Cosmetic repair is a concept that is interpreted differently by everyone. I call cosmetic repairs a set of works that does not affect the permanent structures in the room, and also does not involve the replacement of communications (electrical wiring, water supply and sewerage) in the room. Cosmetic repairs do not affect floor screeds, do not imply installation of plasterboard structures, replacement of doors, or installation of plasterboard arches.

Stages of cosmetic repairs

The stages of cosmetic renovation, which I will discuss in this article, include restoring the apartment to its previous state without carrying out work to change the types of finishes. This work includes re-gluing old wallpaper, new painting of ceilings, painting of window frames, if necessary, painting of doors, skirting boards and trim, as well as replacing a simple floor covering (linoleum flooring or laying laminate). All the work included in a simple cosmetic repair, if desired, free time and basic skills, can be done independently. In the article, as an example, we will look at the renovation of a room.

Preparation for repair

1. Clear the room of furniture (if possible). Place the remaining furniture in the center of the room and carefully close it plastic film. This will provide free access to the perimeter walls and provide access to the entire ceiling area. 2. If you do not plan to change the floor covering, also protect it from construction debris and dust, as well as mechanical damage. Parquet and laminate must be covered with sheets of hardboard or thick cardboard. Lay a thick plastic film on top with a 10 cm overlap and seal the joints with tape. Protective film It is advisable to secure it with tape also around the perimeter of the room. 3. Dismantle the baseboards in case of replacing the floor covering or sanding the parquet. Protect with masking tape individual elements not requiring repair. Masking tape is a special adhesive paper tape that can be easily removed after completion of work. 4. Remove the front panels from the sockets and switches, and cover the sockets and switches themselves with paper masking tape. Do not forget to first disconnect all electrical circuits from voltage.

stages of cosmetic repairs: Dismantling work

Removing old coatings for cosmetic repairs

Old coverings of walls, ceilings, and floors are removed.

Preparing the ceiling for cosmetic repairs

Start by removing the existing coverings. There are ceiling coverings with water-dispersion paint, and in old houses there is lime whitewash. Ceilings painted with enamels (oil or alkyd) are rare.

Ceiling washing and rustication

Water-dispersed paint and enamels cannot be washed off with water (they do not dissolve with water). Therefore, use a steel spatula to remove the flaking areas of the coating, and open the cracks with the corner of the spatula. Sand the enamel with coarse sandpaper to roughen it and increase adhesion to the newly applied layers of finish.

Wash off the lime whitewash down to the base. There is no need to remove the bottom layer of putty. The technology of this process is not complicated, but labor-intensive and dirty. Using a roller, wet the ceiling with water, then scrape off the whitewash with a spatula. After cleaning the entire ceiling, sponge the ceiling with a warm water solution.

Preparing walls for cosmetic repairs

The technology for removing old wallpaper is no different from the technology for removing lime whitewash. Peel off the peeling fragments of wallpaper “dry”, soak the remaining firmly glued areas warm water and remove with a spatula. If there are a lot of layers of wallpaper, be patient and remove layer by layer to the primary base.

Cleaning paint before redecorating

Remove old paint, trim, window frames and doors only if it is severely peeling. The process is labor-intensive, but necessary.

Choose from two methods of removing oil (alkyd) enamel: chemical and thermal. At chemically the paint is softened by special chemical compounds, they are called “washes”, and the paint is removed with a hard spatula or scrapers. Ready-made washes are sold in construction stores. With the thermal method, softening of the old one is carried out by a stream of hot air from a special construction hair dryer, do not confuse with a hair dryer. The paint softens in small areas and is also removed with a scraper or spatula.

Preparation of surfaces for finishing for high-quality cosmetic repairs

After removing the old ceiling and wall coverings, it is necessary to eliminate defects in the walls and ceiling. Widen (expand) the cracks. Weakly adhering and dull-sounding “mumbling” areas of plaster should be completely removed. The surfaces prepared in this way must be treated with a primer. Primers ensure uniform drying of the applied materials and their better adhesion to the surface.

Sealing cracks with gypsum plaster mortar

Plastering is part of the cosmetic renovation

After the primer has dried, fill deep potholes and areas with chipped plaster using a gypsum base such as “Rotband”, “Starateli”, TIGI Knauf. Perform this operation using a rectangular stainless steel trowel. For large areas of plastering, use the construction rule of the required length.

stages of cosmetic repairs: Plastering work

Stages of cosmetic repairs - obligatory putty

Prime the plastered areas and level the surfaces, for example, “Vetonit KR” (up to 1 mm) or “Vetonit LR+” (up to 3 mm) (Weber). This operation eliminates minor surface irregularities and fills small cracks.

Remember, a large thickness of the putty layer is ensured by applying several layers, with each subsequent layer being applied after the previous layer has completely dried.

I recommend gluing serious cracks in the ceiling with strips of plaster fiberglass mesh with mesh sizes of 2x2 mm. The technology for gluing the tape is as follows: a layer of putty is applied to a section of the ceiling, the fiberglass mesh is pressed into the putty with a spatula and rubbed in. Remove excess putty that has squeezed out through the mesh cells with a spatula and return it to the container for further use.

Wall putty

Ceiling putty

When making cosmetic repairs, do you need to completely putty the walls and ceiling, or can you limit yourself to leveling individual areas?

My answer is as clear as possible. Completely putty the ceiling at least once. When gluing dark and heavy wallpaper on walls, you can limit yourself to partial putty; with light and thin wallpaper, putty at least once; when painting walls, this is not a matter of cosmetic repairs.

Ways to prevent cracks from forming again after cosmetic repairs are completed

The probability of a crack appearing on ceilings with rustication (rust-joint of floor slabs), as my practice shows, is very high. For your peace of mind, I recommend using a “spider web”. "Gossamer" is fiberglass ceiling wallpaper. The web is sold in rolls and has a thickness of up to 2.0 mm. The significant thickness and loose structure of the web prevents cracks from appearing on the ceiling.

The technology for gluing “cobwebs” is the same as gluing wallpaper at the joint.

At very uneven surfaces, as well as wooden floors, I recommend that before gluing the web, completely covering the ceiling surface with a painting mesh with 2x2 mm cells. The mesh is puttied, sanded, primed with diluted wallpaper glue and covered with cobwebs, like wallpaper. This multi-layer “pie” will provide maximum protection against further cracking of the ceiling.

Preliminary result. After the work listed above, you will receive:

• Defects in the wall and ceiling have been plastered.
• Cracks or all surfaces glued with painting (plaster) mesh (it depends rather on your desire).
• The surfaces were puttied in 1-2-3 layers (the quantity also depends on the expected result). They turned out smooth and white. It's time to paint the ceiling!

