Tag Archives: DIY

3 Easy DIY Projects That Build Confidence

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How many projects have you undertaken that have… well… failed? It’s okay, we get it. Sometimes things just don’t turn out like you expect them to. As a result, you might be less willing to take on the next DIY project on your list.

We’ve compiled a little best-of-the-web list of confidence building DIY projects. We hate to call them totally foolproof, but they’re pretty close!

DIY Workout Shirt

How many old t-shirts do you have around the house with holes in the sleeve or stretched out necklines? Turn them into cute workout t-shirts with this clever idea from Rabbit Food for My Bunny Teeth. This project is super easy, and if you mess up, it’s a small loss. After all, you can always go dig up another t-shirt out of the bottom of your dresser!

No Glue, No Nails Bookshelf

Okay, so we covered four bookshelf ideas a couple weeks ago. However, we’re back for more. (We told you we have a lot of books!) This clever idea requires no nails, glue, tools, anything. All you need is two ladders and a few planks of wood. Set up the ladders, lay your planks between the steps, and add books.

Visually, this concept can be really hit or miss. Ugly ladders and too many books will look junky. However, select aesthetically pleasing ladders, some nice, stained or painted wood and leave a good amount of space on the “shelves,” and you can get a great result!

To see a more visually attractive one-ladder version of this concept, check out this image.

Install a Bike Rack

Instead of buying a bike rack, why not make your own out of wooden pallets? The pallet rack in this example is okay looking, but we think you could improve upon it with some fun paint and designs!

If you need a little DIY confidence boost, try one of these virtually fail-proof projects this week!

Before You Start a Project: “What Are My Skills? What Are My Limits?”

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Our team here at Décor Plastics loves to do home remodeling projects on the weekends and evenings. Ask just about any one of our team members here what they have going on back at the house, and they’ll probably talk your ear off about their current workshop project!

However, even we have our limits. Before you embark on a home improvement project, it’s important to be aware of your skills and your limitations. Knowing what challenges you can overcome and what challenges you need professional help with is an important part of becoming a DIY expert.

In order to save yourself time, money, and frustrations, take these steps:

#1 Assess the Situation

How does this project compare to other projects you’ve taken on in the past? Easier, more difficult, or just different? If the project seems like something that’s outside of your abilities, remember to budget in labor when you purchase materials.

#2 Do Your Research

If you believe that you can do the project, then it’s important to spend plenty of time in the research phase – even if the project seems to be relatively easy. If there are certain aspects of the project that are beyond you, bring in some extra help for those phases. For example, you might be able to frame a wall, but unable to raise it from the ground by yourself.

#3 Have a Backup Plan

Lastly, have a backup plan. If it turns out that you were a little overly ambitious, then knowing exactly whom you’re going to call can be a stress-reliever. When you have a backup plan, your project will stay on track no matter what!

Remember, even the best laid plans can go awry! We all have stories to tell about how an “easy” DIY project got out of hand. Don’t get discouraged, and keep on moving forward. We all improve with every failure!

4 DIY Projects We Love: Books and Bookshelves

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The era of the eReader may be quickly coming upon us, but that doesn’t mean we’re about to give up our books yet. We all have stacks of books and not nearly enough shelving options to house them all. If you’ve got a lot of books on your hand, then try one, three, or a dozen of these unique shelving options…

Abandoned Fireplace? New Book Shelf!

Have an old fireplace that’s not getting any use these days? We love this inspiring book shelf idea, shared by Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver, Colorado. Adding shelves to the inside of a fireplace is an easy DIY project that can have great results! Just make sure you know what you’re doing when it comes to drilling into brick mortar.

Pipes Can Be Bookshelves, Too!

Check out this Tumblr image of piping that’s been turned into bookshelf art. If you live in a building that used to have industrial purposes, then you know that it takes a little bit of work to make a space homey. We love this approach!

The Classic Floating Bookshelf

Alright, the first time we saw this concept, we were pretty impressed. Now that we’ve learned its secret, well… we’re still impressed. The floating bookshelf is always a winner. Learn how to construct this cheap shelf – built from books – with this tutorial at Instructables.

Wine Boxes & Binder Clips

We’ve saved one of the easiest, cheapest, and best-looking bookshelf concepts for last. Check out a bookshelf made from wine boxes and binder clips over at Handmade Charlotte. Obviously, this isn’t the most resilient bookcase of all time, so don’t let your engineer’s imagination run away from you!

Still want some more inspiring bookshelf ideas? Check out this list of 50 unique and unconventional bookcase designs. Have a favorite of your own? Share with us on our Facebook page!

5 Ways to Give Your Home a Winter Tune-Up

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This January, many areas of the country will be getting some nasty winter weather. However, winter weather doesn’t have to be all that bad if your home is prepared for it! Put the renovation project on hold for a weekend to make sure your home is winter-ready.

