Amanda Hartley | Home Makeover Diva

Is This Good Carpet For My Stairs?

02.28.2015 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Camille writes:

Hello, I am purchasing a remnant of Shaw carpeting from a local carpet store (to be installed by them) for the stairs from my main to second floor. I have never purchased carpet and I am a bit confused regarding proper type. The carpet is synthetic – polyester and a Texture with a slight Frieze in style It is a medium to medium high thickness. Is this a good carpet for my stairs? I live alone with a westie terrier. In other words no kids or elderly folks.

Camille, thank you for providing all of the information needed to assess your carpet choice! That makes my job so much easier! Choosing the best carpet for stairs is never easy, especially if it is your first time. I am speaking from experience here, because the first carpet I ever selected was a terrible choice! But that’s because I knew nothing about carpeting and went strictly by price and color. The carpet I picked out was very thin and because of this, it looked terrible on the stairs. You, however, have made a great choice of carpeting for the stairs. Here’s what you did right:

First of all, you picked a carpet fiber that is a good fit compared to the amount of traffic in your home. Because you don’t have a busy household, polyester is a great choice. It allows you to get the most bang out of your buck and should hold up nicely for many years to come. And if there were any pet accidents on the carpet from your westie terrier, it would be easy to clean up and is less likely to stain.

Good Carpet For My Stairs — Click to enlarge

Second, the style of the carpet is perfect for the traffic on the stairs. The texture style with a slight frieze, and will hold up nicely in traffic areas. This is because both elements will help keep the carpet from matting down. Frieze carpet in particular, is great for this because you aren’t walking on the tips of the strands, rather the sides. Texture carpets are also better for stairs because they don’t have a uniform appearance. This helps to camouflage wear patterns.

And lastly, you picked a thickness that will hold up on the stairs and shouldn’t show the backing where it bends over the edge of a step. This is the most common mistake people make when picking out carpets. They think they need a thin carpet to bend around the steps, but in reality, all this does is make it easier for the carpet to get matted down and show wear. So by picking a carpeting in the medium density range, you are making sure that it will “stand” up to use and not mat down.

Camille you’ve already chosen a good carpet. However if you were still in the market for new carpeting here’s a tip I would have suggested:

Take a sample of the carpet or a corner of the actual remnant and bend it at almost a 90 degree angle. Be aware that the sample will be harder to bend if it has a labeling piece of paper glued to the backing. Don’t try to fold the carpet over like a piece of paper, because you don’t want to crack the backing. You just want to simulate what it would look like on a step. Once you’ve bent it the correct amount, look to see how much of the backing shows.

I’ve included images of what a good and bad carpet will look like bent over the edge of a step. The first photo is of a carpet that would be a great choice for stairs. You can hardly see any backing material at all. The carpet fibers fan out slightly, but you would have to push fibers aside to see the actual backing material.

The second photo is of a carpet that is very thin. You can easily see the line of backing where the carpet is bent. You want to avoid getting a carpet like this as much as possible. Not only will the carpet mat down quicker, but you will be stuck looking at the exposed backing every time you walk up the stairs. This probably won’t bother you as much as it did me, but just in case, I thought it was worth mentioning!

Choosing the right carpet for stairs doesn’t have to be a daunting process. You’ve just got to arm yourself with a trick or two before going to the carpeting store. Then you’ll be better equipped to pick out something that will hold up to everything your household can dish out.

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe(diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog.

How to Repair Lifting Edges On Vinyl Tile

02.27.2015 by Amanda Hartley //

Vinyl peel and stick tiles are an easy do-it-yourself friendly type of project, but what do you do if the edges start lifting up? Simple re-glue them. If you aren’t sure how to do this then read on for step by step instructions on how to repair lifting edges on vinyl tile.

First step. You’ll need to make sure the area is clean by sweeping and mopping the area to be fixed. Making special care to remove any dust or debris near the lifting edges. By taking care of this first, you will be making sure that everything is working as it should be. Not removing dust and dirt, will translate into this vinyl repair not working and eventually will mean you’ll need to repair the lifting edges on the vinyl tile again.

