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Show ' f Ingenuity InHomeecor I -rJ.i.rnelpfu Tips On Low-Cost Decorating Ideas II ECONOMICAL REDECORATING You can nail in panel studs behind existing has grooves located grooves directly onto walls when paneling on 16-inch centers. Such beautiful effects can be achieved with plywood ply-wood paneling that many homeowners are using it to set the stage for decorating an entire room, often selecting select-ing furniture, fabrics and carpets to harmonize with the paneling's color shading. Redecorating like this can become expensive, though, unless you cut costs somewhere. One place is on labor: you can do the paneling panel-ing job yourself! In new homes, panels can be applied directly to studs, but it's desirable to use 38-inch or 12-inch gypsum board as a backer for solid installation. This backer also helps reduce sound transmission trans-mission and insulate the walls. If you're building a partition parti-tion or perimeter stud wall, use horizontal blocking between be-tween the studs if spacing is greater than 1 6 " on center, and as necessary for solid backing behind all panel edges. Most paneling, like those available from Georgia-Pacific, can be installed in-stalled over existing true walls in an older home. These walls require no preparation prep-aration other than sanding out any rough or uneven spots. Then simply cut panels to fit and glue them to the wall. Remove old moulding and trim, or, if desirable, leave it in place and cut panels to fit. Measure wall i height in several places to h assure accurate fitting. (This ' height may vary in older 1 homes due to settling.) When applying paneling to old walls, first locate the studs behind the existing wall. To do this, probe through the wall with a long nail. (A stud finder will be a great help.) To determine exact spacing, spac-ing, check in two or three places. Since studs are not always straight, it's a good idea to probe at several heights to assure accurate nailing. Once you've found the stud spacing, drop a plumb line floor to ceiling to guide panel placement. Now, you are ready to cut panels. Measure the floor-to-ceiling height for the first panel. Normally, this will be the corner of the room next to the adjacent wall. Allow 12-inch 'wall clearance, top to bottom. Moulding will cover up this space later. If the corner is irregular, as it often is for a brick or masonry wall, use a small compass to scribe the panel for perfect fitting. Then measure it for cutting. Mark dimensions in soft lead pencil and use a straight edge to provide a clear, even line. If you're using a crosscut cross-cut hand saw or table saw, keep the panel face up, but if you're using a portable power saw or sabre saw, keep it face down. Do not use a rip saw since it will tear at the veneer on the edge of the panel. Use panel adhesive and nails to apply the paneling. For more ideas and detailed de-tailed instructions on paneling panel-ing installation, write for the illustrated booklet, "How To Make Beautiful Things Happen With Walls," available for 254 from "Beautiful Walls," Dept. NAPS, Georgia-Pacific Corp., 900 S. W. Fifth Ave., Portland, OR 97204. |