington DC, our reputation lies on the quality of the work we do. Give us a call for a free quote @ (202) 280-2569 Continue reading out “Pullout Trays“
Pullout Trays
This article is extracted from a book called “1101 Ideas for Kitchen Organization” by “Joseph R. Provey”. Pullout trays are today’s trend when it comes to remodeling the kitchen. Thanks to the author for sharing his insight on the subject. why Pullout trays? 1 .Base cabinets do much more than they did in the past. This one is fitted out as a pantry. With door racks, adjustable shelves, and pullout trays. 2. Large pullout trays are especially suited to storing large pots. Pans and their lids. 3. Opt for adjustability when installing pull out trays. If your storage needs change, it will be easy to change tray heights. 4. Opening this unit is a one-step operation, as opposed to standard pullouts, which require you to fully open the cabinet door before you can draw them out. 5 .Guardrails are a must on pullouts. They keep stored items from slipping off the edge and crashing to the floor. 6 .In wide cabinets, divide trays in halves or thirds ,so you don’t have to open two doors to gain access. 7 .Some stainless-steel wire units come with vertical dividers for storing trays, cookie sheets, and pot lids. 8 .Guardrails can be decorative, as shown on these pullout trays. 9 .Pullout trays are ideal for storing plastic food containers. Include an organizer to store the lids. 10. Wire trays are sturdy and can be customized for storing everything from large mixing bowls and colanders to soda cans and spice containers. If you need assistance setting up a pullout tray for your kitchen, call Skyline Drywall repair Washington DC for a quick quote. Having a organized kitchen is essential in cities like Washington because of tight space in kitchen. Continue reading about “Home Improvement Projects“
Home Improvement Projects
If you want some home improvement projects to do during summer we have few ideas jotted down in this article. This article is an excerpt from the book called “California Home Landscaping” by “Roger Holmes & Lance Walheim” Fences, Arbors, and Trellises Novices who have no trouble tackling a simple flagstone path often get nervous when it comes time to erect a fence, an arbor, or even a trellis. While such projects can require more skill and resources than others in the landscape, the ones in this book have been designed with less-than-confident do-it-yourself builders in mind. The designs are simple, the materials are readily available, and the tools and skills will be familiar to anyone accustomed to ordinary home maintenance. First, we’ll introduce you to the materials and tools needed for the projects. Then we’ll present the small number of basic operations you’ll employ when building them. Finally, we’ll provide drawings and comments on each of the projects. Materials Of the materials offering strength, durability, and attractiveness in outdoor settings, wood is the easiest to work and affords the quickest results. While almost all commercially available lumber is strong enough for landscape structures, most types decay quickly when in prolonged contact with soil and water. Cedar and redwood, however, contain natural preservatives and are excellent for landscape use. Alternatively, a range of softwoods (such as pine, fir, and hemlock) are pressure-treated with preservatives and will last for many years. Parts of structures that do not come in contact with soil or are not continually wet can be made of ordinary construction-grade lumber, but unless they’re regularly painted, they will not last as long as treated or naturally decay-resistant material. In addition to dimension lumber, landscape structures often incorporate lattice, which is thin wooden strips crisscrossed to form patterns of diamonds of squares. Pre-made lattice is widely available in sheets 4 ft .by 8 ft. and smaller. Lattice comes in decay-resistant woods as well as in treated and untreated softwoods. The strips are typically from 1/8 to 3/8 in. thick and about 11/2 in. wide, overlapped to form squares ranging from 1 to 3 in. or more on aside. Local supplies vary, and you may find lattice made of thicker or narrower material. Lattice can be tricky to cut; if you’re uneasy about this task, many suppliers will cut it for you for a small fee. Fasteners For millennia, even basic structures such as these would have been assembled with complicated joints, the cutting and fitting of which required long training to master. Today, with simple nailed, bolted, or screwed joints, a few hours’ practices swinging a hammer or wielding a cordless electric screwdriver is all the training necessary. All these structures can be assembled entirely with nails. But screws are stronger and, if you have a