Home Improvment DIY Thread

[arntufun]

This thread is for all of us that try to tackle the dreaded downfalls of owning your own home. List your product reviews, good deals, proud photos of your work (sweat equity) and anything home DIY related.


After pricing the cost of real granite countertops :yikes: I just redid my countertops for $70.00 with special paint !!!! Yes Paint !!!!!! It turned out awesome so I wanted to share this product with anyone who has old ugly countertops and wants to update them without breaking the bank. My house is 50 years old and had ugly pink laminate tops and backslash and I couldn't take them anymore so this product (link below) saved me a bundle and looks like real granite !!!!!!
http://gianigranite.com/learnhow2countertoppaint.html

 

[Bob Denman]

:clap: The Missus keeps looking at those kits that you can get at Home Depot to refinish a countertop.
I'd rather get my tongue caught in the blender... :shocked:

 

[SpyderAnn01]

I've been stuck in my bedroom all week while two very capable young men are busy laying tile everywhere but the bedrooms. My husband and I have remodeled 5 houses by ourselves but this time we are enjoying having someone else do it for us.

 

[ARtraveler]

A good idea for a thread. I am always looking for new ideas--but want to change my countertops as a first project. Also have a loft/music room with ladder access. Would love to have a circular staircase or elevator lift to get there intead of the ladder access.

 

[NancysToy]

The counters look good, Randy. I had seen that product in the store, but never any real-life results. Not bad!

My current project is insulation in the pole barn. It is wearing this old man out! In the end, it will pay for itself.....but it won't be as pretty as Randy's countertops. :roflblack:

 

[Bob Denman]

But less money being spent to heat it WILL be pretty! :thumbup:

I have all of the carpenterial skills as I do mechanical skills... pps:
Once you get a bit beyond replacing a burnt-out light bulb; I'm done!
But the Missus likes to paint... so at least I'm off the hook for that onerous task! hyea:

 

[Pennyrick]

Randy:

good job!

I am completely unhandy at this kind of stuff but my wife, Penny is really imaginative and patient when it comes to DIY around our place. Here are some pics of her handiwork of which I am very proud. She is on a first name basis with the guys at the local Home Depot and Lowes.

In the master bedroom shots she worked in a chair rail and did the walls below in south west style using a putty knife to apply the plaster. Above the rail, she use outdoor cedar shingles and put them all around the bedroom. I'll post some kitchen and stairwell shots in another post.

 

[arntufun]

I really like that cedar shingle look.

 

[Bob Denman]

Very creative! :clap:

 

[Pennyrick]

Here are some more examples of my wife's work in the stairwell and walls.

All the tile she used is regular Home Depot stuff. She tore out the steps installed by the builder and replaced them with solid oak steps and fancied them up with the tile around the edges. She did the same south west plaster style on the walls in the living area.

 

[arntufun]

Here are some more examples of my wife's work in the stairwell and walls.

All the tile she used is regular Home Depot stuff. She tore out the steps installed by the builder and replaced them with solid oak steps and fancied them up with the tile around the edges. She did the same south west plaster style on the walls in the living area.

Wanna trade wives for a couple of weeks ???????? :roflblack: Thats fantastic work !!!!!!! nojoke

 

[SpyderAnn01]

This was the before and after of our last kitchen remodel. We did all of it ourselves except for the granite install. It took over about 7 months to complete as we were both working at the time.

 

[arntufun]

View attachment 57481View attachment 57482 This was the before and after of our last kitchen remodel. We did all of it ourselves except for the granite install. It took over about 7 months to complete as we were both working at the time.

Damm Ann !!!!!!! Thats Sweeeeeeeeet !!!!!!!:firstplace: I absolutely love to look at before and after pics and I know it's alot of work to do this kind of stuff. :congrats:

 

[coz]

great thread

great idea randy. your countertops look really good. nice work.:thumbup:

 

[Pennyrick]

Here are two more examples of Penny's work. The sink & countertops are from Lowes and the splashguards are tile sheets from Home Depot. This took a long time to finish and we had some experts come in and refinish the cupboards while everything else was underway.

 

[Pennyrick]

Wanna trade wives for a couple of weeks ???????? :roflblack: Thats fantastic work !!!!!!! nojoke

And how would Holly react to that suggestion??

 

[bruiser]

In the master bedroom shots she worked in a chair rail and did the walls below in south west style using a putty knife to apply the plaster. Above the rail, she use outdoor cedar shingles and put them all around the bedroom.


Looks good. I do like that burled wood frame on the mirror.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

Damm Ann !!!!!!! Thats Sweeeeeeeeet !!!!!!!:firstplace: I absolutely love to look at before and after pics and I know it's alot of work to do this kind of stuff. :congrats:

Thanks Randy. That was my favorite remodel. It was a lot of fun and hard work and of course we never really realized any profit on the project but I'm sure it helped our house sell quickly and we did enjoy the kitchen for 5 years.

 

[serf]

I did take down a ceiling fan in the kitchen and put in a florescent light that matched or stainless appliances today.I end up doing most things myself because I about have a heart attack when I see some of the quotes.

 

[Netminder]

All the jobs above look great!