Affordable DIY Home Improvement and Repairs for Homeowners and Homemakers

There are many home improvement and repair tasks you can do by yourself if you are a homeowner or homemaker. Many of these tasks are easy to do and, in most cases, will cost you next to nothing. You don’t need to call in the professionals or pay for handy-man services every time you wish to upgrade or renovate. These modern days, DIY is the trend so, we all need to find ways to reduce our home maintenance expenses as much as we possibly can.

If you think your kitchen or bathroom needs a new look but you don't have that extra money to splash out on renovations, if you don’t already have the skills, you can read about and learn many home improvement tasks. You will not only be saving good money, but you will also find a better use for your savings, perhaps for the proverbial "rainy day".



Repairs Around the Home


Now and then, you will find that there are minor repairs that need to be made around the house. Leaking pipes, dripping faucets, loose bolt and nuts, peeling paint, a loose floorboard, or a broken dining table leg. Have you ever had to unclog your sink’s drain? Do you feel exasperated when a nuisance nail sticks keep snagging your clothes every time you brush against a cabinet?

If your answer is yes, yes, and yes, these repairs are tasks you should be able to carry out effortlessly. Save money; go the DIY way.



This leading manual – “The Complete Do-it-Yourself Manual” - is the bestselling and most comprehensive guide to home improvements and repair tasks. It is written in a way that addresses readers by assisting them with every DIY task around the home. It is a must-have guide for every homeowner and homemaker.

Home Improvement Tasks


Every few years or so, we find that we desire some improvements or upgrades in our homes. For instance, the bathroom floor tiles may look drab and worn, and you wish to liven it up with a new colour, or in the spirit of the hot summer months, you desire a simple rustic bench and side stool to serve as your patio furniture.

Perhaps, you want to make that niche more functional and make it an integral part of the hallway or you want to incorporate storage solutions into your living area zone.

These and many more are simple home improvement tasks that you can do. DIY home improvements are the order of the day and now, many homeowners have wizened up to the fact that it’s best taking care of minor faults and simple projects around the home by themselves. Remember, you’ll be saving loads of money this way.



With over 550 pages of hardworking, how-to instructions and photos, this book is quite possibly the only home remodelling book any homeowner or homemaker will ever require. From basements to attics and everywhere in between, "The Black and Decker Book of Home Improvement" shows you exactly how to do more than 100 of the most popular improvement projects.


Cheap Ways to Upgrade Your Home


There are three processes you can adopt to give your rooms, kitchen, and bathrooms an updated look.
  • Cleaning
  • Painting
  • Lighting

Cleaning


Before you go out there purchasing, its good to first ascertain what your rooms, including kitchen or bathrooms, need as upgrades. Invest in good home cleaning agents and start by cleaning everything in sight. Clean grout lines, including the wall and floor tiles until they shine. Polish faucets, handles, sinks, tubs, basins, and other fixtures and fittings till they are lustrous. Thoroughly clean the windows, doors, and worktops.

Painting


If what you require needs more than cleaning, invest in paint works. Painting is a great way to make a room look brand new. You can paint over the tiles if you wish, sand down and paint the mouldings and other trims, or touch up stained woodworks. You can also paint over wood panelling, kitchen cabinet doors, and splashbacks. Use beautiful shades of your colour preferences to create a themed look; shabby chic, mid-century contemporary, or modern minimalist.

Lighting


Replace your light fittings and fixtures to add to your brand-new look, and this includes the light bulbs too. New light fixtures don’t have to cost much (as little as $25) but don’t skimp on quality if you can. You can replace old tungsten bulbs with LED bulbs. You can go for warm lights in the bedrooms and bathrooms. Warm white is more relaxing to the eyes and casts tranquil lighting. For the kitchen and living areas, the more luminous cool white lights work best because these areas, especially the kitchen requires lighting that shows the true colour of food and objects. 


Essential Tools You Need to Have at for Home for DIY Tasks


Whether you are a first-time homeowner or someone who just joined the do-it-yourself trendsetters, having the right types of hand tools at home is essential. It is true that there are many home improvement tools available on the market and it can be hard trying to decide which ones you really need to buy. However, you don’t need a trunk full of tools to carry out home repair and upgrade works.

All you need for simple home improvement projects are a few essential tools listed below. These are the must-haves. With these tools, you can tackle just about any DIY project. And don’t forget to get a nice toolkit to store all your shiny new tools in one place.

    • Power drill - The most frequently used power tool around the home. The best are cordless drills with multiple speed settings.
    • Hammer – A great and handy tool to have at home that’s designed to manually drive nails, brads, and fasteners into materials like drywall, wood or plywood. The smooth-face hammer is best because it won't mar surfaces.
    • Screwdriver set – A set of hand-operated tools useful for turning screws with slotted heads.
    • Orbital sanding machine - One of the most essential power tools for a DIYer. It is needed for refinishing, furniture making, and basic carpentry tasks.
    • Circular saw - A versatile tool used to cut anything from framing lumber to plywood.
    • Table saw - A table saw need not be the expensive type. It may be fine just using a circular saw but once you have this tool, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.
    • Set of pliers – These hand tools are required to hold objects firmly and are also useful for bending and compressing a wide range of materials.
    • Jigsaw - A type of saw that uses a reciprocating blade to cut irregular curves. Great for stencil-cuts and designs in wood, metal, and other materials.
    • Mitre saw – This is an essential saw to have if you need to make precision crosscuts and mitres. Most mitre saws will also do bevel cuts which are a cut across the wood’s thickness.
    • Paintbrushes and tray, OR a paint sprayer – If you can afford a paint sprayer, you will find painting cabinets, furniture items, and other small projects a breeze. It is incredibly convenient, and you don’t have to keep stopping to fill paint trays and it beats messy and dripping paintbrushes.
    • Work light – This allows you to see what you are doing, even in the tightest corners. Invest in a battery-operated hands-free light that can be pointed in any direction.
      You will find all of these home improvement and repairs tools at local home improvement stores. If you’d rather purchase them in the comfort of your home, you can always buy them online.