cordless screwdriver, make assembly easier. Buy common or box nails (both have flat heads) hot-dipped galvanized to prevent rust. Self-tapping screws (“deck” screws) require no pilot holes. For rust resistance, buy galvanized screws or screws treated with zinc dichromate. Galvanized metal connectors are available to reinforce the joint used in these projects. For novice builders, connectors are a great help in aligning parts and making assembly easier. (Correctly fastened with nails or screws, the joints are strong enough without connectors.) Finishes Cedar and redwood are handsome when left unfinished to weather, when treated with clear or colored stains, or when painted. Pressure-treated lumber is best painted or stained to mask the greenish cast of the preservatives; weathered it turns a rather unattractive gray-green. Outdoor stains are becoming increasingly popular. Clear or lightly tinted stains can preserve or enhance the rich reddish browns of cedar and redwood. Stains also come in a range of colors that can be used like paint. Because they penetrate the wood rather than forming a film, stains don’t form an opaque surface-you’ll still need paint to make a picket fence white. On the other hand, stains won’t peel or chip like paint and are therefore easier to touch up and refinish. When choosing a finish, take account of what plants are growing on or near the structure. It’s a lot of work to remove yards of vines from a trellis or squeeze between a large shrub and a fence to repaint; consider an unfinished decay-resistant wood or an initial stain that you allow to weather. Tools Even the least-handy homeowner is likely to have most of the tools needed for these projects: claw hammer, crosscut handsaw, brace-and –bit or electric drill, adjustable wrench, combination square, tape measure, carpenter’s level, and sawhorses. You may even have Grandpa’s old posthole digger. Many will have a handheld power circular saw, which makes faster (though noisier) work of cutting parts to length. A cordless drill/ screwdriver is invaluable if you’re substituting screws for nails. If you have more than a few holes to dig, consider renting a gas-powered posthole digger. A 12-in-diameter hole will serve for 4×4 posts; if possible, get a larger-diameter digger for 6×6 posts. Setting Posts Most of the projects are anchored by firmly set, vertical posts. In general, the taller the structure, the deeper the post should be set. Arbor posts should be at least 3 ft. deep. Corner and end posts of fences up to 6 ft. tall and posts supporting gates should also be 3 ft. deep. Intermediate fence posts can be set 2 ft. deep. The length of the posts you buy depends, of course, on the depth at which they are the seat and their finished heights. When calculating lengths of arbor posts, remember that the tops of the posts must be level. The easiest method of achieving this is to cut the posts to length after installation. For example, buy 12-ft. posts for an arbor finishing at 8 ft. above grade and set 3 ft. in the ground. The convenience is worth the expense of the foot or so you cut off. The site and personal preference can determine whether you cut fence
Drywall Basics
This piece has been extracted from “Home repair and improvement Creative Homeowner, Upper saddle River, New Jersey”. Drywall basics is a panel made of calcium sulfate, di-hydrate (gypsum), with or without additives, typically extruded between thick sheets of facer and backer paper, used in the construction of interior walls and ceilings. “Drywall repair Washington DC“, helps you to avail these services. Drywall Basics The standard drywall panel for new construction and remodeling is ½ inch thick. Special ½-or 5/8- inch-thick ceiling panels are recommended for ceilings. Especially those with 24-inch-on-center framing. Lighter 3/8-inch panels are good for resurfacing work. When a plaster wall is beyond repair. You can nail the thin drywall right over it. Special ¼-inch panels are used for curved surfaces. Drywall is generally available in 4-foot widths and 8-, 10-, 12-, and 14-foot lengths. It may seem easiest to hang 4 x 8 sheets vertically, running the long dimension from floor to ceiling. And it’s true the 4 x 8 sheet, which weighs about 60-70 pounds, is easier to maneuver and install than longer sheets—especially on ceilings. But whenever possible, you should install sheets horizontally on walls, and always choose the longest practical length to minimize the number of end joints. You’ll need a helper, but horizontal installation saves work during the time-consuming process of taping and finishing joints. Also vertical joints are harder to tape—you have to stoop to do the lower section and stretch to get the top. The long horizontal seam is easy to reach. When you handle drywall