Tag / fresh coat

by Ted

Tips On How To Be Efficient When Improving Your House

It can be a lot of work doing home improvement projects. If you are new at it there are many things you should be thinking about before you start. No matter what type of home improvement project you have going on, this article will have some valuable information for you.

There are times when only one little improvement can increase the value of your home. If you want to sell your home, do a few small projects first. A bright and colorful coat of paint can add visual interest to any room or exterior. This is simple and can increase the value of your home.

Get at that drywall with a sponge! Skip the sanding and sponge drywall seams instead. Once you’re used to it, you can smooth out drywall seams with a damp sponge just as well as you could sanding. The advantage is that sponging doesn’t kick up all of the dust that sanding does.

TIP! Use a sponge to help install drywall. Rather than sanding drywall seams, you should use a sponge.

To save money, refinish dreary cabinets in lieu of replacing them. Add a fresh coat of paint to the cabinet bases, and replace the doors and the hardware for a whole new look. That will allow you to modernize the kitchen without paying too much.

Whenever your roof needs redoing, you should insert white tile. If not white, then ensure it is light colored. This deflects the sun and keeps heat outside in the summer. This will make your cooling and heating bills less expensive.

Redoing your floors with new tiles can be a great idea, but adding radiant heat tiles will bring a whole new level of comfort to your floors. Radiant heat tiles use electricity to heat the tiles and keep your feet warm. Fortunately, radiant heat tiles can be easily installed at home without hiring a professional. Its a good upgrade to your project regardless of whether or not you have a contractor. You’ll be glad you did this on that first winter morning you enter your bathroom.

TIP! If you are renovating tile floors, consider radiant heat tiles. These tiles give heat via the electricity and are stunning.

Turn off water if you are doing kitchen or bathroom home improvement projects. Make sure you know where the shut off valve is before working near the plumbing system. By doing this, you are making sure that you do not get a flood.

Sealant Strips

Look into solar panels for your home. While the upfront cost may be large, you may find it to be a wise investment in comparison to the rising costs of electricity. By doing this, you can significantly reduce your electricity bills due to the fact that the majority of your electricity will come straight from the sun. This is an excellent, green way to power your home.

TIP! The next time you think about home improvement, think about adding solar panels onto your house. While the upfront cost may be large, you may find it to be a wise investment in comparison to the rising costs of electricity.

You can use sealant strips or draft excluders to prevent heated or cooled air from seeping out around your doors. A draft excluder is placed under the door and will prevent hot air from escaping out while preventing cold air from coming in. Sealant strips provide a similar function when they are fitted tightly around a door’s frame. Sealant strips can be purchased at most hardware stores.

Ensure the space in your home can be looked at and pictured as that particular room. Family rooms, dens and any other rooms should have all the appropriate furniture. Potential buyers can more easily see themselves using the space. Homes that feature well defined spaces look better and sell faster.

One way to prevent bugs from coming into your house, and to save money on heating and cooling costs, is to seal any cracks or openings in your house. This can be done by applying caulk around windows and to baseboards. Once the caulk has set, it should be much more difficult for vermin and insects to enter and the area should no longer be drafty.

TIP! If your home has any cracks, seal them as quickly as possible in order to reduce your energy bill and avoid insect and vermin infestations. Simply apply caulk to baseboards, around and inside windows, and any other places.

Exhaust fans should be put in the laundry room, bathroom, and near cooking surfaces. Ventilation of moist air prevents the growth of mold indoors. Not only does it do that, it also doesn’t allow condensation to become trapped within walls and that keeps them from rotting.

Purchase a drain snake for your home in order to save money. This will save you some cash on drain cleaners and plumbers in the future. At first, you might need to have a pro show you the right way to use the snake; they aren’t for complete novices. Snakes come in different sizes, so it’s important to know your drain size and buy the right one. Otherwise you may damage your drain.

Before you perform any major repairs, run your plans by a professional. Often times a simple tip can save you both money and time. Choosing not to consult a professional can mean disaster.

TIP! A good home improvement tip is to get a professional opinion before you ever try to fix anything serious on your own. Sometimes, just that opinion can help you save money and time.

The first step in beginning work in your bathroom or kitchen is shutting off any water supply to the fixtures or plumbing. Sometimes homeowners forget about doing this and cause more problems for themselves.

