Recycling and reusing have become buzzwords in America the last several years, with environmental concerns and energy costs on everyone’s minds. The term, “sustainable build” has been heard more and more frequently, especially in the renovation and remodeling industry. Using reclaimed materials to remodel your house can mean saving money up front, because the items have already been gently used. Repurposing wood, glass, tires, cardboard, pallets, and scrap metal can lend your home a unique feel, but it can also save you money and help the environment at the same time.

Image via: Material Girls Blog

Where To Find Reclaimed Materials For Your Home Remodel

It can seem daunting at first to come up with the necessary volume of supplies needed for a big remodel project. Going to your local hardware store may not yield as much success as you might hope, simply because they are in business to make money off of new products. Start reading ads for people wanting to sell or dispose of extra leftover building supplies, or things that have been removed from an ongoing project. Place your own ads to let people know what types of reclaimed materials you’re seeking. You might be surprised at how willing some people can be to get rid of their used doors, windows, or fixtures.

Another goldmine to check when you’re trying to save money with recycled building materials is the salvage yard. In order for this to be an effective strategy, visit often, because you don’t want to miss the diamond in the rough that may not be there tomorrow. Also try local construction sites, and get to know the project manager. They may be willing to allow you to buy (or have!) leftover plywood, or things they removed during a demolition phase. Check the local newspapers to learn if any homes are going to be demolished soon, as they can provide a literal ton of reclaimed materials for remodeling projects.

Save Money Using Reclaimed Materials, Obtain One-Of-A-Kind Items

By repurposing supplies or items to use in your remodel, you can not only get these things less expensively, but your home will truly be unique. Antique and vintage are key words in interior design, and can make your property stand out on the street. Adding unique architectural details to bring back the original look of your front porch, or refinishing some salvaged cabinetry gives your house character, and can significantly increase the resale value. You may even learn of some special historical stories that are associated with the things you are salvaging, and by bringing them back to life, allow those stories to be passed on.

Image via: Inspiracionline

Reclaimed materials for remodeling projects often cost 40-60% less than the same items brand new. Older items tend to be of more solid construction, meaning you’re obtaining a higher quality item that will last longer in your house. The volume of supplies that go to landfills each year is staggering, as is the energy required to manufacture new items. Using reclaimed materials or recycled items in your home remodeling project saves you money, helps the environment, and reduces waste.

Sheila Konecke is a real estate investor working with home sellers and buyers throughout Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia areas since 2002. Sheila can be reached at We Buy Ugly Houses Washington DC for those looking to buy or sell a house in the Washington DC area.

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Happy DIY Saturday! Welcome to the first weekend in April and the front of your home has seen better days! The harsh winter has been rough on your lawn, plant beds, driveway and walkways, and it’s time to start thinking how you are going to improve your curb appeal. The good news? Your curb appeal is one of the easiest and least expensive upgrades you can make on your home. It actually requires more manual labor than “money” labor!

The beauty of improving your home’s curb appeal is once it is done, all you have to do is maintain it throughout the year with regular de-weeding, watering the lawn, and light maintenance. Today, we dedicate to ways to improve your outdoor home and show you 10 tips to better curb appeal that will instantly revive the exterior of your home.

Look at this video from DIY Network – Curb Appeal Upgrades:

These 10 curb appeal tips will help: Courtesy of  Tinman Inspections

1.) Tame planter beds and landscaping:

If your beds are overrun with weeds and unsightly growth, you’ll need to get them under control to give your home a well-manicured look. Prune, pull weeds and plant flowers to add color. Add a fresh layer of mulch and your yard will look as good as new.

2.) Replace old hardware:

It’s the little things that make a big difference. Update your dated or dingy house numbers, entry door lockset and overhead light fixture. Each of these elements can add style and interest to your home’s exterior, especially if you incorporate a great finish option like oil-rubbed bronze or brushed nickel.

3.) Make over your mailbox:

Your mailbox should complement the style and color of your house. Restore your existing mailbox with a fresh coat of paint or stain that matches the trim, color and woodwork of your house.

4.) Illuminate your walkway:

Adding low-voltage solar lighting to your front walkway can have a big impact on your home’s curb appeal. It also provides added safety and security. If you don’t have a walkway, string accent lighting in the trees for a whimsical-looking effect.

5.) Freshen up the front door:

The front entry is the focal point of your home’s curb appeal. To keep it looking free of abuse from the elements and use, clean off any dirty spots and remove any loose paint. If your door is beyond repair, install a new version that reflects the design of your house. Once you’re all set, be sure to add a piece of decorative flair, like a wreath or door knocker that showcases your personality to the outside world.