during installation, remember to treat it gently because it breaks easily if dropped or hit, and you will crush a corner if you put the full weight of a sheet on it. Stack drywall flat to prevent warping if you don’t plan on using it right away. You may need a lot more than nails, screws, tape, corner bead, and joint compound to drywall. In addition to the specialized tools above, you have a choice of gypsum materials. The residential range includes ¼-inch panels for resurfacing existing walls to 5/8-inch panels for heavy-duty applications. There are also special board treatments, for example, a fire-code board that makes sense in utility rooms, and a moisture-resistant board for kitchens and baths. Material Quantity Drywall Panels For 4×8 panels: divide room perimeter by 4, deduct about 1/3 sheet for a door, and ¼ sheet for window Joint Compound About 1 gal. per 100 sq. ft. of drywall Joint tape About 400 ft. per 500 sq. ft. of drywall Nails or screws About 1 fastener per sq. ft. Finishing Drywall Nailing up drywall doesn’t require much skill, but covering the seams to create a smooth, continuous surface does. Pros make finishing drywall look easier than it really is, but with a little practice, and by avoiding common mistakes, do-it-yourself can get good results, too. Don’t take shortcuts or rush the job. Taping should be done in three stages. Trying to get by with two thick coats can cause the compound to take too long to dry, shrink excessively, crack, or droop. Failure to allow enough drying can have similar effects. Gaps at the seams between sheets should never be wider than 1/8 inch. If you try to fill a larger gap, the joint will likely fail. Drywall is cheap—take down the poorly fit piece and install a new one correctly. And don’t use dehydrated joint compound or a mix that has been stored in freezing temperatures. When smoothing out compound, the knife blade must ride smoothly on the drywall surface. When a knife nicks a nail-head or other imperfection, a ridge appears in the compound. So before applying the compound, go over the surface with a wide knife to locate any culprits. Give each nail a final, solid thump-don’t break the paper but do leave a dimple-and trim any small tears away with a utility knife. Taping drywall joints Knife blades must be clean when you start and throughout the process. One hardened speck on the blade will leave a distinctive groove, requiring extra spacing and sanding. Don’t allow debris or hardened specks to ruin the mix, and don’t dip a dirty knife in the bucket of compound-use a hawk or mud pan to hold a working supply. Scrape the compound off the b lade before each smoothing stroke. Any dry spots under the tape are likely to bubble under successive coats. The key is to watch for a continuous and uniform color changes as you smooth the tape. Also avoid running the blade over a seam again and again. You will remove too much compound. Imperfections not reduced by scraping or standing will cause problems in successive coats. But don’t over-sand , or you’ll scuff up the paper tape and drywall surface paper. That furry result persists through finishing and painting. Drywall Repairs Drywall is tough, but it can be torn, chipped, cracked, or even punctured accidentally, especially when moving furniture around. Large holes require more time and effort to fix, but you can make minor repairs quickly with only a few simple tools. For example, a deep scrape sometimes tears the surface paper on the wallboard. The first step is to remove any loose or frayed paper facing by neatly trimming the paper to a straight edge with a utility knife. Then fill in the shallow paperless section with compound. Chronic cracks Many house frames moves enough seasonally to disrupt drywall joints on a regular basis. If standard taping hasn’t held in the past, try an-other approach. Instead of using fiberglass mesh tape (popular with do-it- yourselfers because it is easier to apply) and conventional all-purpose joint compound, use paper reinforcing tape and setting-type joint compound (powder). Although it’s tricky to mix correctly and harder to work with because it dries so fast, you will get a harder and more durable bond, which reduces the chance of the crack reoccurring. Start by removing any reinforcing tape and scraping out the crack. Fill the crack, and embed the tape with
Checklist for your Contractor
