7 renovation tips to save you time on the job
Whether you’re painting, hanging windows or cutting materials for a job, these 7 renovation tips from experts can help you get the job done faster.
Paint and texture in one step
A quick way to spruce up an old ceiling and hide minor imperfections is to mix some paint and drywall compound together. Pour about half of a new 5-gallon bucket of drywall compound into a clean bucket and then mix in about ½ gallon of white ceiling paint.
Make sure the mixture is thoroughly blended and then apply to the ceiling with a paint roller. Different roller naps will give you different textures.
–Submitted by Johnny H., Cleveland, Ohio
Airtight cement storage
As a bricklayer, I often have to store unused bags of cement until I need them again, which could be a few months or more. I store them in airtight vacuum-sealed bags so moisture and humidity don’t affect the cement. You can store bags of cement for up to 10 years this way.
–Submitted by Alejandro G., Miami, Florida
Hanging windows solo
If you don’t have someone to help you hang windows, here’s one of the most popular renovation tips to keep the windows from falling out while keeping at least one of your hands free. Secure two 1×3 boards or similar scraps to the wall as seen in the picture. You can secure the boards to the interior or exterior of the wall around the window opening, whichever is easiest for the type of window you are installing.
–Submitted by Abraham S., Peñuelas, Puerto Rico
Tile for base-cabinet floors
Dripping sink traps and other spills damage the floors of base cabinets under kitchen sinks, while the cabinet frames and doors remain in excellent shape. A quick and attractive way to fix this problem is to install inexpensive tiles as a new cabinet floor. You may have to remove and replace severely damaged or sagging cabinet floors (usually just covering the old floor with ¼-inch tile backerboard will solve the problem), but floors with only cosmetic problems can simply be roughed up with sandpaper before setting the tile with simple construction adhesive. A quick grout job and the cabinet floor is now waterproof and eye-catching.
Cutting narrow strips quickly and accurately
Sometimes you need to cut many long, narrow strips from full sheets of drywall, quickly and accurately. One trick is to take an inexpensive plastic speed square and press the knife blade into the squaring edge at the measurement that corresponds to the width of your drywall strip. The notch will keep utility knife blade snugly in place as you drag the square’s flange along the drywall edge. This will result in perfectly straight cuts for tricky narrow pieces.
Retractable story pole
Carpenters have long used story poles for tasks that require numerous cuts that require exact dimensions, such as trimming doors and windows or building face frames for cabinets. But long sticks with a lot of marks on them can be difficult to lug around a jobsite without breaking them or putting a dent in fresh drywall. A better way is to put some masking tape (traditional masking tape – not painter’s tape) on the blade of a tape measure and then make as many marks as you need. The marks will stay crisp and easy to read no matter how many trips you make back and forth to the saw.
Rolled goods cutting station
It can be difficult to make crisp, accurate cuts on rolled goods like felt paper and especially on 9-foot long rolls of housewrap. I make a quick and simple guide from scrap 2x4s and plywood. Make sure the 2x4s are longer than the rolled goods you are cutting (use a couple of straight 10-footers to cut housewrap) and screw them together with scrap plywood, keeping a very small gap between the 2x4s to guide your utility knife blade. Hook your tape measure into the cutting groove, pull the end of the roll to your desired measurement, snug the roll up to the guide to keep the cut square and then make the cut.
