Ceiling tiles absorb odors, grease and pollutants, says ICWC Corp., a Clearwater, Florida, manufacturer of products. Filthy ceiling tiles can reduce the light in a room by as much as 60 percent. But there are many products available to keep acoustic ceiling tiles looking their best.
Types
Chemical sponges (also known as dry cleaning and soot sponges) work well for cleaning ceiling tiles. They are perfect for removing soot buildup near vents.
Types
A carbon-soot air deflector will keep the air conditioning return moving downward, away from ceiling tiles. This handy attachment will keep the soot from building up on tiles, eliminating the need for extra cleaning.
Types
CeilBrite Acoustical Coating, manufactured by ICWC, is applied to ceiling tiles to cover water stains and other uncleanable spots.
Warning
Today's Facility Manager magazine reported that ceiling tile cleaning is best handled by a professional crew using oxidizer products. The other alternative, hypochlorite products, bleach the tiles and might cause damage to the ceiling.
Warning
Some older ceiling tiles contain asbestos, a known cancer-causing agent. If you are uncertain of the age or content of your ceiling tile, consult a professional.
If you are low on wall space and want to present your TV in a clutter-free way, take the bold step of mounting your TV to the ceiling. Ceiling-mounted televisions are no longer just for hospitals as more consumers are trying out new and exotic places to display their TVs. If you are ready to take to the sky and mount your TV to your ceiling, follow a few simple steps.
Instructions
1. Use a stud finder to locate a beam in the ceiling. Mark the location of the beam with a pencil. Hold the ceiling mount over the beam and mark inside the mounting holes of the ceiling mount with a pencil. Remove the ceiling mount.
2. Drill the holes for the ceiling mount, and blow out the debris. Smear an industrial adhesive over the wall anchors and insert them into the holes.
3. Hold ceiling mount so that you can see the wall anchors through the mounting holes. Apply an industrial adhesive to the mounting screws. Insert the screws through the of the ceiling mount into the wall anchors.
4. Lift the TV and line the VESA screw holes of the TV with the VESA screw holes in the ceiling mount. Insert the VESA screws through the VESA holes of the ceiling mount into the TV.
Tags: ceiling mount, holes ceiling, holes ceiling mount, mounting holes, wall anchors, ceiling mount into
Wood paneling on walls can add warmth to a home as well as a unique texture to a wall; however, this wall treatment tends to be permanent as well as time consuming. Removing paneling requires a lot of effort involving the removal of baseboards and woodwork. In addition, some panels cover completely unfinished walls that would require drywall, taping and primering before applying paint texture. It's possible, however, to use textured paint to create a new look on your existing paneling.
Instructions
1. Tack down any protruding nails along the length of every piece of paneling. Replace bent nails with new if necessary. Remove all switch plates and outlet covers.
2. Cover floor surfaces with drop cloths after removing any furniture that can be damaged. Cover remaining furniture. Tape off the length of all baseboards to protect the wood from being textured. You can remove the tape and repaint the baseboards after texturing the paneling.
3. Mix water and grease-cutting detergent in a bucket. Sponge the entire paneling surface to remove dust and grease to allow for smooth application of primer. Dry the surface completely with paper towels.
4. Apply caulk or putty to the vertical grooves, seams, holes and creases in the paneling using a trowel or putty knife. Allow the putty to dry completely (about 1 day) and sand smooth using a palm sander or sandpaper. Complete this step only if you're aiming for a completely smooth wall. Applying textured paint over paneling creates a very unique look even when allowing the vertical grooves to remain.
5. Sand the surface of the paneling to rough up the surface to accept paint. Some paneling has a shiny surface so this preparatory step is important for creating a long-lasting finish. Wipe off any dust with a damp paper towel.
6. Cut in corners and near baseboards with your paintbrush and primer paint. If you've chosen to retain grooves, you might need to paint these with the paintbrush as well. Roll the walls and allow to dry completely for about 2 to 3 hours. Primer will prepare the wall for paint, allowing future coats of paint to bond with the paneling surface. Primer also helps cover even the darkest color of wood paneling.
7. Prepare your paints by opening and stirring cans of paint. Most textured wall projects require both a base color and a top color. Roll your base color onto the paneling surface, cutting into corners and along edges as needed. You might need two coats of paint to prevent the paneling color from coming through the paint.
8. Allow your background color to dry for 2 to 3 hours. Prepare your brushes, textured roller, rags or sponges. Applying a texture on top of an exciting color requires some experimentation so begin in a less obvious area of the room. Pour paint into a paint tray and dip your rag, sponge or brush into the top color paint. Dab it onto the wall in your preferred pattern. Use a paper plate to hold a small amount of paint to help control paint application.
9. Pull the painter's tape off the baseboards and woodwork when the project is finished. Paint your woodwork carefully in a complementary color.
Tags: paneling surface, base color, , coats paint, completely about
A common use of rivets is to fasten thin materials together, such as sheet metal or plastic. It is often impractical or undesirable to screw thin materials together because they can be pulled apart easily. Rivets supply a cap and pressure to both sides to provide holding power. Drilling out a rivet is a simple process that usually takes less than a minute, unless your rivet is large and solid. In such cases, do not worry. They also can be drilled out.
Instructions
Aluminum Rivets
1. Use a drill bit the same size as the shaft of the rivet.
Choose a drill bit the same size as the shaft of the rivet and insert it into the drill. The bit size need not be as large as the head of the rivet itself.
2. Position the drill bit on the head of the rivet and continue to drill until the head falls off.
3. A metal punch or nail set is used to align holes or to remove remnants of the rivet.
Remove the remains of the rivet with a nail set.
Solid Rivets
4. Choose a drill bit the same size as the shaft of the rivet and insert it into the drill.
5. Position the drill bit on the head of the rivet and continue to drill until the head is removed. If you are unable to center the drill bit on the head of the rivet, use a sharp punch to dimple the center point. If the head will not disappear from drilling, you may need to use a larger bit. If you must install a new rivet, be careful not to over-size the hole.
6. Hammer out the remaining part of the rivet with a metal or nail punch. Support the backside if there is a possibility of denting the surface.
Tags: , drill head, drill head rivet, drill same, drill same size, , same size shaft
A long, narrow living room becomes a dual-purpose area with the right decor. Long, narrow rooms pose decorating issues for people seeking a traditional living room. Typical living room furniture groups sometimes look too spread out. Even oversize furniture can appear too short or too wide. Abandon the traditional ideas of living room decorating and put all the available space to good use.
Instructions
1. Divide the room. For a long room, dividing the space in half eliminates some of the decorating issues. Divide the room front to back using a freestanding room divider. This creates a two-room look. Alternatively, place a tall bookshelf on one wall to act as a divider. In a narrow room, be sure the bookcase or divider does not prohibit free movement to the back part of the room.
2. Differentiate the floor in the room. Another trick to divide a room too long for traditional decorating and furniture placement is to break up the flooring. For example, place tile in the area in front of the divider and carpet in the area behind. This makes a distinctive break in the space.
3. Change the wall color from the front to the back. Use light-colored paint or wallpaper in the room to make the narrow room look wider. Using a different color in the front of the room versus the back of the room gives extra distinction to a divided room.
4. Add mirrors to the wall. Large, framed mirrors or mirror tiles placed on side walls add width and dimension to a narrow room.
5. Arrange small furniture into separate groups in the front and the back of the room. A small loveseat and chair complemented with a narrow cocktail table can fill the front of the room, while a round wooden table and chairs occupy the back. Keep the furniture fairly small so you do not crowd the narrow room.
Due to technical advancements in music engineering equipment, you can put together a relatively cheap home recording studio with a basic computer and a set of sound monitors. For those who take home recording more seriously, soundproofing a room is essential. Soundproofing tiles prevent sound from the speakers from bouncing off the walls and creating noise. Soundproof your ceiling you plan to use a microphone to record vocals or live drumming or for recording guitars though an amplifier. Acoustic foam tiles on the ceiling will prevent reverberation from these instruments.
