TRANSFORMING YOUR KITCHEN WITH DIY

Now look at the tiles - do they need freshening up? The most common problem here is discoloured or mouldy grout. Try using a spray-on grout cleaner or sugar-soap liquid (a great cleaner), but if this doesn't work, you need a grout pen, which basically paints the grout and makes it look all fresh and new again.

If some of the tiles are chipped or broken, carefully prise them out (drill a hole in the centre with a very sharp drill bit - over a piece of masking tape so the bit doesn't slip - to break them up if they're hard to get to), scrape the adhesive off the wall and replace them with new tiles, providing you've got some that match.

Retiling the whole lot is a much bigger job, but still well within the grasp of many DIYers.

You may prefer to paint the tiles. Simply clean them thoroughly with a sugar-soap solution, rinse with clean water and allow to dry.

Then paint on a tile primer and when that's dry, the topcoat; in both cases, doing as many coats as the manufacturer recommends. For a smooth finish, use a gloss roller (small and foam) rather than a paintbrush, which will leave brush marks.

The trouble with tile paint is that the tiles look a bit odd because the grout is painted too, though you could try using a grout pen on it afterwards.

If you have plain tiles that you want to jazz up, or a few unattractive ones that you want to cover up, how about tile transfers? These are cheap and easy to apply.

Floors take quite a battering in the kitchen, so how is yours standing up? Lino can easily become torn and tatty, and while it's possible to fit a new piece yourself, if you don't feel confident about doing the job, get a professional in.

If do have a go yourself, trim the lino just bigger than you need and then carefully cut it to fit exactly, using templates to negotiate awkward shapes where necessary. How hard the job is will depend on the shape of your kitchen.

Of course, the main part of any kitchen is the units - if these aren't right, nothing will look right. If you've got dated units but the carcasses are sound, particularly if you're happy with the layout of your kitchen, you're in luck because changing their appearance is easy.

One option is to replace the doors - some DIY stores sell doors separately and so do specialist companies, many of which advertise in the weekend supplements.

Depending on how many units you have, the cost of new doors can add up, though they're still cheaper than buying new units and getting someone to fit them.

An even cheaper option is to make replacement doors out of MDF and then paint them. A carpenter could also do this, though you'd have to work out if it's cost effective.

If you can't afford to change the doors, you'll have to work with the ones you've got. Changing the handles can make a big difference or, better still, change the handles and paint the doors. You may think that your doors aren't suitable for painting, but most surfaces can be painted, including melamine, providing you use the right primer.

Once again, clean the doors, sand them to take off any glossiness and provide a 'key' for the paint (so it sticks better), wipe down and, once dry, apply the primer, then the topcoat (once the primer's completely dry).

If you're using a brush, sand (using a fine grade of sandpaper) between coats to get rid of any brush marks and wipe down afterwards. You shouldn't have to do this if you use a gloss roller.

Specialist kitchen cupboard and unit paints are available, though most eggshells, satinwoods and glosses will do. The only problem with painted units is that they often chip, as the doors are repeatedly opened and closed.

If you think this will be a problem, try the paints that are several times tougher than conventional ones.

When it comes to kitchens, tough, hardwearing surfaces are always good news - providing they look great too.

QUICK FIX - short answers to tricky questions

Q: I have nasty, sticky vinyl tiles on my bathroom floor, but they're proving really hard to remove. What can I do?

A: Try using a garden spade to get most of them up, which gives you leverage as well as having a blade. Try a sharp wallpaper scraper for the fiddly little bits.

SEASONAL TASK

The summer sales are ending but there's still time to bag some great DIY and interiors bargains. Then, as the shops introduce their new catalogues and stock, start planning for autumn, when the days get darker and colder and so spending time outside is less appealing - ideal for getting stuck into DIY!