Cosmetic repairs are not possible without painting the ceiling

Finish painting the ceiling with a new polyamide paint roller with medium pile. I do not recommend using foam and velor rollers. Foam rubber curls, velor does not stain. When painting, use a special tray (cuvette) to squeeze out excess paint.

stages of cosmetic repairs: Painting the ceiling

Prime the prepared ceiling with water-dispersion paint diluted with water. This is done in order to identify almost invisible defects in the putty. After puttying and sanding (“zero” sandpaper) the defective areas, paint the ceiling with undiluted paint.

Determine paint consumption in advance. This is important when painting the ceiling with colored paints. The amount of pre-tinted paint should be enough for 3 colorings. Avoid re-tinting the paint. When using a web, paint consumption increases by 25%.

Pasting wallpaper is the final stage of cosmetic repairs

After painting the ceiling in 2-3 layers, proceed to wallpapering. If you plan to glue the ceiling plinth.

1.Priming the walls before wallpapering

Before gluing the wallpaper, prime the entire surface of the walls with wallpaper glue, diluted as indicated on the glue package: preparing glue for priming the surface.

2.Marking before wallpapering

Using a long building level or plumb line, draw a vertical line to guide the first canvas. Wallpaper is traditionally glued away from the window, but when modern gluing end to end it doesn't matter. You can also glue from the door.

3.Preparing wallpaper before gluing

Wallpaper is cut into sheets with an allowance (5-7 cm) along the length. When cutting canvases, take into account the frequency of repeating the pattern (rapport). Be careful when selecting adjacent canvases in height to match the pattern. If the wallpaper is “unmatched” then you are a little lucky.

4. Wallpapering

Wallpaper is pasted in two ways.

Gluing paper and vinyl wallpaper

Cover the wallpaper with glue ( paint roller or maklovitsa), naturally from the end side. Fold the canvases in half (with glue inward, edges in the middle). Maintain in this condition for the time indicated on the glue packaging (usually 3-7 minutes). Do not hold the canvas. It's better not to hold out than to overextend. Be especially careful and attentive when using thin paper wallpaper. If they get too wet, they will simply fall apart in your hands.

Glue-soaked canvases are applied to the wall along a pre-marked vertical level. Smooth out wrinkles and bubbles with a pressure roller or a stiff brush. I do not recommend using a rag, because... Some types of paper wallpaper may have paint washed out.

Gluing non-woven wallpaper

Wallpapering walls

When gluing non-woven wallpaper, the glue is applied to the wall. The wallpaper itself can be cut into canvases according to size and selected pattern. Apply glue to the wall with a roller and glue the canvases end-to-end, making sure that the pattern of adjacent canvases matches.

5.Cutting wallpaper

Since the pieces were cut with an allowance in length, after gluing the canvases under the ceiling and at the baseboard, cut off the excess wallpaper with a construction knife along a metal ruler or with a special wallpaper trim resembling a spatula. Keep the blade sharp. The dull canvas tears and pulls the paper of the canvas along with it.

6.Gluing the wallpaper border

Paste top part canvases, up to the planned border. Beat off horizontal border level marks along the entire perimeter of the room. The “end” of the line should meet the “beginning”. Using a sharp knife and a metal ruler, trim the canvas around the perimeter. Glue the border butt to the cut edge. Do not glue the bottom of the border. Glue the bottom panels, bringing them under the border. Glue the bottom part of the border, first cutting off the excess from the canvas.

You can glue the border without such “bothering” - into the “overlay”. Use special glue for gluing borders.

Gluing the wallpaper border

Clean the room. Don't open the windows! Avoid drafts until the wallpaper is completely dry! The wallpaper is up!

10.Floor repair during cosmetic renovation

These are all stages of cosmetic repairs. That's all!

Photo gallery "Kitchen renovation before and after renovation"

Cosmetic repairs are one of the most affordable and simple ways at the very short term improve housing, give the surrounding space of a house or apartment new colors and decorative design. The financial costs of redecorating, as a rule, are not high, and the achieved effect of cleanliness, freshness and novelty of the interior can exceed all expectations and give a feeling of joy and comfort. In this article we will tell you how to properly do cosmetic repairs in your apartment with your own hands.

Cosmetic repairs are done independently with minimal redevelopment of housing, with low cost for repairs of walls, floors, plumbing, windows and doors. This type of apartment renovation can be characterized as partial or complete restoration of the condition of walls, repair and installation of floors and ceilings without performing complex replacement of structural elements (reconstruction of floors, replacement of partitions). These works usually include puttying and painting of ceilings and walls, replacing wallpaper and baseboards, painting windows and doors, minor floor repairs for old parquet, sanding, and repeated varnishing.

Currently, the concept of cosmetic repairs has expanded slightly with the advent of many new finishing materials and technologies. For example, today it is quite possible to transform a room on your own within a few days by applying decorative plaster to the walls, which does not require careful preparation, and laying laminate flooring in the room.

Another small nuance - in the process of cosmetic repairs, deficiencies in the structural elements of the apartment or in engineering systems may be revealed, which will entail unforeseen work and cost overruns. It all depends on the ability to independently assess the initial data of the premises before carrying out repair work and the actual wear and tear of the object.

Let’s immediately make a reservation that major redevelopment of the apartment (demolition and relocation load-bearing walls, changes in the intended purpose of premises, reconstruction of floors) are not included in the definition of cosmetic repairs, since these activities require the preparation of redevelopment and reconstruction projects and their approval by the relevant authorities.

Main types of repairs:

• Painting ceilings
• Repair and painting wooden doors and windows (although it is currently economically cheaper and technologically efficient to replace old windows and doors)
• Laying linoleum or laminate
• Leveling and sanding parquet floors, and repeatedly coating them with varnish
• Installation on walls or floors ceramic tiles
• Plumbing installation
• Partial replacement of sockets and switches
• Replacement lighting fixtures.

If you have minimal skills, desire and time, you can perform a simple apartment renovation yourself, but before starting work you need to draw up a clear procedure for carrying out all stages.

Preparatory work

Before starting renovations, it is necessary to empty the room of furniture. If it is impossible to remove large-sized furniture, it must be moved to the center of the room, ensuring free access to the walls. The remaining furniture should be carefully covered with old rags and plastic wrap.

If you do not plan to replace the floor covering, it must be protected (except for tiles). To do this, you can use hardboard, sheets of packaging cardboard, on top of which the room is carefully covered with overlapping plastic film, and the joints are taped with film. We remove decorative frames from sockets and switches or cover them with tape. Before working with electrical wiring, it must be de-energized(!)

