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Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. Drywall has been the wall finishing material of choice for most of a century because it s so easy to install and finish. Another of its virtues is that when it s damaged, it s easy to repair. For scratches or small dents, a quick swipe of joint compound with a 3- or 4-inch putty knife and a bit of sanding before priming and painting will do fine. For small holes up to 3 inches, self-adhesive plastic mesh tape and then a coat or two of patching compound will work. For medium-sized holes between 4 and 6 inches, try a drywall bandage. Check to make sure there s no electrical wiring in the area first, then use a keyhole saw to cut the hole into a neat square or rectangle. Transfer that shape onto a piece of new drywall, add 2-inch margins and cut out the larger patch piece. Trim off the back and gypsum in the 2-inch margin but leave the face paper uncut. Spread patching compound around the outside edges of the hole and press the bandage into it, feathering the edges. Let it dry. Then sand and re-coat with compound. Finally, sand again, prime and paint. For really big holes, you can use the tie and twist bracing method. Cut a piece of drywall or a length of 2x4 a few inches larger than the hole. Drill two small holes in the center and loop a 2-foot string through it like a button. Tie the ends around the middle of a stick. Apply adhesive to the back edges of the hole inside the wall. Adhere the patch piece and twist the stick from your side of the wall until it holds tight. Then, fill the remaining space with drywall patch pieces and mesh tape. Finish with compound as usual, cutting the string and pulling it out just before it dries. For super-large holes bigger than a foot wide, cut the drywall back to the two nearest studs and expose them halfway. Cut a new panel of drywall to fit and attach it as you normally would with drywall screws, joint compound and tape. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

Pablo Contreras from e-counters.com joins Bob to explain how shopping, ordering, and installation of all types of custom counters happen through their Internet service. Visitors can shop for materials and colors right on the site by logging in with a zip code. The location is matched to a fabricator and the counters that are available locally. Customers can order samples for viewing before measuring the cabinets and entering those measurements online to request a quote. Once a quote has been given, a local fabricator comes to the home to check the measurements and create a template for the counters using plastic sheeting. Custom cutouts are done at the fabricator's shop before the counters arrive on site. Bob watches as the Silestone counter seams are expoxied using a color-matched epoxy and hardener. The installer uses a putty knife to insert the epoxy into the seam, then smooths it across the top of the seam for a tight seal.

Before starting your next paint job, have your tools ready. For the prep, you'll need putty, a putty knife, sandpaper, masking tape, drop cloths, wash buckets, rags and liners. You may also need a step ladder for those hard to reach areas. Of course, you will also need the right brushes and rollers for the job.

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. Wallpaper can be a beautiful and a long-lasting d cor solution, but when it s time to remove it you need patience, perseverance and a little know-how. There are different techniques for removing every kind of wallpaper, but the tools and preparation are much the same. First and foremost, realize that this is a wet and messy process. Removing or re-covering everything in the room with plastic and masking off trim and windows will eliminate a lot of cleanup hassles. Start at a top corner of the wall and try peeling off any loose areas of the outer layer. Once you ve peeled off everything you can, run a perforation tool over the rest. Mix your removal solution according to the manufacturer s instructions and spray it on with a spray bottle or garden sprayer. Wallpaper remover is an enzyme designed to dissolve the adhesive. Let it sit 5 minutes or so before you start scraping with a putty knife. To avoid damaging the plaster or drywall as you scrape, use only the knife s flat edge and not the corners. You may need to spray again a few times to get it all. Buying or renting a wallpaper steamer can make tough jobs much easier. Use this tool carefully because soaking the drywall or plaster will damage it. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com