Amanda Hartley | Home Makeover Diva

Can You Paint Cultured Marble Or Tile Countertops?

02.24.2015 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Mary asks,

Have any ideas about making over countertops that are cultured marble, and tile countertops? Rust-Oleum Countertop Transformations won’t work on these surfaces. 🙂

Mary, unfortunately neither one of those surfaces handle paint well in wet areas. This is one of the reasons why it’s not recommended to use a product like Rust-Oleum CountertropTransformations on cultured marble or tile.

Upon receiving your question, I asked all my contacts in the painting industry for help and I also scoured the internet to find a paint for a DIY makeover on a cultured marble countertop. Unfortunately, short of buffing and reapplying a gel coat to get it back to its former glory, there really isn’t much you can do yourself to give a cultured marble countertop a new look. In fact, when it comes to making over cultured marble you really have only three options: live with it, replace it or hire a company to come in and professionally refinish it.

The first option is pretty self-explanatory, do nothing and live with the countertop you’ve already got. Not the most glamours option, but it’s certainly the cheapest.

The second option requires you to choose a new countertop and install it yourself, or hire someone else to install it for you. Depending on the size of your countertop, you might be able to find a pretty cheap replacement at a home improvement store. If you go this route and decided to do it yourself, be aware that you are also going to have to deal with the plumbing attached to the sink and faucet as well. After all, it’s not just the countertop that has to be removed and replaced.

The last option is to hire a company to professionally refinish it for you. This is done very similarly to how you would have a bathtub or shower refinished, which is why it’s best to have someone else do the work for you. To date, none of the attempts I’ve seen by DIYer’s have turned out very well. It’s also important to mention that if you are going to have this done, it may be more cost-effective in the long run to just replace the countertop. These finishes can last for awhile, but eventually may chip and crack. At which point, you’d be back to square one. Which brings us back to option two – replace it.

As for a tile countertop, if the tiles are well secured, just about the only thing you can do that will last is to put a new tile right over the existing ones. However, this poses a unique problem when it comes to the sink. Whether the sink is an under mount or a drop in sink, you’ll have to get creative with the new edge. In the case of an under mount sink, how will you treat the overlap of the tile onto the sink? It will now be twice as thick as it was before and if you leave it the way it is it, you’ll be able to see the edges of both layers of tile. So, you’ll have to find away to cover up the existing tile and make a finished looking edge at the same time.

If the sink is a drop in, you’ll want to make sure that the additional tile with thinset isn’t too tall. You don’t want the tile to be taller than the sink. And then if the sink is round, you are going to have a lot of angled circular cuts to make. Which can be frustrating if you are not familiar with how to make those types of tile cuts.

I wish I had better advice to give, but when it comes to cultured marble and tile countertops there really isn’t much you can do. My advice is to wait until you can replace them completely, as this is the only option that will be cost effective and long lasting.

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe (diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog!

How To Buy Carpet For Your Home

02.24.2015 by Amanda Hartley //

As we continue winding our way through the season, many of you are thinking about the home improvements that need to take place in your homes. But one home improvement that tends to be put off until the last-minute has to be changing out old carpeting. Why the procrastination? Most of the time it stems from not knowing how to buy carpet for their home. This is understandable, as the entire process can indeed be seen as a bit overwhelming.

To address this challenge, I’ve decided to offer a round-up of articles along with one additional resource that I think will help to ease the burden of learning how to buy carpet for your home.

Home Depot Carpet Installation: In an article dating back to April of this year, a reader asked what she needed to know about Home Depot carpet installation prices and whether or not it’s a good place to buy carpet. Pricing, expectations and other considerations were explained at length. There was also suggestion to the reader for them to be very proactive when dealing with a carpet order. This tip, is among one of the many considerations to remember when shopping around for new carpet for your home.

Carpet Buying Tips

From carpet type to carpet color, this article will prove helpful in offering some worthwhile carpet buying tips. Great, general advice is offered to anyone wanting to get the basics of carpet shopping. By no means does this cover all of the bases, but it’s a pretty good place to start. Considerations explored include texture, style, color, padding, moisture barriers and stain resistance.

So what’s missing then?

A lot of things are missing here, actually. The underlying problem is no matter how much I attempt to cover in one or two articles, there’s bound to be something that will be missed. What is needed to handle situations such as learning to effectively buy carpet from home is using a guide that will ensure you’re doing the following.

Tricks of the trade – You need to learn how to avoid common, misleading sales tactics used by some unscrupulous salespeople. There are factors you need to be aware of, in order to prevent being hosed for hundreds of dollars.

Selecting the best carpet for YOUR needs – Despite offering some fantastic articles here at the Home Makeover Diva, there are going to be instances where you need to know how to handle very specific circumstances.

