The house is purported to have been built in the mid 80’s, but it is packed with layout “features” from the 70’s, like a master bathroom so small that there’s barely room for a shower and absolutely no linen storage. But it also has the disproportionately humongo living/dining combination area that was a feature of so many homes built in the late seventies, as well as wall to wall dark wood paneling.

What We Started With
The seller floored this entire 480 sq ft area, including the kitchen and hallways with a laminate wood flooring, which looked really nice as a first impression, but the installation was not completed correctly, plus at some point there was a plumbing mishap that ruined about 40 sq ft of flooring that they never replaced. I wish I’d thought to take photos of the trim-out on this floor before we ripped it up - installing a laminate floor is probably the second-easiest flooring job one could ever have to to, but someone didn’t read the trim-out directions at all, nor did they apply any common sense. When it came time to tack the floor down, someone simply nailed quarter-round trim in various places in the most haphazard manner I’ve ever seen. They also didn’t use the under-cut saw that allows you to put the floor under the door trim, so the flooring did not fit correctly.

These trim-out issues combined with the fact that a quarter of the floor in the dining room shrank up after being soaked with water, meant that the entire floor was subject to shifting. As people came in and out of the house, dirt tracked in and got in between the grooves and under the boards. It was noisy, unsightly, and actually tripped people when some of the warped boards shifted in just the right direction.

For a little back story, let me tell you that I recently married into a family with five kids, whose father is a high school physics teacher. It’s not like we have a hidden stash of remodeling money hidden anywhere. We needed to replace a good chunk of flooring ourselves, as inexpensively as we could, three weeks before school started. Who knew that would end up being considered a high-end upgrade? Well, I did, to be honest, but I wasn’t sure if we could pull it off.

For The Budget Conscious
If you’re not afraid of a little hard work, staining a concrete floor is easily the least expensive, high-return upgrade you can perform. A gallon of stain costs between $50-60 and used undiluted, will cover about 200 sq ft - more if you either dilute it with water (a common practice) or go for a more mottled look like natural stone. Then figure in the cost of a suitable sealer - you don’t have to buy the sealer made by the stain company. You can use any sealer that provides the type of finish you want. You can even just wax it down without a sealer if you prefer that look. Then throw in the $17 it costs to buy a plastic garden sprayer, $25 for a contractor’s scraper, and few bucks for sandpaper and short nap paint rollers and that’s pretty much it.

Stained Concrete, three-color

For our 483 sq ft area, we spent about $290 because we went for a three-color blend on the stain, so we spent more on stain that some folks would need to, and the particular brand of stain we used didn’t come in any container smaller than a gallon. We also used two gallons of sealer but could have easily used three. Basically we came home with five cans and spent $250, then added in the incidentals required for prep (scraper, sander, sandpaper) and application (sprayer for stain, roller for sealer). If you already have the necessary tools like a plastic garden sprayer, a good sander, something to scrape the cement with, and paint supplies, you won’t have those expenses.

DIY FYI
Before you dive into to a stained living area, experiment on a porch or patio - most concrete stain manufacturers sell sample kits. We stained our front porch and an office using color combos from the sampler box, in order to decide what color combination we liked best before putting it in the living room. I’ll use two of the remaining sample colors in the tiny master bathroom when we finally get around to revamping that thing…

Some additional accessories that might help a DIY concrete staining project go smoother include plastic sheeting, so you can mask off the other rooms in the house because once the sanding starts, dust gets everywhere. You might want to rent a floor sander/buffer - we did our floor with a Ryobi orbital hand sander and I must say, it was like working with the Brave Little Toaster - that little sander was totally up to the task.

You might also want to bring out a large cloth-type floor cleaner, like a terry cloth covered dust mop, to use as a wet-mop when it’s time to clean the floor. It is essential that you get all the acid wash residue off the concrete before you seal the floor. Washing the floor is great, but wiping it is better. A regular old sponge mop just won’t cut it. We finally resorted to dropping beach towels on the floor and “walking” them around the floor to wipe up the leftover haze from the acid treatment. You will also need some sort of small paint brush to cut in if you’re going to be rolling on sealer when you’re done. Depending on the expanse of floor you need to work on, you might want to invest in some plastic “booties” to cover your shoes too. All acid stain manufacturers recommend chemical protection as well, in the form of gloves and breathing filters (painter’s masks).

what will you find under your floor?

