It is not uncommon to find areas with loose paper drywall tape, especially in homes or buildings with high ceilings. Often, tapers will not do more than one coat of compound at the peaks in rooms, and in a few years it becomes noticeable. To fix this problem, the first approach, in most cases, is to cut the tape vertically too allow compound to be put beneath the tape and squeeze out any excess for a flush coat. After drying, one or two more coats of mud/compound can be applied.
  Sometimes there are wavy or bubbly looking seams that can either be remedied with more joint compound or tearing out the old tape. It can be replaced with either the fiberglass mesh tape or paper tape with holes in it, or regular paper tape. I prefer the fiberglass for strength and ease of use (squeezing out excess compound), and frequently only needing 2 coats of mud to complete the work.
  Durabond powder mixes also speed up repairs with cure times of  45, 60, or 90 minutes, most commonly. They allow one day repairs when time is a priority. The only drawback to Durabond is you're not supposed to paint it. So at least one coat of joint compound needs to be applied, then sand, prime, and finish paint.
  For most people / DIY'ers, using the compound in the blue and white tub is better.  The green and white pails work fine but tends too shrink making additional coats and sanding necessary. The blue and white or dust control type does contol the dust and makes less of the nasty drywall dust. It amazes me how many people don't use dust masks when sanding compound since it really is not good too breath as well as getting dust all over a house if plastic is not put up between rooms. Anyway, just trying let people know a few things about working with compound.
 

  This winter has seen unprecedented snowfall totals, resulting in roof leaks, collapses, ice dam problems and many headaches for the property owner. Those people with homeowner insurance can usually file a claim and get help with their troubles. Of course, this depends on the specifics of each policy. In 1994 and 1996 Connecticut had many claims due to ice dam damage, resulting in many insurance companies to cancel this coverage or change the limits of coverage. Contacting your provider to file a claim should be the first step.
  If  someone has water stains, leaks,drywall or property damage, inside the home or building, they should, in most cases, wait until early spring to do the repair work. This is because we may be getting more snow and early spring rain causing more of the same leaks. Generally, one would be fortunate to get an exterior leak repaired at this time of year. But maybe a break in the weather and a willing roofer could do it sooner.
  Those who live in condominium complexes need to determine if their association policy covers these damages or maybe their own inside homeowners policy? Usually, the association covers this, since the water leaks in from the outside to the inside. There also needs to be time for the inside walls, ceilings to dry out. Most of the time, using a paint such as Zinsser Odorless Oil-Based Stain Blocker, will hide and seal the brown water marks. Putting on 2 coats,  rather than spot priming and finishing with a latex ceiling paint, will do a good job and save time on the labor. Each ceiling will be in different condition and must be evaluated individually. Doing wall repairs and repainting to match the existing wall colors on one or more walls, takes a bit of skill and or experience to get it right. Where to end the room? Go from one inside corner to another? The entire room? Change the color to make the repaired wall an accent wall? But the taping part of the work is probably the most important since you don't want it to look like there was ever any damage. A good drywall taper is essential, as well as a painter who understands how to prime for the sheen of the finish coat. Generally, the higher the sheen the more priming you need to do.
  Calling your insurance agent should be your first step, followed by getting an estimate from a qualified, licensed contractor. The amount of money paid from your claim will be adequate to cover the work. It would be a red flag if your estimate was higher than your insurance check. In reality, you should be able to get it done for a little less than the payment you received. Good luck!

  Planning to post a ceiling and wall repair video very soon for viewer's aid in tackling such jobs. Scraping  down a badly peeling older ceiling with the wrong coating, latex wall paint it seems, was the topic. Old laundry room walls made of plaster, never properly prepared are shown in poor condition. Not the best video as far as detail goes, but hey it's my first time!! Hope you come back and see it .

  Come for a visit to either the website or blog if searching for a quality "wall mechanic", or how to answer  the many painting questions you may have. The company name is&H Innovations,LLC. We are based out of Hartford county CT. and work mainly in this area.

