FINISHES
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Don’t let their names confuse you: Though polycrylic and polyurethane may sit on the same shelf at the store, they ar...
You finally decided on the perfect hardwood for your floors—whether that's a deep, rich walnut, a warm cherry wood, o...
It’s hard to beat the natural beauty of wood; it has a depth, glow, and interest that few manmade materials can match...
If you’ve ever admired the extraordinarily glossy finish on an antique piece of wooden furniture or a wooden instrume...
With traditional wood stain, you have a choice to make: do you choose a light finish that lets the wood grain shine t...
Trying to decide which polyurethane is right for your DIY project? Here are some points to consider. CM_BVNOTES-1744-...
The age-old surface treatment of Venetian plaster is making a comeback in modern homes. Mostly used on interior wall...
When it’s time to finish a wood-based project, your options tend to seem at one end of the spectrum or the other: cho...
When debating whether to stain or paint an old piece of wood furniture, consider this third, often overlooked alterna...
A coat of latex paint will add color to plain wood furniture—but not much else. To really beat the blahs, consider tr...
Stucco is a particularly popular exterior finish for homes in the Southwest, but it can also be found texturing inter...
If you’ve ever finished drywall, you know that the sanding process releases lots of dust. Only moments after starting...
Hardwood flooring offers rich, warm, timeless beauty, and can even favorably affect the resale value of your home. Wi...
A coat of durable wood finish on your hardwood floors, fine furniture, and outdoor decking can mean the difference be...
Of all the reasons to appreciate solid wood cabinets, there may be none more appealing than their virtually endless c...
This DIY has a bit of a backstory: In my basement workshop—as a byproduct of about a half dozen previous projects—I'd...
Hold on a second! Don't get rid of that old wooden dresser just yet. Give it a second look, and this time try to see ...
I am living in Spain and redoing an old house in the country. I'd like some of the floors to be polished concrete. C...
In contrast to a regular paint job, whitewashing refreshes the look of wood surfaces while allowing their natural gra...
Here's an inexpensive and creative way to decorate a floor. Roll on a coat of deck enamel (the color of your choice)...
You can paint over existing interior wood finishes, if you take the proper steps first. Here's how. To paint over a ...
Homeowners used to think of concrete as being strictly utilitarian stuff, resorted to only when a better-looking mate...
Everyone knows that milk does a body good. But were you aware that milk also works wonders for walls and furniture? Y...
Learning how to texture walls does more than transform boring-to-look-at surfaces into pitted, peaked, and otherwise ...
If you're overcome by ennui at the sight of your space, a simple faux finish on a surface or accent piece might be just the touch to perk you right up! Here are 9...
A decorative paint finish is a good way to customize an interior in only a short time. Use a latex glaze mixed to th...
Here is a helpful tip if you are thinking of staining some cedar shingles. To protect new shingles, apply a penetra...
Here's a way you can get a designer look for your painted walls. With a roller, apply an oil paint glaze over an alr...
You can hand-paint your own stenciled border. Use painter's tape to mark off straight edges; you'll find the tape pr...
Woodgraining is an artist's technique for creating the look of fine woods like mahogany. After two coats of a base c...
A durable finish for woodworking pieces, furniture, and flooring, varnish beautifies wood and protects it from scratc...
There are lots of ways to refinish a deck. If you want to showcase a fine wood species, such as mahogany, cedar, or r...
Unleash your full paint potential by using one of these decorative finishing techniques to add gloss and glitz to your next makeover.
The process of staining furniture is intimidating to many do-it-yourselfers, because special tools and chemicals are ...
Add some color and pattern to a wood or concrete floor this summer by purchasing a couple cans of paint and a stencil...
The reasons for applying finishes to wood surfaces are several. One is to seal the wood, in order to prevent moisture...
Artisans Polly and Ken Forcier of MB Historic Decor joined Bob Vila on the Season 13 "Modern Colonial" project house ...
Want to replace your vintage cast iron bathtub? You may be surprised that a comparable antique tub, or even a period-...
Thinking about giving your dated kitchen a new appearance? Fortunately, there is a cost-effective alternative to repl...
Varnish, lacquer, shellac and other clear coats are applied to protect wood furniture and flooring from scratches, sc...
Your kitchen gets a lot of use. So it doesn't take long to begin seeing signs of wear and tear on wood cabinets. Soon...
It's finally here—Friday! The weekend is a great time to relax, but it's also the perfect opportunity to bring simple...
To the surprise of no one, chalkboard paint is exactly as it sounds: when you use it to paint a wall, that wall becom...
Recently my wife and I moved into a co-op. It’s kind of like a condo but with a few additional restrictions about wha...
Fiberglass doors have been popular for years now as a durable, energy-efficient alternative to wood doors that can be...
If you’re taking on any last-minute holiday painting projects, here’s a primer on… primer. Listen to BOB VILA ON PAIN...
Here's a thrifty way to dress up your home for holiday entertaining that's been around for hundreds of years. Since t...
