When in good shape, stucco is one of the most attractive of all materials, but this beautiful material can quickly lose its appeal if not maintained and repaired properly. Fortunately, making simple repairs on a stucco wall or other surface is not that difficult a job, and it is well within the skill set of most do-it-yourself-ers.

So, take a look around your home, identify those areas where the stucco needs some TLC, and follow these easy steps:

1. Look first at the direction of the crack in the stucco. If the crack is vertical, such as from the base to the window or from the roof to the door, there could be a problem with the foundation of the home. When dealing with vertical cracks, you might want to call a foundation specialist - you may have a much more serious problem than cracked stucco.

2. If the crack is horizontal, you can move on to needed repairs. Small cracks can be filled by using a high quality caulk. The best caulk to use is one that can be easily and invisibly painted over. The caulk can be pressed into the crack with your fingers. After the caulk is in place, use a damp cloth to smooth and clean the area. Once the caulk has dried it can be painted to match the color of the wall.

3. Wider cracks can be cleaned out using a screwdriver or a cold chisel. The area to be filled should be soaked thoroughly to prevent the stucco from leaching the water from the new mortar. If the new mortar becomes dry it could crumble.

4. Next, mix the mortar using a shallow bucket. Mix one part Portland cement, four parts builder’s sand and a small amount of water. The mortar should be thin enough to work easily but not too runny.

5. First cover the area to be patched with a polyvinyl acetate (PVA) bonding agent designed specifically for masonry.

6. When the bond is still slightly sticky, fill the crack with the mortar mix.

7. Then cover the patched area with a piece of bitumen-coated fiberglass. The bitumen-coated fiberglass can then be pressed into place using a paint roller. The coat of bitumen should be applied directly over the patch.

8. Allow the bitumen to dry, and after it has dried, apply a second coat. The second coat should be carefully stippled with a soft bristle brush so that it matches the rest of the wall.

9. The area can then be painted over, using a primer made specifically for stucco. Allow the primer to dry, and then repaint the area to match the rest of the wall.

Touch Up Paint

Proper touch-up of latex coatings is directly associated to several key factors. Some of the more prominent factors are listed below:

1. Sufficient sealing of substrate - Primer/Sealers offer better subsequent topcoat and touch-up properties through proper sealing of varying porosities of sheetrock paper, joint compound and wood trim.
2. Topcoat uniformity - After sealing with the proper primer, the topcoat needs to be uniform, without holidays, at proper mil thickness. If varying sheen areas are present or the sheetrock can be seen through the topcoat then insufficient sealing has occurred and touch-up will essentially become a second coat, often resulting in the “true” color.
3. Sheen or gloss of topcoat - Flats will touch-up better than higher sheen or gloss paints.
4. Temperatures of painting environment, paint, and curing environment - Most latex coatings require temperatures above 50°F to properly form a film. Lower temperatures will result in “lighter” touch-up and “cut-in” areas.
5. Size of touch-up - Area of touch-up should not approach large enough area to constitute complete recoat. Often, recoat should be considered opposed to huge areas or multiple splotches on a wall. Touch-ups should be small areas of blemished paint - not complete wall areas.
6. Proper procedure - Ideally, touch-up will look best when same batch of paint is used as topcoat. A “trim roller” when lightly dry-rolled over the blemished area has proven best in our testing. Brushed touch-ups do not normally yield as positive results. A heavy coat of touch-up will usually prove inadequate resulting in a build-up of the coating.
7. Coating touch-up capability - Different coatings yield different touch-up capabilities. Usually, the lesser expensive coatings do not touch-up as well as the higher end products, due to the overall balance of components. 
8.    

Popped Nails and Screws

This problem occurs if the drywall isn’t fully fastened tightly against the framing, when the framing lumber shrinks or twists, or when an object strikes the wall or ceiling. This causes the joint compound to become loose and pop off the fastener.

Before any drywall repairs are made, concerning popped nails or screws, make sure the drywall is fully fastened to the framing. Apply hand pressure next to the popped nail or screw. The pressure will verify if the drywall panel is loose. Now apply a new screw 1-1/2 inches away and reset the existing screw. As you install the new screw apply hand pressure to the area.

If the drywall paper surface isn’t damaged apply 2 coats of light weight spackle or heavy joint compound. After the patch has fully dried lightly sand the area.

If the paper has torn or the core of the wallboard is damaged the area will need a small piece of paper drywall tape and 3 thin coats of joint compound. After final sanding apply texture to match the existing finish.

Patching Nail Holes and Small Cracks

Some walls can be like a pin cushion with dozens of small nails or thumb tacks. After removal, all these holes must be filled with a suitable compound; don’t rely on the paint to fill these small holes.

The best patching compound for small holes and cracks is light weight spackle.

Use your finger to fill the nail hole with spackle. After application lightly rub the surface to distribute the spackle and blend it with the surrounding surface. The same technique works for small cracks. A light sanding is recommended after the spackle has dried, typically 1 hour.

For larger nail holes or small dents use a putty knife to fill the area. After allowing the spackle to completely dry, lightly sand the area and blend the patch with its surroundings. A second coat can be applied after the first has completely dried.

Fabrics are most important in the Vintage Style Home

Fabrics are an important ingredient in creating this style. If you love the old cabbage roses of the 40’s you are well on your way to enjoying this style. Calico prints from the 30’s and 40’s are also used extensively.