6.) Add shutters or accent trim:

Everything on the exterior of your home should be a reflection of what’s inside. To mirror the pulled-together appearance of your indoor rooms, install shutters and trim to provide an extra layer of interest on the exterior. Not only do shutters help control light and ventilation, but new materials such as PVC resins or polyurethane make them durable and low maintenance.

7.) Dress up the driveway:

If your driveway is cracked, stained or has weeds sprouting up from it, now may be time to show it some TLC. Upgrade it without completely starting over. Repair any cracks or stains and be sure to kill the weeds and then add some extra character by staining the concrete or affixing flagstone. For additional flair, add stone, bricks or pavers to the sides for a completely custom look.

8.) Renew paint and trim:

Give your home an exterior facelift by adding a new coat of paint or stain. You’ll automatically update the look of your home by fixing any obvious defects, like loose paint, fading colors or cracks in your trim and fence. Be sure to use high-quality painting tools to get a professional-looking finish, like the Pro-Extra brush from Purdy. The extra length and thickness of the filaments on these paintbrushes provide superior paint-holding capacity and are specially designed for all exterior paints and stains.

9.)Replace gutters and downspouts:

If your gutters are loose and worn out, not only do they look neglected, but they’re also a danger to guests. To prevent any injuries, as well as improve the overall appearance, install a new, snap-fit gutter system that go together with a few tools for an easy and important upgrade.

10.) Upgrade railings:

Porch and stoop railings deteriorate over time and can become loose. If yours are past their prime, look for quality wood or metal replacements. Make sure the color, scale, design and details coordinate with the rest of your home’s main features.

Watch Stagetecture’s You Tube Channel for more DIY ideas

The exterior of your home is subjected to the sun, wind, and elements 365 days of the year.  Exterior wood siding and trim take a beating from the elements as well.  How about sprucing up the exterior of your home with a fresh paint job? I showed you how to choose exterior paint colors a few weeks ago, today I will show you the materials and process of how to paint the exterior of your home.

Ensure that you first inspect and prepare the surface first. Here are some tips for surface preparation from, Dulley painting guide.

Surface Preparation:

The first step should be a thorough inspection of your home’s exterior, checking for peeling paint, dirt, grease, cracks, knots, rusty nail heads, bare areas and mildew. Follow these steps to obtain the smooth, clean, dry surface before painting:

• Scrape all surfaces clean of peeling paint and rust.
• Remove oil, grease and dirty by washing with a detergent or commercial cleaner recommended for washing paint. On siding, remove dirt and chalk with a solution of the above type detergent and a sponge, brush, or pressure washer. (Paints often chalk slightly to prevent dirt collection. Latex paints are sensitive to heavily chalked surfaces.)
• Remove all traces of mildew with a stiff brush and a commercial surface cleaner recommended for removing mildew. Or, mix one quart of household bleach with three quarts warm water. Rinse well with clean water before painting.
• Cracks in siding or open joints between building materials should be caulked. Prime unpainted surfaces before caulking.
• If siding has wood knots that contain resinous material, use turpentine or mineral spirits to remove resin, then seal with a special knot sealer available at your paint store.
• On iron and steel, rust should be sanded or wire brushed away.
• Fill particularly rough, unpainted masonry surfaces with masonry block filler — a thick material that creates a smoother, less porous surface.
• Glossy painted surfaces should be roughened with sandpaper — particularly important under eaves or overhangs. These areas must also be washed with detergent and water to remove soluble salts which have collected.
• Sand rusty nailheads, then sink them slightly below the surface with a hammer and nail punch. Apply corrosion-resistant primer over the nailhead and add putty if necessary. Then sand smooth.
• Spot prime bare areas. Even if siding is factory primed, spot priming will be necessary on bare or rusted areas. Minor scratches, dents and raw edges should be feather sanded and spot primed.

Painting Steps:

Behr Paint has a step by guide on how to paint wood siding

STEP 1:

Begin your painting project by pouring thoroughly mixed paint into a bucket and dipping a quality 2”–2½” wide nylon/polyester brush into the paint.
TIP: When working outside, it is best to work out of direct sunlight and in temperatures between 50º–90ºF with moderate humidity.

Painting your home will not only make it look better, but it will extend the life of your wood siding.  But painting it you are painting a protective shield over the wood to protect from the damaging effects of the elements.

STEP 2:

Starting at the top of your project area, paint (cut in) horizontally along the top and bottom of each sideboard. Next, cut in vertically along the left trim of the sideboards and then on the right trim of the sideboards.

TIP: Remove the excess paint that collects between the sideboard panels by working your brush between the grooves of the boards.

