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

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

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

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

Internal plaster walls and ceilings often develop small cracks over time, these are not normally serious although it is worth knowing what to look for with cracks in walls to indicate when professional advice is worthwhile, if only for peace of mind. As far as walls are concerned, the points to watch for are: 

• Small (1 or 2 m wide), random cracks general indicate no major structural problems. 
• Cracks which run in horizontal or vertical straight lines, or which run in a stepped pattern may indicate a professional assessment should be undertaken. 
• Cracks where the two sides form a step again may indicate the need for a professional assessment. 
• Any long cracks over about 3 mm wide, and also where something thin can be projected deep into the crack. 

Most small cracks can be easily covered by wallpaper. Where walls are going to be painted with ordinary paints, the cracks need to be filled and this page deals with filling small cracks in plaster walls. 

Repairing cracks in plastered walls 

The first thing to do is to widen small cracks in plaster to give a key for the filler. Use the corner of a scraper or filling knife to remove any loose plaster and to open up and deepen the crack. Try to undercut the crack to provide a key for the filler. 

Use a dry paint brush to clean the crack of loose dust and dirt. 

When the filler has been mixed and ready to use, dampen (but don’t soak) the plaster in the crack by using a moistened brush.
Use a filling knife to press the filler into the crack along its length so that the filler is proud of the surrounding plaster.

Use a wet filling knife along the line of the cracks to level off the filler. 

The filler used in larger cracks 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 before applying the next coat of filler.

Plasterwall Repair – Cracks is a post from: DIY Guides

When making any repair to plaster, the same type of materials, or similar, to the original construction should be used. Different materials (i.e. lime or cement) have different hardness etc which, if mixed, will lead to a repair failing. The technique for repairing plaster is basically the same whether dealing with plaster walls or ceilings. 

Small Area

•  Clean out all dust and loose plaster from the damaged area, if the laths are not exposed, cut back the plaster to form a deeper hole – try to undercut the plaster around the sides of the hole so that the new plaster will have something to stick to – try to avoid having tapered edges where the new plaster will have to taper down to almost no thickness on top of the original plaster. 

•  Mix up some new plaster filler and before applying, dampen the original plaster at the sides and back of the hole using a wet brush or water spray – take care not to over soak the plaster. 

•  Use a filling knife to fill the hole with plaster filler, take care to push the new plaster into the edges of the hole and any cracks, add enough filler so that it is above the level of the surrounding plaster. 

•  Use a wet wide bladed filling knife to level off the new filler to the surrounding plaster work – if the filler knife is not wide enough to bridge the repair, use the knife around the edges of it and then work into the middle. 

The plaster filler used in the repair may shrink as it hardens, and the surface may pull back from the original plaster level – the deeper the repair, the greater the risk that this will occur. To overcome this shrinkage, a number of layers of filler may need to be applied to build up the surface. Each layer must be allowed to harden before applying the next. Between each layer, the surface of the repair and the surrounding area should be lightly rubbed down using a fine sandpaper – this needs care as lime plaster is extremely soft and easily rubbed away. The surface of the repair filler should be dampened before covering with another layer. 

Large repairs 

When a large area of plaster needs to be repaired, a more satisfactory finish will be achieved if proper plaster and plastering techniques are used – i.e. apply three coatings, the render, the floating and the setting layers. 

•  Clear away dust and loose plaster around the hole that will prevent the patch from adhering to the wall.

•  Dampen the edge of the hole and fill with patching plaster using a spackling tool. Make sure the patching plaster does not fill the hole level with the existing wall. It should fill the hole to a level just below the surface of the existing plaster – you want to leave enough space for the joint compound to cover the plaster patch and still be even with the wall’s surface. Score the surface of the plaster patch with your spackling tool with vertical and horizontal lines, then allow to dry for 24 hours.

•  After the render layer has hardened, dampen the surface and apply the floating layer and bring the level up to about 3mm (1/8 inch) below the surrounding plaster. 

•  After the floating layer has hardened, dampen the surface and apply the setting layer of plaster and bring the level up to the surrounding plaster. 

Plaster Wall Repair is a post from: DIY Guides

Installing wall boards for plaster wall works in almost the same way as it does when installing drywall. It is more economical and easier to use all 6 meter long sheet to cut walls from especially any job over 200 m2. This is to reduce waste and you won’t have many different sizes of sheets laying around getting in the way. When bulk load in 6 meter sheets, there are many tips that allow you to use the sheet economically and make the job quick. 

