Post your DIY projects here

[Reba]

Awww that's so beauitful I love it so much!! Wanna trade homes? You can have mine, and I'll have yours.

Sorry, I need to live close to the ocean. :P

 

[Reba]

Here's a side view of the shed. It has a "room" added onto the back for Hubby's work stuff.

 

[GalaxyAngel]

Reba,

You have awful lot heavy revocation every rooms plus outdoor too?

 

[Reba]

Reba,

You have awful lot heavy revocation every rooms plus outdoor too?

Well, we bought this house new in 1990, so we have been making changes over many years. When we first bought the house, it and the yard were very plain. Just white walls inside. Outside, no fence or garden, no shed or deck.

Our house had new appliances, carpet and vinyl floors in 1990. We were the first owners, so it was all new. Now, it is 17 years later, so many things have to be replaced. Our plan is not just replace things with the exact same materials as the old. We try to upgrade each thing that gets replaced.

When the vinyl and carpet wore out in some areas, we replaced it with ceramic tile or real oak flooring. In a couple years, we will probably replace more of the old carpet with new carpet and more oak flooring.

Hubby's current project is replacing our front door. The old door was steel but it rusted out from the bottom, and didn't seal well. Our new door is similar but includes a window at the top to let in more light, and we're painting it a different color. It includes a new sill, frame, and weatherstripping, so it's a tight fit.

We've replaced old light fixtures and ceiling fans with newer models. We've painted all the walls at least twice, changing the colors.

After our daughter married, we changed her bedroom into an office. Hubby made built in shelving and replaced the carpet with wood floors.

As each kitchen appliance wore out, I bought a new one that was one or two levels better than the old one.

We added a multi-level deck on the back of the house.

Hubby built a little wooden "bridge" out front. It was originally just a shortcut from our front door to the mailbox. Now, it's a front yard focal point, and all the neighborhood kids like to "cross the bridge" just for fun. I think they like the fake turtles I have on it, and the "turtle crossing" sign. I have two solar lights at one end, so people can find the bridge at night.

Outside, I'm always cutting down trees, digging up bushes, planting flowers, whatever.

It's just a continuing process.

Many of our projects are lost cost or free.

Hubby built a covered area with an outdoor sink behind the house. The sink is a huge steel lab sink that Hubby salvaged from a building he helped strip. They were going to throw it away!

We added a wood stove to our fireplace so it is very functional and effecient now. Hubby got the stove in exchange for his professional services, when one of his clients switched from wood stove to gas.

Our garden picket fence was free (Hubby did the labor). Originally, the neighbors across the street bought the pickets and paid Hubby to install them for their small yard. A year later, they sold the house, and they paid Hubby again to remove the pickets. They told him to do whatever he wanted with them. Well, he brought them home and made my garden fence.

The rafters in our shed came from another project that someone paid Hubby to take down.

My flagstone path in the backyard came from a person who paid Hubby to remove them from their yard.

Our neighbor nextdoor had to move suddenly. She didn't even have time to plant her azalea bushes; they were still in the pots. She gave me more than 20 azaleas, a crepe myrtle tree, and a dozen concrete stepping stones.

When Hubby built the deck, I dragged the concrete slab from the back door to the middle of the yard. Now it's a nice level platform for my birdbath.

Hubby trimmed some bamboo in the yard of some old people, and then we used it to make rods for my matchstick shades and other decorative items.

I guess you can tell that I "re-purpose" a lot of things.

 

[FeistyChick]

wow, I love this thread here.

I restore furniture - refurbish old things into new things... and also trick them into antiquie look.... House decoration is my hobby. I do myself a lot in the house...

I have some photos... I will add when I found some photos.

I like your 2 pictures. Its good to put shampoo, conditoner, shower gel on the shower self... I just show your pictures to my hubby... he like it too.

http://www.alldeaf.com/attachments/...753641-post-your-diy-projects-here-after8.jpg

http://www.alldeaf.com/attachments/...53834-post-your-diy-projects-here-after10.jpg

i love those shelves and corner seat too! never saw anything like those shelves especially built in.. my sister has one but it is ONLY ONE built in shelf for soaps and few other things.. but thats nice for along down the wall... i love them! i hate those plastic or metal crap you get from LNT or BBB! yuck!!!

 

[Reba]

We recently updated our kitchen cabinets. Hubby put crown and rope molding on the tops. The cabinets are solid oak except the outside ends are covered with "contact paper" fake wood grain. Hubby replaced all those sections with real oak veneer. Then he painted the entire outsides of the cabinets, and inside the doors. I spray painted the brass hinges and handles with flat black paint.

This picture shows the original kitchen (built in 1989).

 

[Reba]

This picture shows the "during" process of adding the crown molding and oak veneer.

 

[Reba]

These pictures show the finished cabinets.

 

[LakeTahoe]

NICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCE! I gotta show this to my hubby! The top of my cabinet need the crowns molding and that'll would look good! I hate look boring kitchen! LOL! And add hardware for the cupboards/drawers.

