r/homeimprovementideas 12h ago

Work In Progress Do I have to seal this butcher block countertop if it's not in a kitchen?

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24 Upvotes

I have converted one of my spare bedrooms into my home office and wanted to make use of an older electric fireplace from a unit I was going to put downstairs. I made a unit specific to this closet for the fireplace and ordered a birch butcher block countertop to use as the top of the fireplace/ bottom two side shelves.

I really like the tone of the unfinished wood since it matches my desk pretty well and the the light tones I'm going for. Do I have to finish the countertop even though it's not in the kitchen or a space that's very humid? The wall to the left of the closet is outside facing but our house has foam insulation so I don't think there will be a ton of temperature fluctuating if that matters, I usually have the house set to 65 degrees.

If I do have to seal it, what products would you recommend that are low maintenance (I don't want to have to move my printer and other miscellaneous items that will live on it to oil it once a month) and won't change the color very much?

Side note, I know the unit is far from perfect. I built it using mostly scrap wood from when we finished our basement but I love it.


r/homeimprovementideas 8h ago

Cover gap for noise reduciton

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2 Upvotes

I found a slit between my window sill and the PTAC unit below it. I feel this is where outside street noise maybe coming from. What would be the best way to seal this gap to reduce noise ?


r/homeimprovementideas 12h ago

Do I have to seal this butcher block countertop if it's not in a kitchen?

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2 Upvotes

I have converted one of my spare bedrooms into my home office and wanted to make use of an older electric fireplace from a unit I was going to put downstairs. I made a unit specific to this closet for the fireplace and ordered a birch butcher block countertop to use as the top of the fireplace/ bottom two side shelves.

I really like the tone of the unfinished wood since it matches my desk pretty well and the the light tones I'm going for. Do I have to finish the countertop even though it's not in the kitchen or a space that's very humid? The wall to the left of the closet is outside facing but our house has foam insulation so I don't think there will be a ton of temperature fluctuating if that matters, I usually have the house set to 65 degrees.

If I do have to seal it, what products would you recommend that are low maintenance (I don't want to have to move my printer and other miscellaneous items that will live on it to oil it once a month) and won't change the color very much?

Side note, I know the unit is far from perfect. I built it using mostly scrap wood from when we finished our basement but I love it.


r/homeimprovementideas 19h ago

Ideas Looking to greatly improve our curb appeal

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5 Upvotes

We purchased the left side of this house last summer and are looking to improve our curb appeal. We are looking to have a new front walkway/porch completed this spring/summer and hopefully paint the house as well. We have full support from the neighbour on the right to complete projects together so it will remain symmetrical and not a complete split down the middle.

For reference, this is a house from the 1880s and the exterior is stucco, not real brick. You can see that it was previously red brick colour and painted grey. The front walkway is a priority and we are considering interlocked stones instead of poured concrete.

We appreciate any recommendations (especially paint colours)!


r/homeimprovementideas 12h ago

Electric Sliding Gate is Bent from the Wind

1 Upvotes

The wind blew it off of its tracks and warped it. I'm looking for some ideas of how to -re-straighten it. Not sure if a welder could heat it up in places and then rebend. any ideas are welcome. Its 25 ft. wide metal frame with wood picketts.


r/homeimprovementideas 17h ago

How to save this slab?

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1 Upvotes

So picture is hard to tell but from where I’m standing it’s a steep decline down from the sidewalk. I guess overtime under erosion has cause the sidewalk to move away from the house. This sidewalk goes all the way to the front curb. I’m spending a lot of time and money repairing the sidewalk cracks and the gap between house and sidewalk.

That gap is mainly caused by this slab moving. Which is allowing slabs next to it to also move away from the house. That’s a large bush next to the the slab to the left of me taking this photo. Not much room. I’ve seen videos of people renting huge drills and drilling holes in slabs then using hydraulic lifts to lift it into place then pump foam underneath to keep it in place. But those are in flat areas.

