How To: Painting to Feel Like Home

As fall semester comes to an end, some students are starting to feel like they are at home here in Fort Wayne, Ind. Students, who have moved out from their parents’ home, are finally starting to feel adjusted in their new apartment or house. Some students have taken it among themselves to paint the interior of their home, but how does someone go about painting their home? Painting the interior of a home can be difficult and there are a few steps that new homeowners need to go by to achieve a well done painted room.

Kierstan Yates, an IPFW student who recently painted her living room in her new home, said painting can be a bigger task than what most people think.

“Painting can be hard and time consuming,” Yates said. “If you go about it wrong, as in not having the right tools or knowing a lot about paint, it can make life a lot harder for yourself.”

Painting a room can be a hassle for anyone. Students, or any new homeowners, need to go about painting in the right steps. The first step to begin painting a room is choosing the right paint for a room.

Kory Mettler, a store manager of Sherwin Williams in Logansport, Ind., said choosing the right paint can be difficult.

“Latex is the most common nowadays,” Mettler said. “High traffic areas like living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms you would want paint with a better shine.”

Mettler said other ideas to be considered would be choosing a light color because it gives that shine that you want for an active room setting.

With the type of paint chosen, now it is time to go to the next step. The next step is to get the room ready. Before moving on to this step, all the tools and supplies for painting and preparing a room need to be gathered.

Steve Knothe, an employee at Umbers Ace Hardware in Fort Wayne, said all the tools needed for both painting and preparing can be purchased at Umbers Ace Hardware.

“We have it all. Brushes, rollers, masking tape, pans and so on,” Knothe said. “We even have paint here at our store. We have everything.”

After purchasing the supplies, masking tape needs to be placed as a barrier between what needs to be painted and what needs to be protected.

Masking tape allows you to paint walls without getting paint on other things within the room, which includes the ceiling, window trim and basically anything that should not have paint on it.

Make sure to put down a drop cloth. A drop cloth protects the floor from getting drips of paint on it and spills. When putting a drop cloth down make sure all furniture is moved toward the center of the room and away from the perimeter.

Now it is time to start painting.

A good way to start is by using a trim brush near the areas where there is masking tape. This allows for small areas to get the right amount of paint for detail, such as corners for example. The trim brush allows for a crisp line due to its slanted edge. When painting the edges, dip the brush in the paint about half way. This allows for a minimal amount of paint to soak into the bristles and for an easier and cleaner way of painting.

When painting along the masking tape, be sure to paint parallel with it. This gives the ability to keep the paint looking nice along the trim.

Once painting along the masking tape is completed, it is time to fill in the rest of the wall. Use the roller. Using a roller is best because this allows you to cover larger sections.

Pour some paint into a pan. This can gives the ability to soak the whole roller up with enough paint. Paint in a zig zag form until the wall begins to fill with paint.

Finally, after applying the paint to the wall, there is only one step left. This step is deciding whether or not a second coat of paint is necessary.

“I would say if you are asking yourself if it needs another coat or not, go ahead and do it,” Mettler said. “Generally you will see spots where the paint did not cover it all the way.”

Painting a room is a way to make a house feel more like a home. Visit, http://www.bhg.com/decorating/paint/room/painting-step-by-step/, for a pictured manual of the steps of painting a room explained above. Though painting can be troublesome, following the rights steps can lead to a successful and well-painted room.

 

Seasonal Camping: Where to Go and What to Do

Warmer months have come and gone, and you begin to notice the trees are changing colors. Residents of northern Indiana are beginning to take shelter as winter is coming, but for some fall is the time of year to enjoy the change of the outdoors.

Fall camping can be an enjoyable pastime for some, and northern Indiana has the resources for many to go to and enjoy the fall season. Being educated on where to go, what to do and what to bring are essential to any successful camping trip.

As residents of northern Indiana know, weather can change any second. In October, weather is starting to change quickly and to know when to go fall camping. According to a foliage report by Susan Mckee, the peak of fall colors changing is during the second and third week of October. These weeks would be the most ideal time for you to enjoy the fall colors and weather.

With the October setting in mind, you have to decide on where to go. In northern Indiana, there are so many places for you to go camping and enjoy the fall weather with activities. Pike Lake Campground in Warsaw, Ind., can give everyone the ability to do a lot of activities during the fall months.

Shaun Gardner, the maintenance director of the Warsaw Parks and Recreation department, which is involved with the campground, has suggestions on what activities campers can do while there.

“When campers stay at the campground, there is a lot of things for them to do,” Gardner said. “Since we are right next to a lake, campers can go fishing, kayaking, boating and so on.”

What if a fall camper wants to enjoy other activities like hiking, sitting around a campfire or wanting to be completely engulfed by nature? There are other places like the Salamonie Reservoir, Pokagon State Park and Chain O’Lakes State Park, all in which are within driving distance from Fort Wayne.

Quinten Stamper, a local and recreational camper said he has been to Salamonie Reservoir and Pokagon State Park, said that he enjoys three different activities that he does when he goes fall camping.

“Literally, I will hike any trails there might be,” Stamper said. “Being out and enjoying cooked meals over a fire is great. Being around a campfire, fishing and hiking are the simple things I enjoy a lot.”

When Stamper talks about making campfires, fishing and going hiking, you must also think about what essentials they might need to bring on their fall camping trip. Brysten James, an expert hiker guide in Washington, has advice on what you might need on a fall camping trip.

“General camping for one’s needs are a tent, sleeping bag, layers of clothing, hiking boots, jet boiler, water filter pump and food,” James said. “You also need things like a knife, hatchet, matches and fire starter. Having a hiking backpack can help you carry these things.”

Other things that you might consider bringing on a trip include fishing pools, kayaks and bikes James said. Everything depends on how you want to go camping and what you want to enjoy which he says, “can be an endless list.”

Now that you know what the weather will be like in October and how to prepare for your fall camping trip, it is time to gather your supplies and head out. If you want more information, you can go to http://www.northernindianagetaways.com, which can help you find other trails, activities and getaway ideas for your fall camping trip.