Handyman Life

December 5, 2015 in Uncategorized

Why Go To The Bar When You Could Build Your Own?

Screen Shot 2015-02-04 at 12.18.17 AM Going to the bar is expensive. Along with the $10 cover, it’s $20 for a couple of beers and the inevitable cab ride home. So why not pocket the $50 for a night out and instead pay less than $40 for an at-home bar to provide years of entertainment? By repurposing some old wood and purchasing only the building supplies, it is totally possible!

Besides the repurposed wood, these supplies are required:

Sheathing
Screws
Stain
Polytheurane
Saw

Start by framing the bar, using 16″ centers. Create the sides of the bar by attaching sheathing to the frame. Reddit user 7thsonwoodworking found those pieces at a gas station, but can also be found at a local building site or hardware store for free with just a couple “please and thank you”‘s.

Screen Shot 2015-02-04 at 12.18.40 AM

Use plywood for the surface of the bar and screw wooden boards to the surface for the 12″ overhang of the bar. These will also serve as the frame for the inlays. Screen Shot 2015-02-04 at 12.19.01 AM

In order to create a chevron badocams look with the inlays on the surface, measure and cut each board so each side matches up to make the arrow shape. Do this until reaching the middle where both sides meet up. Get creative for this section, 7thsonwoodworking decided on a geometric pentagon shape, but any shape to fill the space will do. Similarly, the fronts and sides should also possess these designs. Screen Shot 2015-02-04 at 12.19.18 AM

Stain the trim of the surface, front and sides until reaching the desired hue. Once stained, screw all the corners of the inlays in. This will be the longest step in the process. Attach the trim to the surface, sides and front. Finally add a layer of polytheurane to make the bar shiny, crisp and clean. Screen Shot 2015-02-04 at 12.19.31 AM

For the advanced class, build some shelving behind the bar to keep all needed liquor and garnishes nearby. This finished look will have people wanting to party in a basement for the first time since high school.

Be nice, and no matter how tempting, don’t charge a cover. Screen Shot 2015-02-04 at 12.19.47 AM

July 27, 2015 in Uncategorized

The Most Important $12 Door Update To Do

Doors are often ignored in a renovation. Countertops, walls, appliances, all of these updates are fair game. But think about all the time guests spend looking at the doors of a home. This $12 update will add glamour to any doorway.

And the process? Couldn’t be simpler. Purchase a 1/4″ piece of plywood. Then measure out the spaces needed between the panels. Once all the horizontal spaces are even, secure the plywood to the door with a nail gun. Repeat the steps on the other side.

Once all the pieces are attached, sand down any rough edges present. Once all is smooth, install the door. This can be done before or after painting or staining the door.

When the paint or stain has dried, this new door can completely transform the way a room looks. Try adding this paneling to all doors of a home for a consistent look.

For a step-by-step guide, check out Jenna Sue Design!

Once you’re done with the doors in your home, call Chicago Handyman and renovate the spaces within the doors!

July 25, 2015 in Uncategorized

Renters Rejoice! Pay Only $65 For A Custom Closet

Some closets in an apartment just aren’t large enough to fit a full wardrobe. So create one! With a few simple tools and a day of work, a hidden custom closet is possible on a budget.

Here are the materials required:

A drill and drill bit
Tape measure
Level
Pencil or pen
Three pieces of plumbing pipe sized to fit the space
Two flanges
Two pipe elbows
Spray paint
Curtain rings
Curtain

Start by measuring the height and width necessary to cover the area. For more space in the actual closet, add a foot above or below for more shelving. Attain pre-cut pipes or ask the hardware store to cut them to the required size.

Spray paint the pipes the desired color before attaching them together. This will look more seamless and be easier to disassemble if the closet needs to change. Once the pieces are dry, screw them together and slide the curtain rings on.

Here comes the parts needing more elbow grease. Level the frame area and mark it with a pen or pencil. Once level, drill four holes into either sides of the wall and then insert anchors. Assure the frame is level, line it up with the anchors and then screw in the screws so they are secure.

After that is done, here comes the easy part. Slide on the curtain! Now a new closet awaits to be filled with all the new purchases possible to buy with the money saved on a custom closet.

July 23, 2015 in Uncategorized

Old Home? These Quick, Easy Updates Will Blow Your Mind!

Sometimes a vintage touch brings interest to a home. However, if every room in a home is a remnant of the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s, it might be time for a remodel. If there’s time or no money for a full-blown renovation, check out these fixes to revamp a space provided by Kim Anderson!

Painting

A new paint job can revitalize any room. Paint can be costly, but here’s a tip: check out the “Oops!” painting section. These paint cans were returned by customers, not because they didn’t work, but because they didn’t work for them. Pick up a few of these cans for less than $5 and watch the room transform.

Counter Tops

A new paint color on the walls not enough? For kitchens and baths, consider painting the countertops! There are products made for painting countertops & Anderson says her countertop has lasted 3 years with barely any chipping.

Lighting

This last update will be the most expensive, but possibly the most rewarding. For between $40 & $150, new lighting in any room can change the brightness and sight lines of a room. Try a dome light in eating areas, new vanity lighting in bathrooms and updated ceiling fans in bedrooms.

So don’t stress about renovation budgets or hiring a construction crew, try these simple fixes to restyle a home!

Ready for a large scale renovation? Call Chicago Handyman today!

July 19, 2015 in Uncategorized

Adding Lacquer & Lace To A Tired Desk

A less than stellar desk by Rlcollins3

Everyone has bought that one piece of furniture. At a garage sale or a thrift store, they become convinced that they will be the ones to save a couch, desk or vanity from furniture purgatory. Unfortunately, so often these pieces get shoved into the recesses of a basement or garage after purchase, never to be touched again. Well, Rlcollins3 offers a different path for those impulse desk buyers with just a few coats of paint and a lace application.

Required supplies by Rlcollins3

These are the required supplies to achieve this look:

Kilz primer
Behr Polar Bear White paint
Target Devine Pond paint
Polyacrylic paint
White Satin finish spray paint
Silver spray paint
Martha Stewart Metallic paint
Lace fabric
Trash bag

Apply the Kilz primer to the surface of the desk as well as the front of all the desk drawers. After this dries, paint these same surfaces with two coats of Devine Pond paint.

Priming by Rlcollins3

Painting by Rlcollins3

Following the painting process, place a drawer in a trash bag, only leaving the front exposed. Cover the whole front of the drawer in lace, securing the trash bag tightly around the drawer to keep the lace in place. Spray white spray paint over the lace pattern. Remove the lace and repeat this step for each drawer.

For extra touches of flair, use the Martha Stewart Metallic paint on the trim of both the desk’s surface and the edges of the drawers. Spray paint all the hardware with silver spray paint.

This elaborate desk drawer is awesome by Rlcollins3

With the handles in place and drawers pushed in, this long ignored desk of drabness found its way to furniture salvation.

The spectacular end result by Rlcollins3

Why Go To The Bar When You Could Build Your Own?

The Most Important $12 Door Update To Do

Renters Rejoice! Pay Only $65 For A Custom Closet

Old Home? These Quick, Easy Updates Will Blow Your Mind!

Adding Lacquer & Lace To A Tired Desk

Did You Know?