Take for instance secret rooms.

Hidden rooms and secret passages serve two purposes; they’re fun and they offer security. This article isn’t about building a secret room – it’s about concealing an existing room with a custom bookcase.

The bookcase replaces an existing door and has the look of a built-in bookcase. It goes entirely unnoticed by your friends and even building inspectors.

A hall closet would be a great place for a built-in bookshelf, don’t you think? Imagine the items you could store in a small room like that – jewelry, cash, guns, you name it. Just imagine all the places you could put a secret door. Personally, I would want one for my son’s room because it’s always messy – heaven forbid a guest opens his door thinking it’s the restroom. Scary.

There’s never enough closet space for clothes (especially her clothes), yet some family rooms have built-in closets for storing games, sound systems, or built-desks. It would make a great storage place for clothes but clothes would look a bit odd hanging in the family room, no? This scenario just happens to describe my new house and why I’ll be adding a hidden bookcase to conceal all those clothes I can’t live without. It will also add a touch of elegance to my family room.

Another use is to conceal an office or home gym. Let’s face it, we all have a room or two we’d like to conceal.

Besides the fact secret doors are fun there’s also the added benefit of security; panic rooms if you will, only without all the high tech bells and whistles and bulletproof metal walls. In an emergency situation, such as a home invasion, your family would have a safe place to hide (and call 911).

Speaking of home invasions, according to the United States Department of Justice:

• 38% of assaults and 60% of rapes occur during home invasions.
• 1 out of every 5 homes will experience a break-in or home invasion.
• There are over 8,000 home invasions per day in North America.

These are some very compelling statistics and good ammunition for getting started on your secret passage doors.

Check out these ‘idea stimulating’ links:

http://www.hideadoor.com/doorprice_1.html

http://www.opulentitems.com/Secret-Home-Room_p_528.html

http://bumpkeywarning.com/HomeInvasionStatistics.htm

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Make detailed inspections

You want to avoid surprises. Before knocking down the kitchen cabinets or bathroom wall, try to figure out what’s inside. There could be dangerous asbestos, electrical wiring, water pipes, or a gas line. Just as an example, several years ago our family contractor was remodeling our bathroom. It required a wall to be knocked down. At first glance he believed the wall was made of wood framing and drywall. Easy, right? To his complete shock, he found out most of the wall was made of concrete. Rather than two days for demolition, it took a week. This ended up costing him more time, more labor, and a real sore back. The bathroom turned out great, but I think he only broke even on the project.

Make time for demolition

Determine how much time is needed to tear down the wall or ceiling and then stay on that schedule. The demo project is all you’ll be able to accomplish in that time frame. Don’t try and do other things around the demolition. Make sure you stay on this one single task until it’s finished. Otherwise, the rest of the project can’t be completed.

Separate rooms with plastic

This room needs to be sectioned off and sealed with plastic sheet. If there’s too much dust and debris flying around, protect the rest of the house and the occupants. Workers should always wear dust masks and protective eye wear. For bigger demolitions, invest in a rolloff dumpster and continue to pick up as you go along.

Have the right tools

You’ll obviously need the proper tools for the demolition. It’s not out of the question to use a jackhammer for some projects, but that can be rented out. Other staple items to have on hand are crowbars, pry bars, claw hammers, and a sledge hammer. Never wear sneakers; boots are good, along with disposable coveralls and gloves.

Link:

http://homerenovations.about.com/od/legalsafetyissues/a/artdemotips.htm

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But is it all really worth it? Can those Swedish geniuses behind easy, prefab home remodeling really be that smart? Well I recently had my first chance to find out, and with the scariest DIY remodeling venture of them all: new kitchen cabinets.

The Showroom

I must admit that IKEA certainly has the look and feel right. Within moments of entering their showroom I felt like I could do anything. After a quick trip to the salad bar (yes IKEA has a cafeteria too), it was on to see the kitchens. Now, this was a friend’s remodel and I had little to do with the selection process, so I won’t go too deep into that.

I will say that you can sit down on a computer right there and design your kitchen using their simple CAD-type program. Exhibit frames of every cabinet they sell hangs on the wall in front of you, and if that is not enough, there is even a small, gridded diorama with small magnetized blocks just in case you’d like a 3-D representation of your kitchen-to-be.

