Kitchen cabinets may just need facelift

The most expensive home renovation is usually the kitchen. But you might be able to get by with just a facelift of the kitchen cabinets. After all, the whole look of your kitchen can change when you change the look of the wooden cabinets.

Start by removing all of the cabinet doors and drawers. You might want to mark each one with a number and note the same number on each cabinet. This will help them go back in the right place easier.

Next, remove all of the hinges and knobs or pulls.

Clean the wooden surfaces with mineral-spirits paint thinner to remove airborne grease and grime. If your cabinets have a shiny surface to them, lightly sand them to help the new paint adhere better.

Apply a good-quality primer to the surfaces, and let it dry overnight.

Now apply your topcoat of paint. Use a gloss or semi-gloss. This type of paint is easier to clean and will look nicer than a duller finish.

If you want to get artsy, you can paint a special design on the center front of each door, or paint the outside of the door frame a different color than the inside of the front panel. You could even apply a decal or use a stencil if you need some help.

Apply a clear topcoat if you want to add another layer of protection to your artwork.

Re-install the hinges and other hardware, and re-hang the doors.

Appliances also can be painted. Check with your paint dealer to see what it has in the way of epoxy finishes.

You could have a whole new kitchen for a fraction of the cost of a total remodel, and you might be able to do it in a weekend!

Double-duty stir sticks

Those wooden stir sticks that most paint dealers give you for free when you buy a can of paint are handy in the shop for other things, too. For example, you can glue or tape one to a box of shop compound and hang it on your shop wall. Just drill a small hole through the top part of the stir stick and hang it on a nail or hook on your wall. It's simple and allows you to store all sorts of things easily, as long as the stick can be attached to them. Give it a try and see if it doesn't give you some more storage space in your shop.

Lump catcher

Straining older paint that has been used before or stored for a long period of time is important. You don't want the lumps in the paint to end up on your walls. The easiest way to avoid this is to use a scrap of window screen, folded into a funnel shape. You can place the funnel over the top of your paint can so that as you pour the paint into a bucket or pan, the screen funnel will catch the lumps. If the screen piece you are using is large enough, you can attach it right to the can with a rubber band and save yourself the trouble of trying to hold the funnel as you pour.

Super hints

• If you have a fireplace, now is a super time to have the local chimney sweep out to inspect and repair your chimney. It's important to have it done every year, as many house fires are caused by damaged chimney flues.

• If working for long periods of time standing on your concrete shop or garage floor is tough on your legs, get some anti-fatigue floor mats. You will find them at your home center. The pros use them in their shops, so you might want to put some in yours.

• If you want to give your kitchen or bath a new look at a very low cost, check out your local craft store for its supply of decals. These decals can be put on many surfaces -- including ceramic tiles, wood and glass. Most still work the way they have for years, just add water. They go up easy, look super and don't cost much at all.

Q. You have cautioned against using chemical drain cleaners to unstop a drain line. Why? They are advertised and widely used.

N.K.

A. Used wisely and following all the directions and cautions, they can get the job done. The problem with using chemicals is that if you use them and they don't clear the clog, you might have to try to do it manually. Then you run the risk of getting the chemicals on you. They should be used only after you have tried the plunger and other manual means.

Q. My toilet is different from most in that it has a push-button flush on it. The problem is that when you push it down, it won't come back out sometimes. Can you tell me how to fix this?

H.J.

A. Mineral deposits sometimes will build up in a toilet tank and cause problems, and that's probably what you are seeing here. Try spraying a little lubricant, like WD-40, on the mechanism, and see if that doesn't get things moving smoothly again. Another solution for dissolving mineral deposits is warm vinegar, but it might be harder to get this solution into the working parts. The WD-40 should do the job and be easier to work into the parts. If that doesn't do it, check with the manufacturer for a replacement part.

Q. The ceiling fan on our back porch works great, but the blades are drooping. I guess it's just too humid for them. Is there any way to remove the warps in them before we buy replacements?

T.J.

A. It's probably not worth the trouble, as the warping will just occur again. You should buy vinyl replacement blades. They don't cost that much and are made for the great outdoors. You should be able to buy them wherever ceiling-fan parts are sold.

Q. I can hear a loud squealing noise inside the fan outdoors on my air conditioner. Since we are enjoying cooler fall weather, I've shut it off for the season, but I want to get it fixed before next summer. What should I be looking for?

M.B.

A. It is probably the fan motor. Turn the unit back on and see if you can tell if the fan is making the noise. If you know enough about air conditioners to do the work yourself, you can shut the power off and replace the fan motor, but if you are inexperienced, you probably ought to leave that to a pro. It's not as expensive as a compressor to work on, and you are smart to get it repaired before next season's rush.

Reader tips

• The Tyvek house wrap that was used on our home when it was remodeled last year seems to have made a difference in our utility bills already. We had some leftovers, so I tried to come up with some clever uses. My best creation was a shop apron. The Tyvek material is very strong, although it's very lightweight so it's comfortable to wear. I just cut a basic rectangular shape and added long ties to it for the back. I cut a slit near the top to create a piece to fit over my head. The apron is very handy when I'm working on really messy projects.

K.M.

• Our bathroom has a large garden tub, and we love it. The only problem is that there is a huge picture window right next to it. We originally put up curtains, but they get ruined because of the excess moisture in the room. I found some stick-on opaque vinyl that can be applied right to the window. It's clear enough to let the light in, but nobody can see us taking a bath. It was easy to install and very inexpensive. I think it was made by Contact, and we got it right at our hardware store.

T.S.

• I made some pretty neat cedar scents for my storage closets. I just used some empty mesh bags from the supermarket. I think they had potatoes in them when I got them originally. I got some cedar shaving from the pet store, used the large mesh bag to make some smaller bags and filled them with the cedar shavings. I placed the bags on shelves and other places around the closets. The cedar smell is strong and much less objectionable than the mothballs I used to use. They should be easy to replace each year, too.

V.N.

• I had to replace the flapper in my toilet and noticed that the mineral deposits were building up inside again. I've had to replace the valve before, so I know that these deposits are causing my problems. I tried a silly remedy that I thought might work, and it did. I put three denture cleaning tabs into the tank and let them sit overnight without flushing it. All of the mineral deposits had dissolved by the morning.

R.M.

• I flushed the radiator in my truck and was about to take the antifreeze to the recycling center when I decided to try using it to strip some paint off of a metal sign I had painted. The old radiator fluid stripped the paint off in just a few hours. I had heard it might work, but I was surprised that it worked as well as it did. Of course, the recycling center wasn't sure what to do with antifreeze-paint compound. I left it for them to figure it out!

S.B.

Shop talk

• If you use clamps on your projects, you've got to check out the AutoClamp from Black & Decker. It's battery-powered and allows you to clamp items single-handedly. There is a quick-slide lever for fast clamping and releases, and the soft feet protect your work surface. It's a super clamp and worth checking into. To learn more, visit www.blackanddecker.com.

• If you are looking for an easy way to clean up your yard, check out the MightyLite 3-in-1 blower/mulcher/vacuum. The two-cycle engine is super lightweight and uses 20 percent less gas than similar units. The backpack design is made to stay cool and comfortable as you work, with less vibration and quieter operation. It has the Rotochoke Zip Start system and is available at hardware stores, home centers and other retailers. Learn more at www.homelite.com.

© 2007, Cowles Syndicate Inc.