Dismantling old coatings

1. Old coverings are removed from the ceiling. Currently, the most common ceiling coating is painting with water-dispersion paint, which is practically impossible to wash off, unlike traditional whitewash. It is enough to remove the peeled sections of the ceiling with a metal spatula; obvious cracks need to be opened and puttied.
2. If you are repairing a ceiling with old whitewash, it must be washed off with warm water to the base. To do this, take a container with warm water and rub a little into it. laundry soap and add two tablespoons of soda. Using a roller or brush, carefully apply water to the ceiling and rinse off old whitewash. It must be removed completely.
3. Old wallpaper. If old paper wallpaper is pasted on the walls, they stick tightly, and in their place it is planned to apply a dense coating (non-woven wallpaper or for painting), then you can old surface save. Old vinyl wallpaper difficult to remove. You can use a hair dryer or heat gun. The remaining coatings are simply thoroughly wetted with warm water or a special wallpaper remover is used.
4. Old coverings of doors, windows, trim and baseboards are thoroughly cleaned with sandpaper and a small spatula. Then they prime, putty with a special compound, sand and prime again. Oil paint is removed using a hair dryer or solution.

Ceiling finishing

1. Painting the ceiling. When choosing materials for painting, you need to focus on intended purpose rooms. If the premises are residential, it is better to choose acrylic paint. Non-residential rooms (bath, corridor, kitchen, hallway) with high-quality moisture-resistant water-based paints. You can choose color additives in the paint and create different shades in the rooms. Before painting, the ceiling is primed. The paint is applied to the ceiling surface with a special roller, carefully observing the joints and the occurrence of streaks.
2. Wallpapering. To finish the ceiling with your own hands, you can use special wallpaper for the ceiling, characterized by increased density and light color. The procedure is labor-intensive and requires certain skills.
3. The ceilings are glued. Square or rectangular panels (special ceiling tiles made of polystyrene foam) are glued onto the ceiling surface. The main thing is to thoroughly clean and prepare the ceiling, and then thoroughly prime it. The slabs are attached to the ceiling using special adhesives.

Wall decoration with wallpaper

Now in stores there is a huge selection of different wallpapers: silk-screen printing, embossed, paintable and photo wallpaper. Almost all wallpapers come with instructions for application and are sold special adhesives. The main thing is to follow the specified technology and avoid temperature changes, humidity and drafts in the room.

Using your free time, a little financial resources and a little diligence, you can transform your apartment into a new and cozy space in a short time.

Do-it-yourself cosmetic repairs are essentially not a difficult task. You don’t need a lot of money, desire, patience, and everything else will work out, without a doubt.

First preparation

It is important to inspect the room before starting work. It is important to prioritize in what order to clean. Here is an example of the sequence.

First, take out the large furniture. The empty room is being thoroughly cleaned. The floor is swept and washed thoroughly. Newspapers or cardboard are laid out on the floor and covered with regular film on top to protect the flooring.

Secondly, they remove curtains, curtains, and tulle. To prevent damage to windows, use film and secure with household tape. If necessary, cover the doors with the same film.

Thirdly, bookshelves, paintings, and everything that hangs on the walls are removed from the walls. The room or premises is disconnected from electricity. Chandeliers are dismantled, electrical wires are wrapped with insulating tape. Switches and sockets are removed, electrical wires are wrapped with insulating tape, and open boxes are wrapped with construction tape.

Fourthly, the ceiling and walls are prepared. If there is chalk or lime whitewash on the ceiling, it is washed off, first dissolve it in 8-10 liters hot water one kilogram of salt. At a temperature of 40 degrees the solution is ready. In the case where the whitewash layer is large, the wet whitewash is cleaned off with a wide spatula. To remove old wallpaper, use: a bucket of hot water, a foam roller and a spatula, and, if necessary, wallpaper remover. When there is paint on the walls, it is best to remove it using a hair dryer and a spatula. The room is ready for renovation.

Repair

First of all, it is necessary to prime the dry walls or ceiling with an acrylic primer. After 4-5 hours you can putty. After the putty has dried, after about 12 hours, we again apply an acrylic primer. The work surfaces are ready for the next steps. To paint the ceiling you will need a roller with a wide handle and medium pile.

Wallpaper glue is selected according to the type of wallpaper. How to prepare glue? Warm water (40 degrees) is poured into a bucket with a capacity of 8-10 liters, then according to the instructions for wallpaper, measure the amount of dry mixture. While stirring the water, gradually add the dry mixture, it in turn will achieve the required properties.

Rolls of wallpaper are cut to the required height, taking into account the pattern. Pasting begins from the far wall to the near one. If the edge of the wallpaper is longer than necessary, cut it off after drying with a construction knife or sharp scissors. Avoid drafts while wallpapering, and after completing the work, until the wallpaper is completely dry.

Small touches: we assemble switches, install sockets, hang a chandelier, bring in furniture and arrange it as desired. We enjoy the pleasant comfort of home.

“May the renovations in your apartment never end!” - the passer-by throws over his shoulder and goes home. And you stand there and think: “Why is he doing this? Did you wish for wealth or, on the contrary,... tax you?”

But really, the issue of repairs is an unpleasant matter for the average citizen. With today's prices for materials and services of construction Jedi, you will have to fork out seriously. And how much time and nerves you will have to spend, and even live in a ruined apartment! You wouldn't wish it on your enemy. But repairs are a vital necessity, and sooner or later you will still have to face them. Some craftsmen, even in times of crisis, still manage to renovate an apartment with their own hands quickly and inexpensively. But how do they manage to do this? Inexpensive - this is a cosmetic repair with your own hands and domestic materials. Such repairs will not require large financial investments, but you are guaranteed the cleanliness and freshness of your apartment. Cheap is not always bad.

Where to start?

Keep a small notebook. In it you will write down all the ideas, prices and phone numbers of stores or specialists. But the main thing is that it will contain a plan for your repair and a cost estimate. The plan should reflect all your wishes: replacing windows with plastic, suspended ceiling or just whitewash, new tiles in the bathroom, wallpapering or a couple of new sockets in the kitchen. Write exactly what you want. If you decide on wallpaper, that means wallpaper; if you want decorative plaster, then so be it. Pipes are humming - replace it, a cracked toilet - throw it away. You may think that, based on your desires, you won’t be able to do an apartment renovation with your own hands quickly and inexpensively. But you probably don’t know this, and you’re only forcing yourself into limits. If it works, you’ll do it; if not, it’s not a big loss, it’s just a note in a notebook. Next, start making an estimate: what exactly do you need and in what quantity. How many meters of tiles, grout, bags of putty, wallpaper, chipboard and other things. You can always correct these entries.

To find out exactly what materials, what quality and price you will need, go to online stores and construction forums for help. Carefully study the characteristics and pricing policy, approximately calculate the consumption. And at the same time, learn how to replace a faucet, hang wallpaper or install drywall yourself. Determine for yourself: I can do this myself, but here you need to look for an electrician or plumber. Write it down.