  My reasoning for this commentary is to point out that homeowners should always bear in mind why they bought their dream home in the first place. Certainly there are exceptions to this, but many of us are fixated by the news media's obsession with how the foreclosure problem has caused real estate prices to continue to drop and may never return to an upward price appreciation trend. Looking at real estate as an asset, puts a better light on it. We've all heard of the CMO's (collateralized mortgage obligations) dreamed up by the Wall Street finance wizards, and regardless of this tedious, confusing topic, it causes many ordinary people to become fearful and protective of their investment in their homes. So looking at any asset, when it's value decreases and you still believe in it, shouldn't you add to it? Or in the case of housing maintain it? My belief is that many folks are afraid to spend any hard earned money, since the economic future is unclear. This is validated by an increase in personal savings for the first time in the past 2-3 years. For decades consumers would spend beyond their means on over-extended credit lines, all the while being urged on by credit card offers for more borrowing! But the increase in savings and financial discipline many people are currently displaying, is very encouraging! It would be cold and callous not to mention the many hardships this mortgage mess has caused so many innocent ,hard working people.
  Keeping a home in good condition is a priority to most of the people I know. None of us can escape the realities of needing food/clothing/and shelter for our survival. When it comes to our homes, a plumbing  or electrical problem would require immediate attention. In the case of painting or wallpapering, this is not true. Either some of us become DIY'ers or keep putting off hiring a professional. It is understandable that this is the case, but the poor economy  effects the painting contractor too. Many reputable painters are willing to price their work a bit lower to ensure getting it. Remember that when a room or area of your home or office is painted, you get a fresh new look and feeling to your environment. When done properly the change can be very uplifting to your spirits and is well worth the money spent on the project. Best of all, when done right it won't need to be done again for many years to come!
  So please don't let the negative media blitz get you down. Eventually the foreclosures will all be written off the books of these banks/institutions, stricter standards will be put in effect, and our economy will right itself. I say this both hopefully and with optimism. In the mean time, keep saving and spend wisely.

 As of April 22 2010, new laws on lead-based paints went into effect requiring contractors (painters, carpenters, landlords/property managers, plumbers) to follow EPA required guidelines involving safe work practices. Called the RRP Rule, (renovation,repair,painting) it's purpose is to properly address lead -based paint hazards on disturbed painted surfaces. A renovation covers work activities done for compensation including most repair, remodeling, and maintenance of property. For example: window replacement, weatherization, interior and exterior painting of residential homes, apartments, and child occupied facilities (schools,day-care centers), built before 1978. The complete rule is available online at: www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm. 
 Renovation contractors are required to be trained and certified by either an EPA or state-approved training course, and a fee is paid by the firm. A  "Certified Renovator" is given the responsibility of overseeing a job where lead-based paint is found on a "disturbed" surface. These trained and certified people do the initial test for lead with special test kits approved by the EPA, by slicing through the painted surface with a utility knife to get to the substrate (under the layers of paint ). If lead is detected, the work safe practices go into effect. They are designed to contain any lead dust from becoming airborne, and away from workers and residents as well as neighbors or passers by. Signs must be posted prior to work being started, Renovate Right lead hazard pamphlets are handed out to homeowners, apartment tenants, and any occupants. There are many rules that must be followed once lead is found. To avoid these mundane details I'll summarize by saying they are the responsibilty of the firm doing the work. Plastic is taped around the work area, 6' around in all directions, when working inside. Exterior requirements are even more stringent, with 20' around being the rule. Covering of landscaping, closing of all doors and windows (neighbors too!), posted signs, and even vertical containment may be necessary (ie- same as bridge painting). Workers must keep lead dust off themselves and within work area before leaving it.
 There are also strict clean up of the work area rules and regs. Called cleaning verification, the certified renovator, must sign off at the end of each job. Even though the qualified and trained people are responsible, they may train other workers to do these duties, and return at the end of the job for the final inspection. During the work, the occupants are prohibited from entering the area. This is important to note since they cannot check on the job status, only rely on the contractor's word as to the project's progress. The firm must also pay for all these additional costs and may be passing them on to the property owner. This may be something to consider if it applies in your case.
 A couple of points regarding the new laws: any minor repairs or maintenance (less than 6 square feet per interior room, or 20 square feet per exterior project) are exempt from the work practice requirements. But this does not include window replacement or demolition. Homeowners working on their own homes (DIY'ers) ARE NOT required to follow these work practices. Only if  renovations are performed for compensation are they legally relevant. Of course, any homeowner who does the work themselves is encouraged by the EPA to follow these lead safe work practices. It is in their own best interest to do so. An exemption is given to a firm if all these conditions are met: 1)the renovation is in the owners home 2)no child under 6 lives there 3)no woman who is pregnant lives there 4)the housing is not a child-occupied facility 5)that the owner acknowledges that the firm is not required to follow the work practices of the RRP Rule.
 Hope this helps people understand the new requirements and what they are. My feeling is they are meant to protect young children from serious health problems, and many uninformed residents in older apartments and homes. Let's hope this is the end result and not adding more expense to both the property owner and the small business/ contractors of the world. Especially in these difficult economic times.

