Do it yourself

I have to replace a 35 year old champion sprinkler valve and wanted to update to the new automatics for my lawn irrigation system. I need some advice with how to do it? The valves are in a confined area, a little over 14in. sq. The sidewalk and foundation of the house are on the sides and the hose pipe is next to it, so I was thinking of just getting out my oxy/acetelene torch with cutting tip and just torching it off. There are three valves, the first about 5in. from the foundation, the next 1 1/2in. from the first, and the last is 1 1/4in. away from the second and 1 1/2in. away from the sidewalk. I think that covers it all, any suggestions?? Thanks for any suggestions, AJ

If we're talking about routers or circular saws, I'm right at home. However, I just purchased a used riding mower that works perfectly. Sometime in the past, someone removed the wiring to the headlights. The lights are there...each one has two pin connecters, and the on/off switch is there, too. Now, the $64,000 question...how do I rewire the beast? Hugh

All you need to do to bleed air is run cylender from full contract to full extend a few times

It's just Kyle. Thought I'd let you know i changed My Addy, I'm no longer using k_a2thoughts. Later, Kyle

Hi, wondering if anyone had any thought on this... I'm currently building a 7m x 4m workshop in my garden with a single layer of concrete block walls with 2 pillars on each wall. I"m considering the idea of having a turf roof (based on the instructions at www.cat.org.uk/catpubs/tipsheet.tmpl?sku=17 ). My dilemma is if the single block wall and the 18" deep foundations will be happily support the weight of the roof which the site suggests will be about 500kg per square metre - any thoughts?? Also does anyone have any idea if a grassed roof will need any pitch on it - with the depth of the grassed roof being about 400mm, I'm concerned that if the roof has to be pitched much the building height will rise to above 3 metres, and won't be exempt from building regs approval. Any help would be appreciated.

Hello there, My wife and I have a pre-fab house on a poured concrete foundation. It is built in to the hill so that only the front and parts of the side are above ground. It is sort of the way bi-levels are built. I call it a raised ranch. The second story is white vinel siding. The 1st floor in front is exposed 10 foot high poured concrete. The second story, in the front, overhangs the 1st by 3 inches. Now that I have finally finished the interior 1st floor (was a basement, kinda) we are ready to tackle the front facade of the house. On the way out of town the other week, we were forced on to a detour. We passed (and later stopped at) a brick manufacture that I never knew existed, practically locally! (Bevertown Bricks) They make/sale a very nice Appalation Series fake stone to put on the front of houses. It looks as if this fake stone can be put on at random and perfectly straight lines are not necassary. It is really a very pretty looking product for $3.25 a square foot. My qusetion is, can do-it-yourselfers put this stuff up? It doesn't seem hard on initial examination, but maybe there are "tricks to the trade"? Are there lines that must be followed? Does one start by putting on the end/corner pieces and then do the top "row" and go randomly from there? I would think a small concrete mixing machine would be a must? If it is just a matter of back puddying the blocks with concrete and slapping them up, then how is the filling of the gaps between the stones done? This is something I really want and need to learn to do. Any advice and experience is greatly welcomed. Any web sites or video tape recomendations would be good too. Thank you kindly, Dave

Has anyone heard of, or used "Rx for wood floors"? This is a chemical treatment instead of mechanically sanding. I am about to refinish all the floors in newly purchased house and I am trying to get information on options in the approach. Are new options worth looking into, or is the tried and true method the one to stay with? Gary

........29'........ x_______x_______x x_______x_______x....28' x_____x___x_____x

It will be cheaper in the long run, and easier to build. It will still be a permanent structure and I still am going to build the foundation, but I'm not sure what to use for support. I am planning to use 4 x 4 posts. The x's represent the post configuration I came up with. I'm not sure if that will be enough support for the trusses that I still plan to use for the roof. The carport will be built between our house on the left and our to-small-to-fit-a-car-in garage on the right. We plan on making the back wall(bottom) 4' high, that's after the 1.5' foundation to make the floor level. In between the 2 posts in the back will be steps into the back yard and possible future deck. I hope the diagram doesn't get distorted on the message board, then none of this will make sense LOL! Anyway, tell me what you think and any ideas that you have. Thanks, Kyle 29' x x x x x x 28' x x x x

Hi all, I have two questions. First, we have the glass cut and ready to put into our kitchen cabinets. I've noticed at Lowe's that they use what looks to be like clear caulk to set the glass in place. My father-in-law who built the cabinets was going to make narrow wood strips to tack the glass in place, but the caulk looks much easier and would be easier to remove if we ever want to change the type of glass in there. (i.e., upgrade to stained glass) Any thoughts? Secondly, we've been building this kitchen for EVER, and we are nearly done. The new ceramic tile floor has of course gotten filthy during the process since it was one of the first things done. Even after cleaning an area of the tile, I notice that it's not as shiny as a new, unused tile. Any recommendations on getting the luster back into the tile? Thanks! Shane

I'm usually a lurker, but I have a problem that I don't know how to solve. My concrete patio floods every time it rains. Can anyone tell me how to solve this problem? Would it be possible to add another layer of concrete or maybe put a layer of bricks on top of the concrete? I would hate to remove the existing concrete. Thanks so much. Molly in Louisiana

Hi guys/girls, Can anyone tell me the proper procedure for re-staining cedar wood siding? It's currently a medium brown that is fading. Can I go with a lighter color? Do I need to clean/wire brush it before painting? The North face of the house has some green algae like material (yuck) do I just stain over it or ? I have access to a pressure washer. If I use it should I mix in some kind of killer or other chemical? Thanks in advance, Blair

I am not really new, I have been here before, but we are just about to close on our house FINALLY ( it has been 5.5 months) and I am eager to read ideas. Thanks! Kellie "A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."

I'd like to screen in my carport just for the summer. In other words has anyone done a temporary/make shift screened in job. We would need to return out carport to a carport in the winter. Any idea on how I could do this? I realize I can't use 2x4 but surely there is a way. I have an 18mo who loves the outdoors - he would move outside if I let him. Thanks Sandy

I decided to go with the full blown garage. I also came to the conclusion (thanks Ron) that it will need to be a regular foundation for a support wall. I am also going to pour a footing under the front as well. The front and back walls will be the support for the trusses. I visited my grandparents in WI and took a look at their garage. Now all I need is the cash for the concrete and I can get started. Thanks again for all the help. Kyle

Hi There! I am Johann from South-Africa. I am just starting my first project, I am tiling my bathroom. I plan to tile the floor, and all the way to the ceiling. I hope to learn some things here. Johann -- QUIPd 1.02: (271 of 476) - - Linux: 6:43pm up 39 days, 15:46, 3 users, load average: 0.08, 0.03, 0.02

Hi! Just joined your group about an hour ago. Read and enjoyed the messages. FYI Bev DeGulio got started by fixing her own sump pump after she got divorced!! So maybe someday YOU will have a TV show too!!! lol I'm looking for sources to find replacement globes for my very old light fixture that hangs over my farm kitchen table. One of the six globes is broken. I want white opal satin globes with 2 1/4" fitters. I've been checking Ebay since March 2nd [when the globe broke!] without any luck. "Six" matching globes are very "hard to find"! lol Addresses for lighting catalogs, restoration catalogs or even better..online sites that you have had good luck with would be very much appreciated. TIA Cella in SDak where the wind is justa howling away!!

there are a couple of possible fixes . the first might be the easiest if you have a std shut off valve. you might be able to pull the valve stem and replace it. shut the water off. using a pipe wrench to hold the valve use a regular box end wrench to losen and remove the stem nut.the stem will come out take it to your nearest home depot and they should have a replacement. or if you dont plan to use it again find a good section of pipe on the supply side of the valve (the side the water goes into the valve)cut the pipe and solder on a copper pipe cap.its easy if you have a torch. if not go to the home depot and by a kit it will cost about 25 bucks and they will even show you how to solder a joint and once you do it you will be able to do alot of your own plumbing

