The information provided on this page will guide you to specific areas of kitchen remodeling, including: overall kitchen remodeling, kitchen cabinets, kitchen remodeling before and after photos, kitchen design, and kitchen design software.
A kitchen remodel will add monetary value to the home should you decide to sell. The quality and appearance of the kitchen is the number one driver of resale properties.
New kitchen appliances, are more energy efficient each year and they provide increased efficiency for the cook and those who work during the day and still prepare a quality meal every evening.
If you are considering remodeling any part of your home, the kitchen is the area that should be considered first. Although kitchen remodeling is a major undertaking, it is a home improvement project that can be undertaken by the diy home handy person, saving major labor expense and adding true value to your home.
10 Kitchen Design Tips
Awesome Kitchen Additions to Prioritize This Year
A major part of any kitchen remodel is the cabinetry and many homeowners spend a lot of time on the aesthetics of the kitchen cabinets. There are so many cabinetry design and color choices, from traditional cabinets made of solid woods to modern cabinets with Formica or even stainless steel finishes and a host of choices in between.
Accessibility - Kitchen Remodeling
Being confined to a wheelchair and using a kitchen can be a daunting task. The common kitchen designs and layouts create all sorts of use problems and obstacles for anyone in a wheelchair. This article provides an overview of the basics of creating an "accessible" kitchen.
Accessories - Free Kitchen Accessory Plans
Woodworking and craft projects related to kitchen conveniences and accessories. Many are suitable for woodworking novices or teaching children the art of woodworking and make excellent family projects.
Appliances - Kitchen
Cooking Appliances
Nice and efficient kitchen appliances make your kitchen the most lovable place to prepare food for the household. Frozen or canned food from the refrigerator or the preparation of a gourmet meal for holidays will all need the right choice of kitchen appliances to make cooking easy and efficient.
Backsplash
Pebble Tile
Installing a tile backsplash in a kitchen is not a difficult home improvement project for the DIY home handyman. It is a great addition to a kitchen on its own or as part of a complete kitchen remodeling project. Kitchen backsplashes allow the homeowner to be creative, make clean-up easier and enhance the value of the home.
Budgeting - Kitchen Remodeling
Your kitchen is aging and you and your spouse have decided to consider remodeling it. The problem you are facing is how much will it cost to remodel your kitchen? How do you create a budget?
Building Permits
Most states, provinces and local municipalities have bylaws that require homeowners, or contractors working on behalf of a homeowner to obtain permits for many building and remodeling projects. A complete kitchen remodeling home improvement, because it usually includes work on plumbing and electrical, as a general statement, will require a building permit.
Butcher Block - Chopping Board Maintenance
A butcher block is a type of wood chopping/cutting board. It is made up of solid pieces of hardwood, usually maple or oak. Butcher blocks or wood chopping blocks and boards are not inexpensive and to keep them in sound and in good condition they require some tender loving care.
Cabinets - Kitchen Glossary & Terms
Cabinet Hinges
Cabinet Hardware
Guide To Kitchen Cabinets
Painting Kitchen Cabinets
Face-Frame / Frameless (Euro) Kitchen Cabinets
Frameless Cabinet Installation
Make Your Own Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet Care, Repair & Maintenance
Positioning Cabinet Knobs & Pulls
Glass Cabinet Doors
Standard Sizes - Base
Standard Sizes - Wall & Pantry
Kitchen cabinets come in a vast variety of materials and finishes. Kitchen cabinets can be purchased as a DIY assembly, preassembled (standard sizes) and custom manufactured or you can build your own.
Contractor - Kitchen Remodeling
Whether you are looking for a general contractor or a specific trade to help you with your kitchen remodeling project, determining who you should contract can be a very frustrating experience. Reference checks are a critical part of the exercise. Kitchen remodeling is an expensive exercise, and if you are not a diy home handyman - it is important that you choose your contractor wisely.
Countertops - Kitchen
Bamboo Countertops - Kitchen
Concrete Countertops - Kitchen
Countertop Materials - Kitchen
Countertop Cost & Edging - Kitchen
Build Your Own Countertops - Kitchen
How To Seal A Granite Countertop
Countertops are a primary focal point of any kitchen. You have many choices of material, edging and cost, each has advantages and disadvantages – learn which is best for you! If you are remodeling your kitchen with a tight budget, learn how to build your own counter tops.
Design / Layout - Kitchens
Design Software - Kitchens
Energy Saving Kitchen Design
Guidelines - Kitchen Remodeling
A total kitchen remodel, with the exception of adding additional living space, is by far the most expensive and most complex home improvement that one can undertake. With the new 3D kitchen design software packages that are available you can see your finished kitchen in 3D before you start.
Dishwasher Installation
Installing a dishwasher is a project that most home handymen should be able to accomplish with ease. There are four primary considerations:
Drilling Holes - Ceramics
Drilling Holes - Porcelain, Stone, Marble, Granite
Drilling holes in ceramics, porcelain, natural stone, marble, granite, and glass is not difficult, it requires some patience and as with most projects, the proper tools for the job.
Electrical Considerations For A Kitchen Remodel
Outlets (Receptacles) Relative To Countertops
The kitchen area requires more power than any other area in a home. If you have an older home, you may face the problem of not having enough additional or spare circuits available to properly supply power to your new and remodeled kitchen.
