Marie's Home Improvement Guide
Can't be held up another day waiting for a plumber between 9 and 5? Feeling threatened by the growing pile of fix-it projects in your basement? Marie's Home Improvement Guide offers all of the tips you need to tackle these projects... yourself!\ Marie L. Leonard, owner of her own home improvement business, has been teaching home repair to women for years. With the belief that no one should have to depend on others for home repair, Leonard helps thousands of women save money and time,...
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Tired of paying the painter to create a mess on your floors? Can’t be held up another day waiting for a plumber between 9 and 5? Feeling threatened by the growing pile of fix-it projects in your basement? Marie’s Home Improvement Guide offers all the tips you need to tackle these projects … yourself! Marie L. Leonard, owner of her own home improvement business, has been teaching home repair to women for years. With the belief that women shouldn’t have to depend on others for home repair, Leonard is helping thousands of women save money and time, conquering the fear of do-it-yourself work. Marie’s Home Improvement Guide provides readers with the know-how to tackle projects around the house. Leonard covers the basics: introduction to tools, safety precautions, necessary prep-work, and shopping for the right materials. Leonard’s tips are written in an informative and accessible manner, paired with detailed illustrations. A reassuring source of encouragement, Marie’s Home Improvement Guide is a must-have book for all first-time do-it-yourselfers. Library Journal For the absolute beginner, this is a baseline, complete with the fundamentals of tools, materials, and techniques. Projects are all about basic home care, with minimal illustrations. The standout feature is the superb almost nurturing writing. In the vein of Julie Sussman and Stephanie Glakas-Tenet's "Dare To Repair" series, this book is recommended for new tinkerers.
Introduction vii1 Getting Started 1The Toolbox 2Hand Tools 3Power Tools 13Now That I Have Them, How Do I Use Them? 15Caring for Your Tools 18Safety First (and Always) 19Picking Your Battles 21Asking for Help 222 Shopping for Materials and Supplies 25Wall Anchors 26Caulk and Grout 28Filling Holes and Cracks 31Nails and Screws 32Sandpaper 34Adhesives and Glues 36Wood 37Wallboard 393 Getting the Hang of Things 41Hanging a Small- or Medium-Size Picture 42Hanging a Very Large Picture or Heavy Mirror 46Hanging Shelves 51Hanging Curtain or Drapery Rods 68Installing Blinds 744 What about Walls? 83Size is Relative 83Patching Small Holes 84Patching Medium-Size Holes 86Repairing Cracks and Gouges 90Fixing Large Holes 925 All about Doors 101Diagnosing the Problem 102Solution #1 Replacing the Screws 103Solution #2 Sand It Away 104Solution #3 Adjusting the Strike Plate 109Solution #4 Replacing a Broken or Ugly Lockset 114Solution #5 Fixing Bi-Fold Doors 121Solution #6 Drafty Doors 1256 Painting: It's All about the Prep 128Tools of the Trade 129Buying the Paint 134Doing the Prep Work 137Painting the Ceiling and Walls 143Removing the Painter's Tape 152Painting the Woodwork 152Painting the Doors 156Touching Up and Cleaning Up 1577 It's Not All Bubble Baths 162Where Water Comes from and Why That's Important to Know 164Can I Fix a Leaky Faucet Myself? 166Getting to Know (and Fix) Your Toilet 177The Sink Pop-Up Thingy (Drain Stopper) 185Showerheads 190Cleaning and Replacing Sink Faucet Aerators 193Removing and Laying Caulk 195Grout 2008But Wait, There's More: Non-Water-Related Bathroom Projects 204Towel Bars and Toilet Paper Holders 205Medicine Cabinets 213Safety Grab Bars 214Bathroom Vanities 2209 Minor Carpentry Jobs 224Getting Empowered with Power Tools 225Circular Saws 226Jigsaws 230Compound Miter Saws 232General Rules of Saw Use 234Project Management 236Building a Simple Shelf 238Installing a New Handrail 245Replacing Existing Trim 253Replacing a Stair Tread 262Installing a Pet Door 26510 But Electricity Scares Me 269The Circuit Breaker Box: Where It All Begins 270Doing Your Own Electrical Work 273Wall Outlets 274Replacing a Dimmer Switch 280Replacing an Interior Light Fixture 284Resources 290Acknowledgments 292Index 294About the Author 300
\ Library JournalFor the absolute beginner, this is a baseline, complete with the fundamentals of tools, materials, and techniques. Projects are all about basic home care, with minimal illustrations. The standout feature is the superb almost nurturing writing. In the vein of Julie Sussman and Stephanie Glakas-Tenet's "Dare To Repair" series, this book is recommended for new tinkerers.\ \
