Hang time Selling wallpaper to beginners

ALLPAPERING is one of the most popular projects for do-ityourselfers, and retail salespeople can do their part to help first-timers make it a successful one.

Their very first task is one of the most difficult: choosing the wallpaper pattern. Provide sample books which include an array of patterns and decorating ideas.

For a d-i-yer's first job, suggest moderately priced papers with a "short repeat." The pattern repeat is noted on the back of each sample. For example, for wallcoverings with a 6-inch repeat, a sheet of paper will have to be moved up or down no more than 6 inches for perfect alignment.

To help figure the number of rolls needed for a room, calculate the total wall area (square footage, or the length of each wall to the nearest foot, added together, then multiplied by the ceiling height). Divide this area by the roll coverage to calculate the number ofrolls needed.

It's a good idea to have extra wallpaper for a first job in case a few misguided cuts are made.

In addition to the wallpaper, d-iyers will also need: a drop cloth, premixed wallpaper adhesive and a brush to apply the wallcovering, or a sponge and water tray if the wallpaper is pre-pasted, plumb line to create a straight, level guide for applying the first sheet of wallpaper,

For novices, suggest

they undertake as their first wallpapering project a back bedroom where they can practice using the tools and fussing with the wallpaper.

. a smoothing brush to remove air bubbles and creases.

a seam roller to seal the edges in place, wide blade putty knife, and household scissors, srnall pointed scissors, razor blade cutter and straight edge for trimming the paper.

For novices, suggest they undertake as their first wallpapering project a back bedroom where they can practice using the tools and fussing with the wallpaper. When they feel confident, they can hang paper in the front where everyone will see their work.

How-to clinics are a perfect venue for teaching homeowners how to wallpaper as well as instilling the confidence required to give it a try. Cover the basics, as well as finer points, such as how to fit wallpaper around window and door mouldings by cutting the overlapping edges at a 45" angle, and how to cut paper around an outlet or switch plate cover by cutting out an "x," snipping the excess "v"-shape pieces and trimming the opening-after turning off the electricity.

Rrruurs

Franklin Building Supply, Boise, Id., agreed to purchase 4unit Volco, Tlvin Falls, Id., anticipating an Oct. I close; Volco's stores in Twin Falls, Jerome, Gooding and Burley, Id., would bring Franklin to l0 locations in Idaho and two in Nevada

Arrow Lutnber & True Value Hardware, Eatonville, Wa., is building a new store in Graham, Wa., to be completed late this year and will begin construction of a third location early next year in Buckley, Wa.

Suverkrup Lumber Co., San Bernmdino, Ca., after 1ll years in the lumber business, is now exclusively in the storage business ...

BMC West plans to begin construction in the coming months on a 50,000-60,000-sq. ft. replacement store adjacent to its twoyear-old truss plant in Boise, Id., for a summer opening; the current 8.2-acre site with 20,000-sq. ft. building will then be put up for sale ...

Westside Hardware, West Menlo Park, Ca., has closed after 50 years; owner Walt Cianfichi attributed the closure to a dramatic rent increase ...

Orchard Supply Hardware opened new stores last month in West Hills/Canoga Park and West Covina, Ca., and unveils a midtown Los Angeles location Sept. 12...

White Cap Indusrries, Costa Mesa, Ca., has backed out of its planned acquisition of Valley Construction Supply Inc., Pacifrc (Auburn) and Marysville, Wa.

Holiday Hardware, Simi Valley, Ca., has closed after 29 years due to warehouse competition; its 37year-old sister store in Valencia, Ca., closed earlier in the year ...

Architectural Building Supply, Salt Lake City, Ut., plans to move its 10,000-sq. ft., three-year-old Meridian, Id., location next month into a new 20,000-sq.ft.building; Stewart Jensen, mgr.

HomeBase plans a fall opening for a 130,000-sq. ft. prototype location in Everett, Wa. ... the chain has finalized site selection in Phoenix, Az.; Norwalk, Norco and Los Angeles, Ca.; 110,000-sq. ft. stores will open early next year in the former three cities and in late 1999 or early 2000 in L.A.

Home Depot opens a 105,700sq. ft. store with 28,000-sq. ft. garden center Sept. 24 in Lancaster, Ca., and opened its first storc outside of North America Aug.27 in Santiago, Chile; a second store in Chile opens in November, with a unit in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to be unveiled in late 1999 ...

