Here are some common patio and landscaping projects and time-saving tips for completing them more easily, with better results:

* Fast-setting concrete fixes fencing in a snap.
Are you putting in a fence? Fixing one that just doesn’t look as good as it used to? You don’t need special equipment to get the job done right. Start by digging a new hole for the post. If one already exists, remove the loose post and clean out the existing hole.

For easy results that last, use a fast-setting concrete mix. Simply pour the dry mix directly into the hole and add water. This activates the cement and the mix will set in approximately 30 minutes. Remember to make sure posts are straight before concrete hardens. You can use this process for other outdoor projects like adding light fixtures or a mail box.

* Sweep and spray for easy and beautiful stone landscaping.
Most homes require some type of paver or rock built into the landscaping. Do you need a cobble path around your garden? A brick patio? A stone area around the base of your grill?

Try Sakrete Paver Set Polymeric Sand to install patios, walkways and drives. All you do is pour the Paver Set sand from the bag, sweep it into joints, then mist with a fine spray from a hose. The material then hardens in the spaces to lock out weeds and bugs, and set your pavers in place. It’s long lasting and resistant to wash-out so your stone landscaping looks great for years to come.

* Update landscaping beds for a cleaner look.
Rocks and mulch beds take a beating throughout the year. Take a moment to revive bedding by raking the mulch and replace any that has made its way outside edging. If you use wood chips, consider mixing in some new chips. It’s a fast and affordable way to give it a fresh and updated look. Peat moss is another affordable option for landscaping spaces. It looks great and is also good for the soil.

When choosing plants for landscaping, spend some time researching what’s appropriate for your location. Consider planting a variety — different shades of flowers and greenery add visual interest and can make a yard appear larger. They also help cool your yard which can be a big help on those hot summer days.

* Using the right concrete makes outdoor living areas simple projects.
Have you been meaning to add a concrete patio for outdoor living? Or add countertops for an outdoor kitchen area? Concrete is a great material for outdoor projects, but do you know the best kind to use?

Concrete mixes are categorized by PSI, or pounds per square inch. When finding a good mix, make sure that it is rated high enough for its intended use and will be able to weather the outdoor elements. Sakrete 5000 Plus, for example, has more than 5000 PSI. This mix is formulated for high-performance construction and repairs and only requires the addition of water, making it simple to use. You can easily pour an outdoor slab for patios or countertops and pour a walkway. Using this concrete mix gives you professional quality results with DIY ease.

With these insider tips, you’ll be on your way to a beautiful patio and yard. For more information about helpful DIY home products, visit www.sakrete.com .

Courtesy of ARAcontent

But affording a new home is one thing; affording to remodel it is another. Here are some cost-efficient upgrades that are easy enough to accomplish in a single weekend.

Start at the front door

Whether you’re fixing up a newly purchased home or upgrading your current home to attract a buyer, nothing creates a better first impression than a new front entry door. Installing a new entryway door increases the perceived value of a home by up to $24,000, according to a national valuation study conducted by Therma-Tru and TNS, an independent research organization.

Beyond adding curb appeal to your home, installing an energy-efficient door is an important consideration, if you’re fixing up an older home. Houses built before 1939 use about 50 percent more energy per square foot than those built after 2000, according to a Time magazine report. The main culprit is tiny cracks and gaps that can expand over time and let in more outside air.

One way to get both beauty and energy efficiency is to choose a door from the Therma-Tru Fiber-Classic Mahogany Collection. The collection includes new styles perfect for homes with popular architectural designs including Craftsman, bungalow, arts and crafts, mission and cottage motifs, and offer the high style, rich look and warmth of Mahogany hardwood, but at a value price compared with premium wood doors. Each door is constructed of durable fiberglass, is ENERGY STAR qualified, provides five times the insulation of a wood door and will not rot, split, crack or rot like wood, or rust, dent or ding like steel. The doors create the tightest seal possible, creating an energy efficient envelope that stabilizes interior temperature and helps you decrease your home’s energy costs.

As an added value, homeowners who purchase and install certain styles of Therma-Tru doors may be eligible for a tax credit of up to $1,500 per household through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (also known as the Economic Stimulus package). Visit www.thermatru.com for more information.

Set the stage with lighting

Upgrading the interior lighting can also make a big difference in your home. Designers often use “layered” lighting — a combination of ambient, task and accent lighting — to create a quality of light that not only looks and feels better, but is also better-suited to activities that can take place in any given room.

While you may not be in a position to install an entirely new lighting system in your home, there is a simple and affordable upgrade within easy reach. Light dimmers are available for as little as a few dollars at local home centers and hardware stores and can be installed by any do-it-yourselfer in minutes. (Just remember to turn off the circuit breaker before starting.) Lutron Electronics offers a variety of models to suit any decor or budget, and the manufacturer’s technical support team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to walk you through the installation process. Just go to lutron.com or call (800) 5….

According to the Department of Energy, artificial lighting consumes almost 15 percent of a household’s electricity use. Dimming an incandescent bulb by just 15 percent reduces energy use by 15 percent and doubles the life of the bulb. The more you dim the light, the more energy you save.

Make a splash with color

Adding a new coat of paint is another easy, inexpensive upgrade. Depending on the shade you select, your room can be dramatically different or simply refreshed.

The paint you choose can also keep your home looking fresher over time. For example, Duration Home Interior Latex from Sherwin-Williams is perfect for high-traffic hallways, bathrooms, kids’ rooms and anywhere long-wearing durability, antimicrobial properties and stain resistance is a must. It’s tough enough to withstand repeated cleanings without visible wear, no matter what shade is selected (choose from 1,200 colors, including deep accent shades).