Garage Door

When you are remodeling a room that has a lot of moisture, like a bathroom, consider replacing the wall board with a water-resistant version. These “green board” panels can absorb more water than regular ones, and will prevent mold from growing, both aspects of which are ideal for the area you are placing the panels in.

TIP! Be sure to use water resistant dry wall in areas that harbor moisture, such as the kitchen and bathroom. Water resistance is important to prevent dangerous molds from thriving within moist walls.

To enhance the curb appeal of your home, give your garage door a fresh coat of paint. This can be a quick way to update the look of your house. New paint instantly transforms the look of a home and increases it’s value. Paint your garage door a different color that will match your home.

One good home improvement project that pays dividends is finishing the basement. When you finish the basement, you are making extra space for your family. You can also get the material from a discount outlet. Actually finishing your basement can up the value of your home by 30 percent or more.

When thinking of replacing your cabinets, try using wood cabinets. They are strong and can withstand a lot of wear and tear. Common woods for cabinets are maple, oak, and cherry. They all accept wood stains, and therefore it is quite simple to adjust their color.

TIP! Have you thought about wood cabinets? Wood cabinets frequently wear better than cabinets with laminates or cabinets made from other materials, because surfaces can be maintained and repaired more easily. Some of the more common woods for cabinetry include maple, oak and cherry.

You don’t need to live in a mansion to own a chandelier. A sparkling chandelier is ideal for adding visual impact to your living area or formal dining area; many designs are available for only a few hundred dollars. Your total wattage should be between two hundred and four hundred for a sparkling bright chandelier.

If you want to try home improvement on your own, it could be a great experience. While some jobs are easy, there are those that are better left to the professionals. Simultaneously, you want the knowledge of how to accomplish things by yourself while meeting the needs of the experts you have hired to help you. It’s important to organize all aspects of your home improvement project in order to maximize its success. Be sure to implement the information found here, so that you get off on the right foot.

If your low ceilings have you and your family feeling claustrophobic, consider updating your window treatments to create an illusion of more space and add a pop of color that can be changed with the seasons. Your ceilings will seem taller if you put your window treatments higher.

TIP! You can make a room seem bigger by updating window treatments and changing your color scheme. Move curtain rods and accessories up to make ceilings seem higher.

by Ted

Home Improvement Tips To Assist You When You Need Help

You can boost your home’s value by doing home improvement projects. There are a few simple remodeling tips which can maximize your property’s value. Taking this advice will help you do these projects efficiently, and as such, getting the most value bang for your buck.

Save money on kitchen remodeling by refinishing your current cabinets instead of replacing them. Adding a fresh coat of paint and new hardware can quickly make them look new again. That will allow you to modernize the kitchen without paying too much.

Choose a white tile or any other light colored substance when re-doing your roof. Lighter colors reflect the sun more efficiently, lessening the build up of heat in your attic. You can save a substantial amount on your monthly heating and cooling bill.

TIP! One good way to save on high electric bills is to turn off your lights. For your porch light, invest in a light equipped with a motion sensor.

Use a porch light with motion sensors to illuminate your yard while saving costs on your electric bill. With the motion sensor on most models you can make adjustments to the sensitivity, and they can be manually turned on.

When you are going to be doing home improvements, make sure you do things that will be viable. Making strange changes to your home that do not take its setting into consideration can cause problems when you want to sell. Do what you want within the bounds of reason.

If your floor is squeaking, stop the annoyance with some construction adhesive. Go underneath your floor to apply the adhesive. You will basically be gluing each floor joist to its neighbor by applying a glue line along each one with a caulking gun.

TIP! Before you undertake any major home improvement project, it is in your best interest to create a well-laid plan. Once you have started, you will be able to focus on what you are doing, and not the details of design.

Add some insulation the next time you renovate your home. You can install weather-stripping on each of your windows and doors. When you minimize the air flow in and out of your home, you can run your environmental and temperature controls with far better efficiency. This will save you money on energy costs.

Two-liter bottles can provide excellent storage solutions in the kitchen. These bottles are clear and see-through and can protect virtually all your dry goods, including sugar and flour. You can put them in the freezer or even in the fridge. You just have to open them up when you need what is in them.

