Home Improvement: Post Your Projects Here
<div class="IPBDescription">The NS Home Improvement How To Clinic</div> This thread is actually a spinoff from Zunni's <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=92853' target='_blank'>Ok Now Be Scared</a> thread. Have a question on a project you're about to ask? Let's hear it. Don't know which tools to get for your project? Just ask us. No project to big or to small, if we don't have the answer we'll try to refer you.
I am a self taught kind of guy, and have learned most of my skills by doing it myself. Time Life has a good series of how to books for stuff around the house. The Home Depot has How To clinics (on Saturdays in my area) where you can learn how to garden, tile, drywall, paint, install a faucet or toilet, and much more.
If you're somewhat mechanically inclined and want to tackle it yourself, post here and we'll try to help. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I am a self taught kind of guy, and have learned most of my skills by doing it myself. Time Life has a good series of how to books for stuff around the house. The Home Depot has How To clinics (on Saturdays in my area) where you can learn how to garden, tile, drywall, paint, install a faucet or toilet, and much more.
If you're somewhat mechanically inclined and want to tackle it yourself, post here and we'll try to help. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Comments
Ok, so here's a quick question about that Deck project of my dad's. How do we get the spaced between the wooden... slats? He already put down the finish but it only covered the surface and it didn't go between the wood even though there is space there.
Is it necessary even? I mean, the rain will seep down there anyway.
Also he went on the roof of the covered deck and put some of that fiberglass stuff on top, so the water doesn't get through, but we wanted to put the finish down to be on the safe side. Are we doing things backwards or are we on track there?
my suggestion would be take a regular paint brush and stick it between the space and just move it along im sure ittle get the sides
The spaces between the slats isn't for water to go down, it's to let the wood flex. If there are no spaces between your beems when the wood expands and contracts it could either split, or start lifting up.
As for finish ours has none. The wood bought was pre pressure treated, it can stand up to the elements on it's own. Your wood should be pressure treated if it's been bought in the last 5 years. If you cut through it and it goes from a green colour gradually fading to a greenish white towards the center it's probably pressure treated.
Ok, so here's a quick question about that Deck project of my dad's. How do we get the spaced between the wooden... slats? He already put down the finish but it only covered the surface and it didn't go between the wood even though there is space there.
Is it necessary even? I mean, the rain will seep down there anyway.
Also he went on the roof of the covered deck and put some of that fiberglass stuff on top, so the water doesn't get through, but we wanted to put the finish down to be on the safe side. Are we doing things backwards or are we on track there?<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The deckboards are normally installed with a 1/4" or so space between them. This gap allows for expansion and contraction of the wood in extreme temperatures and provides an exit for standing water. If your deck was installed with the boards butted you're pretty much out of luck, as there's no practical way of changing this. As to applying your finish to the vertical part of the boards, it's not critical as standing water would only lie on top. When I stain my deck work (and I have a LOT of deckwork, including the elevated walkway that spans from the patio down through the backyard to the boat slip) I normally use a roller on the horizontal section and a brush on the edges/sides.
I am unclear on what type of roof is over tha spa, and what the "fiberglass stuff" was that he applied, so I'll await more info on that.
The other option is to do an adult sized bannister..
I am uncertain if your local Home Depot would have the railing. I remember wooden dowels of significant diameter, but they certainly wouldn't be long enough for a bannister. You may have to special order it, or look elsewhere.
On the side of my apartment building there's a small exhaust vent thingy, where air from the bathroom's blower and perhaps even the dryer exits the building. Some bird has flown in there and made a nest. I've called the apt. maintenance people to remove said nest, and they've done so several times, but the bird or birds keep coming back. Any suggestions on how to keep the birds from getting in there? Right now their eggs just hatched and I can hear 4 or 5 little baby birds constantly chirping throughout all hours of the night and day.
And please, only suggest solutions which would not injure myself nor the damage the building. That means no poison, fire, etc.
On a similar note, a Muscovey duck fell down my fireplace chimney not once but twice in the last 11 years. Not only was it nearly impossible for him to fall into it, getting him out was a NIGHTMARE. I now have a metal grating fabricated from a discarded shoe rack covering the hole ... if I find the photo of him perched in my great room ima post it. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<img src='http://www.ugleague.org/demos/duck1.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
and the thing with the duck man that is scary
The duck ... I walked into my great room one day and 1/3 of it by the fireplace was covered in soot. Not being winter time I thought, "WTH?!?!?!?", and upon closer investigation found a LARGE muscovey right above the flue door. I had heard odd noises from that vicinity for several days so I feared he was nearly dead.
