Are you a Broke-y, Ballin on a Budget or Big Money!!

Kitchen makeovers can be super expensive. Your budget will help you decide where and when to tackle a Kitchen Renovation. This is a renovation that is known to increase your homes value and future you (or future buyers, if you care about them) will appreciate for years to come! In this page well show some things you can change in your kitchen if you are a Broke-y (Surface level renovation), Ballin’ on a Budget (Some money but need to spend wisely) or if you’re Big Money (You’ve saved or simply have the money for a full renovation)

Affiliate Disclosure

Afro and Reno is supported by you, our DIY and Home Renovation community. We participate in affiliate programs to help us earn a small commission on the products we use, love and share with you. Links on this page may come from Amazon Services LLC Influencer Program, Lowes Creator Program, Walmart Creator, or LTK (formerly RewardStyle).

If you decide to buy from one of our links, this goes a long way to help support future Afro and Reno DIYs or some cat food for our broke best friends, Sassy, Kit, Stormy, and Shadow.

If you want to support us directly, consider buying us a Coffee through Ko-Fi

Buy us a Coffee!

Kitchen Budget Tier: Broke-y

There are many things you can do to renovate a kitchen as a Brokeyyyy!!! A broken might be someone who had the money to buy the house but has not budget you really make any big changes! And thats okay! We all start somewhere. In my Kitchen Renovation in 2021 I did a mix of upgrades some very budget friendly, and others were a splurge.

Your best friend is PAINT!

Cabinets

Shop Painting Essentials At Lowes!

How to Paint your Kitchen cabinets with a roller: (Detailed tutorial here)

All you need is a quality foam roller made for doors and cabinets and some grit both literally and figuratively. Kitchen cabinets can be grimy and have years of baked on oils and other stuff. So PREP is essential!

• 1: Use a degreaser with a microfiber cloth to degrease and clean all your cabinet surfaces
• 2: Lightly sand your cabinets with 220grit sandpaper to lightly scuff the surface (for better adhesion)
• 3: Using your roller prime the cabinets. One coat is okay but two is ideal
  • If you find that the tannins (brown spots from wood) are coming through the primer STOP!
  • You need to get a the Zinsser Bin Shellac or Zinsser Coverstain Primer instead, otherwise the tannins will bleed through your final color
• 4: When the primer is dry, roll on your final color. Do at least two coats

Primer to ensure proper paint adhesion. To prep, sand with 220 grit sandpaper, sipe clean and then prime

Foam Roller great for a smooth finish

Cabinet and Furniture Paint. More Durable finish that can withstand more bumps and constant used/touching.

Tape to ensure crisp lines. You may skip this step if you are great at controlling your paint brush/roller

Shop Spray Painting Essentials At Lowes!

How to Paint your Kitchen cabinets with a Paint Sprayer

All you need is a quality sprayer with a fine tip, an outdoor or covered space and some grit both literally and figuratively. Kitchen cabinets can be grimy and have years of baked on oils and other stuff. So PREP is essential!

Wear protective gloves, goggles, and respirator to avoid inhaling paint particles in the air. Paint goes everywhere.

• 1: Use a degreaser with a microfiber cloth to degrease and clean all your cabinet surfaces
• 2: Lightly sand your cabinets with 220grit sandpaper to lightly scuff the surface (for better adhesion)
• 3: If you are sparring inside use painters tape and plastic sheeting to cover all surfaces you DO NOT want paint on. Paint sprayers are know to overspray.
• 4: Using your sprayer thin your primer/paint as recommended in the can.
• 5: Prime the cabinets. One coat is okay but two is ideal
  • If you find that the tannins (brown spots from wood) are coming through the primer STOP!
  • You need to get a the Zinsser Bin Shellac or Zinsser Coverstain Primer instead, otherwise the tannins will bleed through your final color.
  • You may have to roll these primers based on your Paint sprayer specifications.
• 6: When the primer is dry, Spray on your final color. Do at least two coats

Primer to ensure proper paint adhesion. To prep, sand with 220 grit sandpaper, sipe clean and then prime

Sprayer speeds up application, good for a smoothen finish

Requires more prep and uses more paint

Cabinet and Furniture Paint. More Durable finish that can withstand more bumps and constant used/touching.

Mask to protect your lungs. Paint sprayers have a lot of overspray and you don’t want to breathe in paint mist particles!

Make sure to have a particulate filter

The post Kitchen Glow-Up for Every Budget: From Broke to Big money! first appeared on Afro and Reno.

I was once quoted $120 for the dealership to change my Honda Fit’s cabin and Engine air filter. I said NO WAY! Not all cars are as easy o change as mine…and I’m sure that factors in what they charge…but on a Honda…at a Honda dealership it’s way too much for a 5minute change!

If you have an accessible car like my Honda Fit, I’ll show you how to change your filters and some tips I’ve learned along the way. I change my filters every couple of years because I don’t drive much…but its a good practice to check them at least once a year to see if they need replacing

Affiliate Disclosure

Afro and Reno is supported by you, our DIY and Home Renovation community. We participate in affiliate programs to help us earn a small commission on the products we use, love and share with you. Links on this page may come from Amazon Services LLC Influencer Program, Lowes Creator Program, Walmart Creator, or LTK (formerly RewardStyle).

If you decide to buy from one of our links, this goes a long way to help support future Afro and Reno DIYs or some cat food for our broke best friends, Sassy, Kit, Stormy, and Shadow.

If you want to support us directly, consider buying us a Coffee through Ko-Fi

Buy us a Coffee!

