Carmen De La Paz's You Can Do It! Magazine Winter 2012

W I N T E R 2 0 1 2

SAFETY FASHIONLooking Cool While You Get The

Job Done!

™

De La Paz

CREATE IT.BUILD IT.LOVE IT.YouCanD It!M A G A Z I N E

www.YouCanDoItMag.com

DrillEmpower

tool #1

LEARN HOW TO SELECT THERIGHT ONE FOR THE JOB

the

Need A Stencil In A Hurry?

Creative Thinking & Blue Tape WillCome In Handy

WintertimeGarden LightingHow To Use

Recycled Cans To Create

Luminarias

2 | WINTER 2012

IN A PINCH:

Create A Stencil With Blue Tape

“HOW TO” RECIPE INCLUDED on PAGE 27

18RECYCLING

Illuminating Garden Art“HOW TO” RECIPE INCLUDED on PAGE 21

10POWER TOOL SERIES

“Em”Power ToolsDiscover the true meaning

of “Empowerment thru Power tools!”

™

De La Paz


W I N T E R 2 0 1 2

26

4

17FIRST IN THE POWER TOOL SERIES:

To Drill Or Not To Drill...That Is The Question!

ANATOMY OF A DRILL

CARMEN’S BITS:

How Holiday Traditions Became Lifelong Passions“HOW TO” RECIPES

INCLUDED on PAGES 7-8

SAFETY

Safety In High-Fashion

PUBLISHERJerri Hemsworth

[email protected]

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFCarmen De La Paz

[email protected]

EDITORIAL CONSULTANTBennett Root, Jr.

[email protected]

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Brian Hemsworth

[email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITOR Michelle Hurlbut

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Steve Higginson and Billy Hill

EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING OFFICESCarmen De La Paz’s You Can Do It! Magazine

6133 Fallbrook AvenueWoodland Hills, CA 91364

P: 818/713/1678www.youcandoitmag.com

Carmen De La Paz’s You Can Do It! Magazine™ is published by HMH Media Inc., 6133 FallbrookAvenue, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. Volume 1, No. 2 Copyright ©2012 by CDLP Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction inwhole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Acceptance of advertising or spon-sorship in Carmen De La Paz’s You Can Do it! Magazine in no way constitutes approval orendorsement by HMH Media Inc. of products or services advertised. Carmen De La Paz’s YouCan Do it! Magazineand HMH Media Inc. reserve the right to reject any advertising. Opinionsexpressed by authors are their own and not necessarily those of Carmen De La Paz’s You CanDo it! Magazineor HMH Media Inc. Carmen De La Paz’s You Can Do it! Magazine reserves theright to edit all contributions for clarity and length, as well as to reject any material submit-ted. Not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. This periodical’s name and logo along withthe various titles and headings therein, are trademarks of CDLP Enterprises Inc. and HMHMedia Inc. PRODUCED IN U.S.A.

12

Painting 10128

22

4 | WINTER 2012

carmen’s bits

his time of year evokes so many memories for me.

It prompts me to relive times that I most cherish in

my life. I think we all agree that no matter where

you are from or what language you speak, the hol-

iday season is full of family, food, laughter and giv-

ing on many levels and in many ways.

Growing up, I had the pleasure of celebrating

Thanksgiving and Christmas in different places—

Puerto Rico with palm trees, grandparents, aunts

uncles and cousins; in snowy Southeastern Wis-

consin with our acquired circle of friends consist-

ing of other Puerto Rican, Mexican, Venezuelan,

Cuban, Costa Rican, German, Polish, and Italian

families who had found their way to the cold win-

ters of the midwest. I even recall a holiday or two in

Miami, Florida, with my parent’s Cuban compadres.

Looking back, the most wonderful thing about

every holiday season was how strongly my par-

ents and every other family (not only Latinos) kept

cultural traditions alive. They were all willing and

wanting to share by intermingling music, food and

traditions. You can imagine a Christmas in Wauke-

sha, Wisc., with all these nationalities (I’m sure I

missed a few) explaining and sharing through

thick accents and limited English. I was often a

translator and ALWAYS in the middle of all the

food, music and holiday decor!

It is only now (as I write this article) that I fully

recognize how the things I call my deepest pas-

sions today—creating with my hands, food and

music—were introduced, sparked and explored by

the experiences my parents and all our extended

families exposed me to.

FOOD: As far back as I can remember, I was

always part of the kitchen process—grinding, cut-

ting, stirring, cleaning. The older I got, the more

intricate my tasks became. To this day, I am still

one of the best at folding and string-tying Pastels

in our yearly tradition of making one of Puerto

Rico’s most cherished and sought after dishes. To

this day, I look forward every year to the hours and

days spent with my Mom making Pasteles, Arroz

con Dulce, Tembleque, Dulce de Coco, Flan (see

my recipe on page 7), Surrullitos, Asopao de Pollo,

and on and on. There is always a backdrop of

music that is full of the traditional rhythms and

words of everything from American Christmas

Carols to Puerto Rican Aguinaldos sung tradition-

ally at Parrandas.

MUSIC:We often gauged our Christmas by how

good the music was; how much we danced, how

much we sang, how many Parrandas were done.

Parrandas are a lively Puerto Rican version of

Christmas Caroling—with a few different rules: 1.)

Parrandas are done only between the hours of

midnight and 6 a.m. 2.) You don’t warn the family

you are going to invade. But…no worries because

of rule number 3.) Puerto Rican families are always

hoping they’d be honored with the Parranda party.

So they always have snacks and beverages set

aside and are ready to host—just in case. 4.) Food

and alcohol play an important part in the festivi-

ties—responsibly of course.

My uncle Peter (my mother’s youngest brother

and my favorite uncle) was always at the center

of the celebration; singing, playing the guitar and

moving the evening along with jokes. I was

ALWAYS at his side, playing the maracas, rhythm

How HolidayTraditionsBecame Lifelong Passions

T

sticks, even the guiro and keeping good rhythm.

By the time I was seven, I knew I wanted to play

the guitar. I asked him to teach me, and my Uncle

Peter took the task very seriously. I obsessed

over my lessons, and by the next Christmas, I was

playing the guitar right alongside him. The year

after that, I started playing violin and the tradi-

tional Puerto Rican lead stringed instrument sim-

ilar to the guitar, the cuatro. The next obvious

step for me was singing. Thus, throughout the

holiday seasons, music became a permanent and

important part of my life. Thank you to my uncle

for taking me seriously, and thank you to my par-

ents for buying, without hesitation, every instru-

ment I wanted.

