The Home Improvement Thread

[Tenbatsuzen]

Here's my first question:

I'm about to paint the master bedroom, which is beige/off-white with a burgundy focus wall. I know the focus wall has to be primed... (we want to paint the room a very pale green). Does the beige walls need to be primed as well or can I paint right over them?

[underdog]

Miss Tim Allen.

[Don Stugots]

prime the walls. if not, the color of the walls might not come out the way you want.

[Jujubees2]

Priming helps you avoid having to use a second coat. I would prime it. You can ask the paint store to tint the primer with your final color which would really help you avoid having to do a second coat.

And make sure the walls are clean before you paint. I use a TSP powder that doesn't need rinsing.

[Freakshow]

Priming helps you avoid having to use a second coat. I would prime it. You can ask the paint store to tint the primer with your final color which would really help you avoid having to do a second coat.

And make sure the walls are clean before you paint. I use a TSP powder that doesn't need rinsing.

I hear you are having problems with your TSP reports.

[JPMNICK]

prime it

but do NOT skip the 2nd coat, even with the primer. It really make a difference you will be much happier long term spending the extra time and little but of money adding the extra coat of paint.

[~Katja~]

well, I'd say you should paint your bedroom in some sexy colors instead... green is way too calming and will put a damper on your bed room activities ;) just saying...


now if I was to paint this room I would prime the colored wall only and then paint 2 coats on all walls.
if the wall has a lot of imperfections, use a flat finish, it's more forgiving and will look more even.
Is the house fairly new or is it older? you may have to watch out when prepping the walls (spackling holes and stuff) because old paint may be lead based, if not the layer you are working with another layer underneath may be... so you should wear a mask if you have to sand it.

[Tenbatsuzen]

well, I'd say you should paint your bedroom in some sexy colors instead... green is way too calming and will put a damper on your bed room activities ;) just saying...


now if I was to paint this room I would prime the colored wall only and then paint 2 coats on all walls.
if the wall has a lot of imperfections, use a flat finish, it's more forgiving and will look more even.
Is the house fairly new or is it older? you may have to watch out when prepping the walls (spackling holes and stuff) because old paint may be lead based, if not the layer you are working with another layer underneath may be... so you should wear a mask if you have to sand it.

Who knew communist oppression would lead to such sound home advice? Then again, you probably have experience in tearing down walls.

[~Katja~]

Who knew communist oppression would lead to such sound home advice? Then again, you probably have experience in tearing down walls.

we had only 2 channels on TV... so we had to make ourselves useful. I also know how to tile and hang wall paper... dig trenches, refinish garage doors and stain furniture :D

I am Miss Handy without the Man ;)

[drjoek]

we had only 2 channels on TV... so we had to make ourselves useful. I also know how to tile and hang wall paper... dig trenches, refinish garage doors and stain furniture :D

I am Miss Handy without the Man ;)

I ve always wanted to meet a Miss Handy:wub:

[Don Stugots]

we had only 2 channels on TV... so we had to make ourselves useful. I also know how to tile and hang wall paper... dig trenches, refinish garage doors and stain furniture :D

I am Miss Handy without the Man ;)

yet another reason to love her.

[dryerdoor]

I miss Al.

[Aggie]

As the closing date approaches I have tons of stuff to do, including picking out new carpet for the whole house. I have to get popcorn removed from all the ceilings first and then new carpets.

I was going to start with Home Depot and Lowe's and see who had a better selection. Any advice or tips would be appreciated.

[boosterp]

As the closing date approaches I have tons of stuff to do, including picking out new carpet for the whole house. I have to get popcorn removed from all the ceilings first and then new carpets.

I was going to start with Home Depot and Lowe's and see who had a better selection. Any advice or tips would be appreciated.

I went through Lowes when the ex and I were remodeling. I just favor Lowes because their staff here is quite knowledgeable and does not feel like an assembly line. We were quite pleased with the results.

Popcorn on the ceiling?

[Jujubees2]

I miss Lisa and Heidi

[Aggie]

I went through Lowes when the ex and I were remodeling. I just favor Lowes because their staff here is quite knowledgeable and does not feel like an assembly line. We were quite pleased with the results.

Popcorn on the ceiling?

Thanks, I've only ever gone to Home Depot but I keep hearing Lowe's has better staff. As long as the price is the same or cheaper that's OK with me.

Popcorn, like those little dots/texture that are stuck on the ceiling. I think it's also refered to as acoustic ceiling? It just makes it look more dated to me.