 Blending and matching sprayed on popcorn ceilings is an inexact science and you should not expect a perfect repair, unless you want to re-shoot the ceiling with an air compressor and paint hopper gun. If you do want the ceiling done over, ideally scraping down the old popcorn to an almost flat surface would do the best job. It is possible to spray over the whole area after first repairing and matching the old texture, the best you can. What would most likely be the least costly approach, might be a multiple step process, as explained below.
 There are different problems that arise due to water damage, holes in drywall, remodeling or whatever. If a ceiling or wall has mildew it must be first eliminated, then any seams needing drywall taping must be dealt with. With the area compounded, sanded and primed (one coat is enough), you'll be set to begin. Understanding what painters use when initially spraying a new ceiling helps when it comes to matching the finish. They could use any of the following: Imperial ( fine, medium, course) dry texture additive or a similar product, latex ceiling paint with or without water added, joint compound, leftover primers,or water with very little paint. I'm certain other mixes have been and could be used, but you get the idea. My experience has taught me that having 3-4 different brands of dry texture additive of medium consistency, and adding joint compound, ceiling paint and a little water work best on a typical popcorn ceiling or wall. Now, of course some finishes are fine or sand, others swirl, others were applied with texture already in the can of paint. All these require various thicknesses when mixing, and different methods of application. You may need a regular nap roller cover or even the "loop" roller cover. My usual approach is to use a 3" paint brush to apply the mix. This way you can swirl if needed or add more to a light spot you may miss the first time through. Most of the time 2 coats are needed to get close as well as adding about a cup of joint compound on the second application to hide where the repair meets the old texture. After a 24 hour drying period, a painting of the entire ceiling, for color consistency, makes a big difference. I tried to summarize this a little since there are so many possibilities that could come up.
 One last thing to mention concerns using the acoustic patch spray can. I carry a couple of cans with me but have yet to find a use for the product. If a person was not concerned about how it matches up, I suppose it would be fine in an inconspicuous area. It creates a "cottage cheese" and or popcorn texture look. Maybe it would somewhat match in an area done with the loop roller cover and premixed texture and paint? If it is used it certainly would reduce the amount of labor needed to get the end result. Hope this helps you out!

Have you ever tried to paint a ceiling and after 2 or 3 coats of kilz or a similiar stain killer, you still had overlap lines and uneven coverage? Well, get in line you're not the only one. Cigarette smoke and ceilings have a way of" bonding", and I don't mean as good friends do! Texture ceilings are mostly dry and porous and hold in the orange color from smoking until a heavy bodied alkyd/oil based paint penetrates and locks it in. If there is a new coating on the market that works as well as the oil paints mentioned (Benjamin Moore Calcimine Recoater or Kyanize Clingcote come to mind), please let me know. Excessively dry and dated ceilings, stained with nicotine, can absorb 100 square feet per gallon. At $40.00 a gallon that adds up quickly. Simply put, an average bedroom of 150 sqare feet would cost about $100.00 for materials(don't forget a respirator, gloves/long sleeves/hat etc...to keep the "product" off your skin) and another $100.00, for the services of a professional. If you do it yourself, be sure to vent the fumes, and use a fan if no cross ventalation is available, since it isn't pleasant breathing it in. The odor does fade overnight considerably, if properly aired out .

There really isn't any special technique to painting with this type of coating. It's hard work, and requires covering all furniture or items in the room as tiny spatters can be a problem. Try to keep the roller on the ceiling as much as possible. Determining how heavy a coat to apply is best done by rolling out a 3'x3' area with a fully loaded roller cover, and checking it after an overnight dry. You could need two coats even with these high quality paints. One last bit of advice is to try to keep the area being worked on as evenly rolled out as possible. If the surface is not too porous, this shouldn't be a problem. Ceilings are arguably the most difficult areas to paint, so don't expect an easy time if tackling one yourself. Or you can hire a pro, if you can find a willing one. Good luck!

