When making decisions about your home decor you should be aware of the affects that colors can have on your mood when they are used on your furniture, floors, and walls.

Yellow-Red-Orange
Yellow seems to capture the joy of the sun and can communicate happiness. Yellow is a perfect color to use in dining rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. Yellow is a happy color and is uplifting and energizing. Using yell in small spaces like halls and entries can make the space fell welcoming and expansive.

Red has been known to speed respiration and heart rate and to raise blood pressure. It is normally not used in bedrooms because it is too stimulating, but if you will only see the room after dark when it lit by lamplight, the color will be muted. This can make the room look rich and elegant. Crimson can cause some people to feel very irritable. If you really like red, but it bothers your mate, try using it with small touches in upholstery fabrics and accessories.

Orange is much like red and is very stimulating. Orange used in its pure form may be rather difficult to live with. Using variations of orange like shrimp, coral, peach, salmon, and terra cotta are often more pleasing variations. Peach will give a nurturing and restful feeling in a bedroom and will flatter skin tones when used in a bathroom. Using shades of orange in a family room or a living room will bring energy and warmth to the space. Using orange in a kitchen that faces west however, can make the room feel unpleasantly hot.

Blue-Purple-Green
Blue is known to lower the blood pressure and will slow the heart rate and respiration. Since the color blue is considered to be relaxing, serene, and calming it is often used in bathrooms and bedrooms. Be careful when choosing your color though. A soft pastel blue may look lovely on a paint chip but when it’s used on the walls and furnishings it can look unpleasantly chilly, particularly if the room gets natural light.

If you choose to use light blue as the main color in a room, be sure to use warm hues in fabrics and furnishings to balance the room. Using warmer blues such as periwinkle or bright blues like turquoise or cerulean are perfect for use in rooms where people gather because they are very relaxing.

Purple used in its darkest shade, like eggplant, offer a rich, sophisticated and dramatic look to a room. It is often associated with creativity and luxury. When used as an accent or secondary color it gives a room wonderful depth. The lighter shades of purple, like lilac and lavender, will give a bedroom the same soothing quality that blue offers without the risk of creating a chilly feeling.

Green is considered to be the most restful color to the eye. When the refreshing quality of blue is combined with the yellow, green is appropriate for any room in a home. Using sage green or a medium green in a kitchen will cool the room and when used in a living room or family room will encourage relaxation. It is great for a bedroom because it promotes togetherness and comfort while being relaxing and pleasant.

Neutrals
The neutrals, black, white, gray, and brown, are basics in any decorators tool kit. While all neutral schemes will fall in and out of fashion, their true virtue lies in their flexibility. You can add color to liven a room up and take it away to calm it down again. Black is best to use as an accent in very small doses. Many experts agree that every room should include a touch of black to ground the scheme and provides depth.

Leon Tuberman has almost 20 years working in the interior decorating and home furnishings business. he owns and operates a popular furniture store in Los Angeles. They carry a huge selection of Mission, Traditional and Amish living room,  dining room and oak bedroom furniture for your home. His store offers a line of furniture that not only looks great, but is built using Old World craftsmanship. Whether your trying to find solid wood bookcases or American made solid oak dinging tables, they carry the largest selection at prices that won’t break the bank.

If you were a small child growing up in the 70’s I am sure you remember watching the “Jetson’s” on TV and thinking how cool it was to see Judy Jetson talk to her husband, George on a TV monitor while both of them were in different rooms of their space-aged home. Well hang on to your seat because the “Jetson’s” way of life is no longer just a figment of someone’s creative imagination. That once “spaced-aged” technology is here and is quickly gaining popularity all over the world.

Let’s face it, most of us live a fast-paced, hectic lifestyle where time is a precious commodity and anything that can save us time we welcome with open arms. Home Automation is designed to do exactly that. It gives you the ability to integrate and activate household electronic components such as interior and exterior lighting, a security system, whole house audio and video, irrigation systems, thermostats, appliances, and CCTV (just to name a few) all from a touch of a button.

