Tips on How Best to Remove Wallpaper

Before you begin, remember that wallpaper removal can be labor intensive and can cause severe damage to your walls if it is not done correctly. Most removal damage is due to the lack of a wallpaper primer before the walls were papered, resulting from the glue being absorbed into the wallboard. The top layers of wallboard (paper) will try to come back off with the wallpaper backing. If this occurs in large areas, call a professional.

You can get many differing kinds of wallpaper on the market today. Some are dry stripable, solid vinyl and fabric backed papers can usually be removed by basically pulling them from the wall with no wetting.

Most residential wallpapers are of a " vinyl coated " type. Vinyl coated papers are by far the commonest used in residential homes. The vinyl face of those papers is usually "dry stripable" meaning the face will separate and leave only the paper backing on the wall. Start by removing as much of the vinyl face as possible. Look for a loose corner, you may require a putty knife or scraper for getting you started.

Once all of the vinyl face is removed, the paper backing also needs to be removed. The paper backing will require a wet removal. Fill a five gallon bucket to about half full with warm water, add about a cap full of fabric softener. Turn off the electrical power to the room. Apply this solution to the wall with a paint roller or garden sprayer, a sponge can be used in corners. Wet a four or five foot part of the wall and ensure the wall section remains saturated with the solution for about ten minutes. Remove the wet backing with a four or six inch putty knife or scraper.

Once all of the backing is removed, finish cleaning the walls using a hand sponge and fresh solution of fabric softener and warm water. Permit the walls to dry out and apply a wallpaper primer if you ever plan to re- wallpaper the walls. If you plan to paint, apply an acrylic primer/sealer to the walls before painting.

Please Note:

One of the major things not to forget when using a solution to strip your wallpaper off is, Don't spray or saturate electrical outlets or switches with the solution, turn off the electrical supply to the area before wetting the walls. You do not want to cause any damage to your electrics. This can be an extremely costly mistake to make. Damaged electrical wiring is dear to put right. This is messy work so ensure that you do place rolled towels or bed sheets along at the base of the walls prior wetting them in order to catch the solution excess.

Exterior painting is difficult work and by doing it yourself you may or may not pull off the effects that you've been expecting. If you are going to paint the exterior of your house then check out painter London first. There is a lot of arranging to do, so you really have to to plan it carefully, otherwise you will end up wasting the paint you will have bought.

How To Paint That Ceiling

The ceilings in our house never get a lot more than an upward look until the abuse of the smoking fireplace and a few old leaking roof stains begin to stand out on that once bright white area above our heads. Suddenly, it's time for that long overdue task, Painting the ceiling.

Here's a list of equipment that you will need to do the task:

Primer/sealer
Ceiling paint
Step ladder
5 Gal. bucket
Paint screen or grid
9 inch roller frame
1/2 inch nap roller cover
Roller extension pole
Three inch nylon/polyester brush
Plastic sheeting
Drop cloths of old bed sheets
Preparing the room.
Move the furniture toward the center of the room, keep enough room between large pieces of furniture and the wall to accommodate a step ladder. Place smaller pieces of furniture into several groups leaving aisles between them. This will allow for easier access to your ceiling when you start painting. Cover the furniture with plastic, thin plastic works better. Put drop cloths or old bed sheets on the floor around the groups of furniture. Spot prime any brown water stains with a stain killing primer. These primer/sealers can be found at any paint or hardware store. Some brands offer a convenient spray can with an upward spraying nozzle.

Now that everything is wrapped up and spot primed you can get ready to paint. Pour the ceiling paint into the five gallon bucket leaving about a quart of paint in a single can to use with the brush. Brush a three or four inch line around the edges of the ceiling being careful not to paint too low on the wall or crown molding, do not forget to brush around the light fixture.

Ready to begin rolling.

Hang the paint screen on the inside rim on the 5 gallon bucket. Install the roller cover on the frame and attach the roller frame to an extension pole or screw in mop handle. Load the roller with paint by daubing it into the 5 gallon bucket of paint, remove any excess paint using a few strokes on the paint screen. Roll out a large 'W' pattern on the ceiling starting the roller in the corner and roughly a foot from the wall. Reload the roller and fill in the pattern from the outer edge working toward the wall, be sure to roll into the brushed paint line at the wall. Roll out and fill another W pattern next to the one you have just completed and slightly overlap the previously painted section. Repeat this method until you have covered the complete ceiling. Once you've finished, the room will be noticeably brighter and that upward glance you're taking might just become a smile.

Interior and exterior painting is difficult work and by doing it yourself you may or may not pull off the effects that you've been expecting. If you are going to paint the interior of your house then check out painter london first. There is a lot of arranging to do, so you really have to to plan it carefully, otherwise you will end up wasting the paint you have bought.

