Home improvement can be very intimidating to someone that has never done it before. It can lead to information overload because of all of the resources available to you. Below are some tips to assist you in getting all of this information organized to where you can start improving your home today.
When renovating your kitchen, avoid tiled counters. Tiled countertops are less sanitary than granite or mock-stone countertops, because food and other contaminants can build up in the spaces between the tiles. Tile countertops can also crack or even shatter if a heavy dish is dropped onto them, unlike countertops made of more modern materials.
Put in an outdoor motion detector for your outside lighting. This way the lights will only be on when they are activated and not all day or all night unnecessarily. Most people don’t need their outside lights other than when they come home or leave after dark.
To save on your electric bill, try switching from regular light switches to dimmer switches. Dimmer switches allow you to select how much light you want to use in a particular room. By doing so, you can use less electricity to light a whole room, and add a sense of mood as well.
When you are considering home improvement, think about your surroundings so your improvements make sense. For instance, having an uncovered deck in Arizona or a sun room that has no ventilation in Michigan would be nonsensical renovations that will have potential buyers questioning your house upkeep decisions. Do what is desired, but don’t go beyond your immediate climate needs.
Remove a door from its frame without taking out the screws in the hinges. Need to take out a door so you can move a big piece of furniture, All you have to do is drive a nail through the bottom of the barrel of the hinge so the pin slides out of the top. Do that on both hinges and the door is free!
A well known rule for doing any kind of construction, repair, or renovation work is to measure twice and cut once. This age old saying still holds up today in every circumstance. Following this rule will allow you to avoid costly and time consuming mistakes associated with projects by using less materials and saving time and effort on labor.
Bugs tend to plague every household. A great way to ensure that you have it under control is by vacuuming and moving things around daily. Also, pinecones are actually a great remedy to keep bugs away. Collect pinecones and display them in a bowl to: repel the bugs, and add a chic touch to your decor.
Minor home improvement work can be handled by the homeowner without the need to involve a contractor. By making minor repairs and improvements a homeowner can improve the value of his or her home by a surprising amount. Relying on the homeowners own skills will make home improvements cheaper, because there is no profit cut out for extraneous contractors and experts.
If you frequently read in bed, consider installing a wall-mounted swing-arm or flexible-neck lighting fixture in the bedroom. Unlike overhead lights or bedside lamps, these lights can be easily adjusted to provide just enough light for reading without keeping your bed mate awake with a harsh glow. This will also help you to prevent eye strain from reading in dim light.
If you’re looking for a low cost way to improve the look of your home’s interior, add a fresh coat of paint. Make sure you choose a neutral color. Dark or drab colors can make a room feel oppressive and confining. Painting with neutral colors will give rooms a fresh, airy feeling of openness.
If you are planning on painting a room as part of a home improvement project, you can save money by accurately estimating the amount of paint you will need. One gallon of paint will cover about 350 square feet of wall space, unless you are painting drywall, which absorbs more paint. An accurate estimate can prevent you from overbuying paint, which once mixed in a specific color generally can’t be returned.
Hopefully, these tips have provided you with some very valuable information, as well as given you a way to organize all of the thoughts and information you may have already had on home improvement. Keeping these tips in mind when you start working can help you create the home of your dreams.