DIY Life

Kitchen Flooring Buying Guide: Linoleum

Allegra Muzzillo — 2011-09-14T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Products & Materials

Thinking of installing new kitchen flooring in time for spring? In this five-part kitchen flooring series, we'll lay the groundwork -- and you make the decision. In this second installment we take a closer look the DIYer's kitchen flooring material of choice: Linoleum.

Linoleum flooring. Photo: tuchodi, Flickr

How It's Made: Linoleum is a mixture of cork dust, ground limestone, linseed oil, mineral pigments, recycled wood flour and tree resins -- all pressed together and mounted onto jute backing. Interestingly, its name is a combination of the Latin words for flax (linum) and oil (oleum).

How It's Sold: Linoleum kitchen flooring is available as tile, sheeting and even cutout pieces that look similar to area rugs. It sticks to the floor with adhesive. Tile is sold in all sizes and sheeting is typically sold in 6-foot x 7-inch widths and multiple thicknesses.

Pros: Linoleum is considered a green material because no hazardous chemicals are associated with its creation or disposal. It's also naturally antibacterial and biodegradable, easy to clean, comfortable to stand on and scratch- and gouge-resistant -- excellent for high-traffic areas just like the kitchen. Linoleum can last 40 years or more.

Cons: Although it's rugged and easy to work with, linoleum just doesn't have the same appeal to some consumers as higher end materials.

DIY Degree of Difficulty: Very Easy (Tiles) to Tough (Sheeting)
While any eager 8-year-old assistant could help you lay a linoleum tile kitchen floor (just spread out latex adhesive, place tiles on it, then set with a roller), laying sheet linoleum is another story. The adhesive makes linoleum sheeting shrink in length and expand in width, which adds up to a potential nightmare situation. So it's wise to leave the sheeting installation to the pros, and take on tile installation yourself.

Care & Maintenance: Dust mop and/or sweep regularly with a soft-bristled broom. Vacuum with the soft floor attachment (careful: the ends of certain attachments can scratch delicate finishes). Remove stubborn scuff marks with a clean rag dipped in undiluted linoleum cleaner. Wash by hand with a natural vinegar-based solution or use a damp mop as needed. Recoat floors once per year with acrylic sealer to maintain performance and luster.

Cost (per square foot)
Linoleum tile is typically priced from $2 to $7. Sheet linoleum costs $3 to $4 installed.

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Green Kitchen Countertops, 5 Different Ways

DIY Life Staff — 2011-08-23T14:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects

It's not just sustainably-harvested wood. The newest eco-countertops are made of everything from bamboo and junk mail.

Glass is upcycled into gorgeous countertops from EnviroGlas in a rainbow of colors. Photo: Jason Woelfel, EnviroGlas

Recycled countertops have come a long way: The latest design options seamlessly incorporate recycled glass, concrete, bamboo, paper and more. In fact, these materials are so handsome, they're as much a design element as they are a green-lifestyle statement. The new eco-friendly options also offer a lot of flexibility with many manufacturers offering a handful of options to select from.

Whether you reside in a downtown high-rise or suburban bungalow, there is probably more than one option to fit your home's decor. Here are five of our favorites green countertops for the kitchen:

Green Kitchen Countertop Option #1: EnviroGLAS terrazzo countertops (above) are right at home in a contemporary-style kitchen. Glass that's been recycled from consumers and industrial companies is converted into these stunning pieces of art. "Fire Engine Red" (left) would compliment a hip loft whereas a style like the blue and white "EnviroMODE" design might play off of a home's waterfront setting.

IceStone's countertops, which contain recycled glass and concrete, come in an array of colors, including this classic gray shade. Photo: IceStone

Green Kitchen Countertop Option #2: Created out of recycled glass and concrete, IceStone Durable Surfaces are built in a Brooklyn, NY, factory. These eco coutners are VOC-free and come in 29 different colors, which range from a funky mustard yellow to a calming "cobalt ice," which merges pearl-white and cobalt-blue. More traditional gray and white shades - but with a little bit of color "pop" - are also available.

Inside the U.S. Green Building Council's Washington, DC headquarters, where a lot of innovation and planning about eco-friendly design occurs, are these bamboo countertops from Smith & Fong. Photo: Smith & Fong

Green Kitchen Countertop Option #3: For a more rustic look, turn to Smith & Fong Plyboo bamboo countertops. Not only is bamboo a 100-percent renewable material, it's also FSC-certified - and better still the company's Plyboo is the world's only formaldehyde-free FSC-certified bamboo. PlybooSquared, shown above, is available in amber, natural, Sahara or Havana shades. To install, use the same materials and fasteners for wood products by either gluing or mechanically fastening.

The PolarCap style, from Eco by Cosentino, contains 75-percent post-consumer/post-industrial materials. Photo: Eco by Cosentino

Green Kitchen Countertop Option #4: Eco by Cosentino countertops are sold at Lowe's stores around the country. Containing 75-percent post-consumer or post-industrial raw materials -- all at the end of their life cycles -- these counters are bound together by corn oil. The company draws from a variety of suppliers to come up with the raw-material mix, so that it includes porcelain, mirror, glass, scraps of stone and corn. Within the 'Green' and 'Revive' collections are three distinct stylee; the PolarCap style (above), is a stark-white beauty with barely noticeable flecks of gray and black. Yet it's those flecks that introduce a unique, hand-crafted look.

Who wouldn't want a countertop made of junk mail? Photo: PaperStone

Green Kitchen Countertop Option #5: Lots of junk mail -- ahem, post-consumer recycled paper -- is set inside a petroleum-free resin base for PaperStone countertops, from a Washington company. Teh usage of 100-percent post-consumer recycled paper products in the 'Certified' line lead these counters to become the only architectural solid surfaces to be certified by the Smartwood program of the Rainforest Alliance to FSC standards.

PaperStone's selection of six fun colors, from a rich plum to an industrial-chic gunmetal, is guaranteed to jazz up any kitchen.

Want more counter intelligence? We tell you what you need to know about all different kinds of countertops:
Laminate
Wood
Soapstone
Concrete
Granite
Stainless Steel

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Window Maintenance

DIY Life Staff — 2011-08-23T13:33:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Living Rooms, Living Spaces

Windows feeling extra heavy? We swear they're not gaining weight. Replace those window sashes and they'll open and close smoothly.

Photo: Age Fotostock

Maintaining old windows takes time, but it's is worth the effort if you like historical features, prefer wood to the vinyl of most replacement windows or if you simply aren't ready to invest in new windows. Periodically, old windows will need new glazing compound, paint inside and out, and of course cleaning. But there's one repair that comes along so infrequently, you may not be familiar with it.

When an old double-hung window suddenly feels as though it weighs a ton, it's not because you skipped going to the gym for the past month. More likely, a sash cord has broken and you're no longer getting an assist from the weights and pulleys that are hidden behind the window jambs. To fix the problem, assemble the necessary tools and supplies and follow the steps listed below.

Tip: While the sash are removed and you have access to the weights, it's wise to replace all four sash cords so you won't have to face this problem again for many years.

Here's what you'll need for the project:
Tools
-Vacuum
-Screwdriver
-Pry bar
-Utility knife

Supplies
-Sash cord
-String
-Screw or nail

Joe Provey

Step 1: Remove the interior window stops. They are pieces of molding that help form the track in which the lower (inner) window sash slides. Removal involves taking out several screws and using a utility knife to break the layer of paint or varnish that may also be holding the stop in place. In some cases, a pry bar or putty knife may be helpful when removing the stops. Apply pressure carefully, however, so as not to damage the molding.

Joe Provey

Step 2: With the interior stops removed, pull the sash carefully from the window opening and disengage all sash cord, broken or otherwise.

Step 3: To remove the upper sash, pull out the parting stops or strips that separate the two sashes. They fit into a groove in the jamb and held in place by friction. With some windows, there are metal tracks, not parting strips, that you must remove.

Step 4: Make any necessary repairs to the sash while they are out, such as repairing badly cracked or missing glazing compound, repainting and cleaning.

Joe Provey

Step 5: Remove the access cover to the weight pocket. It is a wood panel that's usually held in place with a single screw.

Step 6: Then pull the weights from the pocket. Have a vacuum handy. After years of being enclosed in the wall, there will be some dust.

Step 7: Cut a piece of sash cord to the length of the old sash cords, plus about 6 inches. Use only sash cord; do not substitute clothesline or other rope products.

Step 8: Tie one end of the cord to a piece of string.

Joe Provey

Step 9: Tie the other end to a screw (or nail). It will serve as a weight.

Step 10: Then insert the screw into the opening above the pulley and lower the string. When the screw reaches the weight pocket opening, feed the tied-off end of the sash cord over the pulley and use the string to pull it down into the weight pocket.

