Home About Writers Categories Recent Issues Subscribe Contact File Transfer





Randy Hayes
Randy Hayes is the manager of Habitat's HomeMart located at Towne West in the old Office Depot location. Having been in the retail furniture business for 20 years, and having started both Home Accents and Cost Plus Furniture Warehouse, Randy jumped at the opportunity to further his career in the furniture industry while giving back to those in need. Habitat's HomeMart is a non-profit retail store with all profits going to building homes for Wichita Habitat Homes. Randy, an avid Dallas Cowboys fan, has two sons who he enjoys watching progress in their football careers in the Maize school district. You can reach Randy at (316) 943-6996 or email rrhayes@habhomemart.com
Furniture
2004-08-01 11:15:00
How can I add texture to my wall?
: Can I apply wallpaper over existing wall surfaces such as paneling, brick, or textured walls? Answer: Yes! Start with good preparation by removing all nails or other protruding objects. For textured surfaces, sand down any high points. For paneling, make sure that the paneling is secured to the wall by adding additional nails if needed. For slick surfaces and paneling, wash with TSP (TriSodium Phosphate) or an equivalent grease cutting cleanser. Before applying or "hanging" wallpaper, you will need to purchase a bridging material.Bridging is thick, blank wallpaper designed to smooth out irregular surfaces. Once hung, this will "bridge" the grooves in paneling or other unusual surfaces allowing for a perfect application of wallpaper. Bridging can even be painted.If you are hanging bridge over existing paneling, you may consider applying joint compound in the grooves of paneling as an additional precaution. Some wallpaper installers use a "joint compound, then primer" technique instead of bridging material.For ceramic or other tile, sand the surface with 200-400 grit sandpaper followed by rinsing with TSP. Apply a prep coat and then hang your bridging material. Examples of prep coats are Roman's R-35, Zinsser's Z-54, California Paint's Prep 'n Size, Golden Harvest's BITE, Muralo's Adhesium, Duron's Tack Prep, and Benjamin Moore's Wall-Grip. You can purchase bridging material at most home improvement stores.Some tips on wallpapering:If the wall surfaces are perfect, flat finish wallpaper is ideal. If the walls are less than perfect, then look for a paper with an embossed or expanded surface texture. For areas that have a lot of use, such as hallways, a very plain finish will show marks. A textured or patterned surface is a little more forgiving. Do you want the same wallpaper throughout the whole house or personalize some of the rooms with unique designs? Borders are an inexpensive way to add personality while maintaining continuity. How much natural or artificial light do you get in the room? Remember, light colors reflect light, dark colors absorb light, but don't be afraid of stronger colors, they can be very expressive and add "depth" to a room. Colors affect your mood, so think about the mood you want to create. Shades of green are restful, Reds are stimulating, Yellows are happy, and Blues are cooling. Think about your own color preferences; the colors you select for your clothes. Do you want your home to be calm and peaceful, or exciting and vibrant? Whatever the mood, it should be a reflection of you. Have fun with wallpaper!  If you really want to express yourself with wallpaper, here are a few ideas:Borders are available to coordinate your wallpaper. They can be used in many ways:• Run a border at ceiling height • Create a split wall with a border at chair    rail height, a darker paper below, and    lighter coordinating paper above. • Create a panel in the center of a wall with    a border edging mitered on the corners. • Borders can be used around architectural    features such as doors, and windows. • Use more than one border, they are    available wide, and narrow. • Run a border at the chair rail height, and    one at the ceiling level. Remember, the only style restrictions in wallpapering are determined by you. © Copyright 2001 by Your
QUESTION: Can I apply wallpaper over existing wall surfaces such as paneling, brick, or textured walls? Answer: Yes! Start with good preparation by removing all nails or other protruding objects. For textured surfaces, sand down any high points. For paneling, make sure that the paneling is secured to the wall by adding additional nails if needed. For slick surfaces and paneling, wash with TSP (TriSodium Phosphate) or an equivalent grease cutting cleanser. Before applying or "hanging" wallpaper, you will need to purchase a bridging material.Bridging is thick, blank wallpaper designed to smooth out irregular surfaces. Once hung, this will "bridge" the grooves in paneling or other unusual surfaces allowing for a perfect application of wallpaper. Bridging can even be painted.If you are hanging bridge over existing paneling, you may consider applying joint compound in the grooves of paneling as an additional precaution. Some wallpaper installers use a "joint compound, then primer" technique instead of bridging material.For ceramic or other tile, sand the surface with 200-400 grit sandpaper followed by rinsing with TSP. Apply a prep coat and then hang your bridging material. Examples of prep coats are Roman's R-35, Zinsser's Z-54, California Paint's Prep 'n Size, Golden Harvest's BITE, Muralo's Adhesium, Duron's Tack Prep, and Benjamin Moore's Wall-Grip. You can purchase bridging material at most home improvement stores.Some tips on wallpapering:If the wall surfaces are perfect, flat finish wallpaper is ideal. If the walls are less than perfect, then look for a paper with an embossed or expanded surface texture. For areas that have a lot of use, such as hallways, a very plain finish will show marks. A textured or patterned surface is a little more forgiving. Do you want the same wallpaper throughout the whole house or personalize some of the rooms with unique designs? Borders are an inexpensive way to add personality while maintaining continuity. How much natural or artificial light do you get in the room? Remember, light colors reflect light, dark colors absorb light, but don't be afraid of stronger colors, they can be very expressive and add "depth" to a room. Colors affect your mood, so think about the mood you want to create. Shades of green are restful, Reds are stimulating, Yellows are happy, and Blues are cooling. Think about your own color preferences; the colors you select for your clothes. Do you want your home to be calm and peaceful, or exciting and vibrant? Whatever the mood, it should be a reflection of you. Have fun with wallpaper!  If you really want to express yourself with wallpaper, here are a few ideas:Borders are available to coordinate your wallpaper. They can be used in many ways:• Run a border at ceiling height • Create a split wall with a border at chair    rail height, a darker paper below, and    lighter coordinating paper above. • Create a panel in the center of a wall with    a border edging mitered on the corners. • Borders can be used around architectural    features such as doors, and windows. • Use more than one border, they are    available wide, and narrow. • Run a border at the chair rail height, and    one at the ceiling level. Remember, the only style restrictions in wallpapering are determined by you.
 
The Q & A Times Journal accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.Materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Thank you.
 
Wildcard SSL Certificates