Add Value to your Home with
Three Inexpensive Kitchen Renovations
Your kitchen is probably subject to the more wear and tear than any other room of your home. Installing a new sink, painting Formica cabinets and installing new cabinet hardware will enhance the appearance of your kitchen.
Whether you are looking to increase your home's value before selling, or just refurbishing for your own enjoyment, the result of these projects will help give a new look to your kitchen.
Replacing Kitchen Sink
1. Purchase a kitchen sink that is similar in dimensions as the existing one.
2. Turn off the valves that supply the hot/cold water.
3. Using a bucket to catch any water, disconnect the water-trap (u-shaped pipe) from drain body (pipe leading down from sink).
4. Disconnect hot/cold water supply lines from faucet valve (knob valves) tailpieces using an adjustable wrench.
5. Loosen clips/clamps that secure the sink to the countertop. Using a utility knife, slice through the caulk that seals the sink to the countertop. Remove the sink and scrap off any dried caulk on countertop with a putty knife.
6. Remove faucet fixture from old sink and attach to new sink, roll a ¼ inch bead of plumbers putty, place inside the perimeter of the faucet base to seal. Remove drain body from old sink attach to new sink.
7. Place new sink into countertop, center by sight or measurement, using a pencil, lightly trace a line around the sink and remove sink.
8. Using a caulk gun, draw a 3/8 inch bead of silicone caulk inside the pencil line, install sink, and press down firmly.
9. Tighten clips/clamps that secure sink to countertop.
10. Wrap a couple of passes of Teflon tape around the threads of the faucet valve tailpieces, then reconnect hot/cold/ water supply lines to the valve tailpieces.
11. Reattach water-trap to drain body. Turn on water and check for leaks.
Paint Formica Cabinets
1. Draw a diagram, representing your kitchen cabinet placement. Letter each cabinet door on the diagram (a,b,c, ...). On the inside of cabinet doors, pencil letters corresponding to your diagram.
2. Remove all cabinet doors, remove hardware (knobs, handles, hinges) from doors, remove knobs/handles from drawers. Put hardware in a closable container (coffee can, jar) for safekeeping.
3. Set doors where you can work on them, preferably outside.
4. Clean all surfaces to be painted, with TSP (trisodium phosphate) or a TSP substitute (use according to manufacturer's instructions). Rinse repeatedly with clean water, as paint will not stick to TSP residue. Dry with clean rags.
5. Using 320-grit wet sandpaper (without water), sand all surfaces thoroughly, wipe off with clean dry rag.
6. Use 'Paint Resolve' brand paint (designed for Formica cabinets). Apply to cabinet doors, drawers and cabinet frame, according to manufacturer's instructions. Important: Use a foam roller and synthetic nylon paintbrush. Apply one coat, let dry, and reapply a second coat.
7. After paint has dried completely, reattach hardware to doors and drawers; reinstall doors according to your diagram. Erase the letters on the inside of the cabinet doors.
Installing New Cabinet Hardware
1. When replacing cabinet hardware, it is important to purchase knob/handles/hinges that have the same mounting holes as the old ones.
2. Remove one piece of each type of hardware you wish to replace (handle, knob, hinges) from a cabinet door and drawer. Take these with you to your local home improvement center. Find a style that appeals to you and place them back to back and to see if the holes match, this will determine whether they will fit the mounting holes in your cabinet doors and drawers.
3. Buy a sample of new hardware you like, take it home and install. Let a few days pass to make sure you are comfortable with the design.
4. Once you have found a style of hardware that you are comfortable with, buy enough for the entire job, remove old knobs, handles, hinges and install the new hardware.
If the screws that come with the new hardware are too long or short, visit the hardware section of the store and buy screws that are not too long, which will protrude too far into the cabinet, or too short, where you cannot secure a nut effectively.
TIP: Before leaving home measure the thickness of your cabinet doors and drawers, this will help you to purchase the exact size screw you need.
5. Install the new hardware on the doors, and drawers.
Refurbishing your kitchen with the three suggested projects will give your home added value and a newer and cleaner look.
Other Kitchen renovations, such as installing an underlayment in preparation for installing a new vinyl floor and for larger kitchens, installing vinyl seamed floors are inexpensive and easy to accomplish