Hey anyone have a clue on how to get rid of them???????? I've heard so many different things, that I'm more confused than ever. MC Kent

Heres one for ya! We have a sump pump in a hole in our basement to take out the water that collects in the basement. It runs for a while then instead of shutting itself off after draining the water that has collected in the sump hole, it continues to run, forcing the person who hears it to walk downstairs and elegantly wiggle the cord holding the 2 weights down, this shuts it off for a while. Sometimes this can happen several times a day in the Spring. Since the person who most often has to walk downstairs is ME and after almost 8 years of doing this every Spring, Im starting to wonder if this is not how sump pumps are SUPPOSED to act!?!??!? Appreciate any help! Brenda

I have hardwoods underneath carpet in my new house. I would like to remove the carpet and would have when I moved in, but got a bit put off after hearing horror stories from several people who said hardwoods needed to be sanded and poly'd every year, which I don't have the time or money to do. My floors were laid in the 40s/50s. Don't know the type of wood. As far as traffic, it is myself, a 5-year-old, and a 70-pound dog. The lady I bought from said she had sanded and refinished the floors several times during her 50-year tenure in the house before covering with carpet, so I don't think the floors are in terrible shape to begin with. What is the maintenance/care for hardwood floors? Thanks -- Mary M. Oak Ridge, TN Date: Sat, 13 Apr 2002 01:54:36 -0400

Hello Liam, Your post was very encouraging! I have been personally going through, can we do this, The costs involved, the surprises involved, my husband would much rather look the complete opposite end whilst I otoh love doing remodelings, etc. I *used* to be able to handle this but unfortunate circumstances have changed that for me... I am truly hoping things really look up *sooner than soon*... because if it does, that means I'll be able to do what I have to do on my own. Like you, I'm new to *major* undertakings, but every bone in me just knows that I can do this whilst my husband looks the other way. He was born & raised in NYC (Manhattan), he's all city and apartment, life he says is so much simpler. I was born/raised in a house with a very very handy father... he was one of those Union construction workers, as was my grandfather for many, many years... 48 years to be precise.... but... I wanted to mention that I lost the hyperlink to your website. The vinyl that you have laid down, I absolutely *love* the green colour. It's very soothing, relaxing and definetly a room one could easily lose themselves in for hours on end! IT's beautiful! You really did a fantastic job! You deserve much more than compliments! You did it! You went the whole 9 yards to prove to those of us who are on a see-saw, that we can do it and overcome any challenges that come our way! So... Liam.... What's your *N E X T* project?! *smile* ~Heidi~

If you plan to use chain in place of the cotton rope in the original design, I would recommend using flat link in a heavy brass. You will find that over time steel chain will rust and either become unsightly or deteriorate and break. The ropes in this house are over 70 years old and are still 100% intact. Many of the better windows have a small wood insert in each track that can be removed to give access to the weight area so that the ropes can be replaced. Dale

Hi everyone, We have some gutter that goes around a 1-story bump-out addition of our house. The downspout comes down right in the middle of what now is a set of french doors. I need to move the downspout to either end of that wall. Here's my question - what is the best way to plug up the hole in the aluminum gutter? I definitely want the patch to be dry, otherwise it'll drip on your end when you enter and leave from those doors. Thanks! Shane

Oh no....sorry to see you go! It wont be quite the same without you around. I hope its nothing too serious, either way you will be in our prayers.... Brenda and Mike

Dont worry, its not stirred up....I know exactly what you mean.....Right now, in our area both rural townships and a nearby city has been amalgamated into one entity. Last month they tried to pass a bylaw restricting ownership of "livestock" such as horses and domestic fowl only to those who have Agricultural zoned land.....This set off a wildfire since there are literally thousands of people in this area living on 1-10 acres with ponies and horses and chickens in the backyard who are zoned as we are- Rural Residential, in the old township bylaw this permitted us to have "pets" and limited number of livestock etc.. This new law was written by beuracrats living in the city who had no concept of what its like to live in the country. Fortunately they have admitted their stupidity and are rewriting the law but can you imagine?? Thats why we moved out here to have ponies and chickens and things like that.... Brenda

I am loving all of the bat stories!! I love the "bat whacker." Laughing out loud here at the office, Debbie

I forgot to say where I DO live: Western Massachusetts, in Easthampton.

Heres the last story before bedtime.....just me making a idiot of myself.... We had just moved into this house, been here about a week. We had this bad bad dog, hound that liked to chase and kill anything smaller than himself. We hadnt met the neighbours across the highway yet but they always had these cute little ducks running around loose, so peaceful and idyllic out here in the country. Well, I forgot to put Duke back on his chain one day, heard a commotion out in the side yard, squacking and barking. Looked out to see Duke scattering ducks and chickens in a flurry of feathers....watch him take off after the ducks who are fleeing for their lives to home....I run out, by the time I get over to the neighbours yard, the carnage is just horrible!!! Im standing there, crying and waving my hands (Im part French! lol) and gibbering to the neighbour about how sorry I am, and trying to get the dog from eating the remains....Im bawling away, drag him back home....and looked down to find I still have my oven mitts on. I met our neighbour for the first time, a blubbering idiot waving my hands around with oven mitts on while my dog killed his ducks in his front yard!!!!! ROTFLOL..... Brenda

Ron, I've never lived in Michigan, but I had a friend who lived in Ann Arbor for a long time (she just moved to San Fran). I just pick up little trivia items that interest me like the stuff about the "yoopers" ( I can't remember the important stuff when it counts, of course). I actually like bats, since they eat bugs that otherwise might be dining on me or my garden, plus they're just really neat critters. Two summers ago, as I was taking towels out of the washing machine to hang them up to dry, I found a poor, little drowned baby bat in the basket. I figure he had flown into the bathroom and had landed on the towel to rest, and he clung on while the towel was taken downstairs and put in the machine. We quietly flushed it after the kids were asleep; they would've been very sad (and probably a little freaked out too).

Actually I just thought of another bat story, again involving me and yes I had clothes on! LOL....I was tidying up in our bedroom one day...la la la la la.....and I had a old photograph in a heavy frame leaning in our windowsill. I casually reached over and picked up the frame, looked at the picture for a second and decided it needed wiping so I slowly flipped over the frame.......to find a bat clinging to the back of it! I shrieked ( Im allowed to scream like a little girl!) and dropped the frame on the floor. So now I have this blinded disoriented bat trying its best to get away. I dumped the stuff out of our metal garbage can and flipped it over onto the bat. Then I proceeded to pile about 30 hardcover books on top of the garbage can....this bat aint going anywhere! LOL I figured ok, I'll get Mike to get rid of it tonight....ahhh wait....Mikes 6 hours away, wont be home for 3 days! So I had to take the batwhacker and slide it under the garbage can and invert it, carry this thing downstairs and outside...... Brenda

Ok if you insist..... We've been in this house almost 8 years, 2 years ago we finally could afford to put a new roof, soffit and facia on it. Before then there were no soffit and facia, it was basically open under the edges of the roof. Therefore it was a pretty common occurence to wake up to the swooosh swooosh sound of a bat. Mike started out trying to whack them with his pillow since that was handy but because of the sonar the bats use to get around, it was hard to do, they would "see" the pillow and dodge around it. So, he being a smart man (even though he screams like a little girl at wasps) asked me to get him a tennis racket, figuring that because its "open" perhaps the bat wouldnt see the racket as easy, plus theres no wind resistance. Soooo I bought him a Bat Whacker at a yardsale. One night we had one come in, he was way too excited about it for me but thats ok, he got to test his theory. Our windowsills are 16 inches wide and almost 6 feet high. He ended up in the one at the front of our house, standing there in his gauchies, swinging at this bat which is swooping back and forth down our long hallway upstairs. Its 3 am.....all of a sudden there are headlights coming down the highway.....they go by, slow down and BACK UP! By this time I am almost crying cause I am laughing so hard.....My husband, who has no shame turns around in the window and WAVES!!!!!! ROTFLOL..... Brenda BTW, the tennis racket works great....and its known as the Bat Whacker in our house. We were at a sporting goods store once with my daughter when she was little and she asked why they had so many Bat Whackers there! LOL

