Repairing Parquet Flooring

      Are you living in an older home with parquet flooring?  If so the need may arise, at some point, for you to replace damaged pieces.  In this illustration, the parquet had to be removed due to foundation repairs.  While installing new pieces is fairly simple, the harder part is purchasing the materials--due to the lack of demand for the product, the supply is limited and the cost per square foot is high.
      If you have been on the fence about addressing issues with your parquet floor, you might consider at least purchasing the materials now so that you have what you need to repair your floor for yourself, or when it might be time to move.  As there are different finish colors, you will need to take a floor sample while shopping to get the matching finish.  Below is the after picture with new parquet tiles installed :)

Al's Fair and Square Home Repair, LLC
(214) 302-9693
http://alsfairandsquare.com
alsfairandsquare@gmail.com
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Inexpensive Cabinets

       Have you seen these cabinets at Home Depot?  While both Lowes and Home Depot have a small selection of in-stock cabinets to choose from, these are our favorite.  A beautiful way to keep the budget under control on your kitchen remodel.  Also, don't forget to take advantage of the free kitchen design assistance that both stores offer.  Call or stop by first to make an appointment, and ask what measurements you need to bring with you to the appointment so the designers can draw your kitchen for you.  Want assistance with installing your cabinets or with planning your kitchen makeover?  We can help  :)

                                                                                 Al's Fair and Square Home Repair, LLC
                                                                                 http://alsfairandsquare.com
                                                                                 alsfairandsquare@gmail.com
                                                                                 (214) 302-9693

Faux finishing painting, wall covering, etc.

 
   

       There seems to be a lot of interest in faux finishing now, so Alvin has been working on his techniques.  Home Depot has a selection of Martha Stewart products in their paint department to help you get started.  Also, there are tons of videos online demonstrating the finishes that can be achieved with some practice.  Choices include walls that look like linen, plaster, silk, wood and suede.

   
      If, on the other hand, you decide you would rather have suede walls, than walls that look like suede, this can be done as well.  This is a wall that is covered with suede, with batting behind it.  Alvin has many years' experience with installing upholstered wall covering as well as painting and wall paper.  This wall (which is about twice as long as shown in the picture) took about three days to complete.

     We have been installing a fair amount of crown molding.  Looking for something different?  Here is a piece of crown molding that Alvin finished with the look of marble.

Al's Fair and Square Home Repair, LLC
http://alsfairandsquare.com
alsfairandsquare@gmail.com
(214) 302-9693

Re-building a Deck

 
       Here is a deck that we were recently asked to rebuild.  The first step was to lay out the concrete piers and the joists.  While it may look like not much was accomplished at this stage, this was actually a considerable amount of labor.










     
      As the lumber that had been removed was discarded, we purchased  replacement decking.  The problem we ran into here was that the new
decking was wider than the old decking, due to the old decking shrinking
over time.  As a result, each piece of the new decking had to be trimmed 1/4" lengthwise.  After that, the new decking was simply laced into the old.  Installing the decking and railing went very quickly.  After the final chore of staining the deck, was the end result shown in the picture at the bottom of the page :)




   

Al's Fair and Square Home Repair, LLC
http://alsfairandsquare.com
alsfairandsquare@gmail.com
(214) 302-9693

Improving your home without draining your wallet :)

                                                                                       Would you like to improve your home, but don't have the budget for a bath or kitchen remodel?  Consider rejuvenating another room in your home instead.  In the photos below, you see before and after pictures of a dining room remodel we recently completed.  

          The first step was putting down layers of paper, plastic and wood to protect the floor. Next we removed wallpaper and moldings, then scraped the popcorn off the ceiling.  Re-texturing was then done on the ceiling and on the walls that were covered with wall paper.  New can lights were installed on the ceiling, and set up to work on a dimmer.  

          Next came several steps in the process of installing the crown molding.  It was primed and  painted, then installed.  Nails were then pushed in, and the nail areas filled with spackle.  The crown was caulked where it met the wall, then finally the crown was painted.  Painting prep can often take longer than the painting itself, but it results in a much better job.  The walls and base molding were sanded and caulked as needed prior to painting as well.  Clean up is the final step, and to get the floors clean again sometimes involves the old hands and knees approach.  If you need help bringing your home up to date, feel free to contact us :)

Al's Fair and Square Home Repair, LLC

(214) 302-9693

http://alsfairandsquare.com

alsfairandsquare@gmail.com

Epoxy Flooring

     The garage can be an overlooked area of your home, as guests do not usually see it.  Unfortunately (in some cases), you see it every day.  For a relatively small amount of cash, you can greatly improve this area.  Painting the garage is usually a pretty simple task as there is not much to paint around.  For another great improvement, consider covering the floor with an epoxy coating.  After removing everything from the garage floor, the floor will need to be swept out then cleaned with a chemical that comes with the epoxy kit.  Several hours are then needed to allow the floor to dry thoroughly.  Next, the epoxy can be rolled onto the floor and the confetti that comes with the kit can be sprinkled as you go.  Again, allow a generous amount of time to dry, especially before driving on the floor again.  If you would like help with painting your garage or coating your garage floor, feel free to call/text to (214) 302-9693, email us at alsfairandsquare@gmail.com or visit our website at http://alsfairandsquare.com.