Tools you’ll need

• Engine air filter (Walmart) (for 2015-2020 Honda Fit)
  • Amazon
• Cabin air filter (Walmart) (for 2015-2020 Honda Fit)
  • Amazon

Car things you can DIY at Walmart!

Car things you can DIY on Amazon!

How to find the correct filters for your Car

If you have a 2015-2020 Honda Fit like me, go ahead a click on the above links and get the exact filter you need. But if you have another year/make/model car, you’ll have to do a search to the right filter. If you have an AutoZone other similar auto parts store nearby you can go there and they can look it up for you!

Pro-Tip: If you’re nice they may help you install it but thats not guaranteed

Auto part store like Advance Auto Parts

The quickest and most easy place too find a variety of air filters and other car parts is at an auttopart store. They specialize in them and the employees know the products. Not only can they look up your cars filters bu if you buy a battery from them they can install it for free, they can give you a jump start if you need it, and test your battery health for free.

• On the front page you can add your vehicle info either by make/model/year, license plate, or VIN

• Fill out the form

• Search for the car part you need like “Cabin air filter” or “Engine air filter“
• In the results page you know that the part is an “Exact Fit” and where you can pick it up locally

Car Parts and air filter at Walmart

If they have an auto center may install filters free!

• Search for the car part you need like “Cabin air filter” or “Engine air filter”
• Select an item
• The product page will ask you to add your vehicle to see if it will fit your car

• Add your vehicle info

• After adding your car it will tell you whether the part you select will fit or doesn’t fit. You can click on “Find similar items that fits” to find the right part!

• 

• 

Car parts and air filter on Amazon

Similar to Walmart you can add your make and model to amazon so you can verify that it will fit.

• Search for the car part you need like “Cabin air filter” or “Engine air filter”

• The results page will give you you the option to add your vehicle to filter the search results

• Add your vehicle info, you also have to option to add license plate if you tuts that info with a 3rd party

• 

• 

• After adding your car it will tell you whether the parts you select will fit or doesn’t fit. All the car cart results should be compatible …
• Sometimes Amazon needs more info about your car such as the trim

• 

• 

• When you view the product page it will tell you for sure if its compatible with an “Amazon Confirmed Fit” banner at the top

The post How to change you car cabin and engine air filter first appeared on Afro and Reno.

Follow along to start your first pineapple plant…and in 2-3 short years you too can grow one pineapple. I know, thats a long time but well worth it for the most delicious pineapple you will ever have!!

Step 1: Prep pineapple top

Getting your plant ready and getting some nice long roots is the first step in a pineapple plant journey. Removing the top is super simple. I just grab the pineapple top, hold the base of the pineapple and twist.

• 1: Twist off the top
• 2: Remove bottom row of leaves
• 3 Place in a cup of water
• 4: Change water every couple of days

• 

• 

• 

NOTE:

Some stores prevent you from being able to plant pineapple tops by cutting them off before you purchase. Some pineapple varieties are patented and illegal for people to grow

Step 2: Grow some healthy roots

This will take several weeks…to about a month. You want to keep changing the water every couple of days. Making sure there is enough water to cover the bottom part of the pineapple top. Within a couple of days you should see the roots start to come out!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Step 3: Plant it in the ground, water

…and possibly forget about it. This is the waiting portion of the pineapple growing process. Sorry to say his can take two to three years before you start seeing fruit! In the meantime you will see the leaves grow long and wide. The plant is getting its roots firmly in the dirt. It is establishing itself and getting all of is nutrients so it can eventually. make the final push to grow a pineapple.

A singular pineapple

In subsequent years you could get pups these are the new off shots to grow fruit year after year that may yield two fruit. However, your first fruit will only yield one.

Side note: If you do get two pups in later years it’s a good idea to separate them so they don’t have to compete with each other for nutrients.

Alternatively you can also plant your pineapple in a planter. It’s best to do it in a larger planter and make sure it is getting fertilized regularly. In the picture above the planter was too small for even one plant…but with two the growth of the pineapple fruit of both were stunted.

Step 4: The pineapple flower

One spring you will notice a pink alien looking thing in the middle of your pineapple. That is the first formation of the pineapple flower! Congratulations!

Step 4: Fertilize and watch your fruit grow!

This is the best part…watching slowly as the fruit starts forming right before your eyes! At first you have a weird pink alien looking growth come out from the middle of your plant, then slowly you start seeing a pineapple form. The new pineapple top forms, the spikes become the green outer part of the pineapple, it gets bigger and bigger…then finally it’s yellow.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

It’s ripe for picking!

Note: Protect your Fruit

While its growing the are lots of wildlife who would love to have some pineapple too! It’s a good idea to start protecting your crop so they don’t get to it. Build a cage, make it hard to get to. As the fruit ripens they can smell it and will munch.

Bird, Squirrels and raccoons are be biggest culprits

Store bought plants

It might be tempting to skip the two year process and just buy a store bought plant. These plants a lot of times will have fruit on top making it tempting. The ones I’ve seen at a big box store were super stunted. They are grown in planters too small for them to really be able to thrive and you can tell by their size the fruit will reflect that for the first harvest.

Finally: Harvest and enjoy your fruit!

When your pineapple plant is ready you will know. It will smell clearly like a pineapple and it will be a nice bright mustard yellow! IT should have no or vey little green on it. Do not pick it before smelling it to be sure.

Pineapples ripen on the plant, they do not continue to ripen once picked.

When it’s ready to pick just twist the fruit off from the plant. You can use the top to create a new planet ensuring you have years of fruit to come. If you can stagger the years you plant them so you can have pineapple each year!

Would you grow pineapple too?

The post Grow pineapple the easy way first appeared on Afro and Reno.