I have some pest stories for you all. In the early 1980s there was a huge tent caterpillar/gypsy moth problem in New Jersey (where I lived growing up). One summer there was a huge "tent" in a small ornamental tree, hanging right over the best of my mother's gardens. One day she decided to get rid of it, so she sprayed it with kerosene and set fire to it. Unfortunately, this just opened up a hole in the "tent" and the caterpillars were soon falling like rain (black, clumpy, squirming rain) onto her, and the poor garden she was trying to protect! Also, last summer we had wasps (yellowjackets) actually chew a hole in the wood frame of a sofa I had out on the porch. (I didn't know they could do that!!) We sprayed wasp killer in the hole but it never got rid of all of them. We ended up having to pay the garbage men $25 to haul it to the dump! And we apparently have a bat family who likes to give birth in the eaves of our attic every year. It's happened two years in a row. There must be a hole from the eaves to inside the attic, though I've never been able to find it. Unfortunately the little baby bats like to try to explore the attic, where they sometimes end up flying drunkenly around the house until we can trap them with a towel and let them go outside, or (sadly) we find them dead of thirst or starvation at the bottom of the attic stairs. I love these stories! - debbie

Trinity Let me put it this way-----if I didn't laugh, I would have to cry! It's really that bad! Actually I did cry when I saw it----literally! I said to hubby (although he doesn't drink), "Pleeeeeaaaaaaseeee tell me you were drunk when you bought this!" At least that way he could get out of the contract you know! But he was uncooperative. I did call an attorney and asked if we could get out of the contract on basis of insanity. He asked, "What proof do you have to claim insanity?" Being stunned that he would ask such a question, I quipped, "THIS HOUSE!!!!!" The attorney hung up. My hubby disapeared for 6 days. Claimed he was out on some military maneuver. Yeah, right! ;-) wacky Jessi In a message dated 4/4/02 12:42:16 PM Eastern Standard Time, flamnembr@... writes:

Reeder Hail and well met! I am humbled by you praise and glowing description. The objects in the path are stones, turtles or whatever your imagination conjures up. Thank you Liz Yes it it truely watercolors, and I am leaving it "un-sealed" at the moment. We are planning to sell and move, and if the prospective buyers do not want the mural on the wall, I can remove it. If they say yes they want to keep it, I will seal it. Thanks. Ron I'm not sure why you had trouble viewing my picture? it seems to work for others? It's a JPEG, and the size is reasonable, so it should not give your browser no trouble!? Lyle

Another Texan!!! Too cool! I am homesick! BTW, east TX humidity is awful! Jessica In a message dated 4/4/02 10:57:43 AM Eastern Standard Time, crazyeyes@... writes:

Wow! Thanks for the great info and links! BTW, if you still haven't found a house in KY, I have just the thing for you! (real estate agent now coming out of me....) It's a fabulous 1500 sq ft home, 4 bedroom, 2 bath, 4 car garage sitting on 15 beautiful acres of saleable hardwoods. The kitchen is a generous 15 x 28 and has lots of open space. This is because there are no cabinets. No appliances either. But if you hate cooking......well this is just the place for you! If you want to raise mountain goats, this place is the best, because the 15 acres goes STRAIGHT uphill! And wouldn't a 4 car garage be great? Never mind that it is half a mile away from the house------after all, who amongst us couldn't use a tad more exercise ten times a day? Actually, I think it was the only flat spot that they could find, so they absent mindedly STUCK it (the garage) there. You could probably rent it out to the neighbors, since it is much closer to their house than this one. This house also has really great windows! If you are into washing windows (I am not) all you have to do is open them. Right then, without any effort on your part, the windows fall out into your hands. Viola----ease of cleaning! The walls are slightly crooked. But in our great ingenuity, we even found a solution for that. Just walk with your head at a ten degree angle, and you will NEVER notice!!! I am sure that you are eager to move in right away, so please call 1-800-wat-a-shak at your earliest convenience and a con artist, oops, I mean sales rep will be eager to help you! Smiles everybody!! wacky Jessica

How about this one.....and these are all true! ( I should write a book but then my dh would kill me! lol)....its early one morning, we're lying in bed, Im in that peaceful haze just before you really truly wake up......all of a sudden Mike leaps straight out of the bed, screaming like a little girl as he's going. I bolt up wondering what in the heck is going on with him!! (thinking HE'S losing it this time!lol)....turns out he too was in that peaceful haze of snoozing and opened his eyes to find a wasp about 3 inches from his face sitting on his pillow! Or the time when we were still dating and were riding on his motorcycle in town and he swerved off to the side of the street, leaped off and started beating himself on his chest (nice warm day, had his jacket partly unzipped!) because a bee flew into his jacket and was stinging him.... we wont talk about the bat stories......LOL Brenda

Hey HEY HEY Ron! I mentioned this in my first post! So women CAN be right sometimes----see! ;-) And I thought the same thing about stucco-----I don't know why a hard working DIYer couldn't do it. I will think about that. Jessica In a message dated 4/4/02 2:53:59 AM Eastern Standard Time, ahvander@... writes:

You should have gotten them last fall when it turned cool (providing it turns cool enough where you are)....they hibernate. If they havent come out yet, you still might be ok. You need to get some spray and spray it into where they are coming out.... Heres another wasp story for you.....Our last house was what some might refer to as a fixerupper...the upstairs was barely habitable so that of course was our masterbedroom while the kids got the less scary area..... Anyways, I was lying in bed one morning and could hear this buzzing noise in the room, I figured it was a couple houseflies, we had bought the house in the winter, this was our first spring in it. The buzzing got louder so I opened my eyes. I wear glasses and could see a few little "flies" flying around the room but they werent flying like flies, curiouser and curiouser.....so I reached for my glasses, put them on and......the room was literally swarming with yellow jackets!!!! I layed there in disbelief and watched them drop one by one out of a tiny hole in the ceiling above my head....there had to be a few hundred in the room. I slid out of our bed, crept to the stairs and went down, shivering and shaking all the while! LOL I HATE BUGS!!! So I call Mike, have him go to the exterminators to get something for them ....well, he's a confident, strong person but the one thing in the world he is afraid of is bees and wasps. He goes upstairs to spray wearing his jeans, 2 shirts, a pair of coveralls which he has taped shut at the ankles and wrists, a pair of heavy workboots, gloves and his MOTORCYCLE HELMET!!! He looked like an alien! LOL He went up and sprayed the room then squirted some powder stuff into the hole and stuffed the hole up.....and we moved that fall.... Brenda

Last fall we noticed wasps- or yellow jackets or something close to either- they had yellow butts... going under the wood roof shingles on the little office in my back yard. Will they return to the same place this year? Would I just pry off the overlapping wood shingles and clean out the nest and nail the shingles back on? If they find the nest gone will they go elsewhere or do they lay eggs in there and actually come from there not "fly in"? I guess you can tell I dont know ANYTHING about wasps! I didnt think they lived in the desert. Smiles, Rebecca Las Vegas, NV

Looks like I am not the only insomniac in the bunch! Jessica

Trading spaces is good. But did you see it a couple of weeks ago when they glued straw or hay all over someone's living room walls????? YIKES! I would have killed 'em! Jessica In a message dated 4/4/02 1:35:28 AM Eastern Standard Time, ahvander@... writes:

:-)))))) glad to help anyone in need of help. to say this.... IMHO bob vila is an idiot.( norm and and the other guy....oh yeah, riley, they run the show) trading spaces on tlc is worth the cost of cable IMO..cheap good ideas hometime is good ideas/basic understanding just some tv viewing that i find worthwhile ron