Imagine waking up in the morning and from the moment your alarm goes off, lights automatically come on, the shades automatically adjust to the position of the sun outside, the coffeepot begins brewing downstairs, and your favorite jazz CD starts to play softly in your bathroom. All of this before your feet even touch the floor.

Now you are ready to leave for work, you simply push a button that has been pre-programmed as “away” and your security system arms itself, the lights and audio system turn off, the thermostat adjusts to “energy-saving” mode and your irrigation system is set to water the lawn at 4pm.

Welcome to the world of home automation.

For added peace of mind, most home automation systems will allow you to access, change, and monitor your system from your telephone and the Web. Through special programming, you can elect to receive alerts from your telephone or through email informing you if the alarm has gone off, or the irrigation system failed to turn on, or when your children have arrived home from school. So if you have never considered home automation options for your home before, maybe now is the time.

From a security stand point and in a world where crime, burglary, and home invasions exists and will continue to exist, to have a home look “lived in” even when you are not at home, is priceless to say the least if it means protecting your number one asset – your home and your family – from such acts of violence.

With gas prices at an all time high with little to no relief in sight, more and more homeowners are looking for ways to save money on their bills to compensate for the pain they feel at the pump. Home automation systems with motorized shading solutions that adjust automatically based upon the position of the sun outside can help to conserve energy and as a result, helps reduce the amount of time your air conditioner turns on and stays on. This feature alone can translate into significant savings on your utility bills.

As our insatiable appetite for the latest, sleekest, and greatest technologies continues to grow, so too does the demand for people who install and maintain them. With so many system and/or product options to consider when selecting a home automation system, a certified electronic systems contractor (ESC) or more commonly, an electronic systems integrator, can make the time-consuming process of product selection and system evaluation a whole lot easier for you.

So where exactly do you find an “ESC” in your area? The best place to start would be to consult CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association). Founded in 1989, this international trade association is made up of more than 3,500 members worldwide that specialize in the design and installation of integrated electronic systems for the home. CEDIA members are established businesses, possess credible qualifications, proven experience, and are insured.

Aside from the countless conveniences and time-saving benefits that come from a professionally installed home automation system, it’s also an investment in your home and can substantially increase the value of your home as a result.

Curt Rothenberg is Founder of Accent Electronic Systems Integrators, a low voltage electronic systems contractor located in southwest Florida that offers home automation systems, custom theatres, audio, video, security, CCTV, wireless networks and lighting control solutions for both residential and commercial applications. For more information on Home Automation solutions please visit http://www.accentesi.com

This article may be copied or reprinted provided no changes are made to it’s content and the complete author box is included.

Most pole barn kits utilize the simple construction technique of post and beam construction, which anyone can do on their own with a little basic carpentry experience. Don’t have the expertise? Then hire a carpenter by the hour to help you plan and build your project. Simple pole building projects can be constructed over a weekend if you have pre-arranged all of your basic building materials and have several friends or family members available to help you with the heavy lifting. There are 3 basic steps to constructing your own pole barn:

STEP 1 – POLE BARNS PLANNING. You’ll need to decide how big your pole building will need to be, and then adjust your overall measurements slightly to be a multiple of standard building material supply lengths. This design tip alone will save you hundreds of saw cuts and carpentry time. You’ll also need to decide if your pole barn will require concrete slab foundation inside, or if a dirt floor is all you need. If you plan to construct your own pole barn we highly recommend you spend the $10 to purchase a decent pole barn plan – this will save you many headaches and dramatically speed up your construction time.

STEP 2 – POLE BUILDING SUPPLIES. All of the necessary supplies for a basic pole barn can be sourced from your local building supply store. You’ll need some concrete mix for the post footings, and more if you decide to pour a concrete floor slab. You’ll also need treated posts, your preferred siding material, 2 x 4′s, nails, fasteners, and your preferred roofing material. To speed things up you can pre-order roof trusses, or buy gusset fasteners to build your own.

