Wallpaper DO-IT-YOURSELF Tips

Video: How to hang wallpaper

2009-07-10T03:45:00.001-07:00

Advice on how to hang wall paper with out the air bubbles or creases

How to Wallpaper Video

2009-07-10T03:43:00.000-07:00

A simple 10 step guide to wallpapering

Computer repair and web design services in Denver, CO

How to Hang Wallpaper

2008-09-05T07:18:00.001-07:00

Hirshfield's Wallpaper

Wallpaper Tips:
How to Hang Wallpaper
Wall Preparation 1. Remove all outlet plates, vent covers - anything that can be removed. Turn off current in the room & cover electrical outlets with masking tape. 2. Painted walls: Wash with solution of trisodium phosphate, rinse with clean water and allow to dry. New sheetrock: Apply 2 coats of Hirshfield's Wall Prep Universal Primer: Wallpapered walls: Remove,clean off old paste, rinse and dry (see Wallpaper Removal project guide). 3. Repair and patch holes & cracks. 4. We recommend Hirshfield's Wall Prep over painted surfaces with flat paint and Uniprep over surfaces with a sheen. 5. Check that all dye lot numbers are the same on each roll. Inspect each roll for flaws. Measuring and Cutting 6. Start in an inconspicuous corner, i.e., behind doors that open into the room. Plan to work from left to right. 7. Take the width of the paper minus 1/2" and measure that distance out to the right from the corner. With a pencil, draw a straight vertical line using a plumb or a level. Determine the pattern desired at ceiling line before you cut first strip off of the roll. 8. Cut first strip allowing 2" overlap at the top & bottom for trimming. The adhesive on prepasted wallcoverings is activated by running strip through a water tray half filled with lukewarm water. Make sure water makes contact with every part of the adhesive side of the strip. As strip is slowly pulled from the water, fold the strip in the booked position (ends to middle). See project guide How to Prevent Shrinking Seams. Non-prepasted strips: Lay strip pattern side down on a work table covered with a plastic drop cloth. Apply an even coat of the recommended adhesive to the entire strip using a medium nap roller. Book. 9. Strips must rest in this booked position for 10 minutes before hanging. Storing the booked strip in a plastic garbage bag will keep the edges from drying during this time. Hanging 10. Carry the booked strip to the wall and unfold the top half only. Position tophalf on wall with 2" overlap at ceiling and line up right edge on the vertical line. Lightly smooth strip with brush or vinyl smoother. 11. With this done, unfold the bottom half and smooth the strip working out all the bubbles. Wrap the 1/2" overlap on the left around the corner. Make diagonal slits at ceiling and baseboard corners to help avoid wrinkling and tomake it easier to wrap around the corner. 12. Trim excess at top and bottom, using a sharp razor knife or snap knife and a 10" broad knife as a guide. Position the broad knife between the blade and wallcovering. Change blades after each strip. The secret to a good cut is to move the scraper along the wall while keeping the blade in contactwith the wall. 13. Wash each strip after hanging with a sponge and clean water. Change water frequently. 14. Hang additional strips in the same manner, butting, not overlapping, the seams. Wash. 15. Inside corners: Measure from the edgeof the last strip to the corner. Measure the top, middle and bottom of the wall.Add 1/2" to the widest measurement. Mark this measurement the length of your next strip and cut it into two sections. 16. Position first section on wall taking care to match the pattern with the previous strip. Strip will slightly overlap onto adjoining wall. 17. Make corner slits at top and bottom to facilitate overlap. Flatten strip with smoothing tool, trim excess at ceiling and baseboard. 18. Measure width of remaining section. Mark this distance on the wall from the corner and draw a plumb line on new wall using level. 19. Position strip with cut edge in the corner and manufacturerís edge on plumbline. Maintain horizontal match. Smooth. Trim at ceiling and baseboard. Rinse strip. Note: If paper is solid vinyl, vinyl-to-vinyl adhesive must be inserted at overlap. 20.Outside corners:Wallcovering generally can be wrapped around outside corners unless adjoining walls are out of plumb. If this is the case, follow instructions for inside corners but add 1" (instead of 1/2") for the wraparound. Be sure to eliminate trapped air at the corner.

Article Source http://www.hirshfields.com/wallpaper/wall_tips_hang.html

Decorating with Wallpaper

2008-09-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

Wallpapering your home is not as difficult as many people would like to say that it is. While it may take a little bit of work on your part, you too can have professional results, but without the professional cost. All that you need to do is follow these simple steps and your home is going to be perfectly decorated in no time.

To save money on wallpaper, you should repeat a pattern every 6 to 8 inches. An example of a good type of pattern to use for first-time decorators is one that has flowers or berries. A good vineyard pattern enables the budding interior decorator to hide any wrinkles or other imperfections. This also prevents waste when trying to match up where one roll ends and the next begins.