I open the flue door and he starts flappin like crazy, stirring even more soot throughout the room. I couldnt get the door open far enough to pull him down through it, so I broke the hinging bracket and opened it wider, slipped on a pair of heavy duty leather gloves, and yanked him down through the flue by his feet (no, there was no way possible to pull him UP the chimney).
I was unprepared for what happened next. The duck took off flying through my great room, smashing into the patio doors and picture window several times, breaking nick nacks and precious family heirlooms, and crapping all over, before he lighted where he is shown in the picture. I threw a large beach towel over him and carried him outside, where he flew off as if nothing happened.
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'><b>Hire someone to do it!</b></span> <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo-->
What in the hell is THAT? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin-Depot+May 18 2005, 12:18 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Depot @ May 18 2005, 12:18 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-Sonic+May 17 2005, 06:40 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Sonic @ May 17 2005, 06:40 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Can a fully grown man <i>die</i> from putting together some flat pack furnature from ikea? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What in the hell is THAT? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Don't tell me you don't know ikea!?
Uh believe me... it takes atleast 3 tries to get those things right.
Nope, had never heard of it.
I am looking forward to replacing a roof, re-carpeting a basement, and pulling up carpet/linolium to expose and refinish some hard-wood floors. If anyone has advise on those last 3 - I'm all ears <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Re-carpeting the basement is doable as a homeowner IF you have good knees under you. You'll want to rent or buy a good kicker to stretch it, and dont skimp on the padding.
My home had carpet installed in the hallway and 2 bedrooms, and it was worn. When I took up a corner to peek below I was pleased to find hardwood floors. We then ripped up all the carpet and tack strips, and were fortunate to not have to refinish it (although the hallway and 2 bedrooms are all 3 a different color stain <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->). I have taken up linoleum using a special flat bladed shovel that worked well, but mine was on terazzo floors. You will need to be extra cautious removing lineolum from hardwood floors to prevent gouging them with the tool.
Hope this helped some. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
There you go. But remeber kids. These things are deadly. Don't be fooled by their nice looking small thingys... everything you buy there needs to be built together by YOU! If you buy a candle.... get ready for some melting action... and after you built your new desk don't be surprised to find exactly 1 screw to be left.
In preparing to prime and paint my home I discovered 4 small areas of rotted wood, 2 on the bottom of my garage door and 2 at the base of one of my porch pillars. After pricing and <i>trying</i> to locate a garage door panel and a porch pillar, I found they were either cost-prohibitive or unavailable.
Git-Rot to the rescue! You buy this stuff at a marine supply store and it comes in 2 parts, similar to an epoxy. I dug out all the rotted wood, ensured it was bone dry by using the hair dryer, and proceded to stuff the holes with a combination of Git-Rot and unwoven roven cloth. A day later all of the rotten spots were hard as a rock, and I filled the holes with Bondo.
Not only are the ex-rotted areas stronger than the surrounding wood, my Bondo job turned out real well. Seems I never lost my body shop touch. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
The big gap filler, it fills, seals, and insulates, and is great for plumbing and HVAC.<ul><li>Airtight and Waterproof</li><li>Bonds to Most Materials</li><li>Cures Rigid and Trims Easily</li><li>Sandable and Paintable</li><li>For Interior and Exterior Use</li></ul><a href='http://greatstuff.dow.com/' target='_blank'>GREAT STUFF</a> is an adhesive sealant and works great for filling gaps to large for caulking. It's easy to over apply this stuff as it can expand so much, so test in an inconspicuous place first. Available at most hardware stores.
Painting:
If you use a roller, avoid fast strokes, paint will fly back at you, messy, especially if its a bright colour, gets all over your face.
If you happen to use a sprayer... well first off don't trust friends with it.... but furthermore, spray on a relatively cool, but not windy day, you get the idea.
Insulation
Whenever handling insulation, of any kind, fibreglass or misc fibre, always use gloves, you never know whats in there.
When you use the expanding polyurethane insulation, use the whole can, get practice first, and always wear gloves and long sleeved clothing. Keep nail polish remover/acetone around to wipe it off before its solidifies.
Expensive, but seamless is <b>HIGHLY</b> recommended. Even the corners are mitered and one piece. Also, 6" gutters are recommended if you have a lot of trees as they'll not clog with leaves like the 4" will.