Although I always advise my clients that choosing colors is a personal decision and everyone’s tastes are different, anyone who has ever chosen paint knows how challenging it can be to choose the right color.  After all there are virtually thousands of shades to choose from.  And if you are planning on using more than one color the task can be twice as challenging.

Guidlines for Choosing Color

When purchasing paint I always recommend a local retailer who is usually part of a chain such as Bejamin Moore, Pittsburgh or Sherwin Willians.  However, I recently saw an interesting paint color selecting tool in one of the large box stores that caught my interest.  In the paint department at Home Depot they have a computer screen where you can actually see how the paint will look on a wall.  The problem was that although I did think that the computer was helpful, I would still rather deal with a local retailer.
 
Another thing that you can do to be certain that you are choosing the right color is to purchase and apply samples of the various colors that your are considering.  Although the samples do cost a few dollars each and don’t come in every color, the time that you will save by not having to redo the entire job will more than make up for the cost.  You may even want to purchase a few and roll them right alongside each other on the wall that you are planning to paint.

Often when deciding on a color it helps to match at least one wall to a fabric that you already have in the room.  It doesn’t matter if it’s the carpet the drapes or the furniture, but I would highly recommend matching your color to something.  If you don’t have a color scheme yet, now would be a great time to come up with one. 

Depending on the look that you are trying to achieve will determine the colors that you should use.  For instance, if you are trying to make your room look larger I would suggest using a lighter color.  If your room is large I would suggest using darker colors for a warm cozier feeling.   You also really want to keep your colors coordinated and not introduce too many.  It will even help to take a sample to your paint distributor. 

The Finish     

One last thing that you want to consider when choosing your paint is deciding on the finish.  Finishes run from flat which has no shine all the way to gloss which is the shiniest.  In between there is eggshell, pearl and semi gloss.  Depending on the use of the room or what you are painting will determine which finish would work best.  Although there is cleanable flat, the rule of the thumb is the glossier the finish the easier that it will be to clean.  I would always recommend painting molding and trim in semi gloss.

So there you have it, some basic guidelines to get you on course to choosing the right colors to paint your walls.  Follow these simple suggestions and enjoy your new colors for a long, long time. 

Anyone can roll paint on a wall.  That’s why painting is the most likely job to be undertaken by someone who wants to do it themselves.  And why not, it looks easy.  You pour paint in a pail or in a tray, roll a roller in it and apply it to the wall.  Well that is true, but although there skill needed in applying the paint the most important aspect of any paint job is in the preparation.

Let’s take a look at how to prepare to paint a room, the essential steps that will make your paint job glow and stand out from the average.

1. Primer- Now, yes you can get away without priming a wall before you paint it.  Often you can just apply an extra coat of paint, but by applying a coat of primer before you paint you will achieve several things.  Primer will give your paint a deeper look more enhanced look.  It will also help hide imperfections and if you are trying to cover up any discolorations primer is a must.

2. Compound - Carefully compound and sand holes and imperfections.  My personal favorite here is joint compound.  I like joint compound because it will sand easily once it dries which will allow me to give the job a nice finished look.  Although other spackling compounds will dry quicker and shrink less, I still like joint compound because of the work ability it gives me. If once dry it does shrink to much apply a second coat before sanding.  I also recommend taking a sanding block and lightly going over the entire wall to remove any chips or high spots.

3. Tape - One of the biggest differences between an average paint job and professional looking results is sharp crisp lines between colors and finishes.  To accomplish this, whenever I paint I use quite a bit of blue painters tape.  Some people do have a steady enough hand to make a straight edge, but the average painter doing it themselves will see a big difference when using tape.
  
There is one trick though in using painters tape.  When applying paint to the wall adjacent to the tape do not overfill your brush.  In fact make sure that it is moderately dry.  What you are doing is making a seal between the tape and the adjacent wall.  Once this first coat is done, you can go over it again with a second coat.  The reason that you want to go lightly on your first coat adjacent to the tape is if you do go to heavily in this area the paint will inadvertently run under the tape distorting your line.