You should also buy one more roll of paper than you think you'll need, since most people underestimate what they think they need. Not to mention that there will be mistakes in measuring and cutting, which uses up more wallpaper than one would think. This also prevents the chance of not being able to find an exact match for the paper when you try to go back and get some more.

Since wallpaper looks different, just as paint does, under different kinds of light you are going to want to take home some samples. Be sure to remember that incandescent light and florescent light affect things differently so with the samples at home you are going to be able to make the proper judgment under the correct conditions.

There are also some tips that you are going to want to follow for easier wallpaper hanging. To take the curl out of wallpaper, a few days before you use it unroll the paper and reroll it opposite from how you got it. This will make the paper straighter and easier to hang. If the "paper" is made from vinyl use a hair dryer on warm from about six to eight inches away.

Be sure that wallpapering day is done during a sunny day. The more light that you have, the easier it is to spot any and all mistakes that are made, and fix them right away instead of having to deal with more problems later on. When you actually start to hang the wallpaper, use a large cooler to soak the pre-glued wallpaper, since it is portable and the handles make it easier to move without sloshing water all over the carpet.

One of the more frustrating things about hanging wallpaper is when some emergency calls you away after you have already dampened the paper. If this happens, all that you have to do is fold the wet paper neatly with the sticky sides touching. After folding, slide the paper into a plastic bag and close it with a twist tie. The paper will then still be moist and ready for you to hang when you get back.

Bulges and bubbles are another annoyingly recurring problem with wallpaper. As before, there is a simple solution to this as well. Simply slit it with a razor blade, lifting up the wallpaper using a knife to let the air out, and then smoothing back down using a wet sponge.
Article Source http://home.tips.net/Pages/T0027_Decorating_with_Wallpaper.html

How to Remove Wallpaper (VIDEO)

2008-05-29T00:57:00.001-07:00

Basic tips to remove outdated wallpaper. http://www.briarpatchprim.com

How To Paint Paintable Wallpaper

2007-12-18T18:41:00.000-08:00

Before we begin you must understand that if you are a novice painter and don't have any skills with common painting handtools, you'd be doing yourself a favor by letting a professional Paint Contractor handle this task of painting paintable wallpaper.

While this undertaking is not rocket science it does indeed require a bit of expertise. Having said that, We will begin.

Step #1 - Preparation.
Examine your wallpaper and using a drywall knife, cut away any curled up, loose edges, especially at the top and bottom edges where the wallpaper meets the baseboard, crown molding, and the seems where the wallpaper butts together.

Next, you will need to fill the cut away areas using drywall, all purpose joint compound. Fill the recessed areas with the joint compound, using a 5 or 6 inch taping knife, and wipe the surrounding areas clean by increasing the angle of your taping knife. This will leave the compound in the recesses while leaving the surrounding area clean.

After the joint compound dries, you will in all probability have to apply a second coat of compound to finish the patching process.

Once dried, feel your patches by rubing your fingers across them, making sure the patch is flush with the existing wallpaper. A good rule of thumb is, if you can feel it, you can see it.

Satisfied that the patch work is complete, with a damp sponge, wipe away any excess joint compound from the areas surrounding your patches.

Step #2 - Priming
What you are attempting to achieve with priming the surface is to form a moisture barrier between the new paint and the wallpaper adhesive. Most wallpaper adhesives are water soluable and if you don't prime the surface with a good oil based primer you run the risk of loosening the wallpaper adhesive which will create bubbles and possibly cause the wallpaper to seperate from the wall.

With a brush and roller apply a coat of oil based Kilz. (Kilz being the brand name you'll ask for at your home improvement center.) Follow the directions on the can allowing to dry completely. Repeat with a second coat, insuring that a good moisture barrier has been achieved.

Step #3 - Apply Finish Coat Of Paint
By this time you will have picked the color of your top coat. Using your latex (Water Based) Top Coat, Apply as many coats as necessary to cover the white primer. As a side note, you could have your primer tinted at the paint store to match your finish coat so that you don't run into coverage problems with you finish coat.

Well, there you have it. As I said in the beginning, If you feel this is a bit more than you want to tackle, you always have the option of calling in a Paint Contractor.

Good Luck and Happy Home Improving!

WHOA Hoss' Don't Throw Those Tools In The Dumpster! Give Your Self A Break And Learn How To: Do-it-Yourself. With The Do-It Yourself Guide To Remodeling, Improving And Repairing Your Home. These Tips are So Easy A "Cave Man Could Do It." (:-) http://Articles-Articles-and-More-Articles.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Art_Luff

Tips For Painting Over Your Existing Wallpaper

2007-11-08T00:43:00.000-08:00

After years of living in your home, you might want to change the way it looks. Over time, people get bored with their environment and because of this you may want to make a few changes in your surroundings. To do this, you can consider starting by getting rid of your old wallpaper.