Create visually pleasing bookcases by using wallpaper. Make sure you pick a wallpaper that is visually striking as well as different. Apply the chosen wallpaper inside of the bookcase. This way, the design will be visible behind the books. You will get a design boost from this and create an additional interesting piece in your room.

TIP! An outdated luggage rack can add an interesting twist to a room if you turn it into a fun, new side table. Use some glass from a big frame and glue it to the rack to be used as a surface.

Instead of going it alone in the vast word of home improvement, hit up your relatives and friends for advice. If you do not do this in the beginning of you project, it may be hard to find help. You also might have problems finishing your work, which adds stress.

Hiring an expert? Get their list of references first! Consider this process as a business hiring an employee. You should have an idea what their background is and know if the work that they’ve performed elsewhere has been satisfactory.

Good soundproofing will help your home value. You might want to soundproof the entire home, but it might not be possible because of the way it is built, or because it is expensive. The important rooms to soundproof are bathrooms, bedrooms and equipment rooms. As long as you do not have an open floor plan, another great room to soundproof is the kitchen.

TIP! It is important to estimate the cost of your materials before you start any home improvement project. You can save money if you purchase your materials in bulk.

Mounting a coat rack can be a pretty way to display and store your bracelets and necklaces. Because this design element will likely be near a door, use only inexpensive jewelry. Your jewelry will bring class and style to your room and you will enjoy being able to quickly select what you want to wear. Keep a few pieces in an easy to access location.

Try to determine in advance the amount of paint you will need for any painting job. Taking measurements and estimating the cost of supplies is the best way to find out how much a job could cost to do. Proper measurement and planning must be made before painting.

If you have tons of repairs to be done before you move in, you should have the heavier repairs done first. Small jobs like renovating the bathroom, painting or finishing the basement can be done one by one when you move in.

TIP! For a peaceful feel in any room, choose analogous colors. These colors, such as yellow and green, are adjacent of each other on the color wheel.

When tackling renovations in your bathroom or kitchen, don’t forget to turn off the water to the room in which you are working before working on fixtures or plumbing. It seems obvious, but many homeowners make the mistake of forgetting this step and ending up with a major flood which requires further renovations.

Before winter, take steps that prevent your pipes from freezing in frigid temperatures. Insulating the lines is a good way to prevent the lines from freezing. Many stores carry weatherizing tape that you can easily apply yourself. This tape will keep your system from freezing, and you will not have to replace any burst lines.

Replacing the outlet covers in any room is an inexpensive and easy upgrade. Discoloration occurs as outlet covers age, and this can add a drain to the room’s freshness appeal. With new covers on the outlet you can add a fresh look to the walls.

TIP! Motion detector lights are a great improvement to make. Not only will you save some money, but you will also be able to add some extra security to the home.

Are you looking to make your home a little more classy without spending a lot of money? A terrific way to inexpensively add some elegance is a new door bell. When visitors come, they will notice right away that you’ve done something different.

If you want to renovate your home, deal with any electrical or plumbing issues in the home first. These projects often require you to work with wires or pipes inside your walls; finish these repairs before you tackle any other jobs. It’s easier to do plumbing and electrical repairs when you already have access to pipes and wires while doing renovations.

When hiring a contractor to do home improvement work in your home, you need to make sure that they are properly insured. If they damage your home and have no insurance, your only recourse may be to take them to court in order to obtain the repair money. You can avoid these problems just by asking for proof.

TIP! Start working on installing some cabinets in your kitchen by sketching a benchmark line that’s horizontal around the outside of the whole kitchen. Use this as a reference point so that you can measure properly.

Crown Molding

You will be astounded by the impact crown molding has on your walls. When faced with plain walls, you can create a new atmosphere by adding crown molding, both visually and in texture. It is not hard or expensive to install crown molding.

Planting a tree for tomorrow is a common phrase most people have heard. It’s also possible to increase your property values by planting a tree. It has been thought that just one tree that’s fully grown can make a property worth about 1.000 more dollars.

TIP! If your next home improvement project involves pipes or water, you must first cut the water supply before starting. Locate the water shutoff valves and ensure they are turned off before beginning any plumbing project.

Adopt flexibility as your home improvement mantra. Perhaps you want your home improvement project to be completed quickly; however, it’s important to understand that home improvement projects usually take much longer than you anticipated. Your budget may go over what you expected. Flexibility will help reduce stress, while saving you time and money.