How can you save money?

There are many options. First, remember: it is better to buy materials for apartment renovation in the cold season - the price is much lower. But summer is construction season. In winter, you can come across a 50% discount in construction markets or a “Buy 2, get 3 for free” promotion! This way you can buy the same wallpaper at a low price, but of much better appearance and quality. And if they lie for a couple of months in a dry pantry or closet, then nothing will happen to them. Explore local forums, especially if you live in a large city. There you will surely find many people who have already done inexpensive repair do-it-yourself apartments. You will probably find photos of finishing, tips, addresses and phone numbers of specialists there. And you will also come across the heading “repair” and “remaining materials”. Periodically look at who is selling or giving away interesting things. People often end up with materials after renovation that no one will buy at the sale price, and it’s a pity to throw them away. So, you can buy a couple of bags of putty or even Spanish tiles for a ridiculous price. A person has an extra 2-3 meters left, there is nowhere to put it, but it will do just fine for you in the toilet. There you can also find the remains of a cable or grout “for a chocolate bar”. More respectable people, when moving into new buildings, often exchange brand new plumbing fixtures or PVC windows for more expensive ones, and these are sold for next to nothing. Why? Because they want “Rehau” or “only France”, and such a window will do just fine for you. Anything is better than the old wooden one. When you get rich, buy yourself a Rehau.

Repair tools

Construction tools cost a lot of money, so it’s better not to spend money on them. Another option is to rent it for a while; it is rented everywhere. And it will be even better if you borrow it from acquaintances, friends or relatives. And be sure to thank the person for their help. How? You know better. Take this opportunity to ask if they can help you decorate your apartment. Especially if your friends are well acquainted with construction literacy. This will also help you do your own apartment renovation quickly and inexpensively, and also with high quality. And your friend will probably make a significant discount for old times sake.

You will need:

putty

dye

spatula

roller

brush

container for water and putty

priming

water-based paint

wallpaper glue.

Step by step instructions

1. The concept of repair includes the following list:

cleaning ceilings and walls from old wallpaper or paint.

putty, primer, sanding of ceilings and walls.

painting the ceiling with water-based paint or wallpapering.

wallpapering walls.

painting window frames and slopes.

floor repair and painting.

2. To prevent the renovation of your apartment from taking longer, remove furniture from the room in which you begin to work. If this is not possible, then place it in the center of the room and cover it with film. 3. Start renovating a room by preparing the ceiling and walls for finishing. To do this, wash the ceiling down to the slab. Wet the ceiling area with warm water, let the whitewash or water-based paint swell, then remove all the old ceiling coating with a spatula and wash this area again. Change the water as often as possible. The durability of its coating will depend on how you washed the ceiling.

4. The next stage is ceiling repair. Sew all the cracks with a spatula so that they become deeper. Prime with primer, putty and let dry. After the primer has dried, sand the ceiling and prime it again. Before painting the ceiling, make repairs to the walls. 5. After working on the ceiling, start removing the old wallpaper. To do this, wet the old wallpaper with water, let it soak for a while, and as soon as it gets wet, remove it with a spatula. The wall must be dry and clean before you begin repairing it. Sew all the cracks on the wall with a spatula, prime them with primer and seal them with putty. When the areas you putty have dried, sand them and then coat them with primer again. If you are gluing thick wallpaper, do not use finishing putty. 6. The next stage is painting the ceiling or wallpapering the ceiling. Dilute the water-based paint as written on the can and paint the ceiling 2 times. If you decide to glue wallpaper for painting, then glue it and paint it 2 times as well. Domestic paints are cheaper, so your budget will not suffer. 7. Before covering the walls with wallpaper, you need to paint the doors and window frames. If you buy “P” paint from Russian manufacturers rather than imported ones, it will cost you much less. After the paint has dried, proceed to wallpapering. To save money on purchasing wallpaper, choose a domestic manufacturer. In terms of quality and durability, wallpaper from Russian manufacturers is not inferior to imported ones. 8. The final stage is painting the floor. If the furniture was not taken out, then cover the legs and perimeter of the furniture with masking tape, and remove it after painting - the furniture will remain clean. Choose domestic paint - it will be cheaper, but will not affect the quality of the paint.

Walls

Walls are the first thing that always catches your eye. Certainly, smooth walls and beautiful stylish wallpaper Everyone will like it, but if there is no money for leveling and expensive materials, you can limit yourself to simply replacing old wallpaper. Just by re-pasting the wallpaper you will already transform the apartment. It is quite possible to choose inexpensive thick wallpaper on a paper or non-woven basis, and you can stick it even on not very smooth walls. Non-woven wallpaper hides minor irregularities especially well.

There is another option. The previous owners left a couple of rolls of wallpaper in the apartment, which were of no use to them during the renovation. For example, I simply replaced a few particularly dirty and torn areas of wallpaper. It was enough to replace the wallpaper strips where they were most noticeably damaged. These are protruding corners, places near door jambs, in the hallway at the entrance, in the kitchen near the stove - all this will cost much less than a complete replacement, and the home will look much better.

Ceiling

If we are dealing with whitewash or layers of lime, it is best to clean them first. Numerous lime deposits that peel and crumble are not only aesthetically unsightly, but also harmful to health. It is not difficult to wash away lime; you must first soften the layers by wetting small areas ceiling with water from a spray bottle, and then clean off the plaque with a hard spatula or scraper. If there is old peeling wallpaper on the ceiling, it needs to be removed.

After cleaning, the ceiling can be additionally sanded with ordinary sanding paper, that is, sandpaper, and primed. If the surface is smooth, without pits or cracks, it will be cheaper to paint the ceiling with acrylic paint; it is better to use matte paint in light, pure tones. If there are small defects, the wallpaper will hide them. Wallpaper for the ceiling should be chosen white or very light, without a pronounced pattern and with very fine corrugation. Another economical option to transform the ceiling is to glue foam boards.

Floors

If these are concrete floors, as a rule, nothing additional needs to be done with them in terms of preparation; they are quite smooth and durable. Creaking wooden floors are a much more serious problem, and repairing them, at least over time, cannot be avoided, but you can temporarily solve the problem of squeaking. Creak in wooden floors occurs when adjacent boards rub against each other. In particularly “loud” areas of the floor, you can drill several holes a regular drill and pour in some foam. The foam will fill and seal the voids between the boards and the floor will stop creaking. This must be done carefully, without fanaticism, so that the floor does not swell.

You can even out strong “waves” and unevenness in wooden floors by nailing hardboard, plywood or OSB sheets on top. For the required strength, the thickness of plywood or OSB should be about 1 centimeter. As finishing coating For flooring, the most economical and durable is still linoleum. Fortunately, the choice of linoleum in stores is extensive.