However, if you removed wallpaper before, you know how difficult it is to remove it. So, how can you change the look of your room without going through the laborious process of stripping down your old wallpaper first and painting new color for your room?

To do this, you can simply paint over your old wallpaper. Although painting over your wallpaper can still require you to work a little harder, it is not as hard as peeling off your old wallpaper first before painting.

Old wallpapers tend to peel and will have some damaged areas, such as peeled off parts, ripped parts and parts where it came loose and have air bubbles. So, the first thing you need to do is repair the damaged areas. You can glue any of the loose section.

However, if a particular section of your wallpaper has a lot of damage and one that is considered to be irreparable, you have to strip down this wallpaper section. But if the wallpaper section only contains minimal damages, you may want to repair it rather than stripping it down or peel it off.

The next step is by mixing some joint compound and applying it on the seams. This will provide a great fix for peeled off wallpapers and will prevent the wallpapers from getting peeled off again.

There are also some textured wallpapers. If you have textured wallpaper installed, you should apply the joint compound mixture on the whole wall. Let the joint compound dry and the next step is to get rid of the rough surface by sanding it.

It is also very important to consider what color your old wallpaper has. If it is light in color, you can paint on your wallpaper immediately. However, if you have dark colored wallpaper, you first need to apply a sealer. This will keep the wallpaper color from getting visible through the paint.

The next step is painting. Choose high quality house paints, prepare the room for painting by taping windows, putting some old newspapers on the floor to prevent getting any paint on the floor and on your windows.

These are the tips you should remember if you want to paint over your old wallpaper. Home improvement is easier by following these few easy tips.

To learn more interior painting ideas, visit my home painting tips site
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Lee

Tips For Easier Wallpaper Removal

2007-11-08T00:42:00.000-08:00

Wallpaper removal is easy. Well, maybe it�s not really easy, but I have good news for you. Yes, stripping wallpaper is messy and it is time consuming. You would rather do almost anything else. As a professional, my clients have often told me that if not for the wallpaper removal, they would have decorated the room themselves. It is such a deterrent.

While it is a hassle to remove, most people�s real fears center around damaging the wall while stripping the paper. It�s true. You can. I�ve spent as much time repairing that damage. There is no reason that it has to happen, though. Once you understand what is really happening below the surface, wallpaper removal becomes quite simple. Let me talk you through it.

First, KNOW that this is going to be a messy job. There is no way around that. Bits and pieces of wet paper, covered in adhesive, will end up stuck to everything that�s not covered. Fortunately, it cleans up easily with some soap and water.

We can minimize the extent of the mess, though, by taking the time to place an inexpensive plastic drop cloth over the furniture. Lay a rubber backed runner along the wall. Remove everything hanging on the wall and make sure that the furniture has been moved back from the wall by at least three feet.

Okay, now that we have prepped our work area, what�s next We need to discover what �group� we�re in. To do this, start by finding an edge and attempt to peel the paper off. Here�s where we either sink or swim. Some of the heavy vinyl and fabric wall coverings will just peel right off.

Others will split, leaving a layer of plain paper on the wall. What happens then is that when you try to tear off that layer, it comes off in small pieces. A lot of specialty papers and papers that have been painted over fall into this group. There is a third group that we�ll talk about in a few minutes.

If your wallpaper is in the first group, the wall coverings that just peel right off, enjoy the rest of your day. You got lucky. There are different strategies we can use for the other two groups that will save you both time and money.

Now, for the other 99% of us, there are a number of different products on the market that we could use to remove the wallpaper. I have tried them all. Save your money. All we really need is warm water.

Start by peeling off that top layer of paper. What�s left on the wall will be a layer of plain paper and adhesive. Apply the water to the paper with a sponge, squirt bottle, garden sprayer or whatever you have handy that will accomplish the job. Use just enough to saturate the paper without water running down the wall and making a mess.

Now for the really big secret to wallpaper removal: WAIT. That�s right, wait. Moisten the area again and wait some more. It normally takes about 20 to 30 minutes for the saturated paper to completely soften the adhesive beneath.

Next, use a 6� broad knife to remove the paper from the wall. It should come off easily and in long strips. If it does not, remoisten the paper and wait a few more minutes. Let the water do all the hard work! By wetting the wall ahead of where you are working, it is possible to move steadily around the room once you get started.

