Eco-Friendly DIY Guide

There comes a time where we’ll need to make a repair, an improvement, or style adjustment on our home in order to ensure that everything is working properly and looking its best. When faced with a home improvement DIY challenge such as replacing a bed or installing kitchen flooring, consider an eco-friendly solution in order to add a little ‘green’ into your home. The following is a ‘green’ DIY home improvement guide filled with tips for the next major repair on your home.

1. Before throwing in the towel on a problem area in your home, consider the wonders that a fresh coat of paint will do – eco-friendly paint that is! In order to avoid the toxic smells and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air with a water or oil-based paint from your local hardware store, use an environmentally friendly substitute such as Mythic Paint. Not only will you get a smooth, clear finish on your walls but you will keep your body and the environment feeling healthy.
2. When you are ready to invest in a furniture set, don’t rush off to the nearest showroom just yet. Seek out a local thrift store or flea market in order to sneak a peek at refurbished furniture such as a bed, kitchen table, or writing desk. A recycled piece of furniture can turn into an easy DIY project with an end result that you couldn’t feel more proud of! From here, you can sand down any rough surfaces of a wood headboard or side table and apply an eco-friendly faux-finish or stain to transform the overall look in minutes.
3. If you find yourself in the position where you have to change your kitchen floor, consider a sustainable material like bamboo. Hard wood floors heavily increase the demand for cutting down trees while the supply of bamboo is quite high and easy to grow in a short amount of time. This renewable material works well in any type of area from the kitchen to the foyer and has a unique, beautiful look. Bamboo can be purchased at any major hardware store or even online along with installation instructions.
4. You would be surprised how much water is consumed on a daily basis in your home between the bathrooms and the kitchen. While turning off the water in between brushing your teeth and scrubbing the dishes can help save water, there are more options to consider when remodeling your home. The world of ‘green’ bathroom and kitchen fixtures has been offering more styles at affordable prices than ever before. When researching your next eco-friendly faucet, look into fixtures with aerators, hot water heaters without storage tanks, and recirculation pumps. These specialized faucet features use air bubbles to help increase the pressure of water at an efficient pace or help save the water wasted when waiting for it to heat. Ultimately, this will cut down on water and energy use in the long run.

Additional DIY Resources

Books

• Home Maintenance for Dummies
• HandyMa'am (TM): Home Improvement, Decorating, & Maintenance Tips & Projects for You and Your Family
• The Virgin Homeowner : The Essential Guide to Owning, Maintaining, and Surviving Your Home
• New Fix-It-Yourself Manual

Videos

• Common Home Repairs

Tools

• Power Tools

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