Archive for February, 2010

Two groups of tools are needed for painting, one for preparing the surface and one for actually applying the paint. For a masonry wall, the minimum preparation is to wash down any previously painted surface. This calls for a bucker, sponges and cloths, strong household detergent or sugar soap (all-purpose cleaner), and rubber gloves to protect the hands.

If the washed-down surface has a high-gloss finish, or feels rough to the touch, use fine-grade sandpaper and a sanding block to smooth it down. Wet and Dry (silicon carbide) paper, used wet, is best for sanding down existing paintwork; remember to thoroughly rinse off the resulting fine slurry of paint with water afterwards. Use ordinary sandpaper for bare wood.

Defects in the surface need filling. Use a traditional cellulose filler (spackle) for small cracks, chips and other surface blemishes, and an expanding filler foam which can be shaped and sanded when hard for larger defects. To apply filler paste use a filling knife (putty knife).

To strip existing paintwork, use either a beat gun — easier to control and much safer to use than a blowtorch — or a chemical paint remover, plus scrapers of various shapes to remove the softened paint.

For removing wall coverings in order to apply a painted wall or ceiling finish, a steam wallpaper stripper will be worth the investment. The small all-in-one strippers which resemble a large steam iron are the easiest type to use.

Painting Tools

The paintbrush is still the favorite tool for applying paint to walls, ceilings, woodwork and metalwork around the house. Most are made with natural bristle, held in a metal ferrule which is attached to a wooden or plastic handle, but there are also brushes with synthetic fibre bristles which are sometimes recommended for applying water-based (latex) paints.

Brushes come in widths from 12 mm / 1/2 in. up to 15 cm / 6 in. The smallest sizes are used for fiddly jobs such as painting glazing bars (mulleins), while the widest are ideal for flat uninterrupted wall and ceiling surfaces. A wide brush can be tiring touse, especially with solvent-based (oil) paints. There are also long-handled brushes with angled heads for painting behind radiators, and narrow brushes called cutting-in (sash) brushes, which have the bristle tips cut off at an angle for painting into internal angles. For the best results, buy good-quality brushes and look after them, rather than buy cheap ones and tossing them after each job.

Paint rollers are used mainly for painting walls and ceilings with water-based paints, although they can be used with solvent-based types too. They consist of a metal roller cage mounted on a handle, plus a hollow sleeve that fits onto the cage and actually applies the paint. Some can be lined with an extension pole, which is useful if there are high ceilings or stairwells to paint. Most rollers are 18 cm/ 7 in wide; larger sizes are available, but can be harder to ‘drive.’ There are also shin mini-rollers for painting awkward-to-reach areas such as walls behind radiators. For any type, a roller tray is used to load paint onto the sleeve. Solid water-based paint is sold in its own tray.

The sleeves are waterproof tubes with a layer of foam plastic or cloth stuck to the outside. Another type maybe made from natural or synthetic fibre, and have a short, medium or long pile, to suit different types of surfaces.

Choose the pile length to match the surface being painted: short for flat surfaces, medium for those with a slight texture and long for embossed surfaces.

Paint pads are squares or rectangles of short-pile cloth stuck to a foam backing and mounted on a plastic or metal handle. The pad is dipped in a shallow container, or loaded from a special paint container with a roller feed, and then drawn across the surface. Pads come in a range of sizes.

Paint and varnish are also sold in aerosol form. This is ideal for small areas or fiddly materials such as wickerwork, but too expensive to use on large areas.

Lastly, do not forget the decorating sundries. A paint kettle is needed for decanting the paint and straining out any foreign bodies. Hand-held paint masks or masking tape are invaluable aids to getting straight edges and keeping paint off adjacent surfaces. Remember to provide dustsheets (drop cloths), which perform better than plastic sheets.

Planning a buffet can be a practical and fun answer to home entertaining when more than 8 people are invited to dine in your home.  A buffet can, of course, be just as impressive as a sit-down menu, if you give some thought both to the presentation and display of the food.  A buffet table also provides the perfect excuse for impressive settings, perhaps with swags of flowers or greenery, as well as a visually stunning decorative centerpiece.  The food should be decorative, and ease of access should always be a consideration when guests are serving themselves.

Depending on the size and shape of your room, you could either place the buffet against a wall so that guests move along in front of the table and serve themselves, or situate it in the middle of a room  (with space all around) so that guests freely move around the table. Whichever system you use, threshold should be an obvious starting point for serving, indicated by a pile of plates.

If you decide to set the buffet against a wall, the decorative centerpiece should be at the rear of the table and positioned centrally. If guests walk all around the table, place the decoration in the center for maximum effect.

Make sure that all the dishes are easy to reach and that there are serving spoons nearby.  If there is a ham or are other foods to be carved, set it in a position to one side of the table so that guests do not obstruct access to other dishes while they carve.  It should be someones task to check the availability of foods, topping up dishes and tidying the buffet occasionally.

Streamers and brightly coloured napkin sand tableware enliven an informal buffet table.

