11 Tips for Stripping Wallpaper: How to Get Rid of Ugly Wallpaper!

I broke my promise to myself and stripped wallpaper again. The only reason I did this is for $100,000 profit. My family and I did not have time to wait for professional help. We sold our investment property before finishing the work and needed the home ready for appraisal.

While stripping the wallpaper, I realized that many homemakers get wrong advice for this horrendous task. After years of experience on over 30 houses, I offer my tried and best tips:

1. Use a clothes steamer or rent a professional steamer
2. Soak a large section of the wall
3. Run a "Paper Tiger" scoring tool across the damp section
4. Steam the section again
5. Spray the section with fabric softener and hot water
6. Score the section with the paper tiger again
7. Steam again
8. Remove any curling edges (sometimes large areas peel off)
9. Scrape with a six inch sheetrock blade
10. Repeat the above steps on the section until most scrapes off easily
11. Scrub with hot water, TSP, and a sponge with a scratchy surface

Cautions: Use the Paper Tiger gingerly so you don't scratch or gouge the walls. Use gloves with the harsh chemical TSP.

Don't live with ugly wallpaper any longer!

P. S. Please email me if you have any additional tips on stripping wallpaper that would help others!

Copyright © 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved. (You may publish this article in its entirety with the following author's information with live links only.)

Jeanette Fisher loves to help home makers create homes for glorious living. For free ebook on Interior Design Psychology go to http://www.joytothehome.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeanette_Joy_Fisher

Kitchen Countertops - An Overview

Countertops can influence the total design of your kitchen. One of the most common reasons home owners remodel their kitchen is due to lack of usable counter space.

When you are remodeling your kitchen a new countertop gives the whole room a facelift. There are several types of kitchen countertops you can choose from.

1. Laminate Countertops - Some good things about laminate countertops are you can install them yourself, they are inexpensive, they are low maintenance, and you can find them in all kinds of colors.

On the other hand, you need to be careful with knives and hot pans because once a laminate countertop is damaged it is almost impossible to repair.

2. Ceramic Tile Countertops - These countertops can also be easily installed and they come in lots of colors and patterns, they are heat resistant, and easy to clean.

But ceramic tile countertops can be a tough surface to chop on and they can crack or chip.

3. Stone Countertops - These countertops are very durable, look great, and the granite ones also clean up quite easily.

On the down side you must regularly seal and polish them so they look good, and if your stone countertop is made of marble you need to be extra careful because of staining.

4. Stainless Steel Countertops - Stains are not a problem and the counter can take high temperatures without damage.

But you have to take some care when installing stainless steel because if they are not extremely well supported they can dent. They also are prone to showing scratches and nicks.

5. Butcher Block Countertops - They give your kitchen that warm feeling that only wood can give, your knives won't dull, and you can smooth out any scratches with sandpaper.

On the other hand you must use vegetable oil regularly to treat the wood and keep it looking good. Also too much water exposure can stain and rot the counter.

6. Solid Surface Countertops - Lots of plus's here, you can find a ton of patterns and colors and some styles look like granite or other stone choices, it is very durable, easy to clean, and with this type of countertop you can easily install custom integrated sinks.

But you will need a licensed contractor to install this type of countertop or you will void the warranty and you must be careful with your hot pots and pans.

7. Soapstone Countertops - These are very beautiful and they don't stain. Hot pans are also not a problem.

You do need to seal them with mineral oil quite often, and they are more likely to be scratched than granite.

8. Lavastone Countertops - Awesome countertops, they can resist water damage, scratches, and hot pans superbly.

But lavastone counters can be hard to find and they are very expensive.

So now that you know a little more about the materials kitchen countertops can be made of it should be easier to narrow down your choices when installing your new kitchen counters

Robin Reckard, co-founder of Jorbins.com Lifestyle Magazine - http://www.jorbins.com/ keeps busy producing, writing, and editing for the magazine as well as raising and enjoying her six year old daughter.

Also visit Jorbins Kitchen Discussions and Kitchen Countertop Discussions for more great information concerning designing and remodeling a kitchen.

Copyright 2006, Jorbins Inc. - Reprints of this article can be made as long as the article is in it's entirety, unchanged, and the resource box with links and urls remain unchanged.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_Reckard

All About Home Renovations

Home renovations include general repairs as well as remodeling tasks, which are often assigned to professionals who are master at their tasks. Regular home renovations assure good health of your home and thus good market value. Moreover, with subtle remodeling works you can also keep pace with the latest home décor trends. Home renovations infuse a new lease of life into the home interiors and exteriors, making your home more presentable and comfortable. Home renovations are easier to get nowadays with more options for homeowners than ever. You just have to consider a few things before getting the things to the final stage.

Home renovations include roofing, flooring, painting, and such similar tasks. You can either do it yourself or hire a contractor to carry out the home renovations. Here it is important to note that you need not engage services of a general contractor. If you have the budget, you can hire independent contractors for specific jobs such as roofing, flooring, plumbing, painting, etc.

Weather and climatic conditions can actually affect the health of your home. However, regular home renovations take care of these conditions. Moreover, you can make new additions to the house and change the outdated structures, replacing them with new and trendier ones.

Natasha
For more tips and detail visit: www.allremodel.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natasha_Salve

Home Decorating Made Easy

Picture this…you walk through your newly decorated home - whatever its size or shape - and at every turn you burst with self-confidence and glowing pride, thinking…

"I can't believe I live here...and I did it MYSELF!"

Sound like a distant dream? Not any more!...

Now, you can create heart-stirring rooms easier and faster than ever before by using a breakthrough new approach to home decorating.

And you get it all in one complete package - The Awaken Your Interior Designer! Collection. (1037 photos/illustrations)

Check it out!

Making Your Dream Home A Success

Your dream home is a reflection of you. A combination of your style, and the comfort you desire. That's why "Secrets To Home Decorating Success" is so important to you.

You'll get valuable information and insight to achieving the style and comfort you desire for any room in the house. Take a look at more of what's inside:

• Tips on arranging walk-in closets with high shelving and get ergonomic results.
• How to arrange furniture the right way and gain more space.
• How to redecorate your kitchen for maximum efficiency.
• Learn how to work with tile flooring by avoiding the hum drum tile patterns everyone else is using.
• How to combine multiple decorating styles in the same room that says this is YOU!
• Home office decorating and how to make it more ergonomic.
• Discover flooring solutions for each room in the house.
• How to create a stunning focal point in the bedroom.
• How to choose color concepts that shout I Love YOU!
• Discover simple storage ideas for working with closets, pantries, and sheds to un-clutter your life.
• The most important things you should know before you ever start decorating a room.
• How to use sofa slipcovers in a warm and inviting way.
• What to do with empty spaces above fireplace mantels.
• Discover the key questions you should ask to help you personalize your rooms.
• Tips on accessorizing an entertainment center to make it look attractive.
• How to easily analyze and assess your existing design space.
• Discovering your personal decorating style.
• Identifying the focal point in your room.
• How to bring life to any room using bold colors.
• Get creative ideas for creating themes for boys and girls rooms