While you are most likely 100% correct, keep in mind that it was written "tongue in cheek." ;-) I would gladly trade you my woes for your leaking shower and peeling paint. At least that is just cosmetic, right? We have all kinds of structural problems. Our walls lean, the doors fall closed by themselves, the roof leaks, the windows fall out into my hands when I try to open them, the concrete foundation is uneven (we actually have to walk up hill and then down hill to go from the bed to the closet!). UGH!!!!!! This house was being built by a couple who had no idea what they were doing obviously. In the middle of building it, they got divorced (wonder why?), and left a mess. My hubby, the blind man, saw it as a great fixer-upper. I, with perfect vision, saw a burner-downer. ;-o So here we are. Jessica In a message dated 4/3/02 10:09:48 PM Eastern Standard Time, flamnembr@... writes:

Hi All, Long time lurker, first time poster. My fiancee's father had a nice (unfinished) dresser made for her. The sides are oak faced plywood, but the drawer faces and the top are solid oak. The solid oak pieces are 3/4" thick and the 9" high drawer faces are single pieces of wood. The top is also 3/4" thick and "joined" every 4 to 7". We were told that the wood was "kiln dried". We haven't had a chance to finish it and it has been sitting in the house for about 2-1/2 months. The top has warped enough to actually pop the staples out and away from thin plywood back. The drawer faces have also warped to varying degrees. My questions are: 1) Is this our fault for not finishing it right away? Would better quality workmanship or wood not have warped? 2) What can we do to fix this? My fiancee is a bit reluctant to talk to her father about it because it was a gift. Any help would be most appreciated! Thanks, Doug Woolridge

Hey----I need someone to adopt me too. Especially if you are really, really, really rich! ;-o Jessica

Reeder No wonder I like you. The kindest people come from TX.......myself included! ;-) Now I am in KY though due to military transfer. My husband is coming up on 25 years of military service and we have had to move numerous times. This time HE bought the house-----and when I saw it I actually cried! It is Green Acres and I am sure Ralph and Alph will enter the house thru a closet at any moment! Worst of all, due to the events of 9 - 11, he is doing double duty and every month comes the warning that he might be shipped off somewhere (how stressful).........which leaves me working full-time, raising 3 young children, AND trying to make Green Acres habitable! I told him it would be easier just to burn the place down. I mean......couldn't they use it for some secret military destructo mission? Perhaps test cannon accuracy here or something? ANYTHING??? When I asked him, he just said, "Nah. It would be too obvious." Then he walked off. What do you think he meant by that? Jessica

I would just like to give an example of what a MURAL is, it's in my photo album, Named "covering that Big white Wall";} My wife let me do this and when we move, she wants me to do more!! The example is about 24" top to bottom, and done with water colors. black_dragon_45069

Hi all, We are doing the first coat of stain to our kitchen we're building. Here's my question - would it be acceptable to use an orbital sander and 220 grit paper to sand between coats, or should I really use manual sandpaper? With the quantity of wood we are doing, the orbital sander would make the work quick, and sandpaper could really slow us down, but I want to do it correctly. Your thoughts? Thanks, Shane

OK, I'm not sure if this is **the** deadly black mold. But a friend of mine said that her husband was putting together a playroom in the basement and looked up to see that the entire ceiling under the master bathroom was coated with mold and mushrooms. Seems that the toilet had never been seated properly. She's in the throes of this thing where the health department is inspecting it and everybody is talking about totally tearing her master bathroom out... Does anybody have any tips about this stuff? I think that someone posted on this list saying that they had something like this and they'd soaked everything with bleach. Thanks ang hope you're all well! cat

Okay, I didn't get any response from my (too-long) intro email, so I'll just ask my main question again: Has anyone had experience with fixing concrete retaining walls? Mine are very long and about 4 feet tall at the highest point, and sections of the wall have cracked and are now leaning a little (I live in New England, so the cracks will keep growing every year). Can I simply have a contractor or mason drill some drainage holes in the wall and then have them jam the wall back into plac and patch it? Or am I living in a fantasy land, and it will actually have to be torn down and rebuilt? I am enjoying reading all of the other posts - you all seem to know what you're doing! It's great and inspiring. - Debbie with an i-e

Liz Do you have a group for architectural questions? I have spent months trying to figure out how to make the back of our house the front of our house (follow that?). Since you have the decorating group, I wondered if you might have this as well. Jessica

My daugter has asked me to drywall her basement for a play area for my granddaugter (how can I refuse). The concrete block walls have been waterproofed and seem very dry . After frameing and insulating should I put a vapor barrior over the insulation? Thanks Don

OK..here is MY question for the week. We are now into the 4th month of living in our 227yo, 100yo, 75yo, 3 yo house * age of each of the 4 parts of the house*. I love it! Anyway, I digress..... On the original part of the house, the foundation is stone and stands about, Oh, close to 3 feet about the ground. The fieldstone has been coated with a layer of cement *?* and in many places is cracked and needs repair/replacement. The coating was applied directly to the stone, and I am *pretty* sure there is nothing between the coating and the cement-ish coating. This is one of the projects I * hope* to tackle in the next year. Considering there is probably..oh...* calculating*....close to 200 feet or more of this to do, what would be the best material and method to go about this? Do I need to put a wire facing on the stone and slather the coating on this? A fiberglass mesh? What kind of composite should I use? I feel this is really necessary to prevent degradation of the mortar of the 200 plus year old foundation, and it also will keep water and weather out. I live in Maryland and our winters vary from mild to snowy, with neither a ton of rain nor a ton of sun. We are kinda middlin on everything! All suggestions welcome! This isn't an immediate project but if I have an idea of what to do I can watch for supplies at a good price! Thankie! Kathie

Hi again, everyone... I live in central NJ, and I need a referral for a carpenter. I want to put a small deck on my ranch-style house, and this isn't something I can do myself (I DO know my limits!) I'm looking for someone who is good and REASONABLE in price. I'd be very grateful for any referrals anyone could give me. Thank you so much in advance for the help. :-) Debby

In a message dated 4/2/02 11:02:52 PM, "Liz Armon" <ArtsyLiz@... << I am enjoying the conversations that are going on now, it's nice to have people introducing themselves. I don't mind lurkers, really I don't. I only mind lurkers who have NO input but criticism. Sheesh, half the time I am a lurker LOL Gee, who would criticize this group?? I'm definitely a lurker, and I guess a casual one if I missed the criticism! You guys have been utterly fabulous for someone as much of a newbie as me. How much? Well, I'm real proud I just found out what a backsaw is, and how it's different from other saws. (that's green, wouldn't you say?) I'm in the middle of trying to implement a few projects that I've gotten advice on here. I'll let you all know how they turn out (say a prayer. It really couldn't hurt. :-) Debby

Hello I've been lurking for a while, picking up tips from you all.What a great group! Now I have a question...I'm thinking of installing ceramic tile around the backsplash in my kitchen. How do I deal with the electrical outlets? Don't the plugs and switches have to be moved out about 1/4" so that they will be flush with the plate when it's put back or is there another (simpler) way to deal with them? TIA Cheryl

In an attempt to be a real member I introduce myself again. I have before but lurk for long periods in between. My partner and I had our house raised by a house mover 18 months ago. We had a contractor put up 48" walls on the existing 4 ' foundation walls. He put in windows, doors, the retaining wall, stair way and poured concrete floors. We have been diligently involved since then in finishing the new basement, (we prefer garden level) since. We hired plumbing to stub outs and the drywalls. At this point we have completed stud walls, electrical, painting, installed toilet, shower, cupboards for craft room, painted, had carpet installed in two rooms, tiled bathroom and hall, and more I can't recall right now. Before most of this started we had to move the main level bathroom from one side of the house to the other. We converted a bedroom into a nice sized bath, doing all the work but the plumbing to stub outs. It is very nice, large, beautiful and doesn't look amateurish. When we get more of the garden level done we plan on removing the wall between the dining area and the old bathroom, thus extending the dining area by 5 plus feet, putting up a deck, with door from dining area. This summer we need to side the house. We are going to match the existing siding on three sides and put up the manufactured rock on the front, up to meet the existing siding. Oh, and last summer we built a greenhouse so with that and gardening we don't get alot done in the house during the summer months. I have had lots of questions, some I expressed here but am not a professional so I don't attempt to answer many questions posed here by others. I do not plan on leaving this group.