As you add color, add a splash of sustainability, too. A low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) and low odor paint such as Duration Home can help ensure better indoor air quality, and it’s manufactured using sustainable processes. For paint tips and ideas visit sherwin-williams.com or your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams store.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

A designed exterior is one of the hottest trends in the exterior cladding category, and it’s one of the most dramatic upgrades you can make to a house. Adding flair to your home by mixing a variety of materials on your exterior wall surfaces, including siding, stone, brick and shingles, can considerably boost resale value.

Builders and remodelers pull these solutions from textbooks as well as portfolios of some the world’s most creative designers. Designed exteriors combine several looks and styles to create a unique and eye-catching first impression. Mixing materials gives a home character and sets it apart from other homes in the neighborhood.

The hottest home fashions
Buyers are always looking for the biggest return on investment. Technological advancements in home exterior materials allow builders to decrease installation time and use products that can stand up to harsh weather conditions. Stone veneer products — the fastest growing home exterior category — offer customizable cut and color options, and they’re growing in popularity across the nation. Michael E. Nelson, founder and president of Nelson Design Group, LLC, uses stone veneer products in many of his designs.

“In new homes, 90 percent of projects use stone veneer when considering mixing exterior materials,” says Nelson. “The material is rapidly replacing the previous choice of brick.”

Armed with huge product catalogs, companies like United Stone Veneer by Ply Gem create stone veneer products made of cement that weigh a fraction of actual stone and are simple to install. According to Dave Barrett, president of United Stone Veneer by Ply Gem, the company offers eight different styles of stone in more than 38 different colors to meet custom building needs. “We offer a wide variety of stone styles because stone preferences vary around the country,” says Barrett. “The variety ensures that all customers can find a combination of stone veneer styles and colors that will match the style in their area.”

“The rustic look of mixed materials using stone is taking over across the U.S. and replacing traditional brick-styled homes,” says Nelson. These materials are often used around the bottom quarter of a house or on accent walls in combination with vinyl siding or polypropylene shakes and shingles.

A vintage look
Another building material used in creating designed exteriors that promotes the popular rustic look is board and batten siding. Unlike traditional siding that attaches horizontally across a home, the board and batten look creates vertical lines. According to Jerry Blais, vice president of marketing for Ply Gem, a building products company, the board and batten look is growing in popularity.

“Many of our customers are using vertical board and batten siding to differentiate their home from neighbors,” says Blais. “We are also seeing customers use board and batten in the main area of a wall and then accent it with shakes or shingle looks in accent gables, or peaked areas just below a roof.”

Blais recommended Cedar Discovery Hand Split Shakes and Quest Signature cedar-look siding, both from Mastic Home Exteriors by Ply Gem, as two options that have a real wood look with the benefits of durable vinyl siding.

According to Nelson, housing developments that previously did not allow vinyl siding are beginning to permit products like this because of their realistic and aesthetically-pleasing designs.

Increased value
Value and upkeep are two important advantages to keep in mind when building a home with a designed exterior. Blais offered some key points for those considering designed exteriors.

“Although the initial cost of a designed exterior may be higher than purchasing siding alone, the increase in curb appeal translates to higher sell-value and competitive differentiation,” says Blais. “The key is to deliver a high-quality product that requires little to no maintenance and will continue to look great for years to come.”

For more information about designed exterior products and options, visit www.plygem.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Always high on homeowner remodeling wish lists, kitchens and bathrooms are logical candidates for daylighting and ventilation upgrades, according to Joe Patrick, senior product manager with VELUX America. “They, along with laundry rooms, have higher moisture and humidity levels than other areas of the home and are among the most popular locations for venting skylights,” he says. “And more natural light is always welcomed where clothes are being sorted by color.”

Patrick says that Energy Star-qualified skylights are being used to a greater degree in remodeling, as well as in new construction, for these applications that reduce energy bills.

Consumers want their remodeling projects green, according to research by the National Association of Homebuilders. And the U.S. Green Building Council cites a McGraw-Hill study detailing a growing market for green homebuilding and green renovation, even amid a downturn in the housing market. Individual remodelers say that their clients are expressing more interest in options and upgrades that address indoor air quality and energy efficiency.

Patrick points out that in addition to transforming living areas into brighter spaces, venting skylights use their natural chimney effect to passively exhaust volatile organic compounds through the natural movement of rising heated air.

“And skylights offer much more privacy than vertical windows without taking up valuable wall space that can be used for decorating or storage, a real benefit in baths and other remodeling applications,” Patrick says.

In areas where traditional skylights aren’t needed or won’t fit, Sun Tunnel tubular skylights can bring passive natural light into hallways, closets, smaller interior baths and other areas of the home. Less expensive in many cases than traditional skylights, they can be used extensively in areas of the home where a view to the outside is not required, but more natural light is desired. Optional light kits turn these units into 24-hour sources of light.

Modern skylights make one of the biggest fears of homeowners, leaks, a thing of the past. “Quality units offer separate, pre-engineered flashing kits for shingles, tile or metal roofing materials,” Patrick says. “They are designed and engineered to prevent leaks over the full life of a roof and, properly installed, simply don’t leak.”

More natural light isn’t the only growing trend in green remodeling. Advances in technology, coupled with rising energy prices, are resulting in more interest in solar water heating systems when green-minded homeowners upgrade, and in new construction. “It’s yet another green use of an unlimited resource, the energy from the sun,” Patrick says.

For free information on the benefits of natural light and skylight selection, or for free house plans incorporating skylights, call (800) 283-2831 or visit veluxusa.com. For government information on window and skylight energy efficiency visit energystar.gov, and for independent agency information visit nfrc.org or efficientwindows.org. For remodeling information visit nahb.org/remodel or greenhomeguide.org.

Courtesy of ARAcontent