Painting Surfaces & Techniques

Vintage furniture typically refers to pieces that are at least 20 years old. Old furniture is often structurally sound but desperately in need of a makeover. You don't need to discard and replace old…

Polycell SmoothOver is designed to cover rough, textured surfaces, such as brick or damaged drywall. The SmoothOver works into the textured areas to fill the gaps and dries hard, giving the wall a…

Paintable wallpaper offers you the ultimate in versatility, affording the opportunity to drastically change the style, look and color of any room, not just once but multiple times. Although you can…

A faux column is a column that has no structural function. Usually the purpose of a faux column is decorative, or to hide an imperfection in a wall. This project may be be constructed from plywood.…

Luxurious leather walls may be beyond your budget, but a faux paint treatment gives you the leather look for a bargain. With just a little more work than the average paint job, paint your walls with…

Wood rot is a sign of weather damage. This type of rot can occur on any outdoor siding, especially areas of your home that experience frequent exposure to moisture. Dormers are the high, peaked areas…

Laminate backsplashes are often installed along with laminate countertops in a kitchen. The backsplash is typically glued directly to the wall with a laminate or construction adhesive. In some cases,…

Paintable wallpaper with raised patterns is available to give walls a tin-like look for a fraction of the cost of real tin. This wallpaper is strong because it is designed to hold the weight of the…

Stripes on the wall can be an attractive and engaging effect that contributes to the overall style and interior design. When you use glossy paint on walls, the paint will capture and reflect light,…

Replace your ugly, outdated tile without having to even take it off the wall. For a fraction of the cost, effort and time it would take to replace them, paint tiles with a faux finish. A faux paint…

Textured walls aren't to everybody's taste. If you're planning to smooth the surfaces of bumpy walls, it's important to use the right method and tools for the job. Going about things the wrong way…

Stucco lends the exterior surface of your home an Old World appearance that adds both depth and ambiance. Although the best time to apply new stucco is during the final step in new construction, you…

When creating a warm, inviting look for a room, few architectural features top a fireplace. However, while a fireplace is certainly an asset in a home, decorating around one can be a challenge. In…

Hanging new wallpaper gives any room an instant facelift. If the existing paint on your walls is dark, however, you may have to repaint the walls a lighter shade to keep the dark color from showing…

Siding can make or break the appearance of a home. Aluminum siding was the top choice for decades, but it has been eclipsed by vinyl siding, largely because of its low-maintenance reputation. Both…

Wooden furniture lasts many years if maintained properly. Breathe new life into an old piece of furniture to save on a costly replacement. Paint the sofa or chair and reupholster it with fresh fabric…

Cypress is a softwood conifer that acts more like a hardwood when it comes to durability. Unlike most conifers, the cypress tree sheds its leaves in the fall. However, the oils in the heartwood of the…

Knockdown texture adds dimension to flat walls, and it helps disguise surface imperfections. It resembles stucco, which makes knockdown walls appropriate for many architectural styles. Unlike popcorn…

Fiberglass reinforced plastic, commonly shortened to FRP, is commonly used in bathrooms and other areas with frequent moisture. The plastic is water-resistant and easy to clean, and the fiberglass…

Many new homes on the market today have textured ceilings, and some also have textured walls. The reason for this is twofold. First, drywall texture adds a design element that you can manipulate to…

No matter how well you’ve take care of your wicker furniture, it was bound to happen: the paint has flaked and chipped, especially if you live in a dry climate that draws moisture from products…

Paint may give wood a clean finish and offers some protection against damage, but it's not hard enough to withstand scratching and dents. Applying a clear top coat over the paint protects against…

Standard floor registers and heater grilles are made of steel and painted, usually available in white, black and an array of neutral tones. But in climates with high humidity, rust begins when the…

Until 2004, much of the pressure-treated lumber in playground equipment, decks, telephone poles and fence posts used copper chromated arsenate (CCA) to protect against decay and insect damage. But…

Every time period has its own signature home decor and styles. The 1940s and 50s marked a housing boom, with post World War II construction adding colorful ranches and colonial revivals to the…

