November 13th, 2008 — Aesthetics, Countertops, Design, Handy Man, Kitchen, Tile, marble
When it comes to renovating your kitchen, there are so many new options when it comes to counter tops that it can be a little intimidating to pick one. We’re going to cover some of the most popular counter top surfaces to help make that decision a lot easier. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it should give you a jumping off point. We’ll cover what makes that surface worthwhile as well as some downsides that could mean a deal breaker.
Tile -
This is an old standby when it comes to a countertop surface, but it is still quite popular. You’ll be able to match just about any décor and they’re very easy to install. On the plus side, tiles are usually quite economical, unless you’re getting them specially made or designed. You can make your own mosaics and get crazy with colors or you can keep it simple. The overall finished look is completely determined by you, so this is a great surface if you really want a custom feel to your kitchen.
The main downside of tile is that there are some health risks involved if you don’t keep it clean enough. Tile caulk or grout can catch food debris and bacteria and they are unfortunately pretty good breeding grounds for diseases. If you do pick tile, make sure that you thoroughly clean not only the tiles, but the grout or caulk in between them. Tile can also crack if you place something heavy or hot on it, so you will need to use extra care with it.
Marble -
This is such a stunning surface and it can add a touch of class to any kitchen. It’s moderately expensive, but you’ll have a lot of choices when it comes to picking the color scheme and even the design of the marble. These counters are incredibly durable and usually quite scratch resistant. If you do a lot of food prep, this is a very nice material to work on.
The main downside of marble is that it will require some special cleaners to keep it looking nice. These should be used in addition to your regular cleaners. This adds a second step to the whole process and if you’re very busy, it can be a bit of a drag. Marble can crack if you place something that is too heavy on it, but overall it is pretty durable if you take the right precautions.
Poured Counters -
This is a relatively new surface that has caught on quickly. By far it is the most durable surface and it’s easy to clean. You’ll be able to have it poured in any design, so it’s perfect for odd shaped kitchens or high design ideas. It takes a lot of effort to damage a poured counter and overall, even though they are the most expensive, they are the easiest to keep up.
Every once in awhile, they do crack and this usually means replacing the entire surface since it is one large piece. Unlike tiles where you can fix the one trouble spot, you’ll have to have the entire surface repaired, which is costly and time consuming.
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November 12th, 2008 — Flooring, Handy Man, Tile
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 you’re done. You will need a few tools and materials to get started. They include:
- caulk
- floor cement
- lathe
- scraper
- the tiles
- a wetsaw or tile snipper
- some gloves
We also recommend knee pads since you will be spending a lot of time kneeling on the floor and since tiles are hard, this can get pretty painful after awhile.
You’ll need to decide whether to rip out your old floor or put your tile above it. We recommend completely removing the old floor for the best results. If it is an old tile floor, you’ll need to spend some time chipping and chiseling away. For carpet, pull up the carpet and pad, to reveal the subfloor underneath. Sweep up any debris and sand down any rough spots. For floors with linoleum or peel and paste tiles, you’ll need to rip all of these up. It’s actually more work to remove the old flooring than it is to lay the new one, so don’t worry, it gets easier from here.
Once you’ve got the floor bare and prepared (ie: sanded, scrubbed and swept) you’re ready to start. Remember, you don’t want to cement yourself in a corner. Don’t get too carried away - just take it one row at a time. By taking your time and laying each tile carefully, you’ll be a lot happier with the results. Measure off each row and determine how many tiles you’ll be using. This will change since there will be some space in between, so don’t cut any tiles to fit just yet.
Mix your cement and spread it on the subfloor for the first row. Take your first tile and carefully place it into the cement. Press down firmly and move to the next tile. You should leave a little room in between each, but no more than ½ an inch. Put this tile down and continue until you reach the end of row. Ideally, it will be a perfect fit, but this rarely happens. Measure off the space and then either cut the tile in the wetsaw or use your snipper. Place this piece in and move to the next row.
Keep going until you have the whole room finished. If you’re going around curves or fixtures, you may want to get a template to make cutting the tile easier. Plan this out ahead of time so you don’t end up with any surprises. The amount of time it takes for the tile to set will depend on your cement. Make sure that you follow the instructions and leave the floor alone to cure - no activity on it until it is done! Caulk any sides that may come into contact with water, and if necessary, caulk any gaps in between the tiles.
