The book opens with basics of ceramic and stone tile that walks the reader through the process of picking the right tile for their home, the kinds of tools they will need to complete various projects and how to prepare for a new tile installation. We appreciated this section since it does go into more information on the many different types of tile as well as their suggested uses. If you've always wanted a certain kind of tile, you may find that it's really not meant for that purpose, so this is a great place to start before you end up spending too much money on tile selection.

This section provides an absolutely exhaustive list of the tools you'll need and what purpose they serve. This is perfect for beginners who may not know exactly what they will need to get each type of job done. It also serves as a handy shopping list. Even the most complex tools are completely explained so that anyone can pick one up and begin using it properly.

The section on removing old flooring or countertops is very useful and contains some tips that will make the job go a lot faster. This is perfect for those who are not used to ripping out old tile and contains some safety tips that will make it a lot less dangerous for those who are new. In keeping with the times, this last section also includes a how-to on installing a floor warming system. This is not only energy efficient, but can greatly add to the value of your home. While you've got your old floor ripped out, you may as well take advantage of this new method of heating.

Moving on to the projects section, there are plenty of tasks here that will probably have you itching to redo something, anything in your home. They are all broken down so that anyone can follow them and get great results. You'll get how-to's on proper planning, and a material's list that makes it even easier to make sure you have everything you need before you get started.

While it includes plenty of flooring and countertop how-to's, we appreciated the projects on backsplashes, shower bases and the more extensive forms of flooring that include intricate designs. Everything is laid out logically and it very easy to follow.
Overall, this is an incredibly helpful book that more than deserves a place in your bookshelf. If you've got a tile project coming up, it's definitely a must-have. Even if you don't, after you read the book, you'll undoubtedly want to start one.

Originally posted 2008-11-21 05:14:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• Review of Ty's Tricks by Ty Pennington Since tomorrow is July 4th, I've decided to take it off. There will be no blog post tomorrow which is why the book review is today instead of Friday. Have a great weekend everyone! If you're into do it yourself television, you've undoubtedly heard of Ty Pennington. He's been on......
• Solar Power Your Home For Dummies By Rik DeGunther As energy prices keep going up, many homeowners are starting to investigate cheaper alternative energies that can be easily installed, and run on a daily basis. Whether you’re trying to cut costs, or you just want to go green, solar power is often the first choice of many homeowners. The......
• If I Had a Hammer: More Than 100 Easy Fixes and Weekend Projects by Andrea Ridout Andrea Ridout is a very well known expert on home repair who instructs millions on her radio show, Ask Andrea. She’s now distilled all of that wonderful knowledge into a home repair book that literally covers everything you could ever do to your house on your own, from A to......
• A Beginner’s Guide to Home Inspections If you are considering buying an older property to renovate or repair, it is very important to make sure that you get an inspection done on the home before you complete the deal. Every year, homeowners end up with homes that are beyond repair, simply because they did not take......
• Review of the Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair Black and Decker are known for the terrific DIY guides and this title is no exception. As the name suggests, you’re getting step by step photo instructions that make it easy for anyone to fix up their own home without having to be a professional handy person. You’ll get......

• Rotary Tools Power Tools Tools Home Improvement
• Stone Lighted Plaques & Signs Garden Décor Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
• Home Composting Garden Tools & Equipment Gardening & Plants Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
• Antique Engines, Multi-Purpose Outdoor Power Equipment Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
• Pry Bars Hand Tools Tools Home Improvement

1. Revamp the appearance of the kitchen.

Despite the prevalence of the fast food and restaurant culture, the kitchen is still the life center of the home. Home buyers will head straight for the kitchen when they check out a house, and small, visual improvements here will go far in your renovations. For around a couple hundred dollars, the hardware in the kitchen; cabinet handles, lighting, faucets; can all be replaced with newer, more modern looking pieces. Lighting can also get replaced with more energy efficient fixtures to make things more environmentally friendly.

2. Improve the appearance of your appliances.

Appliances which appear to be part of a matching set look more high class and vastly improves the value of the kitchen. Ordering new face plates for the kitchen appliance set can go a long way. It may even surprise you with a couple of free fixes. Items like dishwashers, with a sheet panel exterior, may have the alternate color on the back side.

