Super Handyman: Today’s faux finishes mean there’s no excuse for a boring wall

Faux paint finishes may have started years ago with the typical marbleized look, but boy, have they come a long way. The variety of brushes and other applicators, as well as the assorted additions that can be put directly into the paint, are practically endless.

Here are some neat things you might try when you are ready to paint a room in your home.

In the brush department, stippler brushes are one option. They are made to be loaded with paint and dabbed or tapped onto the surface. They also can be used to create other textures on a painted surface.

Sponges are an interesting tool to use when applying paint. Natural sponges will give the best appearance because of the irregular patterns on them.

Wadded up plastic, cloth or paper can be used to apply paint.

Paint rollers also are a great tool. They come in a variety of textures, including wood grain and other patterns. These can be used to replicate a lot of interesting textures and patterns.

There are some great trowels and other tools that can be dragged across the paint for an interesting look. You can use a plastic comb, or you can create your own design for texture by altering a rubber or plastic trowel.

Glaze is a clear liquid that can be mixed with paint to help you get interesting looks with these tools. It keeps the paint from drying so quickly and adds some thickness so that as you add texture to the surface, it will keep the texture you are creating.

Other additives for paint are available at your paint store, and might be worth a try.

Check your paint store or search online for some new and fun paint finishes. Of course, this adds more decisions to make before you begin your paint project, but you could get a unique result for your time and efforts.

Play with ideas out in the shop before you actually start. Good luck!

