When painting a bathroom, do you have to use a special paint to withstand heat and humidity?

Q. I am going to be painting my bathroom this weekend. I was wondering if I can use the regular matte finish in there or do I have to get a little gloss so it can stand the heat. I never close my bathroom door because it's inside my bedroom so I just close my bedroom door. It never gets THAT steamy in the bathroom because of that. I am just wondering though. Also, do you think it's nice to also paint the ceiling the same color as the walls? Or should I leave it white? I am doing a light pinkish color.

A. Don't use flat paint, I't grows mold really easy. I used to own a painting busines. We always used semi gloss or gloss paint for the bathrooms. I saw some one else recomend Behr paints from Home dept, My advice is not to use it. I found it required a lot of extra prep and even mutiple coats to get good coverage. I like the look of the bathroom walls and ceiling the same color.Good luck

What kind of ceiling lights or bathroom lights would be good for a teenagers bedroom or bathroom?

Q. For the bathroom I'm looking for one with three bulbs and for the bedroom a flush mount. my bedroom is aqua.
i'm not sure about the other details. and could you also add pictures with your answers?

A. A mini chandelier is a really cute and unique addition for bathroom lighting. It will help add some decor to the room. Check some out

http://www.everychandelier.com/Mini-Chandelier-C53035.html

How to clean bathroom walls before painting?

Q. My bathroom walls are coated with hair, dust, fuzz from my towels and hairspay. I need to clean them before I paint. What cleaning products do you suggest I use?
Once cleaned, do I need to use a base primer? What type of paint should I use, Latex or Oil? How many coats? I already have the color chosen, I just need the how to tips. Thanks.

A. There is a powder cleaning product called TSP, that you can purchase at any hardware store. Follow the directions on the box.

Buy the primer KILZ. After the walls are completely dry, paint them with the Kilz.

Then apply a water based enamel paint.

Never use a latex paint in the bathroom because moisture gets under it and it starts to bubble and pull away from the wall. All bleach does is change the color of the dirt and sterilize it.

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Is there an danger in keeping your furniture in storage?

Q. I'm moving out in a few weeks to go live with my Mom while I save up some money to get an apartment. While I'm living with her I was thinking of getting a storage unit to keep furniture I buy while I live with my mom, so when I move out I'll have furniture for my apartment. Is there any danger in keeping nice new furniture in a storage unit? Specifically in Florida.

A. Only if you put it in a climate controlled storage facility. Otherwise the extreme heat in summer and cold in winter will damage your things. Honestly it would be best if you wait to see what kind of apartment you will be renting before buying anything. The size of the space and the degree of difficulty in getting your furniture in should be the determinant on what you buy. Otherwise you can wind up buying oversized pieces that will not fit and you will feel cramped. So put your money for furniture into a savings and wait to see where you will be living before buying.

How often does furniture inventory turnover at a large retailer?

Q. We've found furniture that we like but aren't moving into our new house for about 6-8 months as it is being built. We don't have any room to put new furniture but don't want it to be gone/discontinued by the time we need to buy it.

A. It depends. Some retailers sell "open stock" They order furniture, often by the container load, and sell it when it comes in. When it's gone, it's gone and they may or may not order more of the same or even keep the same manufacturer.

Others sell a manufacturer's line and will have display models and inventory or order things just like it as sold. They will continue to sell as long as the manufacturer makes that model and/or they have some in inventory.

Others are "made to order" particularly upholstered furniture. You pick out the style and the fabric (sometimes from 1000s of options). As long as the fabric is available (average lifespan 3-5 years) they will make it for you.

The other thing to do is just ask the retailer. They may know if the style is being discontinued soon. If so, you can buy it and have them hold it for you until you are ready. This may involve a storage or warehousing charge. Or you can put down a deposit and have them let you know if this is happening during the time you're waiting.

How would I clean a Leather couch that has been in storage for a long time?

Q. the couch is blue leather and has been in storage for quite a while and is covered in dust/dirt. I have found products to condition leather and read NOT to use soap and water... any suggestions for cleaning and wiping the couch down prior to conditioning?? Please help

A. You need to use a good quality water based foam leather cleaner.
DO NOT use anything containing oils, waxes or silicones. (Most 'conditioners' contain waxes or oils so should not be used) and furniture polish (Pledge etc)contains silicones which will destroy the finish on the leather.

