How to mix paint colors

Mixing paint colors produces custom paint colors perfect for any color scheme. AsktheBuilder.com host Tim Carter demonstrates how to blend or mix paint colors to get the perfect color for your job. Blending paint colors really is easy and useful on any paint job.

Likeable living rooms

More often used for family relaxation than formal entertainment, today’s living rooms reflect comfortable, stylish spaces. An ideal location to highlight a unique decorating "persona", color choices for living rooms can be as bold or relaxing as the individual preferences of the homeowner.

Decorative Paint Techniques: Techniques that are utilized in
living room spaces demonstrate a homeowner’s preference for
added texture, color and style (see Decorative Techniques).

• Utilizing a "Combing" or "Dragging" technique, for instance on one representative accent wall that is within in a small, square living room area can lend the illusion of added length and space.

• Consider decorative techniques that provide fabric like appearances such as leather, suede and silk to impart an elegant appearance for living rooms that portray a formal air.

• Denim, chambray and chenille fabrications can also be
achieved through the use of decorative paint techniques for the more casually styled living room space.

• Consider adding distinctive flair to the living room space by incorporating color by means of painted picture frames used as decorative accents, painted "faux" fireplaces add ambiance and charm, or contrasting painted moldings and trim within the living room space.

(via PQI)

Paint and drywall

Tim Carter, of http://AsktheBuilder.com, tells you how to paint and seal your new drywall with great products and technique.

How to choose the right interior paint finish

Even after a homeowner has chosen the perfect color for a room, there's another very important decision to make. With 5 or 6 paint finishes to choose from, you should learn the benefits of each and determine the right one for your job. Should you use flat or satin and why? Browse these tips on selecting the perfect paint finishes for your interior home applications.

Matte Finish
Whether called flat finish or wall paint, this type of interior paint has a matte surface. This paint finish is usually used on interior walls. It's expecially good if you have to camouflage small wall bumps, cracks, or other imperfections, as this finish does not reflect light. While some flat paints are advertised as washable today, you may need to touch up scratches or marks by covering with a bit more paint, so be sure you keep some on hand after you've finished painting.

Flat Enamel
Flat enamel is a paint with a durable flat, matte finish. It's a good choice for powder rooms and halls, as it holds up to occasional cleaning.

Eggshell Finish
If you can picture the very low sheen of the shell of an egg, you have an idea of how an eggshell paint finish will appear. With only a slight hint of shine or gloss, it's good for walls and holds up better with cleaning than a flat finish paint.

Satin Finish
Satin finish paint has a smooth, velvety look with a bit more gloss. It is most often used for windows, doors, trim, or ceilings, but can also be used as wall paint. This is particularly suitable for kids' room walls, kitchens, or bathrooms, or in areas which get a lot of traffic. Paint with a satin finish is formulated to hold up to cleaning and light scrubbing.

Semi-Gloss
Semi-gloss paint is most often used on doors, trim, and cabinets in kitchens and bathrooms. It is easily cleaned and lays down a nice, subtle shine, without being too glitzy. Take care with pre-paint preparation work, as poorly prepared surfaces can be a bit distracting when highlighted by a semi-gloss surface.

Glossy
High gloss paints have an almost reflective quality, as their shiny finish mimics the look of enamel or plastic. Though not widely used in home interiors, it is becoming more popular for a dramatic look on cabinets, trim, and furniture in very formal and very contemporary settings. This finish will magnify any surface imperfections, so careful preparation and sanding is essential before painting with high gloss paints.

Read more.

Feng Shui for the bedroom

How to unclog a sink

There are two basic types of plungers, the cup plunger and the flange plunger. For working in sinks, lavatories and tubs you want to use the cup plunger. The flange plunger is specially shaped for toilet use. Also, for sanitary reasons you don't want to mix the two.

• First, if this is a lavatory sink, seal the sink overflow outlet found at the top of the sink bowl. Use a piece of duct tape or a wet rag or washcloth stuffed into the holes. NOTE: If you have just tried the boiling water approach you may have to add some cold water to cool the water in the sink down because the very hot water now in the sink may condensate on the porcelain around the overflow, preventing the duct tape from sticking until the porcelain cools off.
• If a kitchen sink or similar, remove the basket strainer.
• If a lavatory sink, remove the drain stopper from the sink. Try lifting it out or turning and lifting.
• Fill the sink bowl halfway with water.
• Place the cup plunger over the drain hole and make sure it has a good seal against the sink surface.
• Using quick, sharp plunges, attempt to clear the obstruction with the plunger and check for drainage.
• Once cleared, remove the overflow outlet seal and replace the drain stopper or sink basket.
• If the clog did not clear, proceed to the next step.