Step 11: Remove the weighted string and tie the sash cord to the sash weight. Use a double half-hitch knot; it gets tighter as you pull on it and will prevent the weight from coming loose during operation.

Step 12: Put the weight back into the weight pocket.

Joe Provey

Step 13: Tie an overhand knot at the other end of the sash cord at the same point at which knots are tied for the other sash cords. Cut off excess cord about 1/4-in. from the knot. Replace other sash cords in the manner described above.

Step 14: Fit the knots into the groves and knot holes at the top of each sash edge. Then reinsert the sash into the window opening.

Step 15: Reinstall the parting strips and window stops.

Now that that's taken care of, tackle your other window woes:
Window Insulation Film
Weatherstripping Doors and Windows
The Daily Fix: Clean Mold From Window Tracks

By Joe Provey

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Notes from a Renovation: Bathroom Makeover

Brie Dyas — 2011-07-25T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Makeovers & Inspiration

This guest bathroom renovation took a weekend and totaled $1,000 (all fixtures included). Here's the scoop straight from the handy homeowner, Michael Phillipou.

Michael Phillipou

Overall, how much did the renovation come to?
We spent roughly $1k on the renovation. The expenses were: A new toilet, vanity, sink, faucet, mirror, towel bars, toilet paper holder and light fixture as well as the cost of paint, spackle, tile, grout and thinset. The "day laborers" were compensated in beer, a home cooked meal and MarioKart on the Wii (photographic proof included).

How to save on labor costs: Include XBox privileges. Photo: Michael Phillipou

So, what made you decide to undergo the renovation?
This was the last unrenovated space in our home. We adhere to the "one working bathroom rule" during all renovations, so we left this out of our original renovation scope. The home just didn't feel complete until the last bit of formica was banished. Also, my wife was pregnant with our daughter and this is the bathroom attached to the nursery, so we wanted to freshen it up at the same time we were painting and preparing the nursery.

How long did it take?
We knocked it out in a 3-day weekend. Day 1 was demolition and patching the wall where the old mirror was, then the light fixture and towel bars had to came down. Day two was sanding the patch areas and painting. Day 3 was install. Most of days 1 and 2 consisted of waiting around for paint/spackle to dry.

Michael Phillipou

Any lessons learned during the whole renovation process?
As you can see from the picture, when we removed the old vanity, we discovered that the contractor never tiled under the center of the vanity. We had already decided to keep the existing tiles and had a hard time finding an exact match. Turns out there was a tile border on the wall inside the linen closet and so we canabalized those tiles and used them to fill the gap then patched and painted the closet wall. So our lessons would be: Expect the unexpected and then think outside the box to solve the unexpected.

And also, using your wife's hair dryer to speed up spackle drying will kill the hair dryer, get you in the doghouse, and end up costing you more than just buying a heat gun in the first place.

We should mention that Michael is a renovation junkie (in case you haven't noticed) who refreshed his entire home. And, it's on the market if you're lucky enough to live in the New York metropolitan area. To see more pics, check out the apartment listing.

Feeling inspired to take on your own renovation? Check out...

Five Bathroom Renovations That Help Sell a Home
Notes from a Renovation: Bathroom Makeunder
Notes from a Renovation: Bungalow Kitchen/Dining Makeover
Notes from a Renovation: Build a Patio

And for a few pro tips on how to get the most value from your bathroom renovation, watch this...

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KBIS 2011: What's New, Who's There and What It Means For Your Kitchen

Amy Preiser — 2011-04-28T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Products & Materials

Today marks the last day of the 2011 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, where builders, designers and home enthusiasts take to Las Vegas to preview everything you'll want for your home in the next few months.

KBIS, for the uninitiated, is like Fashion Week for kitchens and bathrooms. Companies are presenting their new and best wares, looking to impress and inspire designers and design fiends alike. But while Fashion Week is all form, KBIS is heavy on the function. Every year, the companies introduce products that aim to make your life easier through Jetsons-style technology. Here's what's happening so far:

The Builder Buzz

At KBIS 2011... The winners are announced! The winners of the "Best-Of" awards, that is. 500 entries came in across 19 categories, ranging from the simple "Best Kitchen" to more specific ones like "Small Bathroom." That's one of the winners in the above photo -- Best Bathroom by Holly Rickert of Ulrich, Inc. in Ridgewood, NJ.

At KBIS 2011... The stars are out: Great kitchens deserve great chefs, right? The Food Network's "Cooking for Real" host Sunny Anderson and "Top Chef Masters" winner Rick Bayless are at the show, along with celebrity chef Curtis Stone. Yum! Also attending: Designer Jeff Lewis of "Interior Therapy With Jeff Lewis", "celebrity carpenter" (who knew that was a title?) Ed Sanders of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and the always charming Eric Stromer. Lastly (and perhaps, most surprisingly): Mariel Hemingway, who will present on keeping families healthy through the best local food and products.

At KBIS 2011... New product introductions, galore. There's the NanaWall Kitchen Transition, a custom window-door combo that has the ability to turn your kitchen into an indoor-outdoor paradise.

NanaWall

Also new, Dacor's new Distinctive Series, which focuses on affordable luxury in appliances. LG also has announced the new Studio Series a line of energy efficient appliances, from microwaves to dishwashers. And Arne, over at Useful Spaces, has been blown away by a SileStone sink made of a single piece of quartz and the new Hybrid line of outdoor grills from Kalamazoo. Grill with gas, charcoal or wood and have designated areas for fish, beef, chicken and pork. Genius! And just in time for good weather...

Want more? Keep checking in on KBIS's Twitter.
And if you want more kitchen trends, check out...
2011 Kitchen Trends - Shelterpop
5 Kitchen Trends We're Pretty Sure You'll Regret

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How I Lost Money Painting My House

Diane Petty BA, LLB — 2011-03-25T13:19:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Living Rooms, Essential Skills, Know-How, Living Spaces

Our writer tried to be thrifty and ended up losing $1,000. Here's how to avoid the same fate.

I once had the brilliant idea that I could paint the interior of our rental condo myself. We were between tenants and the walls needed some freshening up before we could rent it again. The place was only 1500 square feet. How hard could it be?

Photo: Alamy

My husband assured me it would be better to hire a painting company to do the job. They have the proper tools and sprayers and ladders. They have experienced painters. They have insurance.

I would have no part of it. I was raised to be self-sufficient and frugal. Why should I pay someone to do something I could do myself?

My husband shook his head at me with a knowing look in his eyes and drove me to the paint store. We bought gallons of white paint, brushes, rollers, pans, tape, drop cloths, rags, spackle and paint remover. Fortunately we already had a ladder.

We started our painting project early one Saturday morning. A small bedroom would be our first room, just to get a feel for what we were doing. We removed all of the window blinds, light switches and outlet covers. We dusted the window sills and door frames. We vacuumed the rug. We took a sponge with soapy water and scrubbed the baseboards and window tracks. We filled in all the picture-hook holes with spackle and waited for them to dry. Finally we were ready to paint!

Well, not exactly. I forgot we still had to tape around the door handles, the door frames, the baseboards and the closet doors. Oops, we needed to remove that closet system too. Taping takes a long time. Just when you think you are making progress, you realize the tape is slightly crooked and you have to start over from scratch.

When we finally started to roll the paint onto the walls, we moved quite quickly. The result looked great and I was proud we had done it ourselves. And it only took four hours. Then, my husband reminded me that we still had to do a second coat. And, we had only painted one small room. And the ceilings in the living room were 25 feet tall. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea?

As we had full-time jobs, we were only able to paint on weekends. It took us three weekends to complete the project. We gave up on the living room ceilings and decided to leave them alone. They were simply too high to reach.

The overall result was pretty good. The condo looked fresh and clean; it rented quickly. Then my wonderful husband gave me that knowing look and told me we had just lost about $1,000 by doing the job ourselves. How could that be?

Apparently a professional painter with sprayers and a couple of helpers could have completed the job in two days at a cost of $1,450. Since it took us three weeks to complete the paint job, those were three weeks we could not collect rent on an empty condo. At $3,200 per month in rent, we lost $2,400 during those three vacant weeks. Add in the $50 we spent on supplies that a professional already has and we were out $1000. $2,400 (lost rent) + $100 (supplies) - $1,500 (hire painters) = $1,000. And this equation assumes our time is worth nothing.

Live and learn. Now we only hire professional painters.

Still have painting on the brain? Check out...
How to Dispose of Leftover Paint
Painting Tips: From Choosing a Color to Tackling the Ceiling

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Marriage Advice for Remodelers

Mark Clement — 2011-03-25T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Essential Skills, Know-How

You know overhauling your home can take a toll on your wallet and your patience. But it also can affect your marriage, if you let it. Our writer explains how to avoid the traps.

The writer and his wife, hard at work. Photo: Charles & Hudson.

Home improvements -- even small repairs -- can provide us with a sense of achievement, pride, and the beauty or peace of a job well done.