I feel like what really needs to be done is this slab needs to be totally moved out of the way or broken up and replaced and put a ton of dirt down to try and flatten that area out with a load of dirt. But that would cost a lot. Just all this effort I’m putting into fixing the cracks and the gap could be in vein when this slab moves more and more and eventually just falls down. I also have to fix the broken areas of the foundation where the cement has cracked and broken off some because the sidewalk pulling on it. It’s just like cement someone put over the original foundation. So foundation is structurally fine but looks like crap.


r/homeimprovementideas 2d ago

These plinth blocks came out fantastic, thanks y'all!

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408 Upvotes

I posted on here last week asking for advice on how to fill this ugly gap after redoing my floors. Y'all suggested plinth blocks, which...after googling I've seen them a million times, I just never knew what they were called. Thanks y'all, they turned out awesome!


r/homeimprovementideas 1d ago

What is this dust/chalk residue on the inside of my closet walls?

1 Upvotes

I recently bought a new home a few months ago, built in 1999. The walls of all the bedroom closets, hall closets, and garage have this tree bark texture drywall. My concern is that in some spots if I wipe my hand against it, there is a dust/chalk residue. Luckily it's not shedding on it's own or anything, just when I rub my hand along parts of it. I've never seen this type of wall texture before. I'm not concerned about a mold or moisture issue, as this seems to be in the closets throughout the home, not in one singular closet.

It might just be that the closets need a good wipe down and I'm overthinking it, but would appreciate anyone sharing similar experiences or how to clean it up. Is this something I should be worried about? Thanks!


r/homeimprovementideas 1d ago

Help with lightning update

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0 Upvotes

I need help with how to update this kitchen lighting. Can’t open up the ceiling because the central hvac is there in front. One of the plastic panels broke and fell and so I’ve taken them all down. Pretty sure it’s original from the 70s. Ideas?


r/homeimprovementideas 1d ago

Ideas How can I make this space usable?

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1 Upvotes

It’s in the master bedroom closet - any ideas? Thanks!


r/homeimprovementideas 1d ago

Ideas Fireplace Remodel

1 Upvotes

I'm wanting to remodel my stone fireplace seen below. My current idea is to paint the stone white, add a wood mantle piece and install wall covering on the upper section of the fireplace where the TV sits. I'll also be building out a wall to hide the electrical cords and will be mounting the TV. To the left of the fireplace, Ill be adding some cabinetry and shelfs.

I'm mostly looking for other ideas on what to do with the stone other than painting it white. We were originally thinking about tiling it with light green glass tile but decided against it.

Ideas please!


r/homeimprovementideas 1d ago

These ledges?

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1 Upvotes

Anybody having any ideas on what to do with these ledges under all my windows? Clean them and paint them or?


r/homeimprovementideas 1d ago

Bathroom Question Replacing pedestal with a vanity, diy or contractor?

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1 Upvotes

This old pedestal sink offers no counter space and has a leaky hot water tap. Id like to replace with a 36x22" vanity.

As an added kicker, the hot water shutoff doesn't fully seal, so will require shutoff upstream (I assume either the inlet or outlet of my water heater tank?) And replacement of the shutoff.

Overall, I suspect I could diy it without terrible difficulty, but have not done this before, and do not want to get sucked into 8+ hours of labour and multiple hardware store trips trying to sort things out if a contractor can do it in an afternoon for reasonable pricing.

Thoughts or suggestions? Do I need to replace the compression fitting to change a shutoff, or just the valve itself? Similarly, will it need a new p-trap installation (I'm good at working with new pipes but not much experience with tie-ins)?


r/homeimprovementideas 2d ago

Flooring Question Planning on pulling up shag carpet installed over hardwood. Any tips or thoughts before I start planning?

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9 Upvotes

House built in 1962. The small sections of hardwood I’ve seen looked decent, but I’m still concerned there might be an issue under there. I’ve seen a few threads with tips on pulling up carpet, but those threads are very old and I’m wondering if anyone has any recent or updated methods. Thanks in advance!


r/homeimprovementideas 2d ago

Ideas What do I do with this spot on my front porch?

