These are home improvements made easy. This article provides information on a range of products that are easy to work with. They are designed with the DIY market in mind.
No matter how carefully you look after your home there will always be wear and tear. Eventually, home improvements will become a necessity. There are also improvements that you want to undertake to improve the look or environmental performance of your home
You can get someone in to undertake the work or you can undertake the work yourself. This will depend on your budget, your available time and your DIY skills. Many tasks will be beyond the amateur. But there are plenty of tasks that be completed without needing a professional.
Let’s look at a few.
No Drill Bathroom Accessories
Bathrooms have a nasty habit of collecting clutter. The more stuff you can store away the better.
But there are items that are used frequently and need to be out all of the time. Wall-mounted bathroom accessories such as soap dishes, toilet roll holders and shower caddies all help in the battle to avoid clutter. And keeping surfaces clear of clutter will make the room feel more open (especially if you have a small bathroom).
But many people do not have bathroom accessories installed. They either lack the tools, skills or confidence to drill tiles to fit these items.
There are accessories available on Amazon that can be installed without the need to drill. As an Amazon Associate, we earn commission on any qualifying purchases. Some of the accessories are stuck in place while others rely on suction – click the button below to see more details
Replace Your Kitchen Doors
All kitchens take a battering during their lifetime. Your kitchen could be due for a makeover if it is starting to look tired or dated
But you could try remodelling it rather than ripping out your old kitchen. It is possible to leave the kitchen units in place and just replace the doors. This means that all your appliances can stay in place. So no need to remove your cooker or washing machine – everything can stay in place while you upgrade to a new look.
The process is quite straightforward and there are plenty of suppliers who specialise in selling replacement doors. Most doors are simply fixed to the unit with two hinges – something within the ability of most DIYers.
It is also possible to replace your worktops but this is a more involved process. Sinks and hobs will need to be taken out and refitted. The removal of the worktops can also lead to damaged tiles. So redecoration might be required.
Other options include painting kitchen unit doors and drawer fronts or covering them in a vinyl wrap. Make sure you use a specialist primer if painting your units. Many surfaces are hard to get a good key on for the paint to stick properly.
Ceilings That Never Need Painting
Most ceilings around the home will last years without painting.
But rooms with high moisture levels do not get away so lightly. Kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms and utility rooms all produce lots of moisture. There are specialist paints available for such situations. But even these can struggle if there is moisture present in the substrate when they are applied.
One easy solution is to cover the ceiling with waterproof panels. Ceiling panels are made from PVC so they never need painting. There is no paint to peel and they will never develop mould spots.
Installation is very straightforward. The panels are measured, cut and stuck straight onto the existing ceiling surface. A staple gun helps hold the panels in place while the adhesive sets.
Ceiling panels are available in many different designs and lengths. White panels are by far the most common option. But you can be a little bolder with your colours if you choose.
Wall Panels – Not Just For Bathrooms
There has been a growing trend in recent years for people to install bathroom wall panels. Panels have proved to be very popular for a number of reasons:
- easy to install
- they require no preparation
- panels can be installed over the existing wall covering
But there is no reason that their use has to be limited to bathrooms.
There are designs available that would look great in any room in the home. On the continent it is seen as a “whole house” product.
Wall-boards used to be a common sight in the 70’s and 80’s but look a little dated now. The current equivalents are much more on-point and work well in modern or traditional settings.
Matt finish panels work best in living and dining areas with wood grains being particularly popular. Neutral coloured panel are also available.
Kitchen walls are also a regular home for this type of panelling. And it has the added benefit of being easy to clean. There is no grout, just a smooth, wipe-over surface.
Cover Tiled Or Laminate Flooring Without Ripping It Up
Both tiled and laminate floors have their problems. Over time they can deteriorate and lose their appeal as their good looks diminish.
Tiled floors suffer from the same issue as wall tiles: grout.
As time passes, the grout starts to discolour. Most floor tile grout ends up looking black. There are epoxy grouts available that prevent this happening but they are rarely used, tricky to apply and expensive.
Tiles can also crack – especially when fitted on wooden substrates which are slightly flexible. Tiles just will not tolerate movement which is why cracks occur.
Laminate surfaces are liable to scratch especially if small bits of grit get onto the surface. The wood backed boards are also very susceptible to water damage. They will swell up if they come into contact with water. This then makes the laminate itself more vulnerable to damage as the backing will lose its firmness and becomes spongy.
Providing the floor still remains level (despite these problems) it can be used as a base for a new type of flooring.
Clever Click is a flooring system with a difference. It consists of individual planks just like standard laminate. But it is only 3.5mm thick – thin enough to lay over your existing floor.
Instead of wood, the planks are made from PVC. This means they will not warp, not rot, not swell up. They are easy to cut and simply click together the same as standard laminate flooring.
Conclusion
We hope these home improvements made easy prove useful to you. There are more and more products coming onto the market specifically designed to be fitted by householders. We will add more to this article as we come across them.
In the meantime check out our blog for more articles on bathrooms and household maintenance. For example:
How Do I Get My Grout White Again
