Believe it or not, renovating a home doesn't have to be a difficult, large-scale, and expensive project. The simplest ones like accent wall or an unusual mirror can change the interior beyond recognition. Our article will be of interest not only to those who have already prepared for changes, but also to those who are just thinking about them: after all, we have collected the most useful and interesting ideas and tricks for apartment renovation.
Do-it-yourself phased renovation of an apartment implies that first of all you need to make a plan. When preparing for repairs, there are a few things to consider that are often forgotten:
- Even if you know your apartment very well, it is likely that without measurements there will be much more problems. It is still possible to buy wallpaper, but if corner sofa does not fit into the room due to its size, the mood will be hopelessly spoiled. For measurements, you can hire a professional or carefully study this procedure yourself.
- Electrical wiring is one of the most important stages of repair. Therefore, given the arrangement of furniture and electrical appliances, immediately determine the number of outlets and where they will be located.
- Doing apartment renovation on your own, do not spare money and buy Decoration Materials with a margin - in case of their shortage, it can be difficult to find the same or similar ones.
- During the purchase of products for repair, it is necessary to carefully examine them, as well as study quality certificates. When purchasing wallpaper, ceramic tiles, laminate, be sure to check the batch number of the product on the package - the materials in different packages may differ in shade and quality.
If you are not confident in your abilities and you have to work with complex materials you should seek the help of a specialist.
Wall mural was popular back in Soviet times. Although most often the images on them did not please with variety, they still made the room more interesting, and with their help it was possible to make a budget apartment renovation with your own hands. Now photo wallpaper is experiencing its second birth. Print quality has improved, patterns have become more diverse, and they are increasingly being used to decorate walls in the most different rooms, be it an office, an apartment or an art cafe. In addition to the fact that this material brings an accent to the interior, it also hides the imperfections of the walls and often visually expands the space - the main thing is to choose the right print.
The tightness in the room will be hidden by glossy photo wallpapers. Their surface, like a mirror, reflects light, due to which the space seems wider. Photo wallpapers of light and cold shades also create the illusion of space. Wallpaper expands the space very well, which depicts the perspective of some objects, such as columns, steps or a road that stretches into the distance. The depths of the room are given by panoramic images - photographs of cities, islands, forests, taken from a bird's eye view.
The photo wallpaper functions will work only when the wall with them is not blocked by anything. Therefore, it is not recommended to force it with furniture, hang pictures or a TV on it.
How to make inexpensive repairs in an apartment: cornices and moldings for decorating a living room and bedroom
How to make a beautiful repair in an apartment with your own hands, moldings and cornices will tell you - very good way update the interior and place accents. Wall moldings look especially good in a classic interior: you can place bright wallpapers, paintings or decorative panels. By the way, moldings and cornices should be painted with plain paint: this way they will become more durable, and the joints will be invisible.
Puzzling over how to quickly make repairs in the apartment? Do you want to decorate a room in a loft style, but are not ready to carry heavy bricks? Now there are many ways to imitate bricks, and the most plausible of them is decorative. fake diamond. It is much lighter and thinner than brick, and looks very natural. You can decorate with artificial brick not only walls, but also a fireplace or a loggia - the possibilities are almost endless. Rough brickwork goes well with wood and vintage decor.
If the bathroom is extremely small, it seems that nothing can be done about it. However, a few tricks will help "push" the walls. Of course, it is best to choose white finishing materials with a glossy surface - they will deepen the space and make it visually wider. So that the white bathroom does not seem to be operational, you can add a little variety - make decorative inserts, choose the original flooring, "dilute" one of the walls with a mosaic or an interesting pattern.
If you can't remember the last time you took a bath, it might be worth installing a shower stall - subject to availability small bathroom an extra half a square meter can be beneficial.
The easiest way to expand the space is to make a combined bathroom. It will be much easier to place washing machine, locker and other useful things. In addition, repairs in one room will cost much less than in two 🙂 However, in this case, you need to obtain permission for redevelopment.
Is the concept of "white top - dark bottom" already tired and boring? Another tip for repairing an apartment with your own hands is to give up the snow-white ceiling in favor of the original colors! Glossy or matte, warm or cold, bright and daring or pastel and soft - the ceiling can be anything. It doesn't even have to be uniform. For example, stripes will look appropriate in some interiors - the main thing is to choose the right color and easy-to-work paint, a suitable roller and evenly apply markings. It is also interesting to beat the ceiling with screen film. With its help, you can create a variety of patterns and ornaments. However, you should not “load” the ceiling with a variety of elements: when decorating, use one pattern, and when painting - no more than two colors.
How sometimes the poor walls in the children's room get it! They wipe their hands on them, draw on them with pencils and paints, scratch them, glue plasticine to them ... Many parents give up because of such childish pranks. What can be done with the walls so that they receive the least damage from the kids?
If you are thinking about how to properly make repairs in an apartment, the surest option is not to glue the wallpaper, but to paint the walls with high-quality and durable paint. After repair, save the article of the used paint, but rather keep one can in stock: if you can’t wash off the traces children's creativity, you can paint them neatly.
Do not take away the freedom of expression from the child: for example, you can paint one of the walls with slate paint or hang large sheets of paper.
How to start renovation in the apartment? Of course, it is necessary to remove the old finishing materials. Almost every one of us in the apartment has ever had wallpaper pasted. Once they were almost the only way to decorate walls, but now more creative solutions have come in their place. Nevertheless, often the wallpaper almost firmly sticks to the wall and interferes with finishing work, and the owners of the apartment tear their hair out. How to deal with such a situation?
Of course, you need to wet the wallpaper. Then the old glue will get wet and the wallpaper will fall behind without problems. To make water penetrate faster into the coating, you can make cuts on the wallpaper. This can be done with an ordinary knife, a spiked roller or the so-called wallpaper tiger - a tool with three toothed rollers that scratches the wallpaper.
Good is also an important part of a quality repair. Air practically does not penetrate through modern double-glazed windows, air exchange is disturbed. Therefore, for a comfortable stay, it is simply necessary to ventilate the apartment.