Applying a fresh coat of paint can provide any room with quite an update at a reasonable price. Paint samples are available at the hardware store. Look for the ones you like and do it. You could always paint it if you don’t like the color.

Steel wool can be stuffed into a hole which is being used by mice to come into your house. Mice can chew through many other materials, including foam, fabric and wood. However, they are unable to chew through steel wool, making it especially effective for keeping mice and other pests out of your home until you can permanently repair the damaged area.

TIP! Hire an interior designer if you can afford it. They can help you get the most for your money to get the look you are after.

As you just read in the above article, with some simple tips, anyone can remodel their home and elevate its value in a cost-effective way. Whether you plan to stay there forever or eventually sell, you will find that the right home improvement projects will pay off.

by Ted

Every Home Improvement Question Answered Right Here

Home improvement will help you enjoy home ownership much more. Perhaps you have had some negative experiences with home improvement, or do not think you are skilled enough. This article is here to guide you and help you realize your true potential.

Before starting any home improvement project, take some time to figure out your goals. Including your own personal touch can make any project special.

If you can afford it, go with authentic wood flooring over laminate. Laminate looks like real wood but it cannot be refinished. 10 to 20 years down the road, yourself or a new owner will have to replace the floor instead of just having it refinished.

TIP! Painting is a simple project you can do. A house that is newly painted looks brand new, and does not require a lot of cash or time.

Think about putting a fresh coat of paint on your porch area. Make sure to use quality outdoor paint. Make sure the paint you choose has the same type of base as the previous paint; you should use oil over oil and latex over latex- or water-based paints. The unparalleled durability of oil-based paint makes it ideal for trim, but it’s inappropriate for decks or porches themselves (precipitation makes it slippery).

To save money, refinish dreary cabinets in lieu of replacing them. Adding a fresh coat of paint and new hardware can quickly make them look new again. Your kitchen will look modern and new, but you won’t have to spend a lot of money.

It’s easy to organize items in your garage using clear plastic totes. Just sort your items by type for quick and easy retrieval. Label these boxes and ensure they’re stackable. This will not only make your garage nice and tidy, but it will also keep pests out of your stuff.

TIP! When you start a home renovation, take great care when it comes to demolition. Check for structural integrity in the wall cavity before you remove something.

Drywall Mud

Texturing walls using drywall mud can add visual interest and cover up many blemishes. It is quite easy to do. Simply use a trowel to apply the drywall mud, and use a brush with stiff bristles, a sponge or a plastic bag that is wadded up to dab the drywall and texturize it.

Do not hire a contractor without checking their references first. Pretend like you’re hiring someone at your own business. Do your homework and check all of their references.

TIP! If you want to create a peaceful environment, pick out colors like blue, green, and purple in lighter shades. Get rid of fabrics that are dark-colored or have heavy texture; in place of them, use cottons and linens.

Which room do you want to work on first? You do not have to do everything at one time; in stead, do it room by room. If you make your plans in advance, you can incorporate significant bargains into the process. Plan ahead if you want to save money on home improvement.

Make sure you shop around to find good deals on anything you need for your home improvement project. For example, new flooring prices can greatly vary. There are bargain places and discount supply stores that will help.

Actually spend some time reading the bottle before purchasing drain cleaner. Not every cleaner is like the other, and some are very harsh. Avoid using crystallized drain cleaners as they can stick to your pipes and cause continuous damage. If you have a septic tank, you have to pick a drain cleaner approved for that use.

TIP! If you have an elderly parent living in your home, you need to plan home improvements and renovations with an eye to mobility, safety, and accessibility. One good example of this is a shower stall that can simply be stepped into or rolled into with a shower chair.

Ceramic tiles can begin to dull over time. Mix some water and vinegar to make a solution that will work for many floors. Fill a bucket with the solution and easily mop your floor. Dirt will be eliminated and your floors will once again shine.

When it comes time to purchase furnishings, shy away from living room pieces that have active patterns in the upholstery. If you choose a love seat with an elaborate floral print pattern, you just decided on your home decor in advance. Buy your furniture in solid tones such as green, brown, blue, black or beige and use your accessories to benefit your furniture. You can mix and match patterns with your throw blankets and pillows, while keeping the effect of the patterns at bay.