This excerpt has been taken from “The green house Creative Homeowner Green Remodeling Your start toward an Eco- friendly home” by “John D. Wagner”. Green drywall, also known as moisture-resistant drywall, has a green covering that makes it more resistant to moisture than regular drywall. “Drywall repair Washington DC“, educates you on the drywall & its different types. Green Drywall Drywall Drywall is nothing more than paper- faced gypsum. Like other building products that look simple- such as insulation and paint- drywall has been remarkably improved since it first rolled onto the market decades ago to replace plaster and lath. Today’s drywall choices are expanding. What used to be a simple product you screwed onto stud walls is now an integral part of indoor air quality and sound attenuation. Even drywall joint compound has improved and a new version has been engineered to produce dust that is heavier than the dust found in traditional joint compound. This cuts down on airborne dust during sanding. Drywall plays a role in the indoor air quality of a home. Here’s why: mold is huge concern now with tighter homes, and the paper face on drywall offers, so it makes sense that it would like the same food source in the form of paper. As the mold grows, it contributes to poor indoor air quality. So, in this section we cover paperless drywall products that are engineered to prevent mold by depriving it of food. Additionally, the quality of life inside a finished home is an important aspect of green building. A quiet home that is a pleasure to live in is a healthy home. Therefore, drywall that deadens sound is a green product in many respects, and we will look at this as one more option to green up your home. Let’s look at the basics of hanging drywall and- as we have done in other chapters- review Your Green Choices, where appropriate, because even the purchase of something as simple as drywall can be step toward achieving a green home. Paperless drywall Indoor air quality is a very green feature for homes because it improves the health of the occupants; mold is one reason for poor indoor air quality. Mold is fueled by what it eats, and the paper face of drywall is ideal food for mold. So, to hit mold where it lives, some manufacturers, notably Georgia Pacific, offer paperless gypsum board products. These offer excellent mold resistance because the facing is fiberglass, not paper, and that means there is no potential food source for mold or termites. The gypsum itself is reinforced with glass fiber to add to its moisture resistance. Long used as under-layment for tile, this paperless technology has been adapted for walls and can be finished and painted like traditional drywall. Gasketed or sealed drywall A wall covered with drywall can be made air- tight if gaskets are installed behind the drywall around its perimeter and around the perimeters of any rough openings. Gaskets are stapled in place directly to the framing before the drywall is installed. Though gaskets are preferable, silicone caulk can serve as a substitute and achieve similar airtight qualities. Why would you want to do this? A couple of reasons. First, if your garage is attached to the house, there is a natural airflow dynamic that will pull the cooler air from the garage into the warmer air of the house. It’s called “stack affect”. If the garage air contains carbon monoxide or fumes, they could be drawn into the living area. Gaskets around the perimeter of the drywall and around rough openings can help prevent this. Where should you ideally install the gaskets? Staple them in place so they sit between the edges of the drywall all around the two- by framing for all exterior walls. Also, staple them so they sit between the frames of windows and doors and the drywall. You also want to seal around utility penetrations or any other location where it’s obvious that air could enter. Soundproofing Drywall A healthy house is also a quiet house, and the quality of life of the occupants is certainly a green attribute. There are sound – dead-ending drywall products on the market; you can tell them by their Sound Transmission Class (STC) – look for an STC in the 70’s. (Search “sound-deadening drywall’ on the Internet.) Some of the products offer the noise reduction capability of eight sheets of traditional drywall. If you live near a highway or are bothered by outdoor noises from lawnmowers or leaf blowers, or just neighborhood noise, consider installing sound- deadening drywall. It is installed, taped, and finished as traditional drywall, and panels weigh about the same. Dust Control Look for “dust control” joint compound. It is a product that will keep the dust sown during sanding, a notoriously messy part of any remodeling job. This type of joint compound can reduce airborne dust because it produces” heavy dust” particles that bind together and drop straight to the floor, ready to be vacuumed up. Oddly, this kind of joint compound typically weighs 35 percent less than conventional joint compounds, but it has bonding power equal to or better than traditional joint compound. Continue reading on Plywood
Plywood