CREATING WITH MY HANDS: For as far back as

I can remember, my mother was always putting a

crayon, paintbrush or pencil in my hand. There

were always paints, papers, scissors, buckets of

ribbon, and buttons in my home. We were encour-

aged and accompanied with our creative explo-

rations. My mom was always making something:

crochet, ceramics, cake decorating…and my

brother and I always got to play with whatever she

was doing or making. My ALL TIME favorite proj-

ect, to this day, is probably one of the most intri-

cate crafting projects I’ve ever tackled. It was

given to me by my mom when I was about 10.

I distinctly remember one day in the Fall, I was

sitting at one end of our dining room table when

my mom came in with a rather large box. It was

two-feet long by one-foot wide and about four-

inches deep. The outside had colorful images of

the characters sung about in “The 12 Days of

Christmas.” You know, “Seven-Swans-A-Swim-

ming, Six-Geese-A-Laying, Fiiiiivve-Gold-Rings!”

The image of the contents inside the box is still

fresh and clear to me as the day I opened it. It is

permanently imprinted on my brain. My eyes were

first drawn to the colorful little plastic tubs of paint

attached by a rubber band to three different

artists brushes. One handle was red, one was royal

blue and the other was black. I then focused on

what was in the bottom of the box—1/8"-thin

sheets of what appeared to be wood with black

printed lines, like the outlines in a coloring book.

The images printed in black lines were all the same

characters pictured on the front of the box. The

only difference was that these weren’t painted.

Now I know my mom’s ulterior motive at the

Arroz con Dulce is one of my all-timefavorite traditional Puerto Rican desserts.

Flan (above) and Arroz con Gandules(below) are always on our holiday table.

6 | WINTER 2012

time; “Keep her busy for a LONG time.” It worked,

but it also did so much more!

For the next two months, the end of our dining

table became my little paint department. As long

as I put it all away in-between paint sessions, I

could paint there as much as I liked. I don’t know

how many hours I spent painstakingly painting

with the acrylic paint-kit provided. A little glass

food jar with water, a couple of paper napkins and

I was gone. I painted my way from the “Partridge

in a Pear Tree” clear through to the “12-Drummers-

Drumming” and all the 10 days of Christmas in

between. I spent weekends and hours after school

painting those little wood ornaments. I set a per-

sonal goal to get them done by Christmas and

have them all hanging on our Christmas tree. I was

focused and diligent for weeks on end—develop-

ing a steady hand with a paintbrush while staying

crisply inside the lines. Rushing certainly didn’t fit

into the equation of doing this project.

The last week before the big holiday and after all

the time spent bringing colorful life to those two

silly turtle doves, I wasn’t sure I was going to make

it by Xmas. The pressure was on and every minute

counted. The Saturday (three days) before Christ-

mas, my family and I got home late from some

Christmas party. I quickly got into my PJs and

headed straight for the dining room. I went about

setting up my paint area at the end of the table. I

wasn’t sure how painting at 1 a.m. was going to go

over with my parents. My father was already in

bed, and my mom walked past me on

her way to their bedroom. When she

saw me setting up, she said, “Pero,

muchacha que tu haces? / But girl,

what are you doing?” I thought for sure

I was going to get the axe on the set

up. I told her, “I want to get these done

by Christmas. I haven’t worked this

hard for this long in order to not finish

them in time.” She looked at me

through sleepy eyes. “Tu estas locas /

You are crazy,” and to my surprise, “No

te quedes muy tarde / Don’t stay up

too late.” She kept walking past me to

her bedroom. Yes!! I was happy, excited

and grateful. I had a cool mom! How-

ever, I am not sure my mom knows that

I stayed up ’til about 5 that morning. I

do know, I had a great time painting

into the wee hours of the morning.

AND I got all 12 days painted and hung

in time Christmas Eve dinner.

Throughout the two months I spent

painting those “12 Days of Christmas” wooden

ornaments, I learned patience, I learned persever-

ance, and I learned how amazing it feels to see

something through to completion. I’ve got to

thank my mom for letting me explore what it’s like

to go the extra mile to get it done AND enjoy it! It

was simply another way that I learned about the

concept “You Can Do It!”

I encourage you to explore the holidays and win-

tertime through lots of food, great music, creativity,

patience and perseverance. It serves us in and out of

the holiday season. And yes, “You Can Do It, too!”

Carmen

carmen’s bits

Growing up, my mother was always putting a crayon,paintbrush or pencil in my hand.

Ingredients

Caramel2 Cups of White SugarFlan5 Large Eggs1 Can (8 oz.) Sweet & CondensedMilk

2 Cans (12 oz. ea) Evaporated Milk2 Teaspoons of Vanilla Extract

Baking Process

Part One: Carmelized Sugar1. In a Caldero or Dutch Oven Pot

(a pot that is twice as wide asit is deep), heat 2 cups of whitesugar at medium heat. As thesugar melts, it will caramelize,turning a golden brown. Youwant to be very careful to notburn the sugar. Yes, it will be agolden brown but, if it gets toodark, you may burn it. If thesugar caramel is over-cooked, itwill affect the flan with a bittertaste.

2. Stir the sugar with a spoon asthe sugar is melting. This willhelp it melt evenly and notburn the sugar in the center.Once all of the sugar hasmelted and caramelized, turnoff heat. With the stirringspoon and a hot pad to holdthe hot pot, swirl the pot toevenly spread the caramelizedsugar, covering all the walls ofthe pot with an even coat. Asthe caramel cools, it willharden and stiffen to a glossycandy shell. The height of thehardened sugar coating will bethe height of your flan.

3. Set aside and let it cool offwhile you mix the ingredientsto make the flan.

Part Two: The Flan1. In a large mixing bowl, crack

and beat all 5 eggs with a whiskuntil they are fluffy with air.

2. Whisk in both cans of Evapo-rated Milk and the can ofSweet & Condensed Milk. Con-

tinue until all the ingredientsare fluffy with air. The more airyou get into the mix, thelighter the flan will be.

3. Add 2 Teaspoons VanillaExtract. Whisk some more…

Part Three: Put it all togetherOnce Flan Mixture, has beenwhisked well, pour into the potwith the now cooled andcaramelized sugar coating.

Part Four: Baking1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.2. Baking a flan must be done

with a Baño de Maria or waterbath baking method. In thismethod, you place the flan potinto a larger pot with a shallowpool of water. This serves as abuffer for the heat so the flanwill cook evenly.

3. Bake for 90–105 min. depend-ing on your oven.

Is it done?Use Toothpick Test!Using a knife, fork or regular woodtoothpick, pierce the flan. If thetoothpick, fork or knife is pulledout clean, the flan is done. If thetoothpick, fork or knife comes outgooey and caked with batter, theflan needs more time.

™

De La Paz


DESSERTS

SKILL: Easy

Carmen’s Flan

Baño de Maria

Sofrito Ingredients*1 Medium Spanish Onion1 Handful of Chopped Cilantro1 Medium Green Pepper1 Medium Red Pepper4–5 Fresh Garlic Cloves

*If you have Sofrito already pre-made, start with 5–6 tablespoonsof the thawed Sofrito.

