Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Painting Your Brick and Mortar Fireplace - An Excellent Idea to Improve Aesthetics

If you have a brick and mortar fireplace in your house, then you should pay special attention to its painting. This is because choosing the right color for the fireplace can convert your ordinary looking leaving room into a majestic and regal room. Most of us make the mistake of choosing the same color as that of the room. Instead, we should check out contrasting colors.

You should also consider leaving the brick fireplace unpainted. However, one of the biggest disadvantages of such an approach is that the fireplace starts looking dirty and shabby very quickly.

Damaged breaks start coming off and the entire structure looks as if it may fall at any moment. On the other hand, a well painted fireplace always looks better. You can opt for ash color for the fireplace so that it looks as if it has been built using ash colored bricks.

This will help you retain the original cement color of the fireplace without any scope for your house to look shabby. The next time when you paint your house, make sure you log on to the World Wide Web for painting tips. Choosing the right contrasting color will not be very expensive.

This is because the standard fireplace fitted into the wall does not occupy lot of space. If you find it too expensive, you always have the option of doing it at yourself. In any case, do not treat it like any other part of your house. Instead, make it a point to give special attention at all times.

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Saturday, April 23, 2011

Christmas Flower Pot Crafts

Crafting for the holidays is the most popular type of crafting there is. If you are looking for different projects for your holiday decor, think flower pot crafts. Turned upside down they become holiday characters for your tables or tree. With a little paint, a few odds and ends and a creative eye, an ordinary flower pot can be transformed into a snowman, reindeer, Santa Clause or a gingerbread man for Christmas.

These crafts can use an assortment of sizes to get the same look. The only preference is where and what you intend the finished project to be. The basic pattern for most all character is an upside down pot for the body and a wood bead for the head. Styrofoam balls may be substituted for the head.

Flower Pot Craft Characters

Snowman - Paint the entire pot white for the body and the wood ball white for the head. Glue the ball to the bottom of the flower pot. Make a stocking cap and scarf from a scrap of fabric and glue to the snowman. Dab pink paint lightly on the cheeks using a cotton swab. Dip dot black paint for the eyes and mouth using a paint brush handle. Dip dot orange paint for the nose using a paint brush handle and using a toothpick point, pull the orange dot to the side making a pointy carrot nose. Glue buttons down the front of the pot.

Reindeer - Paint the entire flower pot chocolate brown for the body and the wood ball chocolate brown for the head. Glue the ball to the bottom. Twist two pieces of pipe cleaners into antler shapes and hot glue to the back of the head. Cut two brown felt triangles and glue to the head for ears. Paint the eyes by dip dotting black paint and glue a red pom pom for a nose. String a miniature jingle bell on red ribbon and tie around the neck.

Santa Clause - Paint the entire pot body red and the wood ball head peach. Glue the wood ball to the flower pot bottom. Paint the eyes by dip dotting black paint using a toothpick point and the nose using red paint. Glue strips of white felt around the bottom rim and top edge of the pot for fur. Cut a black strip of felt and glue around the flower pot for a belt. Form a cone shaped hat from red felt and a white felt brim. Glue the hat to the head. Attach white doll hair around the face for the beard.

Gingerbread Man - Paint the entire pot body tan and the wood ball head tan. Glue the ball to the flower pot bottom. Glue miniature rick rack around the face. Start at the flower pot bottom, over the head and back down to the bottom. Glue more miniature white rick rack around the flower pot rim. Dab pink paint lightly on the cheeks using a cotton swab. Paint the eyes by dip dotting with black paint and using a paint brush handle. Using a black marker, draw a mouth and a small curved nose. Tie a small bow using scrap fabric and glue to the head. Glue two buttons down the front of the pot.

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Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Have Swirl Marks on Your Car? How to Prevent Them the Next Time You Wash Your Car

One common problem you often see on a car's finish is swirl marks. You may think it is because your paint is old. Or that the paint job was defective. Or that it is simply unavoidable, that there is nothing you can do about it and that it is just something you live with, especially as your car ages. And so you continue to use the same old methods to wash your car that only exacerbates the problem.

However, even brand-new factory applied paint can quickly show these fine swirl marks if you are not careful. Look closely at your new car and you may see very light scratches that show up in a circular or swirling pattern. You can get products designed to remove these marks, often in combination with a buffer, but the best thing to do is find out what's causing them so that you can avoid further damage.

With so many competing products available for car washing and paint protection, you may be confused about the best way to wash your car to keep your car's paint looking like it just came off the assembly line.

Swirl marks are most likely caused by unseen grit on your sponge, towel, or chamois. These particles can be microscopic. You may be adding to the swirls every time you wash or dry your car. It can also happen at a carwash. You may be thinking you are avoiding this by investing in a hand wash at the car wash but it happens here more times than not as well. The culprit? Cheap shop towels, bath towels and other products not designed for your car can cause these marks. Chamois and sponges, although used for years on cars, are also bad for scratching your car's paint.

