Things that you need:

1. Water
2. Sponge
3. Lifting Wallpaper
4. Paintbrush
5. Wallpaper Seam Roller

Wallpaper

Steps

• Damp the sponge in a little bit of water and start by pulling back the peeling corner of the wallpaper. Make sure not to lift it further off the wall.
• Moisten the back of the wallpaper with the dampened sponge.
• Dip the paintbrush into the wallpaper glue. Make a thin spread onto the back of the wallpaper with the paintbrush.
• Press the wallpaper against the wall from the point where the wallpaper is still attached to the wall and spreading out until you reach the edges.
• Use a squeegee or a wallpaper seam roller to spread it out if the wallpaper bubbles up in an area.
• Now, check and see if the wallpaper is stuck properly on the wall. Keep these methods in mind as you never know when the wallpaper will go lifting again.

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

Home Improvement for Dummies

Wallpapering Step-by-Step: Storey’s Country Wisdom Bulletin A-113 (Storey Publishing Bulletin)

Repairing Wallpaper that is Lifting is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Repairing Wallpaper
2. Hanging Your Wallpaper
3. Getting the Wallpaper Down

You can use an anchor such as molly screws to the drywall as an alternative for studs if you want to hang an item on the wall. So anchors such as molly screws will spread out to hook onto the back of the drywall, adding strength to the drywall’s holding ability. However, if a molly screw is pulled out in an improper manner, it can take off a chunk of fragile drywall with it hence leaving an unsightly hole. It is not that hard to fix damages that are caused by molly screws, here are the steps on how to do it.

You will need:

1. Screws
2. Drywall saw
3. Scrap wood
4. Drill
5. Rotary tool
6. Fast-setting joint compound
7. Fine-grit sandpaper
8. Primer, rag
9. Scrap drywall
10. Self-adhering fiberglass mesh tape
11. Trowel
12. Brush
13. Paint

Molly Screws

Steps:

1. First, use a drywall saw to cut the damaged area and to form a square around the hole. Brush off any drywall dust with a clean rag.
2. Slip two pieces of scrap wood behind the hole horizontally at the top and the bottom of the hole. Use screws and a drill to screw the wood to the drywall.
3. Then, cut a patch from the scrap drywall with the size that is a bit smaller than the hole using a rotary tool or a drywall saw.
4. Place the drywall patch into the hole and screw the patch to the wood with four screws and a drill. Tape the edges with a self-adhering fiberglass mesh tape.
5. Next, apply three layers of fast-setting joint compound on top of the fiberglass mesh tape.
6. Patch them with a trowel. Leave the compound to dry completely.
7. To make sure that the patched area is flushed with the existing drywall, use fine grit sandpaper to sand those surfaces. If necessary, you could also apply on primer and paint to the surface.
8. By now, you must have successfully repaired your drywall damage; damage that has been done by molly screws.

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

Home Maintenance For Dummies

Remodeling a Basement: Expert Advice from Start to Finish (Taunton’s Build Like a Pro)

Repairing Drywall Damage From Molly Screws is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Drywall Repair Extension
2. Drywall Repairs
3. Drywall Mudding, Taping and Plastering

In general, a garage concrete floor can crack because of the stress placed by automobiles and foot traffic, as this is the place which is often used as a general storage, keeping a washer and dryer and also to park a car. If the concrete floor of your garage at home is cracked, there should be no problem of repairing it. You can do it yourself or have someone professional and capable to do it. Either way, you are more likely to learn something by doing it yourself. You need to fill the crack as soon as possible to prevent more costly repair later. Here are the steps on how to repair the crack concrete on your garage floor.

You will need:

1. Chisel
2. Shop vacuum
3. Dry concrete mix
4. Cement trowel
5. Hammer
6. Hose
7. Wire brush
8. Large bucket
9. Plastic tarp or wood

Garage Floor

Steps:

1. First, use a hammer and a chisel with a width of about 1 inch to widen the crack. Make sure that the interior of the crack is wider than the top edges in the widening process.
2. Widening up the crack will help the patch to form a pyramid shape as it dries. The pyramid shape will help the patch more stable. When the widening step is finished, wet the crack and the surrounding concrete thoroughly with the hose for about an hour.
3. Then, take a vacuum to clean up any excess water. Brush away any dust or debris in or around the crack with the wire brush. Meanwhile, mix the dry concrete with water in a bucket.
4. Follow the concrete mix package’s instructions to form the concrete patch. When the patch is mixed, you should make sure that the consistency is such as a very thick mud.
5. Next, fill the patch into the crack using a putty knife. When the crack is full, even it out so the top of the concrete is even.
6. Leave the crack to dry for about an hour, covering it with a plastic tarp or wood for about five days. Wet the area thoroughly under the wood or tarp once per day with the hose. Use the vacuum to clean up any excess water.

