3 Home Improvement Projects to Tackle This Winter

Florida’s mild winters make this an ideal time of year to tackle home improvement projects. This is especially true for exterior projects such as building a new deck or clearing brush and weeds out of the yard. With lower temperatures, less humidity, and fewer afternoon storms, working outdoors can actually be pleasant and enjoyable this time of year. There are also indoor projects that fare better when the weather is nicer outside. Let’s dive into our suggestions for home improvement projects to tackle his winter.?

Exterior Maintenance?

The sweltering summer heat and afternoon storms can turn Central Florida lawns into a soggy, sloppy mess overrun with weeds and pests. By November, your yard should start to dry out making this the perfect time to tackle exterior maintenance projects. Spend a day checking off this to-do list:?

Clear & repair the gutters, soffits, and downspouts. Gutters can take a beating during the summer storms and often fill with mud, leaves, and debris.

Pressure wash exterior spaces. This includes fences,driveways, sidewalks, and the exterior of the home, if needed.?

Recaulk windows & doors. Florida’s intense summer sun can cause caulking and weatherstripping to disintegrate over time.?

Wash exterior windows. This includes removing the screens and washing them separately to get rid of all the green pollen and dust that has accumulated over time.?

Lay mulch, pull weeds & make plans to re-sod if necessary. This is a great time to give your yard some extra curb appeal, but hold off on planting anything new in case we get a frost or two during the winter.?

The perfect time to paint

Winter is the ideal season in Florida to tackle painting projects. We’re out of rainy season which typically means less humidity. The problem with painting in the summer is that paint takes longer to dry and it can bubble in muggy air. Interior spaces can be a great DIY project, but exterior painting is often best left to the experts who understand the challenges with repairing stucco cracks, chips, and water sealing.?

Tips for exterior painting:?

Do this first:?

The exterior of a home needs to be pressure washed first. Epoxy filler should be applied to all cracks and holes. All windows and fixtures (ie: lights and decor) should be covered to avoid getting covered in splatter. If you go the professional route, be sure to confirm that these items will be done before any paint is put onto the walls.?

Application methods:?

You will also need to research how you’d like the paint to be applied to your walls. Some professional painters use sprayers to apply the paint to the walls. Others use rollers and brushes. You’ll need to decide which option makes the most sense for your project and budget. If DIY painting, rollers are often easier because sprayers can lead to splatter if you’re inexperienced with using the tool. Nobody needs a yard or porch covered in little “oopsie” polka dots!

Types of paint:

You’ll need to determine which type of paint you’ll want to use for the project. Painters often recommend acrylic or latex based paints. Sherwin Williams Duration is a popular choice in Central Florida neighborhoods. Satin is a popular choice for finish.

Lastly, if you live in a neighborhood with a homeowner’s association, be sure to check the neighborhood guidelines to see which color combinations are approved for your neighborhood and go through the proper channels to get HOA approval. You don’t want to repaint an entire home only to find out that you’ll need to redo it with something from the approved list!?

Tips for interior painting:?

Do this first:?

Much like exterior painting, the area should be prepped first by washing the walls, covering light fixtures, furniture, and decor, and filling in any holes with an epoxy filler.?

Picking a palette:?

One of the most difficult (but fun) parts of painting the interior of the home is picking a color palette! If you are prepping your home for sale, you’ll want to go with neutrals. Whites, creams, greys, and light beige are all good options. If you don’t plan to list the home anytime soon, then the sky is the limit! Pick a color that speaks to you and do a swatch test for 24 hours before committing. The lighting inside your home is much different than the lighting inside the hardware store, so you’ll want to test it out before you commit. If you can’t seem to narrow it down, pick several of the little paper swatches and tape them to high traffic areas in your home and eliminate one of them each time you walk past.?

Paint finish matters:

Color isn’t the only thing you’ll have to live with when purchasing paint for your home. The paint finish also makes a difference. For instance, a matte finish can look bold and expensive, but it is much harder to clean. Consider satin or eggshell instead if you have pets or children. A gloss or semi-gloss is preferred for wet spaces like kitchens and bathrooms because they are the easiest to clean.?

Consider smaller paint projects:?

There are good reasons to pick up a paintbrush even if your home doesn’t need a total paint makeover. Certain interior and exterior surfaces tend to get more wear and tear and can use a quick sprucing up.?

Exterior doors & shutters. These accent areas often have darker or brighter colors that fade over time.?

Baseboards. Most people paint the strip between the floor and the wall white. White gets dirty. Repainting the baseboards will help make your entire room look more crisp and clean.?

Interior doors & windowsills: For the same reason as the baseboards above, a fresh coat of paint on doors and windowsills can create a fresh, crisp look. We often don’t realize how many little chips and scuffs these surfaces take during throughout the year.?

Create an accent wall: This is a great project if you want to give your home a modern makeover without a lot of work. Create a statement with a bold accent wall. Bright colors and deep hues are both in style at the moment so there’s never been a better time to go bold!?

Install wood floors

A third home improvement project to tackle this winter is the flooring. Specifically, this is a great time of year for installing new wood flooring. Wood can warp when exposed to too much humidity. Winters tend to be less humid here in Florida. Heat can also cause wood to expand, so installation during the winter months means less risk of unexpected gaps forming between the floorboards. In general, hardwood floors are hard to maintain here in Florida due to the humidity, but they sure do look dreamy! Engineered woods are a more popular option, but if real hardwood is your goal, then a winter installation is the way to go. Be sure to install a wooden subfloor first (ie: plywood) so that you don’t expose your planks to any moisture.?

We hope this was helpful in inspiring and guiding you to tackle a few home improvement projects this winter. Whether you decide to DIY these projects or hire a professional, they will leave your house looking cleaner and brighter with added curb appeal.?