Make sure you bring a lot of patience, especially if you’re unsure what’s under your current floor. Your final and permanent result for a stained concrete floor depends on properly preparing the surface. This isn’t like every other project that says “surface must be clean and free of grease.” This is an absolute must if you want a floor you can be proud of. Builders don’t normally take care of the cement when they’re building - be prepared to find chips in the cement, along with cabinet stain, drywall mud and paint all over the surface. If there was ever any linoleum or tile applied to the concrete, you’ll also have a layer of mastic to dig up - you can either use elbow grease (and some sandpaper) or get some chemical assistance in the form of mastic remover to help with that. In our case, the cement in the kitchen was also treated differently when the house was built because of the original flooring options. Aside from literal grooves in the cement, the concrete in there is actually of a different composition, so the same stain came out a slightly different color.

Be Imaginative
If you want to get fancy with your staining project, you can use a standard circular saw set to 1/8″ depth to create a “tiled” look by scoring the floor. Depending on how far apart you put the grooves, you can simulate any look from small terra cotta tiles to huge slabs of marble. You can also give your plain ol’ cement the look of inlaid stone but etching geometric designs. You can apply the stain with a sponge or other cloth to keep it “inside the lines” and make it look like someone inset a design using another type of stone.

In the long run, staining a concrete floor gives you a practically maintenance-free floor - all you have to do is sweep (or swiffer) it. It’s not paint so it won’t wear down or chip off. You don’t have to play gestapo when kids are drinking Koolaid - heck, aside from the obvious safety issues, you don’t even have to wipe up your spills! Contrary to what you might think, it’s not “cold” or “hot” - cement is more conductive of temperature than other flooring so it’s more easily going to adjust to match the temperature at which you keep your house. It’s also not “loud” like you might expect - all that echoing on your “new house” as it’s being built is from the empty walls, not the cement floor. We have far less noise pollution in our house now than we had with the laminate and we’ve eliminated the area rug that we used before. It’s also amazingly “soft” on your bare feet after it’s been sealed… go figger.

It’s also considered a “high end” upgrade when it’s done properly, which means for resale, you get way more bang for your buck then you would if you installed some other flooring. Considering how cheap it is to do, I expect everyone reading this to at least experiment on the patio!

Now I just need to figure out a way to make the cute blue bird thumbnail show up on these daily Twitter Updates “digest” posts … without having to configure the thumbnail for each post manually.

Oh yeah, there’s a story about the cat in the first photo. I’m sitting here at the computer, shortly after I’d said goodnight to Michelle via IM, and all of the sudden, the cat went absolutely NUTS because another cat came up to the glass door where my cat was sitting. She went SO nuts that she lunged and ATTACKED the door, which was apparently - and unfortunately - not completed closed. So kitty went flying out the door after the rival cat.It is now 6 hours later, and kitty has not returned. I looked for her for about an hour, in the middle of the night. She is nowhere to be found. She’s an indoors-only cat, but she isn’t declawed, and I suspect she can defend herself. But I just don’t know where she’s off to, or if she’s hurt, etc.

I’m putting her food & water bowls outside the front door and hope that she’ll find her way back. “Wow” (my kids named her) was a Katrina rescue cat, so she’s been through much worse!

After losing a cat I had for 15 years a few years ago and then starting over with this one that’s now disappeared, I have to say that if Wow doesn’t show up, I think I’m done with cats. I am more of a dog person, and I have two of those. It’s not that I don’t like cats; they just don’t like me… or they like me too much… or they become mentally challenged.

I think a nice, calm tree frog might make a good alternative.

On with the photos!  I used 9 sheets of scrapbook paper and some sort of rolling adhesive thing that broke, twice, mid-taping (GRRRR! so then I ended up switching to craft glue).

Before & After:

So look for changes and improvements and more fun stuff soon.

Hmmm… I need a haircut.

I happened upon a simple but brilliant idea for scrapbook paper.  Check out Rhoda’s bookshelf.  She lined the back with different scrapbook papers, and after seeing it, my heart is all aflutter.  I have two plain, black bookshelves that are now begging to be papered in crazy, patterned fun.  What an inspiring and inexpensive way to add new life to an old bookshelf!

I think I’ll be paper-shopping this week.  Look for some before & after photos soon. 

The term “central air conditioner” refers to the fact that one unit cools the entire home rather than one that works in one room only. Examples of these are window or free standing models. A central system turns warm air into cool air and releases it into each room through a system of ducts and vents. In fact central air conditioners often work in conjunction with a furnace or other air handler.

Let’s start with a small lesson on how central air conditioners work.