Do you have a narrow hallway that needs to be ALL THE THINGS? A place to hold your keys, put your shoes, hang jackets, purse or even keep an umbrella handy?

These are all the things to keep in mind when designing a small space to function how you actually live your life…and not just some instagram **Aesthetic** . I fell into this trap in 2020 when designing the space initially. I added board and batten, a tiny shelf that held nothing but knickknacks, a mirror that sat too high, a weird shaped shoe bench and couple of hooks for my keys. Thats it.

I’ve lived with it all these years but I finally decided it was time to addd some real functionality. Follow along and see how I tackled my problem and the solutions I came up with.

Tools For The Job

• Trim Puller
• Drywall patch
• Drywall mud or All purpose Drywall mix
• Drywall sealer Gardz
• Caulk gun
• Caulk
• 5-1 Scraper
• Paint
• Paint Brush
• Wallpaper
• Shoe Organizer
  • 1 set Trones White
  • 1 set Trones Black
• Key Hook
• Hooks Utsadd (for purse, jackets )
• Mirror Unexpected Red theory

Lowes Idea Lists

Wallpaper Made easy

Easy Craftsman Door Trim

Paint A Door 101

Affiliate Disclosure

Afro and Reno is supported by you, our DIY and Home Renovation community. We participate in affiliate programs to help us earn a small commission on the products we use, love and share with you. Links on this page may come from Amazon Services LLC Influencer Program, Lowes Creator Program, Walmart Creator, or LTK (formerly RewardStyle).

If you decide to buy from one of our links, this goes a long way to help support future Afro and Reno DIYs or some cat food for our broke best friends, Sassy, Kit, Stormy, and Shadow.

If you want to support us directly, consider buying us a Coffee through Ko-Fi

Buy us a Coffee!

A fresh start (Hallway Demo)

It may be scary to remove something you or maybe even someone else had done. Money and time went into it, but to get your vision realized you need to start fresh. I made a lot of rookie mistakes in 2020, it was important that I fixed them properly.

But Tamarah…you’re perfect. You don’t make mistakes! Actually I do! That’s okay. I’m learning as a go what works for me… and what doesn’t work.

This hallway is a small space so every inch counts. I had to remove everything in this space to be able to work in it

Step 1: Remove everything from your space

I started by removing the mirror, where I used a furring strip to help me hang…it always looked weird.

Step 2: Remove board batten and any moulding or casing

A lot of times trim/casing/moulding will be nailed on, potentially glued with liquid nails or some other adhesive and caulked for a clean gap free look. Working in a small space means you do’t have a lot of area to maneuver.

So this step has an order of operations to cleanly remove what is attached to the wall…with minimal damage.

• Using a utility knife score along sides where the casing/moulding meets the wall.
  • This is to separate the caulk from the wall, preventing drywall damage
• Use a trim puller between the trim and wall to gently pull trim out
  • When Using a Zenith by Danco trim puller move side to side two help loosen the trim
  • There’s a diagram on the tool! Not back and forth!
• Use utility knife to cut any excess caulk or adhesive on the wall

Step 3: Scrape off caulk, adhesive or peeling drywall/paint

To get a nice even wall you want to make sure you scrape off any remain caulk or adhesive from the wall with a 5-1 scraper. Make sure the wall is even and as flat as it can be.

If you have peeling drywall or paint, make sure to scrape it off as its will interfere with you paint or wallpaper in the future. We don’t want any peeling after all the work we do!!!

I did an additional step and remove the old casing from the doors in the hallway also. I wanted to so a craftsman style casing to be consistent with the rest of the house.

Design the new space

Now that you have a blank slate, you a better visualize your plan for a more functional space.

Think about:

• How you currently use the space
• What are the pain points, what’s annoying or missing?
• Make a list of Must haves and nice to haves, prioritize the list

Example:

My hallway is the entry/exit to the garage. It’s the space I use everyday. BUT it is very narrow, there is no space for large items. What I choose will have to be on the walls and thin. The dark gray.blue walls were also very boring, dull and dark. there is not natural light in the space.

I use the space to take off my shoes, dump my keys and hang my purse. I sometimes used the old mirror for a final face check before heading out.

• Must have: Shoe storage: a place for all my shoes
• Must have: Hooks for keys and hooks for purse or jacket
• Must have: Brighten up the walls
• Nice to have: Drop zone for smaller items
• Nice to have: Shelves

Hallway Reveal: Gallery

The post Narrow Hallway: Designing a new functional Space first appeared on Afro and Reno.

Recently I started to notice how loudly my door groans…yes a full groan! It started with a squeak I ignored, but lately it’s a clear indicator to everyone in the house (the cats mostly) that I am going in or out. Not a problem during the week but on the weekends when I’m actively working on a project…it loud and a lot. this is where the WD-40 Precision Pen comes into play!

The fix of choice is WD-40 but did you know they have a Precision Pen…so you can disperse just the right amount? Neither did I until recently!

Affiliate Disclosure

Afro and Reno is supported by you, our DIY and Home Renovation community. We participate in affiliate programs to help us earn a small commission on the products we use, love and share with you. Links on this page may come from Amazon Services LLC Influencer Program, Lowes Creator Program, Walmart Creator, or LTK (formerly RewardStyle).

If you decide to buy from one of our links, this goes a long way to help support future Afro and Reno DIYs or some cat food for our broke best friends, Sassy, Kit, Stormy, and Shadow.

If you want to support us directly, consider buying us a Coffee through Ko-Fi

Buy us a Coffee!