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

Build and Repair With Concrete : The Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual

Concrete Repair and Maintenance Illustrated: Problem Analysis; Repair Strategy; Techniques (RSMeans)

Repairing Cracked Concrete on a Garage Floor is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Repairing Cracked Plaster Walls
2. Tips on Repairing Cracked Plaster Walls
3. Easy Methods for Repairing a Laminate Floor

Wall shelves could help you for the needed storage in your room if you don\’t prefer to use floor-standing shelving unit. You could find ready-made wall storage shelves at any home improvement stores with different lengths and designs. To install the shelves on your wall is not a complicated matter as long you have the right tools and instructions. Here are the steps on how to attach your storage shelf to a wall.

You will need:

1. Drill
   
2. Ruler
   
3. Screwdriver
   
4. Screws
   
5. Drill bit
   
6. Level
   
7. Storage shelf
   
8. Screw anchors
   

Steps:

1. First, locate the two screw-mounting holes that will be used with the wall screws by looking on the back of the storage shelf. The distance between the two holes needs to be measured and written it down for the next steps.
   
2. Then, determine the place you want to insert the first screw. Typically, the storage shelves will be placed near eye level so you can easily search and take items that you need with no difficulty. Use a drill to make a hole in the wall to the depth of the screw that needs to be inserted. This step is also known as drilling a hole into the wall. Then, insert the screw to see if it fits, if you are not sure how deep you have drilled. This is better to avoid any miscalculation at the end of the project.
   
3. Put a level up on the drilled hole and then measure the distance between the two holes on the storage shelf. Make sure the second hole is level with the first hole. If the holes are not level, the shelf will be uneven and can easily fall off. This will endanger whoever will be near the shelf, be it children or aged people so overall this step is very important. Put a mark where the other hole needs to be drilled and then drill the second hole.
   
4. Next, put the screw anchors into the holes in the wall, making sure the tip is flushed with the wall. These anchors will help to hold the screws into place firmly. Anchors are helpful on drywall as they offer extra support for the screws to hold heavy shelf, which makes it the idea type of screws to be used. Insert the screws into the anchors using a screwdriver. Leave about an eight of an inch between the screw head and the wall. This will become the space for the shelf to be placed onto the screws and fit snugly against the wall.
   
5. Finally, place the storage shelf over the screws and push it into place. Even though, the project and the steps are almost complete, it is technically never complete until you have checked thoroughly every screw and the shelf. It is important to check and make sure they are all in place and secure properly.
   

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

Shelf Expression: 70 Projects & Ideas for Creative Storage & Display

Black & Decker The Complete Guide to a Clutter-Free Home: Organized Storage Solutions & Projects (Black & Decker Complete Guide)

Attaching a Storage Shelf to a Wall is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Building your own storage shelf
2. Building an overhead storage shelf
3. Getting material to build storage shelves

Decorating our walls with different wallpapers is fun, and removing the wallpapers can be fun too, depending how you see it. Taking out wallpaper is definitely not an easy task especially if the wallpaper is an old one. Wallpaper is normally paste to the wall using a water-based glue or wall paper paste. In order to remove wallpaper from your wall, you need to get the paste wet or simply softening it to enable you to remove the wallpaper from the wall. It is much more difficult especially if the wallpaper uses vinyl or plastic-coated. Since there are different types of wallpapers around, there are different ways to get rid of them too. Here are the ways that you can get rid of the different types of wallpapers there are.

What you need:

1. Plastic
   
2. Towels
   
3. Wire brush
   
4. Paper Tiger
   
5. Chemical wallpaper stripper
   
6. Spray bottle
   
7. Scrapper
   
8. Wallpaper steamer
   
9. Baking pan
   
10. Rubber gloves
    
11. Step stool
    

Method:

1. Firstly, you must lay a sheet of plastic on your floor so that it is easy for you to clean all the scraped off wallpaper. If you are using chemical stripper, it is recommended that you lay down an old towel on the floor in order to absorb any of the dripping solution.
   
2. In order to penetrate the paint\’s film, you need to use a stiff wire brush so that you can wear down the surface. Besides that, you can also use the Paper Tiger tool that has multiple small pins attached to the wheels and it works on small holes once it rolls over the painted wall surface.
   
3. It is advisable to use the chemical paint stripper as a last option in order to remove the painted surface because it is a toxic product and may cause damage if not properly and carefully used.
   
4. The wallpaper can be stripped by using the chemical wallpaper stripper mixed with hot water which can be sprayed or you can use a paint roller onto the wallpaper\’s surface.
   