Faucets - Kitchen
Faucets & Aerators - Cleaning & Polishing
Kitchen faucets come in a variety of styles, finishes and quality levels. These kitchen faucets can be one piece or three piece construction. In the vast majority of cases the one piece construction uses holes in the sink itself on four inch centers. Three piece, separate hot and cold valves and a separate spout, generally use eight inch centers for the holes in the sink, or counter top.
Flooring - Kitchen
Tile Patterns, Designs & Layout
Flooring Index
When considering the flooring material for a kitchen remodeling project there are two major considerations; safety and the material's ability to stand-up to moisture. There are many choices for your kitchen remodeling project including man made tiles, laminates, vinyl and natural stones.
Hardwood Flooring
Yes, hardwood flooring can be used in your kitchen remodeling project. In fact, hardwood flooring is an excellent choice for almost any room in your home with the exception, due to high quantities of humidity, of full bathrooms (those with showers) and laundry rooms.
Heating - Radiant Electric - Kitchen
Heating - Radiant Hydronic - Kitchen
There are so many beautiful flooring materials for kitchens, yet most have a major drawback. They are cool and sometimes very cold to the touch. Before you commit to the design of your new kitchen consider the different flooring materials and whether you should install radiant under floor heating.
Hot Water - Kitchen
6 Troubleshooting Tips For The Most Common Water Heater Problems
Tankless or On-Demand Water Heaters – Advantages & Disadvantages
Tank to Tankless Hot Water – Is It The Right Choice?
Tankless Hot Water Heaters Save Money
Paloma PH24M Tankless Water Heater
Stiebel Eltron DHC-E 8/10 Tankless Electric Water Heater
On demand or tankless hot water systems have been in use in Europe and Asia for over 40 years, although the vast majority have been fueled by natural gas or propane and were installed in locations within the home that required hot water, primarily kitchens and bathrooms, as they did not use a central hot water tank for an entire home. Tankless water heaters have a number of advantages. But installing one as part of your kitchen remodeling project can become expensive, especially if your current electrical service cannot delivery the necessary power.
Islands - Kitchen
Kitchen island counters can provide much needed storage space in their cabinets and drawers as well as adding to the working countertop area within a kitchen. Consider a kitchen island for your kitchen remodeling project.
Kitchen Lighting
In the kitchen, florescent lighting, unless you use the very expensive "full spectrum" bulbs, has a tendency to change the colors of objects. Standard florescent bulbs come in two different whites; cool white which enhances cool colors such as gray and blue and warm white which enhances colors like yellow, red and beige. The warm white bulbs also provide a superior reflection for wood cabinets.
Layout - Kitchen
Over the years kitchen designers have developed what they consider to be the optimum work center for a kitchen and transformed that into numerous layouts depending on the overall size and shape of the kitchen area.
Pass Through - Kitchen
Constructing a kitchen pass through is relatively simple if you follow these 7 steps.
Painting Kitchen Cabinets
Many homeowners believe that painting kitchen cabinets are the poor mans method of performing a kitchen remodeling project. This couldn't be farther from the truth! As with most home improvement projects, the difference between a true quality finished project and one that is sub-standard is the prep work, tools and materials used.
Pictures - Kitchen Design & Layout
More than 50 pictures of kitchen designs and layouts showing all aspects of a kitchen remodel. Cabinets, Flooring, Lighting, Appliances
Planning a Kitchen Remodel
Kitchen remodeling is by far the most expensive and most complex home improvement that one can undertake, with the exception of adding additional living space.
Porcelain Repair:
Many homes have porcelain on steel and porcelain on cast iron plumbing fixtures. This manufacturing technique is commonly used for bathtubs, laundry sinks and tubs, kitchen sinks and bathroom basins. The problem is that these materials chip, scratch and fade and either need to be replaced or repaired.
Range Hoods & Exhaust Fans
Makeup Air
Exhaust Fan Performance Graph
Noise
Air Quality
Exhaust Fan CFM Chart
Exhaust Fan Hood Sizing
Kitchen exhaust fans come in many noise levels, sizes, shapes and configurations. It is important that the ventilation system meets the needs of the square footage of the room that it is to ventilate. If you are planning to undertake a kitchen remodeling project, steps should be taken to minimize pollution from sources inside the home. In addition, homeowners should be alert to signs of inadequate ventilation, such as stuffy air, moisture condensation on cold surfaces, or mold and mildew growth and use the kitchen remodeling project to correct underlying problems. While all of our general recommendations may not apply to your home, you should be aware of the issues, from radon gas and lead paint, to ventilation, and good work practices.
Sinks - Kitchen
Kitchen sinks should be chosen for their functionality as well as their aesthetic value in the kitchen. There are literally hundreds of styles of sinks and numerous materials and mounting methods available.
Small Kitchens
North Americans have been spoiled, most of us grew up in homes with large kitchens, with plenty of counter space. However, things are changing more and more homes have much smaller kitchens, especially in duplexes, four-plexes, apartments and condominiums.
Water Softener - Do you need one?
Water Softener - Piping Layout
The most important item to understand about water softeners is that they are not water purifiers. The only things that water softeners do, is remove calcium and magnesium minerals from the water.