loading...
Canwest News Service
Perry Como said it best when he sang "there's no place like home for the holidays." After all, family get-togethers and friendly dinners are what Decembers are for.
But what's missing from the classic song is a lyric about the joy of renewing your home before the company arrives. You know all those DIY projects, you've been putting off all year? Now is your chance to get them done.
No matter what you plan, even the smallest upgrade can renew your home's appeal.
For her part, Samantha Pynn, host of HGTV's Pure Design, says painting "can make the room fresh and clean and, in some cases, give you a whole new room."
No matter what's on your DIY wish list –or your spouse's list — we've put together some suggestions for what you'll need, how much you'll need and the steps to pull off your DIY project disaster-free — so you can be ready to drink in the compliments when the holiday guests pour in.
CHANGE THE COLOUR
When it comes to choosing the right paint, Pynn opts for any paint with a flat finish.
"It diminishes that textured look," says Pynn. "The eye won't even notice any imperfections in the wall."
While grey is still the new beige — "it's a classic and here to stay," says Pynn — bolder, moodier colours like equestrian green are making a comeback.
Andres Jolly of Calgary's A.J. Painting and Decorating, says beige, chocolate brown and soft green are also trendy colours in addition to faux marble textures and hand-painted murals.
Jolly stresses the importance of choosing the right finish depending on what you're painting. For instance, baseboards, doors and frames should be done in a semigloss; bathroom walls in a semi-gloss or eggshell; regular walls in an eggshell; and ceilings in a flat finish.
Budget $32-$45 per gallon of paint plus $50 for supplies
Tools you'll need Latex brush, roller sleeve, roller cage, tray, tape, sandpaper
Steps Before you paint, clean dust from baseboards and walls, tape baseboards with painter's tape, remove any electrical plate covers and sand the wall lightly with 120-grit sandpaper. Cut the corners with a brush (where the roller will not be able to reach) and then roll the paint on the wall with the roller, making sure to work from top to bottom approximately three feet wide to apply the paint as evenly as possible. Let the paint dry and apply the second coat.
STEP UP YOUR FLOORS
Laminates and hardwood for flooring have stepped up and become more DIY-friendly. Floating floors, which are loose-laid, are especially hot with the DIY crowd.
"Glueless floating floors (hardwood, cork, laminate) with cork backing are the fastest and easiest floating floors to install," says John Kocemba, vice-president of marketing for TORLYS Inc. "No glue or nails are required and you can walk on the floor during and immediately after installation."
"I literally did our laundry room in one day and it was no effort whatsoever," adds Jason Walker, business development manager for flooring division of Toronto-based Cantrex Group.
When it comes to selecting the right shade, Kocemba advises to consider your lifestyle.
"Remember, dark and glossy floors show dirt and dust," he says. "Medium-toned floors with grain camouflage the dust until you are able to sweep your floor."
Budget Laminate:$1persq. ft.; Hardwood: $4-$8 per sq. ft.; Cork: $4-$9 per sq. ft.
Cost-cutting tip Measure the room twice to ensure you don't order too much or too little.
Tools you'll need measuring tape, tapping block, saw (chop, skill, table or jigsaw), pencil
Steps Establish a starting point (most people lay planks lengthwise along the longest wall). Cut boards in one-, two-and three-foot lengths. Lay down two to three rows of material, choosing varying lengths. "You want to make it look as random as possible," says Walker. "When I get to the far end, whatever I cut off becomes my starting point in the next row so the randomness will be created by itself."
Depending on the product, there are different locking systems — some are drop and lock (which fall into each other) and some are uniclic.
"Not all joints are created equal," Kocemba says. "Several companies offer the uniclic joint that can be clicked together in two ways — two planks can be joined while both are laying flat or they can be clicked from an angle."
Make sure to leave spacers around the perimeter of the room (about the thickness of material used) for expansion and contraction.
Once the floor is done, remove the spacers. Sweep and vacuum.
CROWN IT
Crown moulding not only makes a room look bigger or higher, it can also be a great way to disguise non-aesthetic cracks on the outside corner of the walls in a highly aesthetic way. "It dresses up a room," says Alan Hawkins, millwork associate with the Home Depot in Winnipeg. "It gives a room a touch of class."
Crown moulding comes in different forms — wood, MDF (medium-density fibreboard) and foam. Most DIYs choose the foam variety because of its simplicity.
"Their manufacturedcorners make them simple to put in," Hawkins says. "You cut them to length and that's it. You don't have to cut any miters." – Budget: $60-$75 for simple crown moulding – Tools you'll need: miter saw, sliding bevel, nail gun – Steps: Measure room for the right amount of crown moulding, and buy 10% to 15% extra in case of error. Try and do each straight wall in one continuous length. Measure the distance out from the wall and down from the ceiling. A standard typical crown mould from the ceiling comes down 2 5/8. Put marks on the wall. "This is something that is going to ensure your crown moulding is going to be nice and level all the way around," says Hawkins.
Cut miter at 45-degree angle. Repeat that process on all four walls, from internal corner to external corner so the miter will run in the same direction. Once you have each miter cut, nail gun the crown moulding to the wall.
PAPER YOUR WALLS
Wallpaper is back. Especially grasscloth wallpaper, whether it's made from plant fibres or vinyl printed to imitate the real thing.
"It adds texture to the wall," says Pynn.
But if you're not into the organic look, don't worry. There are no limits to fashionable wallpaper as everything from ornately designed to modern styles is acceptable as long as you commit to all four walls.
"It envelopes you in the pattern," says Pynn. "The room feels finished. Wallpaper functions like paint — it becomes the background to all your furniture. It plays its part in the harmony of the room while only one wallpapered wall is like a solo act." – Budget: $44.98 per roll on average plus supplies – Tools you'll need: Large container, a smoothing brush, a seam roller, trimming knife – Steps: Cut strips to the height of your wall plus four to six inches for overhang. Roll the paste evenly and thoroughly on the back of the paper, beginning from its centre. Fold — without flattening — the top and bottom edges into the middle, pasted sides in and ensure the edges are aligned. This allows the adhesive to penetrate the paper and keeps it wet until needed.
Unfold the top half of the strip and align with the plumb lines and with the ceiling, leaving a couple of inches for trimming. Work out air bubbles or wrinkles with a brush. Wipe off any excess paste with a damp sponge, then continue with the bottom of the strip. After you've put up a few strips, use a trimming knife to crease the ceiling line and the line at the baseboards. Trim the excess paper.