But we can’t always leave the windows open, and there are a lot of reasons for this. Dirty street air, car noise, frosty wind in winter - all this makes it difficult to feel comfortable. In this case, it is easiest to install the system supply ventilation(): this device is equipped with three filters for high-quality air purification, as well as a heating element that will allow you to ventilate the house when closed windows even in winter. Installation of the breather will take about an hour and will not harm your repair.
Sometimes the body of the bath, and the plumbing under it, do not look very aesthetically pleasing. To prevent the bath from knocking out of the interior, you can install a decorative screen. Screens may vary. There are the most simple models with two panels that move apart like closet doors, there are screens with sliding doors, and inside the most advanced options there are small shelves. The decorative screen is easy to install by yourself. The main thing is to measure the bathtub before buying in order to purchase a model of the right size.
Now there are many variations in the design of the doorway. If you give free rein to your imagination, then from the door you can make a work of art and a very practical element of the interior. For example, a pencil case door (cassette door) is completely hidden in the wall, and when repairing, you do not have to take into account the extra centimeters that will be needed to open a regular door. An accordion door will also help save space. It's perfect for a bathroom or closet. The doors look very interesting. swivel mechanism(roto-doors), which simultaneously swing open and move to the side. The technology of their manufacture is quite complicated, so they are installed in the doorway already assembled. In general, such doors are a real find for owners who want to express their individuality and creativity.
An apron is one of the most important kitchen design elements. Therefore, even if you are trying to save on repairs, it is important to use expensive high-quality tiles for an apron. Thanks to this, your interior will make a deep impression.
It should be remembered that not every tile is practical. Matte and semi-matte tiles are much more resistant to scratches, chips and other influences than glossy ones. If you plan to choose white or very light-colored tiles, be prepared for the fact that the light-colored grout will get dirty faster and the joints will need to be cleaned much more often. In this case, you should either choose a tile of a different color, or make a contrasting dark grout. On too dark tiles, all stains, stains and splashes of cooking grease will be visible. For the rest, you can trust your inspiration and combine different kinds tiles depending on your interior.
For some, the need to renovate their apartment causes a reaction far from positive. It comes first financial side question. A painstaking calculation of funds begins, with a distinction between the purchase of materials and payment for the services of specialized construction teams.
Repairs can be cosmetic and are limited to painting, wrapping and updating the appearance. And it can be capital with the replacement of electrical wiring, plumbing and the installation of a modern acrylic baths.
The process of repairing an apartment is perceived as a long period of time with many inconveniences. The result eventually turns from the desired to the suffered, and instead of a sense of satisfaction, there is a feeling of fatigue and detachment.
The situation is quite different for people with imaginative thinking. Having visualized what the apartment will look like after finishing, they part with money more easily, in the hope of quickly seeing everything with their own eyes.
People from the same category, who are not burdened with funds, often resort to the services of designers. Master decorator home interior with help computer programs can develop a view of the apartment in 3D format. In many ways, this method is considered a strong incentive to action, since it allows you to see the results of the work in advance.
However, purposeful people with high internal enthusiasm never give up even in a situation where there is a strong limitation of funds. For such people, the way out is to carry out partial or complete repairs on their own.
At the same time, someone chooses a thorough capital design of housing with redevelopment, and for someone it is enough to carry out inexpensive repairs in an apartment, which is often called cosmetic.
Stages in the repair
When deciding where to start repairing an apartment, some believe that it is necessary to purchase materials and tools first. In general, this is correct, but in order to spend money correctly and not to acquire too much, you need to do preliminary calculations. Calculate the basic geometric parameters of each room: height, length and width. Determine the dimensions of window and door openings.
The data obtained will help determine the exact amount of work and calculate the amount of each type of building material.
When deciding to global change internal view apartments on their own, you must first draw up a phased plan. It is a properly developed plan, including a phased apartment renovation, that becomes the key to successful work processes.
The first item will be dismantling work:
- demolition fencing internal walls and partitions to expand the space;
- dismantling wooden windows for replacement with plastic double-glazed windows;
- withdrawal door panels or complete dismantling door frames.
- removal of old floor coverings;
- dismantling of wall coverings or clearing walls from painting compositions;
- clearing or blurring ceilings.
Categories of complexity of work processes
The most time-consuming work is considered to be the installation of a screed on the floors and plastering the walls. It is especially difficult to deal with surfaces endowed with a large number of drops. Some of them are eliminated by knocking down with a hammer, but only a leveling screed or similar plaster layer can really save the day.
To carry out high-quality straightening of wall surfaces, plaster beacons are used. To do this, buy aluminum rails or metal pipes of a small square or rectangular section.
In the first case, the material is inexpensive, but when buying, you should know that when you remove the rails from the joints after the plaster has dried, they can no longer be reused in work.
metal pipes are more expensive, but the percentage of their preservation after dismantling is much higher. In addition, some people prefer to leave them in solution for greater strength of the layer.
The most economical way to achieve evenness of the screed is the installation of mortar beacons on the floors. But this process is very painstaking and only those who have the appropriate skills can decide on it.
The simplest type of work is painting. At least that's what most people think. The opinion is both right and wrong. The truth of the statement lies in the final process, that is, the painting itself, using quality tools.
Paint rollers and brushes, plastic pans with nets for rolling rollers. Working with quality tools, you can avoid smudges on the walls and the selection of vertical paint stripes.
Capturing an impression
For the sake of interest and to confirm your personal participation, a large number of people take photos of apartment renovation before and after. Sometimes this results in a whole series of shots with separate initial and final views of each room.
Some amateurs post photos on the Internet, as today it is considered a fashionable activity, and someone simply uses them to view with friends and acquaintances. In any case, a photo of a do-it-yourself apartment renovation is not only a memory, but also a confirmation of personal skill.
DIY apartment renovation photo
Based on our knowledge and our experience of communicating with customers who, before repair, almost always do not represent all the intricacies of repair and the difficulties of choosing, we have prepared a small list for you, as we believe. We hope that this list will help you in carrying out repairs both on your own and with the help of a contractor represented by our or another company. Try to take into account our useful ones when making a decision and you will avoid many problems in the future.