Tile

If we have already figured out the wallpaper on the walls, then what to do with the tiled flooring? Replacing the tiles, of course, may be a solution if the tiles do not stick to the wall, because there is no other way out. In rare cases when tiles easily came away from the mortar, and the mortar itself adheres well to the wall, the tile is easy to restore by spreading it with a thin layer of PVA glue and pressing it firmly into place against the mortar. The main thing here is to get the back of the tile correctly into its imprint on the mortar, and PVA glue will glue the ceramics to the mortar very firmly - checked! But if the tiles are holding strong, and buying new ones is expensive, you can work a little on what you have. Firstly, the tiles can and should be washed thoroughly. Since it's tile, it will withstand much more aggressive cleaning agents than dish gel, but it will also look much better when it's cleaned off. limescale, rust and other traces of use. It is also necessary to clean the seams between the tiles. There is no need to be afraid of damaging the grout; on the contrary, you need to clean off as much grout as possible. Mold often settles between the tiles in the bathroom and it is very difficult to remove it from there.

After removing as much grout as possible along with unwanted flora and fauna, the seams can be treated with a special antiseptic. After this, they can be filled with fresh grout. It is better to choose a grout color that is neutral or close to the color of the tile.

Plumbing

Carefully inspect your plumbing fixtures. Are there any cracks or chips? There is no need to change plumbing. Plumbing cleaning products will help bring all sanitaryware surfaces into better condition. presentable appearance, and a bright shower curtain will complete the job. By the way, you can refresh it with paint cast iron bath. Not from the inside, of course, but from the outside. But, shining with freshly painted sides, the bathtub will immediately take on a more elegant look. And if still inner surface If the bathtub is damaged and worn out, it makes sense to contact bathtub restoration specialists who will cover the surface of the bathtub with new enamel right at home.

As a rule, such a service is cheaper than purchasing and installing a new bathtub. Here's another option: make a bath curtain not only for the top, but also for the bottom (use glue and Velcro).

Electrics

Inspect all outlets. If you see melted plastic around the plug holes or even just dark spots, such sockets should be replaced without hesitation! Lamps are changed as needed. If they are intact, not obsolete and all the lights are on, you can simply remove them, wash them and hang them back. Do not forget to turn off the voltage in the apartment when working with electricians!

10 ways to spend less on decorating an apartment and get a real masterpiece

Designer tips: 1. 100% polyester silk. Stone-like tiles, parquet-like linoleum, onyx-like laminate, Trekhgorka like Ralph Lauren. Python-like porcelain tiles. “Artificially aged” something... It’s embarrassing to even think about. Alas, the number will not work. Look through good interior magazines. Everywhere there, stone is stone, tile is nothing more than tile, and wood is just that, wood. If you don’t have the money for parquet, and simple laminate is beneath you, look for a good engineered board. The result is a floor that looks worth much more than the money you spent on it. A good alternative to porcelain tiles for kitchens, bathrooms and hallways is cement tiles. The result will look a hundred times more expensive. 2. Adjacent rooms should contrast. If you have a bright living room, have the hallway painted a deep, relatively dark color. The cost of paint will be the same in any case, and the result can look really expensive. 3. If on good carpet no money, look for a viscose or blended fiber carpet that imitates a silk or wool pile carpet.

4. Place the curtains on a thick lining. Even inexpensive curtain fabric will greatly benefit from this. Look for fabrics that are three meters wide. This results in significant savings. If you are not willing to spend a lot, avoid printed textiles (fabrics with a pattern). When cutting patterned fabrics, due to the need to properly join the fabrics, a lot of scraps remain. The more rapport, the more waste. Do not use curtain tape for curtains. Let the seamstress lay down the “hand” folds. It's not that expensive, and the pleats, gathered with braid, look very cheap. 5. Set-set-set. Identical things in the interior are permissible only in one case: if they are paired items that form a symmetrical composition. Chandeliers, table lamps and leave the sconces from one set to those to whom God has not given imagination. They are the kits upholstered furniture“a sofa or two armchairs” and similar tender sadness. For more details, see the next paragraph. 6. Ready-made solutions. Bad news: there isn't any. At least for us. The shower room is built using construction methods because it is a room. Unless you run a student hostel or an underground massage parlor with striptease, a shower stall (that sad structure of yellow acrylic and lopsided doors) will not suit you. Don't spend money on “designer” plumbing fixtures. Let the appearance of the plumbing equipment in the bathroom (kitchen, toilet) be dictated by the function. Buy washbasins and faucets simple shapes, without inappropriate decor. The toilet should be inconspicuous and do its job. No one will admire him, right? 7. Paintings, prints, engravings, photographs and posters frame in simple but deep frames with glass and always with a mat. Even a picture printed on a home inkjet printer (or a naive children's drawing), in such a frame looks very significant. Play with the size of the mat. A small work in a very wide mat looks very “designer-like”. And, by the way, cardboard for mats can be of almost any color. 8. Cosiness. Another collective fetish. According to my observations, what in our Palestinians is called “comfort”, in 99 percent of cases, is poetic closeness. In many ways, this is a bodily memory of a bygone childhood, of the warm and affectionate meager Soviet life with carpets teeming with saprophytes, a kind grandmother, Czechoslovak crystal and the unread Dreiser in the polished Polish wall of “Hanka”. Moreover, expensive devilry such as a round bed with music and a minibar, a bar counter with a built-in aquarium, etc. will not add comfort. The same is true for such rich things as lambrequin, garland and swag. Don't worry: in a good, well-thought-out interior, comfort inevitably comes naturally. Therefore... 9. ...Goodbye, gypsy Sera! Duvet covers made of calico in fine Nefertiti, towels in scarlet roses, pillowcases in eye-catching shades, nylon blankets with Shanghai leopards. All these are attributes of collective farm chic, forgive me for being blunt. They will not add comfort. Variegated coloring is often necessary for these things solely to hide their exceptionally lousy quality. Keep bed linen and bath towels simply white (options: ivory, ecru). But made from excellent Egyptian cotton. 10. However, it is also important not to overdo it with ivory. Peach, beige, sand... The average nuanced range is good for chain hotels. Because their stenciled interiors are bound to please everyone. You should like your interior. After all, he is a manifestation of your essence, right? Pick up a fan palette from any paint manufacturer. Do you feel pleasant heaviness? These are your possibilities. Don't miss them!

Even the most exquisite interior Over time it starts to get boring and you want something new. No matter how expensive finishing materials have not been used before - they all have their own “age”, that is, they begin to deteriorate, lose their attractiveness, decorative and performance qualities. Other unforeseen circumstances can also bring their own “negative adjustments” - leakage of the roof or from upper neighbors, walls torn or painted by children, permanent stains accidentally placed on surfaces, the appearance of mold, etc. That is, there can be a great many reasons to think about interior renovation.