STEP 3 – RAISING THE BARN! Once the concrete has set in the footings you are ready to begin framing the post skeleton of your building plan. This is a very simple process that is simply repeated until all the post framing is completed. Once the frame is in place you can attach the outer siding to the frame. From there you can move to the roofing truss installation, roof framing and roof finishing. Popular choices for both siding and roofing are metal because its light, durable, cheap, and won’t rot or rust over its lifetime.

There you have it! Within a weekend you can construct and raise your very own pole barn. For those of you that might need a little more direction or help we strongly suggest you follow a plan for building pole barns, or even consider ordering a pre-cut pole barn kit.

S.A. Smith is a freelance writer, contributor, and editor of the Pole Barns Kits information portal which reports on the latest pole building construction news and developments in the wood and metal storage building industry.

Anyone who has spent money on tightening up an existing home or spent extra for energy upgrades for a new home will be irritated by the concept of mechanical ventilation. Understandably it doesn’t make sense to make a home more airtight then add a way for more outdoor air to come in, but having your home ventilate properly is critical. Why?

Indoor Air Quality- Indoor Air Quality or IAQ has become a buzzword in the HVAC industry. Sometimes buzzwords come about from marketing or misinformation but here there is a legitimate need, as homes are tightening up pollutants are trapped in the home. Older homes are ventilated naturally, but at the cost of comfort and efficiency. Indoor air starts as outdoor air and becomes “dirtier” from pollutants in the home, ventilation removes dirty air and dilutes the existing air.

Common sources.

Excess moisture. High humidity can lead to condensation which can lead to mold.
Chemicals. Paint thinners, cleaning products, insecticides such.

Building Products. Most newer products contain chemicals from their production like glues or formaldehydes.

Pets. Dirt dust and dander

Smoke. Candles smoking or even deep frying let off contaminates that hinder breathing.

Energy Savings- The issue is air is coming in whether you want it to or not, any home exhausts a certain amount of air through bath fans, kitchen exhaust hoods, water heaters, older furnaces or one pipe furnaces, stack effect from leaky can lights, hvac boots, attic hatches or clothes dryers. All the air that leaves will be replaced through cracks, outlet boxes, open doors, or far worse a back drafting water heater flue. Since that air is coming in our goal should be to control it. Mechanical ventilation allows us to bring it into the duct system where it will be conditioned and filtered before coming into the living area. Some types of equipment have heat exchangers that pull the heat out of air before it is exhausted.

Comfort. By controlling where the air come in we reduce drafts and cold spots.

Safety. We know how as our homes vent or exhaust air the air needs to be replaced, this is called negative pressure. The safety concern comes when a home has a fire place or b-vent water heater that begins back drafting from the negative pressure. If air is being introduced through the b-vent when the water heater fires the exhaust gases will spill from the draft diverter allowing co2 into the house. mechanical ventilation reduces this condition. Regardless of your situation you must have co2 detectors in your home.

Basic types of ventilation

Exhaust ventilation- Removes the contaminant at it’s source, like a bath fan or kitchen exhaust hood. While this qualifies as mechanical ventilation it is hardly optimal. Exhaust only leads to unbalanced pressures, drafts and potentially unsafe backdrafting.

Supply Ventilation- Provides a means of introducing fresh air into the home to replace exhausted air and help with dilution of home contaminants. Traditionally a duct is ran from the cold air return of your HVAC system to the outside metered by a barometric damper or an electronic damper that opens and closes based on preset conditions. Of the two I prefer the electronic version. By bringing the air through the return we can condition and filter the air before it is introduced into the living area. Coupled with quality bath and kitchen exhaust fans this setup is effective and should be your minimum standard.