How Central Air Works
Each one consists of a compressor, evaporator, and a condenser. Sometimes the whole system sits outside, while other models call for just the compressor and condenser to be installed outdoors. In that instance the evaporator attaches to the furnace or other air circulating system inside the house.

In both configurations the three components are connected by copper tubing. Extremely cold liquid refrigerant flows through the indoor copper first. It then changes into gas as warm air circulates around the tubing. In this gaseous form the refrigerant goes through the compressor which in turns pushes it into the outdoor copper coil. At this stage it expels the heat and turns back to liquid as the heat it attracts varies in temperature.

The furnace or other air handling device with a fan circulates the now cool air throughout the home via air ducts. The circulating refrigerant cycle keeps repeating for as long as the air conditioner stays on.

Pollen, dust, lint and other particles that irritate our lungs collect on a filter which may be cleaned or changed out periodically.

Two issues are critical to consider in buying central air: the quality of the unit and the efficiency of the unit.

Central Air Conditioner Quality
While Consumer Reports rates the quality of room air conditioners, neither they nor any other organization, rate the quality of central air conditioners. The best available information is found in consumer central air conditioner reviews through a site like FurnaceCompare.com.

Air Conditioner Efficiency
For years Americans used cheap energy to heat and cool their homes. These days the costs continue to rise as we use up our natural resources. Not only that but emissions, including those from air conditions are poisoning our air and depleting the ozone layer that protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet rays. Old style refrigerants, known as Hydrochlorofluorocarbons or HCFCs were especially harmful to ozone. Although formulas have improved over the years, at some point coolants containing any HCFCs be banned completely. A hydro fluorocarbon called R-22 now constitutes the standard refrigerant in new central air conditioners as it doesn’t negatively affect our ozone layer.

In the spirit of trying to lessen the damage, the Department of Energy now imposes efficiency standards for air conditioning units. These ratings use the acronym SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating). As you’re making your decision as to which brand of air conditioner to buy, the SEER rating will figure into the equation.

The minimum rating sold is 13 but there are systems with much higher numbers assigned. What you need to keep in mind is that the higher the SEER the less it will cost to run and the more efficiently it will operate. Central air conditioners with high SEER cost more to purchase, but the savings to both your monthly budget and to the environment pay off in time.

You’ll find air conditioners in a number of sizes. Most of them use British Thermal Units (BTUs) or tons to tell you how much air it puts out. Each BTU refers to how much energy it takes to elevate the temperature of a pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. A ton is 12,000 BTUs per hour, referring to how much energy it takes to melt a ton of ice in one day.

One mistake many homeowners make occurs when they think they need a larger than necessary air conditioner. A unit that’s too big for your space does not run efficiently. It wastes energy and costs more money than you need to spend each month. To help you determine what size to purchase, visit this website. It provides a calculator to help you determine just how large the new or replacement air conditioner needs to be. You may also want to consider hiring an air conditioning specialist to help you figure out your needs. By doing a little homework up front, you’ll do both your budget and the earth’s atmosphere a favor.

Never make your decision based on price alone.

If you interview enough roofers, you’ll find that their prices vary dramatically, even for the same project. Many of the best roofers routinely turn down work. As a result, they don’t have to compete on price. The flip side of paying a higher price is that the contractor has built enough padding into their bid that they can profitably work with you if there are problems down the road. If you drive such a hard bargain that your contractor is barely covering their costs, they will have no incentive to help you down the road.

Hire someone local.

If you hire a roofer from out of town, they know that good word of mouth won’t help much and bad word of mouth won’t hurt. If a contractor is local, word of mouth is more important.

Interview several contractors: get multiple quotes, and thoroughly check each roofer’s references.

The process may seem time consuming and bothersome but trust me, it is considerably less annoying than watching the drywall in your house swell and discolor because of a leak. Talk to your friends, relatives, and neighbors to get referrals for a roofing contractor. If you need more names you can request that contractors contact you using a website like Roofery.com or the Yellow Pages.