I don't know what the siding is called. It is pressed something, 12 " by 16 '. We want to put up metal siding, one day but it is going to have to be down the road a ways.

Hi Liz, I'm not complaining or criticizing. I am not a REAL member, just a lurker. But in my defense, I don't have anything to contribute, yet. I'm a fledgling DIYer. I've learned a lot here and really enjoy the personalities on this list. I usually follow all the links, including yours, because I'm also very curious, I love to see new stuff on the Internet. So my plea is, can you make another category? How about learner-lurker :) ? From the lowest to the highest, pond scum lurker (maybe the first two are the same ;) learner-lurker occasional member real member LO BTW, I've also learned a lot from you about how to be a LO. Before, on my list, I was always very nervous when people disagreed and thought *I* had to do something about it, to calm the waters, etc. But now, I just let 'em duke it out. They're all adults AND most of 'em are lurkers LOL. Bonna

Is the tree growing on the area close to the street? Here that is actually municipal property belonging to the city or township if your out in the boonies. If it is, you could see if they would pay for the removal especially if its in danger of taking wires out....they may split the cost as well and since they would have the equipment it would be cheaper Id think than getting a private business to do it.... Or I could send my brother over, he just took a tree down in our yard! LOL..... Brenda

So i guess i will say hi. Hi. My name is Aaron, live in western michigan. soon as i graduate from college in may at least. I am 4th generation carpenter, and am dutch, so i am always looking for cheap ways to do things, tricks an such ;-) look forward to talkin to y'all ron

Please follow instructions closely to get the best results. First, gather old newspaper and wad it up tightly, as if you were going to start a fire with it. Jam it in the hole. Don't be stingy now----use as much paper as it takes to fill the hole completely. Try to get the paper as flush with the wall as possible, with little or no excess sticking out. Second, we all know that newspaper doesn't have to "dry," but since everything else does (paint, plaster, stucco, glue, etc), it might give us the impression we are doing it right if we walk away for a few hours and pretend we are waiting for it to dry. During this time, you can mow the yard, do your nails, or watch HBO. It doesn't really matter. Third, you and you alone get to make a grand decision. Do you want to use spackling compound, mud, plaster? You should probably go for the cheapest stuff available, since a 6 inch hole is going to take A LOT to fill it (some have been known to use flour and water. REALLY!). Whatever you use, I am pretty sure that you will have to mix it. I am not sure HOW to mix it, as I have never actually done it, but I do remember hearing of it somewhere. Be sure to mix an appropriate quantity------a quart or two should be sufficient. Take the mixture, and using a very wide scraper (or a spatula) fill the hole. With a large hole, it may be quicker and easier to put it in with your hand. You can always use your kitchen spatula or your wide scraper towards the end to smooth it over. The hard part here, and this is where I always have trouble, is not letting the newspaper fall out. But trust me, it can be done. Now, once you have the mixture in place, let it dry overnight. You may want to sleep while it is drying. When you awaken you MUST sand it. Personally, I can't stand the feel of sand paper, so I would NEVER do this step. But you must do it nonetheless. If your handiwork develops little cracks, don't worry about it, as the paint will cover it. Put on at least five coats of paint, preferably high gloss. The reflecting light will make lumps and bumps less noticeable. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done. Perfection! Now.....go have one more beer. OR..... Some of us have been known to take the easier route. Get out your good masking tape. Use only the best......this is your HOME after all. Measure the masking tape to be 3 inches larger than the hole. Stuffing the hole with newspaper is optional when using this technique. Place the good masking tape over the hole and paint immediately and thoroughly. Done! Another perfect job by the idunno brothers! Ps In some cases, the tape starts to dry and peel away from the wall. If you are particularly handy with hammer and nails (I am not.) you can fix this very simply. Use an adequate size nail to hold the ends of the tape in place. Three penny nails should do the job. Best of luck!

Hi, all. I just found your list today, and looks like a good one! I bought a house last year, built in 1920, in good shape structurally but I have a long list of improvements that I'd like to do mostly myself (and with my boyfriend/partner) because we are kind of poor (but creative), including: Removing wallpaper (from horsehair plaster walls) and repainting Refinishing hardwood floors Redo bathroom (adding wall tile or other covering, repainting) after getting ventilation fan installed - currently the paint is peeling off the ceiling due to no ventilation! Wrapping the asbestos-wrapped pipes in the basement with Tyvek sheeting (I know, I know.... But I can't afford $5k to remove it, and it's in good shape... I just don't want to think about possibly inhaling asbestos dust down there...) Paying someone to fix the slightly-leaning concrete retaining wall in the front yard And I could go on and on, but I'll stop here. My question for the group has to do with the last item; my retaining wall is very long and goes from about four inches in height to four feet or so. It has cracks and parts of it lean out. Has anyone dealt with a similar problem? I've heard that it's possible I can get away with just digging a drainage system or drilling drain holes in the wall. But then I'd also like to shore up the wall. Anyone have any thoughts? Thanks for letting me ramble! - Debbie

A while back the discussion here was home and garden design software. Can anyone help me remember what was recommended? I want something that is capable of home and garden designing. TIA Sandra, a lurker who enjoys the information provided here.

Hello all, We're still working on removing old vinyl and carpet from our concrete slab so we can try the concrete staining thing. We have been having a dickens of a time getting the vinyl adhesive and carpet pad adhesive all up. Can you all give your opinions regarding the best way to remove this stuff? We need to get all the way down to the bare concrete, and we can't use anything that is going to stain the concrete, or anything acidic, or anything that will seal over the concrete...etc...etc. I have tried scraping till there is just a very thin layer of adhesive and then sanding, but this creates an awful mess with the dust (and I don't even want to think about what it could be doing to my lungs), and the adhesive really gobs up the sandpaper very quickly. This is not enjoyable in the least, but if we can't find the right stripper, it may be the way we'll have to go. Interested in hearing all of your learned opinions. Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks, Dave

A New England sculptor I chanced to know many years ago, worked in various types of mild steel. His solution to rust was to heat the steel or iron and then with a brush apply a thin coat of Simonize Paste Wax that had been melted and warmed. The open pores of the warmed metal would absorb the hot wax and after everything had cooled he would rub and buff to a high wax gloss. I've seen the finished product many times and they had a beautiful finish. Dale

I will ask the question so many are wondering.......Are any of your paintings something the average joe can afford? They really are gorgeous. I'd love to have one of my son and his dog. Jessica

Beautifully said Liz. I thoroughly enjoyed it. By the way, I hand sanded the wrought iron table....except for the bronze acorns; I used a mild paint remover. The bronze is gleaming! The antique dealer/appraiser I spoke to said to wax the table to keep it rust-free. Jan "Some days you're the dog, some days you're the hydrant"

Thanks to all those who responded to my question regarding the second floor bathroom. Now I have a new question------my akita chewed a hole in the sheetrock. Hubby says since it is my dog, it is my responsibility to fix the hole. Fair enough. But I haven't a clue where to start, and getting help at Lowe's is like waiting for hell to freeze over! The hole is about 6 inches across. Any ideas, other than finding a new husband? lol Thanks. Jessica