Now, about that last group. You�ve watered and waited and watered and waited. Frankly, this just isn�t working and you�re becoming impatient. The problem is getting enough water to penetrate the surface and completely saturate the core of the wallpaper. There is a solution. We need to break up the water resistant surface coating of the wallpaper without harming the wall.

Now you might be tempted to start gouging at the wallpaper or scraping it roughly. This is not a good idea. This is how you damage the wall. Then you have to spend more money because you have to call a contractor. You are also on his time schedule now.

There are special tools made should you run into this problem. I normally use a 36 grit sanding disc to abrade the surface by hand. NOTE: Using a disc this coarse with a power tool will destroy your wall. Make sure to use it manually only!

Rent a commercial wallpaper steamer. Steam passes through the perforations made by the sanding disc. It is absorbed by the paper and adhesive much quicker than water. Make repeated passes over an area with the steamer until the core of the paper becomes saturated and the adhesive softens. If an area is being particularly stubborn, try going over it again with the 36 grit disc to allow additional steam to penetrate the paper.

Don�t waste your time scraping at areas where the adhesive has not yet softened. I cannot stress enough that this is how walls get damaged. Steam the paper until the adhesive softens. Remove the paper with your 6� broad knife. You should see good results with the steamer.

So wallpaper removal is not always easy, but nobody said that it has to be a painful experience either. Have a wallpaper removal party and invite all your friends. Treat them to dinner afterwards and make it a girls� day. Or how about a contest with the kids. Always keep a picture in your mind (or on the fridge) of how beautiful the job will turn out. Be proud! Life is too short, so don�t sweat the small stuff. Now, let�s get going!
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Patricia Tomaskovic is the President of www.goceilingmedallion.com Copyright 2006. Visit us soon and let us help you decorate with style. We look forward to serving you.

Wallpaper Tips for Your Home Remodeling Jobs

2007-11-08T00:39:00.000-08:00

Putting wallpaper on your walls is one of the easiest and quickest ways to completely change the mood and appearance of a room. Wallpaper comes in a wide variety of styles, textures, colors, and designs. Here is some things you need to know to select and buy the right wallpaper for the job.

First of all, you need to estimate how much wallpaper is going to be needed for the project at hand. So here is a general formula to help you find out. First measure the height and width that needs to be covered. Then be sure to add an extra 10 -- 15% to cover for waste. Once you have this number you can divide it by the square footage rating of whatever paper that you choose. That should give you the figure of how many rolls of wallpaper you are going to need.

Actually it's not a bad idea to add on a few that extra rolls too, especially if you have a complex pattern that requires it. And besides, you may need to make repairs in the future anyway, so having an extra roll or two available can come in very handy later on.

One warning to be aware of regarding wallpaper is that due to the production process, rolls that may appear to be similar in the store will not always look that way when you actually get them on the wall. That's why wallpaper rolls come in what is called dye lots that identify the rolls that actually match. So be sure as you go through and select your wallpaper, that you look for the rolls that all come from the same dye lot.

Most modern vinyl wallpapers already have paste on the back, so it's just a matter of soaking them in water and hanging them on the wall. However there are different kinds of papers that are available. Solid vinyl papers are the most common of all these days, as they are very durable, washable, and easy to hang. There are also other papers that are simply vinyl coated and so therefore are somewhat less durable but still fine for most uses.

More expensive papers include embossed paper that has a raised pattern on it, and it is also easy to hang. Some papers are made of grasscloth, and are especially useful for covering walls that have imperfections or are damaged.

Foil wallpaper is very expensive, although it can quickly brighten up and change a small room if used correctly. Some also like to use fabric wallpaper, but just keep in mind that it does not clean very well or easily, and it can be extremely difficult to hang.

Generally speaking, most wallpaper hangers find that working in a clockwise direction around the room is best for right handed people, and going counterclockwise works best for left-handed people. Wherever you start in the room is largely up to you, but try to select a major focal point to begin with.

Selecting and hanging wallpaper is well within the reach of most homeowners. So it is one of those home improvement projects that almost anyone can do with a little determination and practice. So why not give it a try in your home?

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including home improvement. You can find out more about bathroom remodeling ideas and basement remodeling ideas by visiting our Home Improvement website.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thad_Pickering

Wallpaper DO-IT-YOURSELF Tips

Video: How to hang wallpaper

How to Wallpaper Video

How to Hang Wallpaper

Hirshfield's Wallpaper

Wallpaper Tips:

How to Hang Wallpaper

Decorating with Wallpaper

How to Remove Wallpaper (VIDEO)

How To Paint Paintable Wallpaper

Tips For Painting Over Your Existing Wallpaper

Tips For Easier Wallpaper Removal

Wallpaper Tips for Your Home Remodeling Jobs