The only issue at the showroom was understaffing. Even with the help of a computer, choosing your kitchen cabinets is no small feat. It takes time and a good deal of attention from employees. Unfortunately, on my two visits to IKEA there was rarely more than one person in the vicinity. They were very polite and hardworking to be sure, but if there are more than one or two people trying to choose cabinets at the same time be prepared to wait. To be fair, both my visits were on weekdays and I can only assume that weekends are much more heavily staffed.

Delivery

After the choices are made and cabinets bought, delivery is scheduled (at a cost unless you live close by). Now is where you want to harness all your skills at paying attention to detail. For the kitchen in question, there were to be 16 cabinets, kitchen island included. For those 16 cabinets came 181 separate boxes of materials, all of which must be inventoried on arrival because once you’ve signed for it, consider it bought.

Having plenty of free space in which to organize this slew of boxes is key because things get confusing real fast when you start trying to fumble through everything to get ready for assembly.

NOTE: Be sure to protect these boxes from the elements, even in your garage. In my case there was an accident with spilled water (undiscovered for some time) and entire cabinets were rendered useless. IKEA cabinet frames are made with particle board and soak up water like a sponge (It was an hour-and-a-half drive back to the store for replacements).

Assembly

Assembly. Now we get down to the heart of what makes IKEA great: easy-to-assemble products. A child could do it! Well, maybe not, but it is very simple, and all I needed was a screwdriver and hammer. Other than that it is all dowels and pressure fits. Assembly will take time, so be prepared. It’s fairly easy to get the hang of but it is tedious work. I highly recommend some music or talk radio — whatever swings your hammer, as they say.

As far as directions go, I hope you’re into hieroglyphics. That is to say there are no words, only pictures. This works just fine for the most part. If you have any questions there is a picture of a nice little IKEA rendition of you calling the store for answers. The biggest problem I had with this is the lack of cross-referencing, or side notes, or little alerts to let you know that doing this could affect that later on. Before all was said and done, I found myself moving pantry drawers to get out of a door hinge’s way. Just little things that had a tendency to add up to frustration.

And even though there are no words, it is still a good idea to read the instructions all the way through, and to remember (or check those valuable notes) anything that you may have gone over with the IKEA professional back at the showroom. My friend had an issue with forgetting the intricacies of the design, which led to some mistakes being made. To be fair, it had been nearly a month from design to assembly and he was in the throes of a kitchen remodel (at this same time new tile floors were being put in throughout the house, not to mention framing, electrical, etc.)

Installation

IKEA’s method of installation was spot on — incredibly easy. A metal suspension rail is provided that attaches to the wall at the studs. Provided hardware then allows you to attach the cabinets wherever necessary along this track, without having to worry about studs, wood blocks, or the like. The base cabinets come with adjustable feet so that you can set them up and slide them right up to the wall. Wooden toe-kicks simply clip onto these legs to seal off the underneath of the cabinets.

Attaching the front of the cabinets to each other is a snap as well. There are pre-drilled holes on every cabinet, with the cabinets flushed up and clamped tight, these holes will line up. It’s a cinch to drill aligning holes all the way through and use the provided connection screws to fasten them together.

Attaching the cabinet doors or drawers is simple as well. Integral hinges pressure fit into pre-drilled holes on the inside of the door and screw into specified holes in the cabinet frame. Doors can be taken on and off with a snap. Drawers were a bit trickier, installing them was a cinch but when taking them on and off I felt like I was going to break them (it took a little wrestling). But I didn’t and the drawers and glides held up fine.

In Conclusion…Time is Money

Bear in mind that my little review here is not meant to be a “How to install IKEA cabinets” blog at all. As I mentioned earlier, it is a very detailed process and I’m willing to bet that it has driven as many homeowners mad with rage as it has bouncing with glee. I have had good deal of experience in all areas of construction and I still made a number of mistakes from ordering parts to putting them together.

An unprepared or unorganized DIY’er will have a field day looking for missing pieces or assembling-disassembling-reassembling and then shouting. Do not hesitate to get online and go to IKEA’s website. There you can find step by step instructions on installation (you may just want to Google “install ikea cabinets,” it’ll be faster). You will also be able to pull up your specific kitchen design/plans if need be.

Yet there is just no telling what can go wrong when 181 boxes are delivered to your front door, each containing several pieces of its own. Purchasing your kitchen cabinets, office furniture, or anything from IKEA may be cheap — and a whole lot easier than building your own — but DO NOT expect to save any time. In fact leave plenty of extra time to get the job done. It calls to mind the old adage that “time is money.” For IKEA cabinets, nothing could be more true; what you save in money you will make up in time invested. If you’re okay with that, then you’re okay with IKEA.