- Always start with the layout of the apartment. Arrange the furniture the way you want. This should be the only final option.
- When arranging furniture, think about what YOU need. And not about how you will meet guests.
- Any transfer of walls in an apartment is a redevelopment, therefore, it is necessary to prepare a project for the Housing Inspectorate.
- Wet areas (kitchen, bath, toilet) are not transferred or enlarged. Although in some houses it is possible to combine or increase only through corridors.
- Furniture has standard sizes and it is better to follow them, because the other way is more expensive. For example, a custom-sized kitchen drawer increases in value by 30%.
- Conventional cabinet: depth 600 mm, closet - 700 mm.
- Do not combine a bathroom with a bath if there are more than three people in your apartment and there is no second bathroom.
- Don't forget hoods. In the bathroom, natural - 1 pc. In the kitchen, natural - 1 pc, mechanical over the stove - 1 pc. More is possible, less is not.
- Hatches in bathrooms are best made from 600 mm or more, because. when unable to access engineering systems the management company has the right to request an increase in access.
- Before starting repair work, be sure to talk to management company and find out what documents you need. And also take the rules of conduct construction works.
- When calculating the cost of materials for repairs, do not forget to include the cost of deliveries, unloading / loading. Because for the repair of "primary buildings" 60-70 m², the first car with materials for building walls will bring you about 10 tons. In Moscow, the average cost of unloading / loading with a freight elevator is 1000 rubles. per ton.
- Repair work always begins with the erection of walls.
- The windows in the apartment need to be changed only after the floors have been poured and the walls have been plastered, because. in this case, they can be installed evenly, according to the level and taking into account the planes of the walls. IN window companies they will tell you otherwise, but your apartment is more important.
- The level of the floor in the apartment with the finish coating should be equal to the level of the floor in the staircase. Therefore, you need to pre-select the floor coverings that you will use in the apartment. Tiles with a thickness of 8-10 mm, laminate - 8-10, an array requires laying plywood equal to the thickness of the array, respectively, the thickness of an array with plywood varies from 28 mm to 40 mm. Only by choosing the materials for your rooms in advance, you will be able to competently fill the floors so that there are no floor differences in the apartment.
- In the kitchen in the work area, use only tiles. All other coatings will become unusable within six months.
- In the corridors on the floor it is better not to lay light tiles, in the bathrooms - on the contrary. Soapy water will always whiten any tile and grout.
- When using a warm floor under a tile it is necessary to lay 3-4 mm on glue and a cable.
- Laminate stock 10%, solid wood/parquet stock 15%, because marriage often happens, the supply of tiles up to 40 cm in size is 10%, from 45 cm - 20%. It is better to foresee a margin in advance, because different batches will differ in tone. Of course, you can always buy more, but it’s not a fact that there will be the same batch and you will get the color.
- The doors to the apartment must be selected at the stage of pouring the floors. You must know exactly the mounting openings millimeter by millimeter, because. the joint of floor coverings in different rooms depends on the installation of the door and the thickness of the leaf. Let's say the corridor and the bedroom are tiled and solid - the joint should pass exactly under the door leaf.
- It is better to lay the plinth at least 2 cm thick, especially if a laminate is used, because. in winter and summer, he walks a lot. The plinth from 60-80 mm in height looks beautiful.
- Before laying the tiles, you need to measure the room and lay it out taking into account the new dimensions, so that it does not turn out that you need to trim about 2-3 cm. It looks ugly. Beautiful pruning starts from 10 cm.
- Seams in tiles with underfloor heating must be at least 3 mm. The remaining seams are prescribed by the tile manufacturer, taking into account GOSTs.
- To keep seams clean, use epoxy grout. It is much more expensive, but the seams will not turn black, even if the grout is white.
- Warm floors are not placed under furniture.
- At the joints between the tile and the laminate / solid / parquet, either a cork or a molding (a convex plank) is placed. Be sure to know the mounting size of the molding if you are going to use it.
- It is better to entrust the arrangement of lamps to professionals, then there will be as much light as needed.
- If you decide to install the light yourself, then keep in mind: the step between the spotlights should be 600-800 mm. Be sure to look at the SNiPs of lighting. And remember: dim light damages your eyesight.
- If the ceiling is suspended drywall / stretch - you need to take into account the mounting depth of the fixtures.
- Choose in advance the place where the electrical panel will be located.
- Be sure to think about where and how the light is turned off regarding the door panels and their opening. Turning on the light outside the door is not convenient. The height of the switch is 1000 mm from the finished floor.
- Remember, you cannot place switches in the toilet and bathroom.
- It is also forbidden to place chandeliers and sconces in them, not only according to SNiPs, but also for security reasons. Any moisture that settles on an open light bulb can short it out or the bulb can burst. It is not safe. Therefore, in the bathrooms, fixtures and sockets with IP44 protection are used.
- Sockets and switches must be placed on the furniture plan. Don't skimp or you'll regret it later.
- Don't forget TV and internet outlets.
- It is forbidden to start low-voltage systems (TV and Internet) in the shield with machine guns.
- Set up the Internet immediately with electrical wiring. It is better to contact the providers of this service in your home and consult.
- Don't forget the intercom.
- When placing sockets in the kitchen, read in the wiring diagram of the equipment where the socket should be. On the plan, mark where the equipment and the kettle are located - they cannot be placed on the same line, otherwise the machine will knock out.
- After you have collected the drawings - underfloor heating, light, switches, sockets - give it all to the engineers to make a project for you (calculation of the cable cross-section and shield) and take it for approval to the Resource Supply Company (in Moscow and the region - Mosenergosbyt). After you receive a permit, you can proceed to electrical work.
- The most difficult and expensive wall decoration is painting. If you dare, use expensive and washable wall paint (from 6,500 per bucket). The consumption indicated on the banks by the manufacturer is always overestimated, please take this into account when purchasing.
- Don't skimp on plumbing fixtures: good faucet, which will serve you for 5-7 years will cost from 7,500 rubles and more. Hansgrohe, for example, gives a 3-year warranty.
