ud83dudcda Living Room Renovation Series u2014 13 of 20
u2190 Living Room Renovation Vol.12: Wallpaper Installation u00b7 Series Index u00b7 Living Room Renovation Vol.14: Door Adjustment Pt.2 u2192
u270fufe0f Originally published: December 18, 2016 / ud83dudd04 Updated: May 8, 2026
2026 Note from DIY Dad: Looking Back on the Living Room Finishing Work
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Cordless Drill & Driver Kit
The single most-used tool across 15 years of rental property repairs.
The living room renovation was entering its finishing phase: ceiling reinforcement, patching, wallpaper installation, and door adjustment. By this point, you can almost see the finish line u2014 and the excitement builds. ud83dude0a
Ceiling Reinforcement for the Ceiling Fan
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Complete Home Repair Tool Set
A complete kit beats buying individual tools every time u2014 cheaper and always ready.
If you plan to install a ceiling fan light in your living room, ceiling reinforcement is essential. Mounting it directly to a gypsum board ceiling carries a real fall risk from vibration over time.
DIY Dad’s Reinforcement Method
- Locate the ceiling joists (furring strips) at the installation point
- Insert a cross-member (12mm plywood or 2×4 lumber) horizontally between the joists
- Screw the cross-member securely to the joists
- Anchor the ceiling fan’s mounting bolts firmly into the cross-member
Coarse-thread wood screws are the best fastener for the reinforcement u2014 they grip lumber far better than fine-thread screws.
Door Adjustment u2014 An Essential Step After Any Renovation
Replacing wallpaper can cause subtle dimensional changes in floors, walls, and ceilings. Doors may start sticking or develop gaps they didn’t have before.
The fix is to loosen the hinge screws and shift the door’s position. It sounds tedious at first, but once you get the feel for it, a full adjustment takes about five minutes. DIY Dad can now spot a slightly misaligned door and fix it on the spot.
As a Landlord: Living Rooms Are Chosen for Atmosphere, Not Square Footage
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Adhesives & Sealants
Keep a stock of these u2014 you’ll use them on every single repair job.
After 15 years as a landlord, I can say with confidence that the first impression u2014 bright, clean, inviting u2014 matters far more than the room’s actual size when it comes to signing a lease.
For wall color, a warm white to ivory tone is the safe, timeless choice. Patterned or boldly colored wallpaper divides opinion, so I avoid it on the main living room walls.
Hello u2014 It’s DIY Dad! ud83dudc4b
This is a continuation of the 1F living room renovation series. Following the wallpaper installation, it’s time to address the dragging entry door. Classic door adjustment work. Tools and materials used: a disc grinder and a screwdriver.
The living room entry door appears to be tilted.
u2191 The door. It scrapes the floor and makes a rough rasping sound. You can lift it while pushing to get it open, but left on its own it catches partway through and won’t open or close properly. And the dragging has already scratched the floor. ud83dude15
How the door could have sagged far enough to scratch the floor without anyone doing something about it is beyond me.
u2191 Arc-shaped scratches. Hard to see in this shot.
u2191 Closer.
u2191 One more shot.
I’d like to repair these scratches, but the affected area is simply too large. There’s a chalk-based touch-up method for small areas u2014 but even that rarely gives a truly clean result, and the older floor surface makes color-matching nearly impossible.
The floor is still perfectly usable, so for now I’m going to live with the scratches. If they bother me badly enough later, I’ll think about it then. That’s all for today u2014 see you next time! ud83dudc4b
ud83dudcda Living Room Renovation Series u2014 13 of 20
u2190 Living Room Renovation Vol.12: Wallpaper Installation u00b7 Series Index u00b7 Living Room Renovation Vol.14: Door Adjustment Pt.2 u2192
DIY Renovation Quote Review Manual
How to read, compare, and negotiate contractor quotes. This manual saved me u00a5800,000 on a single renovation project.
ud83cudfe0 More from DIY Father
15 years of landlord experience u00b7 3 apartment buildings u00b7 DIY renovations that saved millions of yen. Browse all articles at diytosan.com