3. Attack the bathroom.

This is the room which should get the revamp after the kitchen. The bathroom can be improved along the same lines as the kitchen. Buying a new toilet seat, a pedestal sink, new hardware, all of these are simple tasks for the home owner. The floor can get a renewal with new vinyl tiles that are simple to install, even without removing the old floor. The tub can also get a similar revamp, saving the cost of installing new tiling or refinishing the tub.

4. Create new storage spaces.

Adding new fixtures such as wire or wooden closet systems are easy to install yourself and expand the storage available in the home. A lack of storage space can be a deal breaker for home buyers. There are many brands of closet organizers that will greatly improve the space available to you in your closet.

5. Turn a room into a bedroom.

If you have a room like a den, then by adding what is needed such as closet space, then you can turn the room into a bedroom, greatly increasing the value of the home while requiring little work.

6. Give the mechanics their run of the place.

It can help to hire a handyman or two, such as plumbers or electricians, to fine tune the systems in your home. Fixing little things all around the home can add up really quickly and make the home more polished.

7. Clean the carpet.

The carpeting all throughout the home is always in sight, and giving it a thorough cleaning will give the home a drastically improved appearance. Little spots of wear, like at the entrances or the foot of the stairs, can get covered by small area rugs. If need be, then replacing the carpet should be considered.

These are a few ideas for increasing the value of your home.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2008-12-25 05:35:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• Cheap Kitchen Makeovers If your kitchen is looking a little worse for the wear, but a huge renovation isn't in your budget, it's time to do a makeover. You can set whatever budget you'd like, but most of these tips can be achieved for less than a total of $1000, even if you......
• How to Get a Higher Appraisal For Your Home If you’re trying to sell your home in today’s market, you may be faced with a lowball appraisal that could threaten a loan. Even the nicest houses are being downgraded, and if your area has had a lot of foreclosures, getting a good appraisal may be next to impossible. However,......
• 4 Easy Little Touches Anyone Can Do To Their Home When it comes to home renovation, many people are under the impression that it means big projects that are costly. Actually, there are many different small and inexpensive projects that can be done that will not only make your house look great, but also increase its value. Most of these......
• The Easiest Home Improvement Projects Some home improvement projects are simply easier than others, but they all make a powerful impact when it comes to increasing the value of your home. Whether you are increasing the monetary value of your home to sell it, or the aesthetic value for the sake of your own family,......
• Easy Home Improvement Projects Fixing up your very own home with some easy home improvement projects can be enjoyable as well as profitable, even when you are only making a few easy home improvement changes in your space. There are several different touches that you can implement to your bathroom or your kitchen in......

• Russian, Soviet Programs Space Programs Historical Memorabilia Collectibles
• Egg Knobs Doors & Door Hardware Building & Hardware Home Improvement
• Cookware Kitchen, Dining & Bar Home Store
• Glassware Kitchen, Dining & Bar Home Store
• Bronze Knobs Cabinets & Cabinet Hardware Building & Hardware Home Improvement

1. Replace all your hardware.

Most of us are dealing with the stock knobs and drawer pulls that came with our homes. Depending on how old your house is, this probably means they are pretty dated. A simple change of some hardware can make your whole kitchen feel like it's brand new and it will look much more current. Look for brushed nickel finishes for an edgy look, or go with black iron for a more traditional and country approach.

The sky is really the limit with today's hardware and you'll have a lot of options. If you can't decide which one works for you, get one of each of the styles you like (keep the receipt) and try them out live in your own kitchen. Return the ones you don't like and get the rest of the hardware to complete your kitchen.

2. Replace aging fixtures and/or sinks.

Again, we're dealing with something that came stock with your home and since our faucets get so much wear, it's probably past time to get it replaced. There are so many new options out there that it may be a little overwhelming.

Try to stick with a finish that matches your new hardware, or have some fun with some copper fixtures. Just remember to buy the fixtures that will fit your existing sink, unless you are planning on replacing that too. A new sink is cheaper than you might think and this can really change up the whole kitchen. Look for one that solves your existing problems (not enough room, too shallow, etc...) while still fitting in your existing cabinet.

3. Put in a new floor.

With today's new laminate flooring or peel and stick tiles, it is a lot easier and more economical to get an entirely new kitchen floor. Stay away from dated floral and marble prints and feel free to get a little edgier with your design. A dark floor gives a kitchen a very dramatic look, but if your kitchen is on the small side, look for a light colored material.

