If you want to try a stained concrete floor, here are some tips
There are a lot of different types of floor surfaces that one can install in a home today. Your choice is determined by a variety of factors, including your budget, function and lifestyle. One option you might not have considered is stained concrete.
If your home is on a concrete slab, then it’s a great option. Here are the basics so you can decide if you want to give it a shot.
Like most projects, the prep work is the most time-consuming and important part of the project. TSP (trisodium phosphate) is a strong cleaner that will get most of the grease, grime and stains off the surface. Give it plenty of time to dry before moving forward. It must be completely dust free, too. If your surface has been sealed, then most stains won’t work; you might need to go with a paint instead.
Most concrete stains are acid-based, which means you’ll need protective gear like chemical-resistant gloves, eye protection and other protective clothing. To protect walls, you should mask them off with painters’ tape.
Follow the directions that come with your product, and understand that the whole idea of this type of flooring is that it’s a natural process and is going to vary a little from floor to floor. The more you work with it, the more interesting it will become. If you are unsure of the results, you can always try a test area in the garage somewhere.
You might want to apply a clear sealer to the surface once it has dried completely to add a layer of protection. A throw rug or runner also would be handy for high-traffic areas, just to keep it looking good.
Homemade landscaping rockReal rocks are great for landscaping, but the perfect rock is a little bit harder to find. Why not make your own? You can make what looks like perfect rocks from concrete mix and water. Just follow the directions on the bag. You can add pigment if you want to give your rock a specific color. Pour your wet mix into a plastic bag and mold it into the right shape. Then just let it cure. Once the concrete has set, you can remove the bag and put your #147;artwork#148; in just the right spot.Check for gas leaksNatural gas is an efficient way to cook, heat and cool our homes, and is indispensable for those outdoor grill events! But when it comes to making repairs to gas lines and appliances, a professional should be consulted. A gas leak is not something you want to ignore, or with which to take unnecessary risks. If you smell something funny, it could be a gas leak. Another way you might detect a gas leak is to mix up some soapy water and spread this over the connection. If it bubbles up, you should have the connection inspected by a pro. If you suspect a gas leak, you always should shut off the gas and have it inspected and repaired before turning it back on.Super hintsŸ You can make a wall clock out of just about anything. The #147;works#148; are available at most hobby shops for only a few bucks, and they can easily be installed on just about anything you can hang on a wall. Usually a drill is the only tool you#146;ll need, so put your thinking cap on and get creative. It#146;s time!Ÿ I painted my outdoor furniture with a spray paint that has a multicolor, heavily textured finish that simulates a rusty look. I loved the way it looks and decided to use it indoors. I have several metal pieces that hang on the walls that are black iron. I like the design, but would have preferred that they have more of an aged look. I used this paint on them and they look much better now. I get the rust without the mess!Ÿ Wish you had one of those fancy-colored washer and dryer sets? Just buy some appliance paint and paint your old washer and dryer. Maybe they will look just like the expensive ones. Even if they don#146;t, they#146;ll probably look better than they do now.Q. Our driveway is starting to get a few small cracks across the surface. Since it#146;s asphalt, I don#146;t know what to use to make repairs. What do I need to buy, and where will I find it?A. You can buy asphalt repair in a caulking tube, which would be perfect for smaller cracks. For larger areas, you can buy cold-patch in a bag. Both of these materials are available at your hardware store or home center. Apply a sealer to the driveway when you are finished with repairs to prevent problems in the future.Q. I know that my soffet vents are important to the efficiency of my house. It looks like the actual vent holes, cut in the soffet, are a whole lot smaller than the size of the vent itself, like 2 inches by 6 inches, at the most. Should I try to cut the holes bigger?A. You probably need to. You can draw around the outside of the vent cover, then remove it and cut 1 inch in from that line, all the way around. Then reinstall the cover. You also should add baffles inside the attic if you have loose fill or blown-in insulation to prevent settling over the vents. Q. I have a tiled floor in my bathroom. The tile still is in good shape, but it#146;s pink and I hate it! I want to cover it with carpet, either squares or a roll of carpeting. What is the best way to attach the carpet to the flooring? Do I need to do anything to the tiles beforehand?A. Carpet is not a very popular choice for a bathroom because of the moisture it will encounter. But if you install it like a pro, you will also need to add tack strips, which will damage the tiles. If you still are determined to do it, you should install the tack strips, a very-good-quality padding and a carpet that has a great warranty on it. Nothing else will need to be done to the tiles. You might have to trim off the bottom of the door to accommodate the carpet.Reader tipsŸ I got a gift card from a local home center, and I am not a handyman at all. I see shows about home makeovers, but I don#146;t know how to do anything. I decided to get the most bang for my buck by working on one room, so I picked the laundry room. I bought some shelves, a storage rack, a foldout clothes rack and a rug. The change was immediate and made the room a lot more functional, all for less than $50.Ÿ We painted our house numbers on our front door. We got large stencils and the numbers run from top to bottom along the back half of the door. They are each about 18 inches tall and painted in a contrasting color to match the house trim. They really look cool and make it easy to spot our address for people calling or for delivery people.Ÿ This year, we bought our son one of those beds that looks like a car. Then we painted a border around the room that looks like a road. We painted his dresser to match the bed, and then I made some pulls out of toy cars. It looks so great and I#146;m so glad we did it for him. I wonder what he#146;ll be into next?Ÿ We have a plain wooden patio cover. It#146;s great, but just not very attractive. My wife wanted to add some corner pieces that would make it look jazzier. She designed a basic pattern and I bought some wood. I stacked the wood and used my band saw to cut the pieces all at once. This way, I was sure to get them all exactly the same. Wow! It made a huge difference. It really looks great now, and I#146;m glad we did it.Ÿ I still have the old dresser I had when I was a child. It#146;s been painted several times, but it#146;s still a treasure to me. Since the drawers were falling apart, I just removed them. Then I painted the inside of the cabinet and bought storage baskets that would fit into the slots were the drawers used to be. It looks so cute now, and gives me tons of storage space. The fact that it has chipped paint adds even more character to it, too.ShoptalkŸ We talk a lot about adhesives, glues, tapes and other materials that can be hard to remove when you finally decide to. Well, Duck, the folks who make tape, also make a super adhesive remover. The one-step, no-mess applicator even has a built-in scraper on it. It works great, and can tackle everything from tape to gum. So the next time you find yourself in a sticky situation, go to your hardware store and pick up some Duck Adhesive Remover. To find out more, go to www.duckbrand.com.Ÿ Gluing glass is a challenge. It#146;s really hard to get a good bond. Beacon Glue has a Glass, Metal and More adhesive that does a really good job on glass, as well as rubber, canvas, fiberglass, wire, vinyl and mirrors. It can be used indoors and out, is UV-resistant and dries quickly and perfectly clear. It#146;s even waterproof. Look for it at your hardware store or home center, and at discount and craft stores as well. To get additional information, go to www.beaconadhesives.com.Ÿ Write to Al and Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or visit the Carrells#146; website at thesuperhandyman.com.© 2013, Cowles Syndicate Inc.