Swivel awayMany of us have hanging baskets, wind chimes or other things that hang in or outside your home. Most hooks are pretty standard, and the item you hang from them usually is pretty standard as well. But with things like plants, it would be great if you could turn them so all sides get plenty of sun or shade. It#146;s easy to add a swivel hook to your existing setup. A simple swivel hook will cost you no more than a couple of bucks at a discount store, home center or hardware dealer. Put this onto the existing ceiling hook and then hang the basket or other item from that. The swivel hook will allow you to turn the plant for the best viewing or exposure. Drywall artistThere#146;s an art to installing drywall. In talking to pros about getting good results, we#146;ve learned a few things. Outside corners are really challenging, but there#146;s a little trick that makes them come out nice and professional-looking: Use two trowels for this method. One goes along the edge, with half of the blade sticking out past the edge. The second trowel, filled with drywall compound, is spread on the adjacent wall and spread up to the edge against the first trowel. Doing this on both sides of the corner will give you a really nice, sharp edge. Super hintsŸ Recent bad weather has raised our awareness, and we wanted to remind all readers to be prepared. Have a safe place to hide out in your home or at a local shelter. Keep emergency supplies on hand. It will be worth it, and could save your life!Ÿ The flapper in the toilet is made of rubber, and if you shut off the water supply and remove the flapper to clean it, it will work better. I like to scrub it with soap and water and then spray it down with Armor All or even use some petroleum jelly. This helps prevent the rubber from deteriorating so quickly. It also helps it seal at the base of the toilet tank so no leaking will occur.Ÿ Most handy folks don#146;t spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but for this trick you really should. Before installing a wooden dowel, put it into a warm oven for a while. This draws moisture out of the wood, shrinking it, so you can install it. Then it will swell again, and you will get a very tight fit.Q. My bathtub is old but still in decent shape. There are a couple of places where the porcelain has been chipped off, though. How can I cover or patch over these areas?A. They make easy-to-use repair kits for porcelain surfaces like tubs and sinks. Before you purchase one, see if you can see a manufacturer#146;s name anywhere on the tub. It will help you match the perfect color. The kits usually have everything you need, including great directions, in the box. You probably will have to clean the surface, perhaps sand the area a little and then apply the product. If the chip is deep, it might take a couple of coats. It should last a long time once repaired.Q. There is a large spot on my patio that is from a citronella candle that fell over last summer. I would like to see if I can remove it. Is there a way to cover it?A. Use mineral spirits paint thinner to loosen any wax that is still on the surface. This also should dilute the greasy stain, so let it sit on top of the stain for a few hours. Cover it with clay cat litter and let it soak up into the litter, then sweep it away. You may have to repeat this, but that should get the stain out.Q. I want to replace my old thermostat with one of the newer, programmable thermostats. How hard is that to do? I have little DIY experience. Do you think I can still do it?A. Yes, you can. When you go to look at them, you will see there are a lot of different models. We suggest something in the midrange and by a well-known manufacturer, like Honeywell. See if you can take a look at the instructions while you are in the store to find out if you need any tools. Most of the time, a screwdriver is all you need, but you might find that you need a wire stripper, too. If you think you might have trouble, ask a friend to help. Usually these are easy to install, and you will love the savings you will see after using it for a couple of months. Consider this your first project #8212; we hope you enjoy doing it. There#146;s no telling what you will do next!Reader tipsŸ I have taken your advice and bought quality paintbrushes. I also keep them clean after projects. What I do to save time is soak them in the paint tray. That way, I am able to clean the brushes and the tray at the same time. Even if I didn#146;t use the paint tray on the project, it#146;s still the best place to soak the brushes. With the shallow tray, I feel like I am saving on solvent, too. Quality brushes really do make a difference. Thanks for the advice.Ÿ I used to use newspapers in my compost pile. I had heard from several people that they don#146;t break down as fast as they#146;d like, and I can see that they are a little slow. But I have so many, and I really wanted to find a way to use them. I have started putting them through the shredder first. Then they go into the compost pile. This works great. They are easy to shred, and they do break down more quickly now. If you or your readers use newspapers, try this. It is a great way to get rid of all the newspapers you have lying around.Ÿ We finally have a tree large enough to hang our swing on. We planted it when we first moved in, and it has grown into a wonderful shade tree throughout the years. Now it#146;s ready for a family swing. To protect it from the chain to be wrapped around the upper branch, we covered the chain with a clear plastic aquarium hose. It#146;s not so tight as to strangle the branch, but it does hold the swing securely. The kids love it!Ÿ Our extension ladder is in the garage now. Our neighbor#146;s home was broken into, and the thieves got in by using a tall ladder that had been left outside the home. I never thought about it being the perfect tool for a burglar to use, but it was for my neighbor. Mine is in the garage now, safely secured to the wall. It didn#146;t look good being out in the backyard anyway.Ÿ If there is a squirrel season, this is it. I called our local animal-control office, and they suggested a special trap that doesn#146;t kill or maim the cute little devils. You just catch them and haul them out to the country and release them. I bought three traps, and a month later, no squirrels!ShoptalkŸ Most patio furniture just needs a good cleaning a couple of times a year to keep it looking good. And, of course, you need to make sure to clean off mildew to protect it. Spray Nine Patio Furniture Cleaner does both. Available in a ready-to-use spray bottle, it cleans off grease, grime, suntan lotion, bird droppings and other gunk. It helps control mold and mildew, and destroys bad odors, too. It even kills germs like Salmonella enterica, E. coli and athlete#146;s foot fungus. It works on plastic, vinyl, fiberglass, tile, porcelain and Formica. To find out more or to find a local dealer, go to www.spraynine.com.Ÿ Super Glue is, well, super, but if you are looking for something better, check out RapidFix. It#146;s a dual adhesive system that combines an instant adhesive with a welding powder. The welding powder enables a stronger bond and can be used to fill holes, cracks and gaps. It even can be used like solder on metal items. It works on rubber, copper, aluminum, steel, glass and most plastics. After the clear adhesive has set, it can be sanded, filed and painted if needed. It#146;s really easy to use, and really is super strong. As an added bonus, it won#146;t dry out in the container, like many other types of glue do. To find out more, visit www.rapid-fix.com and watch the video to see for yourself. Ÿ Write to Al and Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or visit the Carrells#146; website at thesuperhandyman.com.$PHOTOCREDIT_ON$© 2011, Cowles Syndicate Inc.$PHOTOCREDIT_OFF$