Since the goal is a cheap makeover, we really recommend going with a flooring that is easy to install on your own. For example, laminate flooring can just click together over your existing floor and doesn't require a lot of labor or know-how to get the job done. If you've got the skills and the budget, we really recommend ceramic tiles for a modern and fresh look.

These are just three simple ideas that can dramatically change your kitchen in just a few hours. See what you can come up with and then get that makeover started!

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2008-12-08 21:29:19. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• DIY Home Flooring Repairs Methods by which floors are repaired depend entirely on the type of floor you currently have. Factors like the type of floor, and damage severity are important points to consider for repairs. Repairing Ceramic Tile Nothing ruins a kitchen or bathroom floor like a chipped or cracked tile. Luckily, ceramic......
• Establishing Remodel Cost: Home Remodeling Critical First Step Nothing ruins a fantastic remodel more quickly than exceeding the project budget.  Why is this phenomenon so common in residential remodeling?  Simple:  Many homeowners struggle to establish a detailed budget at the appropriate time in the course of the project. Why is establishing remodel cost one of your most important......
• Fixing Warped Floors Warped flooring is a major problem for many homeowners. First, it is typically caused by water damage, and can be indicative of a major leak, but it can also be caused by excessive wear, poor original materials or even chance. Warped floors are a bit of a hazard around the......
• How to Lay A Tile Floor There is nothing quite like a tile floor. They look nice, they're pretty easy to maintain and they are reasonably easy to install. You need only a basic amount of do it yourself experience to lay your own floor and it can give you a great feeling of accomplishment when......
• Refinish Hardwood Floors One way to get the most out of your home is to refinish hardwood floors, restoring them to a much finer look and design. If you bought your floors in a prefabricated style and had them installed by someone else, then you probably do not realize how much more you......

• Stock Certificates, Bonds Paper Railroadiana, Trains Transportation Collectibles
• Floor Toms Drums
• 12" Drawer Glides & Slides Cabinets & Cabinet Hardware Building & Hardware Home Improvement
• Ceramic Tiles & Mosaics Wall Décor Home Décor & Accents Home Store
• Cheap Sailboats Boats

What kind of refinish?

Pre-fabricated hardwood floor planks are usually pre-treated for protection against certain things, such as insect damage and moisture. They are given a thick coat of varnish that allows them to keep their luster, which is what gives your hardwood flooring its unique finish. You can maintain this elegant and spotless look of your floor by waxing on a regular basis, and minimizing friction on the floor as much as possible.

When moving furniture, you should use rags to keep friction down, and you should never mop across your hardwood floors. Still, even with a great amount of care, the color of your hardwood flooring can fade, and you can also experience dents and scratches over time that will ruin the beautiful glossy surface of the wood over a period of time. If the problem is kept to a minimum, such as a few stains or faded spot, or a scratch or dent or two, then you can simply deal with it by adding another layer of the finish to your floor, as simply as that. You can refinish hardwood floors at all once, or just refinish some areas as needed, depending on what damage has been done.

Refinishing hardwood floors can be a little expensive to contend with, so it is important that you be a little bit practical, making sure that you absolutely need to do it before you tackle this extensive project. What you can try, which comes highly recommended, is to conduct a simple test to figure out if the original floor finish is still working its magic in terms of protection. You can do this by pouring a tablespoon of water on the floor. What happens to the water? If the drops of water bead up and you can easily wipe them up, then the finish is still doing what it was intended to do. On the other hand, if the water does not bead up, the test has failed and you should refinish that spot.

If you do not believe that you will have time to spot refinish your hardwood floors for a while, then it would be safer to refinish the entire floor rather than just the spots that need it. You can't necessarily over-refinish a hardwood floor, but you can certainly under-refinish one, which could cause serious damage to your flooring over time.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2009-01-08 05:48:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• 10 Ideas for DIY Home Improvement There are a lot of different DIY home improvement projects that you can take advantage of in order to change up the look and feel of your home quickly, easily and effectively. Why pay an arm and a leg for contractors and professionals when you can make grand changes to......
• How to Revitalize Your Woodwork Few people know that proper care of woodwork requires much more than an occasional dusting. Your woodwork was once made up of a living thing, and without the proper care, it's going to look quite dead. However, it is possible to revitalize your wood and keep it strong and healthy......
• Taking Care of Stained Wooden Floors Whether you live in an old house that has original wooden floors, or if you have a pet problem with staining, taking care of stained wooden floors doesn’t have to be difficult. Before you think about replacing expensive wooden floors, there are a few options that you can try that......
• Fixing a Toilet Leak Caused by a Worn Wax Ring A toilet leak can very quickly get out of hand if it isn’t taken care of. You’ll be facing pools of water that can damage the bathroom floor and even seep through to damage the ceiling of the room below. Then you’ll have to add the costs of those repairs......
• What Type of Heat System Right for You? Even though winter is the farthest thing from many minds right now, this is the perfect time to start thinking about your heating options. As heating oil and propane costs skyrocket, many homeowners are starting to think about different ways that they can save money on their heating costs. Here......