That's the upside. Yes, there's seperate marriage advice for those going through a remodel. Here's how your marriage can survive the overhaul.

But they can also become high-pressure stress machines, especially for spouses working together.

And the higher the stakes (think full kitchen renovation versus a wallpaper border) the higher the fallout when things go wrong. Note: Things always go wrong.

Budgets get blown, timelines tank and communication is chaotic. Sometimes problems escalate into "I'm sleeping on couch" disagreements. That's why Mike Holmes of Holmes on Homes and Holmes Inspection calls the marital fallout from projects "Divorce Dust."

For example: When Ken and Melly from Tyngsboro, MA decided to re-do their bathroom, both were excited. The idea was to start by taking apart the linen closet.

Ken, who's handy, got to work on his day off while Melly headed to the office, both unaware of the problem they'd just created.

Melly figured that Ken should remove the shelves and trim. Ken (knowing the bathroom was a full gut) thought they had agreed on deleting every shred of the closet en route to the demolition eventually required. Once he got into it, he realized two things: Once you take the skin off the walls, all the bones are connected. Also, that there was no clean stopping point. And that's how the entire linen closet wound up in trash bags in the driveway.

Imagine Melly's surprise when she got home.

Though trying, projects can also be an opportunity to learn more about each other and explore new ways to get along. My wife Theresa and I have found ways within our own marriage -- and the complete remodel of hundred year old house -- to short circuit these challenges. Call it the guide to avoiding divorce dust, call it marriage advice for remodelers -- either way, I hope it helps.

The Clement family, suited up for work. Photo: MyFixitUpLife

1. Slow Down, Look, Listen
Both of you will approach your projects from different perspectives. Call it Mars-Venus, different life experiences, whatever. The point is slow down --both of you-- and listen to one another. And make lots of eye contact when talking. Even when you don't want to.

2. Manage Expectations
Things go wrong in projects. It's not always someone's fault either. A house is a complicated system and having respect for that going in will serve you as you roadblocks arise.

3. Plan First
Many people suffering from home improvement headaches are in trouble because they got ahead of themselves. They tear down the deck without a detailed plan for the new one. Write an outline of the steps involved. How long you think they'll take and when you'll do them. Make materials lists. (Builders call this a "critical path.") Also plan to be wrong and to improvise.

And for jobs that require them, pull permits. This is so worth it, for a zillion reasons.

4. Budget
Money is a hot-button issue and lots of couples find themselves starting angry sentences with "But you said it would cost...."

What happened is that a realistic budget wasn't written (you didn't include the $800 in tools you'd need along with the materials) or there was an unknown (rotten roof decking under the garage shingles, for example). Or both.

Or, you over-estimated your abilities thinking you could frame a wall/run wire to code. Once you realized it was harder in real life than on TV, the walls started closing in (figuratively, I hope) and you needed to hire a professional.

All this boils down to this: Make a realistic budget. Include everything you can think of, then add 10%. Then, make sure you have some cash reserves beyond that because you'll probably use that 10%. Finally, try really hard to stay on budget.

5. Establish Leadership "Islands"
Theresa and I learned that working in parallel is only effective to a point. She's better at some things, I'm better at others. We call those things our "islands" and we're captains of them. For example, if she designs something, I work out if it can be built within the constraints we have (time, budget, etc.) It's not that we don't visit each other's islands sometimes, but due deference is paid when we're visiting.

6. Get Ready for Dust, Dirt and Inconvenience
The bigger the project, the worse it'll be. Different people have different tolerances for this. Everything from doing dishes in the bathtub to piles of tools in the corner on Christmas Day to dust in a room not being worked on. It gets to you eventually. Our favorite solution to this is to put hiring a maid into the budget. Which brings us to...

7. Schedule Changes
I can't tell you how many DIYers we've seen -- both on TV and in real life -- who don't alter their daily activities to meet the demands of their project. Seriously, their houses are blown apart, they're hemorrhaging money, both parties are furious, and still they take the dog out for a leisurely stroll, start working at 10:30 in the morning, chat with neighbors, or otherwise seem completely unaware that they're burning time. And they wonder why they can't finish?

If there's one bit of advice to take above all others, it's this: You need long swaths of uninterrupted time working to get hands-on projects done. You can't hang crown molding and talk on the phone. Follow this rule and others will fall more easily into place.

Ed Sanders of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition can attest. This woodworker is building the interior doors for his home where he lives with wife and four children. He's milling hardwood using a machine called a shaper, cutting the rails, styles and raised panels. And only after all that can he hang them in the opening. When we talked with him last year, he had the first doors done and was excited to finish. Then he got busy. A year later when we asked how the project turned out he, well, answered: "Oh...yeah...those doors..."

He graciously and hysterically told the whole story about what it's like living without interior doors ("It's amazing what you can do with sheets!"). And his tale is emblematic of what home improvement is and what it really means.

See, once you start, you've begun a journey. One way or the other, whether you come to the end of it or not, you're on it. And the best way to enjoy it -- and improve your home and feel that pride and peace -- is to get along with each other. Let carpentry problems stay carpentry problems; money problems stay money problems (at least try your best to). Journeying the home improvement path together might change some things, but it doesn't change who you are.

So trust each other -- a lot. Give each other reasons to deserve the trust. And work together. It's what marriage -- and home improvement -- is all about.

Still have remodeling issues on the brain? Read about another marriage-meets-DIY situation in New Wife, New Kitchen.

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Is This the Kitchen of the Future?

Amy Preiser — 2011-03-23T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Makeovers & Inspiration

Looking for space-saving ideas for the kitchen? We're putting this remote-controlled island on our DIY wish list.

Design Milk

When our friends at Curbed and Design Milk both posted this amazing video of a retractable kitchen island we watched it twice: Once to bask in the coolness of the project and then again to try and figure out how the brilliant Tim Thaler made it happen. Behold: The centerpiece of the kitchen of the future.

We took to Thaler's YouTube page where he's been dutifully posting answers to the many questions coming in. Here's a peek at the discussion:

Q: Show us the inner workings! What was the pricing and installation like? How long did it take?
A: I'll post a video of the inner workings next week! Sadly, I spend endless nights planning the logistics of it and how to do it. When I started all I knew was I wanted an island to come out of my floor, and retract back without anyone knowing it's really there... I had to figure out everything myself, as there really isn't any "how to" documents for something like this. I did the entire installation myself, bought used parts, and managed to make it for under $1000.00.

Q: Why was it so quiet going down but noisy coming up?
A: it's hydraulics. A motor runs to pump oil in when going up, when going down, it's just releasing the oil that is built up.

Q: How to you maintain the hydraulics and clean the pit of inevitable grit, grime, and dropped food scraps?
A: The hydraulics just take regular Mobil 1 5W-30 motor oil... And I clean the same way anyone would, a sweep and a dustpan. Plus, I rarely prepare food on the island, that's what the countertops are for with an undermount sink and garbage disposal...

Tim Thaler via Design Milk

If you had the time and energy, would you take on this project?

And now that you have kitchen islands on the brain...
That's Smart: Kitchen Island Alternatives - Shelterpop
Kitchen Islands: Kitset vs. DIY - DIY Life
How to Use a Cardboard Box to Measure for a Kitchen Island

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Chalkboard Table: Not Just for Kids

Houzz — 2011-03-15T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Big Projects, Know-How, Living Spaces

A chalkboard table is perfect for kids and adults, art projects and to-do lists. Get your paint brush ready...

Check out this creative DIY by our friends at Houzz!

No matter how high-end my clients go with their choice of dining table, if they have kids it's pretty much guaranteed it will end up doubling as a scribbling, let's-pull-the-crust-off-the-bread, juicebox-sipping coloring station. What's the point in spending thousands of dollars on a fancy table if it's gonna be covered in crayons, Matchbox cars and kiddie yumyums 80 percent of the time? Well, if that's the case, just embrace it.

Not yet a chalkboard table...Photo: Houzz

If you find yourself in the same situation, this project may be right up your alley. Whether you've got an existing table that earns its keep yet lacks the kid-friendly factor, or if you wanna run out to a flea market and grab the best $30 table you see, here's how to turn one table into both a grownup's place to dine and a kid's place to play. And the best part? There are zero power tools involved.

Tada! Photo: Houzz

Check out Houzz's step-by-step to make this DIY happen in your home!

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Safety Tips: 20 DIY Mistakes to Avoid

Popular Mechanics — 2011-03-08T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Essential Skills, Know-How, Living Spaces

Even seasoned DIYers end up with a black thumb or a gouge in the wall from time to time. Here are 20 common DIY mistakes and the safety tips you can learn from them.

Check out this great article from our friends over at Popular Mechanics!

The editors at Popular Mechanics would like you to know that we're not perfect. Whether tackling home improvements or making automotive repairs, we've all made our fair share of mistakes. Here are some of the worst.