Second step. If the area of the vinyl tile that’s lifting up is bigger than the size of a quarter, use a slightly damp rag or sponge to clean out under the area where the tiles are lifting. Then wait until it is fully dry, about 15-20 mins. You’ll want to take special care not to bend the vinyl tile in the process. Some tiles are extremely thin and can break with too much pressure. So when it doubt, take things slowly. It’s better to be overly careful than bend the tiles and leaving a bigger problem than when you started.

Third step. At this point, you’ll want to use a construction strength adhesive out of a tube to re-glue the area. Slide the tip under the lifted tile edge. Be sure you don’t over glue the area. Make a small bead of glue in the center of the area, keeping in mind that when the tile is flat it will smooth out and cover more area. Take extra care to be careful with how much glue is being applied here. Too much glue is just going to create problems, so remember that you only need to apply a single bead of the glue — nothing more.

Fourth step. Press the tile edge down firmly and apply pressure. Don’t be afraid to apply plenty of pressure to the area. Just try to make sure the pressure you’re applying is done with an even hand as not to bend the vinyl tile or anything like that. When in doubt, just be careful and take things slowly. While you want to be firm with your application of pressure, you certainly don’t want to be overly forceful.

Fifth step. Immediately wipe off any excessive glue with a damp rag. There isn’t really any technique to this, other than making sure all of the excess glue is in fact, being removed completely. The reason for this is that it prevents you from ending up with a mess in the near future. Remember, it’s easier to remove the glue before it dries, than after. At least once it’s oozing the vinyl tiles, that is.

Sixth and final step. Now you will need to go ahead and apply a heavy object directly over the affected area to hold it down until the glue dries. Leave over top of the affected area for a minimum of two hours, preferably overnight if possible. By leaving an appropriate amount of time to dry, you’re ensuring that the vinyl tile won’t begin showing lifting edges once again. But it is critical to allow both an appropriate amount of drying time along with hard, flat surfaced objects that will be helping the drying process along.

How To Calculate Paint Quantity For Any Project

02.27.2015 by Amanda Hartley //

Quick and Easy Tip: How to calculate paint for any project!

When it comes to painting projects, how do you figure out how much paint you’ll need? Most of us probably ask the clerk at the paint desk how much we should get. And normally this is fine, but what if the clerk is new to the paint department? Even worse, what if they don’t care and happen to mutter the first random thought that comes to mind? My experience at most home improvement stores is that it’s really the luck of draw as to whether you get someone who truly cares about helping you with your project, or whether they’re just watching the clock until it’s time to go home! That said, why not stop relying on someone else and find out how to do the math yourself!

Get your tape measure ready! First thing you’ll need to do is measure the area you are painting. Because you aren’t measuring for blinds or tile, you don’t have to be exact. Say your walls measure 8 feet and 5 inches, I’d just round-up to nine and call it good. This way you are less likely to short yourself. Getting back to the act of measuring, if all the walls are the same height than you only need to measure one. Because odds are pretty good that you’ll just come up with the same number. If you’ve got a half wall or something not square you’ll want to measure all the “odd” walls as well. Now that you’ve got the height down, it’s time to measure the width of all your walls. Once again I’d continue to round-up to the nearest foot when marking your measurements.

Do the Math! Once you’ve got the measurements of the areas you want to paint it is time to do the math. If you are painting one area a different color than another then you will want to separate the measurements by color. First you start out by converting each wall into square feet. For example: let’s say you’ve got a wall that is 10 feet wide by 8 feet tall. This would equal out as 8ft x 10ft = 80ft. The next wall is 15ft wide and is the same height. Therefore, this comes out to 15ft x 8ft for a total of 120sf. Wait, there’s one last step! If you add the two separate areas together, you get a grand total of 200 square feet that you’re looking to paint.

Multiple coats? Okay, so you’ve got the measurements, now what? Well, you’ll need to determine if you need to paint more than one coat of paint on each surface. I would say as a general rule, expect to paint two coats of anything that isn’t considered a really light color when painting over a white wall surface. So even though you have only 200 square feet of wall, you’ll need to double that footage calculation because you’re painting two coats. The two coats of paint breaks down as follows: 200 square feet x 2 = 400 square feet.