Instructions
1. Place a bead of construction-grade adhesive around the top edge of the first tile and then place an X from corner to corner.
2. Press the tile against the ceiling starting in one corner of the room. Hold the tile for approximately 30 seconds while the adhesive bonds with the ceiling.
3. Place the adhesive on the second tile in the same manner as the first tile, and then press this tile against the ceiling. Position the tile so it butts up tight against the first tile. Any gaps will allow acoustical noise to hit the ceiling and bounce back into the room. Repeat this process until you get to the last tile in the first row.
4. Measure the distance between the last tile you installed and the edge of the wall with a tape measure. Transfer the measurement to a tile and then cut the tile with a utility knife or pair of scissors.
5. Apply adhesive to the final tile for the first row and then press the tile into place.
6. Install each additional row in the same manner as you installed the first row. Again, make sure that each tile in subsequent rows butts up tight against the tiles in the previous row and against the tiles in their own row.
Tags: first tile, tile then, against ceiling, against tiles, butts tight, butts tight against
Dark-paneled walls are finished with stain. Because stain is oil-based, it cannot bond with latex paint. If you apply latex paint over the top of dark paneling, the existing oil base will reject the water-based topcoat. This will lead to bubbling and peeling. If you want paint to bond with your dark-paneled walls, apply a stain-blocking shellac primer base coat. Not only will this create a surface that will bond with water-based latex, it will promote greater coverage.
Instructions
Preparation
1. Dust the paneling, using a broom.
2. Wipe the dark paneling walls with mineral spirits, using rags. This will remove dust particles that would prevent the primer from adhering. Wait an hour for the spirits to evaporate.
3. Spread canvas dropcloths underneath the paneling. Protect those surfaces next to the walls, using painter's tape.
Application
4. Coat the dark-paneled walls with shellac primer, using a roller. Roll vertically, working left to right. Use a polyester brush to prime skipped areas within the paneling. Let the paneled walls dry for two hours.
5. Dispose of the nap cover. Wash the frame and brush, using alcohol.
6. Paint the paneled walls as you primed them. Add two coats of satin or semi-gloss latex paint, waiting two hours between each.
Tags: , , shellac primer, walls with, dark paneling, dark-paneled walls, paneled walls
Window trim frames an interior window to give the room a finished look.
Trim is the wooden molding that frames a window. Though in the realm of building or remodeling your home the window trim may seem like a decision low on the priority list, choosing a trim style that clashes with the rest of your aesthetic can be an interior design disaster. Choose a style of trim that reflects your style and complements both the colors and wood types in the rest of the room for a purposeful finished look.
Classic Trim
Classic window trim is one of the more common window trims because it is understated, easy to install and inexpensive; the simple trim is used in many styles of home, from ranches to contemporary homes. Classic trim features milled wood strips between 2 to 4 inches wide. Mitered joints connect the four pieces at the corners of the window to create the frame. Most classic trim styles feature simple profiles that follow much the same shape as simple baseboard molding. One of the benefits of classic trim is that the simple design lends itself well to a variety of finishes. Leave oak or pine wood trim natural with just a coat of light stain for a subtle finish, or brighten a space by painting the trim a glossy white.
Decorative Trim
Older and historic homes often feature more decorative trim that adds a sense of sophistication or opulence to the space. Victorian-inspired decorative window trim usually features more elaborate profiles than classic trim; the profiles are more akin to crown molding rather than base molding. Though some decorative trim may feature mitered joints, most styles are butt joints that meet flatly with a block situated at each window corner. The wood panels may feature a number of additional mill work or design details. Some pieces include rope details that run up the length of the trim; other styles utilize decorative appliques or inlays in central locations in the trim or on the corner blocks. Egg and dart molding is a Grecian style trim that features a series of alternating egg-shaped ovals and triangular darts for added texture and visual interest. Custom decorative window trim is also an option, though any custom piece will likely be more expensive than a stock design.
Craftsman Trim
During the 1920s and 1930s, an American art movement emerged that placed handcrafted, simple designs at the peak of value and style. The arts and crafts movement also impacted architecture, and during that time the Craftsman style bungalow home gained popularity. Craftsman style trim balances elements of both classic and decorative trim styles. Craftsman trim features wide plank woods with simple profiles and limited mill work. The planks meet flush with plinth blocks at the window's corners; the blocks often feature an inlay, applique or carving design in the shape of a simple rose, called a rosette. Craftsman moldings also typically feature a fluted block at the top center of the trim. The trim is usually left natural with a medium stain that highlights the details of the wood grain, but a soft white coat of paint is also a traditional choice for Craftsman style trim.
Online floor planning applets have tools for making bathroom blueprints.
Creating your own bathroom blueprints has several benefits, including the money saved that you would've paid to an architect. You don't have to have experience in drawing detailed graphical specifications to undertake this project. Bathroom blueprints, which essentially display the bird's eye view of your home with its roof removed, have relatively few graphical elements. However, since your drawing will directly influence the usability of the bathroom, be sure to learn from your local government what zoning laws pertain to residential bathroom design. Also, ask yourself if the design must meet special needs, like those of people with disabilities.
Instructions
1. Measure the space in the building or house the bathroom will occupy.
2. Write on the piece of graph paper the number of wet walls you'd like your bathroom blueprint to use. Wet walls are the bathroom walls that plumbing pipes for the sink, bathtub, and toilet run behind. The greater the number of wet walls, the more plumbing your completed bathroom will require and the more the bathroom will cost to construct. If you want to economize, pick a single wall layout. If you want maximum flexibility in choosing a layout, pick a three wall layout. Choose two walls to have some flexibility while saving some money.
3. Download from the Internet or copy from home magazines images of several existing bathrooms with the wet wall option you wrote down. Take notes on layouts you like.
4. Draw with a ruler on graph paper a rectangle whose proportions are the same as your bathroom measurement. Use a scale factor of one foot to one inch or one centimeter in drawing the rectangle. The rectangle represents the plan view, otherwise known as the top view, of your bathroom's walls.
5. Cut out the plan views of the toilet, sink, and bathtubs from existing blueprints. You can find existing blueprints in many websites on the Internet, including Eplans, House Plans, and House Plans and More. Or you could draw your own to scale and cut them out.
6. Align the cutouts along one wall, if you're using one wet wall. Align the sink and bathtub cutouts along one wall and the toilet cutout against any other wall, if you use two wet walls. Create a layout with each cutout aligned with any walls you want if you're using three wet walls.
7. Draw directly on the rectangle the plan view of the bathroom door as a quarter circle, which represents the path the door will need to sweep through.
8. Tape down the cutouts, and then take about 10 minutes to be away from the plan so you can come back and look at it objectively. Return to look at the design from a distance of at least 10 feet. Write your answer to the following question: "If the nation's top interior designer were to tour my home and use the bathroom, how would she describe it and rate its layout?"
9. Draw and arrange new layouts and evaluate them until you're satisfied with the self-critique.
10. Paste the cutout shapes onto the graph paper, and then photocopy or trace the blueprint and all its cutouts onto a new piece of paper.
11. Write the length of the edge next to each edge you've drawn.
Tags: your bathroom, bathroom will, graph paper, , bathroom blueprints
Choosing a bathroom counter height now depends on your needs instead of just a standard height. Although there is an industry-standard height, manufacturers offer bathroom counters for custom sinks and that meet the needs of taller people as well, so you can choose the counter height that best suits you.
Standard Height
Most manufacturers of bathroom cabinets consider 29 or 30 inches as the standard height. Once the countertop is put on, the standard height will increase by approximately 1 inch, to 30 or 31 inches in total height.