  When doing over a kitchen discolored from cooking grease and smoke, cleaning is step number one. This is obvious, but often is not done correctly, due to the unpleasantness of the task. Wiping down all surfaces, walls/woodwork/and ceilings, with a sanding deglosser probably works best. The volatile odor and vapors may be a problem for access or health reasons, so any "green" cleaner will have to do in such cases. Just be sure to clean as much buildup as possible from the surface to be repainted. Once this is completed, scuff sanding of enamel-painted trim or walls should be done next. Scuff sanding means a brief roughing up of old finish, not a thorough sanding. The painting term "give the surface a tooth" is what you are looking for. This allows new coating to hold on the old paint and not flake or chip off when bumped against. An alternate to scuff sanding is to use a sanding liquid/ deglosser, as mentioned earlier. One brand is called Wilbond, which gets rubbed on the surface and must be painted within 30 minutes of applying. This limits the size of the work area but if you can stand the smell, the job will go faster. Especially since after sanding you need to deal with the dust. So sanding and then wiping away the excess with a Wilbond type product would also work and you wouldn't have to be concerned with the 30 minute time limit.
 Priming all and any bare wood with a good "enamel underbody " or universal primer is necessary. Doing an entire primer coat may be needed depending on the condition of old coating, or if a drastic color change is being done. There are so many good primers/ underbodies that you should use common sense and pay for quality, and not skimp. Most of the time one coat is all that is really needed for going over paint. But if going over stained/polyurethaned surfaces, you probably could use two. And a shellac based primer over polyu  works well, such as Zinsser BIN primer. Using a small roller with a screen that fits into a gallon can is a good way to coat cabinet doorfronts, door panels, and uneven woodwork. But always keep a brush handy to even out any rolled on paint to assure a smooth finish, especially with enamel paints.
 Finish coating with quality enamel paint (Benjamin Moore- Satin Impervo- oil base or waterborn), is worth paying for. This paint is more expensive than home improvement brands, but is, in my opinion, worth the money. Of course, doing the necessary preparation is the most important part of the job, but a quality paint will last years longer and make the prep down the road that much easier. Doing two coats will ensure both a uniform color and durable finish. Once again, using the little "whizz" rollers really does speed up the tedious job of painting your kitchen walls and or woodwork. Hope this helps you out!

 Once a bathroom has mildew on the ceiling and or walls, the mildew must be eliminated, not just wiped away. Often homeowners, especially those who dislike painting, will try and cut corners on preparation and end up going over their work soon after completing it. When mildew is present, you can't miss it. The black growth grows on wallpaper, paint, caulk or anywhere it can. Either use specially prepared cleaning products supplied at paint, hardware or home improvement stores, or mix up your own. Take household bleach and mix it 50/50 with water and with a pail, sponge, and rubber gloves, you're ready to go. Wipe the solution on the mildewed surface and let it sit for ten to fifteen minutes.  Rinse it off, let it dry and continue. If your bathroom does not have good ventilation, it is recommended you use paint made for kitchens and baths. Zinnsser sells Perma-White in satin finish or semi-gloss finish, which can also be tinted to different colors. Benjamin Moore makes Kitchen and Bath which does essentially the same thing. These paints are formulated to absorb moisture and resist mildew formation. They require a 2 coat application for the intended results. The shower must not be used for 24 hours, to allow for curing of the resins and polymers. Permawhite was used early on in inner city tenement buildings, where people lived in one room dwellings, and found to be effective and successful. For people who still like wallpaper in the bath and kitchen, it depends on the backing of the wallpaper as to whether you must replace or simply clean off the mildew, if present. Heavy fabric-backed vinyl may be able to be wiped down as above and the installation of a vented fan in the ceiling or wall could be the end of the problem. Although, sometimes the brown vinyl adhesive used to install the wallcovering can "feed" the mildew growth. Thinner papers with coatings or paper backings can also be mildew-prone. Often it is necessary to replace the paper and start over if there is too much dampness. Just bear in mind that mildew will return if not killed with the right cleaner, just because you wipe it away and it looks as if it's gone, doesn't mean it is! Good luck!