Klaus Tiedge, Corbis

1. Deep-Water Drilling
I used a 3-inch drywall screw to hang a heavy, framed painting in my bedroom, because the extra length provides more load-bearing strength, right? It held the frame fine, but two months later, the living-room ceiling collapsed. Turns out the screw had punctured a water pipe, creating a slow, insidious leak.

Lesson Learned: Use a hollow-wall anchor, not a drywall screw, which can plunge deep enough to do real damage.

2. What a Tool
I rolled the drum floor sander into the room, plugged it in-and it took off like a crazed robot. I gave chase as it bashed a hole in the wall and raced into the next room.

Lessons Learned: (1) Make sure the machine is switched off before you plug it in. (2) If you forget the first lesson, never chase a runaway floor sander: Instead, pull the plug.

Check out the other 18 DIY mistakes that our friends at Popular Mechanics made so you don't have to -- plus the safety tips they learned the hard way.

For table saw safety tips, check out this video from the Woodworkers Guild of America:

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Granite Countertop: Fake It Till You Make It

Kristine Solomon — 2011-03-04T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Products & Materials

Get the look of a solid granite countertop in your kitchen with one of these three fabulous faux granite treatments -- and serve up high style on a humble budget.

Solid granite is one of the most popular countertop options out there -- also one of the priciest. Photo: granite-charlotte, Flickr

If you're like most Americans, the idea of a glossy, modern granite countertop in your kitchen sounds pretty sweet. But unless you've got a generous budget and/or abundant DIY skills, granite countertops may not be in your forseeable future.

Or are they? We found three easy DIY applications that let you mimic the look of solid granite countertop (trust us, they look just like the real thing!) at a fraction of the price.

1. Countertop Paint Kit
You may have wondered, is it possible to paint your laminate countertops? The answer is yes, and to fabulous effect. If you want to paint your laminate countertops with a faux finish that looks eerily identical to granite, check out this video. It demonstrates the results of the Giani Granite paint kit, which includes several types of paints, tools for applying the finish (including a textured sponge), and a high-gloss finishing coat that mimic granite countertop.

You're watching Faux Granite Countertops. See the Web's top videos on AOL Video

2. Granite Tile
Tile installation is a pretty doable project for DIYers of all levels. So if the idea of installing solid granite countertop seems a bit daunting, consider installing granite tile over your existing surface -- as long as you're okay with the grout lines, that is. Granite tiles are usually about 12" square and because they're thinner than a stone slab, they're also lighter and easier to handle. Watch this video to learn more about granite tiles.

3. Plastic Laminate with Granite Look
We know what you're probably thinking: There's no way plastic laminate can look or feel like real granite. But quality plastic laminate post form tops are actually produced with both matte and glossy finishes plus subtle grooves that mimic the texture of real granite countertop, to both the eye and the touch -- at about 50% less than natural stone slabs. Watch as DIYer Danny Lipford explains the ins and outs of stone-look plastic laminate countertops.

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Home Style Upgrades on a Budget - DIY Links

Cheryl Thompson — 2011-03-04T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Crafts, Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Makeovers & Inspiration, Living Rooms, Bedrooms, Small Spaces, Living Spaces, Crafts & Celebrations

Hack your way to sophisticated home style with these innovative, budget-friendly projects from around the web.

Marcus Design

Dorothy Draper Hollywood Regency furniture pieces can easily set you back thousands of dollars. But a trip to IKEA can garner you the materials to create a fabulous knockoff -- one that costs just a little more than $30. Nancy from Marcus Design has step-by-step instructions to transform an affordable, bland dresser into a gorgeous DIY showpiece.[Marcus Design via Ikea Hacker]

Apartment Therapy

MacGyver may have met his match in Ohdeedoh's Katie Steuernagle. With a few pieces of wood, vinyl strips and a concrete form, she whipped up an amazing DIY nightstand. The nailhead trim gives this DIY creation a high-end look -- for only $30! [Apartment Therapy]

DIY Network

Want a beautiful kitchen remodel without spending major cash? The key is to get the most out of inexpensive materials. Take for example this sleek kitchen island, which is crafted out of two-sandwiched IKEA cabinets topped off with butcher-block. The soda-fountain stools were online finds that were anchored into the floor. [DIY Network]

Better Homes & Gardens

Bookcases and storage cubes are simple pieces that can be converted into custom furniture creations. Turn stackable storage cubes into an entertainment center by screwing the cubes together and adding metal legs (pictured left). For a floating store-and-serve buffet, use wall anchors and mount bookcases horizontally (center). Also, you can transform a bookshelf into a bench by adding a cozy cushion and wooden furniture feet (right). [Better Homes & Gardens]

Nesting Place

Accent pieces don't have to be expensive to be beautiful. Add instant style to a room with this dramatic DIY sunburst mirror. Folded poster board, mirror and glue are the main materials used to create the pretty display. [Nesting Place]

Charles & Hudson

Think you can't paint bathroom tile? Think again. Using Glidden's Gripper Primer, the folks at Charles & Hudson easily upgraded dated dandelion tiles with a modern, high-gloss finish. [Charles & Hudson]

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Kitchen Flooring Buying Guide: Ceramic Tile

Allegra Muzzillo — 2011-02-24T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Products & Materials

Thinking of installing new kitchen flooring in time for spring? In this five-part kitchen flooring series, we'll lay the groundwork -- and you make the decision.

Ceramic floor tile. Photo: Getty Images

Is ceramic tile the best kitchen flooring option for your home? Photo: Getty Images

The tracking of winter's elements (snow, slush, mud...ack!) can take quite a toll on your poor kitchen floor. So if installing new kitchen flooring is on your DIY agenda this year, you're in luck.

We've taken the five most popular kitchen flooring options -- ceramic tile, hardwood, laminate, linoleum and vinyl -- and broken them down according to their pros, cons, cost, durability, and DIY-ability (of course).

In this first installment, we take a closer look at ceramic tile for the kitchen. See if it's right for you!

CERAMIC FLOOR TILE

How It's Made: Constructed of natural clay, ceramic floor tiles are glazed on one side and then fired under extreme heat for resilience.

How It's Sold: They're available in either a glossy or matte finish. Ceramic floor tiles are typically sold in ½-inch to ¾-inch thick four-by-four squares, but can be much larger (even up to 24 by 24 inches).

Pros: Extremely durable and dent-, water- and stain-resistant.

Cons: Although durable, ceramic tile is susceptible to cracking, so be sure your subfloor is level and can accommodatesthe thickness of the tile you choose. Ceramic tile can be slippery when wet (consider slip-resistant textured tiles), hard on legs and cold underfoot.

DIY Degree of Difficulty: Challenging but Doable
Although many homeowners successfully install ceramic kitchen flooring on their own, this job isn't for everyone. Because tiles usually require cutting to fit, precise measurements, mortar mixing and grout application, the entire process can be very time-consuming. Detailed designs require advanced DIY skills.

Cleaning ceramic tile is as simple as using a damp sponge. Photo: Getty Images

Care & Maintenance: Dust-mop and/or sweep with a soft-bristled broom. Vacuum with the soft floor attachment (but be careful; the ends of certain attachments can scratch delicate finishes). Wash tiles by hand with a natural vinegar-based solution or use a damp mop as needed.

Cost (per square foot): From $4 to $8. Contractors generally charge about $5 (installation only, excluding tile and grout).

Remember to...
o. Only choose ceramic kitchen tile with a number three (for medium to heavy traffic) to five (for extra-heavy traffic) rating as recommended by the Porcelain Enamel Institute: It's a cumulative measure of the tile's hardness, how much water it will absorb, and how well it will wear.
o. Buy extra tile so you'll always have spares on hand to replace cracked pieces.

Tip: Ripping up your old flooring? Expect to pay $2 per square foot for its removal.

Check back next week when we explore another great kitchen flooring option: Linoleum.

If you do choose ceramic tiles for your kitchen, watch this video to learn perfect grouting techniques:

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Drywall Repair: As Close to Perfect as Possible

Joe Provey — 2011-02-22T11:45:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Living Spaces

Got holes and torn drywall? Here's an easy way to repair and patch drywall messes.

Here's an easier way to achieve perfect patches in drywall. Photo: Carl Weese, Home & Garden

Patching drywall looks simple, but a truly seamless repair takes considerable skill and care. Any irregularities due to excess compound, fasteners, tears in the drywall covering, or uneven joints will show up after you paint, when it's too late.

Here's a foolproof method for drywall repair that's as close to perfect as possible.