[ANC]

Thanks, I've only ever gone to Home Depot but I keep hearing Lowe's has better staff. As long as the price is the same or cheaper that's OK with me.

Popcorn, like those little dots/texture that are stuck on the ceiling. I think it's also refered to as acoustic ceiling? It just makes it look more dated to me.

I have gone to different Home Depots and Lowes and the quality of staff varies given the location of where they are (IMO).

Speaking of carpet. Me and the Mrs. ended up getting from HD because they have a $129 whole house installation fee. We got a decent carpet. I will be ripping it up in a year or so to put down hardwood flooring so I didn't want to splurge on it.

I think you can get the popcorn off with a spray bottle of water letting it soak in for 10 minutes then use a paint scraper.

[boosterp]

Thanks, I've only ever gone to Home Depot but I keep hearing Lowe's has better staff. As long as the price is the same or cheaper that's OK with me.

Popcorn, like those little dots/texture that are stuck on the ceiling. I think it's also refered to as acoustic ceiling? It just makes it look more dated to me.

I have gone to different Home Depots and Lowes and the quality of staff varies given the location of where they are (IMO).

Speaking of carpet. Me and the Mrs. ended up getting from HD because they have a $129 whole house installation fee. We got a decent carpet. I will be ripping it up in a year or so to put down hardwood flooring so I didn't want to splurge on it.

I think you can get the popcorn off with a spray bottle of water letting it soak in for 10 minutes then use a paint scraper.

I would not use water due to the chance of mold here in Texas (humidity). Basically it can be scraped with a metal scraper on a pole. Depending on your DIY abilities it can be retextured.

Speaking of Lowes, both stores price match but I had got a really good deal on installation too.

[ANC]

I would not use water due to the chance of mold here in Texas (humidity). Basically it can be scraped with a metal scraper on a pole. Depending on your DIY abilities it can be retextured.

Speaking of Lowes, both stores price match but I had got a really good deal on installation too.

I hear ya, well not much water just a light spray to soften the texture not so much as to saturate the drywall.

Also I'm reading about this and it says:

" the popcorn was added before 1979, get it tested for asbestos by either wetting down a small area with a sponge and scraping off a little to place in a small bag, or by having a professional come out and test it."

[boosterp]

I hear ya, well not much water just a light spray to soften the texture not so much as to saturate the drywall.

Also I'm reading about this and it says:

" the popcorn was added before 1979, get it tested for asbestos by either wetting down a small area with a sponge and scraping off a little to place in a small bag, or by having a professional come out and test it."

If they do use water they would have to allow 24 hrs for it to dry then prime it with Killz paint. As for the asbestos thing, that's interesting and in my years of home improvement I never gave it any thought. Instead of paying for testing I would just wear a simple face mask.

[ANC]

If they do use water they would have to allow 24 hrs for it to dry then prime it with Killz paint. As for the asbestos thing, that's interesting and in my years of home improvement I never gave it any thought. Instead of paying for testing I would just wear a simple face mask.

yeah I guess the water might make it easier to remove it, but will cost you time by having to allow for dry time. yeah I wouldn't have thought to check that for asbestos either.

[Aggie]

Thanks, guys! I am in the process of getting a quote for the popcorn removal. We have too many other projects we are going to try and do ourselves so I hope to be able to pay professionals to do this one since it's so messy and several steps involved. Plus it will hold up getting the carpet installed if we take too long. THe house was built in 1983 though so asbestos should not be an issue thank goodness.

I guess I just need to go get samples at both places and see if they have the same installation fee. I was just wondering if people had good/bad experiences with their customer service. Then I could rule out one of the stores right away.

[topless_mike]

just a note.
dont test it for asbestos. if you do, then i think, when you resell, you have to state that it is asbestos. if it is asbestos, you cannot simply remove it. the epa has to come lock down your house and the spaceman suits have to come out, etc. well over 10k when its done.

asbestos is only dangerous once you start sucking the powder into your lungs. if its not powder, then you are fine.

how big is the room? might just be worth it to pull down and re-sheetrock the ceiling if its bothering you, at which point you can put in your recessed lighting.

[topless_mike]

THe house was built in 1983 though so asbestos should not be an issue thank goodness.

then you have nothing to worry about.

