Renovation consists of both global steps (developing a master plan and budget, purchasing building materials) and inconspicuous but important details. Let's learn a few subtleties that will allow you to become a true home construction professional.
When you drill a wall or ceiling to hang a shelf or a picture, one of the annoying problems is debris. In order not to pollute the apartment, you can put a cut-off plastic bottle or a paper (plastic) cup on the punch or drill. Dust and other construction debris will fall directly into it - this will help keep the room clean. Cut off the top of the bottle and, turning the cork to the base of the drill, put it on the drill. Then, pressing the bottle or cup against the wall, drill a hole - the dust will fall into the container. You can do it even easier by making a pocket out of paper and tape. It should be attached to the wall under the place where you plan to drill.
2. Simply and easily remove old wallpaper
A solution consisting of table vinegar, warm water and fabric softener will help you easily and quickly remove wallpaper from the walls. Its use is much more effective than soaking with plain water. To prepare a composition that will effectively destroy the structure of paper and glue, mix 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar and fabric softener with a liter of water. To apply the solution, use a wide, convenient brush or roller. To remove soaked wallpaper, you will need a spatula. The solution must be applied for 10-15 minutes.
3. Floor screed – selection and installation
To avoid leveling furniture by placing pieces of board or plywood, take care of the floor screed. A good screed will perform several functions - it levels the surface, gives it rigidity, balances the heat absorption of the floor. It is also laid on top of ceilings, to hide pipes and electrical wiring. Take measurements yourself using a laser level - this way you will be sure that the craftsmen will not overestimate the price of materials. Having determined the level of a flat floor, check whether there is an elevation above this boundary. There are several types of screed: dry, wet and semi-dry. In addition to the rule, level and tape measure, to lay the screed, you will need tools for preparing the solution, a galvanized profile (the so-called plaster beacons), a plaster grater and a trowel. It makes sense to lay the screed in a layer of at least 4 cm - then it will be strong enough. A thick layer of screed will be needed in rooms that are subject to increased load (for example, in a garage).
4. Different types of coatings can be combined
If during the repair process, remnants of different types of wallpaper, floor coverings and tiles have accumulated, you can safely combine them and get a spectacular design solution. In order not to make the room too colorful or patchy, use this technology for small rooms or surfaces (for example, for a tiled apron in the kitchen). It is also important to correctly calculate the consumption of materials. For example, to calculate the length of the wallpaper canvas required for pasting a room, the height of the room should be added to the step size of the pattern (indicated on the packaging). Plus add 10 cm for trimming. The area of windows and doors should not be subtracted, on the contrary, it is better to add 10% to the final figure. The consumption of tiles is calculated as follows: the area of the surface that will then be covered with tiles, divide by the area of one tile. Round the resulting number up and add 10% to the consumption.
5. Neat painting using... cling film!
Wrap the paint tubs in cling film or a clean plastic T-shirt before pouring paint into them. You won't need to clean them or buy new ones later. For more accurate painting, it is recommended to put a rubber band on the paint can - so that it crosses the opening of the can across. Thanks to this simple technique, it is very convenient to clean the brush with the rubber band. Brushes can also be wrapped in cling film between painting - this will prevent drying and hardening. In order not to get the door handle dirty during painting, it is better to wrap it in foil (foil holds its shape better than polyethylene on the convex surface of a small element). Door hinges from paint will be protected by applying a thick layer of pharmacy petroleum jelly.