This extract has been taken from “The green house Creative Homeowner Green Remodeling Your start toward an Eco- friendly home” written by “John D. Wagner”. Plywood is a material manufactured from thin layers or “plies” of wood veneer that are glued together with adjacent layers having their wood grain rotated up. “Drywall repair Washington DC” provides you detailed information on it & its types. Plywood Plywood is generally an environmentally responsible material for decking and sheathing. It comprises an odd number of thin veneer layers of wood, called plies. The veneers are cross- laminated so that the grains of each ply run perpendicular to one another, then are glued and sandwiched together and heated to over 3000 F under 200 pounds per square inch ( psi) of pressure. Standard plywood thicknesses are 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, 15/32, ½, 5/8, 23/32, ¾, and 1 1/8 inches. If you order ½- and ¾- inch plywood, respectively. Panels are almost invariably 4×8 feet after factory trimming. Corner to corner, panels can be off square by 3/32 inch. Be sure the plywood contains no formaldehyde. Every piece of plywood has a face veneer and a back veneer. These are the outside plies. The plies under the face and back veneers are called cross-bands, and the center ply is called the core. The core can be either veneer or solid lumber. Some plywood’s even have fiber- glass or particleboard at their cores, but you won’t be using these kinds of plywood for sheathing. Veneer- core lumber is stronger than lumber- core plywood, but lumber- core plywood can hold a screw better at its edge. Plywood – Lumber Used in the right applications, plywood is strong and adds stiffness to walls and strength to floors. As wall sheathing, plywood is a vast improvement over the old style of wall sheathing, nailing 1- inch boards diagonally across the wall. A relatively thin 5/ 16- inch plywood- sheathed wall has twice the stiffness of a wall sheathed with 1- inch diagonal boards. Besides conventional sheathing plywood, you can buy treated, fire- retardant, and waterproof plywood for special applications. Other Panel Products Panel products other than plywood, called non veneer or reconstituted wood- products panels, are sometimes used for sheathing. Some of these panels are just as strong- and cheaper- than plywood. There are four types: Structural particleboard, wafer board, oriented- strand board (OSB), and composite board. These products are called reconstituted because they’re made from wood particles or wood strands that are bonded together with adhesive into 4- by – 8- foot sheets. The smooth- faced structural particleboard (also called flake board or chip board is simply a panel of wood particles held together by hot- pressed resin. Some exterior- rated products have a layer of resin or wax on the outside to repel water. The glue used in these products is urea- formaldehyde or phenol- formaldehyde adhesive. Don’t use these for a green remodel. Some building- code organizations now allow you to use structural particleboard as an under-layment, a sub floor, or a roof deck. Wafer board is just like structural particleboard, except that the wood particles in these boards are all 1 ½ inches long. An exterior- grade phenolic resin glues the particles together. Where codes allow, you can also use these panels for sub-flooring, sheathing, and roofs. Another panel material, OSB, also uses strands of wood, but the layers are crossed layer for layer, just as plywood is cross- laminated, to give it strength. The three to five layers of strands in OSB are bonded together with phenolic resin. These panels have a smooth face and are often rated for structural applications. Composite board, which is basically a hybrid of plywood and particleboard, has a reconstituted wood center but a face and back of plywood veneer. Where codes allow, you can use composite- board wall sheathing and floor under layment’s. Rating panel products When you purchase structural panels, a grading label tells you what you’re buying. The leading grading association is the APA- The Engineered Wood Association and it’s their stamp you’re most likely to see. Panel Grade. Panel products are also rated in a number of other categories. If you look at a typical APA grade stamp, you’ll see the panel grade on the top line. This entry designates the proper application for the panel- rated sheathing, rated flooring, rated under layment, and the like. Span Rating. Next you’ll see a large number or numbers, indicating the span rating. This rating is the recommended center- to- center spacing in inches of studs/ joists/ rafters over which you can place the panel. If you see numbers like 32/16, the left number gives the maximum spacing in inches of the panel when used in roofing (32 inches of allowable span along the