#1 Check Your Downspouts

It’s important to have clear downspouts, but that’s not what this tip is about. Where do your downspouts drip water? Next to the house or further out into the yard? It’s important to have drainage from downspouts at least 3-4 feet away from your home’s foundation. Any closer, and you could jeopardize the foundation!

 #2 Tune Up Your Heating System

Have a technician come out to your home and give your heating system a check-up. Don’t wait until a snowstorm hits and your heating system fails.

#3 Drain Your Sprinklers

You probably know to turn off pipes and exterior spigots in order to prevent pipes from bursting, but have you considered your sprinkler system? It’s just as important to clear your irrigation system of water. However, it takes a little more know-how to get this job done. Hire a professional to get the job done properly.

#4 Reverse Your Ceiling Fan Blades

By reversing the blades on your ceiling fans, you can push hot air back down to you. This is a great way to be energy efficient and save money on your utilities this winter!

#5 Caulk Windows & Doors

Feeling kind of drafty inside? It might be time to get the caulk gun and patrol the borders of your home’s interior. Small cracks in window frames, doorjambs, and other areas can let in a lot of cold winter air. Plus, these regions could be susceptible to damage from moisture.

We hope you have a great January!

Play It Safe When Shoveling Snow This Year

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Blog readers in the colder parts of North America might remember the release of a study around this time last year that showed 7% of all winter heart attacks to be caused by snow shoveling. We don’t want to put a damper on anyone’s holiday season, but it’s important to remember to be safe while shoveling snow this winter.

Check out our tips for shoveling snow the safe way:

  1. Hire someone else to do it. Have a nephew? Neighborhood kid looking for work? Paying someone else to do this work can be worth its weight in gold – especially if you aren’t in great shape yourself. The risk of heart attack simply isn’t worth it.
  2. If you decide to shovel yourself, get a bent handle snow shovel. These types of shovels reduce back strain.
  3. Dress in plenty of layers before you go out to begin your endeavor. It’s important to dress warmly with the option of peeling off extra layers as you warm yourself.
  4. When shoveling, pacing is everything. We recommend that you limit yourself to no more than 15 strokes per minute. Sure, you can go faster. But why? Over-exertion, combined with extreme cold, can lead down a dangerous road.
  5. Also, we recommend sticking with no more than 15 pounds of snow per shovel. Again, you can do more, superman. But why?
  6. Lastly, throw your snow ahead of you – not to the side, and certainly not behind. Use your legs as you lift the shovel and toss the snow. This will help prevent back injuries, and allow you to reserve your strength so that the job is manageable.

When all the work is done, go take a relaxing bath, surrounded by your beautiful shower and bathtub paneling – because you did get yourself a little remodeling Christmas present, right?

Make Your Own Gifts: Best of the Web

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You already love remodeling your home and making things for you. Why not try making your own gifts for the holiday season? Besides saving money (for that next remodeling project), homemade gifts are much more personal. After all, every aunt, uncle, and cousin gets to the point where they just can’t handle one more trivet or coffee table ornament. Instead of buying a gift, make a gift that matters.

Here are our favorite online DIY resources for making your own gifts…

CraftGawker and Pinterest

We lump these two sites into one category because most serious crafters already know and use them. If you haven’t used CraftGawker before, it’s essentially a huge craft-only version of Pinterest – definitely worth checking out!

Get Rich Slowly

In 2011, Time named this blog one of the best of the year. With an accolade like that bestowed upon it, we have a hard time discounting any of the knowledge J.D. Roth shares here. If you want specific ideas – with direction – check out the post linked to above. Roth has scoured the web to bring 34 of the best gift ideas, all of them fun, cheap, and relatively easy.

Wild Cards…

If you run in a circle of DIY fiends, then you might be concerned that all of your friends are looking at the same craft ideas that you’re checking out this December. Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. Click the link above for a blog post at WiseBread. We call these the wild card gifts because they’re not holiday-specific. Posted in July, this blog post is in no way Christmas-oriented.

Really in a pinch?

If so, then check out the link above for crafts you can knock out in thirty minutes or less.

Merry Christmas, and good luck to you!

Save a Headache – Order Free Samples

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You wouldn’t buy 20 shirts without ever feeling the fabric.

You certainly wouldn’t decide to plant 40 hedge bushes around your house without ever seeing one in person.

So, why would you decide to remodel an entire bathroom or section of your house without ever holding a piece of the actual wall?

Well, you wouldn’t. At least, you shouldn’t!

We believe that your home remodeling project is a big deal. It’s not every day that you change the entire look of a bathroom or laundry room. And, if you’re thinking of using a wallboard panel from Décor Plastics, we’re honored to be a part of the process.

That’s why we’re proud to offer you free samples before you embark on any project. No matter the size, we recommend that you order a few samples from us before making your big purchase. The samples are free; you only have to pay shipping!

Why Samples?

With samples you get an idea of:

  • Color
  • Flex
  • Thickness
  • Texture
  • Consistency
  • and, more!

