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We all know that a can of paint, some elbow grease, and a free Saturday afternoon can make a dark, tired room feel airy and bright. But did you know that paint can also transform a lot of other things, like wood floors, tile, and even appliances? And let’s face it, it’s certainly cheaper than buying new.

So before you replace or demo another thing in your home, see if you can give it a facelift with a coat of paint instead. Here are 5 things that you can easily update with paint.

  1. Brick Fireplace – Love your fireplace but hate the red brick? Give it new life with paint. Just make sure you buy twice the amount of paint you think you’ll need since brick is porous and soaks up paint like a dry sponge. And never paint the firebox.
  2. Appliances – Whether your appliances are scuffed and scratched or you’d love the look of stainless steel but can’t afford it right now, you can get the look you want with heat-resistant appliance paint. Just be sure to clean and sand the exterior thoroughly.
  3. Carpet – You can cover years of stains and make a carpet look like new with a good quality upholstery paint. Thoroughly clean the carpet before painting and spray 2 to 3 coats for best results. Just note that short-piled carpets are the best candidates as long-piled carpet can get matted and hard when painted.
  4. Wood Floors – When hardwood floors can’t take another sanding and refinishing, paint can give them a second chance at brilliance. Sand them down lightly and apply a thin coat of paint, waiting 24 hours before applying another coat. Keep in mind that the floors won’t fully cure for about a month so avoid moving heavy furniture during that time.
  5. Ceramic Tile – While tile in high traffic or high moisture areas isn’t a great candidate for paint, you can paint ceramic tile in other areas to update the color and give it new life. You’ll need to repair cracked or chipped tile first, then sand lightly before applying an epoxy or primer. Finally, and after priming and between each coat of quality latex paint.

Paint, and a little patience can cure a whole lot of visual woes around your house. So try it!