[boosterp]

Thanks, guys! I am in the process of getting a quote for the popcorn removal. We have too many other projects we are going to try and do ourselves so I hope to be able to pay professionals to do this one since it's so messy and several steps involved. Plus it will hold up getting the carpet installed if we take too long. THe house was built in 1983 though so asbestos should not be an issue thank goodness.

I guess I just need to go get samples at both places and see if they have the same installation fee. I was just wondering if people had good/bad experiences with their customer service. Then I could rule out one of the stores right away.

Home Depot has done several things here to piss me off. Most recent was when our local volunteer fire department was working 18 on and 6 off during the past hurricane and Home Depot would not let them in to buy generators yet let the police department walk in and have their pick.

Prior, I bought a nice expensive Troy Built lawnmower and all though they waranty it, I had to take it cross town myself to get it serviced because of a warrantied issue.

[SouthSideJohnny]

I have to get popcorn removed from all the ceilings first

This is definitely worth the expense. We modernized our house last year with new paint, floors, and appliances. My wife and I debated whether to spend the extra money to have the popcorn stripped and then have the ceilings retextured with knock down and painted. We decided to do it, and we are really happy with the results. It's a pain in the ass job and messy, so it was worth it for us to pay the painting crew to do it. My only complaint is that they didn't remove the a/c vents and light fixtures before doing the work. If you're having someone do it, check to see if they remove light fixtures, fans, etc. . . If not, remove them yourself beforehand.

Re the Home Depot vs. Lowes debate, I generally prefer Home Depot but we had them install my office carpeting, and the installation crew was shit. They didn't show up on time and they screwed up the seam in the main hall and apparently used slightly different carpets. It wasn't noticable to us at the time, but after a few years' fading, it looks like shit and you can see that the two carpets are slightly different. I think they sub out the installation work, but the crew we had sucked.

[Dan 'Hampton]

Heads up on popcorn ceiling. spray it down with water when it's soft scrape it off. Easy job, save you some money.

[Aggie]

HA! You guys are not helping! Some of you say it's easy, do it yourself. Others, it's a hard job and worth the expense.

This is the exact conversation me and the mister are having. I want to pay for it. We have too many other things on our list to do. It's 2000 sf of popcorn. I don't think that's worth doing ourselves.

[boosterp]

HA! You guys are not helping! Some of you say it's easy, do it yourself. Others, it's a hard job and worth the expense.

This is the exact conversation me and the mister are having. I want to pay for it. We have too many other things on our list to do. It's 2000 sf of popcorn. I don't think that's worth doing ourselves.

It is easy. You need 2 6" metal scrapers, two poles, dust mask if so inclined, safety glasses, and a shop vac.

Hold the scraper at a 45 - 60 degree angle against the ceiling, just enough force (experiment) and push the scraper along the ceiling. Shit just flies off. Ask someone at Lowes to show you the retexturing equipment (takes 15 minutes to learn) and have fun. Have a few drinks, laugh at each other, play a bit, nd it will be ready to paint by the next day. All can be done over a weekend.

[Tazz]

http://tazz1376.homestead.com/files/Dining_Room.jpg

The view of my dining room from my kitchen after Sunday.

[WRESTLINGFAN]

My 1st project after I closed was to fix the kitchen, I put new flooring in, Got all stainless steel appliances. Im loving the bottom mount freezer and the microwave over the range

Now's the bathroom. The wall paper is being ripped off and a nice coat of paint will replace that. I got one of those vessel sinks to give it a modern look. I might splurge and go for shower doors

Hopefully in January I can rip up the carpeting and put down flooring for the living room/dining area

[ScottFromGA]

awww...i was hoping this was the thread about the show.


More Power!! ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-ar....

[IamFogHat]

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[Jujubees2]

awww...i was hoping this was the thread about the show.


More Power!! ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-ar....

Wilson fan since day 1

http://www.exhibitoronline.com/exhibitormagazine/images/november_2004/mediaevent/wilson_small.jpg

[topless_mike]

i MAY place my order for a trinity nti furnace this week.
to have it installed is gonna cost me 10 large. could be an extremely wise investment both short and long term.

[topless_mike]

i MAY place my order for a trinity nti furnace this week.
to have it installed is gonna cost me 10 large. could be an extremely wise investment both short and long term.

faggot.

i decided against it. went with a same model burner and little bit bigger hwh.