Here are a few good tips:

1. Always start cutting the longer sheets first. When you have cut the long sheet measure the off cut and find a place for it to be used and cut it to size straight away. This prevents a build up of off cuts. Use any remaining off cuts in the pile that fits the wall size you want to reduce waste.
2. When cutting a strip or have a large window off cut, don’t just put the off cut aside. Narrow strips are very handy up the sides of doors or in cupboards etc. It is easier to cut a small strip off a larger sheet than from a small strip. So find a place to use the off cut and cut then measure both pieces and cut the smaller one first. 
3. For an obtuse internal corner, always try the cut and fold method first. The cut and fold method eliminates the need to stop up the obtuse internal, saving a lot of time. When you cut the back of the sheet and fold it around, provided that the cut is perfectly straight, it will give you a nice straight crease that will make up the obtuse corner. It is vital that you measure very accurately and the walls are plumb. 

Always remember to install plasterboards that are meant for the ceiling first. This is because the wall sheets help hold up the ceiling sheets. If you hang the wall sheets first, it also reduces the amount of options you have in the length of the sheet, therefore increasing the chance of jamming the sheet as you lift it up.

Cut all the sheets and put them in position in the rooms before you start fixing. Place them on the wall where your first sheet will go up face out. If your room is not square put the shortest sheets in the room first then the longest, so the longest sheet is the first to put up. This makes it easier to check out the piece where the room gets smaller. Also by setting the room up this way you will not need to turn any sheets around. Hire a sheet lifter if possible to help you when installing the ceiling sheets. 2 x 4 stud (called dead man studs) will help hold up one end first, as you work your way down the ceiling sheet to the other end.

Recommended viewing : http://video.bobvila.com/m/21319557/blue-board-plaster-walls.htm

Plasterboard Installation is a post from: DIY Guides

There are several types of plasters that you can use available in the market when applying plaster after installing the wallboards. You can either mix plaster of paris or purchase roll-on plasters (which is more suitable for DIY enthusiast) which allows you to just ‘paint’ or roll the plaster on with a roller brush.

Plaster of Paris

Mix some plaster of paris (with manufacturer’s recommendation) and start at the ceiling line and work your way down. Apply an even coat over the wall in long fluid smooth motions.

Most plasters have a grace period of 50 minutes before it hardens, if it does start to harden, throw water on it to smooth it out.

Roll-on Plaster

Roll-on plasters are designed for DIY enthusiasts, who wish to plaster their own interior walls or ceilings. The plaster is designed for interior use only. It provides a coating to interior plasterboard walls and when smoothed out with a spreader leaves a level finish ready for painting. 

The method of applying the plaster is simple. The user rolls on the plaster with a standard high density roller from the bucket and provides a smooth finish with the spreader. It is fast drying and virtually non drip. 

It is extremely important that the proper preparation is completed on the area to be plastered. All surfaces must be dust free. The surface should be smooth and all holes filled to a level finish with the wall. All fragments, nails and pins or any other items that will impact the application such as adhesives left from tiles etc. Place appropriate cover over the floor and furniture. Ensure taping and jointing is properly filled in and smoothed.

Depending on manufacturer’s specification, most roll-on plasters have coverage listed below:

2.5 litre bucket is for covering a small area of approximately 10 square metres.

7 litre bucket is for covering a medium area up to approximately 30 square metres.

10 litre bucket is for covering an average sized room covering approx 40 square metres.

Note: This coverage is subject to how liberal or the thickness of the plaster applied. Coverage may vary.

Dip roller into plaster fully and apply the plaster on the wall. Use a spreader to smooth the plaster after it has been applied with the roller, angle the spreader about 20 degrees from the surface in an even downward motion. When the plaster has dried for approximately 1-2 hours, dip the wet and dry sponge sanding block in some water and gently sand away any irregularities that may occur during application. It is recommended that you clean the excess plaster off the spreader by scraping it back into the bucket and cleaning the spreader using the bucket of water. Use the spreader or paintbrush to cover the areas the roller cannot reach and level out with the spreader. 

Repeat this process until the wall or ceiling is completed. 

Leave for 24 hours and then the plaster board wall or ceiling should be ready for painting. 

The plaster should then be covered with a neutral sealer or primer paint.

Plasterboard Applying Plaster is a post from: DIY Guides

When taping plasterboard joins, always cut plasterboard tapes to the length required, do not go around corners. Once base coast has set (but not dry) use an 8 inch joint knife to scrape any excess material from the join. Leaving the base coat to dry out before scraping back makes scraping back very difficult. Never try to over fill a plasterboard recessed join on the first taping coat. It is best to tape plasterboard joins before filling external corners. Keep the tape back from the edge of external angles and check for bubbles in paper tape and repair after 1st coat of paint. Remember to make sure all plasterboard joins to be filled are free from dust and loose plaster. Pre-fill any gaps wider than 5 mm before taping plasterboard joins, and check all nail heads are below the surface of the plasterboard. 