side of the panel with three or more supports), and the right number gives the maximum spacing when the panel is used as sub-flooring (16 inches of allowable span along the side of the panel with three or more supports). Thickness In addition, the grade stamp identifies the actual thickness of the panel, often in thirty- seconds of an inch- 3/8 inch, 7/16 inch, 15/32 inch, 23/32 inch, and so on. Plywood – Veneer Plywood veneer grades (4- by- 8- foot panels) Smooth, paintable. Not more than 18 neatly made repairs, boat, sled, or route type, and parallel to grain, permitted. May be used for natural finish in less- demanding applications. Solid surface. Shims, circular repair plugs, and tight knots to 1 inch across grain permitted. Some minor splits permitted. (Plugged) Improved C veneer with splits limited to 1/8- inch and knotholes and borer holes limited to ¼ × ½ inch. Admits some broken grain. Synthetic repairs permitted. Tight knots to 1 ½ inches. Knotholes to 1 inch across grain and some to 1 ½ inches if total width of knots and knotholes is within specified limits. Synthetic or wood repairs. Discoloration and sanding defects that do not impair strength permitted. Limited splits allowed. Stitching
Special Drywall Finishes
Special Drywall Finishes Textured walls and ceilings add a low-tech, inexpensive design feature to any interior. These textures may appear finely wrought and difficult to achieve, but with a little practice, you can successfully imitate the effects of old-world craftsmen. Even better, they can hide some mistakes you may have made when hanging the panels. (And it’s not even considered Cheating!) Once you’ve practiced and experimented a bit on scrap drywall, you’ll have the skills to texture your own walls or ceilings using basic tools and materials. No matter what type of texture you intend to apply, you must first complete all joints and fastener heads as described earlier in this book. Although texturing can hide errors, it provides no substitute for proper finish work. Before you texture, finish and prepare all drywall panels just as you would for painting (although there is no need to be as fussy as you would be for a painted wall). Applying Sprayed Finishes Unlike most texturing treatments, blown ceilings and walls require advanced skill and equipment that most people will have to rent. A popcorn-like material polystyrene or vermiculite) is fed from a hopper to an airless spray gun. Which is attached to an air compressor? Once it is blown onto the surface, it is left to dry without retouching. This texturing takes some practice to apply properly, so consider hiring a painting or drywall contractor to do the work for you if you have no experience with it. Another common treatment is an orange-peel finish. You create this texture by spraying watered-down joint compound through an airless paint sprayer. If left to dry untouched, the surface wills resemble that of an orange peel. However, you must add just the night proportion of water, and mastering the spraying technique takes lots of practice. (An orange-peel finish can also be applied by hand.) Applying an Orange-Peel Texture If you don’t have experience with airless paint sprayers, a number of hand-applied textures will still give you a professional-looking finish. To achieve an orange-peel finish without a sprayer, simply use a paint roller to apply the watered-down joint compound. If the roller produces the texture you want, allow it to dry as is. However, you may have trouble getting a good orange-peel effect using this approach, especially on inside corners (though this can be achieved with practice and patience). If this is the case, try knocking down the half-dry surface. This usually improves the appearance of this texture, making it more consistent with an orange-peel look. Tools and Materials
Safety When Painting
Safety When Painting When it comes to painting your home there might be a lot of options comes in mind which color of paint will be the right one to choose. Not only the choice of paint but also need an safety precautions while painting your dream home. An author “Francis Donegan” written a great article which perceives to the “Safety When Painting” in the book called “Paint Your Home“. Interior house painting is one of the safest home-improvement projects that you can undertake. But there are still some potential hazards that must be avoided and a number of precautions to take to make sure the job goes smoothly and safely. Start by reading the label on the can of paint you are going to use. The label not only tells you how to use the product safely but also provides you with first – aid advice. It is important to familiarize yourself with the procedures outlined on the can because they may differ from product to product. Other