Abrasives and abrasive tools, such as waterstones, knives, industrial diamond stones and cutting tools are available to help with your projects. Specialty sandpapers now come in nearly any size and type to suit a variety of needs.

Sanding can be tedious, especially for curved objects. Use foam sanding pads for an easier job. Check out these sources.

Sandpaper types can be confusing. Which type should you use for what? This sandpaper comparison table will help.

Buy the best acrylic latex paint and primer. Be sure it is 100% acrylic latex -- not all paints labeled acrylic latex are 100%. The "real" house paint of quality will cost more. Check these manufacturers and wait for sales if needed.

Painting your home requires prep work. Proper cleaning, caulking and scraping are key to a superior paint job that will last for years. Here are some time saving tips to properly prep your house for painting.

Paint the exterior of your home with urethane paint and you won't worry about painting again for many years. Be sure you properly prep your house before applying any paints.

Paint of urethane will stick to your house and hang on for years. Other paints will pale in comparison to urethane house paint. Urethane paint is my choice for all 'round performance!

Your paint should be 100% acrylic latex paint matched with a compatible primer if you want superior results. Beware of house paint that is labeled acrylic -- it may have very little. These manufacturers produce the "real" paints.

Washable paint is a blessing for interior paint maintenance. Buy ceramic paint, now in a water base wall paint. This interior wall paint is very easy to keep clean. Washable wall paint is, however, not always easy to find. Check some manufacturers here.

Faux finish tips in this column will make your walls look superb. Practice is important to get glazing techniques down right.