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Spring is an ideal time to take stock of things and plan for projects that can be spaced out over the coming months of warm weather. Once you’ve done the annual spring cleaning blitz – inside and out – you’re in a good position to step back and get a fresh perspective on which, of the many potential projects you see, are the ones you want to tackle this year. Here are a few that might be jumping out and shouting, “Do me first! Do me now!”

Inspect Your Deck

Photo credit: Kim Van Wert General Contractor

How has your old deck fared after the long, hard winter? Now’s the time to see if your deck or porch has any rotten planks or steps or railings that need replacing. If you’ve dreamed of tearing down that old deck or porch and adding a new one, this is the perfect time to start moving that dream into reality. With an early enough start, you’ll be able to finish the project in time to enjoy the results for most of the summer and then into the fall. As with roofing contractors, the earlier in the season you can coordinate meetings, estimates, and schedules with your decking contractor of choice, the better off you’ll be.

Treat Yourself to New Screens

There comes a point when simply scrubbing down the old screens is no longer an option. After years of use, they can eventually get so old and beat up by wind and weather that replacing them becomes the obvious option. For windows, it’s likely that you can find standard-sized screen replacements. Think about treating yourself – and your house – to new screen doors, though. There are wonderful ones available that can give your home a whole fresh look and enhance air circulation during the summer months. If you live in an urban area, you’ll want to consider installing safety doors instead of screen doors. And while you’re at it, you may see the wisdom of adding safety bars on the outside of windows that give easy access to your home.

Patch that Old Roof

Photo credit: Element Construction

Did you notice any leaks over the winter months of rain and snow? Or maybe you just know that your roof is so old that it just needs to be replaced. Whether you’ve got patching and repairing in mind or a whole new roof to be applied once the old roofing is removed, now’s the time to get planning. Since you’ll probably be hiring these jobs out, you’ll want to arrange for meetings with roofing contractors and gathering several free estimates for the work. Scheduling these jobs well in advance of the season’s crush will be a boon to both you and the contractor you choose to do the job.

Plan Your Summer Landscape

After all the winter debris has been raked and cleared, you can look at your home’s surrounding yards and gardens with an eye towards more carefree efficiency and water conservation as the season moves towards summer. Planning a European style garden with pea gravel areas and walkways interspersed with smaller planting beds can update your home’s look and cut way back on your summer water bills. Or you might prefer a more natural look, created with mounds and boulders and a few dramatic trees and shrubs. Your local nurseries will have experts available to recommend drought-resistant species suited to your climate. Landscapers who can either jumpstart or complete your whole project are readily found in most areas, too.

Once you’re in motion with all your plans for projects, you can enjoy the loveliness of your old house for the coming season and many years beyond.

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Walls take some serious abuse. We tend to take for granted how solid they look, when often they are in reality just drywall and paint. Anything from the head of a nail to a child’s dirty hands can do damage to your walls. Taking the time to understand and look out for the many types of wall damage can make a big difference in life (especially for all you renters out there).

1. Nail Holes.

   By the time you’ve hung and rehung all your art, posters, and pictures, the wall starts to look like it has freckles. Oftentimes, just a dab of paintable caulk and a little paint will suffice.

2. Dents from the doorknob.

   A common danger for walls. Dents may be fixed with spackling or putty, sandpaper, and paint. Holes may require more drastic action.

3. Rodentia.

   Mice have been known (personally) to chew through drywall in order to gain access to abundant food supplies within those walls. First catch the little bugger if you can. Then try to find out how he got in and patch the hole in your drywall and the way in.

4. Fingerprints.

   A notorious crime for kids, but don’t be too hard on them, some mild soap and a little scrubbing should do the trick.

5. Smoking.

   Yes smoking. It’s unpopular nowadays but for all you who still enjoy a smoke at home, pull down a picture frame or two and look at the difference. Smoke of any kind can be very damaging to walls. It looks like repainting (and a walk to the patio) may be in your future.

6. Water damage.

   Water is a powerful force, from the smallest drops to the biggest waves. Water inside your walls or ceiling can wreak havoc on your house. Water damage often requires a professional touch and at least the removal and repair of damaged sheetrock or the materials underneath.

7. Wallpaper.

   Removing wall paper can leave some nasty residue behind. To avoid as much hassle as possible follow these easy instructions.