- Calculate heating in the apartment taking into account those batteries that were standing. They are calculated taking into account the heat loss of your apartment. By adding sections, you take pressure from all residents. Better insulate external walls special compound.
- Remember, underfloor radiators have great depth and little heat dissipation. The apartments are huge. And wall-mounted radiators are not only bimetallic.
- If you decide to use a boiler, provide wiring to it in advance. But remember, a boiler is 2 weeks of use a year, but you are waiting for: rotten water with a bunch of bacteria that multiply in it. The boiler cannot be used empty, it will break, and, therefore, it is always full, even when not in use. Boilers on average fail every 2-3 years.
- Try to make a bath so as not to use silicone. Any silicone will turn yellow and mold. Others have not been invented yet.
- It is better not to use rough tiles, loppato. Washing is very difficult (very, very difficult!).
- In the bathroom it is better not to use glossy floor tiles, because wet it is very slippery.
- A shower tray made of tiles looks much more beautiful. The height of the ladder is about 14-15 cm - this is a comfortable step for a person. Don't forget to make the slope of the tiles 2o.
- The shower cabin looks very nice made of glass, but this is how it looks before operation. After taking a shower, the drops dry up and stains remain, so it’s better to be prepared for such circumstances in advance, or take glass with decorative pattern or matte.
- Dust is always visible on dark floors. Especially on a sunny day.
- The black countertop of the kitchen was created only for photography, you can’t cook on it, just like touching it.
- A kitchen coated with egger, film, plastic will live for 2-3 years, then it will deform, dry out, and stick out. It is better to choose varnished MDF, varnished glass or veneer (expensive). By the way, you can write on glass with a permanent marker, which is very convenient.
- In the kitchen, it is better to do two types of lighting: for cooking - bright, for a feast - warm, soft.
- You won't get tired of the interior with natural colors. From well-placed bright accents the mood rises. Black and red walls are depressing.
- It is better to entrust your repair to a good architect, and all your ideas will be competently realized.
If you carefully read and memorized our helpful tips, then we hope that as a result you have a better chance of doing less mistakes in such a simple matter like renovating an apartment!
They say that renovation is like a natural disaster – it cannot be completed, it can only be stopped. And this is largely due to the fact that, already examining our freshly renovated living space, we often think - but it would have been better to do it differently. Today we have compiled for you a list of other people's regrets and the main repair mistakes that were made during the repair process, and we hope that someone else's experience will teach you no worse than your own. There are many letters waiting for you, but they are worth mastering 🙂
Of course, everyone has their own list of regrets, but there is a set of basic mistakes, and we want to introduce you to them. For ease of reference, we have divided the list into repair errors in specific rooms.
1. Spontaneous repair
One of the most significant and subsequently costly regrets is the approach to repair without a clear plan of action. Even before you start peeling the wallpaper or buying plaster, you need to get a complete picture of what and in what room will end up. Perhaps the main mistake in the design of an apartment renovation is the lack of design as such.
2. Combining a bathroom and a toilet
A shared bathroom is convenient for a small apartment where 1-2 people live. If the population density is higher and there is no second bathroom in the apartment, then it is better to separate the “privacy rooms”.
3. Wall painting
Painting the walls may seem like a very attractive idea, but only until the moment when fingerprints appear around the switches, and if there are children in the house, they will be everywhere.
4. Electrical
Often, when the kettle-microwave-washing machine ensemble is activated, power outages occur, so experienced repairmen recommend immediately installing machines on each device with high consumption.
5. Location of outlets
The approach to the electrician and the plan for arranging the sockets should be done only with a clear idea of what and where the furniture will be located. Otherwise, the situation will have to be saved with extension cords and network filters. Also, do not place sockets too low - they will interfere with cleaning. In general, it is better to make more outlets than originally planned, on average - by 20%.
7. Switches
The European standard for the height of switches (90 cm) is quite suitable for Russian houses. The cherished buttons for turning on the light at such a height are available to both adults and children. It will also be convenient to double the switch in the bedroom so that the light can be turned on at the entrance and turned off at the bed.
8. Interior doors
Doors with glass inserts are quite attractive and have almost no complaints, but if there is a bedroom or a nursery behind the door, the light from other rooms penetrating through the insert should not reach the bed and interfere with sleep. It is better to place the switches on the side of the door handle, even at the right height, the switch on the side of the door hinges is very inconvenient.
9. Warm floors
In fact, underfloor heating is one of the best inventions of mankind, but before making them, you should also decide where the furniture will stand so as not to waste electricity and your money on heating a refrigerator or cabinet.
10. Rough and Ribbed Floor Tiles
Of course, such a tile can be beautiful, but you should always remember that it is also a floor covering, which means that it will have to be washed. A floor with roughness delivers a lot of unpleasant emotions when cleaning, so it's worth considering what is more important - aesthetics or practical value.
11. Double-glazed windows
Replacement of double-glazed windows, if it is planned, is best done before cosmetic repairs, otherwise the design of the room may suffer greatly during installation.
12. Chandeliers
Another design refinement that can be difficult to clean is horizontal shades. Dust accumulates in them, the cooled bodies of insects flying into the light and other not very pleasant things.
13. Leveling
Before wallpapering or installing flooring, it is best to level the walls and the floor itself. Unprepared walls can distort the pattern of the wallpaper and lead to bends at the joints, and different levels of the floor look ugly and lead to minor household injuries.
14. New building
If you have settled in a new building, the repair, in essence, can go to waste in a couple of years, until the house has completely shrunk. This factor affects the ceilings especially strongly - beautiful suspended ceilings or drywall arches may warp and crack. Correcting such repair errors is especially expensive and unpleasant.
15. Children's room
The main mistake when repairing a nursery is too expensive furniture. It will change as the child grows, so it is quite rational to limit yourself to inexpensive, but functional and eye-pleasing things.
1. Closed up the space under the bathroom
Often there is not much usable space in the bathroom, and under the very “font” there are most often taps and pipes, access to which you will still need.