Nifty Gadgets

    We used a few neat items this week that I thought you might like.  We needed to mask off the walls in a hall as we were going to scrape, re-texture and paint the ceiling.  This hand masker has tape attached to the device, so when you unroll the plastic, tape is adhered to one side.  You pull out the desired length of plastic and it is ready to hang.  The next great feature is that the plastic unfolds to a width of about 6 feet, so you are covering a lot of square footage very quickly.  The picture below is the hall with the plastic rolled out.



















     Yes, this gorilla is cute, but there is nothing funny about this tape's adhesion.  A great application for this product is shown in the next picture.  We had masked a doorway, but by the next day some of the blue tape had already started to peel off.  The gorilla tape stuck to the blue tape as well as to the masking paper with paint over-spray on it.  It sticks great to brick as well.  If you will be using this tape very much, it's a good idea to wear gloves--you can literally see the skin on your fingers being pulled up with the tape as you try to un-stick yourself from it.  Need help with your painting project?  Give us a call/text (214-302-9693) or check out our website at http://alsfairandsquare.com.

Masking

     If you have done painting, chances are you have done masking.  The picture depicts a wood floor that was masked with paper, plastic and masonite. The ceiling in this room was to be scraped, re-textured and painted; new lights were to be installed in the ceiling; and the wood paneling was to be painted.  With all the activity planned for the room, the masonite layer would keep the inevitable dropped tools from damaging the floor underneath.  Though masking is dull and tedious,  in can really pay off in fewer headaches later.  For help with your projects, feel free to call/ text (214) 302-9693, email us at alsfairandsquare@gmail.com or visit our website at  http://alsfairandsquare.com.

Lighting

Lighting can make a big difference in the look of a room, and your kitchen is the perfect example of this.  Your requirements for lighting in the kitchen range from strictly utilitarian to aesthetic.  The top picture is a typical outdated box light, serving a utilitarian purpose.

In the bottom picture, the box light has been replaced by can lights.  While the lights are installed in a pattern for the most part, "task lighting" can be placed strategically above your stove, sink, etc., providing extra light in your work areas.  Under cabinet lights are aesthetically pleasing, and also serve a practical purpose.  Leaving these lights on after dark gives you enough light to navigate safely through the space when raiding the refrigerator.  Pendant lighting over the counter is beautiful, but practical as well.  For help with lighting or other home projects, please email (alsfairandsquare@gmail.com), text or call (214) 302-9693.  Be sure to visit our website at http://alsfairandsquare.com for more info.

Deck Staining

        Do you have a wood deck that is looking pretty worn?  Would like to liven it up again?  Consider a relatively new product called Restore.  Restore deck stain can be used on decks that have cracks, nail holes and other signs of aging.  This product is different from other stains as it contains sand and provides heavy coverage, masking a multitude of sins.  While this stain is more difficult to work with than a typical stain, great results can be achieved with some patience and effort.  For help with your wood deck or other home projects, feel free to contact us at (214) 302-9693 or alsfairandsquare@gmail.com.  You can learn more about us by visiting our website at http://alsfairandsquare.com.  Check us out on Facebook, too :)

Exterior Window Repairs

  Do you have an exterior window frame that looks like this?  Repairing it involves several steps, the first of which is to remove all of the rotted wood.  You may remove the top layer, only to discover, as in this photo above, the wood below is rotted as well.  Wood lumber can be used as a replacement, but a longer term (though more expensive) fix is to use plastic lumber.

While cutting and installing all of the new lumber, make sure you take the time to fill in any cracks with insulation, such as spray foam, and caulk everything well.

Above is the corner after the first layer of plastic lumber.  And below is the finished window after the second layer of lumber and painting.  To match your paint color, you can simply take a piece of the lumber you removed to your home improvement store for color matching.

Painting Base Molding

    Painting your base molding can give a fresh, clean look to your room.  In this situation, drop cloths are not the best choice to protect the floor, as you want to be able to paint all the way to the floor with nothing in your way.  One choice is a hand masker--the masker holds a roll of blue tape as well as a roll of paper about 2' wide.  As you pull the paper off the roll, the blue tape attaches itself to your masking paper, then the paper can be cut off against a set of teeth similar to cutting a piece from a roll of plastic wrap.  If space allows, you can also slide something like a manila folder underneath the base, allowing you to paint all the way to the floor without accidentally touching the floor with your brush.  If you need help with painting moldings or other home repairs, please feel free to call/text to (214) 302-9693 or email to alsfairandsquare@gmail.com.  To learn more about us, check out our website at http://alsfairandsquare.com.   

