Tips on Home Interior Paint Preparation

By Eric Dale

Painting a home interior is one of those things you can't know until you experience it. You can read all the tips in the world, but only when you actually dip the brush into the paint can you begin to appreciate what you are in for. But learning proper preparation and taking the time to do the job right will make all the difference in your success. Here are some tips and tricks for painting preparation that will help you get the job done with greater ease and help you improve your techniques as you go: Figuring How Much Paint to Use One gallon of paint usually covers about 400 square feet. Measure every square surface of the rooms you need to cover-including the ceiling. For the walls, multiply the length of the longest wall by its height-then multiply that number by four. If you are doing two coats of paint, double the numbers. Don't Go Cheap on the Paint This is one area you don't want to compromise. Cheap paint looks like it covers well when it's wet, but it dries thin and uneven. Cheaper paint is diluted and lacks the resin that holds paint together. So when it's time to choose paint-save yourself time and money in the long run and go for the premium one. Prevent Dust Cleanup Painting preparation takes a lot of scraping and sanding. Make less work for your self-prevent all the dust that gets kicked up from needing cleaned up. A simple standby is to put some heavy duty plastic up around the doors and over furniture. Use painter's tape to secure in place. Clean the Walls Before you Paint Paint is not going to stick to walls that still have grease or dirt clinging to them. The kitchen and bathroom areas especially need cleaning before painting. Use the Right Paint Brush The wrong paintbrush can make painting a nightmare. Spend the few extra dollars on the right paintbrush-usually from $10 to $15. If you thoroughly wash your brushes, they will last you through countless jobs. Unfinished hardwood handles can be easier to grip. Natural bristles do better with oil-based finishes and tend to lose their shape with water-based paints. Bristles should be tapered with multiple lengths for more control and versatility. Get a 2 1/4-inch angled sash brush for trim and 3-inch tapered brush for walls and ceilings. Use Better Quality Sandpaper The old standard brown sandpaper doesn't last as long as black sandpaper coated with silicon carbide. You can also get reusable foam sanding sponges with the silicon carbide, for quickly getting into tough corners and around trim. For prepping walls, use a medium grit paper (100 or 120). Use the finer grit (200 or 220) when you are smoothing surfaces between coats of paint. Painter's Tape Low Tack blue painter's tape is the staple of the pros. It protects baseboards and surfaces and guides as you paint. A TIP for Saving Money on Your Painting Job If you're pretty good at painting, but still want some professional help, ask a painting contractor to split the job with you. If you take the time for proper painting preparation, when it comes time to take the brush and rollers to the walls, you will have a smoother time and the job will last for years.

To Dim or Not to Dim?

By Eric Dale

The reality is that lighting is important to most people. Who doesn't like being able to control and change lighting in a room? Depending on time of day or mood, the level of lighting is the quickest way to shift atmosphere. Dimmer switches are a luxury item at a little price for controlling the exact amount of light in a room-all with the turn of a dial, the slide of a lever or the push of a remote. Dimmer switches are versatile for every lifestyle. They make it easy on tired eyes. They can become like nightlights at night in hallways or bathrooms. They hide dirt. They make a room romantic or create rich ambiance for a party and can help enhance room design. The Downside to Dimmer Switches Dimmer switches replace the on/off single-pole switches that normally control the lighting circuits. They have worked in the past by resistance in the circuit when dimming the lights-resulting in excess voltage that turns into heat through the resistor, resulting in more electricity and slightly higher electricity costs. Now, dimmer switches work by turning the light bulb on and off faster than we can see it. Less resistance means reduced electricity, but it is still not 100% efficient. Incandescent or Halogen vs. Compact Fluorescent Dimmers have become increasingly more efficient. The better dimmers have a "soft start" feature that lengthens the lamp life and gradually ramps up the electricity to the lamp over a few milliseconds, keeping the filament from being instantly shocked with the circuit. Compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs are not designed to take the additional load of turning on and off of a switch that halogen lights can take. More efficient alternatives for dimmable CFLs are becoming available, but they can still be problematic and not as cost-effective to install. They are not always compatible with existing light fixtures and loads, they can emit buzzing sounds, require extra ballasts, and for some people, there is the concern of mercury in the bulb. Trends with Dimmer Systems Dimmers are becoming more elaborate and convenient. Newer dimmers are available with presets, meaning you can preset light level to a single push of a button. The technical benefit is less wear on the dimmer. Homes and buildings can be programmed for multiple presets through a master remote control. The aesthetic benefits of a dimmer switch make it an easy add-on. The most basic dial installation is usually simple in most homes and costs just a few dollars. The more elaborate dimmers might take more planning to install. Either way, dimmers add luxury to home living.

Some Tips on Reading a Home Improvement Contract

One of the most important ways to keep control of a home improvement project is to have a written contract. Contracts don’t have to be in a certain format, but they should include certain terms and items to check that will make life easier for you and the contractor. No matter how big or small the job, a good contract helps you and the contractor know what to expect with timing, materials and payments. It also protects you if anything goes wrong.

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What To Look for When Picking a Fireplace?

Fireplaces add appeal to homes. People enjoy the ambience, beauty and warmth they give. A fireplace also increases the real estate value of a home.

You now have many affordable options for easily adding a new fireplace into your home—without having to rearrange floor plans and tear into walls and roofs in order to add a chimney or all kinds of intricate flue pipe. Modern design and technology has changed the landscape of the fireplace. There is everything from traditional looking hearths to modern portable open fires. We have used the ventless, bio ethanol Decoflame fireplaces with much success. They come in portable freestanding and wall mounted models.

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Win Thousands Every Month in “Fix My Ugly Room” Video Contest

Show us in just a few seconds why we should fix your ugly room and you can win big cash—a $2,500 monthly prize and a $50,000 Grand Prize at the end of twelve months. Or vote for your favorite “Fix My Ugly Room” video and win big cash, too—a $1,000 monthly prize and a $15,000 Grand Prize. Videos and voters both can win the thousands being given away in the National Fix & Flip Network video contest.

Submit Your Unique Video and Win Cash Now

Send just 15 to 90 seconds of video describing, in only the way you can, the details of your ugly room—any room from your ugly bathroom to your ugly bedroom. Show the most amusing, amazing or interesting reasons why you need to fix your ugly room. Be creative. The more votes you get from friends and viewers for your “Fix My Ugly Room” video the more chance you have to win the monthly $2,500 cash prize and the final $50,000 Grand Prize. Enter video contest now » at the National Fix & Flip Network site.

Vote Now for the Best of the Ugly Room Videos for Cash

Register and vote for the ugly room videos that most impress or entertain you. Visit the Fix & Flip site to rate and enjoy the best of the ugliest: http://videocontest.nfafn.com/register-to-vote/. Just by voting for your friend or your favorites you can win $1,000 this month and a $15,000 Grand Prize. If you have entered a “Fix My Ugly Room” video, tell your friends to come and vote for you. You could win the $50,000 Grand Prize.

Connect with National Fix & Flip Network on Facebook and twitter and send a link of your “Fix My Ugly Room” video to all your friends. NFAFN is also on YouTube.