This is said to prove that cosmetic repairs in an apartment, complete instructions for which will be presented in this publication, sooner or later have to be carried out by every owner. Therefore, most owners have a fair question about what activities are included in this process, where to start putting the rooms in order and in what sequence to carry out finishing operations.

What is cosmetic repair and its features

What is the difference between cosmetic repairs and when is it carried out, what work is included in it, and what are its features? In this section of the article we will look for answers to these questions.

Cosmetic transformation of premises is carried out after a certain period after a major overhaul. None established deadlines It is clear that it is not carried out, and cannot be. Usually it is planned in cases, one of which every owner of any home faces:

• If you want to change the interior design.
• During the period of operation of the rooms, the flooring was damaged, the design of lighting fixtures, sockets, furniture and other interior elements was obsolete.
• It is necessary to tidy up the apartment before selling it, in order to give the premises a more respectable appearance.
• Decorating surfaces after major repairs.

For comparison, it is worth mentioning the work that is included in the major reconstruction of an apartment - this is the need to carry out heat or sound insulation of surfaces, cleaning walls from old plaster, leveling the walls and ceiling, plastering and installing floor screed, pre-cleaning them of old coatings, replacing electrical wiring, sewer and water pipes and much more.

It is quite obvious that there are stages that can be included in the list of both major and cosmetic repairs. For example, this is dismantling old ones and installing modern doors and windows corresponding design new interior and creating more comfortable living conditions.

Features of repair work:

• Work can be divided into preparatory and finishing. Each of these two stages must begin at the top, gradually moving down.
• First, all dirty and labor-intensive work is performed, that is, the principle of their implementation is from dirty to clean processes.
• If cosmetic repairs are carried out in a multi-room apartment, then it should begin with the room that is farthest from front door. The final stage is. It is advisable to follow this sequence in order not to damage the lined surfaces in rooms where repairs have already been completed when carrying building materials through them, and not to spread dirt throughout the finished rooms.
• When carrying out work in other rooms of the apartment, it is recommended to cover the doors of the room in which the renovation has already been completed with plastic wrap or an old wet sheet.

To know where to start putting your apartment in order, you need to understand what stages a cosmetic renovation consists of and in what sequence they are carried out:

• Drawing up a work plan, that is full list what is planned to be done.
• Development of sketches of the desired interior.
• Carrying out measurements and drawing up estimates.
• Purchase of materials.
• Clearing the room of furniture.
• Removing old windows and interior doors and installation of new ones.

• Cleaning walls, floors, when necessary– and ceilings from old coatings.
• Priming surfaces.
• Ceiling finishing.

• Puttying and re-priming the walls.
• Wall decoration with selected decorative material.
• Installation of sockets and switches, as well as lighting fixtures.
• Floor covering.

Of course, this order is not a dogma at all - there may be certain changes in the sequence. But they still try to maintain the general “directorate” of work at approximately the same level.

Instructions for cosmetic repairs - step by step

The main stages of work to carry out cosmetic renovation of rooms were named above. But in each individual case there are nuances associated with the characteristics of a particular room. Some of them will be described in the instructions presented in the table below.