4. The Right Brush - There is nothing like having the right tool and this couldn’t hold truer than when painting.  Personally, I like to use a brush with a chiseled end where one end of my brush has longer bristles than the other.   When painting tight narrow spaces like moldings or window frames you’re going to need a narrow brush and a chiseled tip gives me better control, wider areas will look better when using a larger brush.  Also, don’t look to save money here, you want to use a better grade of brush, one that is better constructed and will not leave bristles in your finished work.
 
Then once the preparation work is done it is just a matter of applying the paint.  By taking your time and carefully preparing the job not only will you find the work easier, but your job will come out looking like it was done by a pro.

She then went on to tell me that she did not have it plugged directly into the wall it was plugged into the wall via an extension cord.  Upon noticing that the plug and wire were becoming so hot she changed the extension cord to a very heavy-duty one.  To complicate matters she went on to tell me that it was actually a surge protector that also was connected to a TV, a cable box and stereo equipment. She also went on to tell me that she lived in an older home and was quite concerned about fire.

The first thing I made sure to do was let this reader know that she was dealing with electricity and exactly how dangerous electricity can be.  Although for this reader I was rather confident that she was aware of the danger, she would not have written to me if she didn’t realize that she was dealing with a dangerous situation. 

However, the point that I do want to stress here and the reason that you will not see very many posts dealing with electricity on this blog is because electricity is extremely dangerous.  Although any DIY job can be hazardous, none are as great as the risk of fire from electricity.

After making sure that she realized how careful she had to be with electricity I went on to explain that it did not matter how many devices she had plugged into the surge protector, what mattered was how much electricity each one of them drew.  While it would not have mattered had she had several small items plugged in, the large devices were overloading it.  They were probably overloading the old wiring in her home as well.

Although each electrical line within your home is connected to either a circuit breaker or a fuse as a safety precaution, you do not want to get the line so hot that you trip the circuit breaker or blow the fuse and shut the line.  So to determine how much electricity an item such as a surge protector can handle you need to check the label on each device to see the maximum amount of watts or amps that it draws.  You then need to add up the amount from all the devices on the same circuit to determine if you are putting too much of a load on that particular circuit.

Although the use of the surge protector would have allowed this reader to keep the fireplace heater where she really wanted it to be located in the room, once I explained this to her she moved it to another area and plugged it directly into the wall.  The reader has also informed me that there are no other high draw devices on the line.  Considering that the weather is getting colder in many areas, I’ll bet that fireplace heater is coming in really useful.

If you have a question such as the one that you just read, you can submit it to onlinehandyman@gmail.com.   If we decide to use it within a post on this blog, with your permission of course we will send you a $25 to Amazon.com 

It’s never fun to talk about preventing damage or worse, having to recover from it, but it is something that you need to do - just in case.  Anyone that has ever had to clean up a flood will tell you that it is not a pleasant experience. All too often personal possessions, sometimes irreplaceable are lost not to mention the damage to your home.  Then there is always the possibility of mold which can make even the healthiest person sick.
   
Over the years I have cleaned up from quite a few floods, many that could not be prevented, but many that had the homeowner taken just a couple of small precautions could have been.   Then it never fails to amaze me how once someone experiences water damage they fix what caused it after the fact.  I guess it’s the experience of having a flood and it being such a devastating experience that they don’t want to go through it again.  Who could blame them, but wouldn’t it make sense to fix these things before there was water in your home?

To make sure that you do not ever have to go through this devastating experience here is a look at the four most common causes.

1. Gutters and leaders - One of the most common causes of water entering your home is improperly installed, clogged or broken leaders and gutters.  Water caused by problems with gutters and leaders that gathers outside of your home in the wrong areas can definitely lead to damage.  Fortunately this is an inexpensive fix, in fact if the problem is on the first floor it is relatively simple for the do it yourselfer.

2.  Poor drainage - Make certain that the soil around your home is graded so that water rolls away from the building.  This may seem like a simple thing, but too many times have I seen homes where the soil was graded towards the building result in water damage.
 
3. Foundation cracks - Make sure that there are no cracks in your basements walls that would allow water to infiltrate your home.  Take a visual inspection of your home from the inside and out.  If you do see any large cracks make sure that you fill them.  There are many waterproofing products available in your local home center.  If the job looks too large or beyond true scope of capabilities there are many basement waterproofing companies that can do this kind of work for you.

