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We gave the exterior of a modest brick home an inexpensive facelift to improve the, curb appeal without breaking the bank. The projects we tackled required a good deal of elbow grease but only $315 in material expenses.

Outside Cleaning

Pressure washing is a great way to remove dirt and mold from brick, but be careful when using a pressure washer on wood or other more delicate surfaces, since the high pressure water spray can cause damage.

Cleaning brick with pressure washer.

Watch our video on Tips for Cleaning Your Home with a Pressure Washer to find out more.

Metal Porch Railings

Metal wrought iron porch railings need sanding and painting from time to time. Use a wire brush or wire rotating disk in a drill to remove any loose or peeling paint, then prime the surface with rust inhibiting metal primer followed by two coats of oil based enamel.

Cans of spray paint do a better job on intricate wrought iron than a paintbrush, but be sure to cover any adjoining surfaces with plastic to prevent overspray.

Painting wrought iron railings

Watch our video on Repairing and Painting Wrought Iron Handrails to find out more.

Paint Front Door

The homeowner decided to paint the front door bright yellow to give the house a cheerful, new look. We started by taking down the door and laying it on sawhorses to make it easy to sand and paint.

Next, we sanded the door down to remove the gloss and smooth the surface. Finally, we applied several coats of yellow paint before rehanging the door.

Prepping the entry door for painting.

Watch our video on How to Refinish and Restore an Entry Door to find out more.

Landscaping

Our budget landscaping began with pruning the shrubs around the house and digging up the excess monkey grass border that had spread out into the planting beds.

To improve the yard’s curb appeal, we used landscaping paint to layout a planting bed around the live oak and pine tree in front of the house. We then planted the extra monkey grass as a border around the new planting bed.

After removing the grass inside the planting bed, pansies and begonias were planted to accent the front yard.

Landscaping front yard

Watch our video on How to Prune Shrubs in Your Yard to find out more.

Walkway

A curved path from the front door to the driveway was made with stepping stones. To install stepping stones:

    1. Place each stepping stone where desired, making sure they’re a comfortable distance apart for walking.
    1. Cut the grass around each stone with a shovel or other gardening tool.
    1. Move the stones and dig out the grass and dirt under each one.
  1. Position the stones in each spot so they’re flush with the grass.

Watch our video on Creating a Path in Your Yard with Stepping Stones to find out more.

Other Tips from This Episode

Scraping paint off window glass.

Simple Solutions with Joe Truini:
Painting Window Sash

When painting window sash, it’s easier to paint without applying masking tape to each pane of glass. After the paint has dried, position a 6” wide putty knife against the sash and glass, and use a razor blade window scraper to quickly remove any excess paint from the glass. (Watch Video)

Wagner PaintEater Disc Sander

Best New Products with Jodi Marks:
Wagner Disc Sander

The Wagner PaintEater Disc Sander is great for removing paint from wood and other surfaces. The spun-fiber disc rotates at 2000 RPM and is designed to reduce paint buildup. A fold out handle makes the sander easy to control. The Wagner PaintEater is available at The Home Depot. (Watch Video)

Pouring asphalt crack filler in driveway crack.

Ask Danny Lipford:
Repair Asphalt Driveway

Before sealing cracks in an asphalt driveway, remove any weeds, use a screwdriver to groove out the crack, blow out any loose debris, then fill with one or more coats of asphalt crack filler. Use asphalt patch material to fill larger holes. Finally, apply one to two coats of asphalt sealer over the entire driveway. (Watch Video)

Editorial Contributors
avatar for Danny Lipford

Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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