Sooner or later, the moment comes when we realize that it is time to change something in our home. We are not talking about cardinal changes, since this will already be a major overhaul. Sometimes, you just want to freshen up the apartment. Well, either the wallpaper was torn somewhere, the paint on the floor was rubbed off or faded on the ceiling. In general, we will talk about light, superficial or, as it is commonly called, cosmetic repairs.
Pre-planning
Before starting such a process as a repair, albeit a cosmetic one, you need to carefully calculate and plan everything. To do this, a thorough inspection of the apartment is carried out and decisions are made on what exactly, for what and how will change. In the process of drawing up a plan, as a rule, there are many ideas about how you can decorate the premises. Therefore, you can use special design programs, which are many on the Internet. But planning can also be done on paper. In this case, it is better to prepare several copies with different options and then come to a single solution. So, the plan has been drawn up, let's move on to its implementation.
Selection of materials
Firstthe stage after planning will be the selection of the necessary materials for the redecoration of the apartment. And materials can radically differ from each other not only in cost, but also in their properties, as well as in their effect on the human body. Therefore, a list of materials that will be used in a particular room is compiled. For example, if we are talking about a children's room or bedroom, then here you need to select materials made from the most natural components. They should "breathe" and not cause any allergic reactions. When designing a common room, the choice of materials can be less demanding, and their choice, accordingly, will be more extensive. The same applies to the design of the kitchen and bathroom. When redecorating these rooms, high humidity and other related factors must be taken into account. Having decided on the materials and making a list of their names and quantities, we proceed to the purchase.
Purchase materials
Buying building materials, you do not need to save on quality. This is a common truth and the proverb “The miser pays twice” in the case of repairs is more relevant than ever. And it doesn’t matter if cosmetic repairs are being done in Moscow or in the periphery, it is highly recommended not to purchase building materials in spontaneous markets. There, as a rule, they are somewhat cheaper, but the quality is often questionable. And who knows how they will perform their decorating functions after laying on the walls or floor, and whether in the near future it will be necessary to get rid of the remnants of the previous repair and startall over again. Therefore, you need to purchase materials from a trusted seller who can provide all the necessary certificates. Another nuance in the acquisition of materials for cosmetic repairs: you should always take them 10 or even 15 percent more than was calculated. So you can work calmly without worrying that something may not be enough. By the way, if there was not enough of any finishing material, and you go to buy it from another batch, there are no guarantees that the purchased one will completely match the color of the previous one. Yes, and more. Many stores practice the return of unused building material. Therefore, you need to ask in advance if there is such a possibility. This way you can save extra.
Surface preparation
Well, the plan has been drawn up, the materials have been purchased, now we move on to the active part of the redecoration, namely, cleaning the surfaces of the remnants of the old finish and preparing them for the new one. The speed of this stage directly depends on how well the old finish adheres to the surfaces and what flaws these surfaces received during their operation. If the walls were covered with wallpaper, there are several ways to remove them. If the coating is ordinary paper and is not glued very tightly, it can be removed without any preparation, simply with a spatula. If the wallpaper is still strong enough, you must first moisten them with water using a roller and, possibly, repeat this procedure several times. If the walls are covered with water resistantvinyl wallpaper, they must first be steamed, a regular iron with this function will do. The iron is brought to the wall at a distance of 10-15 cm and steam is turned on, after which the coating is removed without any problems. The old layer of paint can be removed using a building hair dryer or a sander with a brush. The ceiling is also cleaned with water and a spatula or grinder. The floor during cosmetic repairs at home, as a rule, is not cleaned, but simply painted over the old coating.
Alignment of walls and ceiling
All surfaces are cleaned, then we move on to correcting various flaws that may have appeared, and preparing the walls and ceiling for subsequent decorative finishing. To do this, small and medium-sized cracks and chips are slightly expanded, primed with special compounds and sealed with putty, sealant or ordinary cement. At the same time, the surface is rubbed and leveled. Large gaps and cracks, which, as a rule, appear at the junction of surfaces, are filled with mounting foam. Of course, such defects are more common during cosmetic repairs of entrances, and not apartments, but there are exceptions. After repairing the defects, the walls and ceiling are primed and proceed to the process of leveling them. This process is quite complex and requires some experience in such work. Special putties are used for leveling. The ceiling is even more difficult to align, so it is still recommended to contact a professional. At the end of this step, the prepared surfaces should be smooth, without any unevenness, andevenly dried.
Wall and ceiling decoration
The next step will be finishing the ceiling and walls with decorative materials. With the ceiling, everything is more or less clear. In most cases, it is painted with water-based paint in light colors. Of course, you can make a suspended or stretch ceiling and this also falls under the concept of redecorating a room. Just in the last two cases, there is no need to level the surface of the ceiling. It will be enough to prime it. In general, the choice of ceiling finish is up to you. As for the walls, there are already more options. You can opt for wallpaper, you can paint the walls, picking up almost any shade. You can use sheets of drywall and make fancy arches and niches. Lots of options. But if special skills are required to work with drywall, then anyone can paste wallpaper or paint walls with a roller.
Gender
As mentioned earlier, when redecorating an apartment, the floor surface is usually not cleaned. Nevertheless, such a finish does not only mean painting the floor. You can lay a laminate or linoleum, and this will also be considered a simple repair. Laying of any floor covering should be carried out very carefully, as the floor spreads after the completion of the walls and there is a possibility of damaging the wall covering. If linoleum or carpet is used as a coating, it should not be taken on glue immediately after laying. Let it lie down for about a day anddeal with. If we are talking about laminate, then after laying it should not reach the walls by about 5-7 millimeters. This is necessary for the formation of the so-called temperature gaps. At the end, the laid floor covering is fixed with skirting boards. In general, there are no problems with painting the floor, as a rule. The main thing is also to be careful not to stain the walls.
In closing
Well, in conclusion, I would like to add that to make cosmetic repairs, like any other, it means to invest financial resources and considerable physical and moral efforts. Some finish the decoration quickly and achieve the desired results, while others are guided by the saying that the repair has a beginning, but the repair has no end. So, in order for this statement not to become relevant, you need to approach this event with all responsibility, draw up a real plan with real deadlines and implement your plan.
