When planning home improvements, choose projects that not only enhance your home's appearance, but its resistance to disasters as well. For example, choose roofing materials that are rated for wind- fire- and impact-resistance.
Feelings of depth and richness can be added to your cabinets by adding framed or raised panel doors. Attractive hardware, detailed carving, or contrasting inserts also add to their beauty.
Inspect your roof regularly. If you can see it from the ground, look for popped nails and broken, curled or missing shingles. If you must use a ladder, make sure to have someone to hold it in place when you climb up.
Investing in and installing good quality roof trim is a home improvement project that can extend the life of your roof by preventing rot and mold from taking hold. It can also help with maintaining the leading edges of the shingles.
If you notice cracks or holes in the mortar of your home's brickwork, it is time for repointing. This home improvement project involves cleaning out the distressed mortar and replacing it with fresh material.
Removing faucets and sinks goes much faster and is easier to do when you use a basin wrench. This odd-looking cousin to slip joint pliers is designed for the tight spaces and odd configurations of faucet-to-basin connections.
When buying brick for outdoor or exterior use, select SW (severe weather) or MW (moderate weather) materials. Those with an NW rating (no weather) are for interior use only.
Before painting or staining bare wood, apply a sealer. Doing so protects the wood and prevents the growth of mold. It is also available with UV blockers to prevent sun damage.
Directing water away from the foundation of your home or building is important for its stability. Even if the site is properly graded, roof run-off can still attack it. When you're installing gutters be sure to add a splash block to the bottom of the downspout.
After drywall has been installed, it will still need a thin coat of plaster applied to it before it can be painted. A primer coat of paint will also be needed.
Replace the filters in your HVAC system according to the recommendations of the manufacturer. A clogged filter impedes airflow, decreases efficiency, and shortens the life of the unit.
A decorative paving stone curb will deliver the perfect finishing touch to your swimming pool. Not only does it help to define its boundaries, it will keep grass from encroaching on the decking area.
A well-landscaped yard creates a warm and inviting area for your guests. For greater visual appeal, create walkways or seating areas using fieldstones, mulch, or a mixture of the two.
If you're installing sub-flooring or roof decking, Oriented Strand Board (OSB) is a great option. It performs as well as exterior grade plywood, but at a fraction of the cost.
FYI: Drywall and sheetrock are the same product. Drywall is plaster made from gypsum (with a few additives and then processed) sandwiched between two layers of paper. Sheetrock is a brand name for the product.
Copper tubing for plumbing is 5/8” in diameter, and is available in two thicknesses: M and L. M is the thinner of the two and is acceptable for interior applications well-removed from the chance of freezing. If there's even a remote possibility that the water in the pipes could freeze, choose L.
Inspect your driveway for cracks and other signs of damage. Concrete driveways should be cleaned and cracks repaired using an epoxy patching material. Asphalt driveways require an asphalt patching material and should be sealed every two years.
If you have a large expanse of yard in which you'd like some texture, consider building stone walls in strategic locations. Not only will they define areas, they will provide additional seating.
Hardwood flooring is available as wide planks, thin strips, or as parquet squares. With that, you are not limited to one or the other and can mix and match as you choose – whatever fits the look you are trying to achieve.
As your family grows, available space becomes scarce. Cabinets specifically designed and built to fit the layout of your home will provide much needed storage and a place to keep things out of sight but still handy.
For wall-to-wall carpeting, most products are manufactured from four basic materials: nylon, olefin (polypropylene), PET polyester, and PTT polyester. Though each has its pluses and minuses, any well-made carpet, regardless of material, will perform well.
Copper gutters can be both a practical and aesthetic addition to your home or building, especially if you have a copper, tile, or cedar shingle roof. Their profiles can be shaped to match the building’s architectural design, and they will gradually adopt copper’s distinctive verdigris.
If desired, cabinets and cupboards can be fitted with childproof latches to help protect young children from accidentally getting into things that could be harmful or that they may inadvertently damage.
Shutters have both a practical and an aesthetic purpose. If left able to close, they can protect your windows in times of bad weather, and they can also help keep energy costs down by blocking early morning or late afternoon sun.