After you install new tile, make sure the grout gets sealed. Grout is not waterproof on its own, but porous instead. If it is left unsealed, moisture will seep in, causing problems with mildew and mold. It will also be prone to stains. Seal the grout properly to reduce mildew and stains.

TIP! Although your floor in the kitchen looks level, you should still use a leveling tool when putting up new cabinets. Find the highest point of the kitchen floor, and use that point to establish the height your new cabinets will be hung at.

Safety is paramount while you working on any projects around the home. Home improvement projects can be hazardous if you don’t take the proper precautions. You can turn to online tutorials, if need be, for further information.

Putting on a new roof is often among a homeowner’s most significant expenses. Talk to at least three different roofers to secure estimates — and call their references. There are lots of different options when it comes to new roofs. A good contractor that does roofing will assist you in deciding what to get.

When you are remodeling in the bathroom, you should have good lights. Individuals mostly focus on the fixtures when doing bathroom remodeling and forget about how important lighting is. Find lights that you can add around your mirror or medicine cabinet, and add ceiling lights that can easily be replaced should the bulb die out.

TIP! Putting in a new fence can be a good home improvement project. A fence can keep your family and pets safely away from stray animals.

Creatively display your bracelets and necklaces using a mounted coat racks. It is important to keep your valuable jewelry out of sight and only hang jewelry on the rack that is not of the highest value. If you display your jewelry nicely, it keeps things organized and looks pretty too. Choose your most worn pieces and store them within easy reach.

A beautifully crafted entrance door can potentially increase a home’s value up to 10 percent. Even if you can’t replace the whole door, a coat of paint and a new doorknob can give your old door a new look.

One way to create a peaceful environment in your home is to employ an analogous color-scheme. Analogous color schemes are right next to one another in the color wheel, a good example is red and orange, violet and blue, or green and yellow. Any area using such color schemes are more tranquil in appearance and mood, making them perfect for the bedroom or family den.

TIP! Any plumbing and wiring issues should be addressed first when doing any home improvement projects. Plumbing and electrical repairs often require inner wall access, so plan these repairs first before you paint walls or do renovations.

Improvement Project

You should remember to not be fearful of new things and to tackle it one piece of the home improvement project at a time. If someone else has successfully completed the project, it’s probably not that hard. By following the tips from this article, your home improvement project will no doubt go off without a hitch.

Hot water heaters should be drained twice a year. A hot water heater that is regularly maintained lasts longer and is more efficient. Don’t let it scare you. You only need to find the drain valve, then attach a hose meant for draining it. After the hose is attached, turn the valve.

TIP! Add ceiling fan fixtures to your space. A ceiling fan installation is a cheap, straightforward project that practically any homeowner can handle.

by Ted

Removing Old Carpeting And Installing A Laminate Floor

Regardless of your level of experience, home repairs can make your life better. Your home often reflects you as a person. The tips that follow will help you realize your home improvement goals.

Build an original additional to your home for some class or sophistication. Consider installing built-in shelving in your library or a wine cellar inside your basement. These kinds of exceptional additions will improve your home’s resale value and also really impress guests whenever you invite company over.

Before you buy your home, have a licensed professional do a thorough home inspection. Home inspectors inspect the home for repairs that are necessary. A professional can give you unique insights and suggestions and can provide amicable solutions.

TIP! Get motivated by making improvements you love. Include a little bit of your own personality in every project.

What kind of character does your neighborhood have? A Victorian home on a block of saltbox cottages is going to stand out like a sore thumb. A home that blends into the neighborhood will be easier to sell if you should decide to move.

Toilet Bowl

Bleach is a great tool for cleaning toilets. The smell may be bad, but germs will be eliminated and the toilets will stay clean. Use some scented bleach if you need to mask the smell.

TIP! Do want new kitchen appliances? Update your appliances with black, white or metal colored appliance paint. Appliance paint can be purchased for very little money and can change the color of the appliance quickly.

Pouring bleach on the inside of the toilet bowl can help keep it sparkling clean. The bleach small may be strong for a short period, but it will kill germs and make the toilet bowl shine. Reduce the unpleasant odor by selecting a scented bleach.

Remember to take safety precautions when you are working on home improvement projects. There is always risk present, so you need to know the proper use of your power tools, and you always should ask for help if needed. A quick search of the Internet will provide you with how-to videos to make your project a little easier.

