Step by Step Guide to Refinishing your Bathtub

Whether you love do-it-yourself projects or are on a budget and need to do some refurbishing on your own, it`s not hard to refinish a bathtub and you`ll be surprised that you can get it done in a reasonable amount of time. Pretty soon you`ll have a beautiful new tub that will bring new life to your bathroom. It can be a focal point, or you can blend the tub with paint, tile, linens and d?cor that tie the entire room together seamlessly.

Materials:

Abrasive tub cleaner
Paint
Epoxy
Abrasive cleaning pad
Paintbrush
Paint roller
400 to 600 grit wet sandpaper

Step 1

Before doing anything else, you need to clean your tub. Remove any non-slip materials with degreaser. Use a scrubber to thoroughly wash the tub and remove all debris, dirt and other items. Don`t worry about scratching the tub because you won`t be able to tell once your refurbishing project is finished. Rinse the cleaning fluids from the tub once you`re finished so that your paint has a prime surface to adhere to.

Step 2

Sand the tub using 400 to 600 grit wet sandpaper. This serves a couple of purposes. It gets rid of any leftover cleaner on the surface and it gives the new coating a solid place to stick. Make sure you get wet sandpaper because it`s much easier to wash away as you work.

Step 3

Mix the new paint for the tub with epoxy. Make sure the two are very well combined. Look for a kit that makes it easy to combine the correct ratio of paint to epoxy so you don`t damage your tub or have to start the project over. A kit is also a great way to make sure you buy the proper type of paint so you don`t mistakenly end up with something that doesn’t hold up well to contact with water. These kits come in several sizes, allowing you to get just as much product as you need to get the job done.

Step 4

Use a paintbrush to apply the paint to the surface of the tub. Paint in one direction only and apply several thin coats rather than one thick one. Allow an hour or so of drying time between each coat.

Step 5

Use a coordinating color of caulk and apply an even line around the tub, making sure to get the corners. Smooth the caulk as you go to get an even looking appearance. Wait a day or two before using the tub to be sure the paint and caulk is completely dried.

Tips and Tricks

Before getting started with your bathtub refinishing project, it`s a good idea to protect the other surfaces in your bathroom so you don`t have damage or costly repairs to deal with. Put a drop cloth over the toilet and the floor surrounding your tub. That way, if caulk or cleaner splashes or drips, clean-up is easy and you won`t mistakenly ruin something else. Remove all towels, rugs and wall art from the bathroom as well. This will keep them out of the way and protect them from damage.

Once you`re done with the tub refinishing, replace the bathroom essentials, or shop for new items to go with your new and beautiful bathtub. Shop online or in stores for new linens, wall art and decor items that will make your bathroom look stunning in no time. Consider a new color combination, such as gray and yellow, blue and coral or white and gray to give your bathroom an elegant and classy look. All of these choices look great with a bright white bathtub.

Tips for Increasing Property and Home Value for Resale

Quick Improvement Tips for Increasing Property and Home Value for Resale

Your house is not free from the hazards of everyday life. From my work in Hamptons Real Estate, I’ve seen it all: Water damage, chipping paint, mold, decay, pests and more. And as seasons change from warm to cold and vice versa, many aspects of your home are affected congruently. For those looking to move and/or upgrade, it’s become cumbersome to attempt to make everything more appealing, yet deal with the hassle of finding new real estate.

As you prepare to leave your humble home for a new house you need to spruce up the old place to make it appealing to buyers. What can you do to quickly and affordably improve your home for resale?

First off, you need to remember that focusing on the outside is just as important as focusing on the inside. First impressions are everything, so if you can impress someone the instant they see the outside, you’ll already have a good start. You may not believe it, but a new coat of paint can do wonders for a home. It’s as if that fresh coat of paint revitalizes the house and really grabs the eye from the outside. Having a freshly cut, healthy lawn can also greatly improve your standing with buyers. If you have the means, landscaping is even better. Some lovely plants, shrubs, trees and even a garden can really liven up your yard and add some personality and color.

A more costly option, but a great one, is a carport. Carports are cheaper to install than garages, but serve the same general purpose. Carports can greatly increase the value of your home as long as the carport is permanently installed.

The interior is the place many sellers dread to fix up for resale. Many homeowners can walk through their house and list off everything they either need or want to do to whatever room they see. Fixing up the interior of your home doesn’t need to be a nightmare. It just requires some cleaning and some key improvements.

To start off, we’ll go back to an old favorite. Painting the interior of your home can have just as big of an impact as it does on the outside. It makes every room seem fresh and new and appeals very well to new buyers.

Another very simple trick is to replace all your old wall outlets. If the old ones are two-prong, buy three-prong outlets, and try to gather a handful that will match the style of your current wallpaper and/or paint. You can always buy regular wood grain and paint them later on! When you’re doing a walk through with a potential buyer, you can point this out.

If you have carpet that is old, stained, torn or worn out, consider getting new carpeting. Remember, though, if you do decide to get new carpets get them after you have painted and the paint has dried. There is no point in getting new carpeting if it’s only going to get marred by paint stains.

As for any tiled or hardwood floors, if the tiling is dingy, stained, or discolored, you should also consider replacing that as well. Where carpeting might have to be installed by professionals, tiling can be done on your own. If you don’t feel comfortable doing any of the cutting or measurements, you may need to call professionals. As for hardwood floors, you’re probably better off giving them a good cleaning instead of trying to replace them.

You’d be amazed what some cleaning, a good coat of paint and some elbow grease can do for the resale value of your home. Remember that you’re not only fixing up your home to sell it, you’re fixing it up so someone else can enjoy your home just as much as you have.

