10 Home Improvement Projects Everyone's Afraid Of (And How To Do Them)

All day, people are posting amazing projects - big and small - to Hometalk, and we're always impressed. But every now and then, we see a project that we would be WAY too nervous to try ourselves. Which made us curious...what projects is everyone the most afraid to try?
We asked the community what projects they fear the most, and here's what we found out! But instead of just telling you what they said,

Photo via [url=http://robbrestyle.com/diy-chevron-stairs/] Robb Restyle[/url]

1. Redoing a Staircase

It seems like people are most afraid to tackle their ugly staircases, but everyone who's done it says it's not only easier than it looks, but so worthwhile!

This post will help you remove your gross staircase carpeting and make what's left look amazing.

If you're just looking to dress your stairs up a bit, this clever riser painting technique will do it!

And if you want to soften your look with an easy runner, this one's a winner.

Photo via [url=http://thepalettemuse.com/kitchen-cabinet-makeover-reveal/] The Palette Muse[/url]

2. Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Next least popular DIY on the list was painting the kitchen cabinets. Everyone want to do this, but no one wants to do this. The painted kitchen cabinet trend has us all dreaming, but if you're too nervous to actually pick up a brush and do something about that desire, this might convince you to try!

This thorough cabinet makeover takes some time, but, says the poster, "if you want a paint job that will look great and stand the test of time, it's best to take the time and do it right." Get a professional finish, from sanding and painting to caulking and sealing all those awkward gaps.

Then again, you could opt for chalk paint or milk paint, and skip all that sanding and priming. It took this Hometalker just 5 days!

Photo via Sherre M

3. Redoing a Tub and Shower

It's no wonder that people are pretty terrified to rip into their fiberglass bathtub surround or start breaking through their tiled shower - this is a big job! But the finished result (as you'll see in these posts) is just so incredibly worthwhile. There are a couple different ways to go about updating your bathing space, so choose one that won't scare you off.

To start with the most challenging but biggest change, this step-by-step tutorial can help you pull apart the fiberglass surround on your tub in a single hour.

Too big too fast? No worries - adding wood paneling doesn't require any bashing or breaking, and it can be done, beginning to end, in one weekend.

The simplest option for a drastic bathtub makeover is this easy and elegant mosaic project. Make your bathtub look 10x better in half a day, with some artistic tiling.

Photo via [url=http://www.thechirpingfrog.blogspot.co.il/] The Chirping Frog[/url]

4. Ripping up the Carpet

If you live in an older home, you've probably got carpets everywhere, and if you're like many people here, chances are you're quite tired of keeping them clean, fixing them, or even seeing them at all! Getting that crisper, cleaner flooring look isn't as tough as you might think.

The first step of replacing your flooring is pulling that cruddy carpet out. Here's a quick way to do just that using simple tools.

Photo via [url=http://www.decoradventures.com/2014/07/install-sheet-vinyl-floor.html] Decor Adventures[/url]

5. Updating Wood Flooring

Word on the web is that people are apprehensive to update their dull wooden floors. But there are so many ways to rejuvenate or makeover a blah wooden floor that there's no reason to push it off. Here are a few options:

Cover ugly subfloor or vinyl with plywood planks, then give them a quick stain in whatever wood color best suites your taste.

If you don't want your subfloor to shine through but you don't plan on building over it, paint is your best friend.

For the easiest and most inexpensive option, cover any ugly flooring with a sheet of vinyl. Just roll it out, cut it to fit your space, and lay it down.

Photo via [url=http://www.designertrapped.com/2014/10/diy-vanity-concrete-overlay.html] Designer Trapped in a Lawyer's Body[/url]

6. Recovering Countertops

After everyone has dealt with their cabinets, the next item on the kitchen (or bathroom) makeover list is those dull countertops! Luckily, some countertop updates don't have to be pricey or take up a huge chunk of time, so what is there to be afraid of? You got this!