1: Fix a Squeaky door hinge

Keep a WD-40 precision pen in your toolbox

• Remove the cap from your WD-40 Precision Pen
• Put the tip where you want it to go
• Push the pen so the lubricant comes out the tip

It’s literally that simple. The benefits of this over the spray is that you can both disperse the lubricant and push is around the nooks and crannies. No drips, no need for gloves, or paper towers to clean up excess.

2: Remove sticky residue or Gum with a WD-40 Precision Pen!

• 

• 

• 

Keep a Precision Pen in your kitchen drawer

• Remove WD-40 Precision Pen cap
• Put the tip over the sticker residue.
• Push the pen too disperse.This is especially great if the paper is still there cause it will absorb the lubricant
• Wait 30s
• Use a paper towel to help scrub off the residue and the lubricant
• Clean with soap and water
• Replace WD-40 Precision Pen cap, you don’t want it drying out!

3: Fix a stuck Zipper using a WD-40 Precision Pen

Keep a Precision Pen in your Sewing Kit

Have it glide like new. If your Zipper isn’t working as well as it used to …maybe it needs some lubrication to help glide it along!

The WD-40 Precision Pen is the perfect size and accuracy to help you get those sticky zippers back into better working order

4: Prevent rust with a WD-40 Precision Pen

Keep a WD-40 Precision Pen in your garden tool kit

I’m always forgetting my garden tools out in the elements. I know better but, it happens all the time. If you do regular maintenance on your garden tools like your shears, snips and other instruments …as WD-40 Precision Pen to your garden toolbox.

Use the WD-40 Precision Pen to gently lubricate your tools…remove those squeaks and keep those springs lubricated. WD-40 Precision Pen can help clean up some of the rust, though you may need a wire brush to remove excess rust or something else all together if the whole thing is rusted.

5: Remove crayon or marker from wall or places they shouldn’t be

Keep a WD-40 Precision Pen in your Cleaning Kit

Kids drew a masterpiece on your walls with marker? Did they draw over the lines? No worries! Use your WD-40 Precision Pen to “write” over the offending marker marks, then wipe off!

Keep it in your cleaning kit so when the marks happen, you have something handy to help you clean up

The post Easy fix for squeaking, the WD-40 Precision Pen to the rescue! first appeared on Afro and Reno.

Each January I go through the prior year’s goals, make sure I’ve checked off what had been done and start making a wishlist of what project I’d like to accomplish in the upcoming year.

It’s a great way for me to see the bigger picture of what I have done, what I still have left to do and what may not actually be a priority. The things that affect this list are budget, time, necessity and simply willingness to have it done.

One thing that was absolutely nixed…replacing my chainlink fence, after seeing what a hurricane does to certain fences and budget…the chainlink held up very well compared to others and it does what it needs to right now.

I choose a word / theme for the year which is…

Finishing

I have a lot of projects that are almost done but not quite. I got them to 80% and even to 95% but not quite done. Although I may have already done some side quests…if you’ve seen my recent posts (or on Instagram) the goal is still the same. I list my projects by room but I don’t order them by priority but where the vibes take me.

Main Bedroom

I made major changes to the bedroom in 2022 and you will notice, I don’t show any finishing images of the closet or the bathroom…because I didn’t finish it. The Closet doors had me stumped until I found the perfect solution at Ikea of all places. Ikea Skytta was the perfect modular solution.

I started the closet install in August of 2024 but after realizing I liked the panels flipped (after installing the last Door!) and Two back to back hurricanes I was bored and had a squirrel moment

The bathroom is the same where I got most of of it done but stop showing progress and got it to 90% done and called it a day

• Closet: Fix panels + Finish installing hardware
• Closet: Attach trim
• Repaint (I know but I went too dark in dark and moody bedroom)
• Reattach Bathroom door + install hardware
• Replace Shutters
• Bathroom: Cut and Add built in shelves
• Bathroom: Seal Marble
• Bathroom Add bottom storage

Hallway Entry

I don’t even have pictures of the Entry hallway on the blog but this was a “quick” refresh after Hurricane Milton came through. I wanted to make a drop zone when coming home from the garage entrance. Someplace to hold my keys, purse, a jacket and all my shoes. I also need to make a blog post all about these steps.

• Finish attaching trim
• Paint Touchups
• Install Brinks lock

Edit: 6/11/25: Hallway Project

Kitchen/ Dining nook

In November I go the urge to fix the gaping hole I made removing the weird kitchen island too turn into a dining nook. It meant removing a bunch of tile, leveling the floor and retiling so it looked seamless. Another project that sill needs to be documented here on the blog.

What’s on the list now are the finishing touches.

• Add Blinds/ Replace shutters + Add casing
• Wallpaper fridge
• Replace Microwave
• Replace lights? (decided against as the current lights are fine)

Former Dining room –> Library

• Build Fireplace
• Paint
• Move bookshelves
• Floating Shelves
• Move desk
• Replace Shutters + Add casing
• Build Reading nook

Living room

I had the French doors removed February 2024 to huge sliders black impact rated sliders….and the installers added white trim around it. Mind blowing and poor planning on their part. Never again.

• Paint Door trim

Hallway

• Closet: Remove popcorn ceiling
• Closet: Convert to open linen closet
• Paint Ceiling
• Seal around Attic Hatch

Craft room

• Re-do casing
• Paint
• Switch to work out room?

Office

• Switch to Craftroom
• Remove bookshelves

Spare Bathroom

• Gut renovation
• Replace Toilet
• Replace vanity
• Remove tile
• Raise Showerhead
• Retile

Garage

• Fix giant hole in wall
• Replace sink
• Seal Gaps
• Install tool organizer
• Add Storage shelves
• Fix gaping hole in ceiling

Outside

• Build Raised garden beds
• Add paver walkway to front door
• Pressure Wash Driveway (Completed with Paver walkway!)
• Finish painting patio floor
• Build shed

It’s A LOT right!? remember this is a wishlist. Several of these things were taken out of the list as I went through wha twi could really accomplish this year. So I have a strikethrough projects that I can’t reasonably do or get to. It’s for next year…maybe.