HRV/ERV- Stands for heat recovery ventilator and energy recovery ventilator. An HRV/ERV is a balanced exhaust system that runs the exhaust and intake air through a heat exchanger, pulling the heat out of our conditioned air before we send it outside. An ERV is the same setup that also pulls out humidity making it a great fit for hot humid areas. HRV’s can be installed stand alone or tied into the duct system. Based on conditions set by your installer the unit will exhaust and replace the same volume of air with reduced heating/cooling load due to the heat exchanger. Another fantastic idea that I saw involves a remote mounted bath fan that pulls air from several bathrooms that ties into the ERV. Instead of sending that warm steamy air outside it is ran through the ERV.

Below is a generic diagram of a typical ERV.

Aaron@onhomecomfort.com

http://www.onhomecomfort.com

Whoever says you can’t “kill two birds with one stone” when becoming more energy efficient is absolutely wrong! There are ways to cut down on your home’s energy expenses while adding beautiful landscapes to the yard and, in turn, likely increasing your home’s value.

A well designed landscape will:

* Cut your summer and winter energy costs dramatically

* Protect your home from winter wind and summer sun

* Reduce consumption of water, pesticides, and fuel for landscaping and lawn maintenance

* Help control noise and air pollution

By planting trees in optimal locations, you can save up to 25% of your home’s energy consumption for heating and cooling, which ends up being anywhere from $100 to $250 annually. In less than 8 years, you will have likely earned back whatever price you put into landscaping the lawn to begin with. And, as stated above, you are realistically raising the value of your home in the process.

“Shading and evapotranspiration (the process by which a plant actively moves and releases water vapor) from trees can reduce surrounding air temperature as much as 9 degrees Fahrenheit.” In addition, the temperature directly underneath the tree may be reduced by as much as 25 degrees Fahrenheit. As well as all of that, the cost of summer air condition bills can be decreased by as much as 15% to 50% with the aid of properly located landscaping.

Depending on what part of the United States you are located in, wind chill factor may be an issue during the winter. As you know, this can drastically drop the temperature by numerous degrees. By adding trees and fences as a windbreak, you can shield your home from the biting wind. When the freezing cold wind hits the walls and windows of your house, it decreases the temperature inside, causing more heat to be needed to offset this temperature reduction. With these landscape additions, you can counteract the negative results of this cold air and prevent having to run the heater as high or as often.

Landscaping Strategies by Region

* Temperature

o Maximize warming effects of the sun in the winter

o Maximize shade during the summer

o Deflect winter winds away from buildings

o Funnel summer breezes toward the home

* Hot-Arid

o Provide shade to cool roofs, walls and windows

o Allow summer winds to access naturally cooled homes

o Block or deflect winds away from air conditioned homes

* Hot-Humid

o Channel summer breezes toward the home

o Maximize summer shade with trees that still allow penetration of low angle winter sun

o Avoid locating planting beds close to the home if they require frequent watering

* Cool

o Use dense windbreaks to protect the home from cold winter winds

o Allow the winter sun to reach south facing windows

o Shade south and west windows and walls from the direct summer sun, if summer overheating is a problem

David Tanguay is dedicated to providing research, reviews & helpful information to consumers and businesses. For more information related to Green Energy and Biofuels please visit http://greenenergyonline.org

Green roof systems seem very complicated, don’t they? You might be wondering how they get installed, or where they can be used. Then again, what plants actually grow on a roof? And what is all the fuss about?

The nuts and bolts is that green roofs are very good for the environment. Because plant material is the top roof layer, instead of typical roofing material, many positive situations are created. Here are some of them:

Roof water is absorbed by the plants which serve as wonderful water collectors. This is great for storm water management. Instead of the water becoming a problem as to where it will drain to, much of it goes directly to the plant roots where it is utilized. The little that does drain away does so slowly. Less water runoff means less erosion and less pollution. The plants absorb and temporarily retain roof heat, releasing it into the atmosphere as temperatures cool. This keeps the inside of buildings and homes cooler, reducing air conditioning needs and costs.