I know that most of those on this list will probably never have the need to pull a new wire through existing conduit, but just in case. There are times when pulling a wire through new or existing conduit or underground pipe becomes a real pain. I have found instances when a fish tape just didn't want to negotiate a particular turn or the run was too long for the tape. On one such occurrence in a packing plant I arrived at the solution of using a light nylon fish line and a small wad of paper. I tied the line around the small wad of paper and then used the air hose to blow the paper and line through the pipe. The rest was easy, as I pulled in a heavier length of line and then the wire bundle. The same can be accomplished using a shop vac to pull the fish line through. There are times when the need to pull a wire down through a wall that has plates at both top and bottom can be expedited in a similar manner. Drop a fish line in at the top and pull it out the bottom using a shop vac. Many times the wall chamber is tight enough that the light fish line will feed right to the lower hole following the air flow from the vac. And then there are the other times, when nothing seems to work. Been there too. Dale

It seems that there are increasing numbers of those are looking for a reason to be offended. Could this be because their lives are so shallow and devoid of genuine purpose that only through complaint are they able to find a feeling of purpose? It reminds me of those individuals who can't seem to wait for the next major surgery so they can bore everyone around them with the details of their individual suffering. If offence is the meat of your existence, you are certain to find a rich and full diet on which to feed your own internal misery. There is a lot to be said for the quote, "Laugh and the world laughs with you , cry and you cry alone." Dale

Hey gang, Just wanted to let everyone know that the May issue of Fine Homebuilding has pretty good articles on both of these subjects. I thought it may be of interest to some of you because they have been the topics of discussion here recently. Dave

Shane, Yes, please post your tricks for stubburn wallpaper either on the list or in the files. This is a project I'll be starting soon, so this thread is timely for me. -- Mary M. Oak Ridge, TN

I have taken Handyman for the last 20+ years and still have many of the issues. Excellent ideas, suggestions, and instructions. ven going back to the 1970's issues, I still love the ideas. Great magazine..... By the way, did I mention how much I LOVE HANDYMAN!!!!!! Hope this helps. Hugs, Deb M

In response to From: "aquapowers" <aquapowers@... Subject: paint over wallpaper It generally is not a good idea to paint over wallpaper, but my concern is that the contractors seems to be moving ahead with something without discussing it with you first. This is not a good sign. Ask the contractor what he is doing and why and remember that you should be making the final decisions about whether it is something you want. Communication can make a world of difference in how your project turns out. Allison www.renovatorsplace.com <<I have a contractor in remodeling a 1/2 bath. He could not get the wallpaper off and is now applying something over the wallpaper before priming and painting. Is this ok to do?

Hi folks, I have a contractor in remodeling a 1/2 bath. He could not get the wallpaper off and is now applying something over the wallpaper before priming and painting. Is this ok to do? We will eventually wallpaper the room again, but I don't want any problems with the orginal layer of wallpaper. Thanks,

Hi all, I'm just curious - are any of you wiring your homes for the future as you remodel? I'm considering starting a business that deals with home networking, home automation, whole-house audio, video distribution, security, etc. Do these "luxuries" seem interesting to you folks? Just wondering, Shane

We are considering adding on a second story to our ranch-style home. My husband and I are in disagreement. He says that the bathrooms on the second floor must line up over the bathrooms already here on the first floor, or we face big problems with sewage lines and certainly huge plumbing expense. But in homes we lived in before, the second floor bathrooms weren't over the first floor bathrooms. Does anyone have any experience with this? Jessica

I would like to lay new linoleum over existing linoleum in a bathroom. Is it OK to do that? What kind of adhesive do I get? Anything special I need to do here - or just glue the new over the old and caulk around the edges?

I just couldn't resist, had to show the picture to my wife. I'm not sure why she trusts me but she, true to form, put on her glasses and was up close and personal when the surprise occurred. Of course I'd also turned up the speakers to achieve the full effect. I'll not repeat what she said, but suffice to say it referred in some detail to the circumstances of my birth and the moral character of my mother. This is the same girl that is absolutely terrified of roller coasters. Not only did I get her to ride one, but it was underground and in near total darkness to boot. I had convinced her that it was just a leisurely tour through the replica of an old coal mine. The day life ceases to be fun, you will have heard the last from me. Dale

There are many times when it is necessary or desirable to drive a finish nail in a spot that you can't get to with a hammer unless you run the risk of leaving the tell tale marks of the amateur behind. Take for instance where there is an acute angle between two surfaces. My solution has been to keep handy, a length of steel break line and a stick of drill rod that will slide inside the line. I cut off a piece of the tubing and then cut a length of drill rod long enough to reach to where I can strike it with a hammer. Next I drill a small pilot hole where the nail is to go "using one of the long bits discussed before" Then I gently stick the nail in the hole, slide the piece of tubing over the nail and run the drill rod inside the tube and Wa-La I have just created a nail extender. The tubing will keep the nail straight and prevent its bending while I strike the end of the drill rod until it is driven. Another short blow with a nail set and the task is completed without a hammer mark to be found. Dale

www.sloanswoodshop.com/drill_bits.htm This site has bits 1/16 and 1/8 inch by 6 inches long sold in packs of three for around 8.00 www.jamestowndistributors.com/store/materials_lists/Drill_Bits.html This site has a 1/8 inch bit that is 12 inches long and priced at 9.50 ea. They offer quite a range of bits and cutters. Dale

just testing because some of my previous posts have not made it to the group....please ignore and delete....

"Terrorism?????" Surely you jest! Is this equivilent to Bin Laden? Keep the image for MONTHS? I certainly don't think so. But just in case it does, then many of us will be LAUGHING for months. JD In a message dated 3/26/02 2:35:15 AM Pacific Standard Time, IMHshre@... writes:

if $500 is a good price for it?

Here in Wisconsin, we have numerous discount house places for home supplies... I have a favorite called "Home Owners Bargain Outlet", HOBO for short. The products are discontinued items or buy outs from other businesses that have gone out of business... They have from flooring to bath fixtures to cabinets & doors.... I can spend several hours at a time in this place... I like it better than Menards or Builders Square....it's cheaper too.. The only thing is....is if you find something you like, you have to buy it when you find it, or it might not be there the next time....

I bought a cordless Black & Decker FIRESTORM..... I've had it less than a year & I feel I've gotten my money worth... It is the one with the drill, saw, & sander attachments..... The only flaw I have found so far is that with the drill....it is chuckless....and me, with having problems with my hands, I find that when I put drills into it I cannot tighten it well enough.....I keep getting my drills stuck into things and can't get them out!!! I have an old drill in the basement that needs a key...I guess I'll have to use that one when I'm doing serious drilling...The firestorm has been great on screws.... It takes about 6-8hrs to recharge the battery.....it comes with a spare....I make sure they are both recharged when I start a project... When the first one runs down, I take a break and switch to a fresh one...when the second one wears down, it's time to quit.... It helps me pace myself.... If you plan to do BIG projects, I would recommend that you have extra batteries.... I've been doing houshold projects & car projects... And it comes in it's own suitcase, which really comes in handy when you need to take it to a friends house... Doorlocks, towel bars, curtain rods go up 1,2,3.... To do doorlocks, it helps if you have the extended screwdriver bit.. I find the unit easy to hold in most positions..... Anyone else have any comments about this type of unit??? I've been happy with it.... Now I have some shelving to put up....

