Have you ever tried to use a scanner for your computer and feel like you are trying to program your VCR? I have an alternative for you.
I couldn't find the plug to work my scanner since we moved but I needed to scan something into the comptuer. But I couldn't figure out where to find the outlet plug, but came up with an idea that worked. It just might work for you. I took a picture of the item I needed to scan with my digital camera then uploaded the file to the computer. It worked great.
So if you are ever at a point when you need to scan something into the computer, but feel like you are being overwhelmed by the electronics in your home, take a picture of it. It is definitely much easier.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Tips for Painting Drywall
You have a clean slate. A room has been redone and you have fresh, new drywall up on the walls, but now you have to figure out how to paint the walls. If you use regular paint on the drywall it will take you quite a few coats to keep the drywall from soaking up all the paint. This will take you many hours to many days to accomplish. It is much easier to take care of than you might think.
The first thing you need to do is to make sure you have mudded the walls, which means you have used plaster to cover the nail holes and the cracks between the pieces of drywall. After you have plastered the walls then you need to sand the walls, otherwise you will end up with lumps in your walls and uneven spots. The paint will also have a harder time adhering to the surface of the wall.
The next step is to use a primer for the walls. This will help keep the paint from soaking into the drywall and save you many hours of backbreaking work and it will save you some money also. Your paint or hardware store will let you know which type and color of primer would work best with the color you choose for your walls. After you have done a nice coat of primer on the walls, wait for it to dry and then if you think it needs another coat apply an additional coat of primer to the walls. This is especially helpful if you are trying to cover a stain on the wall.
You have the primer on the walls; your next step is to paint the room. If you are going to use a different color for the trim then it works to apply that first and wait for it to dry. After it dries then you can tape off the edges and paint the walls. Wait for the walls to dry and you might need to put on a second coat.
After you are done putting the second coat of paint on the walls and the paint has dried, then put your room back together and enjoy your new space.
The first thing you need to do is to make sure you have mudded the walls, which means you have used plaster to cover the nail holes and the cracks between the pieces of drywall. After you have plastered the walls then you need to sand the walls, otherwise you will end up with lumps in your walls and uneven spots. The paint will also have a harder time adhering to the surface of the wall.
The next step is to use a primer for the walls. This will help keep the paint from soaking into the drywall and save you many hours of backbreaking work and it will save you some money also. Your paint or hardware store will let you know which type and color of primer would work best with the color you choose for your walls. After you have done a nice coat of primer on the walls, wait for it to dry and then if you think it needs another coat apply an additional coat of primer to the walls. This is especially helpful if you are trying to cover a stain on the wall.
You have the primer on the walls; your next step is to paint the room. If you are going to use a different color for the trim then it works to apply that first and wait for it to dry. After it dries then you can tape off the edges and paint the walls. Wait for the walls to dry and you might need to put on a second coat.
After you are done putting the second coat of paint on the walls and the paint has dried, then put your room back together and enjoy your new space.
Installing a New Window
You were in the hardware store the other day and saw the new window you want to put into your house, but now you have to know how to install it. Installing a window is a relatively simple process and as you are walked through the steps to replace your old window, you will find a couple of tips to help you along the way.
TOOLS
The tools you will need for your task are tape measure, crow (pry) bar, hammer, a sharp utility knife, wood chisel, level, square, saw, caulking gun (with caulk), and a screwdriver. An electric drill/screwdriver will make the job easier for you, but it isn’t a requirement. You will also need extra pieces of wood called shims to make sure the window is level.
MEASURING
This is the most important step of the whole process. If you don’t measure accurately then the replacement window you buy won’t fit into the existing space and you will either have to go buy a new window or expand the window size. If you have determined the type of window you would like to replace the old one with you can use the manufacturers measuring instructions to find out which size window will work for your space. You will most likely have to remove the interior trim around the window to get an accurate measurement. Once you have your measurements, review your window size options to determine which size window will work the best. It is important to note that if you can’t get the same size window, it is easier to replace the window with a slightly smaller window as you will just have to add some framer to the face and not have to excavate part of your wall.
WINDOW REMOVAL
You have received your new window and are ready to continue with your project. The first thing you need to do is remove the old window. The first step is to remove the exterior trim from the window. A note here: if you are going to reuse the trim be careful when you are removing it and once you have it off the house remove the nails from the trim and set it aside. Then you will do the same for the interior of the window. The next step is to use the utility knife to score the paint around the window, then using a small crow bar, remove the stops, both the jamb and head stops. You will then need to remove the sash cords so the weights for the window will drop down. Then you can remove the lower sash. The upper sash normally has a wedge at the bottom, just use a chisel to knock out the wedge, then you will be able to remove the top sash. After you remove the balance cord pulleys then you can remove the window stool and any interior trim that is left. You will very likely have to use a crow bar and a block of wood to help you get it out of the frame. Your window has been removed and you can move onto the next step.