Green roofs extend the life of the roof. There is less debris damage. There is also less roof expansion and contraction from temperature changes. Some roofs with green roof construction can last 50 years.

These eco-roofs create new wildlife habitats. Yes, birds will appear there!

Germany has been using green roofs for over 35 years, and now some U.S. cities are promoting green roofs.

Green roofs are created in layers. Different applications require various green roof construction. Some are more light weight, while others are more of a mid weight. In addition, there are actual roof tops with more intricate construction able to support trees. Typically though, the layers of a green roof system would contain plants, growing medium, filter fabric, drain, insulation, root barrier, and a waterproof membrane. As mentioned this can be different for different situations.

Green roofs generally do not need irrigation. If some is needed, however, the water should be delivered directly to the roots. Both flat roofs and those that are sloped can accommodate green roof systems. There is a maximum slope for pitched roofs.

The appearance of green roof tops for residential applications and also for commercial greatly improves the aesthetics of our landscapes. As I looked out my upper floor window the other day, I couldn’t help thinking how nice it would be to look at plants and greenery instead. Likewise, in urban areas, the upper view streetscapes would be unbelievably improved.

Susan Schlenger is a Landscape Designer with a degree in Landscape Architecture. Please visit her website to learn more about Green Roof Systems and additional Landscaping Ideas.

Geothermal Heat Pumps or GHPs can use 30-60% less energy than conventional HVAC systems, Geothermal systems are also quieter and require less maintenance. Geothermal Heat Pumps are not limited to heating, they can also be use for cooling and in some cases they can even be used as water heaters.

While we have been using Geothermal heat pumps since the late 1940s, according to the Climate Institute, “geothermal heating” has been used since the time of the Roman Empire as a way of heating buildings and spas by using sources of hot water and steam that exist near the Earth’s surface.

How Do Geothermal Heat Pumps Work?

While the temperature can vary widely from season to season, just a few feet below the earth’s surface the ground maintains a relatively constant temperature. This ground temperature can range from 45°F (7°C) to 75°F (21°C) depending on geographical location. A GHP uses this stable ground temperature to heat, cool, and when properly equipped, supply the house with hot water through a ground heat exchanger. Using the consistent temperature of ht earth as a heat exchange, instate of outside air with its variable conditions allows GHPS to reach fairly high efficiencies on the coldest nights.

Geothermal Systems vs. Air-Source Systems

While efficiencies vary by model, conditions and geographic location consider the following. According to the US Department of Energy (DOE):

* Geothermal Systems can reach 300%-600% efficiency “on the coldest of winter nights”
* Air-Source Systems can reach 175%-250% efficiency “on cool days”

The improvement in energy efficiency offered by GHPs can reduce energy costs by 30-50% in comparison to traditional HVAC systems.

In the United States, the DOE estimates about 40,000 geothermal heat pumps are installed each year. While this may seem like a large volume, it is only a drop in the bucket when your consider two-thirds of all homes in the United States are equipped with air conditioning.

Why Isn’t Everyone Using a Geothermal Heat Pump?

When compared to traditional HVAC systems, Geothermal Heat Pumps “can be several times that of an air-source system of the same heating and cooling capacity” states the DOE. How expensive are they? According to Michael Bluejay, “In 2006 a geo system cost about $2500 per ton of capacity to install. A 3-ton geo system at $7500 compares with $4000 for a traditional system, for a $3500 up-front premium for the geo system.

Thanks to the energy efficiency of Geothermal Heat Pumps, this expense is returned to you in savings in as a little of 5-10 years. With an expected system lifespan of 25 years for components, and 50+ years for the ground loop, a Geothermal Heat Pump can provide energy savings for many years. By reducing your electricity consumption you reduce your carbon footprint. Do your part to fight global warming, by using energy efficient technologies like GHPs to reduce your electricity usage.