The best way to prevent this is to use a good quality microfiber towel and practice good car-washing techniques, which include prepping your car before you even start washing it.

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Sunday, April 10, 2011

What Makes a Paint "Green"?

As the "green" movement continues to grow, we are seemingly inundated with "green" products and services. The intent of this article is to help to define green, or Eco-friendly, paints and coatings. I differentiate between paints and coatings, because they are not technically the same thing. All paints are coatings, but not all coatings are paints. Coatings come in numerous resin bases. Some resins include latex, alkyd, acrylic, epoxy, urethane, fluropolymers, and many others. Each of these resins is designed to handle specific applications. The use of the appropriate coating is determined by the environment to which it will be exposed. Deciding factors include durability, color and gloss retention, corrosion resistance, UV resistance, impact resistance, moisture and rust resistance, etc.

With all of these different types of coatings, how is it possible to determine which ones are "green?"

By measuring and limiting their volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. VOCs are measured in grams/Liter (g/L). The VOCs in coatings are in the solvents that bind the components of the coatings together and keep it in a liquid state. When the coating is applied to a substrate, it releases VOCs into the air as it cures (dries). These VOCs are being released into the air until the paint is fully cured, which can be between 15 and 45 days. These VOCs are deleterious to both people and the environment. For humans, breathing VOCs causes brain damage, lung damage, and can exacerbate pre-existing respiratory illnesses. For the environment, VOCs contribute to greenhouse gases, and ultimately global warning.

Because of the "green" movement's youth, no federal VOC standards have been established. However, several organizations have established accepted "green" VOC standards for paints and coatings. These include the California Air Resource Board (CARB), The Ozone Transport Commission (OTC), The Master Painters Institute (MPI), and The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). All of these organizations are creating guidelines for sustainable construction in their respective region. However, The USGBC's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, program is widely accepted as the national standard in "green" building.

When applied to paints and coatings, the LEED program allows each type of coating acceptable VOC limits to earn its "GS-11" rating. For instance, interior flat latex paint must contain fewer than 50g/L VOC content to be considered "green." Many manufacturers offer zero-VOC interior paints. With some types of coatings, like alkyd-based polyurethanes and varnishes, it is more difficult to remove the VOCs without seriously compromising the product performance. For this, LEED allows these coatings a higher VOC cap (Do "green" coatings perform as well as "regular" ones?

For the most part, Yes they do. In many cases, due to advances in technology, the "green" coatings out-perform their "regular" counterparts. In commercial, residential, and even industrial applications, the low-VOC coating options are often better performing options.

If "green" paints are better than regular paints, then why don't more contractors use them?

There are two main reasons why many contractors don't use "green" paints and coatings:

1) Cost - Many of these "Eco-friendly" paints are more expensive than their "Eco-unfriendly" counterpart. However, the cost difference is usually small (5-15%). Oftentimes, when the customer is informed that the job can be done using better performing, environmentally friendly coatings, they usually accept the cost increase to get a better job. But, it is up to the contractor to educate his customers about these options. This brings us to the second point.

2)Lack of Knowledge - Many people, even paint contractors, are not aware of the "green" options available to them. What little that they do know, is not enough to make them change their old habits. Many of these "green" paints behave somewhat differently than what painters are used to. There are minor differences in application, dry-time, and re-coat time. Because many painters won't take the time to learn how to use these coatings, they think that they are bad products and won't use them.

What's Next?

The future of "green" paints and the "green" movement as a whole is very bright. Paint manufacturers are researching and developing innovative, new products everyday. In addition to this, the government is passing legislation creating incentives for developers, builders, and general contractors to use "green" solutions on their projects.

If we all work together and do our part, we can preserve our fragile and beautiful planet.

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Thursday, April 7, 2011

Inspecting the Exterior of the House and the Roof

Exterior Walls

After the structure and equipment of the basement have been examined thoroughly, the inspection of the exterior of the home is the next step in the inspection process.

If the walls are masonry, you should look for cracks or broken bricks or blocks, especially above the door and window openings. Look to see if the mortar joints require pointing. You also need to note whether or not there is any signs of efflorescence (moldy or white blotches or streaks) on the face of the wall, particularly below the window sills and near the down spouts. Sometimes these moldy areas can be brought about by the use of steam showers, an infrared sauna, or faulty shower doors.

The principal signs of defects or deterioration in stucco are cracks and the chipping off or falling out of any particles. The most likely places to observe these defects are over the doors and windows and near the ground. These surface marks are more readily seen after it has been raining and the dampness penetrates. Discoloration in the form of dust or rust streaks may appear below the window sills or other ledges.

If the house is of frame construction, examine the siding for loose or decayed boards. Look for blisters on painted surfaces and indications of cracking or of the paint peeling off in places. As the blisters are generally caused by moisture on the back of the film of paint, look for possible sources of such moisture, such as in a leaky roof, down spouts or water pipes.

Exterior Side of Windows

When examining the windows on the outside of the house, look to see if there is any flashing over the window caps so that it will turn the water. You should also inspect the flashing to make sure it is in good condition.