2. Surgical bathroom
White, blue and gray-blue tiles in the bathroom, combined with cold light, create the feeling of an operating room in the bathroom, where there are no sources of natural light, which does not create comfort.
3. Sockets in the bathroom
One of the regular bathroom renovation mistakes is not enough sockets or their awkward position. It is best to provide for the possibility of simultaneously turning on 2-3 devices, and bring the sockets themselves closer to the mirror and equip them with a moisture-proof cover.
4. Bathroom borders
The space between the bathtub and the wall can simply be filled with sealant, however, in this case, water may collect on the bend. Borders made of tiles or other moisture-resistant material will help to avoid this.
5. Noise isolation
If you use plastic pipes for sewerage, then it is worth remembering that they resonate any sound quite well. It is better to wrap such pipes with sound-absorbing material.
6. Light
An ideal option for the bathroom is the ability to control the brightness of the light and a separate backlight by the mirror. If it is not possible to make variable light, then it is better to avoid dim - such a repair error can threaten injury.
7. Plumbing
One of those mistakes that become apparent after the repair. Poor-quality plumbing quickly loses its appearance and spoils the whole impression of a renovated home.
8. Stretch ceilings
In the bathroom, a stretch ceiling is not only beautiful and neat, but also additional insurance in case of a flood from above. The only thing is that the ceilings themselves must be of high quality and moisture resistant.
9. Mosaic
Mosaic tiles in the bathroom and patterned tiles often bring their owners a lot of problems during the installation process, and if it’s still difficult to call it a repair mistake, then it’s quite a regret.
10. Floor heating
The bathroom with its high humidity often creates a feeling of dampness. If you know that the heating in the bathroom is not high level, then the warm floor may well compensate for this.
The main mistakes in the repair of the kitchen
1. Flooring in the kitchen
There are several regrets on this point. Firstly, parquet or laminate in the kitchen, with all the advantages and beauty of these coatings, cannot be called a practical solution. It is best to choose coatings that are more resistant to water and “injuries”. And here a second regular mistake occurs - poor-quality linoleum or tiles quickly deteriorate, so it’s better not to save on materials.
2. Height of kitchen cabinets
Another common kitchen renovation mistake is the wrong height of all the much-needed kitchen cabinets. It is best to hang them at eye level, a lower position will deprive you of some useful space, a higher one will be uncomfortable.
3. Materials near the stove
Usage gas stoves, high-quality hobs or grills involve strong heating of the materials surrounding them, which means they must be heat-resistant.
4. Hood
Should be located as close to the stove as possible. One of the indicators of an unsuccessful repair is corrugation through half the kitchen from the hob to the wall. By the way, the corrugation itself should be packed in a durable case - this is both functional and stylish.
5. Work area
When planning a kitchen, be sure to consider working area next to the hob. Despite the beauty of alternative solutions, using them if you cook at home will be very inconvenient.
The most unpleasant repair, of course, is washing off the emulsion from the ceiling and removing old wallpaper. To facilitate this work, stick old newspapers on the ceiling. When the glue dries, you can peel them off along with the paint. Apply a wet rag to the wallpaper, iron it with a hot iron: the wallpaper will be removed from the wall with ribbons.
You can not glue the wallpaper until the wall is clean of whitewash and paint. Otherwise, the wallpaper will not lie on the wall. The wallpaper seam will not be noticeable if you start gluing the wallpaper from the window.
To evenly paste over the walls with a film, use a wooden stick, after sticking foam rubber on it. When sticking the film, smooth it with this foam rubber. He will repeat the irregularities of the wall and press the wallpaper against it. To eliminate bubbles on ordinary wallpaper you should iron them with a slightly heated iron (naturally, when they are dry).
In order to avoid brush marks during painting, it is necessary to apply the last coat of paint towards the window, the penultimate one - across. On the wall, the last coat of paint must be applied from top to bottom.
When painting a ceiling or the top of a wall, it is common for streaks of paint to run down your hand. In this case, you need to make a cap from a waterproof material and put it on the brush handle: it will collect dripping paint.
In order not to paint over the window when painting the frames, attach the cardboard to the glass. Then you can safely paint over all the corners.
It is desirable to paint large surfaces with a roller. First, smears are made crosswise, and then rubbed. The paint is applied in a thin layer several times. But before using the roller, it is necessary to paint over all the bottlenecks with a brush.
To prevent alabaster from sticking to the walls of the dishes where it is kneaded, put a bag in it before diluting the mixture.
Pushpins can be inserted into the holes that are in the walls. If necessary, they can be found with a magnet.
If by doing redecorating, you decide to do the finishing work yourself and paint the walls, you will need some tricks that craftsmen use when working with paint.
1. If you come across a paint brush in which the bristles do not hold well, pour universal glue between the bristles (for example, “Moment”), and the brush will serve you for a long time.
2. In an open can, it is very difficult to stir the settled paint so as not to stain your hands and clothes. Make a small hole in the lid of the jar, insert a curved rod attached to the drill chuck into this hole, and turn on the drill. One minute will be enough to stir the paint well and not get dirty at the same time.
3. A piece of wire bent on both sides, put on a bucket of glue or paint, will serve as both a brush stand and a brush cleaner.
4. If there is oil paint left in the can, before closing the can and storing it, place a circle cut out of oil on top of the paint. thick paper, and fill with a thin layer of machine oil - so the paint does not dry out during storage and a film does not form on its surface.
5. To give a variety of interesting shades of white water-based paint, you can use aniline fabric dyes.
6. If a film has formed on the surface of the paint, it is not necessary to filter it - you just need to dip an old nylon stocking into the paint, and you can safely dip the brush right through this stocking, while the paint is completely used.
7. Even the most inexperienced painter can stretch an even panel along the wall if for this he uses a brush with a metal transverse rod and a ruler with a beveled edge.
8. It is very difficult to completely paint a pipe passing in a corner or lying on the floor with a brush. Take a piece of an old zigeyka and sew a kind of mitten out of it with the fur on the outside, then put it on your hand. Dip this mitt into the paint and paint the pipe by simply running your hand along it.