Back-Saver Bathroom
In recent years, a lot of new construction homes feature back-saver bathroom counters, whose standard height ranges from 33 to 35 inches tall. These taller counters can also be ordered from bath showrooms and make using the sink more comfortable for taller adults.
Bathroom Counter Height for Vessel Sink
If you choose a vessel sink, which sits on top of the bathroom counter, then your bathroom counter height will depend on what type of vessel sink you choose. If the vessel sink is tall, then the standard counter height of 29 or 30 inches will balance the taller sink. If the vessel sink is low and wide, it is better to choose a back-saver counter.
Considerations
If you're renovating and are tall (over 5 feet, 8 inches), consider using a base kitchen cabinet as your bathroom vanity, whose standard height is 35 inches and, once you add a countertop, will be a more comfortable 36 inches tall. Kitchen cabinets come in a wide variety of styles and finishes, so your bathroom will have a more custom look. If you choose a base kitchen cabinet, the standard width is 24 inches instead of the standard 18 inches for a bathroom counter, so you will need to get a custom countertop.
Benefits
If you have back problems or trouble bending over, choose a back-saver bathroom counter or kitchen base cabinet (depending on your height). If you don't have to hunch over to brush your teeth, you can improve your posture and prevent unnecessary back pain.
The standard bathroom counter height works best for shorter people or a children's bathroom and can be found at home improvement stores, often for a lower price than back-savers or custom cabinetry.
Tags: bathroom counter, counter height, standard height, vessel sink, your bathroom, base kitchen, base kitchen cabinet
Old brown spots on ceiling tiles are typically a result of water stains, although they can also be caused by cigarette smoke or may appear for other causes. Since cleaning does not always remove the stains, painting is an option to restore the look of your ceiling. Painting ceiling tiles, however, especially acoustic ones, is very different than painting other surfaces. You must be very careful not to cover the holes in the tile, which can decrease the sound dampening qualities.
Instructions
1. Place a step ladder under the stained area of the ceiling and press up on the ceiling tile to see if it lifts. If so, remove the tile from the ceiling. If the tile does not detach, cut a plastic tarp into small pieces and tape the pieces around the tile to protect the surrounding areas from paint.
2. Lay any removed tiles on a tarp. Remove the cap from a bottle of stain sealing primer and shake it up well. Aim the nozzle at the ceiling tile and spray an even coat over the entire tile until the stain is no longer visible.
3. Wait until the primer is completely dry to the touch before proceeding.
4. Open a can of acrylic latex paint in a color that matches the remaining ceiling tiles. Pour the paint into a paint tray. Insert a foam paint roller into the paint and then push it firmly on the upper portion of the tray to remove as much paint as possible.
5. Roll the paint onto the ceiling tile with light pressure until the stain is covered and the tile is a uniform color. Do not press down hard, since doing so may fill in in the holes in the tile.
A spacious, stylish kitchen can help you sell your home.
When prospective home buyers go through a house, the first thing they want to find is a stylish and functional kitchen, according to British television host Kirstie Allsopp. In fact, a remodeled kitchen can increase your property value by 8 percent. That's something to keep in mind if you're thinking about improving your home. But perhaps more important, a remodeled kitchen can make the time you spend in your kitchen more enjoyable.
Instructions
1. Work out a budget for your kitchen redo. Factor in the cost of a professional designer or architect if you need one, materials, appliances and labor. This is a good time to start looking at cabinet, appliance and countertop options at home-improvement stores. Getting a better idea of what you really want and what you can do without will help you develop a realistic budget. Then add 20 percent as a contingency, should you be presented with unexpected costs.
2. Develop a layout for your kitchen on graph paper. Change the layout as needed to determine where you want your countertops, sink and appliances to be.
Although you should keep the work triangle in mind -- with refrigerator, sink and range in an unobstructed area -- the shape and size of your kitchen will guide your placement decisions. A galley layout is best for a long, narrow kitchen. An L-shape layout works in small and large rooms, leaving central space for a dining table. A U-shaped layout is also highly functional. One arm of the U can be used as a divider in a vast space. A central multipurpose island is an option for a large open-space plan.
3. Compare cabinet styles and colors to work out what you like best. Darker cabinets have a contemporary, elegant look, but they can make a small space feel even tighter. Pale wood is ideal for a country style and gives the impression of more space. Glossy and reflective surfaces maximize light and look modern and expensive but are not practical if you have children. This is a good time to decide whether you want custom-made or pre-made cabinets.
4. Book appointments with three kitchen companies, and ask each to produce an accurate plan, based on your ideas. Compare their cost estimates, and choose the company that best meets your needs. Tinker with the plan until you are completely satisfied with it.
5. Plan for lighting to showcase design features and provide illumination for tasks. Consider under-cabinet lighting and recessed lights. You might even consider interior lights for cabinets with glass-front doors. Interior lights can give an industrial-look kitchen with translucent-glass cabinet doors a sophisticated look.
6. Pay attention to details, such as drawer pulls and cabinet handles, to give your kitchen a quality finish.
Tags: your kitchen, good time, , This good, This good time
Times and fashions change, and nothing says "dated" more than antiquated, out-of-fashion lighting. Many homes have bathrooms that are monuments to antiquated lighting styles of the 1970s and 80s. In those days, chrome multiple-bulb light bars were in fashion, but now they look old and dated. Today's homeowner has many options for lighting, and changing a dated lighting fixture isn't a difficult task.
Instructions
1. Turn off the power to the light at the breaker box for your home. If the circuit breakers aren't clearly marked, find the correct circuit by turning the light on, and ask an assistant to flip the circuit breakers off one at a time until the light goes off.
2. Remove the old light bar. First examine the front of the light bar for two decorative nuts. Loosen and remove these by turning them to the left. If they're tighter than finger tight, use a pair of pliers. When the nuts are removed, pull the light bar towards you and it will slip off of the two bolts that the nuts were attached to.
3. Disconnect the wires from the light bar. There will be three wires--black, white, and a bare or green wire. You can untwist the wire nuts or cut the wires. If you choose to cut the wires, leave several inches of wire to work with when you attach the new light. The light bar will be completely loose now--set it off to the side.
4. Remove the mounting bracket attached to the wall. This bracket held the light bar in place. It will be secured to the wall with several screws attached to wall anchors or screwed into the wall studs. Unscrew these, and take the bracket down. If necessary, patch any holes in the wall left by the screws with spackling compound or drywall compound.
5. Attach the new lights mounting plate to the wall. If your wires are routed through a junction box, use the screw points on the junction box. If not, secure the mounting plate to the wall with hollow wall anchors rated to hold the weight of your lamp. Route the wires you'll attach to the new light through the opening of the when performing this step.
6. Connect the wires from the wall to the wires of the new lamp. These are color-coded, so attach black to black, white to white, and green/bare to green/bare. Twist each pair of wires together with wire nuts, and wrap the wires with a piece of electrical tape for extra security.
7. Place the new lamp onto the mounting base. Exact methods vary from model to model, but generally the new lamp fixture slides over a set of mounting screws similar to the method used on the old light bar. Slide the light fixture onto the mounting plate, and put the nuts in place to hold it.
8. Turn the circuit breaker on, and test the operation of the lamp. If it doesn't work, turn the breaker off and check the wiring connections to the lamp.
Decorate a room online and bring your ideas to life.
Planning the decor of your living room online before carrying out the project in real life is the most convenient way to determine whether your decorating ideas look as good on a screen as they do in your head. An option many people consider is purchasing an interior design computer software program to decorate their virtual living area. Purchasing design software, however, can be expensive. The good news is that several cost-effective, even free, online programs offer basic design and decoration tips along with interactive planning of interior spaces.