Does anyone have a Paslode 325 Nailgun owner's manual that I could possibly get a copy from? I've lost mine. Thanks, Hugh

Hey all, Quick question. I have a property with wooden steps leading to the front door and these steps get rather slippery when wet. I was looking for some type of grip (sandpaper like) to put on the steps but can't seem to find them anywhere. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks

My apologies if I'm bombarding the group with questions, but my mind keeps thinking ahead when I read these postings. :) In our 100-year old house, we have a battery-operated smoke detector on each floor. In order for the city to upgrade us to 200 amp service (oh, how I long for that day - 60 amp is a joke.) we need to have hard-wired smoke detectors on each floor. (among other rediculous requirements) Here's my question - can they be wired so that if one goes off, they all go off? If so, is this done in the wiring, or by the type of smoke detector you choose? Thanks again all, Shane

One of the most exasperating problems for the average DIY is often determining were to drill from under the house so that the hole is where they want it to be. (One of our neighbors drilled right up through his wife's table leg before I explained the easy way to locate a hole) Over the years I have accumulated an assortment of very long and very small drill bits. These are about the same size as a coat hanger, and some are nearly a foot long. Most have only about 2 inches of drill flukes and the remainder is smooth. I drill a small hole next to the wall right where I wish to push up a wire, then I insert a length of coat hanger in the hole (the drills are easily broken). Next I go under the house, or up in the attic and after locating the length of coat hanger, move over enough to allow for the plaster or sheet rock thickness and drill up or down through the plate for my wire. In plastered walls you will find that several inches of loose plaster are lying on the bottom plate. Since I've usually already cut the opening for the box I wish to install, I have a small hole to work through. The next trick in insulated walls if to use a short length of 1/2 inch CPVC that I poke up through the hole into the wall, ( another trick is to heat the CPVC over a burner and bow it so that it can be used next to the foundation) then when I come back up I can reach around in the wall with a hook find the CPVC and drop a length of small S-Hook chain down through the pipe. Next I either attach the wire to the chain and pull it down or as is usually the case, go back under the house and after removing my piece of pipe, attach the wire and pull it up through the wall. It is real handy, if you haven't made the wife angry yet that morning, to have an able helper up stairs to either pull or feed the wire as might be the case. It is usually not possible to mount and attach an add-on receptacle box next to a stud so the little metal E clips are used to mount the box firmly against the wall, but you must use metal boxes for these since the plastic variety are too wide. If you run a bead of Acrylic Caulk around the box before putting the plate on it will held to keep the box firm in the opening. Just be careful of you may never get the plate off again. Dale

I just got someone to do the job for around $5oo. I'd like to double check, do you think that's a decent price? I think its the condenser, I know its a coil that starts with a c. its a central ac for a two bedroom apt... tia

This subject seems to come up several times over a year and so thought I would take the time to address it at some length. Is it legal according to code? No Can it be done safely? Yes This was and probably still is done on a regular basis, its just that they don't tell anyone. It should be noted that it is not recommended that multiple junctions should be made in this manner, but you can get away with simply extending a length of romex that is too short to reach the new location. If there is enough wire to work with, the splices should be staggered by at least several inches so that each splice is parallel with an insulated portion of the adjacent conductor. You will start by cleaning about 1 1/2 inch of bare copper on each of the conductors to be spliced. Next slide a length of shrink tubing over the romex to be attached, this should be long enough to cover the entire splice. Now Two lengths of small shrink sleeving are slid over the conductors to be spliced. These should be of sufficient length to cover the entire splice on each conductor, about 2 1/2 inches long. Next lay the (two) wires that you intend to join side by side and clamp them with a small pair of vice grips or needle nose pliers, next you roll each of the ends over and around the adjacent conductor, This is what is known as a Western Union or Lineman's splice. after both conductors have been so wrapped, solder the connections, (A soldering gun not a torch is recommended) being careful to keep the heat away from the shrink sleeving or it will shrink before you intend for it to. Be careful when you solder that you don't leave any little sharp point of solder that can puncture the sleeving. If you do just clean the off with a file. Experience will teach you far better than any other method. Once the joints have been soldered slip the shrink sleeving up and over each connection and shrink with a heat gun, next slide the large section of shrink over the whole splice and shrink it as well. You will now have a splice that is just as electrically sound as was the original wire. Many older homes have all of the electrical connections soldered and wrapped with tape, because they hadn't invented the wire nut when they were built. I've seen many a wire nut connection fail but I've yet to see a good soldered connection cause a problem. You just need to make sure that the copper wires are good and clean, (if they are really old and dark, burnish with fine sand paper) and you can also use acid core solder in small areas like this. Just clean up the acid flux residue before covering the connection. A baking soda paste will neutralize the acid. Dale

1) If you really can't undo a fitting (of any sort) try tightening it a little first. Sounds mad, but it works. 2) A bit of WD-40 (penetrating fluid) sometimes helps as well. 3) If at first you don't succeed - use a bigger hammer! 4) Some people try heating the nut a bit, but this is fraught with danger. Does galvanizing give off fumes? 5) Joining into existing pipework - why not use a compression fitting? Plus you could think about fitting an isolation valve. 6) Yorkshire fitting are a little easier, as they already have a ring of solder built into them. 7) I prefer electrical work to plumbing work, as it doesn't leak!! 8) Soldering - remember to heat the work evenly and apply the solder to the joint. Same in electronics as plumbing. BJS PS - A bit slow in responding, but I've been busy!!

Hi, everyone... I'm just about to start the kitchen remodeling stuff (wainscoting and wallpaper), but I have one problem. This house is from the 60s, and back then I guess clocks needed to be plugged into the wall. On the kitchen wall, high up, there is an electrical outlet for plugging in a clock. The outlet also faces on the other side, into the living room (so there are two plugs, one in the kitchen, one in the living room.) Obviously I don't use it (can you even plug in clocks anymore??) I'd like to close it off on both sides. Is there a way to do this safely without calling in an electrician? One other thing - I could use a LOW level electrical outlet. Is there a way to "drop" the outlet down and rehook it back up at baseboard level? Or is this a job for an electrician? Thanks for any pointers anyone can give - this group is great! Debby

Hey Guys, I have been around for a while, but as this is my first post you can say that I am new to the list. We are in the process of finding a small farm here in PA and will definitely need this list then. Currently I am searching for a build it your self plan for a home food storage unit that will allow canned goods to be put into some sort of chute and then exit another end there by allowing the older cans to be up front to be used first. Can anyone point me in the right direction, aside from designing one from scratch? Thanks, Tom C

Hi. I'm new around here also. I've been lurking for a few months, ever since I started to redecorate my bathroom. History of the project: First, the previous owners should never be allowed to do any work on a house. The bathroom makeover started because they put carpet on the bathroom floor. Between my 2 year old and an overflowing sink, the carpet was trashed in one weekend. So, I pulled up the carpet and found 4" caramic tile - PINK. Ugh. So, I was trying to cover that. After investigating all the options, most of which I couldn't afford, my dad and I ended up covering the floor in leveling compound and then covering that with vinyl tiles. Now, I want to do something about the walls. We have 4 ft of 4" ceramic tile all the way around the bathroom. I hate it because it isn't exactly white. It looks like white tile with a goldish faux finish. Definitely does not go with my new blue walls and rubber ducky theme. So, my questions is: what can I do to the walls. I'd really like to replace the tile with wainscoting. But, do I just put the wainscoting over the tile or do I have to remove all of the tile from the walls? How hard is it to remove wall tile? Any advice would be appreciated. I'm pretty good at handy-man type stuff, but not without instructions. Tana

I can understand that Roundup makes some people's lives a lot easier. Heck, I could use an easier life myself. (And I was raised on a farm, so have dealt with my share of nasty, hard labor.) On the other hand, I'm also the mother of a 1.5 year old and there are a lot of very strange things floating through doctor's offices nowadays. Allergies, sterility, lung problems, escalating levels of autoimmune disorders, and so forth. Information never hurt anyone, folks. Thank you Carl. cat ps: I have been thinking of putting up stained wood wainscotting in my dining room but cannot even figure out how to spell it, let alone figure out where to purchase it. Any tips out there?