Cover them in concrete (you know you want to!) for just $20! This easy application concrete makeover will leave you with industrial chic countertops and really anyone can do it.

This post is super popular for its quick and expensive-looking painting method - and it's totally doable!

Photo via Sue P.

7. Putting in a New Kitchen Backsplash

With so many breathtaking backsplash updates on Hometalk, it's no wonder that people are itching to redo theirs, too. But all that ripping down, building up, and tiling seems like quite a headache. Have no fear, these are here to help:

Put up peel and stick flooring panels for this quick and easy planked look. Touch it up with paint if you're not going for a natural wooden design.

These first-time DIYers put up a pretty blue tiled backsplash, and you can too. Follow along with their how-to (using the same materials), and enjoy that shiny, new after.

Check how this Hometalker put her marble tile backsplash together and work up the courage to tackle your own.

Photo via [url=http://www.urbanacreage.com/2016/01/painted-tile-powder-room.html] Urban Acreage[/url]

8. Painting Over Tile

Believe it or not, painting tile is just about the same as painting a blank wall. The idea makes a lot of people really nervous, but those who have braved it say it was easy as pie. Here's an idea to give you courage to take on your tiled spaces.

She covers her tiles in oil-based paint & the effect it shockingly bright and totally refreshed! Who knew you could get that look without tearing out and replacing the tiles?

Photo via [url=http://dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.ca/2014/06/the-big-kitchen-reveal.html] Dans le Lakehouse[/url]

9. Adding Open Shelving

This trend has been around for a couple of years now, and people are still loving it from afar. Well, it's time to take the risk and turn your closed and cloistered cabinets into airy open shelves. There are three pretty simple ways to do it!

Replace your cabinets with long open shelves, like this designer did with her dreamy white kitchen space.

Leave your cabinets as is and just add shelves to an open corner to improve your kitchen storage and aesthetic.

Just take the doors off your cabinets and repaint to hide the past. Keep your doors and hardware stored safely, so you can put everything back together if you decide to change your look in the future.

Photo via [url=http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/barn-doors-for-the-laundry-room/] My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia[/url]

10. Installing Barn Doors

Barn doors are everyone's new favorite way to break up the rooms in your home, while simultaneously saving space and instilling some style. It's not a surprise - they're so charming! But, according to the Hometalk community, they're also a little intimidating. Not anymore:

With a couple fence boards and two pulleys, this couple got a farmhouse look on the cheap and, from the looks of it, without much work at all!

If you're looking for a higher dose of impact, this double barn door is an easy option too, but it gives you a drop more polish, for that farmhouse chic look.

So, do you feel invigorated to take on those daunting tasks? If we missed the project you're too nervous to take on, let us know what it is in the comments! Good luck, Hometalkers - and remember to share your finished projects so we can all celebrate with you!

2 questions

Carol
on Feb 2, 2016
Painting kitchen cabinets
0
Answer this
Carol
on Feb 2, 2016
I have wood cabinets I would like to paint, and wanted to know what kind of paint I should use?
1
Answer this
- Debi53
  on Dec 29, 2016
  Since kitchens get so much use, I highly recommend oil base primer and paint. Clean the cabinets with a TSP solution. If your cabinets are in good condition, there is no need to sand. For a professional look, remove the doors and all the hardware and hinges. Label each door (1, 2, 3, etc.) with magic marker under where the hinge will be re-attached. Make sure you don't paint over the numbers. Then when you go to rehang the doors, you will know which one goes where. I then always use a liquid sandpaper followed with oil or latex primer. I much prefer oil primer and paint. It is a bit more of a pain than latex, but it will last so much longer and won't flake off--and is more washable. Painting cabinetry correctly is work and not something you probably want to do again any time soon, so I think the effort of oil is worth it. Others will probably disagree, but I have painted just about everything and the oil will hold up. If you use latex, use a high quality primer and paint.
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