4. Window wells - if you have window wells they need to be kept clean and free of debris.  There are also various kinds of covers that can be installed over them to prevent water from entering your home.

Water damage is not a fun subject, but one that needs to be addressed so that it does not happen to you.  I can tell you from experience that can be quite a devastating event.  However, by taking just a few preventative measures you can protect your home, your family and yourself.

Well, unless you decide to move, you are going to have to make do with the space that you have.  Fortunately there are several home decorating ideas that will give you the illusion that your small room looks larger than it actually is.

Here is a list of some of those ideas,

1. Colors - Use light neutral, mono-chromatic colors.  Because light will reflect better with the use of light neutral colors, your room will have more of an open airy feeling.  Keep the moldings and trim the same color.
 
2. Wallpaper and fabrics - Use solid color wallpaper and window coverings.  Make sure that the color that you chose is similar to the walls with only a slight contrast at most.   If you decide to use a design make sure that the repeat is small and not more than two inches apart.

3. Furniture - Use small, light open furniture.  Try using a love seat instead of a full length sofa and open back furniture wherever possible. Avoid over stuffed upholstery.
 
4. Mirrors and glass - The use of mirrors will add an entirely new dimension to the room. As a matter, of fact this is one of the most powerful home decorating ideas that you can use to make a small room seem larger.  You may want to consider using mirror front cabinets as well so that they do not seem so obtrusive.  The use of glass tabletops which will allow you to see the floor will also make your room seem larger.

5. Window treatments - Makes certain that your window treatments let in as much light as possible.  Light is the most important factor when trying to give the illusion of more space. Avoid the use of heavy drapes.

6. Vertical space - Use the vertical space of the room as much as possible.  Use taller furniture as well as floor to ceiling shelving.

7. Clutter - Remove all clutter!  Whatever is out of place and in your way is only going to make the room feel smaller and cramped.  I recently wrote a post on this that you can refer back to for more help in this area.
  
It can be a real challenge decorating small places!  And the rooms that we live in are getting smaller and smaller, sometimes it is by choice, but sometimes it is not.  The good thing here is that although the rooms may be small they don’t have to seem that way.   

The index which is produced by two surveys is actually two indexes, one on current numbers and one based on the future, both are based on 100 and both come out monthly.  The current situation index for October had 58% of the respondents saying that sales were below total of one year ago, 19% said sales were the same and 24% said sales were better than last year.

The future situation index which is based on two projections, one for six months and the other one for one year had 15% of the respondents expecting sales to be higher, 42% to be the same and 44% expecting sales to be lower in the next six months.

The response for 12-months showed that 42% expected sales to be higher, 34% expected sales to be the same with 24% expecting sales to be lower.

“We are pleased to provide the home improvement industry with this new measure of the state of the industry,” said Timothy S. Farrell, President and Chief Executive Officer of AHMA. “Over time, the AHMA Home Improvement Industry Confidence Index will provide the industry with a reliable overview of important current sales trends and the mood of the industry looking forward both six and twelve months into the future,” Farrell added.

The AHMA Home Improvement Industry Confidence Index results will be released on the first Wednesday of every month and is based on a survey of all AHMA members.

Although this does not sound like a bad idea at first, I really don’t think that we need another indicator telling us just how bad off the economy is.  These indicators along with the media are what cause many of the economy’s problems.

Next, we have an interesting article that showed up in the Niagra Falls Reviews as well as several other publications around the US.  Do-it-yourself home improvement clubs are springing up around the nation.  It seems that the clubs which are being set up by cost conscious members require members to contribute at least one day per month helping other members with home improvements.
 
The clubs which also provide additional help if it is needed are being set up by neighbors to make home improvement work enjoyable.  They seem to be getting quite a bit done.  So far the group featured in this particular article called the Monthly Improvement Collective of Eugene have built retaining walls, installed flooring and installed a fence.   The host couple plans the work and supplies the tools as well as breakfast and lunch.

“I’m somebody who doesn’t particularly enjoy improving my house,” said Lewis Taylor, 35, the homeowner featured in the article. “But when you make it a party with friends, it’s really cool. You do things you never would have done by yourself.”

