Marie's Home Improvement Guide »

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 vii

1 Getting Started 1

The Toolbox 2

Hand Tools 3

Power Tools 13

Now That I Have Them, How Do I Use Them? 15

Caring for Your Tools 18

Safety First (and Always) 19

Picking Your Battles 21

Asking for Help 22

2 Shopping for Materials and Supplies 25

Wall Anchors 26

Caulk and Grout 28

Filling Holes and Cracks 31

Nails and Screws 32

Sandpaper 34

Adhesives and Glues 36

Wood 37

Wallboard 39

3 Getting the Hang of Things 41

Hanging a Small- or Medium-Size Picture 42

Hanging a Very Large Picture or Heavy Mirror 46

Hanging Shelves 51

Hanging Curtain or Drapery Rods 68

Installing Blinds 74

4 What about Walls? 83

Size is Relative 83

Patching Small Holes 84

Patching Medium-Size Holes 86

Repairing Cracks and Gouges 90

Fixing Large Holes 92

5 All about Doors 101

Diagnosing the Problem 102

Solution #1 Replacing the Screws 103

Solution #2 Sand It Away 104

Solution #3 Adjusting the Strike Plate 109

Solution #4 Replacing a Broken or Ugly Lockset 114

Solution #5 Fixing Bi-Fold Doors 121

Solution #6 Drafty Doors 125

6 Painting: It's All about the Prep 128

Tools of the Trade 129

Buying the Paint 134

Doing the Prep Work 137

Painting the Ceiling and Walls 143

Removing the Painter's Tape 152

Painting the Woodwork 152

Painting the Doors 156

Touching Up and Cleaning Up 157

7 It's Not All Bubble Baths 162

Where Water Comes from and Why That's Important to Know 164

Can I Fix a Leaky Faucet Myself? 166

Getting to Know (and Fix) Your Toilet 177

The Sink Pop-Up Thingy (Drain Stopper) 185

Showerheads 190

Cleaning and Replacing Sink Faucet Aerators 193

Removing and Laying Caulk 195

Grout 200

8But Wait, There's More: Non-Water-Related Bathroom Projects 204

Towel Bars and Toilet Paper Holders 205

Medicine Cabinets 213

Safety Grab Bars 214

Bathroom Vanities 220

9 Minor Carpentry Jobs 224

Getting Empowered with Power Tools 225

Circular Saws 226

Jigsaws 230

Compound Miter Saws 232

General Rules of Saw Use 234

Project Management 236

Building a Simple Shelf 238

Installing a New Handrail 245

Replacing Existing Trim 253

Replacing a Stair Tread 262

Installing a Pet Door 265

10 But Electricity Scares Me 269

The Circuit Breaker Box: Where It All Begins 270

Doing Your Own Electrical Work 273

Wall Outlets 274

Replacing a Dimmer Switch 280

Replacing an Interior Light Fixture 284

Resources 290

Acknowledgments 292

Index 294

About the Author 300