Other factors to examine on the exterior of the windows include:

o Look for holes or large cracks at window sills. They will appear if the inside stool, or ledge, is not well nailed down. They may exist where parting strips and pulley stiles meet the sill, or where the top sill joins the wood or brick subsill.

o If backhand molding is used around the top and sides of the outside casing, see that it is nailed tightly against the casing.

o Probe between the frame and the wall at each side of the window to see whether calking is needed to keep out dampness and cold, and to keep any steam from an indoor hot tub, steam shower, or sauna from affecting the walls and causing mold to grow.

o While looking over the windows examine the putty around the panes to find out whether it is firmly in place.

Roof, Flashing, and Gutters

Leaks in the roof are rarely detected from the outside. If there is no ceiling in the attic, holes in the roofing material are often readily visible from the inside. In this case they can be marked by pushing straws through the holes so that they protrude above the surface of the roof. If there is a ceiling in the attic, there may be stains on the plaster, which will indicate that there is a leak.

If the roof is made of slate, tile, wood shingles or composite shingles, you need to examine it closely to see if any of the pieces have been broken or have blown off. You also need to check to make sure that they are not loose. In the case of wood of composite shingles, check to make sure that they haven't warped or are partly decayed or disintegrated.

If the house is covered with metal roofing, look for holes, cracks, or open joints. See if paint or special coating has worn off due to any bathtubs, bathroom fixtures, or hot tubs emitting extra moisture. A similar examination should be made where roll roofing has been used.

Examine the flashing around the chimney and vent pipes as well as in the valleys of the roof to make sure there is no sign of rusting or of the vents being out of place. Leaves, rubbish and birds' nests in gutters can be problematic. They can clog up downspouts if the debris is not removed. Check the strainers over the mouths of the down spouts to see if they are clear. Take notice of the condition of the gutters and conductor pipes to determine if they should be replaced or just need a fresh coat of paint.

Skylights should also be examined for signs of leakage. The frame may need painting and the putty around the glass may need to be replaced. You should also check to make sure the flashing around the base of the frame is in good condition. Leaks from openings such as these can ruin carpets, bathroom fixtures, bathroom vanities, shower doors, and even flooring and tiling.

In looking over the chimney top, see whether all the bricks are in place and whether pointing is needed. If a cap is used, it should be securely cemented to the chimney. If there is no special chimney cap, see that mortar is spread over the top of the brickwork and sloped down from the flue opening to the outside edge of the chimney.

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Sunday, April 3, 2011

Portrait Painting - The Zenith of Excellence in Painting

Portrait - The concept
A portrait is an artwork (painting, sculpture, photograph) focusing on the face or expression of a person, a group of people, or an animal. It involves a subject, an artist, and an audience.

The Types
Explaining its subject's personality, appearance, and even moods, portraits have the following types:
o Two-dimensional portrait painting
o Self-Portrait - Artist covering self
o Portrait photography
o Three dimensional portrait sculptures

The History
The earliest of portraits were those of the funerals of the Fayum district, Egypt. Soon, Greek inspired Roman sculpturing started gaining ground. By the 4th century, the real portrayal took up the swing. The Moche Civilization (100-800) of Peru was one of the oldest to indulge in portraiture. The paintings capturing kings from the early medieval period (5th-10th centuries) often did not portray their actual appearance. The historical, political, and societal context in which the ruler wanted himself to be viewed was the image portrayed, rather than the reality. Late Medieval (1300-1499) portraits are also quite 'visually' remarkable because of their composite emblematic content. The arrangement of the subject, the background images, and objects in the picture, all hinted deep connotation.

The Artists & the Artworks
The world's oldest (27,000 years) known portrait was found in 2006 in Vilhonneur grotto near Angoulême, France. The later artists were:
o Andrea del Sarto (1486 - 1531) - This Italian painter, known for intense character portrayals in his works, would play with colors, light, and shade to evoke the complicated informality and the expected expressions. His famous artworks are 'Portrait of the Artist's Wife' (Lucrezia di Baccio del Fede, the artist's wife, 1513-14), 'Madonna of the Harpies' (1517), and 'the Portrait of a Young Man' (1517).
o Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) - Rembrandt van Rijn was a Dutch painter known for his heretical use of lighting, upsetting eroticism, murky backdrops, and illumination for a three-dimensional look. 'A Bearded man in a Cap' (Late 1650s), 'An elderly Man as Saint Paul' (1659), and 'Self Portrait Open-Mouthed' (1630) are some of the key works of the artist.
o Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) - One of the best-known and controversial portraits in the Western world is Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa (1503-06), the painting of an anonymous woman. One of the most celebrated portrait artists, Leonardo was an ultimate genius. A painter, engineer, sculptor, architect, draughtsman, anatomist, astronomer, physicist, observer of life, and a great thinker, this mastermind successfully brought science and art together. 'The Last Supper' (1495-98), 'Portrait of Ginevra de Benci' (1474), and 'The Virgin of the Rocks' (1482-86) were some of his most famous works.

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