Instructions
1. Choose a design service. Use an Internet search engine to power your search for online interior decorating. Navigate through the sites to find the design service that suits you best. One online design and decorating option can be found on the Armstrong flooring website under the design tab. Consider other options like the Arrange-a-Room feature on the Better Homes and Gardens website.
2. Start designing and decorating your living room. Select a floor plan from a series of floor plan templates, if applicable. Select room dimensions, window and door placements and furniture placement.
3. Select flooring and wall colors. Choose from hardwood, laminate, tile or carpeted flooring. Choose wall colors that complement colors in the floor and appeal to your personal taste.
4. Print your living room design. Use a high quality color printer and photo paper for best results. If you plan to bring your design to life, give your work to an interior designer or contractor as a guideline for what you would like in your home.
If you're planning a wedding and you don't like the look of the existing ceiling lights in your venue, make your own ceiling light covers without blowing your budget. Use tulle or mesh fabric and beads to make light covers that reflect your personality and the theme of your wedding.
Instructions
Fabric Ceiling Light Cover
1. Measure how far you want the light cover to hang from the ceiling. With a standard light fixture, plan on having the fabric hang down at least 12 inches to keep it a safe distance from the hot light. Triple that length; so, for 12 inches of length, cut a fabric circle at least 36 inches in diameter.
2. Climb the ladder so you can safely reach the ceiling. Lay the edge of the circle, right side against the ceiling, a few inches from the light. Press a thumb tack about 1/2 inch from the fabric's edge. If tacks are hard to push in, try straight pins.
3. Gather the fabric slightly, then press another thumb tack about 2 inches from the first. When the fabric hangs down from the tacks, the tacks should be hidden behind the hanging fabric. Continue gathering and tacking around the light fixture. This creates a bag of sorts that hides the lightbulb and gently diffuses the light for your wedding. Use a color that complements your wedding palette or a neutral white or beige.
4. Use two colors of tulle to bring more drama to the ceiling light. Cut the tulle in two rectangle strips instead of circles. Tack one to the ceiling around the light making a "U" shape. Tack the other color to an open side of the light, then twist the middle around the center of the existing "U." Tack the other end to the final open side of the light. This creates the bag effect for your ceiling light cover.
Beaded Wire Ceiling Light Cover
5. Cut your wire into pieces about 24 inches long, depending on how far you want your light cover to hang down. Fasten one end of each strand to the craft ring, using only half of the ring. Most standard light fixtures will require a craft ring with at least a 7-inch diameter, but you can choose a wider ring to suit your needs.
6. Slide your beads onto the wires until about 1 1/2 inches of wire is left at the bottom. The beads can be clear or colored to match your wedding scheme, although transparent beads are best for this craft. Fasten the wire ends to the other side of the craft ring. This creates a continuous chain of beads that you can hang over your ceiling light.
7. If the venue allows, nail four ceiling anchor hooks around the light fixture so that the hooks match the diameter of your . If you can't nail hooks into the ceiling, use removable adhesive hooks.
8. Slide the craft ring over the light bulb and onto the hooks. This should hide the light bulb but allow light to shine through the beads.
Tags: craft ring, your wedding, about inches, around light, ceiling light, Ceiling Light Cover
Exposed wood timbers add interest, character, and beauty to the living spaces of a home. However, real timbers are always a part of the structure of a building and if the home does not have heavy timber construction, installing real heavy timbers is not an option. One way to obtain the look of heavy timbers, without the requirement for a certain structural system, is to install beams on the ceiling of a room. These beams are nonstructural, cosmetic additions that are easy to install and are a cost effective way to change the appearance of a space.
Instructions
1. Measure the length of the ceiling. Order your faux wood beams according to these measurements. Mark the locations where you want the beams to be installed.
2. Find the ceiling structure using the stud finder. You will need to attach blocking to something that will provide structural support, so finding the wood ceiling joists or roof trusses on the other side of the ceiling is very important. These are the wooden members, hidden by the ceiling material, that provide the support of the ceiling. The stud finder works by signaling when the finder is moved across the surface of the ceiling and it senses the presence of the wooden member. Once you find these, mark them for easy identification.
3. Measure the interior spacing of the hollow part of the faux wood beam. Cut 2x4 wood blocking to fit snugly within this space. You will need one or two blocks at each blocking location, depending on the depth of the faux beam you chose.
4. Mark locations for blocking at 6-foot intervals along the line where the faux beam will go. Using the electric drill, screw the wood blocking to the ceiling structure at these locations.
5. Cut the faux wood beams to length, based on the ceiling measurements. Lift the beam into place and attach to the wood blocking using finish nails and a hammer, being careful not to damage the ceiling finishes adjacent to the new beam.
Condensation on metal roofs can be a problem once the weather starts to get cold. It can lead to roof leaks, even if rain has not occurred for several days. Condensation happens when moisture-filled air contacts anything that is below the dew point temperature. Metal gets cold faster than other items so condensation begins on metal first. This moisture can come from many things in a house including humidifiers, showers and laundry. Fixing the condensation problem on a metal roof can be accomplished with minimal difficulty.
Instructions
1. Inspect the house by looking for vents that flow into the attic, such as bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans. Make sure they are venting out of the house and not into the attic.
2. Check for short circuits that may be causing moisture such as ceiling fans, unsealed light fixtures and vent pipes, and either eliminate the use of those items or repair them.
3. Line the attic ceiling with a plastic vapor barrier. This roll of plastic will help keep the moisture from leaving the attic. Roll out the vapor barrier and cut it to size with a utility knife to fit over the ceiling. Tape it all the way around with duct tape so it is secure and make sure there are no gaps or seams for any moisture to get through.
4. Check to see that the attic is properly ventilated and the warm, moist air on the inside can easily be replaced by cold air on the outside. Move all insulation that is blocking the path of the ventilation along the exterior wall of the attic to help ventilate the area.
5. Inspect your roof to make sure the metal has been installed over a felt underlayment and the underlayment is on top of plywood. The roll of felt is spread out over the entire roof on top of the plywood and nailed down with roofing nails. Insert a nail every six inches along the perimeter of the felt and every foot on the inside to secure it to the plywood. This plywood will absorb the moisture and prevent condensation.
Bronze is used to make sculptures as well as mirrors.
Bronze mirrors were first used thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt and China. Once the best available reflective surface bronze mirrors are now a creative way to decorate your home. With a few tools and supplies, you can make a decorative bronze mirror that suits your style.
Instructions
Adhesive Bronze Sheet
1. Determine the size of your mirror. Purchase a picture frame in your chosen size. Thicker frames, usually about 3 inches wide, work best for mirrors.
2. Measure the size of the frame's backing and cut the plywood to the measured size using the saw. Use a phosphorus that has a pressure-sensitive adhesive backing, if possible. Trim the bronze sheet to the same size using tin snips.
3. Remove the plastic adhesive covering on the back of the bronze sheet. Carefully press the sheet to the wood, starting at one corner and gradually laying it flat to the plywood across the entire sheet.
4. Roll the construction roller across the sheet. Press down hard on the sheet to remove any air bubbles. Start from the center of the bronze sheet and roll outward in straight lines.
5. Attach the bronze-covered plywood to the back of the picture frame using the frame's existing fasteners.
Non-Adhesive Bronze Sheet
6. Determine the size of your mirror and purchase a picture frame in your chosen size. As suggested above in Section 1, thicker frames, usually about 3 inches wide, work best for mirrors.
7. Measure the size of the frame's backing. Use the saw to cut the plywood to the measured size, and then trim the bronze sheet to the same size using tin snips.
8. Push the construction adhesive into the caulk gun. Cut the end of the adhesive tube with a utility knife.
9. Apply the construction adhesive about 3/4 inch inside the four edges of the bronze sheet's back side. Create wavy beads of adhesive across the sheet, inside the lines beaded around the edges. Spread the adhesive across the sheet with the tile trowel.