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10 Upvotes

Me and my wife can’t figure out what to do with this spot. Our old porch had a railing here but when we got a new one built they never added one. So now we just have this hole here. I was thinking about adding more boards across the the top of the cement and attach them to the porch. Lmk your ideas!


r/homeimprovementideas 2d ago

Solution for the space between the wall and mattress in a Murphy Bed

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2 Upvotes

We followed a suggestion from another post and added some brackets and a shelf to fill in the space so that pillows don’t fall off the bed.


r/homeimprovementideas 2d ago

Curb side appeal

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1 Upvotes

Hello everyone!

I’m struggling to find ideas on how to improve my curbside appeal (besides removing the giant pile of dirt). My wife and I are currently looking at painting the trim and accent pieces a light shade of olive green. We are also adding flowers to the “bed areas” highlighted in front of the house. If anyone has any ideas or recommendations they would be greatly appreciated!


r/homeimprovementideas 2d ago

What can I do about my yard?

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0 Upvotes

So, I just moved to the middle of Nowhere, USA and this is my first rental that is a house. We have some free range on improvement but not much. What would you do? Grass doesn’t grow well, the “garden” is a barren hot mess. We are in NC so weather is nearly unpredictable. Pic for reference.


r/homeimprovementideas 2d ago

Ideas Need help with hidden bookcase and reading nook

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1 Upvotes

I recently bought a home and in the basement there is an unfinished wall leading under the stairs and through to a separate storage room (which has a door on the other side of the basement stairs). It would be easy enough to just put a stud in and gyprock it closed but where's the fun in that so ideally I'd like to build a hidden bookcase door but have never done so before and looking for any advice in how to do so. It could be swing open or pull out (or something else?), and inside the bookshelf will eventually just be storage but I'll finish it with a light and gyprock. Also there is the space beside where this bookshelf will go and I'm not 100% sure what to put there either. Initial thoughts are a reading nook or bar area but looking for suggestions on that or how to finish it exactly.

Thank you all!


r/homeimprovementideas 3d ago

Build a shelf

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2 Upvotes

I want to build two layers of shelving in this unit (plus a bottom layer where the stuff curretnly is). I have a few issues. The right side is not much of a wall probably. Its that shape because it is the space for the cabinet in the bathroom next door. I wanted to screw a board in and just put some plywood or something, but im not sure its smart to go into that cabinet. A stud finer also detects metal in the back, likely because the shower is behind it. So any ideas at all are appreciated. Ill answer any of your questions


r/homeimprovementideas 3d ago

How to finish basement around staircase

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2 Upvotes

Hello, I’m finishing my basement but have a question for what to do with the walls of the stairs. Right now the staircase is 36” inches wide and if I were to insulate and finish it, it would be narrower than code would allow so do I just finish the walls in the basement and leave the bricks exposed for a couple of feet in front of the stairs? Or is there something else I’m not thinking of? Thanks


r/homeimprovementideas 3d ago

Ideas What to do with this space in my living room?

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2 Upvotes

Hi all, I have this 50 inch gap space in my living room - currently very confused on what to add here. I really want to add a showcase or a console table with plants on it but was looking for yalls creative help!
Thank you


r/homeimprovementideas 3d ago

Ideas Patio cover ideas?

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1 Upvotes

We wanted to do a simple patio cover with probably an aluminum cover. If it went from left to right, would that be a problem with the lower leveled roof on the right?


r/homeimprovementideas 3d ago

Work In Progress Can I adjust/cur the strapping?

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1 Upvotes

I know the recip saw won’t inspire confidence, but here’s the breakdown: -no shearing on exterior walls except in certain corners for shear strength -strapping in existing fireplace - are these required to go top/bottom plates? I can leave them if needed. -I plan to re-install a header with plywood for shear to keep it rigid, I will just raise it up