How To Use Sponge Painting To Get That Faux Finish

Sponge painting is under no circumstances an innovative new idea, but faux finishes on the whole continue to grow in popularity. Evidently there is a unceasing flow of new or updated systems designed to bring the latest look in wall décor into your home. However, the problem is that some of the techniques require a little more skill and time than a number of people are willing to invest. Whilst you might be hesitant to attempt a few of the more elaborate faux finishes. Sponge painting remains one of the simplest methods to add some visual interest to the walls.

There are several ways that you can use sponge painting to create a faux finish, and below are two of the best ideas. Both ideas involve the use of glaze, and the techniques can be accomplished by anyone - no special skills are required!

Before applying the faux finish, make sure you properly prepare your walls.

· Wash walls by wiping them with a damp sponge. When dry, give them a wipe using a lint free cloth to remove any stray particles.

· Tape off all areas that you do not want to get paint on for instance molding and window frames. Be sure to use a high quality painter's tape to ensure that you don't take off the finish from areas which have been taped.

· If you are applying a color which is lighter than the present wall color, you will have to use one coat of top quality primer. Even if that is not the case, you might consider applying primer so the new paint can have a fresh foundation. Once you've prepared your walls, you are able to start. Glazing can be completed in any color you choose, so you have no limits to your creativity. This method is simply a coat of glazing applied over a base coat to accomplish a faux finish.

Once the base coat has been applied, apply the faux glaze in small sections. The glaze is made by mixing your paint color with faux glaze. To cover an area of around 400 square feet, you will need to mix one quart of paint to one gallon of glaze.

Method One

. Use a roller to apply the glaze on your wall, ensuring that excess paint is removed from the roller before beginning.

· Next, dab with a slightly dampened sea sponge. First, dab on the edges left from the roller after which you can dab the complete area.

· It is vital to finish dabbing before the glaze dries, so you'll have to work speedily. When the sponge has a lot of glaze on it, rinse the sponge and continue. Use all sides on the sponge so that you can achieve a random pattern.

· Continue, taking care to blend away all hard edges with your sponge.

Method Two

This technique uses an identical glaze mixture as the first, but for this idea you will not roll the glaze onto the wall. Instead, it will be applied using the sponge.

· Place a damp sea sponge into the glaze mixture, and remove the excess.

· Starting in a corner, dab the glaze onto the wall.

· You can actually apply as much or as little of this glaze as you want, just continue until you like the effect which has been achieved.

· Continue adding glaze to the sponge as necessary, being careful not to use too much glaze. The sponge shouldn't be soaked with glaze.

· As you work, make sure to blend each section into the other. You don't want to leave any hard lines behind.

· You can also choose to add a second coat of glaze in a different color. This will add a look of depth to your walls.

These two sponge methods are ideal for novices who want to achieve a faux finish. Try it this weekend and discover ways to easily transform your room in only one day!

Interior and exterior painting is difficult work and by doing it yourself you may or may not pull off the effects that you've been expecting. If you are going to paint the interior of your house then check out painter London first. There is a lot of arranging to do, so you really have to to plan it carefully, otherwise you will end up wasting the paint you have bought.

Latest Nokia Phones: Elegantly Designed Phones

The latest Nokia mobile phones attract everyone's attention by their sleek and fashionable designs together with high end features and latest technologies.

The Nokia N80 is packed with connectivity and multimedia features including features like 3 mega pixel camera, 3G and smart phone functionalities. The brilliant resolution screen The Nokia N80 is a 3G phone, enabling users to browse the web, transfer files and use email using a high speed mobile connection. The handset aims to meet all your business and personal goals and with Wi-fi, Bluetooth and infra red connectivity, you are connected virtually wherever you roam. The broadband speed web browsing lets you enjoy downloading latest games and streaming video and audio. The superb3G phone is really a pleasure to use with its perfect features.

The amazing Nokia N93 aims to deliver the best camera and best video making it a true smartphone. The phone features a 3.2 mega pixel camera, MP3 player, FM radio, Wi-Fi, and the list just goes on and on! With features like FM radio, MP3 player, the Nokia N93 lets you take your music wherever you go. Bringing all the video features, the N93 can be called a mini camcorder. Connect your gadget to other compatible devices using Bluetooth technology and get faster connectivity through the EDGE technology. If you love shooting high quality stills and want to experience the latest 3G technology, then the N93 is for you.

Another latest Nokia phone, Nokia 6080 features an FM radio, MP3 ringtones, MMS, Nokia Xpress, audio messaging, push to talk and EDGE. If you want to add a personal feel to your 6080, you can personalise it with wallapers and themes. The handset also offers comprehensive features for easy voice communication and messaging, Nokia Xpress audio messaging, email and push to talk and lots more. You can conveniently browse the web and upload images with the phone's browser. Available in different colors, this phone is sure to be a hit.

These latest Nokia mobile phones are easily available with contract mobile phone deals along with lots of amazing offers and special discounts.