While you can look at pictures online as much as you want (with both close-up and distant views), nothing compares to seeing our beautiful products in person. Sure, you might think that Calcutta Gold is beautiful online (and it is), but just wait until you see it in person!

Also, samples let you see what your pre-existent hardware, colors, and fabrics look like with your selection. Take out the guesswork and play it safe by ordering samples today! Though we do offer free shipping on full orders, the return cost is still expensive if you have to send back several hundred pounds of product.

Don’t chance it – get your samples instead. It’s the smart move, and can save you from having to deal with a big headache later on down the road. Remember, remodeling is supposed to be fun – not a chore.

Happy Thanksgiving From Décor Plastics!

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This Monday we’re more ready than ever before to sit down to a hearty Thanksgiving dinner. With friends, family, tradition, and good food, it doesn’t get much better than this holiday. While it might be too late for any last minute kitchen remodels, Thanksgiving might have you thinking about squeezing in a quick remodeling project before Christmas comes!

If you want to kick your kitchen into high gear between Thanksgiving and Christmas, then we’ve got a few DIY remodeling tips to help you prep your kitchen for Christmas.

Backsplash

A sophisticated backsplash behind your kitchen counters is a great way to add life and depth to your cooking space without going through a full-blown remodel process. Our decorative wallboard panels are a great way to add an attractive backsplash to your cooking area. And, of course, it can help protect your walls, too!

Window Sill Boards

Are your window sills starting to look a little weathered? Overtime, sun exposure, potted plants, and general wear and tear can leave traditional wood window sill boards looking far from the way they did years ago.

However, our PVC windowsill boards are guaranteed to give your kitchen life and hearty structure that you won’t find in traditional window sills. They’re easy to install, too. Three different installation methods let you pick how you want them to go into your kitchen!

Cabinetry Paint/Stain

Lastly, painting or staining your cabinets can be a relatively inexpensive way to totally transform your kitchen. Strip off that wood stain, and give your cabinets a new color and texture that will make you want to be in the kitchen this Christmas!

We hope you can squeeze in at least one of these fun projects during this busy season. From our family to yours, happy Thanksgiving!

The Worst Part of Remodeling? Demolition

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We’re big DIY people here at Décor Plastics. Just hand us the tools, and tell us what needs to be done, and we’re happy to spend the weekend sliding, nailing, hauling, and tacking things into place. There’s a sense of satisfaction that comes along with finishing a project from start to finish.

But, there’s one thing we hate….

demolition.

It’s not that we don’t get a sense of satisfaction from driving a mallet through dry wall or ripping up old tiles. Sure, it is kind of fun for the first few minutes. But, demolition can often be frustrating. Worse, it makes a huge mess, and delays the constructive part of your project. Also, if the project is going to take more than a couple of days, demolition can leave your living space uninhabitable.

We think you’re getting the picture.

So, when we started selling interior walls and panel kits, we decided that avoiding demolition as much as possible was very important to us. We want you to receive your materials in the mail, and start as soon as possible on building – not tearing down what’s already there.

If you hate demolition as much as we do, then you’ll be relieved to know that our interior wall and shower wallboards can be easily installed on top of your existent drywall. There’s no need to tear out what’s already there, just to put in cleaner and stronger interior walls.

In addition to being easy for you, we think it helps increase your home’s value all the more. If a future owner didn’t want interior panels for any reason, they can be easily removed, with the drywall still in tact!

If you’re ready to start building (without tearing down), then check out some of our wallboard panels. Shipping is free, and your money is guaranteed for 30 days after delivery!

Are You Protecting Your Roof From Leaves This Fall?

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There’s a funny thing that happens when you move up from ‘tenant’ to ‘owner’. Suddenly that little leaky roof problem becomes much more important. It’s likely that you’re also starting to notice leaf buildup on the roof over your head once you actually own that roof.

If you’re a homeowner, then you know that the best kind of work is preventative work. Not only is it cost-efficient, but it can also save you a lot of stress and hardship. So, with that attitude, we’d like to spend some time this week thinking about how to best protect your roof.

As the beautiful colors of autumn drop down, it’s important to remember that you’ll enjoy them more next season if you don’t let them ruin your roof this season! Here are a few tips to help you protect your roof from leaves this fall:

  • Trim back branches and limbs that are hanging over your roof. These leaves are bound to fall directly on top of your roof. And, if there’s moisture, they might be there to stay. Also, if a strong storm came along, these limbs could break off and damage your roof more severely than the leaf rot ever would.
  • Keep gutters clear. Clear gutters allow water to run off your roof and into the ground. However, if you have leaves stuffed in your gutters, that’s not going to happen. You can end up damaging your roof and/or the eaves of your house.
  • Don’t let leaves sit on your roof. Your roof will be damaged as a result. It might not happen this season, but over time, wet leaves (or dry ones!) that are left on the roof will rot shingles, and cause irreparable damage. If you thought cleaning the gutters was expensive, think again!

Take care of your roof this fall, and it will make for a much easier winter – guaranteed!