Great Home Repair Ideas
Sometimes our houses just need a little freshening up. If you find yourself with a free weekend and a bit of creative inspiration on your hands, why not give yourself the gift of some DIY home repair projects? While these range slightly in terms of difficulty, you’ll be proud of yourself for tackling these challenges — and you’ll probably save a lot of money as well! Below are a few ideas to get you started. Your home will thank you!
Update Your Hardware
Make your kitchen cabinets look new again by replacing broken/ poorly functioning hardware. There are so many options available these days. On the high end, Anthropologie and Restoration Hardware have beautiful knobs and pulls. If you want to save some cash, Home Depot or searching flea markets for hardware sets is a great route as well. You should be able to replace your hardware in only a few hours. Basically, all you’ll need to do is carefully remove existing hardware using a screwdriver, lay the old pieces aside, and then install the new ones. Make sure to dust off the new hardware before you install!
Patch Holes In Walls
You’ve been trying to ignore them for months, but those cracks/dings in your walls are starting to get on your nerves. Maybe it was a framing project, hanging a mirror, or a toy being thrown against the wall. Whatever the case may be, take a weekend and address these flaws for good. For small blemishes, use a putty knife/surfacing compound. For a more major hole/crack, cover it first with an adhesive patch, then apply an all-purpose drywall using a trowel. Paint over the patch/putty once it’s dry.
Strip and Stain Wood Cabinets
This is a more complex DIY repair project but is very doable with some preparation and patience. Follow these steps to fix the marks/ wear and tear of your cabinets by stripping and staining them. Start by removing all cabinet doors and hardware, and wiping them down with mineral spirits. Apply a gel stripper and then remove it with a putty knife. Sand the wood with sandpaper, and then apply your chosen stain in the same direction of the cabinet’s wood grain. For a longer lasting stain, seal the cabinets with polyurethane once dry. Be sure that your cabinets are VERY dry before reinstalling them.
Replace A Faucet
If your bathroom faucet is on the fritz, it might be time to replace it for good. This is a good first plumbing project for a DIY-er. Basically, you assemble the parts for the new faucet, remove the old faucet, remove the hardware and install the new faucet. After this, you assemble the hot and cold mixing valves (make sure to use plumber’s putty on the bottom side of the top washer, install a C-clip, and then tighten the nut.) And that’s it!
Fix A Squeaky Door
A squeaky door in your home or in the entry to your home can be very annoying. However, it is fairly simple to fix. Loosen each hinge pin by tapping a nail with a hammer underneath. When the pin is loose, pull it out. (Make sure you’re only working on one hinge at a time).Rub the pin and the pin slot with a light coating of petroleum jelly. Then simply reinsert the pin!