10. Lay the bronze sheet adhesive-side down onto the plywood. Roll the construction roller across the sheet, pressing down hard to remove any air bubbles. Start from the center of the bronze sheet, rolling outward in straight lines.
11. Place clamps every 3 to 4 inches on each side. Wipe away any excess adhesive. Allow the adhesive to dry completely, usually about 24 hours. Remove the clamps.
12. Use the picture frame's existing fasteners to attach the bronze-covered plywood to the back of the picture frame.
Tags: bronze sheet, picture frame, across sheet, size using, usually about, about inches, wide
Rolled, stamped tin makes a beautiful addition to a tray ceiling design, especially if the room includes a wood-burning fireplace. Valued for their flame resistance and their beauty, tin ceilings were common in Victorian-era homes. There are still many companies making tin ceiling tiles, where you can have a design custom-made or choose one from existing stock.
History
Tin ceilings were popular in the Victorian era. Heavy, ornate plaster-cast ceilings were popular in fine homes, and tin ceilings provided a cheaper alternative. When painted, they were difficult to distinguish from plaster-cast ceilings. Rolled, embossed tin, which was actually tin-coated steel, was mass-produced between 1839 and 1901 by 45 companies in the United States. Due to their resistance to fire, tin ceilings were considered a valuable embellishment to any wood-heated, gas-lit home. They were used in more commercial buildings than private homes, though.
Warning
Due to the use of lead in the white paint that was so common in the Victorian era, extreme care must be taken when restoring these ceilings. Do not attempt removal of white paint from any Victorian-era home without following lead abatement protocols. Have all children and animals in the home tested for lead exposure before and after lead abatement. Keep pets and children out of any remodeling areas in which exposure to lead could occur.
Tin ceilings can corrode under humid conditions. Run a dehumidifier and clean your tin ceiling in spring and fall to prevent damage. If corrosion does occur and cannot be removed, replace the affected tin ceiling tiles as soon as possible. To prevent corrosion of replacement tiles, most tin ceiling components are primed with a clear polyurethane coating on the back side.
Function
Besides their ornamental value, tin ceilings provide a way to maximize the effectiveness of your furnace. Tin ceilings hold heat longer, releasing it slowly once your forced air unit stops blowing. This allows a longer period before the room cools, using less fuel to heat the same space.
Prevention/Solution
It can be challenging to install tin ceiling tiles correctly. Give each tile a coat of clear polyurethane one the back side and allow to dry completely. Provide a level surface by installing furring strips or plywood sheeting, using shims as needed to create a completely flat nailing surface. Use chalk lines to guide you as you nail in each tile. Do not use screws, since these can bend or dent the tin. Instead, use cone-headed nails and a nail guide, along with a rubber-headed mallet. Drill a hole in a 1/4-inch thick piece of plywood. Insert the nail and pound it in, then remove the nail guide and gently tap the nail flush. Fill any gaps between nails with clear caulk before painting. Follow the tips in the Resources section below when trouble-shooting tin ceiling installation problems.
Potential
Tin ceiling installation and restoration are lost arts. Contractors who learn to restore and replace these works of Victorian-era art perform a much-needed service. In our haste to make everything new and improved, we lose a great deal of the beauty of the past.
Ornamental tin can be used for more than ceilings. With the trend toward alternate heat sources, tin tiles can be used as ornamental fire screens behind wood-burning stoves in living rooms and family rooms. Tin tiles above and beside fireplaces can catch and reflect heat out into the room.
Tags: ceilings were, ceiling tiles, back side, , ceilings were popular
Remember the days when you had to get up from your comfortable couch to turn the channel on your television? Or, when you had to turn the volume dial on your stereo to turn it up or down? That was life before the remote control came into the picture-and ever since then, we've been trying to remote control just about every aspect of our lives to the point that we now have cars that can parallel park on their own!
One application that really uses remote control ability to its advantage is the ceiling fan. With a remote controlled ceiling fan, you can easily adjust the comfort level in the room with a touch of a button. And some transmitters even allow you to dim the lights on your fan! Want maximum comfort with minimal effort? Here is install a wireless ceiling fan controller.
Instructions
1. Decide whether to purchase a ceiling fan with a built-in wireless transmitter or an individual kit that includes the transmitter and remote. I recommend purchasing a regular fan and going with the kit. The reason is because if the built-in transmitter goes bad, you will have to purchase a brand new fan in most cases. With the kit, you simply switch it out!
2. If you choose to go with the remote kit, then you are going to have to get access to the ceiling fan's wiring. Because of this, you will have to find the circuit breaker that delivers power to the fan. Once you find it, leave it OFF.
3. Lower the ceiling fan's canopy. On most fans there will be a few screws located at the top of the canopy which secure it to the mounting bracket. Remove the screws and let the canopy slide down the downrod.
If you don't see the screws, your fan may have a compression ring in place that hides them. Just twist the ring counter-clockwise and it should detach, revealing the screws.
4. At this point, you will want to use your touch-type voltage tester to check the wires for voltage to ensure that the circuit is in fact, off. Locate the hot wire. It is the black wire coming from the box in the ceiling and it should have two wires from the fan attached to it (one wire if the fan doesn't have a light assembly). Disconnect the wires and then do the same for the white wires.
5. If you look on your remote control transmitter, there will be a number of wires sticking out from it. On one side there will be a black and a white and the other side will have a blue, a red and a white. There should also be a ground wire.
6. Before you make your connections, make sure that both the transmitter and the remote are set to the same frequency.
7. The first connection you will make will be the ground wire. Use a wire connector and secure the ground wire to the other ground wires in the junction box. Next, take the black and white wires from the transmitter and connect them to the black and white wires coming from the ceiling (black to black and white to white).
8. Take the other white wire (from the three-wire side) on the transmitter and connect it to the white wire coming from the ceiling fan. The blue and red wires on the transmitter should be labeled as to what they feed, but in most cases the blue feeds the lights and the red feeds the fan. So, connect the blue transmitter wire to the blue ceiling fan wire and the red transmitter wire to the black ceiling fan wire.
9. Make sure all of the wire connectors are on tight and wrap a strip of electrical tape around each one where the wires enter the connector.
10. Now comes the difficult part--making everything fit! Gently push the wires back up into the junction box and slide the transmitter into a position where it will allow the canopy to be resecured. This part requires patience and it could take a few tries to get it right. Once you find the right spot, screw the canopy back in place and resecure the compression ring if you have one.
11. Install the batteries in your remote, turn the circuit breaker back on and use the pull chain on the ceiling fan to set it in the "high" position. With the fan running, test your remote to ensure that everything works. Leave the fan on its highest setting and turn it off with the remote.
Tags: , remote control, coming from, coming from ceiling, from ceiling, ground wire, there will
Caulk can be used to fill and seal grout lines between tiles.
Ceramic tiles are a common industrial ceiling covering material. Once properly installed, they protect the ceiling from moisture and stains the same way they protect walls and floors. Homeowners are beginning to choose this unconventional ceiling material. Adhesive is used to bind tiles to your ceiling to insure a solid bond. Grout is a heavy material that will droop and fall leaving waves and gaps. Silicone caulk will seal the grout lines in your ceiling tiles and form a barrier that will repel moisture and liquid for many years.
Instructions
1. Remove all furniture and other objects from the room. Cover the entire floor of the work area with dropcloths. Overlap the cloths to prevent accidentally contaminating the flooring with caulk.
2. Slide the tip of a tube of caulk into the cutter on your caulk gun. Line the 1/8 mark on the tip up with the edge of the cutter. Squeeze the trigger and snip off the end of the tube.
3. Open the puncture tool on the end of the frame of the gun. Push the puncture tool into the hole in the tip of the caulk tube to pop the thin diaphragm inside of the tube. Slide the tube into the rear of the frame of the gun and lower the tip of the tube into the notch at the front of the frame.