Mobile Payment Services

Many users today trust their mobile more than their bank when it comes to handle money. Mobile payment, also called M-payment or m-payment, is at forefront of this technological innovation, development and establishing this element of trust and security. The improvement of security has seen the use of mobile funds transfer and transactions increase both in quantity of goods and services purchased, as well as value.

Mobile payment is a new and rapidly-adopting alternative payment method - especially in Asia and Europe. Instead of paying with cash, cheque or credit cards, a consumer can use a mobile phone to pay for a wide range of services or hard goods such as.
• Music, videos, ringtones, online game subscription or items, wallapers and other digital goods.
• Transportation fare (bus, subway or train), parking meters and other services
• Books, magazines, tickets and other hard goods.

Combined market for all types of mobile payments is expected to reach more than $600B globally by 2013.

In a world dominated by networked communications, convenience is the key to everything. Mobile money provides a cashless, fast and simple way for your customers to deal with all their financial transactions, from home, office or while travelling around the globe. From phone banking to internet banking and now to mobile payment services, the constantly changing financial services landscape has stepped up to include total solutions to manage money from any location. Mobile financial services are the future, bridging the distance between banks and telecommunications, integrating the sophisticated platforms of mobile phone networks and secure financial systems. Consequently, everyone who makes a payment via their mobile device wants 100% security and safety for each transaction.

Mobile payment is developing quickly in recent years and will grow rapidly in the following years. Currently, MNOs (Mobile Network Operator), banks, solution providers, mobile terminal providers and other third parties are participating in the innovation of providing mobile financial service. Mobile Payment solution is typically based on SMS, WAP, WEB, USSD and RFID, operators can develop diversified mobile payment service on one platform to make usage more easier and friendly for subscribers, meanwhile avoiding further investment and difficulties in operation of several platforms so as to reduce operators' CAPEX and OPEX.

With this solution, subscribers can make payments directly from their mobile phone at their convenience from either a bank account or a mobile wallet for making Credit card payment (consumer to financial institution) Bills (consumer to utility company or service provider).Mobile business-to-exchange could be used for payments made by retailers to wholesalers for receipt of consumer goods, salary, commission and pension disbursements made by companies and governments to individuals and social benefit distributions from companies and governments to individuals.

In developing countries where the majority of the population is unbanked, mobile business-to-exchange can play the role that direct deposits play in industrialized countries.

All the stakeholders, mobile phone operators, developers and manufactures of payment systems, regulatory and standardization bodies and services providers are now working together to make the mobile payments a commercial success. They are aware that the market is gaining mass popularity and reaching 'critical' mass. The recent testing of mobile payment technologies at mass scale has increased prospects for mobile payment's application in more areas and a faster growth in future.

Benefits for Mobile Network Operators
• Added Value to your brand image
• Additional recurrent and constant revenue source
• Greater loyalty and trust from customers
• Strengthen the market share by offering more value added interactive services to customers

Benefits for Mobile Subscribers
• Removes the need to carry ready cash
• The service is available whenever and wherever you need it
• Create convenience through real-time, secure, paperless transaction
• The subscriber can pay for both products and services anytime and anywhere

Creating a Unique Room with a Wall Mural

Home interior decorating distinction truly lies in details, the personal touches and unusual twists that make a room entirely unique. To put your personal mark of creativity in your home, do what many professional interior designers do: use a wall mural.

Wallpaper murals are among the most versatile of decorating tools. Furthermore, they are affordable and easy to install. Any room takes on a more finished or refreshed look with the addition of one.

Murals are extremely useful in the kitchen. Kitchens typically contain permanent appliances and cabinets that separate wall space. By adding an elegant wall mural with a Tuscan or garden theme, the overall space will be unified while also giving the room greater depth and visual appeal.

A wall mural can also provide a visual transition between the kitchen and the living room beyond it. Choose a bright or whimsical design, such as Tokyo Night or Japanese Temple at Dusk.

Experts agree that we spend nearly a third of our lives asleep! With that in mind, you can easily transform your bedroom into a luxurious, comforting haven with a beautiful, serene wallpaper mural (such as one depicting a sunrise, sunset, or water theme). Your most private room is now a relaxing retreat and something to really look forward to.

Turn your kids bedroom into a jungle, forest, or magical fairy land. Kids just love getting their rooms decorated. This can be a fun family project for a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Help welcome your newborn with a dreamy, delicate, playful scene of your choosing. Add soothing and delightful visual appeal to your newborn nursery.

Now you're on a roll. So why not use a wall mural to decorate your powder room, or your guest room, or your dining room, or your foyer? And what about the home office? Can you see where this is going? With wall murals, the decorating possibilities are simply endless.

The addition of a wall mural makes your favorite living space unique and beautiful. Give your room a refreshing personal touch or a complete transformation with a mural today!