STEP 3:

Reload the brush when necessary to maintain a wet edge. Repeat the process until the cut in section is complete.
TIP: To eliminate unwanted brush strokes, smooth out the cut in section by taking a lighter stroke over the newly painted area.

STEP 4:

From the bucket, pour paint into a paint tray and work your roller into the tray until it is fully loaded with paint. For best results, use a ⅜”–¾” roller cover.
TIP: For larger areas, consider using a 5-gallon bucket and a bucket grid.

STEP 5:

Starting at an upper corner of the cut in section, fill in the remaining areas of the boards with the roller. Be sure to roll over the cut in area as well.

STEP 6:

Reload the roller when necessary to maintain a wet edge. Repeat the process until the project is complete.
TIP: For optimum results in quality of color of finish, apply a second coat.

You Tube video:

How to paint your exterior wood and trim of your home.

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, & Stagetecture’s YouTube Channel, click here.

Crown molding is one of those features of a home that can take a room from “so-so” to gorgeous! When selling your home, crown

molding is a feature that appeals to most home buyers and home owner’s love boasting about the amenity.

There are some misconceptions about installing crown molding, some people say it’s easy – ‘Anyone can do it!’.  While others will say it’s the hardest thing ever – ‘Don’t try it!’

I’m here to tell you – they are both wrong! I say this to mean – it depends on your patience, skill background, ability to follow directions, and confidence in using power saws.  This is a job that can be time consuming, so allow ample cushion time to finish the job.  For those of you that prefer to hire a professional, it’s understandable, but for those of you that like the satisfaction of crafting a job on your own – here you go.

E-How has a step by step guide on installing crown molding. See here the tools needed, preparation, and simplified execution.  For a full description, visit E-How.

Tools you will need:

Utility Knives
Coping Saws
Measuring Tapes
Wood Putty
Finish Nails
Miter Saws
Hammers

Preparation:

1.) Take measurements to get the linear footage needed to span the distance to be trimmed out. Add 10 percent to this figure for waste and mistakes.

2.) Select the style and finish you want for your new crown molding. There are many shapes and sizes available.

3.) Pick a style that suits your decor and personal taste. The finish that you put on should be purchased and applied before you start any cutting and fitting.

4.) Try to buy your trim in lengths that will need as few splices as possible. In some cases splices are unavoidable but the fewer there are the better the finished job will look. (Very long walls may have to be spliced ― 14 to 16 feet is about the longest you will find in most trim pieces and these longer pieces are more susceptible to warping and damage.)

5.) Stain or paint all the molding then allow it to dry thoroughly.

For rest of steps visit here.

Trimming & Joining:

1.) Overcome not-quite-square corners ― and most of them are not square ― with a “coped” joint:

2.) Run the first piece of crown molding tightly into the corner. Cope-cut the second piece that will form the other leg of the corner angle in the shape of the profile of the molding so that it can butt neatly against the face of the first piece. Here’s how:

3.) Use a deep miter box and a fine-toothed saw to make a cut that reveals the profile of the molding. Position the molding so that it is upside down in the miter box. The face of the molding that goes against the ceiling will be on the bottom of the miter box. Remember, for inside corners, the bottom of the crown molding will be the longest edge.

4.) Cutting the proper miter will reveal the profile of the molding. Cut away the excess wood along the backside of the molding following that profile line with a coping saw. Err on the side of removing too much rather than too little; only the outermost edge of the coped molding will be seen.

5.) Use a utility knife to remove any excess material you missed with the coping saw. Be careful that you do not cut into the exposed face of the molding. Hold the piece in place to test the fit. Take it down and do more carving if necessary. This will sometimes take several fittings and trimmings to get the cleanest-fitting joint.

For rest of steps visit here.

Attach & Finishing

1.) Determine the location of the joists. Drill pilot holes to keep the molding from splitting.

2.) Attach the molding with only a few nails. (Use 6d or 8d finish nails for this, depending on the thickness of the molding). Take a good look at the positioning before completing the nailing.

3.) Provide a solid nailing area where the joists run parallel to the crown molding by using a 2 x 2 cut on a 45-degree bevel. Cut the 2-by-2 to length then screw it to the wall so that it’s in the corner where the ceiling and wall meet. The 2-by-2 provides a solid surface sitting at an angle, to which you can nail the molding.

4.) Countersink all nails using a nail set.

5.) Use wood putty to fill all visible nail holes help cover any small gaps at the joints to give things a more seamless appearance. Wait for the putty to dry and sand it smooth with fine sand paper.

6.) Finish the nail holes and small fill-ins to match the rest of the molding, and enjoy your new look

Video How-To:

This You Tube video will show you step-by-step on how to install crown molding.

 

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, & Stagetecture’s YouTube Channel, click here.