9. If you need to remove the old oil paint from the surface of the wall, iron it through aluminum foil iron until softened - then the paint can be easily cleaned off with a scraper or a spatula.
10. Two or three thin coats of paint are much stronger and smoother than one thick coat.
11. If you are applying paint with a roller, start with a few strokes in a criss-cross pattern, and then rub the paint.
12. The final coat of paint must be applied from top to bottom, otherwise brush marks will be visible.
Laying ceramic tiles do it yourself
When renovating a bathroom and kitchen, one of the main steps is to change the tiles on the walls and on the floor. Now the prices for laying tiles by specialists are approaching the prices for the tiles themselves, so it makes sense to do everything yourself - with your own hands.
You should start by preparing the surface on which the tiles will be laid. First, free the room from furniture, mirrors, plumbing. When the room is empty, you can start preparing. It doesn't matter whether it is walls or floors, the surface must be solid and even.
In principle, it is possible to lay new ceramic tiles on old ones, but in this case there is a high probability that the old adhesive will not withstand excess weight, and the whole tile will begin to crumble. In addition, a few extra centimeters of the area of the room did not interfere with anyone.
1. Use a chisel and a hammer to remove old tiles, as well as the adhesive base under it. The main thing is to ensure that the surface becomes perfectly flat. Once this step is completed, you need to make sure that the total slope of the surface does not exceed 4-5 mm. You need to check this using a level, the length of which should not be less than a meter. The slope of the walls can be checked using a plumb line - a rope with a load attached to the end. If the slope in your room is more than the desired value, you need to get rid of it. To do this, use a primer. It is best to start applying it from the place where the roughness is maximum. At one time, you can not apply a layer thicker than two centimeters, otherwise it simply will not dry out.
2. When the surface is ready, you can proceed directly to laying the tiles.
First you need to unpack the pre-prepared tiles. Let's say a few words about how to choose the right ceramic tile: in addition to the desired color, pattern and size, you should choose a tile based on its wear resistance. For example, for a bathroom and stairs, for walls and floors, it is advisable to buy different tiles - more on this in the article "How to choose ceramic tiles."
In addition to the tile itself, you also need to stock up on glue. It is best to use special dry building mixes. You can find them in any store. Mixtures used for wet rooms, outdoor work, etc. differ from each other.
Before laying, you need to prepare an adhesive solution (the instruction should be on the package). The solution should not be too liquid and too thick, that is, it should not spread and slide along the wall, but at the same time deform without much effort.
Usually, laying tiles starts from the walls, and from top to bottom. It is recommended to mark the surface (for example, using stretched ropes) so that the rows of tiles are even.
3. Next, you need to apply an adhesive solution to a small area of \u200b\u200bthe surface of the wall or floor, it is recommended to use a notched trowel.
After that, you should carefully attach the tile to the adhesive base and, tapping with a rubber mallet, level it. Using the level, you can make sure that the tile lies flat. If the tile is too much recessed into the solution, then you need to carefully separate the tile and lay it again, adding a little solution under it.
The main thing in laying ceramic tiles with your own hands is to constantly ensure that the rows are even relative to the walls.
The gap between the tiles of the tile should not exceed 4 mm, but should not be less than 2 mm.
Usually the difficulty is laying non-integral parts of the tile. This is due to the fact that they first need to be prepared. You need to cut the tiles using a special tool - a tile cutter.
It is recommended to plan the laying in such a way that non-integral parts fall down the walls, along the edges of the floor, or in the future are covered with pieces of furniture.
4. After all the tiles are laid, you need to let it dry. After drying, you need to clean the surface of dust and adhesive solution, and fill the seams with a fugue (it is recommended to use a rubber spatula).
13 tips for apartment renovation.
1. Removing old dowels. We advise you to leave the old dowels in the wall, as the dowel hole often becomes even larger in the process of removing them. If, for example, a new hole needs to be drilled in the immediate vicinity, then they take a corkscrew, screw it into the dowel and thus remove it from the wall. Then the old hole is sealed with plaster.
2. Cotton wool for walls
This trick works best with wallpaper with a rough surface.
The holes from the dowels are filled with a piece of cotton wool instead of plaster, and then covered with a layer of wall paint.
3. There is no such thing as "the dowel does not hold": it all depends on the right choice. For each wall offers a suitable dowel.
For more information, please contact your consultant hardware store or on the company website.
4. Quickly fill small cracks
Small cracks (whether they are stress cracks in new buildings or the manifestation of aging in old ones)
homes) can be quickly and easily filled with acrylic grout.
Acrylic has one advantage: it can be painted over in the future. To level the mass, use a spatula or a finger dipped in detergent.
6. Leave deep cracks open
Deep cracks deepen to brickwork with a hammer and chisel, then wetted (you can use a sponge) and only then filled with putty mass.
7. Gypsum mass without lumps
The secret of the mass without lumps lies in the sequence of mixing the components. First, water is poured, then gypsum is poured.
By no means the other way around! At the same time, the container is filled with water by about one third, and then gypsum is poured in a little bit until it turns into an even mass covered with a layer of water. The mixture is left to stand for some time.
Then, using a thin spatula, gypsum is mixed until a viscous mass is obtained.
8. Laying the cable in the wall
Laying cables under plaster is one of the most time-consuming and dirty work. Often, home craftsmen do this with a hammer and chisel. Make it easy for yourself - use a wall chaser with a dust extraction device. Such a tool can be rented at hardware stores.
This investment will quickly pay for itself, especially in the case of solid solid brickwork.
9. Convenient wall chaser
If you want to lay a cable channel in plaster or light building bricks, it is best to use a small wall chaser.
It is attached to the drill as an additional attachment.
10. Keep your distance
Cable, plug and junction boxes installed at a distance of 30 cm above the floor and 30 cm under the ceiling. The distance to doors and windows should be 15 cm
Switches should be located at a height of 105 cm.
11. Laying the electrical cable
Do you want to lay the cable in a grooved channel, but do not have cable clamps at hand? Hammer small nails crosswise into the wall near the cable, then close the channel with plaster. After the plaster has dried, remove the nails and fill the holes with plaster.
