50 THE QUEENS COURIER • AT HOME • AUGUST 17, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
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10 easy DIY home improvement
projects for beginners
You don’t have to be a pro to tackle
many home improvement projects. With
a little elbow grease and a few smart tools,
DIY novices can easily complete all kinds
of household tasks effi ciently and correctly.
Here are 10 common DIY projects for
beginners that any homeowner (or apartment
dweller) can learn to do. Not only
will your house look great, but you’ll feel
a great sense of pride too.
1. Install a kitchen backsplash: You
don’t need to learn how to cut and install
tile. Instead, add a stylish backsplash by
using inexpensive alternative materials
such as tin ceiling tiles, wooden beadboard
or wallpaper.
2. Loosen rusty bolts: For stubborn
nuts and bolts, reach for a Bernzomatic
TS3500 Multi-Use Torch. Th is easy-touse
tool empowers all levels of DIYers
and can be used for dozens of tasks. For
this one, simply heat up the bolt to loosen
the rust, then turn with a wrench
to remove. Discover more torch project
ideas at Bernzomatic.com.
3. Conceal wall blemishes: From nail
holes to furniture bumps, repair wall blemishes
by using a putty knife to spread a
resurfacing compound. For larger dings,
you can use an adhesive patch and add an
all-purpose drywall compound with a trowel.
Allow to dry, then sand and repaint.
4. Give furniture a vintage look: Th e
rustic look is “in,” but rather than splurge
on trendy furniture, get the same look for
less money and have fun creating it yourself.
Add an aged look to wooden furniture
such as patio sets or console tables,
or decor items like picture frames using
a torched patina eff ect. Th e Bernzomatic
TS3500 Multi-Use Torch provides ultimate
control for steady strokes back and
forth on raw wood to bring out the natural
wood grain without having to apply a
stain. It only takes seconds.
5. Create a perfect patio: If you want
a new patio, but don’t want to deal with
mortar, consider fl agstone. Th ese fl at
stones fi t together like puzzle pieces so
you can create a small patio, meditation
garden or reading nook virtually anywhere
in your yard.
6. Repair equipment: Need to repair
the grips on your bike, tennis racket or
hockey sticks? When you want to regrip
them, take off the old grip and use a torch
to soft en the adhesive to make it easier
to remove the old grip. Simply add new
grips around the now adhesive-free surfaces.
7. Eliminate picture-hanging snafus:
When hanging small pictures, put masking
tape on the wall before hammering or
drilling. Th is will help ensure the wall or
paint doesn’t crack. Additionally, place a
folded sticky note on the wall before drilling
and it will catch all the dust.
8. Spruce up landscaping beds: If your
landscaping is looking drab, mulch is an
aff ordable way to limit weeds and protect
plants while making the space more visually
appealing. Use cut outs of landscaping
fabric to line the beds before spreading
mulch evenly on top. Quick trick: use
a torch to singe the ends of the fabric to
keep it from fraying.
9. Replace outlet plates: Faded or dated
outlet plates can make an entire room
look old. Update your space by installing
new covers. For little cost, you can buy
new plates and all you have to do is use a
Phillips or fl at-head screwdriver to swap
out the old for new.
10. Evoke elegance with crown molding:
High-end homes oft en feature crown
molding where the wall meets the ceiling.
To get the look for less, purchase foam
crown molding from your local home
improvement store, paint and install with
foam-board adhesive. No nails required!
Courtesy BPT