I’d like to share an e-book with you that will not only prevent you from feeling “in the dark” when shopping for new carpet, it will ensure you aren’t being misled, sold the wrong kind of carpet/padding or other common issues you’ll find when carpet shopping.

This e-book guide will show you step by step how to purchase the best carpet and padding for the best possible price. Unlike the salespeople you end up dealing with, the e-book’s author isn’t on commission. For a small one time purchase, you could end up saving yourself hundreds of dollars in carpet buying mistakes. Not buying this guide, is absolutely not using any commonsense. Don’t buy new carpet without getting all of the facts, first!

The best part about using this guide is that it comes with a money back return policy. If you hate the advice offered, return it. And considering how much you’re about to spend on carpeting for your home, the tiny cost for this guide pays for itself instantly. After all, why gamble with the entire cost of a carpet install when you could very well save yourself from a terrible mistake with a cheap little e-book instead? Don’t go into a carpet emporium without getting all of the facts first.

Remember, unless you’re already a flooring expert, buying carpeting without understanding the type of carpeting you’re actually going to end up with is simply unwise. Play it safe, read the articles linked above and please, use the resources that have been provided to you. Better to be safe, than sorry and by playing it safe, you’ve lost nothing.

Twelve Must Have Painting Supplies

02.23.2015 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Adrienne writes:

What tools and supplies do you prefer when you are painting?

What a good question, Adrienne! As it turns out there are about a dozen different items that I always make sure I have on hand before I start my painting project. Some of them are no-brainers and others are items that just make painting easier for me. Unfortunately for me (but fortunately for you), some of them are the result of trial and error! Sometimes you’ve got to use the wrong tools before you can find out what the rights one are. That said, below I’ve listed my twelve must have painting supplies:

1.) Ergonomic Roller Handle and Paint Brushes – You might be tempted to buy one of those economy packs of painting supplies or just grab the cheapest options available. But when it comes to paint brushes and rollers, that would be a big mistake! You’re going to be holding onto these items for the duration of your project, why not make sure they are comfortable and fit well in your hands? Trust me on this one, there is nothing worse than only being half done with a project when your hand starts cramping up! It isn’t pleasant and spending just a couple more dollars on an ergonomic roller handle or paint brush could make a big difference in your ability to finish the painting project.

2.) Quality Angled Paint Brushes – A quality angled paint brush will make your life a whole lot easier when it comes to cutting in (edging). It’s easier to control where the paint goes and the angled edge makes working in a corner or along trim easier, as well. What I mean by quality paint brush is one that isn’t going to shed on you. The cheaper poor quality paint brushes can start shedding as you’re painting. So you’ll have to start picking the bristles off your wall or they will dry with the paint and become noticeable blemishes. It’s easier just to avoid this whole scenario and purchase good quality brushes from the start. My favorite angled brush is a 1-1/2″ Purdy brand brush. The size is perfect for edging by a baseboard heater or along the ceiling. Purdy paint brushes also last forever if you treat them right.

3.) Correct Size Roller Covers – Using the correct size roller cover is important for two reasons: first you want to make sure the length of your cover is correct for the size roller you have. So if your roller cover is 9 inches, your roller handle should also be 9 inches. Secondly, roller covers come in different nap sizes. Smaller nap sizes are for smooth surfaces (like furniture and table tops) while bigger nap sizes are for rough surfaces (highly textured walls and rough wood surfaces). Most roller covers are labeled clearly with their nap size and what type of surface they are good for.

4.) Plastic Roller Tray – I prefer the plastic roller trays because they’re easier to clean and don’t rust over time. Even with their no-rust advantages, I still try to get as much paint out of the tray as possible, and then I set the roller tray in the garage to dry out. Once it’s dry, I peel the remaining paint off and have a brand new tray.

5.) Handy Paint Cup – This little red cup is one of my favorite painting supplies, and it makes painting so much easier for me! It’s ergonomic to hold and very handy to tote around. As an added bonus, there’s a magnet inside the cup that holds your paint brush up and out of the paint inside. Handy Paint Cups come in a couple of sizes, but the smaller one is just perfect for edging and small projects.

6.) Scotch Blue Delicate Masking Tape with Edge Lock – If you’re needing to tape off an area or make a straight line for your painting project, then Scotch Blue Delicate Masking Tape is the best tape I’ve found by far. Plus, it’s for delicate surfaces so you don’t have to worry about it taking off the existing paint or stain. On minimally textured or smooth walls, you could use this tape and have a perfect line with no bleed through. Surprisingly, even on textured walls, this painters tape does a fair job of preventing any paint from bleeding through. However, if you need perfect lines, consider adding my next item.