Home takes time

The post Home Project Plans for 2025 first appeared on Afro and Reno.

We are doing this paver walkway project on a budget so buckle up, grab some hand tools and let build some muscle! This project without a fancy digger does take a lot of grit, determination and will definitely test your arm strength. Estimated paver project time will vary depending on whether you are doing it yourself/have help, your proficiency and even the weather.

As a solo DIYer living in a hot tropical climate with moderate proficiency it took me about a month and a half of weekends to finish the paver walkway, and the additional plant border. I started the paver project the first weekend of March and finished mid April before Easter. The weather varied with the first two weekends in the 70s but it rapidly heated up to 90s. If you are in Florida…this paver walkway project is a winter/ early spring project, it was hotter than usual this spring where usually we don’t get our first 90º day until May, but we had several in February. I went in knowing March was the last month I could reasonably do this project.

This is what we are starting with: plain front yard with a mix of grass, but lets be honest, a lot of weeds. The goal is to add function by adding a walkway from the front door to the street. There is a walkway that goes toward the garage, but often times I see delivery drivers struggling to have to go “the long way”.

• 

• 

Affiliate Disclosure

Afro and Reno is supported by you, our DIY and Home Renovation community. We participate in affiliate programs to help us earn a small commission on the products we use, love and share with you. Links on this page may come from Amazon Services LLC Influencer Program, Lowes Creator Program, Walmart Creator, or LTK (formerly RewardStyle).

If you decide to buy from one of our links, this goes a long way to help support future Afro and Reno DIYs or some cat food for our broke best friends, Sassy, Kit, Stormy, and Shadow.

If you want to support us directly, consider buying us a Coffee through Ko-Fi

Buy us a Coffee!

Step 1: Plan and Mark your Paver Walkway

Planning is one of the most important parts of a successful project. This paver walkway project was no different. I find it easier to draw out a rough plan on my iPad. You could do the same if you have a tablet, some people also use AI to help generate an image. It’s all up to you how you want to do it. I like the creativity of drawing it out, erasing , and coming up with something unique for my space.

You do you.

Here’s my rough drawing for the paver walkway….and for the future to add function and curb appeal to the front of the house. I’m no artist obviously, but I still enjoyed the process.

Initially I wanted to do a Checkerboard walkway with red and white pavers to look similar to my ORC patio Project. If you missed that project you can see all the weekly progress here:

Spring ORC 2024 Patio Refresh Posts:  Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8: Reveal

You can use Marking Spray paint, a garden hose or go freeform to mark the shape you want on the grass for your paver walkway. It’s a good idea to mark your plan ahead of time to make sure you have the shape you want and the width you want. This also allows you to make any adjustments to the shape as you see fit. In my case I didn’t check the width and in some parts had to widen as I went along. Learn from my mistake!

While making my plans I knew I didn’t want to have to dig 8+ inches of dirt and grass so I researched alternatives. In a traditional paver installation you have to have at least a 6in gravel base then a 1-2in sand leveling base then you can lay your pavers on top. I chose to use Paverbase panels which just require weed fabric, then 1in sand base, then the panel.

Step 2: Dig, dig and dig some more

This is where that muscle building starts off! I had lots of weeds and roots to fight through. My first step was to get the layer of vegetation. I used my edging tool to get through the first few inches of vegetation, tilted it so it would lift it up, then I uses my hand stiller too twist the vegetation from its roots. The edging tool was also useful for getting the shape I wanted for the paver walkway.

Once I got all the weeds out I moved on to digging out all tithe dirt. Since I am connecting two sidewalks by adding this paver walkway I needed to dig deep enough so that the pavers would be flush in the end. So for me I dug about 8in deep as the grass was higher than the sidewalks using my digging shovel. The thickness of the pavers you choose along with the layers of sand/base/ fabric you will be using will determine how deep you need to dig. The labels on he pavers at Lowes and on the website will tell you all this information! make sure you look carefully so you can properly plan.

• 

• 

• 

Moving dirt: As a dug I used my Transfer shovel to move dirt into my gorilla cart. It can hold 300lbs and makes moving the dirt somewhere else much easier. Pro tip: make sure your tires a properly filled with air + correct psi.

Example Paver info

Step 3: Level the ground

I said previously that prep is one of the most important parts of this project. It is most apparent here in the leveling stage. This literally sets the base for your whole project. There are lots of ways to level the ground, but the other factors include making sure you have a proper slope for water runoff. I used this paver pathway slope calculator to determine the slope I needed but also keep in mind I am connecting two sidewalks.

Starting from this step make sure you’re wearing knee pads. This will save your knees so much, and you will hate yourself a little less.

To make sure I was level left to right I used a 2×4 and a level to screed the dirt. Screeding the dirt just means I moved the 2×4 down the length of the pathway and its would remove any excess dirt or I would add dirt to low spots as I moved along. I made several passes.

Once you’re satisfied you’ve gotten it pretty level, you want to use your Tamper to tamp and compact the dirt. I used an 8×8 hand tamper to do this but you can also rent or buy a plate compactor which will make this step much easier. I am doing this project on a budget so a plane compactor was not in that budget, but tilt could be for your project.