Article provided by Hamptons Real Estate

Things to Consider for Remodeling Your Bathroom

Bathroom, is the most integral part of every home, and thus, you should give due importance to its remodeling. Bathrooms can be redefined with new colors, designs, looks and styles. These days, you can find a number of themes for bathrooms, which are especially designed to address the contemporary demands of the people.

People pay special attention while getting their bathrooms constructed and make sure that their aesthetic and luxurious appeal is enhanced. On the other hand, when it comes to offices or work places, bathrooms are designed in such a way that they present a contemporary look. The designing, colors, accessories, fittings and themes incorporated in the bathroom depends on the space available and the budget.

There are lot of areas where one should focus on while going for a bathroom remodeling. Right from cabinets, fixtures and hardware to mirror, flooring, tub, shower and lighting, every aspect of the bathroom is equally important and needs to be highlighted accordingly.

The first thing that comes into notice in any bathroom is the cabinet. Any change made in the cabinets transforms the entire interior of the bathroom. For giving an illusion of space in the bathroom, you should go in for subtle colors like beige and mauve. You can also go in for cabinets in themes like rain forest and ocean blue.

Fixtures are the next important things which require a conscious decision before getting a bathroom remodeled. Faucets and sinks should be selected in synchronization with the style of cabinetry and the overall décor of the bathroom. One can go for trendy styles or can stick to the old elegant & sophisticated look.

Hardware that one wants to use inside the bathroom should be cautiously selected as these enhance or deteriorate the overall appeal of the bathroom. Lighting is another focus area that you should pay attention to, as it makes the room look brighter and gives depth to it. You would find a plethora of options in types and shapes of lighting options.

If you have a small bathroom, then you can make it spacious looking by altering the size of the mirror used. Mirror is a major point to concentrate on, while going for remodeling. These days people prefer to have large mirrors in bathrooms, majorly because they make the bathroom look larger.

While going in for remodeling of bathroom, you should also focus on the type of tub or shower to be used. These are available in different shapes, sizes and colors to enhance the overall interiors. Make sure that the bath tub blends with the color of the tiles & flooring, or is in contrast to them. You can also opt for flooring and tiling, which has a similar shower counterpart available. This would add finishing to your bathroom and make it look more elegant.

Keeping in mind these important points, you can completely transform the looks of your bathroom and give it a fresh appeal.

Get the Right and Balanced Home Improvement

clean white themed living room with a fireplaceclean white themed living room with a fireplace

Home Improvement scenarios have appreciated excellently over the years. The need for balanced home improvement has insured great levels of professionalism in the process. As a house owner you need to make certain considerations before even starting a home improvement process. The time at hand, the budget and the technical specifications play a major role in home improvement procedures. You need to maintain equilibrium in all aspects to ensure that all the criteria are met. So, let us discuss certain key areas and elements that need to be looked into for a balanced home improvement.

The Budget: Undoubtedly, the budget plays a huge role. You must always keep the monetary considerations in mind before you decide on the home improvement process. This helps you get a clear cut perspective on the key areas of your home that need improvement. The budget justification of these areas is also the key. Firstly, you can always specify a gross budget. Then you can specify the vital aspects of home improvement. Lastly, cross check whether the budget fits your home improvement demands. Such thorough analysis will help you eliminate the unwanted home improvement needs that might arise out of random sampling.

Use of Resources: Effective and efficient use of resources is the key. It is important that you know your house well. You must have good knowledge of your household goods and the durability factor involved with them. A reasonable analysis helps you know the actual need for change or make over in all the relevant areas.

Integration of the Elements: Integration of certain elements can bring a sense of uniqueness to the home. A good balance of the elements can help any room feel more inviting. Try wood and houseplants to invoke the feel of earth and air. Plants are especially good because not only do they look nice, they actually improve the quality of the air. Candles are great to bring fire’s warmth into a room, as is a fireplace. And a gorgeous fish aquarium or tabletop fountain provides the soothing energy of water. This is one example that presents a blend of exceptional budgeting and efficient utilization of resources.

Renovation: “Renovate” is the key to any home improvement project. You should always know the longevity of all our home belongings. This helps you judge the span of your home improvement project and the time specification you can have. The thin line that separates the need to renovate and the need to change can make a vital difference to the cost of any home improvement project.

The Exteriors: With all the potential improvements you can make to the interior of your home, it’s easy to neglect the outside. But the outside of your home is the first thing people see. If you live in a wood home, make sure the paint is fresh and un-chipped. Paint the shutters a new color to give your home renewed interest. Flower plantation and tree swings can add a great charm to your garden. Installing a pool or hot tub is also a good idea. Not only will you get the benefits of having your own place to splash around in, your home will be worth more if you ever decide to sell it.

Flooring: The flooring or the baseline of the homes makes a lot of difference. These days you have options to choose from. You can always try the new eco-friendly floor heating options available in the market. These not only keep your floor warm in winters but make sure that the heating is balanced in accordance with the outside temperature. They also serve as the best home improvement tasks when it comes to balancing. The amount of energy saving that they do as being substitute to floor heaters is phenomenal.

I hope these details help you get the right and balanced home improvement.

Tag: shower remodeling

Step by Step Guide to Refinishing your Bathtub

Step by Step Guide to Refinishing your Bathtub

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Tips and Tricks

Tips for Increasing Property and Home Value for Resale

Quick Improvement Tips for Increasing Property and Home Value for Resale

Things to Consider for Remodeling Your Bathroom

Get the Right and Balanced Home Improvement

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