Sam Greyhawk is an environmental evangelist working with Cool-N-Save(tm), an Energy Star Partner, to spread the message of reduce, reduce and recycle.

While GHPs are more energy efficient then HVACs, they can be expensive. If you have an existing air conditioner and want to reduce your electricity usage using energy efficiency then consider the Cool-N-Save(tm). Installed in ten minutes with no tools required, the Cool-N-Save(tm) is an energy efficiency add-on for your existing air conditioner. The Cool-N-Save(tm) has been scientifically proved by Tulane University to improve air conditioner efficiency up to 30% – which saves you money each month.

Home renovation has become something of cultural phenomenon in today’s society. With more and more television shows and magazine features focusing on rejuvenating the decor and design in our homes, owners have followed suit, looking for new and affordable ways to maximize the value of their home through design changes. When it comes to getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to design and renovation, changing countertops leads the pack.

A countertop can set the visual tone for the room – and often at a very affordable price. Normally when we think of countertops we think of those surfaces that are found in the kitchen or bathroom. But there is another type of countertop that sets a visual and social tone for an entire room – the bar countertop.

An in-home bar space is the modern world’s answer to entertaining; a place over which to serve cocktails or coffee and gather with friends and family. A bar such as this sets a mood for a room – warm and earthy or cool and sophisticated; no matter what we choose our bar area to be chances are that it will set the tone for the much of the home. A bar countertop is the material that we use to dictate this tone.

There are essentially two options when it comes to building a bar countertop. Some people prefer to construct a whole new bar countertop starting from the ground up; while there are others who choose to build the countertop on top of an existing structure such as a cabinet, table, and the like.

This alternative option is typically much cheaper because you only need to buy the top layer, which can be found in a variety of materials and in a wide range of prices. Some of the more popular materials used to construct the bar countertop include Formica, ceramic tiles, Corian, wood, granite, marble, limestone, and metals.

Deciding which material to use depends on the type of tone that you wish to set. Wood and stone tend to suit a more traditional home while metal and Formica complement a more contemporary decor. Of course, budget always enters into this decision; materials differ drastically in price; granite is a much pricier choice than metal, while limestone is more affordable than ceramic.

Functionality should also come into play when deciding what type of bar countertop to install. If you are looking for low maintenance and easy clean-up then you may decide to pay the higher price for ceramic tile; if you are in the market for durability then granite may be the material you need.

Finally, the countertop you choose should fit within and complement the existing decor in the home as well as furthering the design ideas that you have in mind. Be sure to shop around before purchasing and do so with the larger picture in mind; bring pictures of the room in which the bar will sit and paint samples if you have them. The more information you bring to the table when deciding on a bar countertop the more successfully you will ultimately be in choosing a material that works best for your needs.

Still looking for the perfect counter tops? Try visiting http://www.typesofcountertops.com – a website that specializes in providing counter top advice, tips and resources including information on silestone countertops

As anyone knows who has ever carried out a remodeling project in their homes, this undertaking can be very expensive. But if you can do a lot of work yourself then you can actually save yourself money. One particular project you may want to try for yourself is to install tile flooring as this could end up saving you a lot of dollars in the long run.

If you were to contact one of the many flooring installation contractors that you see advertised in your local newspaper or phone directory, you may find that they will charge you an extortionate amount of money to do the work for you. However, by following the 10 points that we provide below you should be able to install tile flooring that not only looks great but which will get your friends and family talking about every time they see it.

1. First off buy yourself a good set of knee pads which you can purchase from any good quality DIY or hardware store. Not only will your knees be thanking you but the rest of your body will as well.

2. Before you start laying the first tile spend a lot of time working on the layout of the tile flooring. You don’t want to find yourself in a position where you have just laid the last tile only to find that you have made a mistake at the beginning and so you need to tear it all back up again. Taking a little extra time on working on the layout will save you a lot of heartache as well as headaches in the future.

3. At all times follow the recommendations made by the manufacturer with regard to the installation of their tile flooring product. These people have been in the business for a long time and they know what works and what doesn’t.