In the kitchen, oilcloth tablecloths are often used. Cookbooks were also often covered in oilcloth. Another favorite in the kitchen is the old roller towel rack. These often had linen calender prints or beautiful floral linen prints on them.

Another kitchen staple was the terrycloth towel with the crocheted buttoned handle that could be attached to a drawer knob or the oven door handle. Dishcloths and towels often had hand crocheted edges to keep them from fraying and help them last longer.

During wartime when fabric was scarce, grain bags were printed with patterns so women would have access to fabric they could use. Often bags were sewn from these to keep dry goods in the pantry. Beans, rice, pasta were stored in these homemade bags made from the grain bag fabric. Since many women canned in those times and many gave their specialties as gifts, jar toppers were also made from these bags. Many of these grain bag patterns are avidly sought for by collectors today.

The first step is to clear everything out of the bedroom. The bed can stay, but you may have to move it or lift it to get at everything underneath.

After the room has had everything moved out you may notice dirt, garbage and old things that can be thrown away. Take the garbage bags into the bedroom and start picking up all the trash. Teenagers aquire lots of it. Once your teen’s bedroom is cleared of all debris vacuum the floors.

After the floors are vacuumed put back the furniture that you may have moved out of the room. Place everything in the room in an organized manner. The dresser and nightstand should be near the bed. A desk might be across the room with a bookshelf. If your teen’s room does not have a bookshelf, add one now. Books may encourage teens to read.

Add a magazine rack to your teen’s bedroom to get things more organized. Teens love reading magazines, and a magazine rack keeps the magazines from becoming cluttered around the floor of the room. Add a shoe organizer to the bedroom door, especially if your teen is a girl with lots of shoes. It is a great way to organize pairs of shoes for each day of the week.

Use the totes for toys, games and gadgets that your teen collects. The small totes can be labeled and stored underneath your teen’s bed. Once the stuff is organized it will be easier to find and will require less clean-up time. The large tote can be used for swapping out winter and summer clothes or for the most used items in your teen’s room.

1. Consider the finish of existing fixtures. The best look for a bathroom is matching or complementary hardware and fixtures. If you have a lot of chrome that you have no plans to replace, don’t choose gold handles for your cabinets. If you want to match the cabinet or décor, rather than other fixtures, you can look for painted or matching wood finishes.

2. Consider the style or theme of the room. If you have modern cabinets, go for sleek metal finishes. French country styles look great with ceramic or wooden knobs. Whimsical décor allows you to choose knobs with painted patterns or handles in the shape of flowers, sea creatures, animals,  and more.

3. Make note of the location of the knobs and handles. Ornate knobs can be pleasing to the eye, but not as fun when you bang your knee on them. Wall cabinets are usually not an issue, but in small spaces a protruding knob might catch on clothing or unsuspecting elbows. Bathroom visitors spend a lot of time in front of the sink, so make sure that vanity knobs and handles don’t present a hazard.

4. Is the bathroom used by children? It’s best to choose smoother designs that they won’t be hurt by if they bump into them. Avoid ornate metal designs that they might get their little fingers stuck in.

5. Remember the water and humidity in bathrooms. When selecting bathroom cabinet knobs, it’s best to choose ones with durable finishes that won’t tarnish or erode.

6. If you want the fixtures to match your décor, bring paint samples and color swatches to the store, along with your handle measurements. If you’re considering blue handles for your blue cabinets, you want to make sure it’s the same blue. The same is true of wood tones. It’s much easier to match the items in the store, rather than waiting until you get home to discover you have the wrong shade.

7. Consider price. Items available for immediate purchase in the store will generally be the least expensive option. Special order knobs will offer you a wider range of options, but will cost a lot more. Don’t forget about shipping charges when ordering on-line.            

Since the selection of bathroom faucets is quite big, it is best to decide on your budget before you set out to buy one. A bathroom faucet can cost anywhere from $25 to several hundred to nearly $2000. Know what you can afford to spend before you spend it.

1. There are three basic types of bathroom faucets from which almost all designs originate. First, there is the centerset style, which consists of a spigot with the water control handle attached to its top or side. Most often, there is only one handle for both hot and cold water. Then, there are single-hole bathroom faucets. These usually have two handles, one for hot and one for cold water, but the handles and the spigot form one unit that is attached to the plumbing through one hole in the sinktop or countertop. The third main style of bathroom faucets are the widespread designs. Widespreads have two handles and a spigot and they are all separate pieces, meaning the sink or counter must have three holes in it to attach each piece.
2. Once you have decided on the bathroom faucet design that would work best with your bathroom, you should think about what kind of material you want. Often, the material you pick for a bathroom faucet is determined by the color you want. Bronze faucets, of course, have golden or brown tones. On the other hand, nickel and stainless steel faucets are reflective or have gray tones. You can also buy a nickel faucet with brass highlights, so the possibilities are numerous.
3. The final consideration is overall appearance. The centerset designs tend to be more contemporary looking than either single hole or widespread bathroom faucets. These latter two come in an array of styles for traditional and modern bathrooms. You can find faucets that are rounded and lack any corners, or more angular designs that stand out. Pick the style that best fits your aesthetic and that fits into the bathroom of your dreams.