Complete Surfaces and Finishes Directory: Paint, Plaster, Wallpaper, Tile, Wood, Metal, Glass

Not quite a directory and far from complete, The Complete Surfaces and Finishes Directory might still be useful as an idea book for readers who are just beginning to think about tackling a home-redecorating project.

Finger-tabbed sections on paints, paint finishes, plaster and concrete, wall coverings, tile, wood, and glass and metal, each about 20 pages long, provide the basic information you need to start planning: Will you have to use an undercoat with satinwood paint? What's involved in polishing or waxing a plaster wall? What are the advantages and disadvantages of laminated wood flooring? Can you effectively integrate a trendy rubber or industrial-metal floor into your kitchen design? As a general reference, the book answers these questions adequately; if you're looking for more detailed advice on how to use, say, glass blocks or antique tiles, check out one of the many books dealing with the specific project you have in mind.

At the end of each section are two sample projects. Some are simple, like painting vertical stripes on the wall (using a plumb line); some are more complicated, like laying a patterned border in a tile floor, but the directions for all of them are straightforward, and the final results are tasteful and attractive. --Liana Fredley