This is a guest post by a company I highly recommend. Not only do they do a great job with an even better product. They also stand behind everything they do. So I recommend you listen to what they have to say.
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You’ve probably heard that in today’s tough economy many homeowners are opting to stay in their older homes, remodeling and sprucing them up. Fixing up your home helps build equity, and bathrooms are a huge selling point and the most popular room to remodel. Why wait? Fix up your bathroom and enjoy it yourself!

Remember that your bathroom should be practical as well as stylish. It doesn’t take a lot of time and money to give your bathroom a “facelift” – and you can take it from dull and tired to bright and inviting without a lot of money.

Here are some bathroom tips that will take years off the age of your home!

1.) Deep Clean – Start off your bathroom project with a nice deep clean, and sort the things that you need and throw away the stuff that you don’t use. You can find great clear plastic boxes, bins, drawer dividers and clear cosmetic bags to hide your things out of sight. For the items that will stay in sight put them in nice decorative storage containers.

2.) Paint or Wallpaper – Add a little color to your space with a nice bright semi-gloss paint made just for bathrooms and kitchens. These paints are not only easy to clean, but the ones made for your bathroom, are also mold and mildew resistant. Wallpaper can be challenging since the moisture and humidity in the bathroom might cause the wallpaper to peel off. Wallpaper just one wall to add an extra punch!

3.) Use Color! – Don’t be afraid to experiment with color! Try neutral colors for warmth, or go bold with a brighter hue. You also can repaint the cabinets for an updated look.

4.) Replace the Bathtub/Shower – Instead of removing your bathtub, which can damage flooring, walls and plumbing and puts your bathroom out of service for days, get an acrylic bathtub or tub liner installed over the old tub. Companies like ( Bath Fitter ) can do this in just a few hours and for a fraction of the cost of a new one.

5.) Install New Countertops – Granite is very popular now, and you can sometimes find smaller cuts of granite that are less expensive. Porcelain marble – even imitation porcelain marble – is a less expensive alternative and gives your bathroom a beautiful sparkle.

6.) Update the Fixtures – Update those old gold fixtures (don’t forget the door knob!) with nickel, pewter or stainless steel fixtures for a modern look.

7.) Replace Linens – Old faded and stained towels give your bathroom a drab look. Invest in some fluffy, bright towels to match your color scheme.

8.) Accessorize – Throw rugs, shower curtains, bath mats, soap dishes and pictures are easy and low cost add-ons for any bathroom.

Remember that you can still have a luxury bathroom even if you don’t have a bottomless wallet!
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About Bath Fitter
Bath Fitter is a leader in the bathroom remodeling industry. Since its founding in 1984, Bath Fitter has remodeled and refinished bathrooms in more than one-million homes, apartment buildings, hotels, and other multi-unit properties through a network of franchised and company-owned locations across North America. Bath Fitter manufactures its own product: top-quality acrylic tubs, shower bases, and one-piece wall systems. Using a state-of-the-art thermo molding process, Bath Fitter’s tubs and showers are custom molded to fit right over the existing unit. For more information, please visit www.bathfitter.com or call 1-800-892-2847. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bathfitter
or our Twitter personality, Bath Fitter at www.twitter.com/BathFitter

interior | 3 Comments »

House painting can be a big expense if you hire it out. Yet it is a job you can do yourself. And with the many economic issues we are facing right now, it makes a lot of sense to do as many jobs around the house as we can.

Now you may think that painting your house is going to be a lot of work. Even more so if you don’t know how to do it right. While some people think of house painting as really hard. It really isn’t that hard at all, though it can be time consuming. And you should find it even easier with the following tips.

Preparation
Preparation is the most important part of the job when it comes to painting. Not doing this right can cause a lot of problems in the future.

So the first thing is to fix and repair what is broken or has a hole in it. This is true for both inside and outside work. I mean, you do want your house to look as new as possible after it is painted.

On the inside of your house these areas can be easily be repaired with a spackling compound which can be found in most hardware or painting stores. Larger areas can be fixed with drywall joint compound over a patch of drywall or fiberglass mesh. These patches need to be dry and sanded smooth before painting.

On the outside of your house, cracks can be fixed with caulking. With holes sometimes they can be filled but many times it is just easier to replace the board.

You also need to make sure there is no loose paint on the area you are painting. Most often you will find this problem on the exterior of your home. Here you can start by power washing the entire area that is to be painted. This should remove any loose paint and make it easier for you to paint. After that, use a paint scraper to remove any loose paint that is still left on.

Next, what you are painting needs to be primed properly. This means you need to use the proper primer for the type of paint you will be using and for the material it is going on. There are primers for interior and exterior. There are primers for covering stains. There are Primers for gripping to smooth surfaces like metal, glass vinyl etc. The best thing is to make sure the paint store helps you match the primer to the job you’re doing.

Like with a lot of things the preparation is sometimes half the job.

Now you are ready to paint.

The Paint
Today the best type of paint is the 100% acrylic latex though some people still insist on using oil based paint. In Canada oil based paints are being phased out by legislation.

For areas that will be exposed to moisture like the kitchen and bathroom, using a semi-gloss paint is recommended or a specially formulated kitchen and bath paint.

For the exterior you need a good quality exterior paint.

When choosing paint note that with price often comes quality. So you could be paying more to begin with but you could actually end up saving money in the long run. The more expensive types stay looking good longer and therefore you won’t have to repaint your house as often.

Finally, although house painting is not that hard, it still can take a lot of time and effort. But don’t be afraid, the paint stores have all the expertise to tell you what you need to do the job. And you should have no problems actually doing the task. Take your time and do the job right and you will have a home you can be proud of.

home exterior | 2 Comments »