Tools and Supplies:
- Drywall saw
- Pencil
- Carpenter's square
- Drywall saw
- Drywall tape
- Drywall compound
- Mud pan
- 120-grit sandpaper
- Sanding block
- Utility knife with a sharp blade
- Drill
- Drywall screws
- 1 x 4 pieces of scrap wood
- 6-in. taping knife
- 10-in. taping knife
- 12-in. or 16-in. taping knife
- Vacuum

1. Take a new piece of drywall and cut out a patch.
You can pick up a 2' x 2' piece of drywall at your local home center; it's large enough for most repairs but won't leave behind a lot of wasted pieces. Be sure it's the same thickness as the drywall you're patching. Most drywall is 1/2" thick, but some is 3/8" or 5/8". If you're not sure, remove a switch plate and measure.

Place the patch over the damage and trace the shape of the patch. Carl Weese, Home & Garden Editorial Services

Your patch should be at least a couple of inches bigger than the damage in all directions. Mark the cut lines with a pencil, then score along those lines with a utility knife guided by a straightedge, such as a carpenter's square. Rest the drywall on a worktable and snap along the scored line as pictured above. Cut the paper backing with the utility knife.

After reaching inside the hole to check for electrical wires or other obstructions, cut away the damaged area along the lines you have traced using a drywall saw. Carl Weese, Home & Garden Editorial Services

2. To ensure a tight-fitting patch, use the patch itself as a template.
Cover the damaged area with the patch and trace the shape with a pencil. Try to avoid covering any area that's backed by a stud, or else cutting away the damaged area will be a bit more difficult. Use a drywall saw to cut around the damage.

Install nailers using drywall screws and a drill. Carl Weese, Home & Garden Editorial Services

3. Cut and attach wooden nailers to the opening.
Cut two nailers (pieces of wood) from 1 x 4 pine scrap. Using nailers eliminates the needs to find wall studs for attaching the patch, and makes cutting out the damaged area an easier task. The nailers should be a few inches longer than the opening on top and bottom. Mount the nailers to the inside of the wall as shown below. This provides a secure platform to mount the patch over the hole.

Install the patch by fastening it to the nailers with drywall screws. Carl Weese, Home & Garden Editorial Services

4. Mix and apply drywall compound.
Thoroughly mix the drywall compound to begin taping over the patch. Mix for at least five minutes. If you have self-adhering tape, as shown, run it over the patch joints as shown.

Self-adhering nylon mesh tape makes taping a bit easier than using paper tape. Use a sharp blade to prevent ragged tears when cutting to length. Photo: Carl Weese, Home & Garden Editorial Services

Next, apply a coat of compound over the mesh tape. Make it as smooth as possible and just thick enough to cover the ridges of the mesh. Once dry, use a clean taping knife to "knock down" any ridges or burrs in the first coat.

Apply a thin coat of drywall compound over the mesh tape. Carl Weese, Home & Garden Editorial Services

Apply a second, wider, coat using a 10" taping knife (inexpensive plastic taping knives will bring down the cost of this repair, but if you expect to do more taping in the future, invest in good knives). Feather the edges of the joints so they appear flat. Once dry, scrape the surface to remove burrs and high spots.

Allow compound to completely dry between coats. The compound will turn bright white when dry, usually after 24 hours. Carl Weese, Home & Garden Editorial Services

Then, apply a third still wider coat with a 12" or 16" taping knife. If necessary, scrape and sand lightly with 150-grit abrasive paper until perfectly smooth. Lastly, paint the patched area with drywall primer first, paint finish coats and you're done!

Avoid sanding the drywall's paper facing or fibers will tear and be more difficult to paint. Carl Weese, Home & Garden Editorial Services

Note: If you opt to use paper tape instead of self-adhering mesh tape, lay down a 1/4" thick bed of compound using a 6" taping knife. The bed of compound must be wider than the tape and not contain any voids. Then embed the tape by pushing it into the compound with your fingers. Make sure the tape is centered over the joints. Use the taping knife with light pressure to squeeze the compound from under the tape and to scrape away the excess. If you notice air bubbles under the tape, or folds or wrinkles, remove the tape and start over! Then allow the compound to dry before applying the second layer of compound.

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Kitchen Remodel Ideas for Every Budget

Joe Provey — 2011-02-14T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Small Projects, Big Projects, Makeovers & Inspiration

Think a renovation is out of your reach? It's not! We lay out some kitchen remodel ideas for every budget, from $50 to $10,000.

Corbis

It's not necessary to spend an astronomical amount of money on a kitchen remodel. Whether your budget is small or sizable, it's possible to get the kitchen you yearn for at a price you can afford. In fact, you can begin making improvements for as little as $50. Remodeling in stages is an excellent way to update in a manner that will fit your budget. But make sure you tackle projects in a logical order, or you could end up wasting a ton of money. For example, if you plan to rearrange cabinets and appliances, hold off on replacing the flooring. Similarly, don't install a new sink or faucet if replacing the countertop is also on your to-do list.

Use this road map to create the kitchen of your dreams -- no matter the reality of your budget.

BUDGET: $50 OR LESS
Paint is the easiest, least expensive way to transform a tired looking kitchen. Choose a semigloss latex paint, which will allow you to easily sponge off the inevitable food splashes and spatters. Also, opt for a semigloss finish on the trim, such as the baseboard and around windows and doors. For best results, don't skimp out on prep work. Kitchen surfaces accumulate grime, so be sure to wash all walls and the ceiling with a TSP (trisodium phosphate) or a TSP substitute before painting. This will help clean and prepare the surface so that the paint adheres to it properly.

Schulte

BUDGET: $100 OR LESS: ORGANIZERS
Now matter how expensive your cabinets and countertops are, an organized and tidy kitchen will always be an instant upgrade. If your budget is $100, it will be well spent on organizers.

Pot racks, lid holders, shelving, drawer organizers, pullout trays, and utensil crocks are affordable ways to keep clutter at bay and let the charm of your kitchen shine greatly. Open shelving takes advantage of empty walls and gives the kitchen an airy feeling. Stretch your makeover dollars by DIYing your storage organizers.

MCT

BUDGET: $200 OR LESS: LIGHTING
Another quick, inexpensive way to update a kitchen is with the right lighting.

Replace those dim CFL floods with halogen floods. You'll still save energy over traditional incandescent bulbs, and the light will be a substantial improvement. Install a dimmer switch so that the halogens last a longer and save even more energy. As for those still-good CFLs, don't toss them. Save them for use in utilitarian spaces, such as the garage, basement, attic, or closets. Add under-cabinet lighting to existing kitchen cabinets and bring countertop work areas out of the shadows. Use decorative lights over kitchen tables to change the mood when it's time to dine.

Getty Images

BUDGET: $350 OR LESS: REFURBISH CABINETS

Cabinets are often the most expensive items in any kitchen makeover. If yours look worn and have become soft and gummy around the pulls, consider refinishing or repainting the doors and frames instead of replacing the entire units. This will make a big impact in your kitchen at the fraction of the cost of brand-new cabinets.

- Refinish: Use a furniture refinisher, such as the one made by Formby's or Minwax, to strip off most clear finishes. Refinishers often remove some of the stain, too, so you may have to even out the remaining stain color by rubbing on one or more coats of a matching stain. Once the color is to your liking, allow the stain to dry, wipe carefully with a tack cloth, and apply a new clear protective coat. Just be sure to protect yourself from fumes; use a respirator (with the correct cartridge), allow for plenty of ventilation, and work in a dust-free environment as possible when reapplying the clear coat. Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully, especially with regard to health and safety, as these products are flammable and poisonous.

Emily Farris

- Paint: If you want to repaint cabinets, be sure to prep surfaces by cleaning them thoroughly and sanding them with a fine-grit sandpaper so that the paint sticks. Virtually any surface can be painted, but some are better suited to it than others. Metal, solid wood, and plywood cabinets take paint well. Thermofoil cabinets, which are made of MDF that's wrapped with vinyl laminate, may not. If the laminate is loose or bubbled, painting is not a good option. Even if the paint adheres to the vinyl, the vinyl will probably continue to delaminate. In some cases, it may be possible to peel the laminate off the cabinets, prep, and then paint the underlying MDF.

Check out this video demonstration of how to paint kitchen cabinets:

Regardless of the surface, use a high quality primer and a durable topcoat, such as Benjamin Moore's Impervo (alkyd) or Impervex (latex). Apply paint to the rails and stiles (cabinet framework) with a high-quality brush or foam roller. For an extra smooth finish on the doors, remove them from the cabinet frames and take off all hardware. Number the doors and cabinets to make rehanging the doors easier. Then rent a compressor-powered sprayer to apply the paint. This will minimize those annoying brush strokes in the finish. Be sure to practice on scrap wood first to master the spraying technique. Apply several coats for best results. Sand lightly with a very fine abrasive paper and wipe off dust between coats.

qmnonic, Flickr

- Hardware: Clean cabinet knobs and pulls thoroughly and buff with a clear wax. If your hardware is dated, replacement pulls, knobs, and hinges can be purchased online or at many home centers. Swapping out tired old hardware can give your kitchen a facelift on the cheap.