8. A Settling House.

   The house shifting or settling can cause cracks in drywall. Sometimes it’s as simple as a bit of plaster and drywall tape, other times it’s not.

9. Mildew.

   Mildew has been damaging walls since bathrooms were invented. This little fungus will show up on any surface and must be wiped out with a special, mildew-erasing solution.

10. Crayons, Markers, and Pens galore.

    When kids aren’t putting their fingerprints on the wall, they’re probably getting artistic with a new box of crayons. There are plenty of ways to eliminate these little art sessions and seriously lower parental stress levels.

11. Flood damage.

    Floods take typical water damage to the extreme. The best method here is prevention.

12. Earthquakes.

    On that same catastrophic note, earthquakes can do a world of damage to your walls and, subsequently, your whole house. If an earthquake is powerful enough to do damage, the damage is probably extensive enough to call a contractor.

13. Scuff marks.

    These can be caused by so many things, including shoe soles and flying frisbees. Some warm water and vinegar, mild soap, a rag, and some light scrubbing is all you need.

14. Broken Tiles.

    As sure as you can break a coffee mug you can break a tile in the backsplash or bathroom. Carefully remove the broken tile, surrounding grout, and adhesive, clean up and smooth the area, reapply a new tile (complete with adhesive) and re-grout.

15. The cat.

    Another from personal experience. First off get a spray bottle filled with water and use it (on the cat). Secondly, smooth and patch the damaged area and repaint.

16. Adhesives.

    When hanging things on the wall, adhesives often do more damage than a simple nail hole. Over time the adhesive bonds with the paint or other material behind it. When it comes time for removal you may be left with damaged paint, paneling, drywall, or more depending on the type of wall. Tip: use a nail.

17. Termites.

    Can’t forget the most famous of wall eaters. If you spot termites, call the exterminator immediately then assess the damage.

18. Furniture.

    The hallway is 38 inches wide, your new dresser is 36. There are bound to be some dings, dents, and “dangs.” Drywall patching sure is fun!

19. Watering plants.

    Even the watering of plants can have some ill effect on walls, usually in the form of mold or mildew as described in #9. Plant water can be very nasty as well. Keep an eye on flower pots and the area around the plants. Regularly wipe down the walls and floor around the plant.

20. Fire damage.

    The scariest and thankfully rare way to damage your walls. Many an electrical fire has started inside a wall. Unfortunately, often the best recourse following a fire is a call to the insurance company and a free estimate from a local contractor.

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Yet rustic materials, most notably metal, copper, and wood, are not the same as they once were and therefore require a little additional care when being handled. Here are some tips for handling three of our favorite rustic friends.

Rustic Metal

Rustic metal has a list of uses a phone book in thickness, from junk art to roofing. If you have a creative streak and are handy with metals (welding, etc.), your options are nearly infinite. Why rustic? There are a lot of situations that rustic metal fits: fireplace utensils, cabin or cottage decor, kitchen decor, and more.

When working with rustic metal, however, it is important to remember that you are working with rust. Rust, being the result of oxidation of the metal, can be a rather messy subject and wearing gloves and protective eyewear is always recommended.

Patinated Copper

When water and oxidation get to work, steel gets rusty and copper gets patinated. In fact, it is the lustrous green patina of aged copper that lends it much of its appeal. You can even purchase pre-patinated copper roofing and sheet metal these days. While installation of the natural and patinated copper is the same, there is one big difference between handling fresh and patinated copper: dust.

Patina dust can cause rust in iron and steel so tools and equipment must be protected. Any tools used during a day of working with patinated copper should be lightly oiled and wiped down before being stowed for the night. Also, patina dust is not so good for humans either, and gloves and respirators should be worn by anyone working with the material.

When bending or cutting patinated copper, the patina is liable to crack or blemish slightly. Have no fear as the natural elements themselves will mend the break.

Aged Wood

While aged wood can drastically change the aesthetic of a project, giving it that cottage, cabin, or colonial feel, in terms of handling and maintenance wood does not change much with age. Two of its biggest enemies, especially for aged wood flooring, continue to be water and dirt.

When actually working with aged wood (pre-finish), gloves are advisable due to splintering of the old lumber. Aged wood also requires more care when handling because it is typically dry, weathered, and not nearly as strong as it was at birth.

For all you rustic remodelers out there, arrangements can be made with your contractor to recycle or reuse your own remodeling debris and have any excess hauled away to the appropriate recycling plant.

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