5. The solution will dissolve the paste of the wallpaper and will help lift them from the wall. Try to wet the area large enough to enable you to remove the paper within 15 minutes so that you can avoid any damage.
   
6. Another option is for you to rent or purchase a wallpaper steamer which is an alternative to the toxic chemical stripper. A wallpaper steamer is a hotplate that comes with a hose that uses hot water reservoir enabling it to heat the water and direct steam it to the hotplate.
   
7. Once you are ready, you can start from the top of your wall by holding the hotplate against the surface right until your wallpaper really softens before you start moving it to another section to soften the new area. While doing that, you may scrape the wallpaper that you have just softened.
   

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

The Family Handyman November 2009 Fabulous Floors Cool, New Pro-Grade Tools Cures for Sticking Doors How to Remove Wallpaper

The Official Rent-A-Husband Guide to a Safe, Problem-Free Home: Quick, Easy, and Effective Solutions for Do-It-Yourselfer Improvements and Repairs

Getting Rid of Different Types of Wallpapers is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Applying Wallpapers
2. Decorating Your Desk with Wallpapers
3. Decorating Your Kitchen With Wallpapers

Paint Plaster Walls

Plaster has been around for a long time now. It was commonly used in homes a very long time back. Some say that plaster was used as far as in the 1950s. May people like it then as it was easily made, which made it popular, cheap and easy to find. Even now, there are even more people who just love to have plaster in their homes.

Plaster is manufactured from gypsum, water and sand. Plaster is used and considered important to make walls, ceilings and many more architectural features. Painting plaster walls is not a difficult task to accomplish. It\’s quite easy if you know your way around. Moreover, it\’s important to follow the steps and process given so that everything will go smoothly.

It is not that complicated to prepare plaster walls for painting by yourself. If you prepare and let the plaster dry off properly, the paint process will be easier and smoother. Here are the steps on how to paint your plaster wall so that it looks new and compliment your deco as well.

You will need:

1. Chisel
   
2. Taper\’s trowel
   
3. Tack cloth
   
4. Paint
   
5. Paintbrush
   
6. Premixed drywall mud
   
7. Wall sander with sandpaper
   
8. Stain-blocking primer and roller
   

Steps:

1. First, the old wallpaper should be removed before painting the plaster wall. If you are painting over the existing wallpaper, it will only result on bubble and buckle under the coat of paint. Check for any cracks, gouges and loose plaster over the wall. Scrape any crumbly plaster out of the cracks with a chisel before filling with premixed drywall mud.
   
2. Then, scoop enough mud with a taper\’s trowel to fill the crack and smooth into the hole. Smooth the mud level with the surface of the wall by pulling the edge of the trowel along the filled crack.
   
3. You will have to repeat the process until it is filled and smooth if the crack is large. Use a wall sander fitted with a sanding paper to sand the wall. Check the smoothness of your wall by running your hand over it. Sand again if necessary until the wall is very smooth.
   
4. Next, vacuum all the dust from the room to prevent mottled effect by the dust in your paint. After the vacuum session, apply a stain-blocking primer to the plaster wall as it will seal these areas and to prevent them from showing through the final paint coat.
   
5. Use an angled paintbrush to cut-in the paint along the edge of the wall where it meets the ceiling. Handle with a light touch and steady hand when cutting-in the wall, around the windows and the doors. Then, roll the wall in one corner and apply smooth coat until you reach the opposite corner. To prevent the paint runs, you should not press the roller into the wall.
   
6. For a more polished and professional finish, repeat the cutting-in process and the rolling process one more time.
   
7. These plaster walls are still in good condition in many older homes. The walls still provide a good surface for repaint.
   

Additional Reading:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4480799_paint-plaster-walls.html

Image Credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seier/4366841913/

Painting plaster walls is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Preparing plaster walls for painting
2. Restoring plaster walls and ceilings-plaster repair for large holes
3. Replacing plaster walls with drywall

Every now and then, our house walls need to support pictures or heavy shelves, hits from moving furniture, and vigorously propelled toys, and in the end it causes unwanted holes to appear on the walls. Most of the time, the walls and floors are designed fairly straightforward and you do not need expert skills or specialized knowledge for repairing it. The damage to walls and floors are often remedied using tools and materials that you normally have around your house or that are readily available in your local hardware stores. Below are some of the steps in order for you to cover up a hole in your wall.