4. Use your caulk gun to fill the grout lines around each tile with silicone. Smooth each bead of caulk with a wet rag. Work in 3-by-3-foot sections. Avoid leaning too far as this will tip your ladder. Let the caulk cure for 24 hours before removing the dropcloths.
Tags: grout lines, , seal grout, seal grout lines, , that will
A patio is an ideal place to enjoy the outdoors during the warm months. Turn it into a space where you can enjoy dining al fresco by incorporating an outdoor kitchen. From relaxed barbecues to formal sit-down dinners, an outdoor kitchen is a place where you and your family and friends can experience memorable meals.
Overhead Cover
When planning your outdoor kitchen, you need shelter to protect the equipment, as well as you and your guests, from the elements. Build a pergola or install an awning over the patio. If you have a second-story deck, build the outdoor patio kitchen underneath it.
Counters
A counter is an essential feature in an outdoor kitchen, as it provides a space for preparing food. In an outdoor kitchen, choose materials that will stand up to the conditions of both the kitchen and the outdoors. Granite not only looks sleek, it is also extremely durable. Concrete is another resilient material that you can use for your outdoor kitchen counter. Ceramic tile comes in a variety of colors and designs and is able to withstand water and sun exposure.
Appliances
Of course, appliances are a necessity in kitchen. For an outdoor kitchen, a barbecue grill is likely to be your primary cooking surface. There are several options available, including oversized commercial grade grills and smaller charcoal grills. If you have always wanted a wood-burning stove but don't have the space to accommodate one in your home, put one in your outdoor kitchen. A gas cook-top is an ideal spot for boiling or sautéing. And install a mini-refrigerator.
Lighting
Lighting is another necessity for your outdoor kitchen. If you have built your kitchen with overhead protection, install overhead lighting fixtures--such as pendants over the work space for task lighting and a chandelier or ceiling fan/light fixture over the dining table. Set the mood and create a soothing look by surrounding the area with tiki torches, candles and strings of twinkle lights.
Accessorize
Make the space comfortable and inviting with accessories. Incorporate an outdoor dining set. There are many options available; shapes include round, rectangular and oval, and materials include teak, aluminum, wicker and resin. Lay an outdoor rug on the floor to soften the look. Plant flowers in the ground around the patio or plant arrangements in pots and hanging baskets and place them around the area. Add focal points with outdoor art elements. A birdbath, a sundial and wind chimes create interest and help to soften the space.
Tags: outdoor kitchen, your outdoor, kitchen, options available, outdoor dining
Suspended ceilings are often installed in a basement, where there are many overhead obstacles to work around or conceal. In certain situations, all duct work will not be able to be concealed and must be incorporated into the ceiling design. When this happens, it will be necessary to install the ceiling tiles around the duct work.
Instructions
1. Install your main grid as normal. Begin with the , installing the "L" bracket at the proper height. Install the "L" brackets on all exterior walls before beginning on the interior portion of the grid work. Use a tape measure and level to be certain the brackets remain level around the entire perimeter of the room.
2. Build the interior grid-work using the main "T" brackets and the cross "T" brackets. Begin by inserting your anchors in the overhead ceiling and then proceed to install the main "T" brackets, suspending them with wire hangers attached to the overhead anchor points. Install all cross "T" brackets to form your final grid of either 2 feet by 4 feet or 2 feet square.
3. A pop-rivet gun
Measure the proper distance from the floor and mark the duct work the same way as you did for the "L" brackets installed on the exterior walls. Cut the "L" bracket to the appropriate length to fit all four sides of the duct work. Drill 1/4-inch holes approximately ever 6 inches along the "L" bracket. Use pop-rivets to secure the "L" bracket to the .
4. A box knife
Measure the opening around the duct work. Transfer these measurements to a ceiling tile panel. Use a box knife to carefully custom-cut the tile to fit the hole. You may have up to four different tiles to cut to fit properly around the duct work. Install all tiles around the duct work and any other objects before installing the tiles in the main grid.
5. Modify the if needed. If the duct work intersects with a main bracket, cut the bracket and splice it into the new "L" bracket once it is installed against the duct work. This should provide the same type of fit as against the exterior walls.
Tags: duct work, around duct work, exterior walls, around duct, , main brackets
Vaulted ceilings add a sense of drama to a space. However, they also present special design challenges for homeowners who are fortunate enough to have them. When decorating a home with this type of ceiling, you must carefully consider the paint shade and best light the space. Even selecting furniture is a different process than for space with a flat ceiling. Your choices can either enhance your unusual ceiling plane or make the space feel awkward.
Instructions
1. Choose a paint color. Since vaulted ceilings angle directly from the wall plane, the easiest option is to paint the walls and ceiling the same color. White or light neutrals like beige and gray will reflect plenty of light, keeping the space feeling airy. If you want to take a bolder approach, paint the walls a rich shade or use wall paper to differentiate the surfaces from the .
2. Enhance the drama with lighting. Install light fixtures that are carefully placed to illuminate the sloped surfaces of your . Hang a chandelier from the high point for general lighting or install wall sconces to wash the wall and ceiling surfaces with light. A popular choice is to install recessed can fixtures into the slope or use track lighting to achieve directional illumination.
3. Select the right furniture for the scale of the space. Avoid furniture that is too small or low in a room with a vaulted ceiling. Consider pulling lower pieces like chairs and sofas away from the wall surface and creating a lounge area towards the center of the room. Use taller pieces such as bookshelves, plants on stands or floor lamps at the perimeter of the room to draw the eye upward.
Wood ceilings can give a room a warm, organic look when balanced out properly. No matter what style a home is, stained wood ceilings complement different colors and accents around a room. If you have a room with wooden ceilings and you aren't sure what to do with it, there are plenty of solutions that you can do that bring out your personality in the space. While some may not find wood ceilings warm and inviting, they can be elegant and appealing when you balance out the material around the room.
Instructions
1. Choose a wall paint that complements the wood tones. Stained ceilings are often darker rather than lighter, so opt for a warm, inviting paint shades like pale red, yellow, mint or taupe.
2. Balance out the space by using flooring materials that are opposite of your wood ceiling. For dark ceilings, go with a lighter wood or carpeting. Choose a warm, natural stone to complement the organic ceiling. If your ceiling is light, go with a medium wood floor or neutral carpet.
3. Pick furniture for the room that balances out the ceiling. For dark wood ceilings, white or cream sofas or chairs keep the room looking open and spacious. With lighter ceilings, choose furniture in a darker, yet neutral, palette to keep the space from looking washed out. Earth tones pair well with wood since they are all natural colors.
4. Lighten up the space by keeping window treatments airy. Choose a light cotton or linen curtain to cover windows. The light fabric will offer privacy, but still allow natural light to warm up the room and brighten wood-stained ceilings.
Tags: wood ceilings, around room, ceiling dark, warm inviting
Installation of a ceiling fan through a drop ceiling offers many advantages.
A fresh ceiling fan installation using a drop ceiling actually has advantages over a new install through drywall. Simple removal of the ceiling tile gains access to the joists above, allowing the installation of a support beam. Completing this resolves most safety issues. Installation of a downrod may be necessary to extend the mount, but this is considered in the construction of nearly all ceiling fans.
Instructions
1. Turn off the power supplying the fan at the breaker box.
2. Locate the ideal spot for the fan. Remember to consider ceiling clearance for anyone who may pass under or near the fan. Remove the drop ceiling tile by pushing up carefully. Set it aside adjacent to the opening.
3. Insert the 16 inch two-by-four plank in between the joists directly above the installation point. Screw these in using the drill, Phillips bit attachment, and at least4 wood screws.