These pictures show the finished cabinets.

 

[Angel]

Very very nice Reba wow.

 

[Reba]

NICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCE! I gotta show this to my hubby! The top of my cabinet need the crowns molding and that'll would look good! I hate look boring kitchen! LOL! And add hardware for the cupboards/drawers.

Some tips:

If your hubby is handy at woodworking, buy the molding by the foot in the lumber section. It costs much cheaper that way. If you buy the molding from the kitchen cabinet department, they charge a lot more. But if you prefer the pre-made and finished moldings to match your cabinets, there's nothing wrong with that. Just a little tip if you are on a budget.

There are so many choices for moldings now! We used a simple crown with rope trim added (because I like nautical things). But the fancier crowns and dental moldings are also beautiful. You can do a little simple one or a many-layers fancy one. Whatever you like. :P

 

[Reba]

Very very nice Reba wow.

 

[LakeTahoe]

FYI he is very handy man so I am not worry! He built shed from scratch also. And he can replace this or that. We are supposed to finish 2nd bathroom but it cost a lot of money. SO we'll do little by little. Next would be a deck but dunno when.

Some tips:

If your hubby is handy at woodworking, buy the molding by the foot in the lumber section. It costs much cheaper that way. If you buy the molding from the kitchen cabinet department, they charge a lot more. But if you prefer the pre-made and finished moldings to match your cabinets, there's nothing wrong with that. Just a little tip if you are on a budget.

There are so many choices for moldings now! We used a simple crown with rope trim added (because I like nautical things). But the fancier crowns and dental moldings are also beautiful. You can do a little simple one or a many-layers fancy one. Whatever you like. :P

 

[Reba]

FYI he is very handy man so I am not worry! He built shed from scratch also. And he can replace this or that. We are supposed to finish 2nd bathroom but it cost a lot of money. SO we'll do little by little. Next would be a deck but dunno when.

Sounds like he's busy! :P

Yeah, we do a little bit at a time, too, as we can afford.

 

[horselover61]

My exh was supposed to fix my bathroom but he havent done so. I am getting pissed at him.

But I just paint my bedroom and my son bedroom also the kitchen. Once I finished replace all the plugs and switch then I will show you. Only if I can find before pix lol

 

[Reba]

This is not fully a "DYI" project but partially.

Our old garage window was falling apart, and very ugly from the outside, and inside. Also, because it was so tall, everyone outside could see our vehicles and everything inside the garage. We really didn't want to buy a new window; a large one like that is not cheap, and it's not like we needed it for the view.

So, Hubby worked out a barter deal with a custom shutter company. They made a set of aluminum and fiberglass custom storm shutters for us. Hubby primed and painted them, and joined them together with hardware.

Hubby took out the old window and part of the framing. He put the shutters up as permanent shutters. He reinstalled the old screen on the inside, and put up some new trim pieces.

Shutters are a very "Lowcountry" South Carolina look. Also, they match the decorative ones we have on all the front windows. Now the window looks nice and is more secure, but still allows some ventilation and light.

Below are the before and after pictures.

 

[jasin]

Reba
I look at your pix that one show drywall in shower. Question you use proofwater drywall?. I notice that drywall seem not proofwater. But I don't know if actual it was proofwater drywall cause I notice different brand of company make drywall.

PS You and your hubby did a great job.

No drywall is waterproof!!! There is water resistant drywall commonly called greenboard but no one usses that in showers anymore. You should use concrete backerboard or cement board known as durock.

 

[jasin]

This is our storage shed that Hubby built from scratch.

Thats a verry nice storage shed. You did a good job on the shed and landscaping.

 

[Liebling:-)))]

Reba, I didn't see this thread until today... wow, your hubby has a talent with handwork on kitchen units and then window shutter...

It's very nice...

I am begin with my restoration work on antique clock stand next month then follow to sideboard and then couch table.

I am surprised that I forget to post the picture, I made wall border with napkin paper in kitchen last March 2007. I will post the pictures when I am home from work because I don't have pictures here in my office computer file.

 

[horselover61]

This is not fully a "DYI" project but partially.

Our old garage window was falling apart, and very ugly from the outside, and inside. Also, because it was so tall, everyone outside could see our vehicles and everything inside the garage. We really didn't want to buy a new window; a large one like that is not cheap, and it's not like we needed it for the view.

So, Hubby worked out a barter deal with a custom shutter company. They made a set of aluminum and fiberglass custom storm shutters for us. Hubby primed and painted them, and joined them together with hardware.

Hubby took out the old window and part of the framing. He put the shutters up as permanent shutters. He reinstalled the old screen on the inside, and put up some new trim pieces.



Shutters are a very "Lowcountry" South Carolina look. Also, they match the decorative ones we have on all the front windows. Now the window looks nice and is more secure, but still allows some ventilation and light.

Below are the before and after pictures.

I sure dont want ppl to throught the window of my gargage if I had one. I dont blame ya. Did a good job on that one.