Great do it yourself idea!

The last article comes to you today from Big News Biz which is reporting that the members only showroom Direct Buy is offering helpful suggestions for those deciding on whether or not they should take on home improvement projects.
 
“To steal a line from Shakespeare, to thine own self be true,” said Sara Shragal, of DirectBuy.  What Direct Buy is saying here is that you have to be able to understand your limits and your ability level before you tackle a home improvement project.  Because this is so difficult to do they have set up several questions that the customer has to answer honestly.
 
Once the customer is then convinced that they are able to do the job, Direct Buy will assist them in getting direct from manufacturer prices on all of the necessary tools and materials.  And if you decide that the job is more than you are capable of they have product specialists and designers to get the job done for you.

Excellent idea! Just like the last article -I am all for DIY, but only if the job matches the ability level of the individual.

Unfortunately, the answer is not easy because there are many things that need to be taken into consideration.  Things like how much and what type of traffic the floor will be getting along with the part of the house the floor is located in are all questions that need to be answered. And, along with that there are other factors that need to be taken into consideration.  Other factors like budget and understanding that the floor that you may like best may not always be the best choice. 

I know of one home that has laminate flooring installed in their basement.  Now, anyone who has any experience with flooring will tell you that a laminate floor is a poor choice for a basement, because should their ever be a flood the laminate will get ruined.

But, the good news is choosing the right flooring does not have to be that difficult if you just have a proper understanding of the different floors available along with the pros and cons of each one. So what I have done is create a short list of the 5 most common floors available along with their benefits and drawbacks.  Let’s take a look.

Carpet - the usage of carpet varies by locale, but carpet is a soft fabric that works great in any room.  Carpet is made by inserting or as it is known in the trade, tufting small pieces of fabric, usually nylon, polyester, olefin or wool into latex backing.

The pros - carpet comes in many styles to fit almost any décor and budget.

The cons - although some carpet fibers wear better than others, carpet does not wear as well as other flooring choices.  Also, it is easily damaged and is more difficult to clean than other flooring materials.

Laminate - laminate floors, although made to look like natural products (wood and stone) are actually comprised of a synthetic or of a synthetic and natural base material coated with a synthetic covering with a picture of the material that they are supposed to replicate slipped in between.

The pros - laminate floors are less expensive than real woods or stone and at least for wood, more durable.  Laminate floors are very easy to clean and require less maintenance than wood or stone.

The cons - they do not quite look like real wood and stone although some of the latest products are getting very close.  They also can be damaged and as for wood are more difficult to repair.  Also, you do not want to use laminates in any area that may be subject to water because due to their construction they cannot get wet.

Tile and stone - tile is created out of a mixture of clays that once formed into shape are baked with a glaze applied to the top.  Tile is also being created out of porcelain.  Stones come in many materials including marble, granite, travertine, limestone and slate.

The pros - tile and stone floors are extremely durable.  They also give off a very elegant look and feel.

The cons - stones can be stained if not protected and can both tile and stone are subject to cracking.  Natural stones and better grade tile can also be costly.  Installation is also difficult because of the weight.

Vinyl - comes in two forms, tiles and sheet goods.

The pros - vinyl comes in a wide variety of choices and is inexpensive compared to other flooring materials.   Vinyl also wears well and is easy to maintain.

The cons - vinyl can be slippery and although vinyl tiles are easily installed by do it yourselfers, vinyl sheet goods are best off being left to the professionals.

Wood - comes in a variety of species and is broken down into two type’s – engineered and hard wood.  The difference between the two is that engineered wood flooring is produced by adhering layers of plastic laminate veneer with real wood.  Hard wood is solid wood.

The pros - wood is very elegant and easy to maintain. Wood also is very soft to walk on as compared to other materials and is a good insulator.

The cons - wood is easily damaged, but unlike laminate is easily repaired.  Also like laminate flooring you need to be careful where it is installed because it does not hold up very well to moisture.

So there you have it, the five main categories of flooring along with the pros and cons of each.  Many people do not realize it, but when choosing a floor there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration.  I hope that this post eases the confusion. 

 “Also, feel free to try Donald Gardner for help with *floor plans*.”