08-04-08, UpMyStreet ©
UK retailers estimate that £1 billion was spent in DIY stores this Easter alone. With only eight bank holidays a year in the UK, it's tempting to spend them doing the home improvement jobs you've been avoiding. But, it's easy to end up feeling like you haven't had a holiday at all.
We've put together ten quick, affordable, home improvement projects that won't take over your weekend, or hurt your bank balance. Your free time is precious - choose a project, and still have plenty of time left over to do something you really enjoy.
1. Give your kitchen a quick facelift
If your kitchen is looking tired, a quick fix is to simply fit new cupboard handles and repaint the doors. To prepare, clean the doors with sugar soap and lightly sand them down.
Choose a light coloured paint to make your kitchen feel larger and brighter. If your budget is bigger you could even replace the cupboard doors completely. Making sure your kitchen appliances all have the same finish will also make your kitchen look fresher.
Estimated time: half a day
2. Renew your bathtub
Whether your bathtub is enamel or plastic, it is liable to get scuffed and scratched over time. But whatever type of bath you have, it is fairly easy to make it like new using a resurfacing kit.
Kits can be bought from most DIY stores and usually involve sanding and then applying a special coating to restore the bath's finish. Ensure your bathroom is well ventilated as you will be using strong chemicals.
Estimated time: three hours
3. Brighten any room
A lick of paint can instantly brighten any room, and make it look larger. Wipe the walls down first, then choose a shade and set to work - a pale colour will make any room look and feel larger. If replacing a darker colour, or wallpaper, you will need an extra day to strip the original wall covering. This is a particularly good project to brighten a dark hallway.
Estimated time: one day
4. Neaten up your bathroom
Bathrooms can become untidy very quickly, storing everyone's toiletries. Hanging a smart bathroom cabinet is a simple way to clear away all those things that sit around the sink. Choose anything from the simple to the ornate. Take time to hang the cabinet using a spirit level, and secure it properly using rawl plugs.
Estimated time: one hour
5. Lay laminate flooring
A laminate floor is easy and cheap to lay, and gives a professional look to any room. The interlocking panels can be glued or clipped together, and many finishes are indistinguishable from real wood. Leave the panels in the room for 24 hours beforehand to let them acclimatise, and ensure your concrete floor is level before laying.
Estimated time: one day
› Next: five more ways to transform your home
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Safety tips
Whether you're sanding a chair or fixing a shelf, keep safe around the home:
- Always ventilate any rooms where you are painting, varnishing, or using anything that gives off toxic fumes
- If using any kind of power tool, make sure you don't have any loose clothing
- Always set up your ladders as per the instructions that come with them - they are one of the main causes of DIY accidents
- Store all paints and chemicals in a cool, ventilated area
- Always prepare carefully, and never rush a task
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Your comments (59)
michael (Three Rivers), on 25/04/2008 at 09:01
Alicia wrote:
littlelostelf wrote:
This list is not realistic. Repainting kitchen cabinet doors can take weeks, not half a day! Each door requires sanding, cleaning, priming, maybe with 2 coats and up to 2 coats of top coat. If you have 20 cabinet doors, you can see how long that would take.
I quite agree with the length of time it takes to repaint kitchen cabinet doors. I have quite a big kitchen and I have been painting these cabinet doors for several weekends now. And I still have to put the top coat on.
the guy who came up with crazy time scales is obviously a dreamer not a doer
Alicia (Wokingham), on 22/04/2008 at 16:02
littlelostelf wrote:
This list is not realistic. Repainting kitchen cabinet doors can take weeks, not half a day! Each door requires sanding, cleaning, priming, maybe with 2 coats and up to 2 coats of top coat. If you have 20 cabinet doors, you can see how long that would take.
I quite agree with the length of time it takes to repaint kitchen cabinet doors. I have quite a big kitchen and I have been painting these cabinet doors for several weekends now. And I still have to put the top coat on.
Alicia (Wokingham), on 22/04/2008 at 15:57
shaz from Brum wrote:
Mrs. M. wrote:
Please let's say we've seen the last of laminated flooring! We had it installed in the kitchen. Never again. Even the best of it looks plastic. It also peels and chips. Try vinyl or wood - anything but laminated.
well people went for it because it looks easy to maintain.However do not run if you have tights on...I should know !! I have real wood floors but really miss having carpet, as It feels and looks more cosy.
NEVER, ever put laminated floors in a kitchen or bathroom or anywhere where it is likely to get wet! It just peels and goes soggy. If you want a 'wood' floor in these places, you want engineered wood. Some types are guaranteed for 10 years in a kitchen/ bathroom setting and can cope with getting wet from time to time. I recommend Element 7 or Tilo. We have a bedroom with washing facilities and a shower directly off the master bedroom. As the arrangement is open plan rather than a traditional en-suite shower room, it is essential that our bedroom/bathroom floor was able to cope with wet feet and splashes. We chose Tilo oiled oak finish and it still looks as pristine as the day it was installed 3 years ago. It was not cheap but I consider that it was one of our best buys.
shaz from Brum (Sandwell), on 21/04/2008 at 13:09
Mrs. M. wrote:
Please let's say we've seen the last of laminated flooring! We had it installed in the kitchen. Never again. Even the best of it looks plastic. It also peels and chips. Try vinyl or wood - anything but laminated.
well people went for it because it looks easy to maintain.However do not run if you have tights on...I should know !! I have real wood floors but really miss having carpet, as It feels and looks more cosy.
littlelostelf (Surrey Heath), on 21/04/2008 at 11:31
This list is not realistic. Repainting kitchen cabinet doors can take weeks, not half a day! Each door requires sanding, cleaning, priming, maybe with 2 coats and up to 2 coats of top coat. If you have 20 cabinet doors, you can see how long that would take.
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Ang (Dacorum), on 20/04/2008 at 21:42
bubbles wrote:
I couldn't agree more. Laminate flooring is awful. Lino vinyl carpet tiles anything is better than mdf laminate flooring.
I agree, I never had laminate flooring. Nice warm carpet much more cosy. I cringe when I see laminate flooring, I couldnt understand why so many people went for it.
bubbles (York), on 19/04/2008 at 09:01
I couldn't agree more. Laminate flooring is awful. Lino vinyl carpet tiles anything is better than mdf laminate flooring.
Mrs. M. (Plymouth), on 18/04/2008 at 21:23
Please let's say we've seen the last of laminated flooring! We had it installed in the kitchen. Never again. Even the best of it looks plastic. It also peels and chips. Try vinyl or wood - anything but laminated.
Doreen (Greenwich), on 18/04/2008 at 16:54
I think the bathroom idea is simple and easy to do, we all collect far too many toiletries so de-cluttering and hiding all items behind a bathroom cabinet sounds like a good project for this weeked
Betterlife (Kennet), on 18/04/2008 at 13:29
Re the Kitchen makeover - it can look really nice if you spend the time on the preparation. We changed very dark brown wood to light green with Focus Kitchen Makeover paint very successfully. Adding contemporary handles made the whole kitchen look brilliant! I agree with the comments regarding timescales! Don't skimp on preparation and you'll get good results.
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