Whether you are considering a home improvement project before you list your house on the market, or are simply looking for a way to spruce up your kitchen, living room, or landscape, the information found in this article will help you to make some wise decisions that will make the most of your investment.
Air filters are something you have to remember to change. Not only is it healthier for the air that you breathe inside your home, but it is better for your heating and air conditioning unit. A lot of problems that happen with heating and cooling have to do with dirty air filters.
A bit of creativity is always helpful when planning home improvements, and it is always best to plan thoroughly in advance. This allows you to put your focus and effort on the actual project rather than stressing over the details. There are many places out there to draw inspiration from. Your friends’ homes, design TV shows, books and magazines and much more. You can certainly find it if you’re looking.
If you have a small, cramped kitchen make sure to choose light colored cabinetry. If you go with dark cabinetry, it will make your kitchen seem even smaller. Choosing a light color, can in fact enhance your sense of space and make your kitchen seem warmer.
Stairs can be a great addition to a home, but they can also be dangerous. Consider putting carpeting on your stairs to prevent any accidents. Going up and down the stairs in socks can be a neck-breaking accident if one slips on the wooden staircase. Try to look at different carpet or rug designs that may look good on your stairs.
When hiring someone to perform home improvement work on your residence, do not pay cash. Always pay by either check or credit card; you will have a documented trail showing that your contractor has been paid. If you pay cash, it could become your word against his word, and you won’t have any proof that you followed through with payment.
Before you do anything with electrical outlets or lighting fixtures, you need to turn the electricity off. Leaving the power on will leave everyone vulnerable to live wires and possible electrocution.
Replace doorknobs and drawer knobs. These small changes can perk up furniture that you already have and are less expensive than buying a new door or a new set of drawers. Doorknobs and drawer knobs can be bought in a variety of styles and colors, so it’s easy to add a little pizazz with just a little bit of money.
Few things brighten up a house like a well-maintained flower bed. Before you undertake a major makeover, however, do your homework. Find out which flowers are best suited to your home’s climate, soil type, and shaded areas. This will ensure that you do not waste your time or money by planting blooms that are not compatible.
When cracks appear in your interior walls or your ceilings, have them inspected by a construction professional as soon as possible. While the most likely cause of such cracks is a simple failure in the finished surface, they can indicate deeper, much more serious causes. You don’t want to blithely paint over a crack and forget about it when it is actually indicating foundation settlement!
To raise your home’s value without spending a lot of money, take the time to replace your light fixtures. Light fixtures are one of the first things that catches a buyer’s eye, and a dingy and dated one can change their opinion of the whole room. An inexpensive new light fixture will make the room feel fresh and new.
Think you need to re-tile your bathroom? Try cleaning the tile and re-grouting first. Using this method can save you time and money over a complete re-tile project. It’s also easier to achieve by yourself. A toothbrush is a wonderful tool to use when cleaning grout. A quality steam mop can make a huge difference as well.
Caulking gaps between drywall is a necessary step in home improvement. Even if you complete a beautiful paint job, if you don’t first completely caulk the gaps between the panels of drywall the room will look unfinished. Unfinished gaps will even show up when you wall paper a room. Caulking is a must, anytime you drywall.
Patch holes in drywall using mesh. First spread a layer of drywall mud into the hole and around its edges. Then press the patch into the mud so that it adheres evenly to the surface of the wall. Trowel the mud carefully over the patch, allow to dry, and then sand to smooth.
Self adhesive drywall patches are a must-have home improvement. These patches come in many forms ranging from mesh drywall tape to those made of a polymer material. Press them carefully into place using an iron. Be careful not to scorch the patch or the wall surface. Paint right over the patch and you’ll never know it’s there.
Wall surfaces can be much more appealing (and imperfections in them are harder to spot) when they’re textured with drywall mud. It is quite easy to do. Trowel drywall mud and use a stiff brush or sponge to dab at it and add texture.
Lately, there are certain dangers to be concerned with before starting a home improvement project. Stay away from drywall that was manufactured in China. Many contractors in the United States have used drywall sourced from China–at least since 2005. A lot of this drywall, however, is not of good quality. These materials are risky because they emit corrosive gases that may damage wiring.
To fix a small hole in your drywall, try using a baking soda based toothpaste. All you need to do is put a small amount of toothpaste in the hole, and scrape out any extra using a putty knife. After the toothpaste dries, add a new coat of paint to render the hole completely invisible.
Before removing wallpaper from a room as part of a home improvement project, be sure to determine what type of wallboard is underneath the paper. Generally, you will find either plaster or drywall. Drywall requires much more care when removing wallpaper, as it can be damaged by over-wetting or scraping.
When you’re attempting to patch up drywall, it’s important that you do not go crazy on the spackle. The idea is to put a little bit on, scrape it down completely and then, allow it to dry. Caking it on will result in an uneven finish, no matter how much you sand the surface after it dries.
When doing a home improvement project that involves sanding of joint compound or plaster, use a wet-sander. A drywall wet-sander features a sanding sponge with two sides, one for course work and the other for fine sand for finishing. This will help reduce the dust produced from the sanding and prevent other areas from getting dirty with the fine dust.
If you are working with materials that make a lot of dust, wear the proper protection to ensure this material does not wind up in your lungs. The fine dust from cutting drywall or tile can be dangerous if inhaled. Also, the fumes from many materials are toxic, so protect your lungs.
It is essential that you do your research before committing to any home improvement idea, and choose a project that can be enjoyed by the whole family for years to come. Use the tips in this article to decide on the what, why, how and when of home improvement so you can get to work on something great.