Rice Ingredients2–3 Tablespoons Canola Oil1 Can Tomato Sauce1 Envelope of Sazon Goya (conAchiote) – Found in the ethnicsection of your grocer

2–3 teaspoons Salad Olives1 Can of Gandules (GOYA) – Alsofound in the ethnic section ofyour grocer

2 Lbs. of Medium Grain Rice (rinsewith water to release the starch)

4 Cups of WaterSalt and pepper, to taste

Pot of ChoiceCaldero or Dutch Oven Pot: A potthat is wider than it is tall. Tradi-tionally made of aluminum andcomes in a wide range of sizes. Potmust have a lid.

Process1. Finely chop all ingredients forSofrito.*

2. Place Dutch Oven Pot on stoveover medium heat.

3. Add 2–3 tablespoons of canolacooking oil into pot and let itheat up.

4. Add all chopped Sofrito ingredi-ents in Dutch Oven and let sim-mer until they start to turn softand translucent. Stir occasionally.

5. Once vegetables are cooking,add can of tomato sauce, 1 enve-lope of Sazon and 2–3 teaspoonsof Salad Olives.

6. Let all ingredients continue to

simmer until it starts to get asaucey consistency.

7. Add rinsed rice and stir intosauce.

8. Immediately add 4 cups ofwater. There should be about3/4-inch of water sitting abovethe rice as it settles into the pot.

9. Add salt and pepper to taste.10. Cover pot and bring to a boil.

Let the rice cook until all waterhas evaporated and the ricekernels have opened up. Oncewater has evaporated, stir riceand let cook until rice is softand fluffy.

Enjoy!

SIDE DISH

SKILL: Easy

Sofrito andArroz Con Gandules

™

De La Paz


Serve with any

fish or meat.

Sofrito is the cookingbase for just aboutevery Puerto Rican dish.Without Sofrito, it is not a true Puerto Rican Dish.

10 | WINTER 201210 | WINTER 2012

POWER TOOL SER IES

“Em”PowerTools

Discover the true meaning of “Empowerment thru

Power tools!” BY CARMEN DE LA PAZ

I’ve educated hundreds of people on the basics of power tools,and I have discovered that the “power” in a power tool is itstransformation to “empowerment.” The intimidating fear or

lack of knowledge in an arena mostly considered a man’s world hasconvinced many people that power tools are complicated. Believeme—operating power tools is not brain surgery, and a little safety

knowledge and tenacity will get you a long way.So many people, especially women, have never picked up apower tool. Not a drill, not a saw, not a nail gun, not even asmall rotary tool. Yet, for the average homeowner, power toolscan be used in two ways:1. Practical home improvement projects, and

2. Creative crafting and art projects.A drill, a small air compressor and a nail gun/stapler can be pur-chased for less than $100 each. I dare say you can find them for lessthan $75—if you hold out for a sale or buy via the Internet. Most people don’t own a drill, an air compressor or a nail gun sim-ply because they have never discovered all the uses of these tools. Buthere are three quick examples of why these tools are so “empowering:”n Using a nail gun to reupholster a bench will save you 70% of thetime and will penetrate the staples deeper, keeping your reuphol-ster project together stronger and longer.

n By learning how easy it is to cut wood at a 45- and 90- degreeangle will eliminate your need to hire a carpenter for most basichome improvement projects. Things you used to think you needed

YOU CAN DO IT! MAGAZINE | 11

to hire someone to get done can now become a weekendproject.

n The drill is the most used power tool in a home for goodreason. Things like hanging heavy pictures or mirrorswith a wall anchor are much safer and more secure.Without a drill, installing a hanging anchor is impossi-ble. With a drill installing an anchor takes 5 minutesand gives you peace of mind. Hanging curtains with ascrewdriver is painful and frustrating. With a drill, it’squick, easy and painless.

Start By Simply PlayingIf you approach power tools through creative projects first,one gains confidence and loses the fear of ruining some-thing in their home (but in my mind, there isn’t a mistakethat can’t be fixed). No harm, no foul, just playing. I promise that by flexing your creative muscle with powertools, you will discover ways to save money around thehome by tackling simple home improvement projects youdidn’t think you could handle. These projects become verycost-effective as well as GREAT confidence-builders:n Replacing that medicine cabinet in the bathroom you’vebeen dying to replace for a couple of years.

n Trimming out a door with molding that needed replac-ing after your kid took out the first one by riding his tri-cycle in the house.

n Installing a base molding for the living room floor afteryou repainted the walls your favorite shade of yellow.

n Installing and/or changing the hinges, handles anddrawer pulls in your kitchen because the ones that camewith the house were DREADFUL!

Basic Power Tools For Every HomeThese are tools that I consider essential yet easily handledby homeowners, DIYers or crafters alike.

Rotary Tool:

n A small rotary tool is a great way to introduce someoneto power tools. A rotary tool is an introduction to drillsbut on a VERY small level.

n They are small and fit right into your hand, so the userfeels comfortable right away.

n They have hundreds of interchangeable tips capable ofhandling materials such as wood, metal, tile and glass.Small polishing and buffing accessories make the possi-bilities endless.

n It can be used as a cutting tool as well as an engraving orcarving tool. It’s great for crafts and small DIY projects.

n A recognized brand is Dremel—but there are many dif-ferent ones out there.

Drills: Basic Driver/Drill, Hammer Drill, Impact

Driver/Drill

A drill will give you the power you need. Whether it be a“fix-it,” “install-it,” “make-it” project, a drill is a musthave! With hundreds of interchangeable bits, your job ismade easier, faster and more enjoyable!

Sanders: Orbital, Square/Palm Sander, Mouse

Sander, Belt Sander

A sander puts the finishing touch on just about every proj-ect I touch. Each type of sander listed above reflects theshape and size of the actual sandpaper as well as the orien-tation in which the sander moves the sandpaper.

Saws: Circular Saw, Jig Saw, Compound Miter Saw,

Reciprocating

These look much more intimidating than they are! In fact,circular saws are the second most-purchased entry-levelpower tool. Safety, safety, safety is the name of the game—especially when it comes to any saw! But, once you havemastered the basics of cutting wood, metal and stone, itwill take you to new heights—not only in creativity but inthe ways that you can bring value and personal characterto your home and personal projects.

Pneumatic: Nail Gun/Staple Gun/Crown Stapler,

Compressor

A compressor and nail gun is probably the biggest leap abeginning “do-it-yourselfer” can make. Fortunately, com-pressor and nail gun combos are now being geared to theaverage homeowner. As I mentioned before, I often walkinto the big home improvement stores and find the combopack of compressor, nail gun/stapler for as low as $59.00.They are targeted for light use and a small amount of stor-age is required.

n n n

Here is some advice: Before you buy a tool, find a friend orneighbor who has a tool similar to the one you want. Ask them to if you can take a look, hold the tool and getthe feel of it, and see if they can possibly give you a quickdemonstration. If you don’t have access to one, visit your local big box home improvement store on any weekend. They often have reps there to give you a hands-on look at a tool.