REMEMBER : Fibre glass plastering tape should only be used on plasterboard wall joins. There are different types of paper tape for plasterboard ceiling joins, plasterboard butt joints and internal corners. Never use fibreglass tape on plasterboard butt joins or internal corners.

Scrape back excess plasterboard jointing cement between coats and do not try to fully fill plasterboard joins on the 1st coat (ALWAYS use a 3 coat system). 

Several critical areas to check for a flat finish : 

•  
  •  The junction of a plasterboard join and an external corner.

•  
  •  The junction of a plasterboard join and an internal corner.

•  
  •  The Junction of a recessed plasterboard join and a butt join

•  
  •  The 3 way intersections of internal corners

To check these area use a plasterers 12 inch joint knife on its edge.

Keep sanding plasterboard joins to a minimum, do not to scuff board when sanding. Store bags of plasterboard stopping plaster off concrete and make sure top coat is not out of date (some products can get mouldy if out of date).

Taping Plasterboard Joins is a post from: DIY Guides

Plasterboard Installation

Plaster walls once framed home interiors, molded onto a lath with trowel and manipulated with a float until a smooth finish is achieved. They were heavy to handle and requires skill, making it all but obsolete in new construction. Solid plaster often provides a superior sound barrier and is harder and stronger than what has all-but-replaced it, which is drywall. Drywall became a common usage in modern house interiors because it is manufactured in sheets that can be cut to size, is easy to install and requires less talent. The drywall is then covered with plaster to create the interior cosmetic finish. Oftentimes the interior plaster is sprayed on and textured. Spray-on plaster can even be pre-mixed with paint to save considerable time and labor. 

All is not lost however for plaster walls. The advantages of plaster are many, especially if you’re thinking long-term benefits. Plaster walls look better with a flatter even surface. They also take paint uniformly especially when a semi-gloss paint that accentuates imperfections is used. With drywall, paint often appears different over the joint compound than over the drywall. Plaster wall also nicks less easily than drywall to maintain its beauty even with children around. It can be washed without the possibility of water damage with drywall. Once cured, plaster is resistant to short-term water exposure. It is also easier to strip old wallpaper off plaster without damaging the wall surface. You can use stronger enzyme solutions and scrape more vigorously to remove the old adhesive. 

Decide on whether a plaster or drywall is desired before any wall finishing has begun. The gypsum lath panels are nailed to the studs on the walls for the plaster base before a thin 1/16 inch layer of plaster is applied over this to create a smooth hard finished surface. If you have already put up the drywall, it is too late to select plaster if you decide to do so late. These special panels/plasterboards are often called “blue boards” because they have a special water resistant paper coating with a bluish color. This special water resistant coating prevents the moisture in the plaster from damaging the inner gypsum core. This application moisture is why standard drywall cannot be used with plaster.

Tools and materials needed: 

• Drywall saw
• Trowel
• Bucket
• Screwdriver/hammer
• Plaster/Roll-on plaster
• Plaster/blue board
• nails or screws

Things to remember when installing plasterboards

•  Plasterboard sheets should always be placed at right angles to framing members.

•  Plasterboard should always have a 10mm gap between the floor and the 1st wall sheet.

•  Never place a nail next to or through a daub of plasterboard adhesive.

•  Only apply plasterboard adhesive when you are ready to fix the plasterboard sheet. If the plasterboard adhesive is applied too soon, it will form a skin and not bond to the plasterboard sheet.

•  Evenly space plasterboard adhesive daubs across the width of the sheet.

•  Do not nail centre of plasterboard wall sheets. If the plasterboard sheets need pinning back, nail through a temporary plasterboard block and remove the block and nail after the plasterboard adhesive has set. This will prevent popped nail heads.

•  Keep plasterboard nails around doors and window close enough to the edge so the architrave will cover them.

•  Make sure all plasterboard nail heads are below the surface. (If you break the paper around a nail head put another nail beside it to avoid popping).

•  Double nail or screw the center of plasterboard ceiling sheets about 40 mm apart, this helps prevent plasterboard nails or screws popping.

•  Wherever possible keep plasterboard recessed edges together and butt edges together. Avoid plasterboard recessed edges and butt edges adjoining each other.

•  Never place plasterboard butt joints directly over the door stud or window stud.

•  Always back block plasterboard ceiling joins.

•  Use plasterboard back blocking cement or cornice cement for back blocking.

•  Citric acid will slow down the setting time of plasterboard back blocking/cornice cement, use about a teaspoon full in a back blocking mix.

Plasterboard – Tools and Material is a post from: DIY Guides