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October 7th, 2008 — Bathroom, Flooring, Kitchen, Porch, Refresh, Refurbish, Replace
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 projects can easily be completed on a weekend and don’t require a lot of skills complete. Let’s go over just a few easy little touches you can try on your home this weekend.
1. Refreshing a kitchen.
If you don’t have the time or money to do a complete remodel on your kitchen, refreshing it can be just as good. Purchase some paint that is rated for use on metal and use it to completely paint your stove, built in oven or any other metal based appliances. This is a great way to turn an old, tired color scheme into something brand new for less than $20. You can also repaint your kitchen cabinets, or even add stencils to give them more visual interest. Adding a new light fixture is another little touch that can have a big impact on your kitchen.
2. Redo your bathroom floor.
Bathroom floors take a lot of abuse and it doesn’t take long before they end up looking a little dingy. If you have a carpeted bathroom, you may also be dealing with mold or mildew. You can easily add a new floor to your bathroom using either laminate wood flooring, or even peel and stick tiles. Since bathrooms are not typically very large, this is a project that you can usually accomplish for less than $100. If you do change to a hard floor after having carpet, don’t forget to put down some rugs to minimize the risk of slipping.
3. Refinish your front porch.
This is another high traffic area that gets a lot of abuse, but there are several inexpensive ways that you can give it a whole new look. Repair or replace any older wrought iron, and add a brand new mailbox to the front of your home. A new set of house numbers can also add a nice quick touch to the front of your home. You can power wash a concrete porch, or even get concrete paint to give it a whole new color. Bricks can also be cleaned or even painted to given them a quick refresh.
4. Change out your home’s electric outlets and switch faceplates.
This is a very easy fix that won’t cost a lot of money. If you don’t feel like replacing all of them, they can be painted and you can add designs with small stencils.
Take a look at your home and see what other small projects you can tackle. By continually making small changes to your home, over the long term you can end up with a house that has been completely redone – on your time and on your budget. This is the easiest way to remodel any home.
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August 7th, 2008 — Flooring, Handy Man, Hardware, Low Budget, Renovate, Sink, Tile
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 use them all. Feel free to add anything your own kitchen may need, but these are some general makeover tips that will leave your kitchen looking and feeling like new.
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!
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July 9th, 2008 — Aesthetics, Countertops, Create, Design, Handy Man, Kitchen, Mosaic
Mosaic countertops are incredibly beautiful and they are a lot of fun to make. If you’d like to make your kitchen stand out from the crowd, it’s actually quite easy to design your own mosaic masterpiece. We’ll show you how to do it in just a few hours and get some great results. Before you get started, you’ll need a few tools and some materials. First, you’ll need:
- a screwdriver
- a crowbar (to remove the old countertop if necessary)
- your tiles
- your design idea
- a lathe
- tile caulk
- some tile cement
We also recommend gloves if you don’t want to get messy. A soft, wet rag is also necessary near the end of the project.
Before you progress any further, you’re going to need to have your design planned out. Some places offer idea templates for stock designs, or you can make your own. It’s completely up to you. We recommend the following technique to make it really easy. Go to a countertop that you will not be using and lay out all of the tiles in the design you want. You can play around with it here, before they are set in stone so to speak, to work out any design flaws or make any changes. Once you’re done, leave this design intact with all of the tiles in place.
Now, go to the surface where you will be adding your tiles. The great thing about mosaic countertop tiles is that you can simply put them over your old counter if you prefer. If not, you’ll need to rip out that counter and make sure that the surface below is ready to be tiled. This means sanding it out until it is completely smooth, washing it to remove any debris and letting it thoroughly dry.
Once your surface is ready, you’re ready to start adding your tile cement. You may need to mix it depending on the type of cement you’re using, so make sure that you follow the instructions on the container. We recommend doing only one row of cement at a time just in case you need to make changes. You won’t run the risk of having the whole thing dry out if you’re doing only one row at a time.
Grab your lathe and apply a thin coat of the cement for the first row. Here’s the fun part (and it’s incredibly easy!) Go over to the counter where you laid out your design and take the first tile out. Put it in the cement, pressing it down firmly but gently. Go back to the design and grab the next tiles, repeating until your first row is done. This makes it super easy to put together your new design.
Once all of your tiles are in place, you’ll need to fill in the gaps with special tile caulk. Spread the caulk all over the tiles. It will look messy, but you’re going to wipe that off of the tiles in a second. Don’t let it dry once you’ve spread the caulk, but go back and gently wipe off the caulk from the tiles, but not from the gaps. You’re done!
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