What you need:

For small holes:

1. Utility knife
2. Putty knife
3. Sanding sponge
4. Joint compound
5. Mesh repair patch

For large holes:

1. Utility knife
2. Putty knife
3. Drill with a wall screw adapter
4. Carpenter\’s square
5. Drywall saw
6. 1-by-3 piece of wood
7. 3-inch Drywall screws
8. Drywall panel
9. Drywall tape
10. Joint compound
11. 60 to 120 grit sanding sponge

Method:

1. For covering a small hole, for example a one-inch or even a smaller hole, you need to clear away all the loose drywall paper and debris around the affected area.
   
2. Then, you have to sand the edges around the hole and also the small area away from the hole. After that, apply the joint compound using a putty knife to make sure it is kept smooth.
   
3. Leave the affected compound area to dry for a while and then check the work that you have done. If you notice the first layer of the compound shrinks after it has dried, apply a second layer of compound on the area. Then, you need to sand, prime, and paint the affected area.
4. For covering holes measuring from one-inch to six-inch in size, you can use the same method as above but add additional steps such as cutting the mesh repair patch a little larger than the size of the hole and then affix it to the wall.
5. After that, you have to cover the repaired part using joint compound and when you have finished, let it dry thoroughly.
6. The next step is to apply additional layers of compounded if the need arises and then you need to sand, prime, and paint the affected area.
7. If you are covering larger holes, first of all you need to replace the drywall and then find the stud near the hole. After that, you have to draw a rectangular guide around the hole by using the carpenter\’s square. You also have to make sure to accommodate at least an inch around the damaged area with half the width of the stud.
8. Then, by using the utility knife, you have to cut out the above area out of the wall. The next step is to cut a 1-by-3 piece of wood that measures the height of the removed area plus adding 2-inch more from it before attaching this support cover behind the removed area using the drywall screws.
9. After that, you need to cut a new piece of drywall that measures the same size as the removed area from the wall and then attach it to the stud and support.
10. You also have to center the drywall tape on the seam of the repair and also apply joint compound to the entire repaired area, plus making sure that it is smooth and flat.
11. Leave the compound to dry thoroughly before you sand it to make it even smoother and then, apply another coat of compound and again leave it to dry thoroughly. Finally, you need to sand, prime, and paint the affected area.

Additional Reading:
http://www.ehow.com/video_4150_patch-hole-drywall.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2339532/fixing_a_hole_in_your_wall.html?cat=6
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2039587/how_to_patch_a_hole_in_your_wall.html?cat=6

Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28489859@N03/2955564089/

Covering up a hole in your wall is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Prepping Your Wall
2. How to Repair a Hole in Aluminum Siding
3. Texturing plaster wall

Some times when you think you can build a wall block by yourself, think again because it is better to do it with the help of friends rather than doing it alone. It looks like a simple task to work on but two heads are better than one. In order to make a wall block, you need a clean slab as a base or footing to enable the blocks to have something to be attached to. Blocks are made from various types of materials and come with different sizes and due to this, it enables you to design a wall of any thickness in a simple stretcher bond. Whenever you are building concrete blocks, always remember not to wet them before use as they can shrink when they dry thus making the mortar joints to crack. Below are some of the steps in order for you to build a wall block using concrete.

What you need:

1. Bricks or Concrete Blocks
2. Two core 8-by-8-by-16-inch units or three core 8-by-8-by-16-inch units
3. Steel sash unit or wood, single bullnose, capping or header unit
4. Stakes
5. Mortar
6. Trowel
7. Garden Hose
8. Carpenter\’s Square
9. Work Gloves
10. Galvanized or Plastic Pail
11. Plumb bob
12. Wheelbarrow

Method:

1. First of all, you need to measure the area that you wanted to build the concrete wall and design a sketching of the wall according to your plan. By doing this, it will make the project a more cost effective rather than you choose a design-as-you-go method which is not efficient.
2. Go to your local hardware store to purchase all the materials that you need in order to get started on the project. Let them know the measurements of the concrete wall to enable them to assist you in providing the number of bricks to use for it and also the amount of mortar for building the block wall.
3. After you have purchased all the supplies that you will need, you can start to pound stakes at the corners of the concrete wall and then string a line from one corner to the next one. You can also use a plumb bob at least a couple of inches from where the string crosses at the corners to ensure that the corners are leveled.
4. Then, you have to lay the corners first as it will be as a guideline for in having a straight walls. To start laying the corner bricks for the wall\’s footing, firstly you must smear the mortar using a trowel beyond the length and width of the brick\’s footing before you place the brick on top of it. The trowel can be use to scrape excess mortar and always remember that it is better to have more mortar rather than not enough. Take your time to ensure that the corner block are straighten because all the other blocks will line up along with the corners and make sure to use a level to confirm that it is straight.
5. Just follow the above steps in order for you to do the other corners. Remember to build the corners first and try to keep the corners higher than the rest of the wall because this will help you as guidelines as you go through your project.
6. You need to tap the bricks down over the wet mortar and also use the level to check the alignment. As for the rest of the steps, you can follow the same procedure as if you are doing the corners in laying down the rest of the bricks for the remaining section of the walls until you reached the desired height.