Width X Height = Square Feet X 2 (for multiple coats) = the amount of wall space you will need to cover.

Now that you know how much paint you need for your project, how do you know how much paint to actually buy? Well, the easiest way is to look at the back of the paint can itself and see what the recommended coverage is according to the paint company. If this doesn’t make you comfortable, then instead you could use the general painter’s rule that one gallon of paint will cover up to 400 square feet. One quart of paint on the other hand, will cover up to 100 square feet. Please understand that “I say up to” because it depends on the paint as to how well it covers. Therefore, this is where reading the back of the paint can comes in handy. Just remember though, the manufacturer’s recommendations and your actual painting project results may vary.

Speaking for myself, I usually try to error on the side of caution and purchase more paint than I think I’ll need. This works well for me because I often have additional projects I want to tackle and the extra paint comes in handy. Also, if you do the math and find that you need exactly one gallon and two quarts, I would consider just purchasing two gallons. Often times it costs just as much for two quarts as it does for an entire gallon!

Help With Choosing Granite or Quartz Countertops

02.26.2015 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Mitch writes:

I’m picking out new countertops, but I am not sure which one is the best choice.Granite or Quartz? Please help!

Mitch, if I had a dollar for every time I got asked that question. . . I wouldn’t be a millionaire, but I would definitely be a couple hundred dollars richer! When it comes to picking out granite or quartz countertop surfaces, many people are at a loss of what to choose. Rest assured though that you’re not alone in your quest for the best countertop surface!

Let me also assure you that there’s no real right or wrong countertop when considering these two wonderful surfaces. Simply put, both granite and quartz are great countertop options. To better help with your dilemma, I’ve got a couple of questions to help us narrow down which countertop will work best for you.

Naturally occurring beauty that will be unpredictable or a consistent countertop pattern and color?

Granite is a beautiful choice, but it’s not appropriate for everyone or every kitchen. This comes into play because granite often makes for a bold statement, especially considering that some granite patterns are difficult to ignore. Confused by that last statement? Think back to the last kitchen you saw with a bold granite countertop. Do you remember anything else about that particular kitchen? Often times granites with large designs and a lot of color can become the focal point of the kitchen, making the rest of the features barely noticeable by contrast. There is nothing wrong with this, but it is something to keep in mind when you go countertop shopping! If your kitchen already has a lot going with patterns and colors, then you may wish to find milder colors and patterns when looking into a new countertop. With regard to style, typically speaking, granite fits in more with a traditional design.

I also strongly recommend going to the warehouse yourself and picking out your own granite slab for your countertops. This way, you can avoid any “surprises” that may arise after installation. As splotches may be bigger or smaller than at the showroom, a tone or hue may be different or the rock formation could change the pattern as the granite is mined, it’s best to be there in person to inspect things. You just don’t know what little change may happen in the rock from the time it was mined and put in the showroom to the slab that actually gets installed in your kitchen.

While granite is natural and unpredictable, Quartz is man-made and more uniform. What you see in the showroom is almost exactly what you’ll get installed in your home. The two biggest brands of quartz are Silestone and Zodiaq, each have between 30 to 50 different colors. Some have small splotches while others are bigger. They even come in different textured looks. For example, Silestone has a line that reminds me of honed limestone or marble. Because of the uniform appearance and smaller splotches some colors in quartz work well with a heavily patterned kitchen backsplash. This makes quartz perfect for more modern kitchens.

How much countertop upkeep are you looking for?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54BKL7jvhks

Most granite surfaces require sealing. There are some that do not, but many granite countertops do. For those surfaces, you’ll have to seal them when they’re installed and then you will need to re-seal the countertop every 1 to 2 years. This will help protect your investment and keep your countertop from staining. If you’re instead looking for a countertop with minimal upkeep, I’d suggest quartz. Because quartz is nonporous and doesn’t require sealing like granite. This makes for a great selling point for quartz since it makes it’s more difficult to stain and happens to be antimicrobial. Neither granite or quartz is completely stain proof, however quartz offers greater stain resistance. The final point I would make between the two countertop surfaces is that quartz is slightly harder than granite. This means that it’s less likely to see scratches during daily use than a granite countertop.