general safety rules to follow include: Personal protection equipment Although a painter’s basic uniform includes long-sleeve shirts or sweatshirts, long pants, and gloves, you may require some other safety equipment. The most common pieces of personal protection equipment are: Goggles These come in handy when you are painting overhead. They should also be worn when you are using chemical strippers or scraping loose paint. Dust masks These should be worn when scraping away loose paint or sanding wood or paint. Lead in paint Until the 1970s, lead was a common ingredient of both interior and exterior paints. We now know that ingesting lead in old paint by either swallowing chips of it or breathing dust from sanding it can result in any one of a number of physical and mental problems, including malfunctioning of the kidneys, hyperactivity, and learning disabilities. Young children, pregnant women, and the elderly are most at risk. The consumer product safety commission banned the use of lead in paint in 1978. This means that if your house was built or painted before 1978, it probably contains some lead paint. Lead paint is a problem only if you sand it or if it is peeling or flaking from surfaces. Inside the house, lead paint is usually found on woodwork, doors, and windows. If there is a painted surface in your house in bad condition, have it tested for lead. Contact your local or state board of health for recommendations on where to find a licensed testing laboratory. If your home has surfaces covered with lead paint that are in bad condition, then contact a lead –abatement contractor to remove the paint. The contractor will either remove the paint or encapsulate it. In either case, the contractor should be able to do the job without exposing you and your family to lead dust. Don’t try to remove the paint yourself, because scraping loose paint will create dust that contains the lead. It is also a good idea to make sure that young children are screened for the amount of lead in their bloodstreams. Most pediatricians recommend this simple blood test as a matter of course. The test is usually routine for all preschoolers. Flammable materials Some paints and solvents are labeled as flammable. The label will state “Warning: flammable” or “Caution: Combustible Materials.” With flammable materials, take these precautions: A paint-storage cabinet Cans of opened paints and solvents should be stored out of the reach of children. The storage cabinet should have adequate ventilation and a lock on the door. If at all possible, mount the fire extinguisher near the cabinet. Working around electricity When painting, you will have to remove switch plates, electrical outlet plates, and, sometimes, entire light fixtures. Aside from the times you will be disconnecting wires when removing light fixtures, it is possible to complete the paint job without shutting off the electricity. However, if there are children or pets around, they may be tempted to touch the uncovered outlets. Since electrical outlets are usually located near the bottom of the wall, and therefore an easy target for young fingers, it makes sense to take the precaution of shutting down the electricity to the room in which you will be working. Turn off the electricity at the junction box by flipping the circuit breaker to the off position or by removing the fuse. Standard safety procedures when working near electricity include: Safety with electricity Test before touching Don’t assume that because one outlet in a room is off, other outlets in the room are also safe. Use a voltage tester to test each outlet. If any outlet is still live, go back to the service panel and find the switch or fuse that turns off the power. Cap exposed wires When removing a ceiling or wall fixture, protect yourself and the wires that protrude from the ceiling or wall by capping them with wire nuts or electrical tape. Safety with ladders and scaffolding Stepladders and scaffolding are among the most indispensable pieces of painting equipment. Be sure to use them wisely. Protect yourself by always following basic safety rules: Ladder do’s and don’ts Brace planks and ladders C-clamps can help hold planks steady when you use 2-by-10 lumber and two stepladders as a scaffold. In addition, the planks should overlap the steps by at least 12 inches. Don’t climb too high Don’t stand any higher on a ladder than the third step from the top. If you stand any higher, you will not have enough support to help you keep your balance. Also, the base of the ladder will be unstable, making it even more likely that you will fall. Don’t stand on chairs Never use ordinary chairs to reach high spaces or as anchors for scaffolding. Kitchen and dining chairs are not designed to bear the weight of a standing person.