4. Screw the metal junction box to the support two-by-four, using at least 2 screws. Route the 110v wire through the side knockout. Strip 2 inches of insulation from the 110v wire, and 1 inch from each of the three individual conductors inside.
5. Screw the support bracket to the junction box, using two flat head machine screws and the flat head screwdriver.
6. Push the fan connection wires through the extension post. Lift the entire assembly up. Screw in the extension post's mounting bracket to the bracket attached to the junction box. Connect black to black, white to white, and green to green wires together using the wire nuts. Place the bare wires together and twist the nuts clockwise until secure.
7. Mount the fan to the using the supplied hardware and appropriate screwdriver.
8. Measure the location of the extension post and fan in relation to the ceiling tile. Cut a hole of sufficient size in the tile at this point. From the hole, cut a straight line to the shortest edge with the drywall saw.
9. Carefully push the tile over the extension post. Lift the tile into its resting place on the drop ceiling grid. Push the trim collar up against the ceiling tile, securing with the supplied set screws and Phillips screwdriver.
10. Turn the power back on at the breaker box and test the fan to ensure proper operation.
Tags: extension post, ceiling tile, drop ceiling, 110v wire, extension post Lift, flat head, post Lift
Crystal was used in chandeliers because of its ability to softly spread radiant light.
Chandeliers had humble beginnings as crossed beams of wood to support candles in pre-medieval times. Advances in metallurgy and stone cutting techniques saw their rise into works of art. Crystal chandeliers come in a variety of styles that are most often identified with the time period associated with their use.
Crown
Crown-style chandeliers have a supportive ring structure that resembles a crown. Typically gold or gilded metal, the crown of the chandelier is often decorated with patterns. Crown-style chandeliers may also be called Corona or Empire chandeliers.
Neoclassical
Neoclassical chandeliers are identified by their many arms, which are often delicate and fluted. Some neoclassical chandeliers have spires on the ends of the arms, which add height and grandeur to the chandelier's overall appearance.
Baroque
Baroque chandeliers often have fewer, thicker arms and small dishes at their ends to cup the light fixtures. The crystals are often strung up between and beneath the arms.
Regency
Regency-style chandeliers have a hoop similar to Crown chandeliers, but the hoop's size and importance to the piece is very diminished. Instead, the hoop is used to support a canopy made of strings of crystal. More crystal forms a waterfall beneath the hoop, obscuring the stem.
Contemporary
Contemporary chandeliers often stray widely from the conventions of other styles, and usually involve a more artistic and less geometric arrangement of the crystals. Contemporary chandeliers may often feature colored crystal or glass.
Drop ceilings are sometimes called acoustic tile ceilings because they prevent echoes in empty rooms and add soundproofing. They are also an easy, inexpensive way to hide utilities and ductwork located at the ceiling, making them popular in basements and commercial structures. The final costs depend on the price of materials and the location of the installation.
Basics
The framework for drop ceilings are mountable on any type of wall including drywall, brick, wood and concrete. The tiles add a finished look to any room, yet allow access to plumbing pipes, ductwork and conduits. The exact height of installation demands careful consideration and planning between homeowner and contractor, if any. Mounted too low, the tiles will make a room look cramped and claustrophobic. Mounted too high, the tiles will interfere with the utilities above it.
Installation
Installing a drop ceiling is easy enough for the average homeowner to do. The tile is available in 2-by-2-foot or 2-by-4-foot sizes, and run from under $6 to just over $10 a square foot, depending on quality. This puts the cost of a 12-by-14-foot room at about $1,000 to $1,700 for the do-it-yourselfer, according to Cost Owl. (These figures are accurate as of October 2011.)
Professionals
Hiring a professional provides the best job and efficiency, but costs an additional $2 to $5 per square foot. This bumps the total cost to between $1,300 and $2,500 for the same-size room. An entry-level set of 12 2-by-2-foot tiles runs from $25 to $40 for materials alone, while a premium set can run $100 and up.
Labor
Professional installation can vary according to the location of the home. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2010, the mean wages of construction laborers is $16.15 per hour. They earn their highest salaries in Hawaii at a mean $24.63 per hour, New Jersey at a mean $23.42 per hour and Alaska at a mean $23.33 per hour. However, rates fall below average in Texas at a mean $11.83 per hour, Florida at a mean $12.47 per hour and New Mexico at a mean $12.49 per hour. For cities, the highest wages were in Trenton, New Jersey, at a mean $27.74 per hour, New York City at a mean $26.62 per hour and Newark, New Jersey, at a mean $26.42 per hour. Lower rates were available in the Texas cities of Corpus Christi at a mean $11.88, Houston at a mean $12.04 per hour and Dallas at a mean $12.06 per hour.
Tags: mean hour, Jersey mean, Jersey mean hour, square foot, tiles will
Strategic lighting prevents the bathroom from feeling like a cave.
A drop, or suspended, ceiling covers a multitude of ceiling sins such as cracked plaster and exposed electrical wiring. In the bathroom, however, a drop ceiling can make the room seem cramped. Most bathrooms are small rooms and the lowered ceiling may cast shadows and amplify a slightly claustrophobic feel. Proper and attractive lighting techniques become crucial for the design of the bathroom. Use lighting fixtures in a strategic, layered placement to turn the cramped bathroom into an intimate room of quiet repose.
General Lighting
General lighting, which provides the main lighting for the bathroom, is usually provided by the main fixtures attached to the ceiling. Drop ceiling designs usually incorporate large fluorescent light fixtures in the ceiling system. These fixtures, suspended from the ceiling, fit within the drop ceiling grid and replace the solid ceiling panels in strategic places. This type of design is best fitted for an office, and the tinny fluorescent bulbs shine an unnatural cast in the bathroom. Instead, use decorative recessed lights in place of the fluorescent panels for a more refined appearance. For a soft, romantic look, install crown molding a few inches below the ceiling perimeter and tuck rope lighting behind the molding.
Task Lighting
Task lighting refers to the particular lights that illuminate the task areas of the bathroom, such as in front of the mirror or in the shower stall. Skip the ceiling light over the vanity and instead opt for decorative task lights around or above the mirror. Lights longer than two feet provide even coverage and eliminate shadows. For the tub and shower area, a recessed light provides good visibility with little intrusion. Glass lighting doors are best for recessed lights, as plastic yellows over time. For small shower areas, select a space-saving bathroom ventilation fan with a combination light fixture. Over a toilet, sconces or other vertical fixtures provide illumination and a touch of class.
Accent Lighting
Accent lighting fixtures provide small snippets of light decor. Accent lighting could either emphasize a decorative feature in the bathroom, such as a beautiful painting or a luxurious garden bathtub, or draw attention away from less appealing items in the bathroom, such as an unsightly drop ceiling or an aging toilet. Accent lighting is best used sparingly and should focus on one or two highlights in the bathroom.
Types of Lights
Lighting that mimics natural daylight provides the best light for bathroom tasks. Halogen bulbs and compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs render crisp, clear light at better energy savings than incandescent bulbs. Low-voltage halogens produce less heat also, which is a suitable option for small bathrooms with low ceilings and mediocre ventilation. Light-emitting diodes (LED) lights are long-lasting and are therefore perfect for rope lighting. For accent lighting, low-voltage candle lights and special miniature incandescent bulbs shimmer with the perfect balance of light and ambience.
Using an extended-life will limit the number of changes needed.
Safely changing a light bulb in a high ceiling yourself can save you money over hiring a professional. High ceilings often offer a desirable dramatic look to a room. A lofted or two-story open plan gives a spacious feeling to a home. When a burns out, however, the quandary of reach it becomes an issue. With a few tools and safety guidelines, you can avoid calling a maintenance service and solve the issue yourself.
Instructions
1. Select a new bulb. Choose a bulb designed for extended life. Be sure it is the proper size and wattage for the outlet.