As each contractor comes to your home or business to prepare an estimate, ask them for additional information on their credentials and work record. Some things to check are:

• To verify that particular contractors do good work, ask for a list of references. Call each and every reference. Do they give a glowing report? Many people prefer not to criticize people that they know, so if you get a lukewarm response or if they aren’t willing to provide a reference, you need to try to read between the lines.
• To ensure that a contractor is reliable, ask for a business address, phone number and email, their tax identification, and if a business license is required in your area, get that information as well
• State requirements vary, but find out if roofing contractors must be bonded and registered. To find out the rules where you live contact your state’s licensing department or check out http://www.contractors-license.org/.
• Since you definitely don’t want to be sued because of their irresponsibility, ask to see proof of insurance. Their liability and workers compensation needs to be in effect for the duration of your project. If it isn’t, workers injured at your site may come after your assets.
• In the same vein, ask them to walk you through the type of oversight and safety guidelines they follow. Properly educated workers are far more unlikely to be injured on the job. If they offer their employees formal safety training, so much the better.
• Find out how many workers will be installing your roof and how experienced they are. Also ask for the name and credentials of the person that will supervise your roofing project and what kind of quality control procedures they follow.
• I once hired a roofer who told me verbally that he would use 30-year asphalt shingles. However, when he arrived on-site, he had 25-year shingles. We went back and forth for a while, and because we had a written agreement, we were able to resolve this to my satisfaction. Require that all roofing contractors that bid on your project provide you with a detailed written proposal. It should include the start and completion dates, materials list, and description of work, safety procedures and clean-up methods they employ, and mutually agreed upon payment schedule. You can always work with your roofer if they run late on the schedule, but make sure you have documentation of what they’ve promised.
• Get in touch with your local Better Business Bureau. They will tell you of any complaints filed against a roofing contractor you’re considering hiring.
• Thoroughly read and understand the warranty attached to the products (shingles, underlayment, tiles, etc.) and workmanship.
• Many roofing systems require specific skills, knowledge, and experience to install. Ask your contractor for proof that he or she is approved by the manufacturer to install the roof you’ve chosen.

Following these suggestions will help you locate a reliable and affordable roofing contractor. Roofery.com provides a free tool to request roofing quotes. For a list of people in your area you may also contact the National Roofing Contractor’s Association.

There are product reviews and articles forthcoming, but working 50+ hours a week and mothering a 1.5- and 2.5-year-old leaves little time for much of anything else.

While I’ve been off in my own little, busy world and failing to inform you, Internet, of great home improvement tips, the DIY-ers have still been at it, keeping old posts alive and well with interesting discussions!

Ralph Lauren paint is still our most popular topic to date. Check out the exchanges in comments following Michelle’s article, My Walls are Suede. There are some lengthy comments on her post, Ralph Lauren River Rock Paint Notes, as well. There are a few good tips around on how to touch up Ralph Lauren paint, too.

My post about the Ilo MP3 player has attracted some opinions - most of them negative. The funny thing is, my Ilo MP3 player bit the dust shortly after the review got a few comments from other users who’d had problems with it. I’ve since replaced it with a Microsoft Zune (product review to follow - no, really!) with which I am sublimely happy. In fact, we now have two of them - one for me, and one for Hubby.

The Baby Poop Decoder generated some fun comments and, eventually, a battle over breastfeeding, which is not a battle I wish to be involved in, but oh well! More amusingly (and fun for me), my little baby poop silliness became an entity of its own when I created the Baby Poop 101 lens at Squidoo. The lens was honored as a Lens of the Day and was later nominated as Lens of the Year. Woo!

To wrap up this unorganized post, here are some things I’m currently researching:
Step2 Naturally Playful Playhouse Climber

Nikon D50

Canon Digital Rebel XTI

JBL Spyro 2.1 Speaker System

We fix chicks have not been resting on our laurels, I assure you. No, life has just been ridiculously hectic, and to be honest - time (especially of the “spare” variety) has simply gotten away from me.

Sparing you guys a novel, suffice it to say that there are multiple product reviews and articles in the works, and I hereby resolve to post, post, post away in an attempt to load you up with all the “fix”ing goodness you can stand - maybe more - in 2007.

Random thought for the day that is of no particular importance: I’ve just realized that Guns ‘N Roses “Appetite for Destruction” album is now officially 20 years old.

Houseblogs are online diaries written by folks who are building, improving or restoring their own homes. Like other blogs, they are updated regularly and show the work unfold in real time.

If you’re interested in reading houseblogs or starting one of your own, head over to Houseblogs.net, where you can:

- Find people with similar homes, taste, or challenges via their community.
- Follow along as people renovate their homes by reading the latest blog entries.
- Get help with a DIY problem by asking a question or searching our discussion board.
- Show off your own house by adding photos to your member profile.
- Share your own home improvement adventures–start your own houseblog!

- carpet
- hardwood
- cork
- bamboo
- glass tiles
- leather tiles
- glass mosaic
- rubber tiles or rolls

Have you reglazed or refinished vintage bathroom fixtures instead of replacing them?