Getty Images

BUDGET: $500 - $1000: NEW FLOORING
Refresh your kitchen flooring for a brand new look.

Vinyl floor tiles are not only affordable, but have come a long way in terms of style and ease of installation. This type of flooring is comfortable to walk on, easy to clean, and durable. To install, you no longer have to deal with messy adhesives; the floors float atop the underlayment. At less than $2 per square foot, you can put a vinyl floor in just about any kitchen for $500.

Want a more natural flooring material? Choices include wood (solid or engineered), cork, and bamboo. You'll have to shell out two or three times the price of vinyl, but the finish can not be beat. Avoid laminates, which are susceptible to moisture damage. Also, try to steer clear of ceramic tile, which is cold and hard to the touch, plus cracks easily.

Corbis

BUDGET: $1000 - $2500: NEW SINK, FAUCET and COUNTERTOPS
Sinks and countertops bear the brunt of work in the kitchen. As a consequence, they can look very worn after 10 or 15 years. A new sink, faucet and countertops are within this budget -- providing you choose economical materials for the countertops, such as plastic laminate or wood. You can dress up the former with a beveled or rounded hardwood molding along the front edge. Or fake the high-style look of granite, marble, or soapstone with affordable laminate. Butcher block, long neglected as a countertop material, is again in vogue and quite functional. It will need periodic sealing with mineral oil, but can be easily renewed with a sander when needed.

A green kitchen in Windermere, FL. Photo: Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel/MCT

BUDGET: $5000 - $7,500: A RECYCLED KITCHEN
Now that we're talking about serious money, you can consider buying a complete recycled kitchen, often with the appliances included. Check out Green Demolition at and similar organizations that accept and resell used building materials. Green Demolitions' New York metropolitan area showrooms offer entire kitchens that have been donated by homeowners who are about to remodel. The donors get a tax deduction, and the purchasers get kitchens at prices that are a fraction of the original list price. Everybody wins, including the environment.

Getty Images

BUDGET: $7,500 - $10,000: NEW CABINETS
This budget range will allow you to purchase new kitchen cabinets. Stock cabinets for a 10 x 12 kitchen start at about $5,000. Custom cabinets, that are built to order, cost $8,000 and up. Solid wood, plywood, and stainless steel cabinets are best. Cabinets made of MDF (medium density fiberboard) are good. Avoid cabinets made with particleboard. Look for well-crafted rabbeted or dovetail joints, especially on drawers. They should be carefully glued and fastened. You may also be able to replace your old countertops in this budget range, but most likely not with granite or other synthetic stone materials. To keep this remodeling project under $10,000, you'll have to do much of the work yourself and minimize changes to plumbing, venting and electrical systems.

- Consult with a pro: If your budget is in this range, do yourself a favor and spend some of it on a professional designer. If you have a pretty good idea of what you want, $500 spent on consultations and plans can go a long way. An experienced designer has seen it all and will likely be able to help you avoid costly mistakes. In addition to suggesting an efficient layout for cabinets, counters, and appliances, a designer will help you create free-flowing traffic patterns to dining rooms and to outdoor entertainment areas. They can help with a lighting plan, mudroom or kitchen-office solutions, color selection, material and appliance choices. A good designer will suggest ways to minimize changes to your kitchen's footprint that can add significant cost to your project.

SEE ALSO:
DIY Kitchen Islands
Refacing Kitchen Cabinets
Minute Makeover: Remove Kitchen Cabinet Doors (ShelterPop)
Makeover Inspiration: Color in the Kitchen (ShelterPop)

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Inside Zsa Zsa Gabor's Home - Create the Look

Kristine Solomon — 2011-02-01T19:10:00+00:00

Filed under: Crafts, Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Small Spaces, Living Spaces, Crafts & Celebrations

Dreaming of warm weather? We got a look inside Zsa Zsa Gabor's home and were inspired by the scene-stealing checkerboard floor in her sun-kissed Bel Air sun room. Here's how to copycat this look in your home!

Zsa Zsa Gabor's home in Bel Air is on the market for $28 million. Photo: Splash News

Zsa Zsa Gabor's failing health has been landing her in the headlines as of late. Also in the news? The Hungarian actress's massive Bel Air estate, which is currently on the market for $28 million, as first reported by TMZ. More details of Zsa Zsa's mansion are available over at Curbed Los Angeles.

We got our hands of some pictures of the mansion's interior. Although some of the star's style choices seem questionable, one thing that took our breath away was the uber-inviting sun room, decked out with bright orange awnings, lacquered tables and -- our favorite -- an eye-popping, large-scale, black-and-white checkerboard floor!

So, as we wish brighter days on the ailing Zsa Zsa, let's take a closer look at her Bel Air sun room and talk about how to recreate that scene-stealing checkerboard floor in our own homes. (Don't forget to scroll down for more interior photos of Zsa Zsa's home.)

A checkerboard floor is easy to DIY with floor paint. Photo: Splash News

How to Paint a Checkerboard Floor
While alternating tiles are probably what Zsa Zsa used to acheive this bold, classic look, a black-and-white checkerboard floor is easy to DIY with floor paint -- and the best part is that you can use this treatment on just about any surface, from wood to concrete.

To paint a checkerboard floor, you'll need:

Painter's tape or chalk
Floor primer
Black paint and white paint suitable for floors (if you're feeling adventrous, try a blue-and-white or even a red-and-white pattern!)
Paint brushes and rollers

1. Before you start, plan out your pattern: you can stagger the squares in a straight pattern, or you can tilt them for a diamond effect.

2. Once you have your pattern picked out, wash down the floor and wait for it to dry thoroughly.

3. Next, prime the entire floor, then paint it white, using a paint roller on an extension pole.

4. When the primer is dry, tape off one-foot squares, using a tape measure to mark points along a straight line for accuracy. You can also use chalk to mark off the squares.

5. Paint inside every other square (or diamond) with black paint, using a second coat if necessary. Remove the tape while the paint is still wet, and let the pattern dry overnight.

For a more detailed tutorial on painting a checkerboard floor, head over to Benjamin Moore.

Zsa Zsa Gabor's personal photos and cards lay in a basket in her home. Here, the star poses with her ninth husband, Frederic Prinz Von Anhalt, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Photo: Splash News

The fluid lines of Zsa Zsa's orange leather-upholstered dining chairs can appeal to both modern and traditional design sensibilities. Photo: Splash News

Zsa Zsa's decadent day bed features a bold canopy and abundant pillows. Photo: Splash News

Zsa Zsa's at-home bar is adorned with a candelabra and a glamour shot of the ailing star at the height of her fame. Photo: Splash News

The star's sun-kissed terrace is spare and inviting. Photo: Splash News

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Prevent Pipes from Bursting...and Fix Burst Pipes!

Mark Clement — 2011-01-25T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Small Spaces, Essential Skills, Know-How, Living Spaces

Brutal temperatures can freeze the vulnerable pipes in your home, and frozen pipes can lead to burst pipes -- and a big mess on your hands. Here's how to prevent and deal with this common winter concern.

Sterlic, Flickr

If you've never seen a burst water pipe -- or the damage one causes -- consider yourself lucky. According to Sate Farm Insurance, about 250,000 homes sustain water damage annually from this calamity, a result of frozen pipes. In fact, "damage" is too weak a word to describe the disastrous effect a water pipe can have when it gushes open inside your home.

We remodeled a basement that had a water pipe burst while the homeowners were on vacation. Water rose to about 6 inches in the 30 x 30-foot room and destroyed virtually everything in it: a pool table, clothes, electronics -- even a wedding dress. Had there not been a shower in the basement to help drain some of the water, it would have been worse.

They had to take quick action to clean it up -- and we don't just mean getting rid of the water. We mean removing soaked framing, drywall, paneling, carpets, and anything else that was at risk for mold and mildew issues. Not fun.

And that's just the basement. When water pipes burst on upper floors, everything below is suddenly at risk as water cascades across floors and around framing until it finally (and relentlessly) finds a way down to where it'll always reach: the lowest point.

Since water always wins, prevention is the best medicine, which means taking simple but effective action to make sure your pipes don't freeze and, ultimately, burst. A poorly insulated house can actually protect pipes in a sense, because the conditioned air inside the house keeps the wall cavity above from freezing. But when it gets really cold, the weather wins and the water in the pipes starts to freeze. If you don't catch it in time, that's all she wrote.

Hazel Motes, Flickr

RISK FACTORS FOR FROZEN AND BURST PIPES
Any pipes that are situated in such a way that they can easily reach freezing temperatures are at risk. The most obvious are garden hoses. Others are less obvious and may even be totally hidden. Pipes that run across a garage ceiling, up an exterior wall that's not insulated, or under a crawl space are all classic examples. These vulnerable conditions tend to exist in old houses in which plumbing was retrofitted. It's not out of the question to see pipes situated this way in new houses, though. Not the wisest move, now that we know better.