(via About.com)

When painting, watch the temparature

As the days grow shorter and the nights grow cooler, you may suddenly realize that you only have a few weeks left to finish your exterior painting projects. However, beware of painting outdoors when the weather turns nippy. Painting when the weather is too cold is a mistake that will leave you with unsightly consequences.

Most manufacturers instruct homeowners to apply solvent-based paint when ambient and surface temperatures are above 45 degrees F and latex paints when ambient and surface temperatures are at least 50 degrees.

Solvent-based paints thicken in lower temperatures, causing stiffer brushing, heavier application and slower drying. This can mean paint runs, sags and wrinkling on vertical surfaces, plus an overall reduced rate of coverage per gallon.

Below 50 degrees, latex paints dry more slowly, especially when high humidity is present. This hinders coalescence, which can lead to poor film-forming, lack of surface adhesion and premature paint failure.

Some manufacturers offer latex paints that can be applied at temperatures as low as 36 degrees F. These specially formulated products contain coalescing agents that aid in film-forming during lower temperatures. Check with your local independent paint retailer for information about these products.

Another thing to consider about seasonal painting is the amount of daylight. When the days are short, there is less daylight available to aid in drying. If you're using a solvent-based paint, which dries by oxidation, daylight is especially critical. So, be sure to paint early in the day so that light is present to add in the drying process.

Also consider the effect of heavy dew. Humidity affects the drying time of all paints, but especially latexes. Most manufacturers recommend that at least two hours be allowed for paint to dry before sunset if cool temperatures and heavy dew are expected that evening.

Finally, keep in mind that cooler temperatures may extend the time before the paint reaches serviceability or hardness. An enameled door requires more time before it can be closed without sticking to the jamb. A clear coating applied to a deck will need more time before you can walk on it. Primers require more time before top-coating. Knowing all of this may aid you as you go about your painting chores in the spring or in the fall.

When in doubt, remember to call your local paint and decorating retailer for advice and assistance.

(via pdra.org)

Type of paint chemicals and the purpose they serve

Brush and Roller Cleaner

• Restores hard brushes and washes away oil and latex paints as well as varnish.
• Reduces cleaning effort and helps applicators last longer.
• Most formulations will not harm either natural or nylon bristle brushes, but they can harm synthetic bristles. Synthetic brushes should be cleaned in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions.
• Safer to use and less odor than paint thinner.
• Can also be used to remove paint from hands.

Mineral Spirits

• Also known as paint thinner.
• A petroleum distillate solvent frequently used in the manufacturing and thinning of oil-based paints.
• Odorless mineral spirits have been refined to remove some odorous components.
• Excellent paint thinner and for cleaning brushes or rollers after painting.

Turpentine

• Has greater solvency than mineral spirits, causing it to work more quickly.
• It also has a stronger odor and contains a small amount of resin

Alcohol

• Is available in denatured, wood isopropyl or methanol form.
• Wood and methanol alcohols are extremely toxic and should not be recommended for do-it-yourselfers.
• Denatured alcohol, a safer substance, is used for thinning and for cleaning shellac and pigmented shellac primer.
• Alcohol is excellent for removing grease and oil spots, fingerprints and other smudges.

Lacquer Thinner

• Is available in many grades and degrees of solvency and in several speeds of evaporation.
• An excellent cleaner for brushes and spray guns where lacquer has been used.
• Since it leaves no residue, lacquer thinner does not require cleaned brushes to be washed with soap and water.
• Highly flammable solvent that should be used with extreme caution.

Paint and Varnish Removers

• Are formulated to dissolve or soften old finishes for easy removal on metal, masonry, wood and fiberglass surfaces.
• Available in gel, semi-paste, aerosol and spray-on formulas.
• Some formulations contain methylene chloride as the primary solvent, but due to health concerns, “safe” non-meth strippers are available that are non toxic and non flammable.
• While non-meth strippers are safer to use, they take longer to act and are more expensive than their meth counterparts. However, they stay active longer, which means they can remove more paint layers in a single application.
• Some strippers change color to signal completion of the process, and some removers are formulated so that no after wash or neutralizing is required.