7.) Paintable Silicone Caulking – Grab the kind that comes in a squeezable tube, not a caulking gun (this will be easier to control). And make extra sure it is labelled paintable caulk. To make perfect tape lines, you’ll squeeze a bead onto your finger and rub it over the edge of the paint to make sure the tape edge is sealed. Then once the caulking is dry you just paint right over it. Using the caulking is especially important for textured walls because it will ensure that the tape sticks to the wall evenly. Thus leaving you with a smooth and straight line free of blemishes.

8.) Self Leveling Laser level – A self leveling laser level is a good all around tool to have when you’re making over a room. Especially if you need to end your painting at a straight line. Whether you’re making an architectural statement or painting a pattern of lines, a laser level with help save you time. Set your level to your desired spot and use a straight edge and a pencil to draw your line.

9.) Double Layer Drop Cloth – A double layer drop cloth will offer more protection from spills. The top layer will absorb the spilled or splattered paint while the bottom later will keep the spill from soaking into what’s underneath. I prefer the drop cloths that have a canvas texture on the top and are coated with vinyl or rubber on the bottom. Knowing that no matter how much paint I spill or splatter it won’t soak through, gives me peace of mind.

10.) Rubber Mallet and Paint Can Opener – Unless you are using Dutch Boy paint (Dutch Boy Paints comes in an easy to open and pour container) odds are you’ll need a paint can opener and a rubber mallet to seal the can back up. While you could accomplish the tasks of opening and closing paint cans with other items from your tool box, it’s easier and generally more pleasant to use a paint can opener and a rubber mallet. Especially, considering they don’t risk damaging the lid.

11.) Painters Rags – I always keep a heap of painters rags near me, as well as a few in my pockets while I’m painting. That way they are close by to help clean up a spill or get paint off of trim quickly. Also paint rags work much better than paper towels, because they can absorb more paint and don’t fall apart.

12.) Water – I keep two containers of water handy when I’m painting. One in an open container so that I can just dip a painters rag in it in case of an accident – like getting too close to trim work or accidentally painting the ceiling. The second is a water bottle I don’t mind getting paint on, so that I can stay hydrated while I work. By keeping the water near by, I eliminate the risk of tracking paint through the rest of the house when I’m thirsty.

I’m sure there are a few more items I could add to this list, but these are the ones I find myself using the most. These are also the items that I kick myself for when I don’t have them readily available. I hope these help you out as you plan your next project!

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe(diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog!

Motivation Tips For Your Next Project

02.23.2015 by Amanda Hartley //

Recently Michele asked:

How can I boost my motivation to get started on the various home makeover projects my house needs?

That’s a great question, Michele! I’m sure we’ve all struggled with a lack of motivation a time or two in our lives. I know I certainly have! In fact, right this minute I’m lacking in the motivation to go outside and start the gardening project my front yard desperately deserves. This may even be the reason why I’m inside on a such a beautiful sunny day answering your question. So, why don’t we work through this one together, and both come out on top of our home makeover projects!

The first thing I get hung up on, is focusing on the project as a whole. This is a huge mistake if you’re in a funk and can’t find the motivation to get started! Focusing on the whole project just makes it feel like an enormous task and that gets overwhelming. Instead, try to focus on something simple, like what supplies you will need. Making a supplies list is a simple task that can help you move in the right direction. Plus once you get the supplies list finished, you’ll also have your shopping list for any items you are needing to purchase.

The supplies list for my gardening project would look something like this: spade, yard rake, shears, hand rake, trowel, garden gloves, hose, wheelbarrow, bark, soil, and plants. This is the list of the items that I will need to accomplish my project. It’s also a good plan when your low on motivation to add something to your shopping list that you don’t necessarily need, but will make your job easier. For me this year, it’s going to be one of those handy little rolling garden stools.This extra purchase in particular, is really going to help boost my motivation because it will help lessen the knee and back pain I’m already anticipating. Plus, it’ll give me a place to store my small gardening tools while I’m working!

Once you’ve got your supply list and/or shopping list written out, it’s time to assemble your supplies. Because tools get misplaced or broken from one season to the next, I recommend assembling the tools you already have before your shopping trip. This way if you need to replace something, you won’t have to make an additional trip to the hardware store. For my gardening project, I know that I’m going to need to purchase the bark, soil and plants. But what I wouldn’t know unless I went down to the garage and looked at my gardening tools, is that I also need new gardening gloves, shears, hand rake and trowel. Checking out your supplies before you go shopping will also help keep you from having to stop the project mid stream to run to the hardware store.

After gathering and purchasing all the needed materials, you should be ready to start your project! Once again, don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by the whole project at large. Instead, just think of the first item you need to do. For my gardening project, that’s digging up a couple bushes that didn’t make it through the winter. By only focusing on one item at a time, I should be able to fool my motivation enough to truck on through the entire project! When I finish the task of removing the dead bushes then I can begin getting the flower beds ready for new plants.

For this article, I focused on my current gardening project, but the advice will work on any home makeover project in your home. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, remember to focus on just one small goal at a time and the motivation will follow suit!