Changing Lock Sets

      Would you like all of your locks on your house changed to work with the same key?  Do  you own rental, or other, property that requires changing the locks on a regular basis?  If so, then we have a suggestion for you:  Smart Key from Kwikset.  These lock sets come with a tool that allows you to change the lock to a different key.  Be careful when starting the re-keying process, and be sure to follow the more detailed instructions on the paper inside the box, rather than the simplified steps on the back of the box.  If you need help with lock sets or other home repairs, feel free to contact us at alsfairandsquare@gmail.com or (214) 302-9693.  For more information on our company, you can visit our website at http://alsfairandsquare.com.

Wall Repair

      The first picture above is a wall that has been damaged by many nail holes, among other things.  To repair a wall like this, you first use spackle to fill in the nail holes, sand the excess spackle off after it has dried, repaint the area then re-texture it to match the existing texture.  If the paint you have on hand for that room is more than 6 months old, there is a good chance you will need to have new paint made to match the existing color.  For help with repairing damaged walls or other home repair needs, feel free to contact us at http://alsfairandsquare.com, email us at alsfairandsquare@gmail.com or text or call us at (214) 302-9693.

Drywall Patching

     To patch a section of drywall, you need to first trim the drywall around the hole to form a uniform hole.  Next, transfer the measurements of the area to be replaced onto a clean sheet of drywall.  Cut out the section, then screw this new section into place, creating a nailing surface if necessary.  Next, use drywall tape around the perimeter of the new piece, and mud over the entire area.  Scrape the mud to a smooth surface, then texture to match existing.  After mud has dried, spray the area with kilz to seal and match the existing ceiling color, if it is white.  For help with drywall patches, feel free to contact Alvin by phone at (214) 302-9693 or email at alsfairandsquare@gmail.com.  Visit our website at http://alsfairandsquare.com.

Popcorn Ceiling Removal

   

      Removing popcorn ceiling is a simple, yet laborious task.  First of all, you should remove a sample of the material and have it tested at a lab to make sure it does not contain asbestos.  Masking off the area you will be working in is the first step in the process.  It is messy doing the removal, and pieces of the popcorn as well as dust will end up on top of every nearby surface.  Wet the ceiling with a water bottle or sprayer to loosen up the material.  After giving the area ten or so minutes to sit wet, scrape the ceiling with a putty knife.  There are also tools designed specifically for the job. After removing the popcorn, you will need to seal, re-texture and paint the ceiling.  For help with popcorn ceiling removal, please feel free to contact us by phone at (214) 302-9693, visit our website at alsfairandsquare.com or email us at alsfairandsquare@gmail.com.

Removing Rust Stains in the Sink

    Rust stains in your sink can be removed using a variety of off-the-shelf products.  But if you would like an alternative to some of the chemicals these products contain, try using toothpaste.  Toothpaste has enough grit to remove most stains without harming the sink or introducing more chemicals into your environment.  If you would like help on your chore list, feel free to contact me at alsfairandsquare@gmail.com or visit my website at alsfairandsquare.com.

Enlarged Screw Holes

     If you have a screw hole that has become too large for the screw, there is an easy fix.  Simply break a toothpick into a few pieces, and place a few pieces of the toothpick into the hole.  As you insert the screw again it will bite into the toothpick pieces and become tight again.  If you would like help with hanging mirrors, pictures or other home repairs, visit my website at alsfairandsquare.com or email me at alsfairandsquare@gmail.com.

Smoke Detector Battery

          Changing the battery in your smoke detectors is important, but easy to forget.  Consider starting a habit of changing the batteries on New Years' Day or some other memorable date.  After replacing the battery, make sure to press the test button to ensure that each of your detectors is working properly.  If you have a fire system, sometimes your smoke detectors are wired together.  In this case, if one is low on battery and starts chirping, one or all of them may start chirping.  It might be easier to replace all batteries in this event.  If you would like help installing smoke detectors or help with other home repairs, please call (214) 302-9693, contact me at alsfairandsquare@gmail.com or visit my website at alsfairandsquare.com.

Difficult Key

     Have a key that no longer works smoothly?  Trying rubbing the key with graphite, available at most home improvement stores.  Also try spraying silicone inside the key hole.  Many times this gets your key working smoothly again.  If you would like help with installing or changing locks, please email me at alsfairandsquare@gmail.com or visit my website at alsfairandsquare.com.