Deglosser

• Prepares surfaces before painting and assists paint and varnish in bonding to old finishes.
• Available in water- or solvent-based formulations.
• Concrete Cleaner is specifically designed to clean and degrease concrete and masonry surfaces and to prepare concrete basement floors to be painted.

Degreaser

• Is available in solid, liquid and aerosol form.
• Used to remove dirt, oil and grease from basement and garage floors, driveways, patios and sidewalks.
• Some formulations are made for concrete only and should not be used on blacktop surfaces.

Rust Remover

• Cuts through and dissolves rust from metal surfaces to form a metal shield that can be painted.
• In jellied form, it clings well to vertical surfaces.
• When brushed on, the rust dissolves quickly.
• These products are extremely harsh on the skin; protective gloves should be worn.
• The solution is applied with a stiff brush or aerosol spray and allowed to dry for 12 to 24 hours, depending on humidity (check manufacturer labeling and literature).

Wallpaper Removers

• A liquid spray-on solution that uses enzymes to break down the paste and destroy its adhesive strength.
• Also available in a water-based gel formulations that can be applied with a brush or roller.

Acetone

• Fast acting thinner, cleaner and remover for resins, inks, adhesives and contact cement.
• Also used for thinning and cleaning fiberglass.
• A heavy degreaser, it can be used as a metal cleaner prior to painting.

Methyl Ethyl Ketone

• Fast evaporating clear, colorless solvent.
• Has solvent characteristics and strengths similar to acetone but is water soluble.
• Primarily used to thin lacquers and vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride copolymers.

Toluene

• High solvency thinner for oil based paint, lacquers, varnish and adhesives.
• Also used to thin certain primers and topcoats.
• Soluble in alcohol and insoluble in water.
• Dries quickly.
• Also used to clean tools and equipment.

Naphtha (VM & P)

• Fast evaporating, clear, colorless solvent.
• Used primarily to thin oil paints, varnishes and enamels for spray applications where mineral spirits drying time is too slow.

Xylol (Xylene)

• Medium evaporating, clear, colorless aromatic hydrocarbon solvent for thinning varnishes and rubber.

(via NRHA.org)

Scrubbable, easy-cleaning wall paints

Q The walls of our kids’ playroom are beginning to look shabby from repeated cleaning. So it’s time to repaint. Is there an easy-to-clean but more durable wall paint I can use?

Dawn Wiley, New Brighton, MN

A You have several choices, but none is perfect. While almost every wall paint is washable , the smoother the finish, the easier the cleaning. The technical term paint companies use for surface smoothness is “sheen.” The typical progression, from roughest to smoothest, is flat, matte, satin, eggshell, semigloss and gloss.

Chances are that most of the rooms in your home are painted with flat paint, which has the roughest surface. Flat paint is popular because it makes walls look their best: Color looks rich, the texture looks velvety, and even somewhat imperfect walls appear smooth. However, washing or scrubbing them tends to burnish (shine) the texture and mar the appearance.

Gloss and semigloss paints are smoother and easier to clean. Painters often use semigloss in kitchens and bathrooms where grease and hairspray tend to collect on walls. But they also have drawbacks. The shine tends to make the wall color dull and flat, compared with the richer appearance of flat and satin sheens. And worse, the shine on a wall magnifies every bump, scuff and dent. And if you have to scrub an area several times, you’ll dull the gloss and that’ll show up too.

We recommend that you try eggshell, a compromise sheen somewhere between flat and gloss. It’s flat enough to have nice color, it’s smooth enough to clean fairly easily, and its sheen still hides wall flaws and the mild abrasion of cleaning.

However, often the paint sheen matters less than the type of mark on your wall (see photo). Some types of markers won’t come off any sheen. So make sure those permanent markers, erasable markers, mustard (unless you have a yellow wall!), and other permanent-staining materials don’t stray into your kids’ playroom!

(via rd.com)

How to green your furniture

1. Certified sustainable wood

Whether a piece of furniture is made from wood, cloth, metal, plastic, or whatever else, there are earth-friendly options. When cave people realized that boulders weren’t the most comfortable things to sit on, wood was almost certainly where they looked, so let’s start there. The world needs more trees, not less, so practices that lead to deforestation aren’t any good. Not only do trees absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, they keep the surface of the planet cool, they hold soil together so it can stay rich, and they provide the habitat that animals, insects, birds, and other plants call home, not to mention they support many people’s livelihood. Simply put, don’t mess with the trees. There are sustainable ways to harvest wood, however. Wood from sustainably harvested forests, sustainably harvested tree farms, and reclaimed wood are the main sources. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and its largest forest certifier, the Rainforest Alliance, is the most widely used standard for sustainable forestry.