Bottom line is this: If you are afraid of power tools or havenever considered them an option, now is the time to leavethe fear behind. It isn’t brain surgery, it’s tenacity. Believeme, any learning curve, challenge or mistake you mayencounter, I have already had it, faced and experienced it.No one is born with a power tool in their hand!

“Em”PowerTool #1:

F IRST IN OUR POWER TOOL SER IES

To Drill Or N 12 | WINTER 201212 | WINTER 2012

Not To Drill...That Is The Question!

BY CARMEN DE LA PAZ

14 | WINTER 2012

M y answer is MOST definitelyDRILL!! I am convinced thatalmost every household has

a set of basic hand tools—a hammer,screwdriver, a pair of pliers and/orwire cutters. These are all good andnecessary for minimal (and I meanminimal) things around the house.

However, whether it be for repair, ren-ovation or décor, you’re unnecessarilylimiting yourself by not adding a drillto your list of basic household tools. Adrill is like so many things we take forgranted: you don’t think you reallyneed one because you don’t knowwhat it can do for you. Then whenyou actually purchase one and beginto tackle some things that have“always needed fixing,” you will findyourself asking “Why didn’t I get onebefore?” You will confidently exclaim to any-one who will listen “I’ll never hand-screw anything again! What was Ithinking?”As far as I am concerned, a drill isTHE entry-level must-have tool whenconsidering power tools. I back upthat statement by saying that it is the#1 most-purchased power tool byhomeowners, weekend warriors andprofessional contractors. A drill isentry-level for many reasons: it is easyto operate, the intimidation factor is

Drill:Your most basic and generallyinexpensive in the categories ofdrills. There is an on-and-off triggerwith front and reversemodes. It runs at one speed andcan be purchased with an elec-tric cord, or cordless withrechargeable batteries.

Drill/Driver: On this drill there will be a

switch where you can change the speed of the drill. This is theclutch on a drill. It is similar to switching gears in a car, youchange the clutch to change the speed or torque. The clutchengages or disengages the speed and driving motion to the drillfor repetitive screwdriving—like when building a deck. With theclutch engaged, you can adjust the speed—lower speed, higherspeed, more torque, less torque (this power is measured inpounds of force but, let’s not get too technical). What you needto know is that by switching the clutch “on,” it controls the“torque” or power used to drive the screw. This lets you adjustthe power in order to give you better control of the screw. This ismarrying the force needed to the material and the task beingdone. With this feature, you can literally adjust the drill—slowdown the driving power when the drill motor senses that thescrew is starting to snug up into the wood. The ability to adjustthe speed and torque will help prevent the stripping of screwsand tear out of the wood (when your screw goes too deep andleaves strands of the wood grain protruding) as opposed to niceand clean. Adjusting the clutch and speed will also help main-tain a matched depth with each screw, which keeps things visu-ally pleasing.

There is an on-and-off trigger with front and reverse modes.These drills may be purchased with an electric cord, or cordlesswith rechargeable batteries.



Hammer Drill: Hammer drills and impact driv-ers are often confused….

This drill looks like a regular drill,but has a longer barrel nose andchuck. However it has one addi-tional feature I am sure you willappreciate because, in additionto screwing in with a rotarymotion, this drill also provides ahammering/pounding motionwhich gives you more power.

This is one of those drills that you aren’t sureyou are going to need or use until you get it.This is the drill you want when you are drillinginto harder surfaces or need more strengthbehind what you are doing—such as concreteor stone or screwing a lag bolt into a stud. Thisbaby really comes in when you are installing

that fancy wall mount for your awesome bigflat screen TV.

Some hammer drills can just run in “hammermode” while some have a clutch to changefrom a regular drilling motion to hammer drillwith the flick of a switch.

Impact Driver:Here is the trick to this drill: It not only turnsand drives a screw by incorporating a pound-ing hammering motion like a hammer drill,but it adds ratcheting force behind each turn.It is basically pounding and tightening as yougo. The impact driver is the ideal drill when

working with or installing into hard surfacessuch as stone or cement.

This little beauty works great when installingcabinetry because it has a smaller, stubby pro-file and a hex socket in place of the chuck.This makes for easier access and the ability to

change bits and tips easily.

There is an on-and-off triggerwith front and reverse modes.It may be purchased with anelectric cord, or cordless withrechargeable batteries.

This is not the first drill I’d rec-ommend for a power toolstarter but, if you want to giveyourself or someone you love aspecial gift, a combo set is worthmentioning for the weekendDIYers out there. Truly an invest-ment you won’t regret!

16 | WINTER 2012

low for the user, and the end resultsare many and huge—not to mention,in most cases, almost effortless.

Selecting The Right Drill For The JobLet’s discuss features and benefitsalong with things I suggest that youtake into consideration when makingthe decision to purchase a drill. If theselection process is taken seriously,the drill you purchase should lastquite some time as a part of your fam-ily of “I don’t know what I’d do with-out it” tools. There is so much to tell you aboutdrills because there are so many typesof drills. Each is designed and createdfor special applications and with differ-ent materials in mind. A drill is notjust a drill. Most frequently, you willhear them referred to as drill, drill/dri-ver, hammer drill, impact driver, andeven rotary hammer drill. Some are thesame, yet some are different. For our purposes, you see that I’vebroken down the segments into 3types of drills: drill/drill driver, impactand hammer drill.

Corded Or NotCorded...The Drill That IsGenerally speaking a drill with anelectric cable is going to have a bitmore power. Quite frankly, with acorded drill, you can keep on goingfor hours without having to changebatteries or wait for a battery tocharge. With that being said, there isA LOT to be said about being able togo up a ladder and not worry about acord limiting your comfort or safety.Out of the 12 drills I have in myworkshop, only 2 of them have elec-tric cords. And you guessed it: they areboth hammer drills that I use whendoing masonry work. This is mostlybecause a battery-operated drill won’thave the power or time on a batterycharge to get me through the job. I

rarely pull them out but, when I needthem—I really need them. I’m asked the question, “Do I buy abattery-operated cordless drill or acorded one?” all the time. And almost99% of the time, I say go cordless. Theeasier it is to “grab and go,” the morelikely you are to actually use it.

