Tuesday, September 15, 2009

How to Repair a Cracked Seam

1. Use your spackle blade handle to flatten the cracked seam, which provides a flat surface on which to work. 2. Use your spackle blade to scrape the surface, removing debris and smoothing out the surface. 3. Apply mesh tape to cracked seam. 4. Apply 20-minute spackle with your spackle blade. Let it dry for 20 minutes, then repeat this step two more times. By applying a total of three coats of spackle, you ensure that the damaged area is properly repaired. 5. Sand the area with a sanding block. You may sand the edges thoroughly, but sand the seam lightly, so as not to sand off your repair. 6. Now you are ready to paint. Use a paint brush to paint any edges or corners in your working area, and use a roller to paint larger areas. When using a roller, do not roll in one line only; instead, feather out the paint, so it will blend with the existing paint nicely.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Paint touch up

Some helpful tips: If you have a large painting project, it is a good idea to use a drop cloth on your floor so as not to spill paint. The best way to paint is to use the feathering approach, as shown in the video. This allows your newly applied paint to look uniform with the existing paint on your wall.

Top tips from Naomi Cleaver on how to make the most of your kitchen