DIY Network

Curb Appeal Curb appeal does make a difference; here are some great tips for giving your house a facelift. From "Today Show Tips" episode DTST-116

Have you ever looked at your house from the outside and realized it needs some serious help? The paint's chipping, and the plants are withering. Curb appeal does make a difference; here are some great tips for giving your house a facelift.

Super-easy Decks and Fences

The home improvement market includes products designed to make any project as easy and goof-proof as possible. Take a look at some of them:

• E-Z Deck is made from Jarrah wood, a kind of eucaplyptus from Australia. The manufacturer of this product put a backing on the wood so that it works like a jigsaw puzzle. The tiles just click together. E-Z Deck can be used to spruce up a deck, a balcony or a patio — even a basement. It has a 25-year warranty, too; the only maintenance is putting Jarrah or teak oil on it twice a year.

• Fence-in-a-Box is made of PVC — the same kind of plastic used for plumbing pipe. It arrives in fence sections. All you have to do to install it is dig the post holes, anchor the posts in cement, and add the sections. It requires no maintenance, even in harsh climates; it will look as good 10 years from now as it does the day you install it.

• Change the light(s) by front door to give the front of your home an updated look. To install the new light, turn off the breaker to cut off the electricity to the existing light. Remove the old light. Attach the white wire in the new fixture to the white wire in the wall with a wire nut. Repeat with the black wire. If you have a ground wire in the fixture box, attach the ground wire for the new fixture to it.

advertisement

Paint the Right Way

The toughest part of painting your house is the prep work, including making sure you've got all the right tools handy. How you do the prep work determines whether the paint job will last one year or five years. Here's how to do it right:

• The best time to paint is in the spring or fall. Work on the side of the house that is out of direct sunlight, or wait for a cloudy day.

• To get a top-quality paint job, you must remove the old paint. Sand and scrape the surface to get it as smooth as possible.

• Caulk any cracks or gaps. If the wall needs any other repairs, such as replacing a piece of siding, now is the time to do it. Sand down any caulk or wood putty.

• Use wide blue painter's tape to mask off windows. The tape will keep the paint off the glass, so you'll be able to paint faster without worrying about being extra neat.

• Spend the money to get quality brushes and rollers. A cheap brush won't hold its shape; a good brush will hold more paint, which makes the job go faster and more easily. Good brushes look like they've got split ends, but that's what helps them load up with paint.

• Try painting pads for areas a typical brush can't reach. An extension handle for your roller will help you reach new heights without climbing a ladder.

• Buy quality paint, too: 100 percent acrylic latex exterior paint. A satin finish is easier to clean; you can even use semi-gloss around doors and windows.

• Let the first coat dry for 24 hours before applying the second coat. If the weather is humid, it might take longer.

Page  1 | 2 | 3