Additional Reading:
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/h2layconcreteblock
http://www.ehow.com/how_2083153_build-concrete-block-walls.html
http://www.rd.com/how-to-build-a-concrete-block-retaining-wall-diy-plans-and-instructions/article18258.html
http://www.lets-do-diy.com/Projects-and-advice/Brickwork-and-masonry/Building-a-partition-wall-with-concrete-blocks.aspx

Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/earthworm/227139104/

Building a wall block using concrete is a post from: DIY Guides

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A wall fan is used because of the limited space either in your bedroom, warehouses, factories or small office store, plus it is also being used for cooling, ventilation and exhaust. The wall fan takes up little space in a particular area, provides a large amount of air moving power and its swivel function helps provide climate control for a large area. In an industrial area where it has common problem such as heat, stagnant air, stratification and dampness, usually wall fans are heavily being used. To assemble and install a wall fan is a straightforward task and it also involves basic knowledge in electrical wiring and mechanical skills. Below are some of the steps to install a wall fan.

What you need:

1. Wall fan
2. Screwdriver
3. Stud finder
4. Mounting kit
5. Step Ladder

Method:

1. First of all, you need to assemble the wall fan like positioning the rear guard over the motor shaft, ensuring that the notches are correctly aligned and then secure them with the locking nut. After that, you have to align the fan blade along with the flat part on the motor shaft and ensure that you have secured it by tightening the blade cap by turning it counter-clockwise.
2. After that, attach the front guard centre hook to the middle of the rear guard and secure it by pushing the guards together until they click into position. Then, close the locking clip, while the guard bottom nuts and screws must also be secured for extra safety precautions.
3. Then, find or fix a stud on the wall for mounting up the wall fan and also securing its mounting plate onto it. After you have secured the mounting plate, you need to attach the mounting bracket which is attached to the fan\’s plate.
4. The next steps are mounting the wall bracket for the wall fans. Try to choose a convenient location and mount the wall bracket firmly to the wall preferably close to a power outlet. Insert the fan onto the bracket by sliding the notch (at the back of the fan base) onto the bracket. Always remember to ensure that the fan is securely positioned onto the bracket.
5. Always make sure to mount the fan according to a suitable height especially if you have small children where you need to mount it from out of their reach for safety reasons. Therefore, mount the wall fan to a height where it can be easily turned on or off. For installing it at higher heights, a lot of wall fans nowadays come with a pull string for easy operation.

Additional Reading:
http://www.onlinetips.org/wall-fans

Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/silverblue_2005/2927609601/

Installing a Wall Fan is a post from: DIY Guides

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Repairing chipped plastered corners 

Modern plastered external corners usually incorporate a metal corner strip and are so protected from damage. However, in older properties external corners were often made using render and plaster alone and can suffer damage from knocks and scrapes. Repairing such damage can be easily repaired using a suitable filler. 

• Start by brushing the damage clean of all loose dust and dirt. 
• Dampen (but don\’t soak) the area of damage using a moistened paint brush or water spray. 
• Use a wide filler knife to apply filler to the damage, work it into the damage to make sure that there are no air holes or voids in the filler. 
• Use the knife to get the filler level with the surrounding plaster. 

 When the filler has started to harden, use a wet finger to shape the corner to the profile above and below the damage. 

Te filler used may shrink as it hardens, and the surface may need to be built up using repeat coatings of filler. Between each coat, lightly sand the surrounding surface and moisten the previous filler. 

Repairing Outside Corners of Plaster Walls

Tack a length of wood that exceeds the vertical dimension of the corner flush with on of it corners, making sure the length of the wood extends past the hole on both the top and the bottom (A). This acts as a guide when you patch the outside corner to produce an edge that blends in with the undamaged portion of the corner. 

Remove loose plaster, going slightly beyond the hole to provide a good seat for the plaster patch. Smooth the patching plaster away from the wooden guide with a trowel, overlapping the existing wall slightly. 

After it has dried, switch the position of the wooden guide to the other side (B) of the damaged corner and repeat the process. Sand and smooth once the patch has dried completely. Fill in any holes used to tack the piece of wood with joint compound.

Plaster Wall Repair – Corners is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Plaster Wall Repair
2. How to Repair Siding Corners
3. Restoring plaster walls and ceilings-plaster repair for large holes