Every home decoration
project makes use of many tools and having them ready
at hand makes the work easier too. Tools to paint
walls, install wallpaper, stripping furniture, wood
molding and laying tiles have been discussed in this
article.
Painting Tools
Good quality paint spreads more and results in long lasting
finishing and better results. Narrow brushes are better to paint
trims and windows while one with an angled edge can help you cover
'cut in' around windows, doors and ceiling edges better. Wide and
straight-edged brush is a wise choice for painting large walls and
ceiling spaces and is easier to handle than rollers for beginners.
The bristles of the brush can be natural or synthetic. Only
oil-based or alkyd paints can use brushes with natural-bristles.
Good quality brushes have flexible tips, split ends, tapered
towards the center for smooth and even application of paint and
the length of their bristles at least one and a half times of the
width of the brush.
Good brushes apply paint in a thicker and smoother film than
economy ones thus, give a uniform sheen, hides the faults and do
not leave ridges or brush marks in the paint. Rollers usually have
two parts - a plastic handle and its metal cover. Handles should
be easily grip able and light enough to carry easily for long
periods of time. Wider frames can be used for large spaces while
smaller ones for trims and narrow spaces. To paint a ceiling, you
may want a roller with the facility of a screwed-in extension.
Synthetic covers are good for latex paint while natural ones can
be used for oil-based paints.
Thin and smooth cover nap means smoother walls while textured
walls such as stucco painting may need thicker and textured cover
naps to hold more paint and get the desired effect. You may also
need a step stool or a sturdy ladder while painting especially for
ceiling edges and corners. Protect your eyes and hair with plastic
cap and goggles and wear disposable gloves to protect your hands.
Thin wood sticks to stir the paint, a roller tray with disposable
liners, light bucket to carry paint, painter's tape, drop cloths
to cover the floor and furniture of the room, spackling compound
and a putty knife, sandpaper and rags to wipe your hands on are
some other things while painting walls.
Tools For Wallpapering And Other Work
For hanging wallpaper, you need a large flat surface, ladder or
stepstool, sponge or rags, scissors, pencil, measuring tape, drop
cloths, craft knife with disposable blades, a level, a
straightedge, a chalk line plumb and sandpaper along with
wallpaper primer, adhesive, masking tape, plastic smoothing tool,
water tray, seam roller and rolls of wallpaper. Cleaning the
furniture and walls well make working on them much easier, whether
it is painting, waxing or polishing them. To clean furniture, you
will need toothbrush, soft club, toothpicks and steel wool for
scrubbing and poking dirt from hidden corners. Be sure to use only
those chemicals to clean that don't hurt your furniture,
especially the wooden pieces. TSP pr tri sodium phosphate may
soften a finish.
Wearing gloves and goggles and working in a room with proper
ventilation will keep you safe too. For restoration and
refinishing furniture, you may need paint stripper. Heavy bodied
stripper is best for both vertical and horizontal surfaces while
liquid stripper can be used to remove its residue. Dispose paint
stripper residue carefully along with rags and towels used in the
process as it is toxic and highly flammable in nature. Antique
furniture should never be sanded but worked upon with good boiled
linseed oil without the addition of polyurethane.