Step 6: Fill Gaps in Paver Walkway

The Final step of this project once all the pavers are laid for your paver walkway is to fill any gaps with polymeric sand. The steps are really easy:

• 1: Clean your paver walkway and your pavers.
  • Get rid rid of any dirt, leaves, pollen that may have gotten on them
• 2: Brush on Polymeric sand with a broom
• 3: Remove excess polymeric sand
  • Use your broom to remove excess or a leaf blower if you have one
• 4: Mist water over the paver walkway (check the instructions for your specific steps)
  • The steps say to use the shower setting but I found it washed away a lot of the sand. The mist setting was a lot lighter and used less water
• 5: Wait 2 minutes and mist again (check the instructions for your specific steps)
• 6: Rinse off any excess

Once the walkway was complete I added a lot more finishing touches. I added a scalloped border, I added plants and I added lights. In addition I expanded the paver border up toward the house. Remember my goal for most projects is FUNCTION!!! So by expanding the border on the sidewalk toward the house I made it easier to walk on as I always felt it was too narrow before.

The post How to Build Your First Paver Walkway first appeared on Afro and Reno.

Easy DIY utensil organizer drawer inserts using wood

Custom drawer inserts from a big box store kitchen showroom are expensive yet you can DIY it yourself using wood in those stores! Don’t even bother with the pre-made plastic flatware trays never quite fit your drawers correctly. Instead you can make your own custom wood organizer inserts for a fraction of the cost!! A simple way to organize your kitchen drawers for a perfect fit!

Affiliate Disclosure

Afro and Reno is supported by you, our DIY and Home Renovation community. We participate in affiliate programs to help us earn a small commission on the products we use, love and share with you. Links on this page may come from Amazon Services LLC Influencer Program, Lowes Creator Program, Walmart Creator, or LTK (formerly RewardStyle).

If you decide to buy from one of our links, this goes a long way to help support future Afro and Reno DIYs or some cat food for our broke best friends, Sassy, Kit, Stormy, and Shadow.

If you want to support us directly, consider buying us a Coffee through Ko-Fi

Buy us a Coffee!

Tools and Materials List

• Wood
• Brad nailer
• Wood glue
• Miter saw or hand saw
• Square
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Sandpaper
• Clamps (optional)
• Ruler or straight edge
• Finish (optional: stain, paint, or sealant)

In this guide, I’ll walk you through a simple step-by-step process to build your own utensil organizer using basic tools and materials.

1: Measure Your Drawer

You want to remove the drawer and measure the inside width, length, and height. Decide how many sections you need—do you want spots for silverware, larger cooking utensils, your garlic press or other specialty tools?

Plan your layout: You can do this by sketching the layout so you know where each divider will go using paper/pencil, you can use painters tape inside your drawer to mock it up. Pro-Tip: Use your actual silverware or utensils to lay out in the drawer to figure out size and spacing!

2: Cut Your Dividers

Using your miter saw or handsaw, cut your pieces to the measured sizes. My drawers are not very deep so I used craft wood from the home improvement store to fist. If you have deeper drawers you can use plywood. Use your square to make sure you are getting straight lines.

3: Sand and Finish the Cut Pieces

Using 22grit sandpaper sand your wood smooth, making sure to sand the edges and removing splinters. To finish your inserts you can use a clear coat or stain and clear coat. In my case I simply used a clear coat as the insert color matched the inside color of the drawers. You want to do this step prior too assembly so you don’t have weir corners or pooling of your station/ finish. Let everything dry the recommended amount of time before assembling.

4: Assemble the Insert

Arrange your dividers according to the layout you created. Using wood glue and pin nailer attach the inserts to each other and use claps to hold its together while it dries. If you have multiple pieces htis may take a little while but it will be worth it at the end.

5: Put the Insert into the Drawer

Once. your glue is dry, add your insert into your drawer. Hopefully you measured correctly and it fits snugly. If it’s too bug you may have to cut to adjust. Now for the fun part…Test it out by putting your utensils in!

6: Organize and Enjoy!

Thats basically it! Now that your custom drawer insert is done, it’s time to put it to use! Arrange your silverware, larger cooking utensils, your garlic press or other specialty tools in their new custom spots. Enjoy your new clutter-free, perfectly organized kitchen drawer!

The Final product!

Bonus Customizations

• Adjustable dividers – Use thiner tracks made with wood to create dividers that can slide in and adjust.
• Lining – Add a lining inside the drawer bottom to prevent things from shifting and for extra protection. In my drawers I use contact paper, but you can use felt too.
• Labels – You can label sections for easy organization and to let others know the proper place for utensils
• Custom Knife slots – You can use 2×2 block and use kerf cuts to cut slots for you knives to fit into. This elevates the look!

Final Thoughts

This DIY utensil insert is a simple and rewarding project that makes a big impact in your kitchen. Not only do you end up with functional organizer to jeep everything neat and organized, but it also eliminates the frustration of digging through a messy pile of utensils (gross).

Give it a try, and let us know how yours turns out!

Latest On the Blog

• 

  DIY · Home Improvement · Kitchen · Tips and Tricks

  Kitchen Glow-Up for Every Budget: From Broke to Big money!

  Are you a broke-y, balling on a budget or Big Money? Your Kitchen budget will help you decide where and when to tackle a Kitchen Renovation.

• 

  Car maintenance · DIY · Tips and Tricks

  How to change you car cabin and engine air filter

  In a Honda Fit, I’ll show you how to change your air filter and some tips I’ve learned along the way. It’s a good practice to check them at least once a year.

• 

  DIY · Garden · Tips and Tricks

  Grow pineapple the easy way

  The easiest way to grow pineapples is from a pineapple top. You know, the part you take off before cutting into the delicious fruit!

