Finishing a hardwood floor; photo courtesy Stug

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Welcome to I Can Fix Up My Home

Standard Disclaimer:

Any project which requires the use of tools carries the potential for injury. Use caution and your safety gear, this site won't be liable for injuries!

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This page was updated on 08/26/20.

Featured Video


This is our latest video that explains how NOT to mulch the base of a tree. You can see how the city workers built a mound around all the trees in the park next to my home. OK, obviously their intent is water retention.

Are they going to meet their objective? To some extent, yes; but not completely. The mounds are so deep that water is going to have a hard time seeping through. But even worse, they have created a circumstance where rot and pest damage can occur at the base of the tree. Fail!

Site Overview


Thanks for visiting! All the site’s content can be found by navigating the topics on the upper left or checking out the most popular articles below. Been here before? You should still have a look around. I’ve been adding a lot of new content lately and adding a comment section to the bottom of the articles. Also, the blog has been migrated to the Wordpress platform and there is a lot of new content there; check out the I Can Fix Up My Home Blog. So enjoy!

I like to think of this site as a storehouse of DIY home improvement knowledge and advice on what to look for and think about if you are going to hire a contractor. Knowledge is power. What type of topics do we delve into? As many as we can. For example, deck construction is always popular. We cover everything from design down to choosing composite deck boards.

Another popular topic is environmentally-friendly flooring ptions because of three main reasons. First, it’s a basic way to brighten up the home. Secondly, it’s an affordable project because it is not “all or none”; you can do one room at a time, as you can afford. Third, it’s an easy DIY project in most cases, cutting out the contractor labor cost.

Safety in the Workplace

I’d just like to offer a few words on the subject of safety in the workplace when you are working on any DIY project. I say this because this site offers a lot of information and advise but performing the steps can be dangerous. I’m happy if you find our advice helpful, but we aren’t liable for any injuries.

  • Electrical projects — Check for power at the spot you will be working on, flip the breaker, check again. Don’t work on an energized circuit. Work on fiberglass ladder, not aluminum.
  • Woodworking Use your power tool’s safety devices. With sharp things rotating at thousands of RPMs, very bad things can happen.
  • Good housekeeping — A clean work area is a safe work area. Remember, plastic bags are your best friend. Keep them; handy for clean up. Clean up should be done promptly to avoid accidents.

Testimonials

  • From Sharon P. I made the knockdown texture tool with a cheap plastic cutting board. Thanks for the help on my project Kelly Smith. My walls look terrific! (From the article How to Make a Knockdown Texture Tool.)
  • From Billy: I really appreciate the detailed troubleshooting details for appliances, especially the article on refrigerators!
  • From Randy W.: The woodworking section is great. Your table saw review helped me make my decision.
  • From Sheila: Thank you so much for posting this tutorial. we are first time home owners and we just fixed a leak and needed to texture the new sheetrock. it looks awesome! we made the knock-down texture tool you described and it worked like a charm. saved loads of money! thanks thanks thanks!
  • From Billy Bob: Really appreciate your views on politics in your blog. Everybody needs to get out there and vote for Donald Trump! I work in the oil patch and he got my job back. It will go away again if Joe Biden wins. Come on, man!
  • From Stephenie: This told me more than i knew, thanks. (From the article Pouring a Concrete Slab).
  • From Jim Perkins: I bookmarked this site and now consult it every time I plan a new project or repair.
  • From Anonymous: Thanks, Kelly. Unfortunately, this house didn't have a dishwasher to begin with so we had to cut supply line and "T" into it, but I think we'll get it done. Your tutorial is great.

Featured Articles

Here’s a sampling of some of our most popular articles. Enjoy! For a full listing, click one of the topic links on the upper-left on this page.

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About the author:

Photo of Kelly R. Smith and FrankieKelly R. Smith was a commercial carpenter for 20 years before returning to night school at the University of Houston where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. After working at NASA for a few years, he went on to develop software for the transportation and financial and energy trading industries. He has been writing, in one capacity or another, since he could hold a pencil. As a freelance writer now, he specializes in producing articles and blog content for a variety of clients. His personal blog is at I Can Fix Up My Home Blog where he muses on many different topics.

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