Care About The Battery Numbers!Now the next question, “If I am goingto buy a cordless drill, what do thenumbers on the battery mean and doI care?” Yes, you should care since thenumber is closely related to the poweror torque (the spinning power) thebattery is able to generate. This can bethe determining factor in whether youenjoy the project or not. Generallyspeaking, you will find 10.8V, 11V,12V, 18V batteries. Professional-gradedrills can even be found in 24V, 28Vand 36 Volt. 18V drills are probablythe most common. The higher-volt

models allow these tools to produce asmuch torque as some corded drills.One thing to consider is that there isa trade-off for wanting more power ormore voltage in a cordless drill. Thelarger the battery, the heavier the tool. For continuous use, I will have oneor more spare battery packs charging

while working. This gives me the lux-ury of quickly swapping them outinstead of having to continually waitfor recharging. Even with the RapidCharge Batteries, I hate to wait the 10–15 minutes they may take to charge.Now that you know more about drillsthan you ever thought imaginable, hereare my last thoughts on the topic beforeyou embark on buying your first drill: n Go battery-operated.n Buy the lightest weight for thehighest volts you can afford.

n Buy a general set of drill bits andtips to store along side your drill soyou are ready to go at all times!

To drill or not to drill…that is thequestion…

Whether ‘tis nobler in the mindto suffer;

The slings and arrows of outra-geous fortune by not buyinga drill;

Or to take arms against a sea oftroubles

And by opposing end them….bybuying a drill!



Bits: The tips of the drill that areinterchangeable. Some have spiralgrooves cut in them. Others havedifferent-sized screwdriver tips.

Trigger: Like with a gun, this is the on-offswitch.

Clutch: The switch where you can changethe speed of the drill.

Torque: The power used to drive thescrew.

Chuck: Where the drill bits are insertedat the nose of the drill. On hammer drills,the chuck needs a key to secure the tipsand bits tightly.

Ratcheting: Progressive steps in onedirection.

Hex Socket: A different type of “Chuck.”

Reverse Switch: The switch that enablesthe drill to go in the opposite direction.

Anatomy Of A Drill

trigger

speeds

chuck

bit

reverseswitch

cordless battery pack

clutch

Ill

18 | WINTER 2012

luminatingGarden Art

’ve always been crazy about recycling, and I’m constantly askingmyself what I can do with just about anything before I throw it away.Recently, I opened a little closet where I store my empty coffee cans.I’ve had some idea of what I wanted to do with the coffee cans, butsimply never got around to doing it. The time had finally come to usean old time craft known as “tin punching” and turn these coffeecans into what I call “Illuminaries.”

IUse simple tin punching techniques torecycle coffee cans into garden lighting!

20 | WINTER 2012

Tin punching is a craft that goes as far

back in history as this country.

Brought over by the Europeans, tin

punching has been used as a func-

tional and design feature on many

things. From lanterns in old churches

to the panels on an old-fashioned pie

cabinet, you will find many images

that were created with a simple ham-

mer and nail punched into tin. It is a

technique that, when supervised by an

adult, a child will have a wonderful

time making.

Instead of using a hammer (and to

make things go faster), I used a drill

with a small bit on it. I like projects

being quick and easy. These recycled

coffee cans create what I call “Illumi-

naries.” Some people call them lumi-

narias at the holiday season. Either

way, when placed on the steps of a

landing or a porch with a candle in

them to make them glow, they become

a wonderful way to say “Welcome!”

IlluminatingGarden Art

Enjoy and shed a little light out there. Even ifit is in your own front yard – it will glow far!

Tools Required

Small Hammer with different sizenails or

Lightweight Drill with differentsize drill bits

Clamps (to hold the piece in placewhile you are working)

Scrap Piece of Wood (to secure thecans onto the work surface)

Materials Needed

Coffee Cans (could also be any sizecan—vegetable can, tomatosauce can, etc.)

Spray Paint of Choice and PrimerRough Grit Sandpaper or Fine FileRulerPermanent MarkerOptional: Speed square (for quickright angles)

Optional: Compass (for quick andaccurate circles)

Safety Glasses—mandatory for all Gloves—optional for adults,

mandatory for childrenSmall Votive Candle or battery-operated candle (if children areusing)

Step-By-Step

1. Remove any paper label andsand off any excess glue orpaper.

2. Using a permanent marker,draw or outline the designyou want to punch onto thecan.

3. Using the clamps and scrappiece of wood, secure the canto a solid work surface.

4. Carefully tap with the hammerand nail or drill holes long thelines of the image you areworking on.

5. Note: You can either be veryexact by measuring out thespace in between the holes oryou can go free hand for a

real handcrafted look.6. Paint, Patina—or not! You can

choose to leave the natural lookand not paint them. They willlook awesome. I decided to paintand patina a few just to showyou all the options. I appliedprimer first, then painted.

7. Place the small candle inside andwait for the darkness to come.

GARDEN

TIME: 2 Hours SKILL: Moderate

Coffee CanIlluminariesUse simple tin punching techniques to

recycle coffee cans into garden lighting!

™

De La Paz


SAFETY iHigh-Fa

Safety is the single most impor-tant part of any project, period.I am passionate about safety

because I know firsthand that mostaccidents happen due to carelessnesswith safety precautions and proce-dures. Before you get the tools run-ning, I’d love to share a few safety tipsthat I adhere to whenever and wher-ever I am doing my thing with powertools. Whether for work or play, therules don’t change…Safety first!!!

1Always protect eyes, ears and res-piration:

Eyes:Wear safety glasses at a mini-mum. I often wear safety glasses AND

a face shield. You’d be surprised howminute particles can make their wayinto your eyes. Don’t wait to find outhow that feels. There are some verycool and stylish safety glasses available,so you don’t have to worry about look-ing like you are wearing your grandpa’ssafety glasses. I prefer to wear 3M’ssafety glasses because they look so cooland protect my eyes so well.Ears: Your hearing is one thing youcan’t recover if damaged! Safety earplugs or ear muffs should be used inmore situations than you may consider,such as mowing the lawn. It doesn’ttake much to injure or even break oneof the very tiny bones in your ears.

Respiration: Protecting your lungsand respiratory system during a proj-ect is as simple as using a respiratorymask. Please keep in mind that differ-ent masks protect against differentthings. Be sure to use the proper res-piratory mask that is made specificallyfor the job you’re doing. Then makesure you are wearing it correctly sothe respiratory mask can do its joband keep you safe. Follow the instruc-tions provided with your mask.

2 If you have long hair, tie it back!You do not want any hanging

bangs! Simply put, you don’t want towear or leave anything hanging from

22 | WINTER 2012

inFashion

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

Protecting your eyes, ears andlungs is VITAL...you can’t grownew ones! These high-performance safety glasses arethe Fuel X2’s from 3M.

Cool-looking safety glasses likethis pair of 3M’s Moon Dawgsaren’t what your grampa usedto wear!

Choose the right ear-wear forthe job. If ear plugs are enough,great! If not, go for a headset.

3M’s WorkTunes headsetcomes with AM/FM radio and aport for an MP3 player!