Oldies but goodies On the Blog

• 

  DIY | Home Improvement

  Boxes are for objects, not people

  September 30, 2021February 9, 2025

  I am not a stereotype and I don’t fit into the boxes people think a Black woman fits in.

• 

  DIY | Kitchen | ORC

  One Room Challenge (ORC): Fall edition

  October 3, 2021February 9, 2025

  Customizing the kitchen one drawer and cabinet at a time as part of the ORC

  It’s that time again for another One Room Challenge (ORC). I participated for the first time in the Spring starting phase one of the kitchen renovation. I will do a post later on this month how the spring challenge went. Hint: I finished it this week!

• 

  DIY | Home Improvement | Kitchen | ORC | Woodworking

  Building a custom drawer: Recycling Bin

  October 10, 2021February 9, 2025

  Customize your kitchen on a budget. This week we tackle building a custom drawer for a recycling bin. Works with a trashcan or easily modified for both!

The post How to Build Custom Utensil Drawer Inserts first appeared on Afro and Reno.

Does your patio screen have holes? Is it brittle from years of use/the sub and UV rays? It might be time to re-screen. This does not have to be a daunting task, whether you choose to DIY or hire a pro, here’s all the info you need to make this a smooth process. This is a recap of week 7 of the Spring 2024 One room challenge.

Affiliate Disclosure

Afro and Reno is supported by you, our DIY and Home Renovation community. We participate in affiliate programs to help us earn a small commission on the products we use, love and share with you. Links on this page may come from Amazon Services LLC Influencer Program, Lowes Creator Program, Walmart Creator, or LTK (formerly RewardStyle).

If you decide to buy from one of our links, this goes a long way to help support future Afro and Reno DIYs or some cat food for our broke best friends, Sassy, Kit, Stormy, and Shadow.

If you want to support us directly, consider buying us a Coffee through Ko-Fi

Buy us a Coffee!

Why Re-screen, Rather Than Patch?

• Your screen has seen better days
• Too many holes
• Brittle (over time the screen material gets rough and dry)
• Doesn’t suit your needs (privacy, pet damage etc)
• Keep bugs out
• Extend life of enclosure
• Improve appearance and appeal if selling

If you want to tackle this project on your own as a DIY or hire someone, these are the steps and tools need two get the job done. You can decide yourself which option is worth I!

Measure and Cut New Screen

• Measure your frame : Measure each section, add a few extra inches to ensure proper coverage. You can always cut the excess out.
• Cut screen to size: Use a utility knife with a new blade or scissors to cut the screen slightly larger than needed.

Install the New Screen

Position screen on frame : Lay the screen over the frame, making sure it extends past the edges. Especially one the grove where the spline will go. This ensures your screen is secure.

Secure screen using spline

• Use a spline roller to press the new spline into the groove, starting at one corner and working around the frame. This part may require some elbow grease, its a workout getting the spline securely in the grooves!
• Keep the screen taut to avoid wrinkles or sagging.

Trim the excess: Use a utility knife to cut off any extra screen outside the spline.

Final Checks and Adjustments

• Inspect the screen for tightness and evenness.
• Test by lightly pressing on different areas to make sure it’s secure.
• Repeat the process for additional sections if re-screening multiple panels.

Now What? Hire or DIY?

How long does it take to re-screen a patio?

It depends. I know, its not really an answer but you have to look at the size of your enclosure, are you an experience DIYer or is this your first, do you have the tools and money to get what you need. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect for DIY or for a pro to do the job.

DIY Install Estimate

Assuming an average-sized patio (10×20 feet) with multiple screen panels:

• Removing old screens and spline: 1–2 hours
• Cleaning frame: 30 minutes
• Measuring & cutting new screens: 1–2 hours
• Installing new screens and spline: 2–4 hours
• Final trimming and touch-ups: 30 minutes–1 hour

Total DIY Time: 4–10 hours ( One full day or two days spread over a weekend)

Keep in mind this will be:

• Faster, if you have experience or help.
• Slower, if dealing with large panels, tricky corners, or first-time mistakes.

Professional Install Time Estimate

• A professional team can complete the job in 2–5 hours depending on the size and complexity.
• A Handyman, if solo, can complete take 4-8 hours depending on size and complexity
• Either one will have the right tools and experience to work quickly and efficiently.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro: Which Is Better?

Conclusion?

• DIY Route if you’re comfortable with hands-on projects, want/need to save money, and have time to work on the project. Extended times where the screen is off means bugs get in or animals
• Hire a pro if you want a professional, fast, perfect results without the hassle. BUT its always to take a look over their work too make sure the work is satisfactory or if they meed to make adjustments. Sometime you get what you pay for and even if it’s the higher bid, the quality sometimes isn’t there. So throughly vet you pro before hiring.

Maintenance Tips for your Screen

Whether you hired it out or spent the hours doing it yourself, you’ll want to keep your screen looking good for years to come. Here are somethings you can do to keep your screen looking like new longer.

• Clean the screen regularly with mild soap and water. This is especially important after the spring when pollen get everywhere and covers everything with a thick layer
• Avoid pushing or leaning on the screen to prevent sagging.
• Inspect annually for small tears or loose spline and repair as needed.

I have experience both DIYins one panel of my screen, hated the process and hired out the full re-screen. I valued my time and sanity over DIY this time around. Several years ago one of the screens had a giant hole, and one of the cats got out. The cat (Kit Kat) has never been out in the World… she was immediately spiked and I was ablet to let her back inside to safety.

That night I bought all my tools needed, a new screen, I took out the spline for the panel, and cut to size but lost daylight. The next day I spent what felt like hours putting the new screen in and vowed never again. Overall one panel took me about 5 hours, and my handyman had all 10 panels and the door re-screened in 8. Thanks Collin from the Heights Handyman!