Now I must tell you that I’m slightly biased when it comes to choosing countertops because my countertop happens to be quartz. That said, understand that I chose my countertop based on its color and pattern, not the type of surface. At the time, I was going for a modern look that matched well with my cabinets and flooring. The fact that it is low maintenance turned out to be a bonus. So when it comes to choosing your own countertops, you’ve got to decide which is the best for you and your kitchen. As I mentioned earlier, there is no true right or wrong answer for your question. What it boils down to are the above benefits I’ve explained, your own personal preference and which countertop surface looks best in your kitchen. Either way, whichever countertop you choose will be great I’m sure!

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe (diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog.

Wall Edge Painting Tips

02.26.2015 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Eddie writes:

Help! I always mess up on the edges when I’m painting. Do you have any painting tips that could help me out? Any advice is appreciated.

Eddie, as you well know, painting is not as easy as it appears on home improvement shows. But that’s probably just because we don’t have a highly trained team of painters to come in and do the work for us when the cameras aren’t rolling! That said, I do have three-time tested edge painting tips to help you out of your current crisis!

First of all, never trust that painters tape is going to work without any special help from you. I don’t care what color it is, either. The painters tape could be the old standby known as blue tape or the newer green Frogtape and you’ll still have very similar results with either. Especially if your wall is textured. A wall with even a minuscule texture such as orange peel will leave blemishes in your straight line. This is because the tape doesn’t settle down into all the ridges of the texture. Even if you spend extra time rubbing the tape into every crevice, you will no doubt miss a few spots and have some bleed through with the paint.

The best tip I’ve found to combat this is paint grade caulking. I prefer the kitchen and bath kind in white, but that is just because it’s what I usually have handy. Spread the caulking on the edge of the tape that you’ll be painting over. I usually only spread a bead of about 6 inches long at a time and then use my fingers to smooth it into the edge and spread it further down the line. It is very important to make sure that you are spreading the caulking over the edge of the tape in a direction that keeps the tape edge smooth. Otherwise you’ll just be raising the edge and causing more problems for yourself. Make sure that as you spread the caulking you are keeping it smooth. You don’t want to cause any high spots that will cause a noticeable blemish on your wall. Once you’ve spread the caulking over the entire area, wait until it is fully dry before painting over the area.

Second, use an angled paint brush when cutting in. An angled paint brush will help you cut in on places where walls meet. For me an angled brush is especially helpful when painting the top edge of the wall where it meets the ceiling. If you hold the paint brush so that the width of the bristles are parallel to where the wall and ceiling meet you can glide the paint brush across easily. It helps to make sure that you have just the right amount of paint on the bristles. You don’t want to overload the brush, as that will cause you to get paint on the ceiling.

You can also use an angled brush when cutting in around door frames and where walls meet. In this instance it is easier to use just the angled edge of the brush instead of using the entire width. Once again though it is best not to load the brush down with too much paint, otherwise you’ll get paint the door frame or opposite wall.

And lastly, have a paint rag ready. It never hurts to be prepared. That’s why I purchase painters rags in bulk and always have a few nearby when I’m painting. This is especially helpful when painting around doors and trim. I always keep a rag or two sticking out of my pants pockets, so that I can grab one as needed. Keeping one handy will make it easier to wipe off your hands or wipe down a door or baseboard quickly. A paint rag will keep you clean and it will help keep an accident from ruining your new paint job.

Eddie, these three tips are ones that I’ve learned over the years to just help make painting easier on me. Use them or adapt them to something that works best for you, just know that there are things you can do to make painting edges easier! Also one last thing to mention, I don’t care how many of those edge painting tools are designed, I’ve never found one that worked as effortlessly and easily as was claimed. In fact most of the time they seemed to make more work for me. It seems nothing beats experience when it comes to painting edges.

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe (diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog.