3 DIY Projects That Look Harder Than They Actually Are

By



Some projects earn you way more credit than they deserve. Set up one of the electric fireplace heaters for home use in a living room, and anyone who walks in assumes you hired someone to build a fireplace. In reality, the setup is closer to arranging furniture than building anything. If you're looking for functional projects that impress without costing a fortune or requiring advanced DIY skills, here's where to start.

White fireplace mantel with a mounted TV, stone surround, and built-in wooden shelving in a modern living room.

Board and Batten Looks Like Trim Work, But It's Mostly Paint

A board and batten accent wall gives a basement office or guest room the kind of detail people associate with a finish carpenter. The work is simpler than it looks: measure your spacing, nail thin boards to the wall in an even pattern, fill the nail holes, and paint everything one color. Add an electrical space heater so a room that runs cold stays comfortable, and the space finally feels ready for daily use. The finished wall looks like hours of detailed trim work, even though most of it was paint.

Hand using a yellow and black Bostitch nail gun to secure white window trim during a home renovation project.

Floating Shelves Look Custom, But the Bracket Does the Work

Floating shelves have a clean, built-to-fit look that makes a plain wall feel finished. The trick is a hidden bracket that mounts to the studs first. The shelf then slides over it and covers every screw. Find the studs, level the bracket, and the hard part is done. Pick a spot in a hallway or above a desk where a little extra storage helps, and guests will assume the shelves came with the house.

A Fresh Bead of Caulk in the Bathroom Does More Than You Expect

A cracked, yellowed bead of caulk around a tub or shower makes a bathroom look older than it actually is. Scraping off the old bead and running a clean new line takes at most an afternoon, not a weekend. Most of the skill is patience. Smooth it with a gloved finger, let it cure, and the room reads like it just got a proper renovation.

Modern bathroom with gray textured flooring, white freestanding tub, stone-tiled wall, oval mirror, and console sink under sunlight.

The best part of these projects isn't even finishing them. It's the moment someone asks how you did it, and you get to shrug and say it wasn't that hard. Pick one this weekend and let the results do the bragging for you.

About Menards®

Menards® is the place Midwest homeowners turn to when they need to get a project done, whether that's a quick weekend fix or something bigger down the road. With high-quality, name-brand tools, materials, and hardware, including a garage chained opener remote, Menards® keeps your options open no matter the size of the job. In-store experts and online planning tools help turn an idea into a finished space, and with more than 300 locations across the Midwest, help is never far away.

Start your next project with Menards® at https://www.menards.com/

Location: 5101 Menard Dr, Eau Claire, WI 54703, USA

Popular posts from this blog

3 Tools Every Shed or Garage Should Have

By
Image
Once the weather turns, a shed or garage tends to become overflow storage instead of a space you can actually use. That doesn't have to be the case. A few key pieces of equipment are usually what stand between a garage you avoid all winter and one that’s fully functional.  Heat It Like You Actually Use It If you're planning to spend any real time in your garage or shed, whether it's finishing a project or just organizing gear, the space needs to actually hold heat. A large room space heater is designed to warm up large areas, so you're not standing around in a coat while you work. It's the difference between a usable garage and one that's just heated enough to keep the pipes from freezing through the coldest stretch of the year.   Choose Power Over Convenience When the driveway is long, or the snow's heavy, a lightweight blower doesn't cut it. A high-performance heavy duty gas snow blower is built for exactly that kind of job, clearing th...
Read more

3 Must-Have Garage Storage Solutions

By
Image
From holiday decorations to gardening and everyday tools, your home’s garage is a storage hub. However, with large items like vehicles, bikes, or sports equipment to store, every garage needs a customized storage solution to optimize its space. So, whether you’re moving into a new home or just trying to organize your current garage, explore these options to find a garage storage solution that best fits your home's needs. Tool Storage Tool Chests If you’re constantly finding random tools scattered around your garage or can’t find the tool you need for a specific project, it's time to invest in a tool storage solution. Tool chests provide a variety of drawers and ample storage space to keep your tools, large and small, off the ground, organized, and secure. Often used as stationary storage, tool chest sizes are versatile, ranging from minimal four-drawer tool cabinets to expansive 15-drawer tool chests for more demanding projects. Tool Boxes For a compact, porta...
Read more

3 DIY Projects to Make Old Homes Feel New

By
Image
Old houses often need updates to make them feel more like home. Whether you have been in an old house for a while or you’ve just bought one that is in dire need of modern renovations, a few DIY projects can help make the home feel like new without compromising its old-school charm. From smart front door locks to modern storage solutions, here are a few easy, impactful projects to try. Smart Home Upgrades First, it’s easy to make your old home feel like new with select tech upgrades. From washers and dryers that send notifications to your phone to front door locks you can lock and unlock from anywhere with an internet connection, smart home upgrades can help streamline your life. Open your garage door from your phone, control the temperature of your water heater remotely, or change the temperature of your oven without leaving the couch. Exterior Renovations If the exterior of your home has seen decades of wear, consider renovating select features with modern, durable s...
Read more