2. Furniture made with reclaimed materials

If wood is taken care of, and sometimes even if it isn’t, it can last a really, really long time. So shouldn’t we be able to make good use of all the wood that’s already out there? A lot of designers think so and are doing just that. Reclaimed wood usually comes from old furniture, houses, or other built things that are ready for some friendly reincarnation, from flawed wood, or from scraps from a factory that makes other stuff. Some reclaimed wood even comes from logs that sunk to the bottom of rivers as they were being floated downstream to the sawmill, or from the bottom of man-made reservoirs (check out the Sawfish). Either way, furniture made from reclaimed wood is a great example of resource efficiency, but usually comes in shorter supply. The Rainforest Alliance has a Rediscovered Wood Certification label to look for.

3. Bamboo

You’ve probably heard by this point that bamboo isn’t a tree at all, but a grass. Bamboo represents a family of grasses that range in size from tiny to huge, and in color from lime green to maroon stripes. It is incredibly fast-growing and versatile and has become the unofficial poster material of environmental designers and builders. Bamboo can be flattened into flooring, molded into furniture, pressed into veneers, sliced up to make window blinds, or hey, you can just build your whole house out of it. Using bamboo in buildings earns architects and builders LEED points. Most bamboo comes from China and is grown with few of no pesticides. Because it is so fast growing, it is much easier to maintain healthy bamboo forests. This also means it uses a lot of water, however, and harvesting too fast can deplete soil fertility. Some growers do use pesticides and other chemical inputs, however, so keep that in mind. But for the most part, bamboo is one of the greenest materials around.

4. Recycled/recyclable metal and plastic

Since both metal and plastic are recyclable, at least in theory, these can be considered eco-friendly materials for furniture. More and more furniture is being made from recycled plastics and metals as well, like the recycled aluminum Icon Chair . Recycled materials require less processing and fewer resources, and help support the market for recycled materials. Technologies are always improving, meaning that recycled plastics and metals are always going up in quality. It’s not all about materials, though, so here are some basic guiding principles to keep in mind when looking for furniture.

5. Recyclable and disassemblable

Good eco-friendly furniture should lend itself to easy repair, disassembly, and recycling. Products certified by MBDC’s C2C (Cradle 2 Cradle) product regimen are a perfect example, like certified office chairs from Herman Miller and Steelcase. These product can be easily taken apart, sorted into their constituent parts, and recycled at the end of their useful lives. When buying furniture, stay away from “monstrous hybrids,” pieces that are an inseparable amalgam of materials. If they can’t be taken apart it’s probably a sign that they can’t be repaired very well either.

6. Look for furniture that’s durable and fixable

One of the most important but often overlooked aspects of green products (and this definitely goes for furniture) is durability. If something is tough and/or can be readily repaired, this lessens the chance that it’ll end up in the landfill, and could easily save you money in the long run, even if it’s initially more expensive. Even recyclable materials if they break (and can’t be fixed) require energy and other resources to reprocess and then replace. Durable goods that will last a long time can be passed on from person to person. Even if your style changes and that kitchen table isn’t your thing anymore, a good strong table will almost always be appealing to someone else, while a broken (and unfixable) one probably won’t. When it’s time to part with your possessions, think of Craigslist, Freecycle, or eBay, and find it a new home.

7. Low-toxicity furniture

When you buy a piece of furniture, bring it home, and set it down in a room, it doesn’t just sit there. No matter what it’s made out of, chances are, it’s offgassing (or releasing substances into the air). Almost everything offgasses, which isn’t necessarily bad, but synthetic materials or those treated with synthetic substances can offgas chemicals which are toxic. Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are the most common family of chemicals that are offgassed and have been linked to birth defects, endocrine disruption, and cancer. Flame retardants and formaldehyde are common VOCs offgassed by furniture. Especially if your home or office is well-insulated (which it should be for energy purposes) toxins can’t get out easily. In fact, studies have shown that air quality inside your house (or car) is often worse than outside. Everyone should be conscious of the kinds of chemicals they bring home, but especially if you have kids, pets, or other family members who are low to the ground and prone to licking things. There are some good ways to help maintain good indoor air quality when it comes to furniture choices.

