I wouldn’t describe myself as handy. I’m not the DIYER who tears down walls, lays tile or refinishes hardwood floors. Heck, I use a stapler to reattach buttons and hem pants (don’t judge). Yet, there is something about the Memorial Day weekend (or being quarantined at home for three months) that makes me feel like I can tackle all of the home projects that I never knew I needed. I’m going to chalk it up to lots of time at home and tons of HGTV and Pinterest. This Memorial Day Weekend, I decided to tackle three (and a half) projects.
FRIDAY
I loathe and detest b-ifold doors. I’ve lived in this house for two years and I didn’t realize how many bi-fold doors there are (for the record, I have 5 sets). Purchasing new doors isn’t in the budget. So, Pinterest to the rescue. I had no idea you could convert bi-fold doors into French doors, but apparently you can (BI-FOLD DOOR CONVERSION). Not being handy, I was skeptical. However, the instructions were so easy that even I felt capable of tackling that project. So, I donned my mask and headed out to my local home improvement store for supplies.
I snaked my way up and down the aisles, carefully avoiding other customers while trying to maintain my social distance. After spending what felt like hours staring at a wall of screws (which happened to be across the aisle from door locks), my cart contained a combination lock, deck cleaner and none of the items I needed for my project. That’s when I realized I needed help. Instead of running when a store employee headed my way, I used my cart to maintain an acceptable distance and pulled up the Pinterest post with my supply list and handed my phone to the professional. He found just about everything on the list. The one elusive item (a double magnetic catch) he informed me it was on order and would be in next week—too late. One thing I know about myself was that when the DIY Spirit hit, I needed to move quickly. So, I paid for my purchases and went to another home improvement store. They didn’t have the magnetic catches either. Home improvement store #3 did. Fully stocked and channeling my inner Bob Villa, I headed home.
First project, the combination lock. When I moved into my house two-years-ago, I removed all of the locks and had them rekeyed. Unfortunately, my inner DIY-Bob-Villa spirit guide wasn’t working. The front door key never worked and I eventually lost it. The new lock was a combination and according to the box, it could be installed with only a screw driver. The project was, surprisingly easy and I now have a fully functioning lock (with a key just in case). Project #1 done!
SATURDAY
Project #2 involved painting the front door which was now sporting a fancy new lock. Yes, I should have painted before I installed the lock, but I didn’t have the paint on Friday and my DIY mojo is fickle (too fickle to wait an entire 24 hours). Best to strike while the iron is hot. After watching a ton of Pinterest, YOUTUBE and FACEBOOK posts on the half project (to be discussed in a future post), I discovered Fusion Mineral paint. This low VOC paint requires no priming, adheres to anything and has great coverage (so the advertisements tout). Fusion Mineral Painting devotees posted pictures of painting everything from tile, steal lockers, kitchen cabinets, furniture and front doors. The paint isn’t sold in local home improvement stores, but the website listed a few local antique store retailers. A trip to a nearby store and I had a pint of Crimson Red (plus a few other decorating finds) and I was ready to paint. I cleaned the front door and taped around the glass and my newly installed lock. Then, I painted. Personally, I love the color. I’m not a fan of the stained glass, so I’ll eventually replace the door, but for now, I’m pleased. Project #2—done!
Project #3 was the bi-fold doors which started this DIY-athon weekend. This project turned out to be a little more involved than I first thought. Drills are not my tools of choice. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until I got into the project that I realized the truly wonderful thing about converting my bi-fold doors. I have a front load washer and the bi-fold doors prevented the detergent tray from fully extending. I’ve managed, but it was not the ideal situation. However, the French door allows me to fully extend the detergent tray so adding bleach is no longer an acrobatic skill. The fact that one side of the bi-fold doors had fallen off the track and didn’t work anyway made this project very satisfying. There’s still some work to do to fill in the holes where I moved the knobs and touch up paint, but the functionality of the doors made the project well worthwhile. You can tell that they were bi-folds, but I don’t care. I can open the detergent tray! Mission accomplished.
I’ll hold off on the half project for now. My DIY Spirit has moved on and I have copy edits due, so that project will have to wait (for now). Nevertheless, this Memorial Day Weekend has been very productive. I can lock my front door. I’ve discovered a new paint. I have a much more functional laundry area and now I’m inspired to make a few more changes. Who knows, by the end of the pandemic, I might have a completely new house.