Contributed by Tim Brugger, Catalogs.com Top 10 Guru

Summer’s a great time for family vacations, getting outside and enjoying the long-awaited sunshine, and starting in on that home improvement project you’ve been thinking about since last winter.

Ah, but where to begin?

Right here of course, with the best in DIY home improvement resources list.

Green faucets

Upgrades that save resources

If you’re getting tired of losing sleep because of that annoying dripping sound your faucet’s been making, check out an eco-conscious home goods supplier. Not only do they have a wide selection to match any room’s décor, but they’ll save you money at the same time; a winning combination if ever there was one. The faucets at Green Express Direct meet WaterSense criteria, meaning they use 30% less agua than normal faucets, without any difference in performance.

Stunning gazebos

Turn a yard into a showplace

A gazebo is a timeless element of garden architecture, but the idea of bringing in heavy equipment and a team of carpenters might keep you from adding one to your space. The Amish craftspeople at Amish Country Gazebos understand that. That’s why they’ve created “Gazebo in a Box“, a DIY gazebo kit you can put together in your yard. It’s the perfect choice for homeowners who don’t need to customize their gazebo design or size, but still want a quality, craftsman-made structure.

Woodworking tools

The right tool for the task

For the artisans among us, there’s a satisfaction that comes with building and finishing cabinetry, furniture or any wood-related object that can’t be denied. In addition to an artistic flair, the artisan needs the right tools, and Rockler Hardware is the perfect resource. Sure, they have all the new-fangled gadgets a woodworker needs, but what sets them apart is you can also go old-school with hand tools, like this Stanley Sweetheart Bench Plane with cherry handles.

Artisan vessel sinks

Raise your sinks up to a new level

Who says sinks have to spend their lives flush with countertops? I say let your sinks rise above the ordinary with a new artisan vessel style sink. Not as complicated as changing out a bathtub or shower, adding a new vessel sink can be as simple as replacing the old countertop and sink with a new countertop and one of these amazingly stylish sinks. That’s a DIY project almost anyone can tackle.

Beautiful new flooring

Beauty underfoot

Replacing that old, ugly vinyl, tile or carpet with beautiful new flooring is something a DIY-er can do. And with a little help from some friends, and the suppliers at Lumber Liquidators, you can do a whole room is just a weekend. You can select handscraped hardwoods, eco-friendly bamboo or durable engineered woods.

And if you choose one of their many “floating flooring” systems, you might not have to worry about a subfloor at all. That makes it a wonderful weekend warrior project, with big payoffs in your home’s appearance.

Underfloor radiant heating

Keep your tootsies cozy

No one like to step on a chilly floor, especially first thing in the morning, in the middle of winter. But with the ever-rising cost of heating oil and natural gas, it can be hard to keep rooms warm enough to keep tile or wood floors warm enough without breaking the bank.

That is why a radiant floor heating system is one of the best home improvement options out there. Easy-to-install radiant floor heating kits are super-thin and easy to add to your new floor project in bathrooms, kitchens, home gyms and more. And best of all, the all-in-one mats can be cut to fit your room’s dimensions without loss of functionality. Your heating bill…and your feet…will love you!