If you have or have done any of the above, contact Kate, as she may want to interview you for HGTV.com.

Woodpixel

A woodpixel set includes a 26.5cm square tray and 100 2cm cubes. Each of the cubes’ six sides has a different color of wood, so you can create tons of different patterns and designs with them. When you get tired of your design, take out the cubes and make a new one.

Woodpixel sets are not in production as of this moment, but if there is enough interest generated, they will be. Head over to Woodpixel and check it out. If you like what you see, drop them an email to let them know!

If you’re having trouble coming up with anything, check out 101 Halloween Ideas for inspiration.

Looking for FREE pumpking carving patterns? Look no further.

Here’s an awesome Halloween zombie prop that you can make for just 20 bucks!

Who knew there were so many different ways to make fake blood?

For the true DIYer - how to make your own tombstones.

Make a cheap, motion-activated coffin.

LED ghosts: tiny lights give a new twist to an old trick.

Belinda Del Pesco is a talented artist who works in several media. She has a great little guide on monotype printmaking method here.

Many of her pieces are monotype + watercolor. The pictured work, Nimble Musician, is a 4 x 6 monotype print with colored pencil added.
Here’s some more linky love for Belinda. Check out her gorgeous work!

• Belinda Del Pesco Fine Art
• Belinda Del Pesco Fine Art Blog
• Belinda’s art on Flickr
• Belinda’s art for sale at eBay

More monotype links

• How do you make a monoprint?
• Monotype lesson plans from instructors

Ink spots!

I mentioned in the first monotype post that Speedball is the brand to look for in printmaking supplies. They do seem to have a corner on the market for linocut/block printing stuff, and I have been using their tools for a while, happily. I am no expert when it comes to printmaking, having just reintroduced myself to it after many years with nary a print, but I’m experimenting and learning as I go. One of the things I have learned from other artists is that Speedball inks may not be the best o’ the best in the ink department. Since the first post, I’ve been referred to Daniel Smith and Graphic Chemical & Ink Co. for better inks. I’m sure there are more out there as well.

Still hearing good things about the Createx Monotype print colors though.

If you have any opinions or experience to share on the subject, don’t be shy. And if you’re wondering what all this is about and why there haven’t been any home improvement posts lately, don’t worry - there’s much more on that and everything else on the horizon.

Image Copyright 2006 Belinda Del Pesco

Hi,
I repainted a dresser a few years ago with paint I purchased at Home Depot that I thought was Ralph Lauren suede. It has looked great, but now needs touchup. How do I do this? Do I have to strip the whole thing and repaint? Can I paint over what I have? I remember a 2 step procedure with a base coat and a glaze? Help!
Debbie

As I have personally never opened a can of RL paint, I shall have to consult Those Who Have Gone There and Done That. I will report back here with my findings.

Meanwhile, if any of you fix chicks have experience with this, feel free to comment away!

1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup Old El Paso® salsa (any variety)
3/4 Green Giant® Niblets® frozen whole kernel corn
1/4 cup water
2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/3 cup very hot water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
Toppings, such as orange and green bell pepper strips, sliced ripe olives and cherry tomato wedges, if desired

1. Move oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 450ºF. Grease 12-inch pizza pan. Cook beef in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain. Stir in salsa, corn and 1/4 cup water. Heat to boiling; remove from heat.

2. Mix Bisquick, 1/3 cup hot water and the oil until soft dough forms; beat vigorously 20 strokes. Let stand 5 minutes. Press dough in pizza pan, using fingers dipped in Bisquick; pinch edge to form 1/2-inch rim. Spread beef mixture over dough. Sprinkle with cheese.

3. Bake 11 to 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Arrange Toppings on pizza to form jack-o’-lanterns.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft) Bake about 15 minutes.

Substitution - No pizza pan? Just press the dough into a 13-inch circle on a greased cookie sheet, using fingers dipped in Bisquick, and pinch the edge to form a 1/2-inch rim.

Serve With - Cut orange gelatin into Halloween shapes with cookie cutters to make the perfect accompaniment to this pizza.

Nutrition Information:
1 Serving: Calories 375 (Calories from Fat 205 ); Total Fat 23 g (Saturated Fat 10 g); Cholesterol 60 mg; Sodium 770 mg; Total Carbohydrate 23 g (Dietary Fiber 1 g); Protein 20 g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 12 %; Vitamin C 4 %; Calcium 20 %; Iron 12 % Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 Vegetable; 2 High-Fat Meat; 1 1/2 Fat
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.