Set napkins and cutlery (flatware) separately on a side table. Large paper napkins are usually used for informal buffets. If you use disposable plates, they should be sturdy and of good quality, as thin plates sag miserably and make eating difficult. Buffet-style plates are now available. These often include a holder for a wine glass.  Alternatively, keep a large number of good-quality, large plastic plates, which are ideal for entertaining in large numbers.  They are easier to rinse, stack, and wash than china plates, and are ideal for outdoor parties as well as for informal buffets.

Be sure to site the buffet in a cool, well-ventilated place, away from radiators, and cover the table with a protective cloth before adding decorative linen as there are always spills when guests serve themselves.

China adds style to a buffet table, but plastic plates make a good alternative.

The buffet should be set with savoury food for the main part of the meal.  If you are serving a starter (appetizer), you can bring it to the buffet at the beginning of the meal, and assist the guests with it.

Serve deserts and cheese from the buffet once you have removed the main dishes. If, at a large gathering, you set out the desserts and cheese before clearing the main course, prepare a side table for them.

Always make sensible arrangements for receiving the used dishes and cutlery (flatware) when preparing a buffet.  At a large gathering some guests may not feel inclined to bring their dishes out to the kitchen, so it is a good idea to set up a trolley (cart) where these maybe kept out of the way.

Once you have established what plants will thrive in the conditions in your garden, you can prepare to make your selection with confidence. Plants are living, perishable things, and supplies will often fluctuate widely according to season and what the commercial growers decide to market. The condition of the plants is also never certain, though there are certain signs to look out for to ensure you are choosing a healthy specimen.

Plants are sold in different places, from supermarkets to nurseries, and they will have received different levels of care. Those sold on the same site where they were raised are likely to be younger and healthier than those which had to endure a journey to their destination. As they are transported, plants may undergo a period of drought, which will affect their growth.

Conditions at the point of sale also affect the health of plants: the longer they remain unsold, the more they will begin to suffer as the reserve of slow-release fertilizer in their pot runs out.

Nurseries are a good choice for specialized and more unusual plants, and expert advice on choosing and caring for them. The selection in garden centres is improving and they stock a wide range of plants.

Plant Health

Before buying a plant inspect it for signs of pests, disease and damage. Leaves should be free from holes, bitten edges, wiggly patterns across the middle, yellow patches (unless it is variegated) or brown spots, and they should feel firm and should not be floppy. Stems should also feel firm, with no signs of being eaten, and no small, oval, brown bumps (scale insects) on them. Look for signs of fungal attack, particularly the tiny coral-coloured spots of Nectria cinnaharina, a fungus that will attack both live and dead wood and can easily kill a young plant.

If the compost (soil mix) is covered with weed seedlings, moss or liverwort, the plant has most likely spent sometime in the same place and is likely to be under-nourished.

The plant may also be pot-bound, a condition in which the roots circle round and round inside the pot. The plant may find it hard to break this habit, leading to a poorly anchored plant that will be susceptible to being blown over in a high wind. The roots of a healthy plant will be fat and swollen, and white, yellow or chestnut-brown, but they should not be shrivelled or dark brown. Don’t be afraid to knock the plant out of its pot to inspect the roots.

Often, newly potted plants are on sale alongside ones from previous deliveries that have not yet sold; younger ones will establish such more quickly, even if they are slightly smaller to start with. Don’t be fooled – biggest is not best in the world of plants!

Aphids are the best-known plant pests. Greenfly and blackfly are the most common ones, but there are many species, some affecting the roots of plants rather than the leaves.

Some commercial growers supply plants by mail order. These plants are usually dispatched in lightweight but highly protective packages, and the quality is often quite high.

You can enhance the walls and ceilings of your rooms in many ways: for example, with decorative wood or plaster mouldings, fire surrounds, wall panelling, replacement doors, new door and window furniture, and curtain (drapery) tracks and poles. Pictures and mirrors provide the finishing touches.

Plaster Moulding

Perhaps the simplest type of ornamental plasterwork is panel moulding. This is a decorative strip used to outline areas on walls or a ceilings that will be treated in a different way to the rest of the room, especially as a way of highlighting pictures, mirrors or alcoves.

Panel mouldings are made in a wide range of profiles to suit every taste, from plain fluted and reeded effects to more elaborate versions such as egg-and-dart, flower-and-husk, Roman Vine and Greek Key. Corners can he mitred, or formed with matching corner blocks or special re-entrant curves.

Cornices (Crown Moulding)

Crown moulding plaster features were originally used externally in classical architecture at the edges of roofs, but were soon also used inside on the perimeter of ceilings. As with panel mouldings, a huge range of profiles is available, from authentic Greek and Roman (brim through 18th and 19th century styles, and featuring such classic motifs as acanthus, denril, swag-and-drop and egg-and-dart. Plain concave moulding, known as cooing, are also available, made either as a paper-faced moulding with a plaster core, or machined from wood.