Home Depot, following a heated community forum, called off plans to buy 13 acres in downtown Covington, Wa.; held a community meeting to answer questions about a proposed store in San Pedro, Ca.; is negotiating to build on a former drive in theater site in El Monte, Ca., and is working with a jilted properry owner in Bend, Or., on a comptomise that would free itself to build next door ... environmental activists held a demonstration in front of Home Depot's Colma, Ca., store featuring a two-faced, l5-ft.+all puppet, trees, birds and a yodeler

Wrouslrns/ilrrutrcrunrrs

Britt Lumber Co. has broken ground on a 10,00Gsq. ft. building to house a cut-up plant on 5 acres across the street from its Arcata, Ca., sawmill...

UltraPower, Blue Lake, Ca., has acquired the formet Simpson Building Supply location in Arcata, Ca., for a lumber storage and reload service

Quality Veneer and Lumber, Seattle, Wa., is now operating the former Ont&, Forest Prodacts plywood mill in Omak, Wa., is Washington Venee.r; the rnill closed June I pending financial reorganization; Quality Veneer and Lumber also operates three lumber mills (see Airg. p. 18 and July p. 18)

Tri-State Laminating Ca., a division of Landmark Buildin* Products, San Bernardino, Ca.-, has purchased equipment to double its production capacity and -will rel6cate into larg6r facilities by December...

North Pacific Lumber is the new name for the former 'Washington Pacffic Lumber & Shipping facility in Vallejo, Ca. (see story p. 30)

Hoff Cos. subsidiary Trimco Millwork has added a Spokane, Wa-, operation, managed by John Polinsky, to serve eastern Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana; a Billings, Mt., warehouse also is planned ...

Southwest Hardwood Co., Phoenix and Tucson, Az., was acquired in May by McEwen Lumber Co., High Point, N.C., a division of Hood Industries, Hattiesburg, Ms. ...

Oak MiIt Cabinet Co., Stanton, Ca.,.was destroyed by a fire of susprcrous ongm

Cedar Shakc & Shingle Bureau has relocated to Sumas, Wa. ...

Weyerhaeuser Co. is curtailing production for six months at one of two linerboard paper machines in Springfield, Or. ...

MacMillan Bloedel Ltd., Yancouver, British Columbia, plans to repurchase up to 11,190,390 of its common shares by Aug. 3L,1999, representin g tOVo of the public float...

Nortek, Inc. has acquired NuTone as an operating company within its Residential Building Products Group, which als6 includes Broan Mfg. Co., Venmar Ventilation, Broan Ltd., Rangaire

LE Aubrq Manufacturing, Jensen Industries and Best S.p.A.

Architectural Woods Inc,, Tacoma, Wa., is now distribu:ing Grid.core panels in Washington, AlaskaandHawaii...

L.S. Starett Co.'s Consamer Products Division was renamed t*e Hardware Division

Triangle Pacific Flooring, Dallas, Tx., has renamed its Bruce Floors division Bruce Laminate Floors ...

Macklanburg.Dancan has acquired Gibson-Homons' construction and floorcovering adhesive businesses; Gibson-Homans will continue to manufacture and sell caulks, driveway/roof coatings, and wallcovering adhesives/ pnmers ...

American Tbol Companies, Inc., filed suit accusing Wolftraft GmbH of patent infringement over its Suick-Gripbar clamp

Sovereign Specialty Chemicals, Inc. subsidiary OSI Sealants has acquired the PL Adhesives and Sealants brand from ChemRex Inc.; OSI also will markel urethane prgducts manufactured by ChemRex through consumer distribution channels...

Anniversary: Sunset Moulding Co.,Live Oak, Ca., 50th ... .t-C Trucking Co.,Long Beach, Ca., z0th...

New Web site: American Wood- P re s erve rs' As so c iation, www.awpa.com...

New construction activity climbed 17o in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $350.8 billion ... in California, total construction activity for the first half of 1998 was up lO.SVo to $19.8 billion

Housing starts in July (latest fiss.) climbed 5.7Vo to a seasonallf aijusted annual rate of 1.72 million, the highest rate in 11 years ... single-family construction increased 3Vo permits rose 4Vo to a 1.58 million annual rate starts were up 43Vo in-the Weet.