Spring ORC 2024 Patio Refresh Posts:  Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8: Reveal

The post How to re-screen your patio, should you DIY? first appeared on Afro and Reno.

Here’s how I painted the stucco walls with a roller and some tips on how to get into all those nooks and crannies

Affiliate Disclosure

Afro and Reno is supported by you, our DIY and Home Renovation community. We participate in affiliate programs to help us earn a small commission on the products we use, love and share with you. Links on this page may come from Amazon Services LLC Influencer Program, Lowes Creator Program, Walmart Creator, or LTK (formerly RewardStyle).

If you decide to buy from one of our links, this goes a long way to help support future Afro and Reno DIYs or some cat food for our broke best friends, Sassy, Kit, Stormy, and Shadow.

If you want to support us directly, consider buying us a Coffee through Ko-Fi

Buy us a Coffee!

In week 6 of the One Room challenge we tackled the best tips and tricks for painting heavily textured outdoor walls. I only had two walls to paint so I am using a roller and a paint brush to cut in the edges but if I were painting a larger area it’s best to use a paint prayer. Painting your exterior walls is a great way to add curb appeal or in my case to test out the color i’d like to use for the rest of the house in the future.

We started out this project week one with Prepping The Patio by cleaning it top to bottom, that included the walls. Why? Years of dirt, grime and pollen had caked the walls. If you want your paint to adhere well, you need a nice clean base. I pressure washed the walls, ceiling and floors. I used concrete filler and caulk to clean up any cracks in the wall and where the floor meets the wall. In this post I’ll show you what I used and most importantly why.

Do you know what kind of stucco wall texture you have? This guide over at The Stucco Guy‘s blog has a detailed info about different sttuffoc finished, textures with pictures! He also has a YouTube channel with all kind of information!

Tools for the paint job

• Exterior stucco paint (masonry paint or Limewash recommended)
• Primer (if needed)
• Paint rollers with thick nap (¾ to 1 ¼ inch)
• Paint sprayer (For better coverage and Large areas)
  • Paint Strainer
• Paint Brushes for corners and edges
• Drop cloths
• Painter’s tape
• Pressure washer or hose with scrub brush
• Caulk for sealing cracks
• Protective gear (gloves, goggles, mask)

First: Prep Prep and More Prep!!

Clean your walls!

• Use a pressure washer or scrub with a mild detergent to remove dirt, mold, and debris.
• Allow the wall to dry fully before painting.

This may seem obvious but a lot of adhesion problems stem from improper preparation. Spending a little bit of time to make sure your surface is clean, free of dirt and grime, means you’ll have a long lasting finish for years to come. Your outside walls go through a lot: rain, the suns rays/UV damage, the wind and and in my case hurricanes and debris whipping on the walls. Give your walls a good clean, get them ready for a nice smooth coat of paint.

Repair Cracks and Damage

• Inspect the wall for cracks, use a stucco repair caulk for small gaps and a stucco repair patching concrete mix for larger ones.
• Sand down any rough patches after everything cures

Most stucco repair caulk and patches are elastomeric. You want to use these instead of regular caulk and concrete patch as it allows for movement in case the cracks are due to house settling. More rigid repair items can crack if they do not have elastomeric properties

Protecting Surrounding Areas by using painters tape and cloths

• Use painter’s tape to cover windows, doors, and trim. Especially if you know you’re a messy painter.
• Lay down drop cloths to protect your floors, landscaping and walkways.

Prime (If Needed)

• Use a primer for better adhesion and color uniformity. If you are going for a dramatic change it’s a good idea to user a gray primer when going darker.
• Apply a coat of primer with a roller or sprayer then let it dry fully.
• Make sure your primer is rated for exterior use
• Check the can for re-coat times and how long to wait before applying top coat (your final color)

Time to paint!

Painting Stucco walls with a roller

• If you are using a roller push the paint into deep crevices and rough parts of the wall. To make sure it gets in all the crannys.
• Work in small sections to make sure you get better coverage.
• After applying the first coat, allow it to dry according to the directions in the can. I used Sherwin Williams Emerald exterior paint and it requires 4hrs between coats. I allowed it to dry completely to ensure proper curing.
• Apply a second coat and make sure to overlap your lines so that you get proper coverage

Painting stucco walls with a Paint Sprayer

• Prep your paint sprayer follow all manufacturer instructions for priming the sprayer
• Strain your paint, This makes sure it won’t clog the sprayer tip
• Thin your paint, this helps get a smoother finish
• As you spray move your whole arm to paint, not your wrist. This ensures you maintain the same distance from the wall as you go

Maintenance Tips for a Long-Lasting Finish

• Regularly clean your walls prevent dirt buildup. If you can’t be bothered to keep a schedule I just do it after “The Pollening” (spring when the trees release al their pollen and cover everything)
• Inspect your walls for cracks or peeling paint annually. Check the cracks you filled to see if they expanding as it might indicate more serious issues.
• Repaint your exterior walls every 7-10 years to maintain a fresh look. If you are in Florida like I am, you may have to do it sooner due to the heat and humidity and Hurricanes.

Conclusion

Painting textured stucco walls doesn’t have to be a paint. With a bit of prep, the right tools for the job and a little bit of time you too can do this all by yourself! Is this a project you would tackle? Have you painted your stucco walls before? Let me know in the comments! Subscribe to our newsletter for more DIYs any homeowner can do in your inbox!

Spring ORC 2024 Patio Refresh Posts:  Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8: Reveal

The post How to paint textured stucco outdoor walls first appeared on Afro and Reno.