• Water Plants Ponds Water Features Garden Decor Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
• Wood Lamps Home Lighting
• Wood Austin Healey Hybrid Cars & Trucks
• Wood Thimbles Sewing Collectibles
• Indoor Motion Floor Path Lighting Outdoor Lighting Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery

First, it’s important to determine whether or not you’ll be staying in your home or selling it, before you think about switching the flooring. This will have a lot of bearing on your choices. If you like wood – perfect – you’ll be able to use it whether or not you want to sell your home. However, if you plan to stay, it’s important to focus on what you really like, not so much what is current.

As we mentioned previously, buyers today are looking for clean wood floors in medium shades that aren’t visually offensive. Patterned wood or parquet is usually frowned upon, unless it is in an entry. Dark floors are dramatic when paired with ultra white walls, but this can really close in a room. By far, if you’re going to pick wood floors, go with a light or medium finish that brightens up the room.

Another flooring that has become more popular, especially in warm climates, is the use of ceramic tile. This is however very expensive and may not be long wearing. If you’ve got a lot of kids, or are particularly hard on floors, we don’t recommend ceramic tile, simply because it can easily crack. An extreme version of the sleek look is a poured concrete floor, but this is expensive and harder to maintain.

If you’re thinking about adding carpet, you will have a lot of options. Plush carpet is definitely a thing of the past and since it is so hard to maintain, this is a good thing. Plush carpet wears easily and your rooms end up looking like they have trails blazed through them thanks to foot traffic. If you’re going to install new carpet, go for neutral colors that are stain resistant. Dark colors are dramatic when it comes to wood flooring, but with carpet, it’s definitely overbearing and not a good thing.

Berber carpet wears the best and is easier to maintain but may be a little harsh if you’ve got kids that will be crawling (and falling) on it. Look for a softer material that is still long lasting and stain resistant but not so hard to the touch.

By far, the best compromise when it comes to flooring is to go with wood, and dress it up with some very nice rugs. This gives you the best of both worlds and you’ll have a lot more options. You can still get the benefit of carpet, while staying very current and yet timeless with your home. At the end of the day, your choices are up to you, but if you need to update your home, the above tips will keep you right on the edge of what’s hot.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2008-11-26 06:34:06. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• How to Invigorate Your Grout Tile floors can be gorgeous and they are great in climates where it gets a little hot. However, the one main downside of tile floors is that the grout can get pretty yucky after a few years. No amount of scrubbing can return it to its previously pristine state and......
• How to Fix Kitchen Cabinets In the kitchen, one of the biggest points for decor in the kitchen are the kitchen cabinets. The cabinets in a home are meant to last for the life of your home. However, there are things that are unexpected which can cause damage to your cabinets, their doors, hinges, drawer......
• How to Remove Old Carpeting Whether you are ready to replace an old, stained carpet, or you want to completely redo your flooring, it is vital to make sure that you know how to properly remove carpet. By using the right techniques, you’ll be assured of saving not only time, but your floors will go......
• How to Revitalize Your Woodwork Few people know that proper care of woodwork requires much more than an occasional dusting. Your woodwork was once made up of a living thing, and without the proper care, it's going to look quite dead. However, it is possible to revitalize your wood and keep it strong and healthy......
• Refinish Hardwood Floors One way to get the most out of your home is to refinish hardwood floors, restoring them to a much finer look and design. If you bought your floors in a prefabricated style and had them installed by someone else, then you probably do not realize how much more you......

• Wood Austin Healey Hybrid Cars & Trucks
• How To For Kids Books & Video Fishing
• 187 Pro Medium Knee Pads, Seats & Cushions Garden Tools & Equipment Gardening & Plants Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
• Wood Skimboards Surfing Surf Store
• Kids Inline Skates Skate Shop