Greenguard is a certification which ensures furniture is low toxicity. Herman Miller, Haworth, Knoll, and Izzydesign all offer Greenguard certified furniture options. Also, look for furniture that is untreated or treated with natural substances, like natural wood finishes, or naturally tanned leather. Organic cotton is also less likely to be treated with toxic stuff. Another great way to dodge toxic chemicals is to buy furniture that is vintage or second-hand and has already done most of its offgassing (just make sure it doesn’t carry anything worse, like lead paint). You can tell intuitively that new things offgas more actively—just think of that new car smell.

8. Buy vintage

With all the slick, mod, “eco” brands jumping into the market it can be hard to keep in mind that pre-owned goods can be the most green purchase of all. Vintage and second-hand and furniture requires no additional resources to manufacture, is often locally sources (cutting down on transportation), is pre-offgassed and eases the load on the landfill. Quality vintage furniture can also have excellent resale value (sometimes selling for the same price it was bought) which certainly can’t be said for most new furniture, green or otherwise.

9. Buy local

Just like the food on the dinner plate, we might be amazed how many miles the constituent parts of a piece of furniture might have had to travel in order to reach us. If possible, source furniture close to home. This will support the local economy, small craftspeople, and decrease the environmental cost of shipping (not to mention the other kind of cost).

10. What to do with it when you’re over it

We can’t promise we’re going to like something forever or that our furnishing needs won’t change. When it’s time to bid a chair, table, bed, or dresser farewell, make sure it goes to a good home. Sell it on Craigslist, eBay, or the local paper, give it away via Freecycle, or include it in your next yard sale. Putting it safely on the curb with a “free” sign on it can also do the trick. If you are the crafty type, lots of furniture can be repurposed into new functions or just freshened up with new paint or finish. No sturdy artifact should have to live out eternity in the landfill

(via Treehugger.)

5 ways to uncramp your living room

You can make your living room seem airier through the artful choice of furniture and accessories. Decorators recommend these techniques:

• Choose just a few pieces of furniture -- declutter!
  
  
• Choose light colors for the furniture and your wall paint, and match some of the furniture to the walls. Avoid busy prints in upholstery.
  
  
• Choose low-slung, unobtrusive furniture and don't block windows or doors.
  
  
• Choose tables with glass or mirror tops.
  
  
• Choose sheer fabrics for window treatments and tablecloths.

(via RD.com)

How to use a hammer

Hammers are helpful around the house, unless you're the type to smash your thumb whenever you use one. Find out how to hold and use a hammer safely.

Connecting rooms with color

As every home decorating enthusiast is well aware, color has an enormous impact within a space. With the increasing number of new and remodeled homes reflecting open floor plans, carefully considered color schemes symbolize an integral part of the ambience within the home. Without investing a small fortune for upgraded design elements and furnishings, color can be manipulated as the powerful ingredient that may be used to create a fashionably cohesive open styled home interior.

The carefully considered repetition of color represents a simple way to unite open concept spaces. Repeating the same hue throughout an open space is a common way to cohesively join connecting areas. For example, implementing same color molding throughout an open space can successfully tie together adjacent areas that boast different floor or wall coverings. The use of identical trim colors on built-ins, (such as shelving units or book cases) stylishly integrates adjoining areas that are used for distinctively different purposes. Although color still remains strong for 2003, experts are forecasting that white will make a major comeback this year.

Returning with fresh diversity, this non-color represents an abundant array of practical and neutral selections for repetitive moldings and trims. Remember: white is not just white! Prior to selecting the white tone to be used within the open concept space, carefully consider the tremendous selection of available whites to verify that the tone you have selected harmoniously blends with existing surface coverings.

Another method of effectively blending open spaces is by incorporating a limited palette of color that represents the same intensity of hues. Select the same tones consisting of two or three favorite colors that you would not easily tire of, and fashion two side by side spaces with the desired color palette. Utilize the desired color palette in varying amounts within each area. By limiting the color palette to a smaller number of colors that share the same intensity, the entire space maintains cohesiveness.

Consider implementing any of these color concepts to help beautify and unify your open floor plan. The application of any of these tips can yield a custom touch that is often apparent within upscale homes that have been fashioned by designers that command high price tags. Applying paint to various interior surfaces is a budget-friendly way to blend open space living areas together. A savvy do-it- yourselfer can produce attractive results that rival those belonging to the professional designer with an active imagination, a healthy dose of paint and color.

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