[vamessenger]

well, I'd say you should paint your bedroom in some sexy colors instead... green is way too calming and will put a damper on your bed room activities ;) just saying...


now if I was to paint this room I would prime the colored wall only and then paint 2 coats on all walls.
if the wall has a lot of imperfections, use a flat finish, it's more forgiving and will look more even.
Is the house fairly new or is it older? you may have to watch out when prepping the walls (spackling holes and stuff) because old paint may be lead based, if not the layer you are working with another layer underneath may be... so you should wear a mask if you have to sand it.

racist

[Aggie]

update: we got the popcorn removed professionally and it was worth every penny! they also quoted us for a bunch of painting and we had them do that as well. they were a great company and we were very happy.

now we're doing general maintence stuff like getting our trees trimmed back from the roof and getting shingles repaired. we did just have to have a leak fixed that was UNDER our concrete slab so they had to jackhammer in my guest room. good times being a home owner. at least the leak wasn't IN the house so there was no water damage.

[topless_mike]

getting our trees trimmed

"manscaping"

[FrogSlayer]

update: we got the popcorn removed professionally and it was worth every penny! they also quoted us for a bunch of painting and we had them do that as well. they were a great company and we were very happy.

now we're doing general maintence stuff like getting our trees trimmed back from the roof and getting shingles repaired. we did just have to have a leak fixed that was UNDER our concrete slab so they had to jackhammer in my guest room. good times being a home owner. at least the leak wasn't IN the house so there was no water damage.

If you had a leak under your slab you should inspect the rest of the plumbing as well. Most notable is the flexible supply lines that supply your toilets, faucets, and washer supply lines. If these are old or show any signs of fatique, REPLACE them.
My Bro in law just had a washing machine supply line burst while out of town to find that the entire house flooded.. new flooring and drywall for starters.

[Aggie]

If you had a leak under your slab you should inspect the rest of the plumbing as well. Most notable is the flexible supply lines that supply your toilets, faucets, and washer supply lines. If these are old or show any signs of fatique, REPLACE them.
My Bro in law just had a washing machine supply line burst while out of town to find that the entire house flooded.. new flooring and drywall for starters.

thanks for the advice. this is our first home and it was built in the early 80's. we're learning as we go.

[boosterp]

If you had a leak under your slab you should inspect the rest of the plumbing as well. Most notable is the flexible supply lines that supply your toilets, faucets, and washer supply lines. If these are old or show any signs of fatique, REPLACE them.
My Bro in law just had a washing machine supply line burst while out of town to find that the entire house flooded.. new flooring and drywall for starters.

I could not quote you enough. We had the supply line to the toilette burst while at work to come home to a nicely flooded home and a lot of repair work.

Edit: Stainless braided lines FTW.

[Freitag]

update: we got the popcorn removed professionally and it was worth every penny! they also quoted us for a bunch of painting and we had them do that as well. they were a great company and we were very happy.



I'm thinking about getting the popcorn removed too... only problem is, we have some big-ass high angle ceilings.

My next big project is getting the landscaping around the house reduced from "high maintenance" to "low maintenance".

[Aggie]

I'm thinking about getting the popcorn removed too... only problem is, we have some big-ass high angle ceilings.

My next big project is getting the landscaping around the house reduced from "high maintenance" to "low maintenance".

it was well worth it to me. it really 'updates' the feel of the house.

our next big project is getting the huge, old above ground pool out of our backyard.

[topless_mike]

My next big project is getting the landscaping around the house reduced from "high maintenance" to "low maintenance".

can be done 2 ways.
trim it back and swap out, or, pull it all out now as it is dying and start from scratch next spring. i like the 2nd idea because you can put in what you want where you want.

landscaping is fun. at least i think it is.

[topless_mike]

our next big project is getting the huge, old above ground pool out of our backyard.

above grounds are easy.

drain pool
unscrew top rails.
remove panels.

aside from the draining, should take 2 hours. tops.
you'll probably have a sand pit underneath, which i would dig out what you can, then sod over it.

[boosterp]

above grounds are easy.

drain pool
unscrew top rails.
remove panels.

aside from the draining, should take 2 hours. tops.
you'll probably have a sand pit underneath, which i would dig out what you can, then sod over it.

You forgot to add it requires several beers otherwise I agree. Or make it a garden.

[FrogSlayer]

most above ground pools have a fair amount of scrap value with aluminum posts and steel sheet metal.

[topless_mike]

You forgot to add it requires several beers otherwise I agree. Or make it a garden.

the more you drink, the faster the tear down is.
:drunk:

[boosterp]

the more you drink, the faster the tear down is.
:drunk:

And there can be hot naked shower sex after you are done.