Another sign you've got pipes on their way to the freezing point: water starts to run slowly (especially during deep freezes) or you find ice in your toilet.

PREVENTING FROZEN PIPES

Re-route: The easiest pipes to keep from freezing are the ones that are never exposed to freezing temperatures. If you have pipes that are exposed to freezing temperatures and have the chance to re-route them (or have a plumber re-route them) that's ideal.

Shut off/drain: Garden hoses are usually easy to shut off and drain. Inside the house -- usually near where the garden hose supply pipe exits the building -- there should be a shut-off valve, which you should shut off every autumn. Outside, open the spigot (there's a little water in there that needs to escape) and remove the garden hose. You should also drain your sprinkler system for the same reason.

In the old days, people used to shut entire wings of their houses down because they couldn't get heat to them. This included bathrooms which often have shut-off valves in their supply plumbing inside the house.

wayneandwax, Flickr

Insulate: Insulating wall cavities is remarkably helpful. If you're remodeling an entire room, adding insulation will be baseline. In other situations insulation can be blown into wall cavities, but it needs to surround the pipe to be effective, which may be tough to predict if you can't see it.

Pipes can also be wrapped with foam insulation, which helps the water inside maintain a regular temperature while it is in a cold location. (We do this with hot water pipes regardless of their exposure to freezing temperatures to help the water stay warmer longer, including inside walls.)

You should also insulate where pipes enter and exit the house. Spray foam insulation like Great Stuff is effective at knocking down drafts and keeping typically colder parts of a house (utility rooms, crawl spaces, etc.) warmer or easier to heat.

In a garage situation, you can add a gasket to the bottom of the door and add insulation to the door itself to help keep the area above freezing, but the reality is this will do more to help keep the inside of your house more comfortable than keep the unheated garage above freezing. You can also fabricate a soffit (a box) around the pipes and insulate it to help keep their temperature even. Again, it's 100% better than nothing but far from a guarantee unless the pipes can stay consistently above freezing no matter how cold it gets.

Heat tape: Most home centers sell heat tape. You wrap heat tape around a pipe and plug in to a receptacle. It can be effective in places like garages and crawlspaces where you can get to the pipe to wrap it, but it really only guards where it is wrapped (in this writer's experience). So if the pipe goes under a crawl space you can't reach or up a wall you can't access, it may not be guaranteed to work but it's 100% better than nothing.

Trickle: If you can't do any of the options above -- and that's common, especially in old homes -- opening both cold and hot water taps to a trickle can keep a pipes from freezing because the water is moving. However, this doesn't do as much good for a toilet, but periodic flushing might help.

Open doors: For rooms that get cold (that powder room in the far corner of the house for example), keeping the door to that room open can help. If the problem is under the kitchen counter, you can keep cabinet doors open (like at night before you go to bed). Granted, this is a highly impractical everyday solution.

Shut off water at the main: This is totally unscientific, but it almost seems like pipes actually prefer to burst -- whether frozen or not -- when homeowners aren't home and the water never really gets a chance to run all day or all week. The good news is that prevention is pretty easy: shut the water supply off at the main, where it enters the house near the water meter, next time you go on vacation (during the winter or summer). Also, open all your faucets to drain the system. When you get home, leave the faucets open, turn the main back on and let the water run until all the air is out of the system. (If you have pets and someone is watching your home, leave gallons of water for them to use.)

The main's knob is often difficult to turn (because it's rarely shut off). If you can't move yours, get a plumber in to replace it as soon as possible. I recommend the handle type (plumbers might call it a 'ball valve'). They're easier to operate.

Also, everyone (age-appropriate of course) in the house should know where the main is and how/when to use it.

Invest in RedyTemp: There is one product on the market that takes a different approach. RedyTemp is installed under a sink at the end of a plumbing run. The thermostatic device regularly sends heated water through your entire plumbing system preventing water from freezing in all locations according to the company.

FIXING FROZEN PIPES

If your pipes have already frozen but haven't burst, take immediate action. What to do depends on where the pipe freezes, but generally speaking, if you can heat the pipes back up, you can avert disaster.

Blow dryer/Heat gun/Hot cloths: If you open the faucet on the sink and nothing comes out, it probably means your pipes are full of ice. Chances are they're not frozen in the room where the heat is, but somewhere upstream (in the garage, wall cavity or crawl space.) If you have access to them, try blowing hot air from a hair dryer or heat gun to melt the blockage and get you out of a jam. You might also heat the space with a heat lamp or space heater. And -- it goes without saying -- use heat-generating products according to manufacturer instructions to avoid house fires.

You can also heat up water on the stove, soak rags or cloths in there, then wrap the pipe. This works at thawing pipes, but takes take a long time.

FIXING BURST PIPES

If pipes are still frozen: If the pipe bursts but is still frozen inside, shut off the water, either at a shut-off upstream or at the main. Unless you know how to remove and replace the section of pipe, call a plumber.

If water is gushing: If water is running out of the breech, take the same steps to shut off the supply and call a plumber.

If, however, your basement is flooded or it's been raining in your townhouse for three days, you've got a second layer of problems to solve and you'll need to have the problem not just cleaned up but remediated. You can call a remodeler who may be able to manage the situation, but you ay also call your homeowner's insurance company and/or a company that specializes in disaster remediation, which we hope you don't ever need.

And, you can look at it this way: preventing freezing pipes might be all the reason you need to take on that kitchen or bath renovation.

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Cabinet Doors: Removing Them for Open Shelving

Joe Provey — 2011-01-20T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Makeovers & Inspiration

Interested in storing and displaying your kitchen wares? Consider removing your cabinet doors -- a process that's hardly labor-intensive yet high in visual impact.

Removing cabinet doors is a relatively simple job, but some care is required to prevent mishaps! Photos by Joe Provey, Home & Garden Editorial Services

Earlier today, our sister site ShelterPop inspired us with their post about removing cabinet doors to acheive a more open, airy design while revealing display-worthy dishes, glasses and other kitchen wares.

From a functional standpoint, it's easier to access stored items in open cabinets -- and easier to put them away, too. Of course, the next thing we thought was, is the process of removing cabinet doors as easy as it sounds? The answer: Yeah, pretty much.

A lot of care goes a long way, though, so be gentle when removing the doors to avoid damaging them (you may want to rehang them some day). It's also easy to damage the frames of the cabinets as you remove the doors, and the damage will be very obvious once the doors are off.

The good news? Follow the steps below and you shouldn't run into any problems.

Joe Provey, Home & Garden Editorial Services

Step 1: Remove bottom hinge screws first while holding the cabinet door so it remains aligned with the cabinet frame. If the door swings out of alignment with only one hinge attached, the frame or hinge may be damaged. Keep a container handy for the hinge screws.

Joe Provey, Home & Garden Editorial Services

Step 2: Remove the top hinge while grasping the door firmly. You may want to have a helper support the door to be sure it doesn't drop as you remove the last screw.

Joe Provey, Home & Garden Editorial Services

Step 3: Fill screw holes with wood patching compound. You may use a plastic putty knife or a craft stick, as shown here, to push the compound into the holes. (Fingers work fine, too!) Choose a latex patching product that can be stained or a pre-colored one that matches the color of your cabinet.

Joe Provey, Home & Garden Editorial Services

Step 4: Smooth the filled holes with 120-grit (or finer) abrasive paper.

Joe Provey, Home & Garden Editorial Services

Step 5: Use an artist's brush to apply a matching stain to the filled holes and to other nicks and worn spots.

Joe Provey, Home & Garden Editorial Services

Step 6: Wipe away excess stain, allow to dry, and reapply if necessary to match the cabinet stain. The filled holes should not be very noticeable when you're done.

After You Remove Your Doors
Keep the hinges screws in an envelope or plastic bag, and tape it to the cabinet door so they don't get lost. Store the doors in a dry place where they won't get knocked around. Tip: The doors will be easier to store, and less likely to be damaged, if you remove the hinges and door pulls before stacking them.

SEE ALSO:
New Uses for Old Kitchen Cabinets
Refacing Kitchen Cabinets

See a tip on how to organize kitchen cabinets in the following video!

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Refinishing Furniture with Martha Stewart Living's Kevin Sharkey

Laura Fenton — 2011-01-14T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Crafts, Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects, Makeovers & Inspiration, Living Rooms, Bedrooms, Dining Rooms, Essential Skills, Know-How, Living Spaces, Crafts & Celebrations

Martha Stewart's right-hand man offers furniture refinishing tips and guidance for newbies and the faint of heart.

Kevin Sharkey shares his tips for refurbishing furniture as part of a blog tour for Martha Stewart Living magazine's January 2011 issue. Photo: Martha Stewart Living

When DIY Life was asked to participate in the week-long Martha Stewart Living Blog Tour, we jumped at the chance to get firsthand, Martha-approved advice about the art of refinishing furniture. We spoke exclusively with Kevin Sharkey, Senior Vice President and Executive Editorial Director, Decorating, and Executive Creative Director, Merchandising for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (yes, that's really his title!).