Illustration	Brief description of the work stages
	The first thing you need to do when starting renovation work is to draw up a general plan, including everything that needs to be done. If at this stage the design direction has not yet been finally determined, it is advisable to make several sketches of the design of each room. This will help you personally evaluate the appearance of the room after completion of the work. It is best to think through even two or three similar “mini-projects” and carry them out in different color scheme and with possible options furniture arrangement.
	Next, measurements are taken of the areas to be renovated. The linear dimensions of each of the walls, ceiling and floor are determined. The area of ​​door and window openings is calculated separately so that, if necessary, it can be subtracted from the total area of ​​the wall. In addition, it is necessary to calculate the number electrical outlets, lighting fixtures, switches, taps, door handles, locks and other elements that require replacement.
	Based on the data obtained, as well as after studying the average prices for materials in local stores, an approximate estimate for future repairs is drawn up. The resulting amount should be increased by another 15–20%, since usually, even with marginal savings, costs exceed expectations. The estimate includes the name and quantity of materials, as well as their approximate cost. It is best to do it in the form of a table, this will make the calculations easier. If some or even most of the operations are planned to be carried out with the involvement of craftsmen, you will have to take into account the payment for the work, which is usually no less than the cost of materials. So it is more profitable to initially focus on your own capabilities.
	The next step is to clear the room of everything that will interfere with the renovation or could be damaged by building materials. Items that cannot be removed from the room should be covered with plastic wrap. If you do not plan to replace the floor covering, it is recommended to cover the floors with cardboard and then with film, which can be secured around the perimeter with masking tape.
	After the space has been cleared and prepared, the old ones are dismantled and new window frames are installed, if this is included in the redecoration plan. a special article on our portal will help the reader. Typically, such work is carried out by teams from the window manufacturing company. But the owners need to prepare for a fairly large amount of garbage, which will also have to be immediately removed from the premises.
	When the windows are installed, the external and internal slopes are finished. Technological gaps between the window frame and the wall are filled polyurethane foam, which is sensitive to ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, finishing external slopes is no less important than tidying up interior walls around the window. It should be noted that finishing slopes, especially external ones, is not an easy task, therefore, if there is no experience in carrying out this process, then it is better to entrust it to professionals. The external slopes of the windows of high-rise buildings are finished with plaster mortar for external work. Interior walls can be decorated in different ways- this is leveling with plaster and then putty, plastic panels or, for example, pasting with cork sheets.
	If you plan to improve the slopes using plaster mortar, with further painting, it is recommended to purchase fiberglass “gossamer” for reinforcing the surfaces, and for the outer corners of the openings - a metal or plastic perforated corner, possibly with “wings” made of sickle mesh attached to it. First, on the outer corners of the opening, using finishing putty, they are fixed metal corners. Both the corners themselves and the perforated or mesh “wings” must be hidden under the plaster mortar.
	After the final leveling of the slopes and drying of the putty, fiberglass is fixed to the slopes with special glue. After impregnating it with glue, it will not only hide minor imperfections in the putty layer and strengthen the surface, but also give it a pleasant roughness. When the glue has dried, the slopes can be painted with water-based paint. But painting is usually postponed until later - when the walls of the room are brought to their final form.
	Drywall is also an excellent choice for finishing slopes, as it performs two functions at once - surface leveling and additional thermal insulation. The sheets are easy to cut and fixed to the wall using gypsum-based glue. You can subsequently stick wallpaper or cork onto the primed drywall, or paint the slopes with water-based paint.
	Another option that has become increasingly popular lately is lining slopes with plastic panels. The convenience of this material is that its installation is quick, since there is no need to wait for the solution or glue to dry. But, in addition to the panels, for their accurate installation it will be necessary to purchase special profiles - starting, fixed to window frame and a corner decorating the outer corner of the opening. Since the panels are fixed to the sheathing, and free space is formed between the wall and the panels, it becomes possible to insulate the slopes. But before choosing this cladding method, you must check whether the window will fully open after installing the panels. It is discussed in much more detail in a special article on our portal.
	Next, the interior doors are dismantled - this process can be done independently. The first step is to remove the door leaf. For convenience, you can use a claw pry bar as a lever. This tool will also be needed when removing door frame, which is dismantled after removing the canvas from it. If you do not plan to reuse the door frame, the easiest way to remove it is by sawing the vertical posts in the middle part in two.
	You can also do the installation of a new door yourself if this service is not provided by the product manufacturer. The door frame, together with the door, is placed in the wall opening 3÷5 mm above the height of the threshold and aligned construction level. To secure the structure in the required position, pads - pieces of timber or boards, depending on the width of the resulting space - are installed in the gaps between the wall and the frame, in two places on each side. These additional details must be prepared in advance. Wooden inserts must be wide enough for a fastening screw to pass through each of them when fixing the box to the wall in a given position. After the box is securely fixed in the opening, the gaps around it are filled with mounting foam, the excess of which will need to be cut off flush with the surface of the wall after it expands and dries. The gaps around the door frame are masked with decorative overlays - platbands. For safety, it is best to immediately cover a hung door with plastic film for the duration of the rest of the repair. If you plan, then the instruction article to which the link leads will be of help.
	Now you can move on to working on preparing the ceiling surface. If a decision is made to install a plasterboard structure or system “ suspended ceiling", and the surface is not damaged by mold or mildew, and there are no unstable fragments of finishing or ceiling visible on it, then it is not necessary to clean off the old coating. But when wallpaper, paint or ceiling tiles are chosen as finishing, the old covering will have to be removed. Whitewash can be scraped off with a spatula in dry or wet form, depending on the thickness of its layer and the strength of its adhesion to the surface. The wallpaper will also need to be removed, since to finish with all the coatings mentioned above, the ceiling must be absolutely clean.
	In order to quickly finish with the most dirty work, after cleaning the ceiling, it makes sense to immediately move on to freeing the walls from the old finish. There are several ways to carry out this process, from which the one that is most suitable for a particular case is selected. Sometimes it is enough to pick up the wallpaper with a spatula, and it will completely separate from the wall. In other cases, you have to soak them in warm water, applying it several times, after which the wallpaper is also cleaned off with a spatula. Another frequently used way to separate canvases from the wall is to treat them with damp hot steam. For this purpose, a special steamer or an iron with a steam function is used. The process of removing old wallpaper is quite tedious, but not even a small piece of material should remain on the walls, otherwise it may show through the new finish.
	What's more difficult to get rid of is the old paint that still covers the walls in some kitchens and bathrooms. It’s especially difficult if it’s oily. But there are also several ways for this purpose. The simplest, but at the same time dirty and time-consuming cleaning method is abrasive, that is, using metal brushes, manual or in the form of attachments for power tools. You can use a chemical remover - applying a special composition to the wall that softens the paint, after which it can be easily removed with a spatula.
	Another method is to heat the coating using a hair dryer. P Under the influence of high temperatures, the paint also softens and separates from the surface, so it can then be easily removed with a regular spatula or the nozzle included with the hair dryer.
	Now that the entire room is free of the old finish, all that remains is to remove the flooring, unless, of course, you plan to replace that too. The first step is to dismantle the skirting boards that hold the material around the perimeter. A mount is also suitable for this purpose. If linoleum is laid on the floors, it will be easier to remove than any other covering, even if it is secured with special glue. The flooring must be separated from the floor on one of the narrow sides of the room, and then, peeling it off from the surface, immediately roll it up.
	Dismantling the parquet will take more time, but removing it is also easy - just catch on one of the slats. A mount is also suitable for this job. If the parquet is in good condition, then it should be removed more carefully, as it can be reused for flooring.
	A more difficult task is removing ceramic tiles from floors or walls, especially if they were laid with high-quality glue. This work can be done manually, using a hammer and a special chisel, or using a hammer drill, on which a similar attachment is also installed. After the decorative covering is dismantled, the floor surface must be thoroughly cleaned of glue and debris, as the surface must be clean.
	Once the surfaces are cleaned, they should be inspected for any cracks that need to be repaired, otherwise they will definitely show through the new finish. The cracks widen and, if possible, deepen. Then they should be cleaned and treated with a primer - it is better to do this with a spray bottle, so the primer will penetrate the entire depth of the damage on the wall. After waiting for the soil to dry, narrow cracks are filled with concrete or putty mortar, and wide cracks, more than 15 mm, can be filled with polyurethane foam with an average expansion coefficient. When the foam expands and dries, the excess must be cut off to the level of the wall. The process is very messy and tedious, but it should not be ignored or simplified. More details on this can be found in the article to which the recommended link leads.
