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Three ways to transform a room

3 ways to transform a room in a day

The football season’s over, Game of Thrones has finished, and even Jeremy Kyle’s off the telly. If you’re finding yourself at a loose end this summer, why not crack open a window, stick on some tunes, and spend the day giving a room a facelift?

From installing shutters to refinishing an old door, there are plenty of ways to freshen up a room in a single day. The key is in the planning; if you prepare properly you should be able to avoid spilling over into tomorrow. Just don’t forget to equip yourself with the necessary safety equipment – some studies suggest that every year, 17% of DIYers suffer an injury!

3 ways to transform a room in a day

1. Refinish a door
Daily wear and tear can leave doors looking tatty, but thankfully most types can be stripped and refinished within a day.
Once the door is off its hinges, apply stripper to help scrape off the old finish. Then sand the surface down with an orbital sander, remembering to protect yourself with gloves, goggles, and a mask.

Now apply a coat of stain with a soft brush. Once it’s dry, give the surface a light sanding before doing the other side. Follow this by adding three coats of clear wood finish to both sides, pausing to allow each coat to dry. Now all that’s left is to let the door dry overnight and then rehang it the following morning.

2. Repaint a room
A good finish requires good preparation. Start by filling cracks and holes, then sand the filler down once it’s dry. Dust the walls and wipe them down with a wet cloth to give the paint a clean surface to cling to. Once you’ve protected furniture and fittings with dust sheets and masking tape, you’re ready to paint.

Start with the ceiling, and wear safety goggles to keep paint out of your eyes. Leave this to dry while you tackle the walls, and finish up by glossing the wooden surfaces. Add another coat to anything that looks patchy, and hey presto! You’ve got a room that looks crisp and vibrant.

3. Lay a new floor
Fitting a new floor is a great way to rejuvenate a room, and thanks to modern flooring solutions it needn’t be a slog.
The joy of tongue and groove flooring is that it is quick to install. The most time-consuming part of laying it comes in the preparation of the floor surface, and the cutting of end planks. This cutting is best done with a power saw, which carries with it an element of risk. Protect yourself with safety goggles, gloves, and a mask.

Any one of these jobs is a great way to make a free day productive, and by protecting yourself with the right safety gear you’ll help avoid a trip to the Accident and Emergency department. For any questions, just drop us a line.