You don't take it all the way down. Hold the blade at an angle and it looks more like an orange peel.
Also, if you don't have the ability to texture and you happen to get a little deep in spots, you can do some "spot repairs" on the texture with spray cans of texture patch. very easy. [Reply]
Sorry Iowanian, I have been framing my basement this morning.
Anyway, here is how to start a wood floor the easy way:
1. Measure for square-ness of the walls every 5 feet PERPENDICULAR to how you are going to run the wood. Take note of differences. Most cookie cutter house walls bow slightly inward in each corner, so don't measure near the corners. Be careful not to measure under sheetrock at one spot and not in another.
2. Run a starter row of wood flooring using VERY straight pieces along the wall tounge facing out. Do not eyeball them, use a straight edge to determine the right boards. I prefer the longest pieces I can find in each bundle. DO NOT NAIL YET!
3. Once you have laid out your first row, measure from the opposite wal to the edge of each board and generally lay them out so that they are as close to possible to being the same distance away. Be sure to leave a space between the wall and your floor that is a little smaller then the depth of baseboard.
4. Get your finish nailer and face nail the first board. Measure each end to assure that it is still square with the OPPOSITE wall. Take your long straight edge and place it against the nailed board and the next board in line. Straighten them up and nail the next board. Measure opposite wall to assure that your starter line is still straight.
5. Take straight edge and line up the rest of the wood until it meets the wall. Do not nail the wood until you know you are square all the way down the opposite wall. Take a lazer light or lay down and check to see how straight your first row line is. If it looks good, finish nail every 12" or so until finished.
6. Gentally tap the next row against the starter row while holding the starter straight with a flat bar pressed firmly against the wall. You can finish nail this row at a 45 angle above the toungue, but be careful not to shift your starter row.
7. Repeat until you are on your 4th row, than hammer away with the floor stapler/nailer every 8 inches, and within 2 inches of each end. Be sure to stagger joints no less than the width of the wood from each other. I prefer at least 6 inches myself, but use your own judgement.
Engineered wood is usually straight as an arrow as opposed to 3/4" wood which can be crooked as a Baltimore Whore. See Bellawood, it is horrific. [Reply]
I took down some wallpaper in our kitchen. I'm going to paint it. It looks like there was a skim coat on the drywall, and it seems like it was applied unevenly. So, the wallpaper pulled some up with it when it came off. Now it just sort of looks like a paper there.
I could probably sand down the edges off the spots where the skim coat came up, but does the skim coat also act as a sort of protectant? I guess what I'm asking is, should I just put a skim coat on the whole area and sand it smooth? And how much of a hassle is it to work with? My wife is saying, "Just do a textured paint on the area," but I don't know. That doesn't seem right. [Reply]
Originally Posted by blaise:
I took down some wallpaper in our kitchen. I'm going to paint it. It looks like there was a skim coat on the drywall, and it seems like it was applied unevenly. So, the wallpaper pulled some up with it when it came off. Now it just sort of looks like a paper there.
I could probably sand down the edges off the spots where the skim coat came up, but does the skim coat also act as a sort of protectant? I guess what I'm asking is, should I just put a skim coat on the whole area and sand it smooth? And how much of a hassle is it to work with? My wife is saying, "Just do a textured paint on the area," but I don't know. That doesn't seem right.
Unless you have some drywall experience, skimming is a pretty significant PITA. Unless there are nasty chunks you might consider the wife's alternative. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Phobia:
Unless you have some drywall experience, skimming is a pretty significant PITA. Unless there are nasty chunks you might consider the wife's alternative.
Oh god, don't do a textured paint. When you inevitably decide you hate it, it will be an even bigger mess to fix. If you could post a pic of what you're dealing with I could better advise you on what to do with it. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Phobia:
Heh. I know. I do not enjoy it at all. If it took 4 of you a full day, it would have taken a guy who does it regularly about 3 hours. :-)
Lot of truth here....I can do drywall, but the time it takes me along with the hassle isn't worth it for me. [Reply]
It does. Drywall mud is an art-form. They make it look easy on TV but there are dozens of rules to learn and master. I've done hundreds of hours of it and would consider myself to still be at an apprentice level. I usually let my workers handle it. They're a lot better. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Bugeater:
Oh god, don't do a textured paint. When you inevitably decide you hate it, it will be an even bigger mess to fix. If you could post a pic of what you're dealing with I could better advise you on what to do with it.