DIY Life is final stop in the tour, but don't forget to check out yesterday's post in Huffington Post's food section all about acheiving the most scrumptious roast chicken. And of course, head over to MarthaStewart.com for lots of top-notch DIY ideas for the new year!

Flea market finds are perfect candidates for furniture makeovers. Photos: Martha Stewart Living

We don't know about you, but sometimes we get a little hesitant about refinishing furniture. Even if we have a great armoire and a rich shade of espresso that we know will really make it pop, we think: What if we ruin it? What if we don't use the right paint? Should we stain it instead? So we asked Kevin Sharkey to address the concerns of DIYers who are new to refinishing furniture. Luckily, he put our fears at ease (hopefully yours, too).

DIY Life: When is it worth it to refinish a piece? And when is it not worth it?
Kevin Sharkey: It's really determined by what the piece means to you. If it's a family heirloom, like a Chippendale sideboard that you want to preserve and pass down, it's worth refinishing it. (Note: Sometimes a piece is worth more with a slight blemish than completely refinishing it.) However, I would recommend you consult with a professional. This should not be the first piece you attempt to refinish. But if you pick up a chair or table at a consignment shop or at a flea market, give refinishing a try. It's a perfect opportunity to try your hand at refinishing.

Make things even easier by starting with an unfinished piece like this Ingrid Table. Photo: Martha Stewart Living

DIY: What are the best pieces/types of furniture to refinish and why?
KS: I would say if you are new, start small: Chairs are ideal to refinish; so are small side tables or benches. Then as you build your confidence, you can try a bigger piece like a dresser, or sideboard. Obviously, the simpler the design, the easier the job. In general, square shapes are easier to refinish than round ones. Something with intricate carvings or turned legs should probably be handled by a professional. Painting a piece is a great option for the beginner. A flea market table can be upgraded easily with a simple but impactful coat of white or black paint.

An even easier approach is to buy an unfinished piece. This allows you to truly customize the look and try out refinishing in an expensive way.

DIY: What are the most common mistakes people make when embarking on a refinishing project?
KS: Not taking time to prep the piece properly. Like painting, 90% of the work is in the prep to achieve the desired result. Sanding, cleaning and priming the piece properly will pay off in final product. Sanding is key as it smooths imperfections and opens up the grain to receive the finish. Cleaning ensures there is no residual dust or residue that can mar the stain's appearance and priming or using a pre-stain will help you achieve consistent color and finish -- just like painting a room.

DIY: Can you ruin a piece of furniture while trying to refinish it?
KS: You can't really ruin a piece. If you make a mistake, there are ways to fix it. If you are staining and you have a blotchy spot, you can sand it down or apply a darker color to cover it up.

DIY: What advice would you give someone who is stripping a piece of furniture for the first time?
KS: Stripping is a pretty toxic process. Follow manufacturer's instructions diligently, and always wear proper protection.

DIY: What are some of the most common pitfalls to avoid when prepping a piece of furniture?
KS: Make sure you thoroughly sand the piece down. Don't rush because you are excited to get the stain on. Next, remember to thoroughly clean after the sanding process. Even the slightest residue can cause imperfections in the finish. I would recommend using a tack cloth, available at hardware stores; they're great for removing any sanding dust. A vacuum cleaner with the dust brush attachment is also a good option. The last thing to avoid is rushing through the coats of stain. It's critical that each layer dries completely before applying the next one.

DIY: How do I choose between different finishes? Should I use wax, oil, polyurethane?
KS: It depends on the look you want to achieve. Other factors include how you will use the piece. If, say, a table is going to be placed in a busy traffic area to corral mail, keys, etc., you will probably want to go with polyurethane or a high-gloss finish. This will be make the finish more durable.

DIY: Do you have any special tools that you use when refinishing furniture?
KS: The manufacturer always directs you to the best tools for the job. For example, if the stain recommends applying the product with a cotton rag, use one to achieve the best results. When sanding in hard to reach spots, a course, use a steel wool pad rather than sand paper; a steel wool pad mold easier to these areas. The same thing applies to the type of brush. If you are using an oil paint, thr manufacturer may recommend a synthetic brush then say a milk paint which is typically applied with a natural-bristle variety. For pieces that have a sizable area to cover, consider using a small paint roller. This works well for styles with flat surfaces such as a simple chest of drawers.

DIY: Do certain types of wood take certain types of paints and stains better than others?
KS: First and foremost, it's always helpful to identify the species (i.e. maple, birch) to help determine the best process. But in general, if you have an antique farmhouse table that is made of oak and has beautiful wood grain, you'll want to preserve that look. A stain is ideal for this. However, if a pine side table has visible knots, you may want to cover those. Here, you could use paint, milk paint, or even spray paint, like our line of Martha Stewart Living paints at Home Depot, which is wonderful for painting furniture pieces.

Try your hand at this DIY project. Photo: Martha Stewart Living

Feeling inspired? Get started on one of these refinishing projects this weekend!

- Make an Impact With Pattern: Another interesting way to use paint on furniture is to create a contemporary pattern on a classic piece, as the editors from MSL have done at left. This caned bed's look was achieved using a hardware-store staple, blue painter's tape.

- From Eyesore to Eye-Catching: Budget Furniture Makeovers. Check out these wallet-friendly ways to transform old furniture into dazzling updated focal points.

- DIY Warrior: Refurbish a Concrete Porch. A once-charming front porch crossed over from shabby chic to utterly disgusting. Sound familiar? Take a peek at this porch makeover.

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Flooring Underlay Replacement - DIY Warrior

Joe Provey — 2011-01-12T14:45:00+00:00

Filed under: Kitchen & Bath, Big Projects

New flooring products are easy to install, but a smooth, level surface upon which to install them is the secret to professional looking results. Watch as we replace this bathroom floor's existing underlay.

Photo: Joe Provey, Home & Garden Editorial Services

Today's new flooring products make it easier than ever to install a beautiful new floor. Many such products can be installed without noxious adhesives, and the only tools you need are a carpenter's square and utility knife. For great results, however, there's one step that you shouldn't ignore: preparing the underlay. As with many DIY jobs, preparation is the key to success.

With flooring, preparation entails providing a perfectly smooth and level underlay. I recently helped my son with this part of the job in his bathroom. Click through our step-by-step process below.

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Flooring Underlay Replacement

In our case, we were replacing the underlay in the bathroom,so we turned off all water supply valves and removed the toilet and vanity. If the nuts and bolts that secure the toilet to the floor are corroded, as were the ones shown here, use a small hacksaw to cut them off.

Joe Provey, Home & Garden Editorial Services

Flooring Underlay Replacement

Remove the old flooring along with any vinyl or wood baseboard moldings. Do not remove bullnose tile baseboard. If you cut the flooring carefully, you can seal the flooring to the tile with caulk.

Flooring Underlay Replacement

If the existing underlay is smooth and level, you're in luck. Just remove or bang home any fasteners that protrude. More likely, however, the underlay will have globs of old adhesive and bits of old flooring stuck to it. In this case, it was deteriorated around the toilet due to leakage in the past, so we decided to remove it. A pry bar is an essential tool for tearing up the old underlay. Once up, remove any remaining fasteners.

Flooring Underlay Replacement

The top layer of the subfloor (usually two layers of thick plywood under the old underlay) was also damaged in this bathroom. We cut out the affected area using a circular saw in plunge-cut mode and using a sharp chisel to finish the cuts near the wall and tub. Afterwards, vacuum the area thoroughly.

Flooring Underlay Replacement

Then we cut a subfloor patch from 3/4-in. CDX plywood and screwed it in place. The height of the patch must be the same as the rest of the subfloor, so measure carefully.

Flooring Underlay Replacement

Measure for floor penetrations carefully and cut holes and notches with a saber saw. Then slide the new underlay (1/4-inch luan plywood is sold for this purpose) in place.

Flooring Underlay Replacement

Fasten the underlay to the subfloor with screws. Then use a patching compound, such as MH Ready Patch from Rust-Oleum to fill voids, depressions over fasteners, and open joints. Make a final check for smoothness by pushing a wide trowel across the floor. If it snags on anything, address the problem.

Flooring Underlay Replacement

You're now ready to install the floor. My son chose a vinyl plank product in the TrafficMaster Allure line, sold at The Home Depot, it was a cinch to install. There were no fasteners, just overlapping joints with preapplied adhesive. To cut the planks, simply measure and score the back of the plank. A carpenter's square is an invaluable tool for this step.

Flooring Underlay Replacement

Then bend, snap and install. The manufacturer recommends rolling the joints to ensure good adhesion.

Flooring Underlay Replacement

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