BABY WIPES are the worst thing you can use as they will destroy the finish on your leather. They are very strong alkiline cleaners to neutralise urine (acid) on babys skin so they are not the right thing to use on leather.

Saddle soap is too harsh to use on todays furniture.

A lot of leather wipes contain chemicals which will also destroy the finish or leave residues on the leather which will damage it. They are not cheap in the long run as you would need a lot to clean a whole leather sofa. A bottle of foam cleaner should do your furniture 1-2 times.

Fairy liquid contains more salt these days to get dishes clean and this will break the finish down on your leather. This has been verified by the manufacturers (as with the baby wipes).

You should also follow cleaning with a good water based leather protector which will act like a 'scotchgard' and inhibit dirt and stains from being absorbed and make cleaning easier the next time.

Dry leather needs rehydrating with water and oils and waxes should not be used as the natural oils do not dry out of leather. Wiping over with a damp cloth regularly will help to do this.

It is important to maintain a regular cleaning regime cleaning dirt off the surface regularly and inhibiting the absorption of body oils into the leather with a protector is the best way of doing this.

The alternative is a brand new product on the market called Lazy Leather. This is the latest technology in cleaning and combines an effective cleaner with a protector. It is quick and easy to use and should be used as a maintenance product once your suite has been cleaned or from new if you have just bought it.

f you clean and protect your leather properly there is no need to cover them, leather is the most hard wearing 'fabric' there is.

Using household products may appear to work but will in the long run deteriorate the leather finish quicker and it may tehn be impossible to restore. May seem cheaper to use products from the supermarket but if they do not work or damage the leather then it is a short sighted saving.

Source(s):

http://www.LTTsolutions.net
Leather care consultants to the furniture and cleaning industries

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How can i persuade my dad to decorate my room before my birthday (two weeks time) rather than after?

Q. My birthday is in two weeks and i would like my room decorated, i am having one wall wallpapered and the other painted creamy/whity, and the wallpaper i'm going to paint on top with a nice teal. I'm going to get cream carpet, new curtains, new bin, new chair, new bean bag! But how can i persuade my dad to decorate my room before my birthday comes rather than after my birthday!

A. Show him this
Dear Sir, I feel I must put pen to paper to say how in this day and age it is so gratifying to hear a young person speak in such loving caring tones about their lovely Father.I dont think she could have painted a nicer picture of you even if you decide to decorate her room before her birthday which would be fantastic.You sir are a national treasure (or will be if you bring forward the decorating)
Best wishes

I would like to listen opinions.does it looks good for a 15 y/o men teen to have its room decorated NYC theme?

Q. I would like to know if it looks good for a 15 year old men teen to have his room decorated with everything NYC themed or if that is only for girls? Thank You!

A. bring in silver, chrome with black white and red. Very sophisticated.
http://teensthemes.com/black-and-white-contemporary-bedrooms.html

What are some decorating ideas for a 9 year old boys room?

Q. We just moved and are looking for a new fun way to decorate his room. It is his first time having his own room he had to share with his sister up until now. So this is new and exciting for him! Its hard because there are far less boys room decorating options out there. We dont want a charcter theme, he is "too old" for that. :) Thanks in advance for your ideas they are highly appreciated!

A. Get some plywood, some upholstery vinyl fabric ( I like the carbon fiber one), some carpet cushioning and cover one wall with squares of upholstered plywood. Looks very nice. Also Get a small dead tree with the roots if possible and paint it flat black. Looks surreal and nice. Also some kind of posters such as a movie poster or posters with sick cars in them. I like the Dub magazine posters. TiS. That's how my room is and I get a lot of complements!!! Well, except for the gargoyles!!!

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How would you tear carpeting out of your house , is it possible to do it yourself?

Q. What tools are required for tearing out your own carpeting and how would you do it?

A. Of all home improvement products, ripping out carpet is the best!!

I first tape off section of carpet. I wouldn't say that everyone does this, but it's what we do.