24 | WINTER 2012

your body where it may get caught upin a blade, drill bit or anything thathas a mechanical motion. I wear hatsfor many reasons, but safety is themost important. With a hat on andmy hair tied back, I am much safer.

3Wearing gloves should not beautomatic for all occasions. Wear

gloves only when necessary. A goodrule of thumb (no pun intended) isthis: gloves with hand tools, no gloveswith power tools. Wearing gloves atwork sites diminishes lacerations upto 60%.

4Do not wear gloves when work-ing with any cutting tool that has

a rotating blade. Think back to theidea of not having anything on thatcould get caught in a blade. If a loose

glove gets caught, it will pull your fin-ger into the blade without you beingable to pull it out. These accidentshappen incredibly fast. I’ve seen ithappen and I don’t want you to expe-rience this!

5No loose sleeves or fringes onany clothing. Same rule as

above…anything loose has the poten-tial of being pulled into a tool orcaught on a ladder rung, just as a cou-ple of examples! Also be careful ofpull strings on hoodie sweatshirts.They can dangle right into a powertool and wreak all kinds of havoc.

6Feet must always be protected ina work zone. NEVER WEAR FLIP-

FLOPS OR SANDALS! Exposed toeswill get banged, poked or become a

landing pad for something heavy—itnever fails. Most workshops and setshold very strictly to this rule. Noshoes, no work or service! If you havesturdy boots, that’s the best, especiallyif they have reinforced toes.

7Wear comfortable shoes andkneepads. Proper work wear goes

a long way to help prevent injury dueto fatigue. Wearing the wrong shoeswill greatly impact your fatigue. Tightor uncomfortable shoes will affectaches and pains in your whole body.When you are tired and uncomfort-able, you may be tempted to cut cor-ners and ignore basic safetyprecautions in the rush to get some-thing done. DON’T DO IT! Be com-fortable and wear the appropriateshoe for the task at hand.

SAFETY inHigh-Fashion

If you’ve got long hair, tie it back.Also keep any bangs you mayhave tucked into a hat orbandana. You don’t want to getscalped by anything with arotating blade!

You should automatically weargloves when working with handtools, but not power tools. Agood pair of leather gloves willsave you many a blister!

Do yourself a favor and wear acomfortable pair of workboots.You will get tired faster if youdon’t and that’s when painfulmistakes happen.

26 | WINTER 2012

in a pinch How To Make A

From Blue TapeSTENCIL

It was late one night when I was in the

middle of production for my show

on Utilisima!, Be Handy con Car-

men, when I needed to make

a stencil. I ran to my specialty paper

section of my shop, thinking I had blank plastic

sheets that I could use for making one. NONE. All gone, not

a single one left! I needed to finish a project for the next day’s shoot,

and in my desperate need to finish the project, I came up with a pretty cool idea I

know I will use again.

Project Challenge: Transfer a printed image from

paper onto wood panels that need to be jigged out

with a scroll saw. The wood panels were being made into a

biombo or room divider.

Tape Tip: Delicate Surfacespainter’s tape has notexture, ensuring edgesare completely sealed inorder to produce reallyclean/crisp lines withpaint applications.

Tape Benefits: Less touch-ups in theend. Professional-looking end productwith less work.

TIP: Use a miniwallpaperroller to evenlypress down thetape onto thepaper.

Tape Features: Low bond adhesionensures that thetape can beremoved withoutdamaging yourpaint surface, andno residue will beleft behind if thetape is left for upto 60 days.

Tools Required

Artist’s knife

Materials Needed

ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape DelicateSurfaces with Edge-Lock

Piece of laser paper with imagedrawn or printed

Scrap piece of wood or appropriatecutting surface

Step-By-Step

1. Print or draw the image you’dlike to use on a blank piece oflaser paper.

2. On the non-printed side of thepaper, lay strips of Delicate SurfacePainter’s tape side-by-side, seam-ing them or overlapping a bit.

3. Once tape is in place, rubfirmly to ensure good adhe-sion, especially at the edgeswhere you will be cutting out.This will help create clean cut-ting lines.

4. Flip paper over so the imageside is up. Lay the paper over asafe cutting surface and useyour artist’s knife to cut outthe silhouette of the image.Don’t rush—take your time.

5. Once the image is cut out, youcan use it to transfer theimage by tracing along the cutout, or use it as a stencil to iso-late a paint section with crisplines and strong definition ofyour desired image.

CRAFTS

TIME: 1/2 Hour SKILL: Easy

Blue Tape StencilCreate a stencil in order to transfer the silhouette of an image onto a piece of

wood, furniture or even a wall using ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Delicate

Surfaces with Edge-Lock, a piece of paper and an artist’s knife.

™

De La Paz


Pai nting

28 | WINTER 2012

Pai nting101Painting is the #1 DIY project that will greatly

impact the feel of a room. Set yourself up forsuccess before you tackle your walls ANDincrease your DIY confidence at the same time!

Every “Do-It-Yourself,” “How-To” orhome repair project I present is meantto be a starting point with hopes ofinspiring you to arm yourself with the

right tool and save money around the house whileflexing that creative muscle I know we all have. Iconsider every project you find in these pages to bebasic “101” information that everyone who desiresa nice home should explore and not be afraid toattempt. I am constantly out to prove “You Can

BY CARMEN DE LA PAZ

30 | WINTER 2012

Do It”—and we could all use a littleadvice, insight and inspiration alongthe way. SO, I am here to help… First things first, and this statementgoes for EVERYTHING…yes, EVERY-THING:You’re work will be only goodas your equipment and preparation.

The starting point for any homeproject is with the tools you select andthe amount of time you take to pre-pare, both in the planning and in theactual execution of the task at hand,and painting is no exception! What

may seem like an insignificant deci-sion to purchase one brush overanother, one tool over another, oreven which painters tape you chooseto purchase, will greatly determinehow much work you put into a proj-ect, not to mention the amount ofpleasure and satisfaction you will getout of the project.

Use The Right Tool For The Job At HandTake your tool selection seriously andrecognize that your tools and supplieswill contribute greatly to the totalexperience of any home project. Thefrustration or challenges of not usingthe right tool for the job will not onlycost you more time and money butwill cause you great frustration. Evenmore importantly, any challenge youencounter will take away from howmuch you enjoy your project—whichwill ultimately determine if you willever do it again. Don’t compromiseon the quality of your tools by buyingthe cheapest one you can find. Setyourself up for success, not a Saturdayfull of frustration, wishing you weredoing something else. I have beenthere, and almost always the frustra-tions and challenges have been aresult of trying to rush and go “on thecheap.”Have you heard the phrase “Cheapis always Expensive?” That doesn’talways equate to dollars and cents. It

also applies to time and energy beingwasted. Quality does not necessarilymean more expensive. The secret is tosource quality tools in the most cost-effective manner. For example: Youcan buy the cheapest brush out therebecause, “All I’m doing is paintingone room,” but you are gonna suffer.Trust me: Spend a couple more dollarson the mid-tier quality brush and thatbrush (if well taken care of) will lastyou for years to come.There are basic items that every

Pai nting101

Spending a little moremoney on a quality brushwill help ensure your endresult will have a profes-sional look. This philosophyapplies to almost any toolyou use in your adventureswith DIY repair.