12. Crack bridging
Tensile cracks caused by various building materials, even after filling may appear again. The way out of this situation is to stick a special self-adhesive adhesive tape for cracks based on a grid.
13. Plastering walls without bumps
Metal beacon strips, fixed perpendicularly and in parallel, ensure uniform application of the plaster solution.
Planks must be laid so that the board for applying the plaster fits well to them.
A house without mistakes - tips are worth their weight in gold!
1. HEIGHT OF THE KITCHEN FURNITURE
According to the standard, the height of the kitchen base is 85 cm. Furniture customers often forget to make a “adjustment for height”. As a result, having received a set of lockers and work surfaces standard height, are forced to either slouch or stretch with all their might up. If you, having a large growth, bought ready-made furniture, then you can put the lower cabinets on legs and decorate them with a plank. For a country-style kitchen, ordinary facing bricks with beautiful finish. If the furniture is too high for you, you can file its legs.
2. DOES THE WASHING NEED WINGS?
A common mistake is to refuse a sink with a drainer or a second bowl: to save space. In a kitchen where they cook for a large family, you can’t do without a voluminous multifunctional sink. On the wing - a kind of continuation of the countertop - you can put hot dishes or put washed vegetables and fruits. The second bowl will allow you to wash large pots and fruits at the same time.
3. PULL-OUT DRAWERS INSTEAD OF CABINETS
Do not rush to hang shelves in the kitchen. Organize drawers: This will save space and streamline your work. The space in the box is easy to divide into sections and place any containers in them. Access to them will be convenient. Just pull out the drawer - and everything is in full view. Internal partitions You can order separately or use regular plastic containers.
4. SIMPLE AND CONVENIENT
Recesses instead of handles on the doors look unusual and aesthetically pleasing and fully comply with modern look kitchens. But you can ... hate this apparent simplicity, trying to open the door with wet hands or without removing the grip. The exit is the “click-clack” system, which allows you to open the doors even with your elbow. This system will satisfy even the pickiest owners. kitchen furniture and will minimize the space of any kitchen.
5. Indelible mark
Steel furniture fronts, tiles and refrigerator are trendy and elegant and especially popular with young couples. However, even clean palms leave traces on such a surface. And this makes the diligent housewife regularly wipe and wash shiny objects. There are two solutions to the problem: purchase polishes for stainless steel, which not only remove dirt from such surfaces, but also prevent it, or steel equipment from leading manufacturers treated with a special protective coating.
6. Cozy corner
The desire to create comfort in the kitchen should not lead to disastrous results. Walls or their fragments, upholstered with fabrics, look great, but quickly accumulate unpleasant odors and dirt.
Sweet for the eyes and soul effect warm room you can achieve using wallpapers that imitate matter. Of course, in the kitchen, washable ones are most suitable.
7. Which REFRIGERATOR is convenient?
The shops household appliances They offer a wide range of refrigerators. Energy saving, beautiful front, comfortable freezer and the right price important conditions purchases. But imagine: the layout will require you to move the refrigerator - you will need to change the hinges so that the door opens in the other direction, but it turns out that this is impossible. Therefore, think about it even in the store. The complete set of the refrigerator should correspond to the composition of the family and its lifestyle. External design is important, but internal arrangement is also important.
8. NOT INTERFERING WITH EACH OTHER
The absence of partitions between the living room, hallway and kitchen makes the room bright and spacious, but less comfortable. If a TV is on in the guest area, cutlets are fried in the kitchen, and children are playing nearby, then the noise disturbs absolutely everyone. Yes, and sounds from staircase will be heard throughout the apartment, and not just in the hallway.
Install high soundproof doors and re-wall the room. The last trick is possible, even if you do not want to lose the desired space. Use movable or translucent screens or partitions. Install part-height partitions or shelves open on both sides. Sliding or folding doors across the entire width of the room will also help.
VISITING PAINT: THE PROBLEM OF CHOICE
Deciding on a radical change in style or just going to update and ennoble the premises, trust the colors. The main advantages of staining are versatility, simplicity and accessibility. However, there are some subtleties here, the knowledge of which will help you in choosing a paint, coloring will make the process enjoyable, and the paintwork will be beautiful and durable.
THAT INTUITION DOES NOT REPLACE INFORMATION
Before making a choice, you should know that all modern paints and varnishes (LKM) for internal works divided mainly into two large groups: paint on water based and solvent based paints.
Solvent-based paints have good water repellency, the coating they form is easy to clean household products. These paints are mainly used for surfaces with harsh operating conditions, good for wood and metal. Resistance to external factors in alkyd paints is higher than that of water-soluble, but alkyd paints not very healthy and environment(remember the smell of the solvent).
Water-based paints - optimal choice for interior work. In addition, they have a number of advantages. Most of them are environmentally friendly, since they do not emit harmful substances either during application or during the operation of the coating. They have the ability to "breathe" - the surface is permeable to air and vapors, but does not allow liquids to pass through. Another significant advantage is fire safety. As for ease of use, HP paints are unrivaled here: they do not flow, accidental dirt is easily removed with a damp cloth, the tool is cleaned with plain water.
Very often, during the repair on your own, situations arise that you have to puzzle over. Or some time after the repair, unpleasant moments appear.
Sequence of work
When repairing, it is very important to follow a certain sequence so that later you do not have to redo everything again.
If you plan to change the floor, and grinding work is expected, then this should be done first of all, BEFORE finishing the walls and ceiling. If the floor will be made of laminate or finished boards, then this is done AFTER finishing the walls and ceiling.
If you plan to change the doors, then this should be done AFTER the floor, because the doors may not open.
A lot of dust and debris is obtained when changing windows. This work is also best done in the first place. If it is planned to replace the wiring, then it is also done before the start of finishing work.
Also, first of all, work is being done to replace plumbing and heating.
Finishing work
So that the white glossy enamel does not turn yellow after painting, add ink from a regular pen to the can of paint before painting. For 1kg. enamel, one rod is enough. The enamel will keep White color within 3-4 years.