Then you take a very sharp hooked carpet knife and start to cut. Between that and a box cutter, you have to be careful. Just cut away until you reach the end, roll up the carpet and toss outside!! I can't say a pro would do it like this, but it's fun. It's great. And it works with the padding too.

If you have hardwoods underneath, I would use a different rolling method to avoid injury to the wood.

I am desparately in need of a way to remove the odor of dog urine from carpeting. Solutions ?

Q. Carpeting is BERBER ... 1 year old. Has been cleaned professionally and by myself.

A. There are a couple of new products out there - One is called "Urine Gone". I think the other is called "O". Both are supposed to work really well, and go through the carpet to the under pad to get rid of the entire smell. I've seen the "Urine Gone" at our local JC Penney's before.

How do you remove mildew stains from carpeting?

Q. We live on a boat, and there is always some degree of mositure inside the boat. There is carpeting on the walls, so I need to remove the mildew, but I don't want to use a cleaner that may change the color of the carpeting. Any ideas?
We live on a boat, and have carpeting on the walls. There is moisture constantly inside the boat, and mildew stains have grown. I need a home made remedy, as we are traveling on the Meditterean sea, currently in Spain. So USA store products are not available here.
We live on a boat, and have carpeting on the walls. There is moisture constantly inside the boat, and mildew stains have grown. I need a home made remedy, as we are traveling on the Meditterean sea, currently in Spain. So USA store products are not available here.

A. There are commercial mildew stain removers available. Before moistening the carpeted walls with any product, check to be sure that under the carpet is not wood. Moisture soaking into the wood and not drying will compound your problem.

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What is the Average Annual Salary for a Home Renovation Technician?

Q. I am considering taking a home renovation technician program at Humber College or Conestoga College (Ontario) - if anyone knows which would be better please feel free to give feedback - I couldnt find a number in regards to salary online so i was wondering if anyone in that profession would be able to tell me a rough estimate of annual earnings?
Thanks

A. They are self employed, no salary.

Am i required to get my home renovation inspected?

Q. I am planning on doing a major revnovation to an old home, new basement, new roof, remodel interior down to the studs, new flooring, walls cabinets, etc... Am i required to have the remodel totally inspected by a building inspector? or because its a home renovation its not required?

A. you are going to have to get permits and more than one inspection ex after electrical but before sheet rock is installed

Can the Canadian Home Renovation Tax Credit be deferred to 2010?

Q. Can the Canadian Home Renovation Tax Credit be deferred to the 2010 tax year instead of declaring it as part of the 2009 tax year? Thank you! Sources please!

A. I'm afraid not, it has to be claimed on 2009 tax return.

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How do you make the wires safe before you put a blanking plate on when you remove wall lights.?

Q. We want to remove 2 wall lights, but we do not want to permanently remove the wires, so we will use blanking plates, but are not sure how you make the wires safe first. Does anyone have suggestions please?

A. You don't say where you are. If you are in the UK you will need to use connector blocks (min 5amp rating) as we stopped using screw on type connections, such as wire nuts /midgets, many years ago. Connector blocks are widely available from diy shops.
Don't rely on turning the wall switch off to make the cables dead as there may still be live cables present. It is probably simpler for you to turn off the main switch (Usually the biggest switch at your fuseboard) After making sure that the cables are definitely dead, put the cables into your connector in exactly the same order as they were connected in the fitting. ie if a black and red cable were connected together in the fitting they must be connected together when you reconnect them. Many people make the mistake of not noting how it came apart. Put all your earth cables together and after gently tugging at all the cables to make sure it doesn't fall apart tape the connectors up before pushing back into the wall and covering with your blank plate.
You may be lucky and find that on removing the old lights you have existing connectors you can retain. In which case visually check there are no loose strands of copper after disconnecting the light and simply tape the connectors up.
If in any doubt of how to make it safe don't attempt it yourself, get someone in. Electricity kills.

Where can you get wall lights for your room?

Q. I have been watching room tours on youtube and a lot of people have really cool wall lights (not plain ones, like pink and stuff) ti make there room more fun, they have them over there bed and stuff. So I went to a couple of stores online but none had anything close to that. Please help!

A. Have you tried homedepot ive senn cool lights their

Can I use an AC wall light dimmer as a 12V voltage regulator?