4. Now you are going to start to install the tile flooring but take your time over it. A rushed job will end up becoming a botched job and could result in you having to take up and re-lay the flooring again.

5. Only lay the tile flooring when you are well rested and are able to fully concentrate on the project.

6. Buy the tools which are best for the job. Although you may think this is a waste of good money you never know you may want to use them again in the future.

7. When getting your tools and materials, ask questions of the staff in the hardware or DIY store. Remember they are actually paid to help and will probably have some knowledge on the project that you are going to be carrying out.

8. Make sure that your workspace remains clean. Not only will this ensure that your tile flooring will last longer but it will also keep you safe while you are working.

9. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. The more tiles that you lay, the better you will get at it. So when you first start to install tile flooring choose an area where it is less noticeable or where less people are likely to walk past it.

10. The final point is pay attention to the detail. By doing this you will not just have a nice looking tile flooring but a great one.

Keep these points in mind when you start to install tile flooring and you will be amazed at just how easy it is and just how great it looks once completed – and think of all that money you have saved as well.

Ernest Jarquio is a dedicated family man hopelessly addicted to do-it-yourself projects. For more information, visit his website, where he discusses various subjects such as installing tile flooring, garage tile flooring and cheap flooring tile. Read various articles on the different aspects of hardwood, bamboo, laminate, tile and vinyl flooring.

Here are the key steps to preparing a room for a new coat of paint or paper. Whatever type of surface you’re going to tackle it must be clean, dry and smooth for the best results – preparation is the secret of a good-looking finish.

Time to complete job: Preparing a room for a new coat of paint or paper will take at least half a day, including filling and smoothing old plaster.

Approximate budget: The basic tools and materials should cost less than £20 for most rooms.

You will need:

Sugar soap

Bucket and sponge

Rubber gloves

Interior plaster filler

Decorator’s sealant

Filling knife

Sanding block or electric sander

Dust sheets

Step ladder

Dust mask

Tip: Before to begin, always protect yourself by using a dust mask and your floor by laying down dust sheets.

Step 1: Smoothing the surface Scrape off any flaking paint with a flexible filling knife and smooth the surface with a sanding block. For more tips on stripping back paint, see Paint Stripping. If there is wallpaper on the walls this will need removing. For tips on doing this, see Stripping Wallpaper.

Step 2: Repairing damaged plaster Sometimes patches of old plaster become loose or cracked. Pick out the loose areas with your filling knife and repair the areas with plaster filler. Work methodically over the whole room to make sure you have treated all the damaged areas. When the filler is dry, use an electric sander or sanding block to smooth any rough areas of plaster and blend in the new repairs. Very powdery plasterwork or new bare plaster should be coated with a coat of plaster sealer. Depending on the size that requires repairing, you may need to patch it up. Patching up plaster is beyond the scope of this article but detail of how to do this can be found on the UKTV website. Tip: Cracks around the skirting boards and door frames will spoil your new finish. Rake out any chipped paint and fill the gaps with a flexible decorator’s sealant.

Step 3: Cleaning Wash off any black mould with a solution of household bleach and leave to dry. Stains left by mould or tobacco use can quite easily be masked with anti damp paint or watered down unibond which are available at all hardware stores. Tip: It’s essential to treat the cause of mould and damp patches before redecorating.

Step 4: Make a judgement call as to whether the esposed walls need to be covered with lining paper. If the walls have large repair patches or lots of tiny hairline cracks, covering with plain lining paper will provide a smooth base for paint or wallpaper. Hang the paper just like ordinary wallpaper and leave overnight to dry. For more tips, see Wallpapering. And last but by no means leas, ensure that the surface is dirt and grease free by wiping down with sugar soap or hot water and washing up liquid. Don’t forget to wash the ceiling as well if it’s going to be decorated.

UKTV’s DIY guides at can help you with all of your home improvement needs