If suddenly, shortly after the repair, the wallpaper begins to move away from the walls, and there is no glue left, then the usual laundry soap. It must be soaked in water to soften the soap, moisten inner surface wallpaper with a damp cloth, smear with soap and press well against the wall.
After the repair, the smell of alcohol, varnish, paint lingers in the apartment and does not disappear - it’s not scary either. You need to take a bucket, pour water, add ice and 10 g. ammonia. If there are several rooms, then put buckets in each room.
Open all windows and doors and leave overnight. In the morning the smell was gone. When removing old whitewash, a lot of dust is generated. To avoid this, the surface must first be smeared with a paste.
Before gluing the wallpaper, you need to thoroughly clean the walls, otherwise the wallpaper simply will not stick. To remove old wallpaper, you need to paste over it with old newspapers, let it dry, and then, when removed, they will pull the old ones with them. A common problem when painting surfaces is brush marks. To avoid them, the penultimate layer is placed across, and the last along the surface. When painting the ceiling, the last layer is placed in the direction from the window, and vertically on the walls. It is better to paint large planes with a roller, and before that, paint over all the corners and joints with a brush.
The paint must be carefully rubbed over the surface, otherwise smudges will inevitably form. It is better to apply 2-3 thin layers than one thick one. When whitewashing and painting ceilings and the upper parts of the walls, the paint often pours over hands. To do this, you can put a cap from the bottom on the handle of the brush. plastic bottle or rubber, and the paint will run down there.
If hairs come out of the brush, then they can be strengthened with superglue, and the brush will last a long time.
When cooking alabaster mortar in a bucket, it quickly seizes and sticks to the walls of the bucket. Insert into the bucket plastic bag and the bucket will be clean. If you add a little alcohol to the water for alabaster, then the alabaster will be softer and more elastic.
Another repair trick - visual
In addition to purely construction work during the repair, it is necessary to use the so-called visual effects. With the right finish, you can increase or decrease the space, increase or decrease its height. General rule- bright hues make the room bigger and the dark ones smaller.
You can visually raise the ceiling if you make it light, or use wallpaper with a vertical pattern. And if, on the contrary, you need to reduce the height, then here you can use wallpaper with a transverse pattern or make stretch ceilings.
The darkest wall of the room needs to be pasted over with lighter wallpaper, and the room will become lighter.
When laying tiles, you should also take into account some of the nuances. Due to the color and size of the tiles, the way they are laid, you can achieve a change in the size of the room.
Tricky TIPS FOR REPAIRING AN APARTMENT: SECTION ART THERAPEUTIC (PAINT WORKS)
- Of course, you know that before painting it is necessary to close everything that should not be exposed to it.
The most troublesome places are skirting boards, all kinds of pipes and other complex shapes. You will avoid these troubles if you close up the entire relief with old wet newspapers. The newspaper will dry, repeating the shapes exactly and leaving no chance for paint to penetrate.
- Another misfortune is the constantly falling bristles from the brushes.
And here people's repair tips come to the rescue. Soak brushes in water for 1 hour before painting. The bristles will swell and will no longer bother you. Her nerdy perseverance will dissolve in water!
- But in general, amazing in its simplicity, but a very necessary trick.
Put plain foil on the bottom of your paint tray and you won't have to wash both the tray and your hands every time from the next portion of this terribly sticky liquid.
- Working with paint, although not dusty, is fraught with difficult-to-wash consequences.
Especially unpleasant are drops or splashes of excess paint at the moment when you carry the brush from the can to the target.
Home craftsmen, sharing the secrets of repair, advise pulling an ordinary clothesline over a can of paint. Remove yourself calmly all the excess coloring liquid about it.
Brilliant! And just!
And for a snack about painting work.
- If a film has formed on the surface of the paint, do not blow on it like hot milk. And don't strain!
Why suffer so? Invite the lady of your heart to a candlelit dinner, and then use her stocking. By asking permission, of course!
Dip a piece of nylon stocking into the paint can and dip the brush right through it. The paint will be completely used, and you will forget about the film. It is not necessary to wash the stocking and give it to the hostess.
- About windows and doors
Before painting frames and doors, they must be washed. And in order to easily remove stains after painting, wipe the glass with an onion cut in half or with a cloth soaked in vinegar. Don't let the smell bother you. You will definitely say thank you later when the paint can be easily removed from the glass.
- About wallpaper
Now imagine that you have pasted children's wallpaper. They tried so hard to create comfort and beauty for your child, and then the attack is a bubble. It often happens.
Do not despair!
Arm yourself with a regular syringe with glue. Pierce the swelling with a needle, squeeze out some glue and smooth with a wallpaper spatula. That's it, the enemy is defeated!
- About nails
Without soap, as folk craftsmen say, you won’t even hammer a nail. It turns out that if you need to hammer a nail in enough solid wood, smear it with soap or oil. And do you really remember kind word and repair tips, and everyone who shares them. We hope, of course, that we will be among the last!
- About the ceiling and wallpaper roller
It is difficult to glue wallpaper on the ceiling. For this, a large roller with a long handle is better suited. But what if you only have a small one?
Don't rush headlong into the store. Take a cardboard roll from paper towels, make a hole in it, insert a long stick there and wrap the whole structure with tape. Yes, this roller will not spin, but you don’t need it in this case. The hand will not fall off, and this is the main thing!
- About tiles
But, for example, in order to prevent unnecessary splits and breakage tiles, hold it for 45 minutes in water. In the bathroom or in a large basin. After such a “swim”, the tile will become easier to cut and it will not break.
Well, for a snack in this block of repair tricks →
- Try playing terminator!
Yeah, what does an American superhero have to do with home improvement advice? And the most direct.
Find a magnetic bracelet, put it on your hand. And then no iron trifle will hide from your magnetic hand.
Elementary!
WE MAKE A CONCLUSION
Of course, the complex design and renovation of apartments is best left to professionals. But even in front of them, you can safely trump one of the repair tips that you just read.
We do not claim the scale of our brief instructions.
And it is simply impossible to cover all the existing folk tricks and tricks. But we hope that we could tell you something new and useful.