Cardinal Rule ofPainting: USE A GOODBRUSH.

SIMPLY SAID:Bad brush = bad finishGood brush = good finishGood blade = good cutBad blade = bad cutGOOD

BAD


painter will consider necessary toachieve a great paint job. Below youwill find the list of basics. As we goalong, they will all come into play asyou set out to do a great paint job.

Basic Paint Tools And EquipmentThese are the basic items you willneed to prep and paint a solid interiorwall of home with basic paint:n Paint Rollers: 9"/6"/4"/3"n Household paintbrushes:4"/2"/1"

n Paint trays: 12"/6"n Paint Tarps (The ones with plasticlining on the back and canvas onthe top are awesome)

n 1" & 2" Scotch Blue Painter’sTape

n 1" & 1½" Decorative PaintersTape

n Paint Can Openern Painters rags n Flat head and Phillips head screwdriver

Types of Paint: Oil-Based or Lead?Now you must determine two thingsbefore you run out and buy your paint:Was the previous or pre-existing painton the wall done with an oil- or lead-based paint? This will determine whatsteps you will need to take and whatproducts you will need to buy to getthe job done well AND safely.First check for lead in the paintusing a lead check test. These leadcheck tests are inexpensive and can bedone quickly. 3M makes an instantlead test called Lead Check. If it testspositive for lead, DO NOT SAND thesurface as you don’t want to put anylead particles in the air. What you DOwant to do is seal it in with a primer!Seal in the lead by applying a fewcoats of primer before going on topainting your base color. If you are safe with the lead now

determine if the pre-existing paint jobis oil or water/latex-based? Here’swhy it’s important: We all know thatwater and oil don’t mix. This alsoapplies to oil-based paints andwater/latex-based paint. More specifi-cally, this applies to which paint canbe painted over another. Not as com-plicated as it sounds…

JUST REMEMBER: Water/latex-based paint overoil-based paint? NEVER!Oil-based paint over

water/latex-based paint?Sometimes and maybe…but always with a primer

With this concept in mind, if youpaint over a wall or trim work thathas a pre-existing oil-based paint, var-nish, or sealer, you need to prep it dif-ferently than if you were applyinglatex paint over latex paint.It used to be a bigger problem 10–15years ago when oil-based paint wasbeing manufactured by all paintbrands. But, there have been manyadvances in the way paints are cur-rently formulated to the point wherethe quality rivals that what the oil-based paints previously provided. I, forone, am very happy to leave thevolatile organic compounds behind.The enormous smell and cost associ-ated with the chemicals required towork with and clean-up oil-basedpaints was not only expensive but alsoun-friendly to our planet. Today, mosthomes have water-based paint prod-ucts throughout a home. Oil- or lead-based paints become more of an issuein older homes that haven’t seen anew coat of paint in 10 to 15 years. The same way oil rejects water, a coatof water/latex-based paint willreject/separate from an oil-basedpaint. You’ve seen it: Flaking paintmore-often-than-not is a symptom ofsomeone along the way cheating andslapping on a coat of water/latex-basedpaint OVER the top of an oil-based

Paint EquipmentYou Should Not Skimp OnA paintbrush is not just a paint-brush; a roller is not just a roller;and tape is not just tape. Qualityis key! I have faced challengesmore than once when I’ve“hemmed and hawed” aboutspending less, especially whenI’m in a hurry or trying to controlthe bottom line. Here’s why:

Cheap Brushes – Bristles fall outand into the paint, or evenworse, are left behind on the sur-face you are painting.

Cheap Paint rollers – The fuzz onthe rollers fall off and into thepaint and, yup, onto the surface.

Cheap Tape – All tape has anadhesion backing made up of abonding agent. The bad tapeoften doesn’t seal the seam welland allows the paint to leakthrough, killing a crisp line.Cheap tapes also tend to leavebehind residue of the adhesivefrom the tape backing, transfer-ring the adhesive to the surfacebeing painted.

In short, paying a bit moremoney for these items will saveyou heartache and time. Everytime I’ve opted for the cheaperstuff, I have been frustrated andin the long run, spent more in mylabor. To put it into perspective,the total difference in cost whenpainting a medium-sized roomand purchasing better quality isnot much when compared toissues of frustration you mayhave to face if you have to paintall over again!

32 | WINTER 2012

paint/varnish/sealer without primingfirst. It is one of the most commonmistakes for a new painter: Paintingwater-based paint over oil-based with-out painting a primer in between. So,next time you see a paint job thatseems to be flaking off in sheets orbubbling up, you will know why. So what’s the point: Go the addi-tional mile to determine if your oldpaint contains lead, AND if you’renot sure if your pre-existing paints areoil based, use primer.

Prepping A Surface For PaintingIn order to ensure a great paint job,there are a few things that must hap-pen before you can actually start toroll out that paint. This is called theprep and it usually begins by cleaningthe surface to be painted. Once thesurface is clean you will then move onto patching holes and repairing any

cracks or flaking in the pre-existingpaint job.The more meticulous you are aboutthe prep of your paint job, the betterthe end result. There is nothingworse than being able to detect ahole and wall repair under a newpaint job or to end up with a wavyceiling line. Both are immediate signsof careless work. So let’s prep, patch, tape and paint.

STEP #1: PREP WALLS ANDPROTECT YOUR FLOORS:Clean Your Paint Surface Or Walls.

Even before you can start the repairwork on holes and cracks, take thetime to clean dirt, dust and loosedebris from the surface to be painted.If your walls have grime or grease, Ihighly recommend you wipe downthe walls with a Tri-Sodium Phos-phate (TSP) cleaner. They now manufacture an environmentally

safe form of TSP that does not compromise performance. Tri-sodium phosphate can be found inthe paint department in powderform. It is diluted in water and usedas an agent to breakdown grease andgrime as well as take the sheen off ofa previously painted high-gloss finish—giving the paint surface anindustry term called “teeth.” Giving the surface “teeth” refers to allowing the new coat of paint to bite on or grab onto the previouslypainted surface. Please be sure towear gloves.

Pai nting101

You will continue to hearme say it over and overagain, “The secret to anyjob well done is in thepreparation.” Taking thetime up front, at the startof any project, to prepareyour paint surface well willensure a great paint job inthe end.

“It’s all in the prep…”

SIMPLY SAID:The more time in theprep, the less time in thejob and the more qualityin the final product.