INSTALLATION
You finally are at the point where you can install your new window. You are going to want to use the caulking around the window to make sure you have a good seal. This will help eliminate any of the loss of energy through small openings around the window. You will need to use the level to make sure the window is even, this is when you use the shims to ensure that it is level. Then you need to make sure your measurements are the same from corner to corner in both directions. This is done to make sure that the window didn’t twist when you installed it. Then you can nail the window into place. Before you add the trim onto the window frame, it is a good idea to have someone stand outside with a flashlight and go around the frame of the window to ensure that there aren’t any holes. If there are you can use more caulking to fill the holes. A good insulation to use around the frame of the window is a foam insulation because you can use it to fill the space completely and don’t have to worry about energy loss.
FINISHING
Your new window is installed and you have ensured that there aren’t any open spaces around the window by filling them with insulation and caulking. The next step is to install the trim around the window both inside and outside. You can use your old trim or you can replace it with new trim; this will depend on if you used a smaller or larger window. Either one will require you to use new trim. You will use a miter saw to get the correct angles for the edges of the trim. Install and then you can finish the project.
The trim is up and now you need to either stain the trim or paint it, whichever is your preference. You will need to lightly sand the window and frame to make sure you have removed all of the residue from construction. You don’t want to use steel wool as it could scratch the surface. Another option for finishing the trim work is to keep it the original wood color and just put a couple of coats of polyurethane on it, even if you stain the surface you will want to finish it off with the polyurethane, it will make clean up easier. A final tip is to paint or polyurethane about 1/8 of an inch onto the glass. This will help to further seal the window from loss of energy.
TOOLS
The tools you will need for your task are tape measure, crow (pry) bar, hammer, a sharp utility knife, wood chisel, level, square, saw, caulking gun (with caulk), and a screwdriver. An electric drill/screwdriver will make the job easier for you, but it isn’t a requirement. You will also need extra pieces of wood called shims to make sure the window is level.
MEASURING
This is the most important step of the whole process. If you don’t measure accurately then the replacement window you buy won’t fit into the existing space and you will either have to go buy a new window or expand the window size. If you have determined the type of window you would like to replace the old one with you can use the manufacturers measuring instructions to find out which size window will work for your space. You will most likely have to remove the interior trim around the window to get an accurate measurement. Once you have your measurements, review your window size options to determine which size window will work the best. It is important to note that if you can’t get the same size window, it is easier to replace the window with a slightly smaller window as you will just have to add some framer to the face and not have to excavate part of your wall.
WINDOW REMOVAL
You have received your new window and are ready to continue with your project. The first thing you need to do is remove the old window. The first step is to remove the exterior trim from the window. A note here: if you are going to reuse the trim be careful when you are removing it and once you have it off the house remove the nails from the trim and set it aside. Then you will do the same for the interior of the window. The next step is to use the utility knife to score the paint around the window, then using a small crow bar, remove the stops, both the jamb and head stops. You will then need to remove the sash cords so the weights for the window will drop down. Then you can remove the lower sash. The upper sash normally has a wedge at the bottom, just use a chisel to knock out the wedge, then you will be able to remove the top sash. After you remove the balance cord pulleys then you can remove the window stool and any interior trim that is left. You will very likely have to use a crow bar and a block of wood to help you get it out of the frame. Your window has been removed and you can move onto the next step.
INSTALLATION
You finally are at the point where you can install your new window. You are going to want to use the caulking around the window to make sure you have a good seal. This will help eliminate any of the loss of energy through small openings around the window. You will need to use the level to make sure the window is even, this is when you use the shims to ensure that it is level. Then you need to make sure your measurements are the same from corner to corner in both directions. This is done to make sure that the window didn’t twist when you installed it. Then you can nail the window into place. Before you add the trim onto the window frame, it is a good idea to have someone stand outside with a flashlight and go around the frame of the window to ensure that there aren’t any holes. If there are you can use more caulking to fill the holes. A good insulation to use around the frame of the window is a foam insulation because you can use it to fill the space completely and don’t have to worry about energy loss.
FINISHING
Your new window is installed and you have ensured that there aren’t any open spaces around the window by filling them with insulation and caulking. The next step is to install the trim around the window both inside and outside. You can use your old trim or you can replace it with new trim; this will depend on if you used a smaller or larger window. Either one will require you to use new trim. You will use a miter saw to get the correct angles for the edges of the trim. Install and then you can finish the project.
The trim is up and now you need to either stain the trim or paint it, whichever is your preference. You will need to lightly sand the window and frame to make sure you have removed all of the residue from construction. You don’t want to use steel wool as it could scratch the surface. Another option for finishing the trim work is to keep it the original wood color and just put a couple of coats of polyurethane on it, even if you stain the surface you will want to finish it off with the polyurethane, it will make clean up easier. A final tip is to paint or polyurethane about 1/8 of an inch onto the glass. This will help to further seal the window from loss of energy.
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