If you don’t want to spend another holiday season with your worn-out kitchen floor, but the timing’s not right for a ...
If you're putting off giving your front hall a facelift because re-finishing or re-painting the banister and baluster...
Having expensive cabinets hanging on your kitchen walls doesn’t mean much if you don’t like the color. That’s why man...
It’s not uncommon to find beautiful woodwork with coat after coat of paint obscuring its detail, especially in older ...
Faux Finishing: What Is It? If you’re looking for ways to personalize your space and you're ready to go a step furthe...
Dyeing floors is different from staining them. With dye, there is no chemical reaction with the concrete—it simply dy...
If you’re ready to go a step further than a simple coat of paint to personalize your home, try faux finishing. LISTEN...
Hardwood floor refinishing and sanding is unforgiving work. Make a mistake and it will show. However, a refinished fl...
Below the Surface It’s not uncommon to find beautiful woodwork with coat after coat of paint obscuring its detai...
A big farmer's porch will run the whole width of the house. Bob discusses the boiler, which will heat the domestic hot water, radiant floor heating, and hydro-air...
Bob talks with Robert Rainey of PJ Overhead Door as the new and improved garage door panels and tracks are installed on the Norwell home.
Bob goes over plans for the second floor with architect Gregory Rochlin and then joins carpenter Bob Ryley for meticulous demolition and disassembly work.
Bob tours the front vestibule, highlighting the beautiful stencil work done by artist Kim Sweet. He explains how small touches can bring back the feel of an 1890s...
Bob meets with faux-painting expert Kim Sweet, who is applying a gold parchment effect on the master bedroom walls. Bob tries his hand at applying some color.
Bob interviews Carlos Londono, a plastering contractor, who demonstrates how to apply a veneer coat of plaster over blue board.
Gam Danziger from Craftline Cabinets reviews the assembly of the contemporary Cherry kitchen cabinets being installed in the penthouse apartment.
Bob visits the Julia Wood House, home of the Falmouth, Massachusetts Historical Society, and takes a tour with Carolyn Power, the society's executive director.
Decorator Leslie Curtis joins Bob in the modern Colonial project house parlor to discuss the room's wall treatments.
Artisan Ken Forcier are applying the second "layer" of the stencil he's using to decorate in the parlor of the modern Colonial.
Bob checks in with artist Polly Forcier (from MB Historic Decor) for an update on the decorative painting in the modern Colonial project home.
Decorator B. Smith paint a lavender stripe pattern on a bedroom wall.
John Galvin is applying veneer plaster to the walls along the stairway.
Bob looks at the old doors, then meets with local artist Elaine Havaland, who demonstrates a faux-finishing technique.
In the second Elmwood project house, a Colonial Revival, a new Kohler tub is installed, while homeowner Pat Simons, a ceramic artists, creates a tile mural.
The second home in the Elmwood project, a Colonial Revival, is complete, after the second-floor bathroom gets a new vanity, new doors for the laundry closet, and ...
Porch restoration continues on the fifth Elmwood project house, with Forester Moulding and Lumber re-milling many porch elements.
Homer Earl (from the Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau) explains what makes a quality shingle. The group takes a look at Sikkens Cetol shingle stain products, and Bo...
Cabinetry and countertops are brought in for this attic conversion project, and fiber-optic lighting is installed.
Bob takes a final tour of this unique third floor remodel and talks to the owners about their eclectic taste.
Bob and homeowner Gavin repair and refinish a 75-year-old oak floor. Because the new patch floor panels have a different thickness from the original, a belt sande...
Bob meets with Rick and Martha Snyder to see how they faux-finish an antique door in such a way that reproduces the original look.
Bob tours the cabin with the interior designer, Robyn Peterson. Under Robyn's direction, the mantle has been painted with a faux birch bark look, and the furnitur...
Bob helps painting contractor Milo Moran roll solid stain over the yellow pine plywood walls on the boat storage side of the garage. Though not often applied insi...
Bob confers with artist Margo Datz about decorative striping and stenciling in the master bedroom. She demonstrates for Bob how to add a stencil pattern to painte...
Painter Gary Halzel is putting the finishing touches on the master bedroom walls using a rag-rolling technique.
A plate rack for the dining room is built from scratch and is finished with a faux-antique paint job.
Artisan Terry Maiche demonstrates two inexpensive ways to dress up a floor with paint: spattering and stenciling.
Contractor Tom Forest repairs a hump in the dining room floor, then revives the floor’s maple finish.
General contractor Ron Gan assembles an unusual “sail-wire” stair railing and decorator Christine Smyth rag-paints a basement wall.
Bob meets with the painters giving a unique faux finish to the feature wall.
Bob walks through the remainder of the renovation, admiring the details and faux-finish painting that continues through the kitchen, living room and dining room.
Bob helps general contractor Tim Berky put a solid-core cherry-veneer door on its bronze butt hinges, and install matching door hardware.