2. Ask for assistance. An extra pair of hands is needed to execute the project safely.
3. Set up the ladder. Place the top of the ladder directly under the bulb.
4. Climb the ladder to the point where you can safely reach the bulb on flat feet. Have your assistant steady and hold the ladder in place.
5. Unscrew the original bulb and replace it with the new bulb.
6. Climb slowly and safely back down the ladder and discard the old bulb.
Hampton Bay is the store brand of ceiling fans exclusive to Home Depot. The fans come in a wide variety of sizes, styles and colors. Some Hampton Bay ceiling fans also have remote control capabilities. Sometimes radio interference from appliances can disrupt the signal between the remote and receiver on the fan. Changing the code on a Hampton Bay ceiling fan usually corrects this problem. The receiver and remote control have switches much like old garage door openers. These switches are the key to changing the code.
Instructions
1. Turn off the circuit breaker to the Hampton Bay ceiling fan. Although you are not working with the electrical wire when changing the codes, it is a safe precaution to turn off the power to prevent accidental electrical shocks.
2. Position a step ladder under the Hampton Bay ceiling fan so you can reach the top of the fan motor. Grasp the canopy covering the motor with your hands and turn it counterclockwise to release it from the securing screws. There are keyhole notches on the canopy that fit over the screw heads. Line up the screw heads with the hole in the notch and gently lower the canopy letting it rest on the fan blades.
3. Find the receiver for the remote on the side of the motor. Look for a small block of white switches pointing down toward you. Slide the battery cover off the bottom of the remote control with your thumb. Inside the battery compartment you will find a block of white dip switches. The dip switches on the remote must match those on the receiver.
4. Move the dip switches on the receiver up or down with your finger. Reposition the dip switches in the remote to the same configuration as the receiver.
5. Line up the screw heads with the hole end of the keyhole notches on the canopy. Twist the canopy clockwise to lock it over the motor and ceiling mounting bracket. Turn on the circuit breaker to the Hampton Bay ceiling fan and operate it with the remote control.
Tags: remote control, Hampton ceiling, screw heads, with your, block white, block white switches, breaker Hampton
Skim coat paneling to create a new look for your walls.
Over time, paneling can begin to look worn and shabby or simply outdated. Painting paneling is one option to update your wall's style, but it can prove challenging to cover up the dark wood beneath. Alternatively, you may desire to wallpaper over it, but do not want the ridges to show. One option is to skim coat your paneling with joint compound before painting or wallpapering. With just a little practice, your walls will soon look fresh and new.
Instructions
1. Sand your paneling if it is particularly smooth, to aid in the skim coat's adhesion, or if any paneling is flaking off, to provide a level surface. Clean paneling with a damp cloth when finished, and allow to dry.
2. Mix setting-type joint compound, called "mud," in a ratio of about 2 parts mud to 1 part water, in a mud or paint tray, or use ready-mix mud if desired. Make setting-type mud thick enough to stick to a joint knife when lifted up -- like cake frosting. Add water or more mud as needed.
3. Start at the top of the wall, working first across and then down the wall, applying mud lightly -- a thin, filmy coat, as recommended by the House Flipping Helper website. Use a joint knife to work, making all strokes in the same direction. Lay mud on thicker during the stroke, then immediately follow with a stroke to remove excess mud, wiping it back into the pan after removing. Ignore small ridges that form; allow mud to dry 24 hours.
4. Sand over the first coat lightly to remove small ridges left from mud application. Apply another coat of mud, working in the opposite direction from the first coat.
5. Continue sanding, applying and drying each coat of mud until surface is smooth and covered as desired. Note that smoother, lighter colored paneling will require less extensive coverage than rough, dark colored paneling.
6. Allow your wall to dry thoroughly after the final coat of mud. Finish by sanding the entire wall, from the ceiling working downward, to complete the skim coat finish. Cover the wall with paint or another desired product to complete.
Ceiling texture can be removed with the correct tools.
Popcorn ceilings were very popular in the 1960s. This type of texture is not as popular now. Removing a popcorn ceiling can be done by the homeowner. Popcorn ceilings are made up mainly of chalk and clay which makes them easy to remove but the process can turn into a dirty job.
Instructions
1. Put on eye protection and dust mask. Lay painter's plastic over the floor and over all furniture in the room. Tape along the top of the walls. Cover the walls, windows and doors with the painter's plastic. Tape the plastic to the line of tape already on the walls. Turn off all fans.
2. Fill a spray bottle with warm water. Spray a section of the popcorn texture just long enough for your arm to reach. Allow the water to saturate the texture for 25 seconds. Do not over-wet the popcorn.
3. Scrape the wet section off carefully with the putty knife. Slide the blade through the popcorn at a slight angle. Do not dig into the texture as this could cause tears to the drywall. Continue wetting and spraying small sections until the ceiling has been completely scraped.
4. Apply the fresh drywall compound to any damaged areas of drywall. Sandpaper these areas smooth after they are completely dry. Also apply the drywall compound to any areas where rusted screw heads or holes are showing.
5. Inspect the ceiling for any popcorn texture which may be remaining. Lightly sand the ceiling with the sanding pole.
6. Roll up the plastic slowly to prevent flying dust and discard. The ceiling is ready for priming.
Without a doubt, tall ceilings and windows add a sense of drama to a room. The "wow" factor that these architectural elements present also comes with a decorating challenge. But if this describes your den, embrace these features and make them a highlight of your room that family and friends can enjoy.
Instructions
Decorating Ceilings
1. Add texture and definition to the ceiling by installing beams, especially for high ceilings that have a pitch. Align wooden beams in a horizontal pattern on flat ceilings.
2. Paint the ceiling in a color that complements the walls and ties the room together. Keep in mind that semi-gloss paints make a ceiling look even higher, so you may want to opt for a flat finish.
3. Use low-hanging chandeliers or pendant lights to brighten the room and to draw the eye down from the ceiling.
Decorating Windows
4. Hang pictures and artwork up to the height of the window to put focus on the accessories rather than the height of the window.
5. Install built-in shelving up to the height of the window to store books and to display accessories and collections.
6. Outline windows with decorative molding, and finish with ornate cornice pieces that are painted in a contrasting color from the wall.
7. Hang curtains from a rod spanning from the top of the window, and let the fabric cascade to the floor.
You may spend a good portion of your engagement agonizing over the tablecloths, chair covers, floral arrangements and placecards. It's true that your guests will spend most of the reception seated at their tables, but consider that many do run to the bathroom to "freshen up" too. Wedding elegance is easy to bring to even the most basic restroom.
Instructions
1. Consider your blank canvas: the restroom at your reception site. If it's a simple set of toilet stalls and sinks, you must get creative. If it comes complete with a lounge area, granite sinks and pretty baskets of rolled organic towels, you may not need to do much.
2. Make courtesy baskets. Take a basket, tie a ribbon on it and for the ladies' room, fill it with tampons and sanitary pads, breath mints, bobby pins, tweezers, hair spray, deodorant, a hairbrush, laundry pen and maybe even a bottle of perfume or extra pair of nude pantyhose. For men, the basket could contain mints or gum, deodorant, a razor, comb and perhaps condoms.
3. Assess whether there will be small floral arrangements at the ceremony site that could be relocated to the restrooms during the reception. If you have room in your budget, you also could ask the florist to prepare small arrangements. Plants surrounded by tea light candles also are a nice touch.
4. Purchase decorative paper guest napkins to be placed by the sink, if the reception site only offers an electric hand dryer or a paper towel dispenser. You might consider bringing a nice bottle of hand soap if the reception site's soap is the typical industrial pink variety.
5. Appoint a decor-savvy bridesmaid and groomsmen to place the baskets, flowers and napkins in the restrooms. The attendants also can bring an assortment of candles to add to the ambiance.