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe(diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog!

How To Measure And Install Window Blinds Yourself

02.23.2015 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Janet writes:

Could you walk me through the process of measuring and installing new window treatments myself? I’ve done several other projects around the house and I think I’m finally ready to tackle this one! Thank you so much for your help!

Janet, your first step will be to measure your windows for the new blinds. Make sure you have a metal tape measure, pen and paper, and a step-ladder or folding ladder to stand on depending on how tall your windows are. It is very important that you use a metal tape measure and not a seamstresses measuring tape. The reason being that unlike a metal tape measure, a seamstresses measuring tape can be inaccurate based on how tight you hold its ends. This is why it is important to always use a metal tape measure for any home improvement project, as it will give you a true unbiased measurement. Once you’ve got all the needed tools assembled, decide where the blinds will be hung from. Are you going to hang them inside the window frame or mount them on the wall around the window?

For inside the window frame, place the end of your tape measure inside the window frame itself, then measure from inside edge to inside edge. Do this in three spots for the width, and three spots for the height. This way, you’ll know whether you need to compensate for your windows being out of square. Do this regardless of how old the house is, older homes are usually the worst at being out of square, but newer homes aren’t perfect either. If your window is out of square, you’ll want to take the largest of all three measurements. This could potentially let in more light around the window blind, but it is better than the alternative – which is your window treatment not fitting inside the window frame!

For outside the window frame mounts, measure from at least 1-1/2 inches outside the window frame on either side. You may need to make adjustments to this number based on any obstacles or molding. A few tips to keep in mind: Try to avoid mounting your blinds into the moulding or trim work, because this will be noticeable if the blinds are taken down and not replaced. Be extra careful to check the area you are going to mount the blinds for electrical wires and adequate space. If your window butts up next to a cabinet, make sure you are checking your measurements next to that cabinet or another obstacle.

Once you’ve written down the measurements for both the width and the height of your window, it’s time to purchase your new blinds. Make sure you write down the dimensions in width x height format (side to side, then top to bottom), and make sure the number is in inches, not feet. Once you’ve got this important number, you can go pick out your new window treatments!

One of the biggest mistakes novices make when purchasing new window treatments, is not being ultimately clear with the salesperson on how the window treatments were measured. This is why it is important to stress to the salesperson that your measurements are your actual window dimensions and to make sure they know whether you are planning on installing them as an inside mount or an outside mount. The reason being that an inside mount typically has a 1/2 inch taken off the total width measurement, so that the blind will fit inside the window frame. While an outside mount is made to the exact measurements requested. It might seem redundant, but I always have the salesperson read back my measurements and the type of mount so that I can make sure we are communicating effectively and so my blinds will be made correctly.

Once you bring your new blinds home, you are then ready to hang them. Make sure you’ve got a power drill and it’s charged, your measuring tape, a pencil and step ladder. You’ll want to remove the old blind and it’s hardware first. (Unless you purchased the exact same kind of blind and the hardware is in good condition.)

Make sure you follow the manufacturers instructions when installing the new hardware. Most instructions will tell you how many inches in from the edge of the window the hardware needs to be installed. Then using your tape measure and pencil mark where the new hardware will go. Hold the hardware in that place and make a mark where each screw will be placed. This way, you can start the hole of the screw without having to hold the bracket firmly in place. Giving you two hands to hold the drill and keep it steady. Don’t tighten the first screw firmly in place, you want to wait to tighten it completely until the final screw is in as well. No matter what project you are working on, it’s always a good idea to slowly tighten the screws as this will help you avoid stripping them. Repeat this for the remainder of the brackets.

For an inside mount, you’ll also want to make sure that the hardware is spaced evenly in the depth of the window sill as well. Otherwise your blind will sit crookedly in the window and potentially scrape against the window frame as it’s opened and closed.

Now that the brackets are installed, you are ready to hang the blind. Remember to read the instructions prior to hanging so you understand how the blind fits into the brackets. Some brackets are flimsier than others and could be damaged if you try to put the blind in the wrong way. If your blind is over 60 inches, you may need another set of hands to hang it. The wider the blind the harder it is to hold by yourself. Plus some brackets are tricky, and require you to hold the blind just so to connect the two. Additionally, the wider the blind the heavier it can be become. This is especially true for wood and faux wood blinds. They can get downright heavy and it’ll be nice to have someone else to share the weight with.

Jiggle the blind around slightly to make sure you’ve got it firmly in the brackets. Otherwise it might fall down on you. Some brackets make a definite snap noise when the blind is securely in place. Once the blind is successfully in the window you are done! Open and close the blind, making sure all parts work smoothly. If you have a problem, alert the company immediately so it can be fixed. You have a limited amount of time, before any problems are your sole responsibility.