Makeover Your Bathroom Vanity

One easy way to jazz up your bathroom – without a complete redo – is to makeover your bathroom vanity. Before you tear out what you currently have, however, make sure you know what you’re going to replace it with – unless this is an extra bathroom you can work on without needing full functionality. Here are some elements to consider in your bathroom project to replace a vanity.

Style Makes a Difference

Maybe you’re satisfied with the overall look of your bathroom and want to keep the same type of style. But maybe you’ve thinking about making a major change. When you consider bathroom style, look at the total picture. It doesn’t make sense to replace a modern vanity with an antique, or to insert a shiny chrome bathroom vanity into a bathroom that’s all wood. Keep everything in perspective. Make sure what you want will be appropriate to the style you choose. There are many styles available, including modern, traditional, country, classic, eclectic, high-tech, contemporary and antique.

Bathroom Vanity: A Focal Point

Next to a tub, the vanity in your bathroom makes a sizable statement. It’s probably the second biggest item there and certainly one that is visible upon entry. The vanity is also one of the first elements in your bathroom that will begin to show the first signs of aging: chipped and peeling paint, cracked or stained surfaces, or other noticeable changes.

Many Different Choices

Choices for the vanity in your bathroom include double vanities, pedestal vanities, single vessel atop antique sideboard, vanity sink cabinets, console vanities, and bathroom console sinks.

Other Considerations

Part of choosing your bathroom vanity style also includes considerations of cabinets (if applicable), surfaces of the counter, basin or sink and faucets. The combination can be dizzying in complexity, variety and price.

Space Requirements

Measure every inch of the space you have for your bathroom vanity: height, width, and depth. Take into consideration if you need cabinets with room for your cleansers, towels, makeup and things you use on a daily or frequent basis. If you already have enough cabinet or storage space in other cabinets or elsewhere in the home, maybe your choice will lean toward a simple but elegant pedestal sink.

Materials

Thinking about that gorgeous iridescent glass vessel you want to place on an elegant mahogany console? What about inlaid frosted glass tiles, stone, marble, chrome, stainless steel, even leather-wrapped surfaces? Whether on a budget or shooting for high-end luxury, the choices of materials are plentiful.

Maintenance Makes a Difference

With all the choices available to you, it’s important to remember that whatever you buy will need cleaning and maintenance. Wood, for example, may easily scratch or chip. Painted surfaces can peel. Stone and tile may crack and chip. Glass is susceptible to scratching and breaking, especially with extreme temperatures of hot and cold. Stainless steel and chrome are prone to streaking and smudges and need cleaning more often.

In the end, weigh and balance the style, type, materials against how often you’ll be using the bathroom and whether or not you feel comfortable with the type of maintenance required to keep your new bathroom vanity in tip-top shape for years to come.

Source:  doityourself.com

Don’t Sweat It: 20 Home Improvement Projects in Just 20 Minutes

Since every dollar counts these days, homeowners need sensible home improvement products that can help increase the value of their homes without breaking the bank. Fypon to the rescue.

Headboard made with Fypon crosshead.

“Easy-to-install urethane and PVC products can enhance the interior and exterior of any home without busting a budget,” says Tina Mealer with Fypon. “For a minimal product investment and even less ’sweat equity,’ homeowners can gain maximum results. Whether it’s adding moulding to a room or replacing a set of rotted wooden shutters, there are easy-care synthetic products available to improve a home’s appeal and value.”

Mealer’s favorite 20 “no sweat” 20-minute home improvement projects include:

1. Place a crosshead over an outside window with a keystone to add curb appeal to the exterior of the home.

Each of these projects can easily be completed in just 20 minutes
2. Wrap unsightly metal supports in a finished basement with PVC Column Wraps to add style to the room.

3. Use Victorian-style nips and spires to accent exterior areas, fencing and gated areas.

4. Upgrade the look of a boring kitchen island by adding decorative brackets or corbels as accent pieces.

5. Add a urethane pineapple, the international sign of hospitality, above your front entry door.

6. Dress up a porch area by adding brackets to porch posts.

7. Cover up unsightly wooden porch posts with a semi-assembled, two-piece classic style PVC Column Wrap.

8. Install carved leaf or grapevine brackets under kitchen countertops and shelves to add dimension and visual appeal to the room.

9. Add a two-piece urethane ceiling medallion around a ceiling fan or lighting fixture to “pop” some visual friendliness to the ceiling.

10. Add moisture-resistant corbels to the top of cabinets to present a more finished look in the bathroom or laundry room.

11. Create a unique window treatment by hanging a pair of brackets on either side of a window. Insert a dowel rod through the brackets and drape with fabric for a fast and easy decorative window treatment.

