Beautiful Home

There are numerous options for improving the walls in your home. You may need to make repairs or perhaps you are looking for something that is more aesthetically pleasing. We’ll look at a few options here that homeowners have to improve their walls.

Drywall

If you have existing drywall that is in good condition you may want to just decide whether to paint it or paper over it. If you are adding on to your home, you may opt to use drywall but be sure and check with the local authorities to find out what thickness is required in your area. Local building codes specify what thickness of drywall is required and you would not want to make a costly mistake and get drywall that isn’t thick enough for your area. In addition, you may want to go with a thicker drywall in order to have sturdier walls and mute more sound between rooms. In addition, the thicker drywall is regarded as being more fire resistant so take that into consideration as well.

Doing More with Paint

Wall murals are especially appealing and can liven up an entire room inexpensively, especially children’s’ rooms. If you don’t possess the talent to paint a wall mural but would like to have one, consider hiring a local art student to do the job. You can always ask for samples and references and if you don’t like it, you can always paint over it. If your child’s room already has a theme present, try to paint or hire someone else to paint a mural that goes along with the theme. Make sure to seal the final job with a clear coat of varnish, which will help protect it against young hands and will also make it easier to clean.

Consider Built-In Shelving

Built in shelving can be a wonderful addition to your home and add value as well. Most people love shelves and can never get enough of them so consider the impact of adding beautiful and sturdy wooden built in shelves to your home. Do consider the impact the shelving will have on your existing walls before beginning this type of project. However, most walls can be reinforced if necessary to carry the load.

Built in shelving units create valuable storage and display space and can be customized to do the job you most need it to do. For example, if you have a collection of books that you would like to display, you can create an entire library out of built in shelving. Alternatively, if you have a precious and fragile collection, you can use enclosed built in shelving with see through or glass doors to show off your collection. You have an unlimited number of options when you customize your own built in shelving.

Tags: building materials for walls

Stucco

Stucco is a versatile building material that is used on both the interior and exterior of homes. Stucco is comprised of various aggregates, binders, and water. On the exterior of homes, stucco can be applied over brick, concrete, or wood and requires little to no maintenance. On the interior, stucco is often applied to walls and ceilings. Although you can paint stucco, you can also get colored stucco from the manufacturer in either standard or custom colors.

Stucco makes an excellent covering for both interior and exterior walls because it is resistant to fire and rot. In addition, stucco is a durable and cost effective building material that is easy to maintain and repair. Aesthetically pleasing, stucco is also used as a trim and can go a long way toward improving the look of your home.

Brick

Brick has long been a building material standard and brick has evolved into blocks of all shapes and sizes and even colors. Brick is used on the interior and exterior of homes, with different types used for different jobs. Homeowners with brick exteriors don’t have to worry about painting or siding their homes and brick homes have long been esteemed as quality homes.

Brick is Cost Effective

Brick may be more cost effective than you think as it is consistently recycled. You don’t find mountains of brick in landfills the way you do other building materials, although other building materials are starting to be recycled as well. Yet you can purchase used brick that is in as good a condition as the newer, more expensive brick. In addition, brick helps insulate your home so it is an energy efficient choice as well.

Types of Brick

Before purchasing brick for your home improvement project, make sure you are getting the correct grade and type of brick. For example, if you are purchasing brick for an indoor fireplace, you want to make sure you get brick that is heat resistant and therefore made for this purpose. There is also brick that is made for indoor use only as it offers no protection against the weather so before you tackle a bricking job, do make sure you have the right type of brick. You will save money and countless headaches by ensuring your brick is fit for the purpose you have in mind.

Types of Wood

Most people are familiar with the various types of wood but not everyone realizes that wood is graded based on different factors, mainly appearance, however, it is important to get the right type and grade of work for the project you are doing. Hardwoods, like cherry, oak, and pecan are good woods to use for furniture and indoor projects while the softwoods like Pine, Fir, and Cedar are great to use for outdoor projects. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, though as it depends on what it is you are constructing and on personal taste. Before you buy wood, though, take the time to see what that particular type of wood is used for rather than just going on price or appearance.

Tags: home building materials, stucco, cedar wood, bricks