Protecting Your Floor For The

Paint Process.

Canvas Tarps: These work great forquickly moving around a room. How-ever, don’t use a tarp if there will be alot of traffic in the room while youare painting as they may become atripping hazard.

Heavy-Duty Non-Slip Tarps: I am ahuge fan of the heavy-duty anti-sliptarps. They are reusable and if a toolhappens to fall while you’re working,the anti-slip tarp brings added protec-tion. You can tape the tarps directly toyour floor if you anticipate multipledays of work and/or heavy traffic inand out of the room. When tapingtarps down to a wood floor, be sure touse Scotch Blue Decorative Painterspaint to prevent the finish on thefloor from being damaged when youpull up the tape a few days later.

These heavy-duty anti-slip paint tarpscome in rolls and are found in thepaint section of your hardware store.

Protective Plastic For Rugs

You can find this plastic in theflooring department of major homeimprovement stores. They come inrolls and have an adhesive back thatadheres and forms perfectly to yourrug. It’s the safest and most effectiveway to protect a rug during a paintjob. Check out the new canvases thathave conforming edges—awesome forpainting over steps!

STEP #2:PATCHDrywall And Plaster Repair

Tools required:n 1½" putty knife (for smallerholes)

n 4" spatula (for larger holes)n 6" square drywall trowel (for dry-wall mesh and seams)

Supplies:n Joint compound plaster (for holesbig and small)

n Or lightweight wall spackle (useonly in small holes)

Tips And Tricks For Patching:

n Using joint compound plaster orlightweight wall spackle, fill any smallnail or screw holes with a small trowelor putty knife. These both come inpre-mixed and powdered form (simplyadd water) and all come in tube ortubs which are great for purchasingthe quantity you need. n Don’t leave the pre-mixed tubslying around for too long. They willdry up. When storing an opened tub,be sure to seal it well.

When should you prime a wall?

n If the wall has a pre-existing oil-based paint.n If you suspect a wall has had lead-based paint.n If the wall has new drywall and joint compound

plaster that must be sealed.n If changing paint color from dark color to a

lighter one or a lighter color to a darker one.

Using Tinted PrimerA mistake is often made by even seasonedpainters by not using a tinted primer when usinga strong or dark color paint.

By using a tinted primer you... n Block out the original color on the surface. Then

you can achieve the true color you want to havesince it does not have a light base reflecting outfrom underneath.

n End up using less of the more expensive paint.We all love to save money.

n Save time because you get to your desired colormuch faster.

Frequently Asked Questions:Q: What is a tinted primer? A: Primer paint that has been tinted a dark shade.

Q: Where do I get a tinted primer?A: You can have the paint desk add tint to theprimer, or you can buy a bottle of universal tintsand add it to a primer yourself.

Color Combinations That Make YourTinted Primer Most ProductiveHelp yourself even further in your paint process bychoosing the right primer color to help you cap-ture the final color faster. If you are painting a sur-face deep red, purple, black or dark brown, use adark grey or even black primer. If you are using ametallic paint such as gold, silver or copper, usegrey, black or red primer before you apply themetallic paint (especially since metallic paints aresooooo expensive).


Want To Paint A Strong or Dark Color? Time To Prime!

34 | WINTER 2012

n For repair of smaller nail or pin-holes, using a finger to dab thespackle or plaster into the hole isoften easier than using a putty knife.n For slightly larger holes, use aputty knife or small trowel to helpspread the plaster or spackle. Usingthe trowel or putty knife, feather awayor fade away along the edges to blendback into the wall. n For larger drywall repair, usemesh drywall tape or metal drywallpatches to help support the plasterin place.

Steps To Quick Wall Repair

1. Fill in holes and allow plaster orspackle to dry completely.

2. Once plaster or spackle has dried,you may notice a depressed area. Thishappens as the moisture leaves the plas-ter. The material shrinks into the hole.Simply apply another layer and let dry.

3. Sand down the edges and fillagain. Allow to dry.

4. Sand down to a nice even surfaceand you are ready for the next step.

STEP #3: TAPINGTape off all edges. Isolate the areasyou want to paint. Use tape to definea crisp clean line.

For a truly professional end resultof your paint project, do not under-estimate the time spent on tapingevery square inch of your paint sur-face. You will often hear people say“I hate taping!” But consider tapeyour new best friend. Using tape tomask off your paint areas will leaveyou crisp lines - which differenti-ates the quality of work frommediocre to excellent.Side Note:Not all tapes are cre-ated equal. Invest extra money fordecorative painters tape. It does nothave a textured pattern where paintcould easily bleed through when a

heavy hand is applied. It creates a mucheasier time of touch-up when you pullthe tape off. Using the right kind of tapeallows the painter to isolate areas with-out damaging work that has alreadybeen done. I have gone through manydifferent kinds of tape in many differentcircumstances and have discovered this:Choosing your tape is the most impor-tant decision you need to make afterchoosing your color of paint! The tapeyou choose will be your biggest strength

or weakness when blocking out paint,and the right tape almost totally pre-vents the bleeding of paint. Thus, lesstouch-ups and fixes. I assure you, yourchoice of tape will save you hours oftouch-ups with a small brush at the endof the project. I promise.

A Few Taping Tips

n Tear the tape at an angle whentaping off a corner to get a really tightseam. Paint has a tendency to puddlecorners thus having a higher propen-sity to bleed.n Use a teaspoon or the edge ofsmall flat head screwdriver to give theedge of the tape a good seal.

STEP #4: PAINTING“Cut in” or paint all the edges and cor-ners first with one of your paintbrushes. Then using a roller, roll paint ontothe wall in X and W patterns. Thenroll in as tight to the edge as possibleblending in the edges and cornersalready painted with the brush.

Brush Tips

n Use an angled brush to help trimwork go faster.n Keep the wet edge of the paintmoving forward.

Roller Tip

n De-fuzz a roller by rolling it overtape to get rid of loose fuzz. This willprevent you from leaving them behindon your wall during the paint process.As you can see, I could go on and onabout paint. The bottom line: Just tryit! Did you know that just changingpaint color can impact the feel of aroom up to 70%! The best thing aboutpaint is—if you change your mindabout the color, you can just paint itagain with a low economic impact.Hopefully with the inside track ofinformation I have provided, you willsave yourself heartache, paint, andmoney by doing it yourself!

Pai nting101

When doing wall repair ofany kind, instead of usingsand paper to sand down theuneven spots you have filledwith plaster or spackle (andto avoid unnecessary finedust) use a wet rag to sanddown the surface—you willend up with a nicer blendand be able to feather in andout easier. This makes therepair disappear completely.

Insider Tip:

Carmen De La Paz's You Can Do It! Magazine Winter 2012

Documents

Transcript of Carmen De La Paz's You Can Do It! Magazine Winter 2012