New wallpaper will change the atmosphere and decorative theme of a room. Papering over an open doorway may be a bit of a challenge. When you measure the room, include the opening as if it were a…

You can build walls out of stones, bricks or concrete blocks to serve as anything from a decorative garden addition to a means of holding up hillsides against erosion. These materials are often…

Western red cedar pickets, typically used for fences, come in several standard lengths and varying top patterns including diamond, acorn and Gothic cuts. The soft, red-brown wood splinters easily,…

When you enjoy photography, taking pictures can be just the beginning of this hobby. With photo editing software and a basic knowledge of your program, you have a variety of options for creating…

Your picnic table is the centerpiece of backyard barbecues and outdoor parties. Families and friends gather at the picnic table to share delicious food and enjoyable conversation. After years of use,…

Esther Williams, a competitive swimming champion, turned actress, loaned her name to a line of above-ground pools. Esther Williams pools have extruded aluminum walls and vinyl liners. Exposed to…

Paint rollers give you an attractive, streaked result when you use them to texture your walls. You need to mix the mud to a consistency thicker than house paint, though, or you will achieve a thin,…

Turning a doorway in a finished wall to an arch instantly transforms the interior of your home, without requiring major building work. Building an arch in an existing door space makes the opening…

As one of the most abundant and affordable wood types, you’ll find pine in nearly every new home and in many existing homes. Used for framing walls, floors and rafters, pine is relatively…

Danish furniture fits well into modern, contemporary and mid-century decor, but it may be too expensive for your budget. You can remedy this by applying a veneer over your plywood or MDF furniture…

Both wood and brass banisters can develop a dark patina over time, making them dull and dirty looking. If you have a wood banister, the finish may be completely removed by having been exposed to…

A matte finish on lacquered wood or other material is a surface that appears dull because it absorbs light. When applied correctly, a matte finish creates a lack of glare on a surface, which is easy…

Vinyl composition tile is a durable, glossy flooring that looks best when it's regularly maintained. Over time, the finish can trap grime that doesn't lift up when it's cleaned. If your old VCT floor…

Tongue and groove bead board planking, or wainscoting, is a good way to finish walls, as well as give them extra protection from furniture that may bump against them. While you can install board…

Knockdown texture is a popular option for walls because it is easy to apply and, due to the nature of the plastering technique, covers up imperfections and unevenness in drywall. Creating this type of…

A popular way to punch up plain wood cabinets is to apply stain and gloss. Stain brings out the grain of the wood, and a gloss coat protects it. If you're tired of the traditional look of your…

Textured walls and ceilings provide more visual interest than plain flat walls. The texture also masks any small imperfections in the drywall installation. A stomped or crow's foot texture requires…

Specialized, customizable lawn features allow home gardeners to step into a more advanced field of gardening, with greater aesthetic possibilities. Features for advanced lawn and garden design include…

Wood putty works best if it is able to bond directly with the wood. If you attempt to fill in cracks, scratches and dents on painted cedar shakes before stripping away the paint, the putty may not…

Arm and Hammer does not make a specialized oven-cleaner product, but it is possible to use baking soda to clean stains and everyday dirt on kitchen appliances and painted oven surfaces. With…

You need to sheath the exterior faces of walls made with insulated concrete forms, or ICF, with sheets of oriented strand board if the polystyrene foam ICF formwork blocks are not weather-resistant.…

Metal roofs were popular choices in the 1800s in the United States until they were largely replaced by asphalt shingles just before the 20th century. These days, homeowners sometimes opt for metal…

Lacquer paint is extremely shiny and makes whatever you are painting look sleek and smooth. However, lacquer is not meant to be applied over walls. To get a lacquer paint finish on walls, apply latex…

Stencils can deliver an authentic-looking spider-web effect to a wall. One wall in the bedroom of a Spiderman- or spider-loving child painted with the stencil design makes for an eye-catching backdrop…

If painting your house is not one of your favorite chores, it can be tempting to try to cut corners. You may have wondered if priming is really worth the added expense, time and effort. Before you…