      Where to Find Home Improvement and Repairs Tips Online


      If you need professional advice in any way, you can research online and learn. Many people have taught themselves home improvement skills through DIY video tutorials on YouTube. It’ll probably take you nothing more than 30minutes to watch and learn.

      You can also get help from your local home improvement store where they won’t hesitate to give you simple instructions on how to get a repair or refurbishment done. They can teach you anything from learning how to use a hammer, to how to spray paint your ceiling. You can also get useful tips from friends who are more skilled DIYers.


      Further reading:
      How to Clean Bamboo Window Shades the Easy Way
      How to Clean Honeycomb Window Blinds
      How to Create Zones Within a Room 

      7 Types of Patio Furniture - Which Ones are Best for Outdoor Rooms?


      There are different types of patio furniture but not all the types are suitable for outdoor rooms. Your outdoor room which can be anything from an attached patio or a gazebo to a screened-in porch or themed-garden may serve for entertaining, lounging, a work-at-home office, dining, and any activity in between. But to choose the right patio furniture that will work best for your space, you want to first consider comfort and functionality, and then durability.

      Patio furniture must not only be aesthetically pleasing; they must be built to withstand the weather conditions in your region. We usually choose our furniture based on what we like or what we find attractive and desire to set up in our outdoor living spaces. However, whilst shopping for furniture to use outdoors, it’s good to first consider the effects of weather on the pieces we like.




      Types of Patio Furniture


      Furniture for outdoor rooms are generally made from any of the following five materials:
      1. Aluminium
      2. Wrought iron
      3. Steel
      4. Wood
      5. Wicker
      6. PVC
      7. Natural Raw Materials

       

      Aluminium


      If you live in a damp or humid region, your best choice for outdoor furniture is painted or enamel-coated aluminium garden furniture. They are best for such weather conditions because they will never rust or tarnish.

       

      Wrought Iron


      Wrought iron outdoor furniture is one of the popular choices among many homeowners. It generally comes as ornate pieces with intricate detailing. Many prefer wrought iron to aluminium or steel furniture because of its classic look and its rust-free qualities.

       

      Steel (or Iron)


      Steel has a disadvantage because, with this material, you must expect to see some rusting, especially IF its painting process is done poorly. To guard against rust, a high-quality rust-resistant coating must be generously applied to steel garden furniture before a final coat is applied.

       

      Wood 

       

      Wood is about the most popular and affordable of all patio furniture, next to wicker. There tends to be a general preference though, for painted wood than stained wood or those left in its natural form. This is possible because white has a visually dramatic effect when placed among nature’s colours of green, brown, tan, olive, and various floral hues. 


      Wood will withstand inclement weather, as long as it is seasoned and kiln-dried to a state of minimal water content. Some woods like redwood will splinter with age.

       

      PVC


      From planters to lounge chairs, resin-based outdoor furniture is perhaps the cheapest of them all. They are not only affordable, but they are also lightweight, attractive and environmentally friendly too. If you are conscious of the 'green revolution' movement, polyresin-based outdoor furniture is best for you. They never deteriorate and can withstand snow, dew, sun, rain and wind. 

      The disadvantage of PVC-based furniture is that they may not tolerate consistent harsh freezing temperatures, especially after many years of use.

       

      Natural Raw Materials

       

      You can also go really creative by opting for furniture made from raw natural materials. Unfinished wood stumps and tree waste from dry felled timber can be made into furniture like tables, seats, stands, top surfaces, and benches. Stone or rock crafted furniture is also great outdoor furniture ideas.



      How to Choose the Best Type of Outdoor Furniture


      Before you choose your patio furniture, do a little bit of planning and research.
      • Decide on your theme. It is good to have a theme, something nice and pleasant enough to make you want to sit outdoors every possible time. Planning a theme from the onset will ensure you create the perfect patio.
      • Do you want your patio to become an extension of the indoors?
      • The size of your patio also matters. The furniture you choose must be the right scale because you don’t want bulky outdoor furniture in a small space; neither do you want short stumpy furnishings in a space with a high ceiling.
      • For small spaces, consider foldable, stackable or collapsible patio furniture. They are particularly efficient and come in handy when extra seating is required for partying or entertaining.
      • If you are a frequent entertainer with a large outdoor entertaining area, a combination of built-in and moveable furniture is a good idea. Built-in outdoor furniture is very useful in defining areas within a large space like creating two separate zones within a patio.
      • Remember to plan for storage as well. For instance, you can create a built-in perimeter platform that serves for both seating and storage. If you entertain or love to dine on your patio, you’ll need storage for outdoor cooking equipment.


      3PC Portside Classic Coastal White Rocking Chairs Set