Wooden Moulding

Most wooden moulding is machined either from softwood or from a cheap hardwood, in a wide range of cross-sections. The larger moulding, architraves (door and window trims), skirtings (baseboards), and the like are cut from softwood, while moulding with smaller and more intricate profiles are made from hardwood. Moulding can be given a colored finish, or can be stained and varnished.

Skirtings (baseboards)

Skirtings are fitted to plastered walls at ground level to protect the plaster surface from damage by careless feet or furniture, and also allow floor-cleaning implements to be used right up to the floor edge without wetting or marking the walls. Until recently, the fashion was for low, plain skirtings, but in many homes there is now a switch back to more ornate types, often stained and varnished.

Dado (Chair) and Picture Rails

These are horizontal mouldings fixed to wall surfaces, the former about 90 cm/3 ft from the floor and the latter a short way below ceiling level. The dado rail was designed to protect the plaster from damage by chair backs, and also provided a break in the walls’ coloor scheme. Traditionally, the area below the rail was panelled or finished in a relief wall covering while it was papered or painted. The picture rail allowed pictures to be hung and moved about, and also provided a visual break in rooms with high ceilings.

Doors and Windows

Replacing room doors is one way of giving a room a dramatic face lift, especially if the existing doors are out of keeping with the look of the room. New doors deserve new fittings, and again there is a wide range of handles, knobs and latches from which to choose, including various metallic finishes, wood, plastic and even glass and ceramics. The same applies to windows. Changing these is a bigger job than replacing a door, but simply fitting new stays and catches can give an old window frame a new lease on life.

Curtain (Drapery) Tracks and Poles

One last fixture that deserves some attention is the hardware paraphernalia that supports the curtains (drapes). Curtain tracks and poles may be wall or ceiling mounted, and can be made of metal, wood or plastic in a wide range of styles and finishes. The simplest types of tracks are unobtrusive. More complex versions include cords or motor drives to move the curtains. Ornamental poles can help to set the overall decorative tone for a room.

Austrian Blinds are best described as a cross between blinds and curtains. This is so because they act like blinds but in terms of texture are closer to curtains. Austrian blinds have a number of cords that when pulled on will draw the bottom of the blinds up creating a scalloped look. It is this folded and unique look that differentiates them from other window treatments. Making these blinds is not an exceptionally difficult do-it-yourself task; however, the process is one that takes a lot of time and is best left until you have enough to complete the project.

Instructions

1. To start, use a batten or Austrian blind track to take measurements. Hang it by the window, measure the distance from the top of it to the bottom of the window then add 20 inches. This addition is necessary so that the scalloping at the bottom of the fabric is present when closed. Batten is a thin strip of material, usually made from wood, steel or plastic but almost any solid material can be used. The width should be measured and doubled so that the blinds can be full. All materials will use these measurements.
2. Frills are a popular feature of any classic design. Use strips of a ruffled fabric 4 inches wide to achieve each strip. These should be able to go around the bottom and sides of the blinds so make sure they are long. Use twice the length of the fabric and one time the width to arrive at a final number. You can determine the amount of strips needed by dividing the ruffle’s total length by its width. The shade material’s width should also be divided using the fabric’s width to determine how many panels are needed. Times the total length by the number panels needed and the figure received is the total length of fabric the job requires.
3. Cut the ruffles then follow with the fabric and lining materials as is necessary. Stitch together your panels to form the total width of the blind, seams should be pressed open. Make one big ruffle but joining all the ruffles cut together.
4. The seams for the body and ruffle can be a standard ¼ inch. Press ruffle seams flat with an iron. While pressing it down (with your palm), fold it under by another ½ inch, press with iron and sew.
5. Place 2 rows of gathering threads at the top of ruffle and bring the size down around the sides and bottom of the blinds. Make sure the size is the right fit.
6. With the main fabric stretched out on a flat surface and laying right-side up, pin ruffle onto fabric. Start 1 inch away from the top right hand corner and make sure main fabric’s right side is facing the ruffles’ raw side. Use the gathering stitches to make sure ruffles are even.
7. Once the entire ruffle is pinned, use a machine to sew the areas between the gathering stitches and remove them (stitches) when done. Return material to the flat surface right side up, ruffles should be to the inside of the main fabric, wrong side up. At this point, place lining on top with the right side facing ruffle, the lining’s wrong side should be showing.
8. Pin raw edges of ruffles, blind fabrics and lining together and stitch around bottoms and sides. Turn it right side out and use and iron to remove wrinkles.
9. When hanging, double the length and add the width of the blind measurement to cut blind tapes from nylon cords. Attach the bottom right blind tape to the loop of the tape on the right-hand seam. Weave the cord through all the loops in the tape. Repeat the process with all the tapes. Use grip tape to fasten the blind to the batten. Screw-eyes should be fastened under the batten for blind tapes to be run, cord should be threaded left to right and gathered with an acorn. At the halfway point a cleat should be installed to the side of the window. (Reverse the instructions of blinds if it will be hung from the left side).