Whenever you will be staining or painting something that is wooden, smooth the surface with sandpaper and use a damp rag to wipe the residue off. This process will make the wood look smooth and attractive. Wiping off the object afterwards will keep it smooth and get rid of dust.

TIP! If you’re planning to use conventional wood in heating you house, understand that this might not be a good thing to do. Apart from reasons related to aesthetics, this system could be inefficient due to the heat having to go through the chimney.

It is common for gutters, eaves and chimneys to be neglected when home improvement tasks are planned. The safety of your home depends on the proper cleaning and repair of these essential items. Water damage from clogged gutters can be avoided by regular cleaning. Chimneys need a yearly inspection and sweeping to prevent disastrous chimney fires.

Plan your next home improvement project. It is impossible to be cost and time efficient on home improvement projects without adequate planning, and disaster will probably be the result. So, make a detailed plan and you will save yourself a lot of hardship during the project.

Add new knobs for your cabinets and drawer pulls in your kitchen for a great new look. Installing cabinet knobs is easy and can really add a great look to a kitchen that is getting outdated. Before installing the new knobs, thoroughly clean your cabinets. Put the new knobs on the cabinetry and you are done!

TIP! Consider “age-in-place” improvements you can make. Age-in-place is a design philosophy which considers the homeowner’s age over the amount of time they own the home.

Be sure and include landscaping in your home improvement plans. Landscaping on your home’s front lawn is often the first impression people get when coming to your home. Plus, you can really impress your neighbors by having the neatest lawn on the block. Ensure your grass is cut and clean, and think about planting shrubbery and some other flowers to make it look great.

It’s unfortunate, but it’s normal for chair caning to start sagging after a while. Caning can be repaired to the original form using a certain trick. Wet the bottom of the caning, using a sponge. Make sure to use warm water. Let the caning dry overnight. Continue doing this until your caning is back to normal.

Consider buying extra pieces when working on a project involving brick. When you have to do additions to early brick work, you may not be able to find bricks that are new that match the original ones. As with any style, brick styles rarely stay the same for long. To avoid problems with brick-matching in the future, create a store of extra original blocks, so you have replacments when needed.

TIP! If you have a leak in the roof, fix it right away. If you ignore it, mayhem could ensue.

Solar lights are cost effective, but do not give off adequate light. If you want lights that highlight a walkway, consider electric models. Although the equipment is more expensive and the installation is more complex, these lights are far more reliable and durable than their solar cousins.

When your house is for sale, you should weigh the positives and negatives of owning a security alarm. An alarm system should most likely be in place if the neighborhood crime rate is high or if the house in uninhabited.

Using analogous colors in a peaceful spot in your home is a good idea. Analogous colors are those that are next to one another on the color wheel. A room with this type of color scheme is relaxing; therefore, it is best suited in a bedroom.

TIP! Putting up paneling on your walls is a fun way to give your home a quick makeover. Paneling can be relatively inexpensive and adds a new look to your home.

Investing in some extra insulation for your house can often be a savvy long erm money-saving measure. Older homes especially are way under insulated. Adding more to your crawl space or attic is going to lower utility bills and help you save money for years to come.

Fresh Coat

Use a decorative painting technique to create a dramatic effect within a room. The supplies you need are very inexpensive and you can use many different techniques to create the effect you want. Try ragging or fresco: these techniques are easy and the results incredible.

TIP! Building and installing a home bar in the basement is a fun and worthwhile project. If you design the bar yourself you will love seeing it take shape right before your eyes.

If you are interested in improving your home, one of the best places to start is with a fresh coat of exterior paint. Few things have the impact and appeal of a glossy coat of exterior paint. The effect of a fresh coat of paint in an exciting new shade simply cannot be underestimated.

You will feel better about yourself once you fix your home up. No one likes residing in a place that needs repairs on a grand scale. Thankfully, this article has pointed you in the right direction.

A good alternative to wood, aluminum or vinyl siding is durable stucco. Stucco, while easy to install, may need professional help to put in the forms, but once up it will last a long time.

TIP! If you are replacing your home’s siding with stucco, you need to take costs into consideration. It’s an attractive, durable improvement, but just be ready for the labor and for the price tag.