	Before moving on to the next stage of work, it is necessary to de-energize the room and remove sockets and switches. It is best to seal the empty socket boxes that remain from them with masking tape. Now that the room is ready for preparatory treatment for decorative coating, a deep penetration primer is applied to the ceiling, walls and floors. It is capable of binding the surface of the base material and penetrating to a depth of up to 10 mm. If you apply two or three layers of primer, the quality of the treatment will only improve. Each subsequent layer is applied after the previous one has completely dried.
	If the ceiling is flat and needs to be prepared for painting, wallpapering or foam tiles, then it is covered with a thin layer of putty, which will hide minor flaws. The work is carried out with a wide spatula. Next, the surface prepared for wallpaper is sanded using a construction float with an abrasive attachment (mesh or sandpaper) having a medium grain, approximately P160. We will not describe the details here - a separate article on the portal is devoted to this.
	If you plan to paint the ceiling, then it is recommended to stick fiberglass “cobweb” onto it. This will greatly simplify the process and improve the quality of finishing.
	Then, after painting, the ceiling will have a pleasant texture, uniform matte surface, which is quite difficult to achieve by applying putty, especially if you have no experience in this work. We advise you to pay close attention to this interesting material -. He will help out more than once! More details about it can be found in a separate publication.
	The next step is to putty the walls. The number of layers applied and the quality of processing depends on the chosen decorative covering. Before painting, the surface of the walls must be perfectly smooth, but if something goes wrong, then the same “cobweb” can save you, which will mask small errors. The wall should be smooth before wallpapering, but ideal smoothness may not be achieved.
	To ensure that defects are clearly visible when performing putty work, experienced painters use backlighting. Properly set light will reveal even the smallest unevenness, as it will cast a shadow.
	After the putty layer has dried, it is sanded using a construction float. The process is carried out in a circular motion, counterclockwise, without strong pressure on the surface. Belt, vibrating or eccentric sanders are also used. But since they produce a huge amount of dust, such an operation should be carried out only if it is possible to connect the equipment to a construction vacuum cleaner. It is written simply, but in reality subtle is a very difficult task. To deal with it, read the recommended instruction article.
	It is recommended to prime the finished puttyed and sanded surfaces again. This layer will help increase the adhesive properties of the materials, so the paint on the coating will lie more evenly, and the wallpaper will easily stick to the wall.
	Next, if provided for in the plan, a suspended ceiling is installed. The process is complex and unsafe, and requires special equipment, so it is better to entrust this stage of work to specialists.
	If you plan to paint the ceiling or cover it with wallpaper or tiles, then a ceiling plinth is marked and glued along its perimeter. To fix it, one of the polymer adhesives is used, and many craftsmen even use a diluted solution of finishing putty. Framing will limit the areas to which it will be applied. decorative cladding. To prevent paint or wallpaper glue from accidentally getting on the baseboard, it must be covered with masking tape before installing decorative materials.
	The ceiling surface is painted using a roller with a fur attachment. The ceiling is painted in two layers - the first of them is applied from the window to the door, parallel to the longer walls of the room, the second is perpendicular to the first, that is, parallel to the wall with the window opening.
	If you plan to use wallpaper with a certain relief or color pattern to cover the ceiling, then you need to take into account that combining it on the ceiling is much more difficult. The canvases can be pasted both along and across the room - this choice depends on the homeowners’ preferences regarding the location of the wallpaper decor. But it is still recommended that the joining seams be located from the window to the entrance - this way they will become less noticeable.
	When cutting wallpaper, they need to be made longer by 50÷100 mm, and they are glued with a small allowance onto the baseboards, matching the pattern if necessary. After gluing the canvas, it is easy to straighten it - press it with a spatula exactly along the line of the plinth, like a ruler, and then cut off the excess with a knife.
	Everyone installs polystyrene foam tiles differently. Some people believe that it is better to stick the baseboard on top of the tiles. This is wrong, since sometimes the glue is not able to withstand such a load, and both the baseboard and the tiles can move away from the ceiling at once. Therefore, the plinth should only be glued to the ceiling, and the tile covering should be adjusted to it. To ensure that the tiles are evenly distributed on the ceiling, the surface must be marked before installing them. Typically, two perpendicular lines are drawn on the ceiling, which intersect at the point where the chandelier is planned to be placed. Based on them, the tiles are glued - with glue or with finishing putty. If necessary, the side plates glued along the plinth line are trimmed.
	Next, you should finally finish with the dirty work, which includes leveling the floor for a new coating. The floor surface must be primed and dried again. A damper tape is glued along the perimeter of the entire room along the baseboard area, which is designed to compensate for the expansion of the screed or self-leveling floor when temperatures change.
	To quickly level the surface of a floor that has minor errors, special self-leveling self-leveling solutions are used - they are available for sale in a wide range. The prepared composition is poured into puddles on the floor and spread over the surface first using a wide spatula or squeegee. After this, the master puts on studded paint shoes, takes a needle roller on a long rod and finally evenly distributes the solution over the floor. The composition tends to occupy all free spaces, that is, cracks and dents, and its surface independently occupies a perfectly horizontal position, as a liquid should. Now all that remains is to wait until the renewed floor hardens - and you can move on to the next stage of work. How to choose and how - in a separate publication on our portal.
	Walls are painted using a roller with a fur or foam attachment, depending on the desired effect. Paint is applied to surfaces starting from ceiling plinth up and down movements, gradually covering unpainted areas. To get an evenly painted wall, at least two layers of paint must be applied to its surface.
	Wallpaper is applied starting from the corner of the room. At the beginning of the wall, stepping back from an angle of 20÷30 mm, a perfectly straight vertical line is struck, along which the first sheet of wallpaper will be aligned and glued. The top side of the canvas should be 20÷25 mm on the baseboards, so that it is possible to align the drawings or patterns, and not leave an unsealed strip on top.
	To ensure that the top edge of the wallpaper is even, it should be pressed against the baseboard with a spatula and carefully cut off the excess part with a sharp stationery knife. For work, it is best to use a spatula 250÷400 mm wide with a smooth blade edge. The process is not as simple as it might seem. The nuances of this stage of finishing are in a separate article.
	When the wallpaper is dry, sockets, switches, and wall lighting fixtures are installed in place.
	The last stage of work is the installation of the floor covering. It is started when the manufacturer’s recommended hardening time for the self-leveling floor has been fully met. If a laminate is chosen for finishing, then it is mounted on a special substrate, which will reduce the noise from steps on the coating and provide the required level of shock absorption. A special article-instruction posted on the pages of our portal will help you carry it out efficiently.
	Unlike laminate, linoleum must rest and straighten before fixing it to the floor; this takes about a day. The covering is spread in the room for which it is intended and left for the above-mentioned time. After that, the evenness of the installation is additionally checked, then the linoleum is pressed against the junction of the horizontal and vertical planes and the excess strips are carefully cut off from it. There should be a gap of 5÷7 mm between the wall and the coating, which is necessary to compensate for the thermal expansion of the material. Previously, linoleum was certainly glued to the base, but today this installation technology is rarely used. More often quality material installed as described above. About the technology with all the details - a special publication at the link.
	Another material option that is becoming increasingly popular is cork tiles or roll coating. The tiles are laid according to the laminate principle, and the rolled material is fixed with a special glue applied to the prepared base.
	The covering will not look properly if it is not framed with a plinth. Similar finishing details may have different designs and various types fastenings. It is important that the skirting boards fit well into the overall interior design. color scheme and harmonized with the floor covering. At the same stage, the threshold is fixed in doorway, which also presses the edges floor coverings adjacent rooms.

The result of the cosmetic repair should be a neat space, ready for furniture arrangement and further use.

Agree that most operations, except for some specific ones (which, by the way, may not be included in the general plan of work), can be performed independently.

* * * * * * *

In the article reviewed, only a brief description of the stages of replenishment of cosmetic repairs was presented. But on the pages of our portal, in the section, a lot of attention is paid to each of the mentioned processes. In this array of information the reader will find not only detailed instructions on carrying out repair and finishing work, but also recommendations on the selection of necessary materials, with a comprehensive consideration of their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.

And finally, as an example, watch a video about redecorating an apartment.

Video - Quick and not very expensive cosmetic repairs in the apartment