Q. Hi. I need to reduce the voltage of a DC power supply from 16V (external laptop battery) down to 12V so I can use it as a power supply for my other 12 volts gadgets. Can I use an AC wall light dimmer for this? I've read that this works by reducing voltage so an incandescent lamp can be dimmed. I'd like to know your thoughts if it will work for my purpose.

A. You need to learn what regulation means. You might get it to reduce the voltage but that is NOT regulating it.

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What type of window treatment should I use for sliding glass doors?

Q. I want modern and sophisticated window treatments for sliding glass doors. I have been able to pull most of my decor together, but I cannot figure out the best way to cover my sliding glass doors. They are approximately 7' tall x 10' wide. I enjoy the light that comes in during the day, but wish for privacy at night.

A. Because 10' is a lot of window space, you may want to consider a window treatment that is simple and effective without being fussy to use and always looks fresh.

I would install a wooden drapery rod 5" above the uppermost molding with a center support and install the brackets 12" beyond the sides of the sliders. Do not use a skimpy rod or it will look out of proportion to the sliders. The reason to have the rod extended beyond the width of the sliders is so that when the drapery is opened, there is some stack space for the drapery in order to allow more sunlight into the room. By hanging the rod higher than the window, you are adding height to the room and also leaving wall space so the drapery hardware can be seen instead of being distracted by the molding.

A sophisticated window treatment is one that is timeless and looks as good open as it does closed. May I suggest panels with either a box pleat header or a pinch pleat header or a goblet pleat header -- all of which should be hung on the rod from wooden drapery rings. I would use two large panels, one on the left and one on the right. I suggest a wooden rod and wooden rings because metal drapery hardware makes a horrible and annoying noise and the telescoping rods always catch on the rings as you attempt to open and close the drapery. Use drapery wands (long dowel like 'sticks') that you pull to draw the drapes open and closed as not to tug on the fabric and leave stains on the fabric from oils in your hands.

Traverse rods are an effective way to open and close a slider window treatment; however, you will see the ugly utilitarian rod when the drapery are opened. Not sophisticated enough for your taste, I'd say.

Do not select a printed fabric as most people tend to regret a large space with that much busy. Instead try to select a solid fabric with a texture or a tone on tone print or perhaps an embroidered swirl design to keep the eyes moving. Love the fabric you pick and do not settle for anything you have to think twice about because after you buy 21 yards of fabric and lining plus the labor for custom drapery, you do not want to regret your choice.

I hope my words have been helpful.

What would be the cost of getting custom window treatments done?

Q. I have a window (or set of windows) in my family room that takes up a whole wall. I don't have the exact measurements, but it's close to 84" high and 108" long. I want to get curtain/drapes/window treatments (whatever they are called) made. I know that a major cost factor will be type of fabric that I select plus hardware, but can someone give me a price range so I can start budgeting? Just to make it easy, let say I select a fabric that is $20 per yard.

A. The best thing for you to do would be to:
#1 get the exact measurements for your window.
#2 pick a company/designer that makes custome window treatments

They will then be able to help you pick what's best. They can price it out and you can contact them once you have the money.

Any ideas on how to come up with window treatments fast and cheap for my new house that has tons of windows?

Q. It is an old cottage with lots of charm. I plan on painting it all light, and sanding the wood floors light, so I want the curtains to be light too.

I need ideas for window treatments that are affordable, but creative. This house is covered with lots of windows, and I don't know what I'm gonna do.

A. You know how people throw the sheets up well i have revised it since it is a cottage style Sheet's are a wonderful window treatment amd they already have a slot for the rod this is what i did for the mean time and the mean time is been like 5 years already ..lol .....UKAY i bought some cheap sheets at a discount store with flowers and plaid bright soft colors. then i went to my local harware store bought some dowels (round wood rods)usally 3-4' tall 5/8-1/2" and if i had a larger window i used a closet rod and cup hooks to hold them and this is the afforable but creative treatment. In the kitchen i divided the window and covered half and the other half i draped the top rod so i could have some sunlight in. Oh yes i used material glue for the edges. I didn't want to sew. It was fun easy and afforable and I am into victorian look so it was chic to me .

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