12. Accent interior doorways with a keystone.

13. Install a set of moisture-resistant urethane pilasters on both sides of your shower stall and a door crosshead overhead to upgrade the look of your bathroom.

14. Create customized shelves to house knick knacks using moulding or PVC boards. Faux finish the pieces to make your collection stand out.

15. Add a one-piece fireplace mantel surround to an existing fireplace or create a faux fireplace area using these durable accent pieces.

16. Create a welcoming look over a garage or gable area by installing a urethane wreath and bow. The three-piece accent is 86″ long and 38″ high and makes a stunning accent on the home.

17. Flank the window opening between two rooms (like a kitchen and family room) with a pair of urethane shutters. The lightweight shutters can be
stained or painted to accent the walls.

18. Top off a standard bookshelf with an impressive combination acorn pediment to add style in any room.

19. Add a scalloped moulding border to a child’s room to launch into a princess or medieval theme for the room.

20. Install a set of pilasters on either side of the garage door and a long door crosshead over the top.

“Each of these projects can easily be completed in just 20 minutes,” says Mealer. “These are simple do-it-yourself projects that quickly and effectively upgrade your home and bring years of lasting satisfaction.”

Fypon offers thousands of decorative millwork elements in a variety of architectural styles to enhance the interior and exterior of America’s homes. Each piece is crafted from tough, weather-proof, high-performance materials that are impervious to decay, insect infestation and water damage for long-lasting beauty and low maintenance. Part of consumer products company Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO), Fypon is a brand name leader in the synthetics millwork industry. For additional information, call 1-800-446-3040 or visit the company’s web site www.fypon.com.

Soource: www.fypon.com

Remove a Deck Stain in 6 Steps

Exposure to sun or moisture over years degrades deck stain. Your wooden deck stain is subject to weather conditions likely to turn it into an unattractive shade of grey. Decks also develop aberrations, splits and markings as they age. You can transform an ugly deck stain into an attractive one in a few simple steps:

Step 1-Apply Deck Stripper

Apply a generous coat of deck stripper over your deck stain. The deck stripper helps in removing the old finish and prepares the deck for cleaning. Choose an oil-based or water-based deck stripper depending on your deck stain.

Step 2-Pressure-Wash the Deck

Make sure that your deck is free of any dirt or debris. A gas-powered pressure washer can assist you in cleaning your deck efficiently. Alternatively, you can also use deck cleaners that contain chlorine bleach to get rid of mildew on your deck. Deck cleaners containing oxalic acid is effective in removing tannin or iron stains on your deck. Use a plastic pump sprayer and a brush with stiff, non-metallic bristles and a long handle for scrubbing your deck. Rinse the deck thoroughly with a garden hose and let it dry for a couple of days.

Step 3-Choose a Stain

Depending on your needs, you can choose from the following four options:

* Clear Stains: If you want to retain the color of your deck, choosing a clear stain is a good choice. However, clear stains provide relatively less protection from water and UV rays.
* Toners: Toners provide a light color to your deck highlighting its wooden finish. It provides good durability and helps in restoring the original look of your deck stain.
* Semi-transparent Stains: Experts recommend the semi-transparent stain because it’s durability and ability to penetrate the wood. It also provides a rich color while allowing the natural wood grain to show through. If the wood on your deck is severely weathered, applying two coats of a semi-transparent stain is more effective.
* Solid color Stains: These are the best for transforming an old, unattractive deck stain to an evenly colored surface. Since they are opaque, they have a strong hiding capability and also hide the natural wood grain of your deck. Keep in mind they have a tendency to wear quickly and might need re-application every year.
* Oil-based Stains: More popular than water-based, oil-based stains have excellent penetration and wear-resistant capabilities.

Step 4-Make Sure the Deck is Dry

Before applying a new stain on your deck, make sure that the deck is dry. Even though the wood on your deck feels dry after touching, it could be moist making it non-conducive to absorb the new stain. You can verify if your deck is ready to be re-stained with the help of a moisture meter.

Step 5-Test the Stain

Test the stain that you wish to apply on a piece of wood to verify the color.

Keep in mind it is recommended that you apply the stain when the deck temperature is in the range of 40 to 90 degrees. It is not recommended to stain in excessive heat or in direct sunlight. As the stains are flammable, high heat will not allow it to penetrate the wood.

Step 6-Apply the Stain

Use a natural bristle brush for oil-based stains and a nylon brush for water-based stains when applying. Use a long-handled roller to evenly spread the stain on your deck.

It’s a good idea to wear rubber gloves, close-toed shoes, safety glasses, full-sleeved shirt and pants to avoid skin and eye irritation due to chemicals present in deck cleaners and deck stains.

Article Source:.doityourself.com