I've looked at ordering sunrooms to be installed or kits to be put together, but I'm not happy with the quality I see for th price, and I think my husband and I could install sonething better looking and of better quality. Any advice before we think about undertaking this? Melissa

Many thanks for the advice and links for squirrel eviction. They are out..all SIX of em! Basically what we had going on was a soffit cover piece that the squirrel pushed aside, then out, cause it was loose. They built a huge * quite impressive in fact * nest and chewed on heck of a lot of insulation up in the process! Good bushel full of hay pulled up there too, along with bird's feathers and anything else soft and warm they could find. Hubby got up on the ladder while I held it, then I stepped back so that ye olde pissed off squirrel wouldn't land on my head should she come out a flyin'. Huby then took a stick and beat the soffit til it opened and she ran out. Unfortunately a baby fell out to its death . Mama ssquirrel ran out iwth one baby, and we let her come back and get the other three...then we pulled all the soffit covers down, cleaned out all the nest, replaced all the covers, including a new tight piece which we glued in place. This was all on Saturday. Monday I heard noise and went up to the attic...and there wasa squirrel! Seems the male went INTO the hosue instead of out...I opened the window and out he went * thank God for the windows! * . We are now squirrel free and as far as we can find, there is nowhere they can get back in. Shew! Now I need to plug up all the lil holes to keep out all the mud and black wasps. There are a TON of dead nests up there! I am going to put traps up to catch them hopefully before they make nests. Kathie

Hi all, We are building a new kitchen and chose Formica (decided to put our money into stainless steel appliances, cabinetry, etc.) for the countertops. Well, my sister, who is rather unexperienced in the kitchen, heated our oven to 450 degrees for a pizza, and after putting the pizza in the heated oven, saw that the broiler pan was in there as well. She took the pan out, discovered it was hotter than the pot holders could shield, and set it down on the Formica. Well, as you may have guessed, the pan burned right through the Formica in several places, and also warped the Formica so it is now pulling away from the wood. This happened on our island, which is quite near to the wall oven. We are thinking that we'd like to go with a more durable surface for the island, especially since it will be handling a lot of hot items (the cooktop is in the island). Here are what I think my choices are: - Formica - Solid Surface - Granite/Marble/stone Are there any other categories that I am overlooking? Also, am I correct in guessing that "solid surface" is that plastic-type material? Have I also ordered them from least expensive to most expensive? How well does solid surface do with heat? We are toying with the idea of granite (I hear it's nearly indestructible) and got a quote for $1500 for the island. I'd like to examine other lower- cost options that are more durable than Formica. Thanks in advance for your ideas.... Shane

Hi. My name is Tracey Winter and my husband and I have been redoing our house for the last 2 years. We have gutted and completely redone 4 bathrooms and done painting, wallpapering, trim work in other rooms. My question is this...its time for the kitchen. The room is currently wallpapered and what I would like to do is trowel on joint compound and then stain it. Do I need to apply kilz to the wallpaper (I don't want to strip it) or primer or something before I start to mud it. Someone told me to kilz it after I mudded the walls (to seal the compound), but all that stuff is white and I don't want to stain over white. Does this make sense? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have looked all over for books with instructions or how to tips on this...and couldn't find any. I posted on diynet, e-mailed people...no answers. Thanks! Tracey Winter

We used it in our dining room on the lower half like a wainscoting. We applied the first layer with a thick nap roller then the second coat with a thinner nap. Make sure you look at each section from all angles because it is easy to miss a crevice! Denton and Jen

I just joined this list and already have a question. We are doing a kitchen remodel and the water tastes like plastic. It is very undrinkable. We used pvc pipe. The old pipe was pvc going into copper. Now it is pvc going into pvc. What do we need to do to fix this? Our house is 90 yrs and 50 yrs old. It is parts of 2 houses that was put together. Evelyn

Carl: I thought there might be something wrong whith your statement about toxicisity and Round up, So I looked up the suppliers statement of facts. Don't know if this will come through or not but here is a try. If not I will strip out the HTML and send at plain text. Dale Roundup Facts The One and Only Roundup There's all kinds of confusing information these days about weed control products. So, who do you believe? Here are the facts you need to know to make the right choice for your lawn and garden. Roundup is the # 1 choice for weed control around the world. More consumers use Roundup than all other weed control products combined. Why has Roundup remained the Number One weed and grass killer? Because consumers trust Roundup to deliver the most effective weed control, killing more kinds of weeds, root and all, once and for all. Nothing kills as many weeds as Roundup. Roots and all. Only Roundup kills over 125 varieties of weeds and grasses from the leaves to the root with no re-growth. (Some weeds may require more than one application). Other products may claim to work faster, but they don't kill as many weeds as completely and in as many places. With Roundup, weeds don't come back. Roundup kills the tougher weeds and brush that others can't. Your worst weed nightmares are no match for Roundup. Roundup kills the toughest varieties, like kudzu, poison ivy, poison oak and wild blackberry, once and for all. Roundup works within a plant's system, blocking photosynthesis that the plant needs for nourishment. The entire weed dies, roots and all. (Some weeds may require more than one application.) Even your toughest weeds and grasses are gone for good. Roundup is a responsible choice for controlling weeds. Roundup binds to soil particles and won't move through the soil to affect nearby untreated plants. Any Roundup not absorbed by weeds, breaks down over time into natural materials like carbon dioxide. Pets and children can re-enter treated areas once Roundup has dried. Re-plant ornamentals in just 1 day, vegetables in just 3 days. Since Roundup binds to soil and will not move in or on the soil to affect nearby untreated plants, you can replant most treated areas in just one day and vegetable gardens just three days after applying. (Refer to label for specific vegetables.) Roundup gives you more choices in more places. There's a Roundup product for every project. Sidewalks, driveways, patios, around trees, along fencelines, in flowerbeds and vegetable gardens. Roundup gets weeds wherever they grow. NEW Roundup is rainfast in only 2 hours. Roundup begins working on contact and is rain-proof in only two hours. Come rain or shine, you get all the weed control you expect. Roundup is used by Zoos to maintain endangered species habitats. Roundup is the weed and grass killer used to keep fragile environments weed-free and beautiful, even in areas inhabited by endangered animals. It can do the same for you in your yard. Farmers and other professionals choose Roundup. Roundup has been the choice of farmers, ranchers, ecologists, conservationists and responsible homeowners for over 25 years. Roundup has proven itself to be the one weed control product trusted by the people who care for our land. Roundup answers are only a key stroke or a call away. Every container of Roundup provides the number for our toll-free helpline, 1 (888) 295-4120. Our helpline is staffed by gardening experts ready to answer your questions or concerns and provide gardening advice. Or, you can email us. Stay in touch! Home | Product Info | Easy Steps | Weeds | Questions

Hello Guys Is there a way to kill the root system of a bush, without having to dig it up? Here is my problem. On the corner of our house, we have a big bush we want to rip out. The problem is: it is right above where the electric comes into our house, so I don't want to dig around there, and inadvertanly, hit the electric system. What are my options, if any? Thank you Andy

"The Pergo-type flooring has 15/20/25 year warranties on it. Now THAT is my kinda flooring!! LOL LOL" Jen Jen I have been looking at Pergo also. But I did find that some of the engineered flooring has 10/15/20 year warranties for their finish. So there is more confusion. :)

I have a water meter that is continually running when the water system is shut down. I cannot find any outside sources where water is leaking from. Could anyone advise please.

Hello all As a mostly lurker on this list I have a nagging question. I have just put in a new tongue and groove baltic floor into one of the rooms in my house and I feel like I did a great job - it's brand new timber and my very old house has just been restumped. However, it makes very creaky noises as you walk across it. Any ideas? Trudy

Hi everyone, I have a question about engineered wood flooring. My DH and myself are redecorating a house we just acquired. It has old carpet in it now and I would like to replace the carpet in the family room with wood flooring. We are doing most of the work ourselves but the flooring we are having done. It is a concrete foundation house the salesman at the flooring store said that engineered wood floors would be better for what I am wanting than solid wood. My question, is that true? Has anyone here used it before? I am so confused now. Way to many things to choose from, I do better with one or two not hundreds. :) Sherri

Dave, The person I purchased this table from had it stripped professionally, in one of those huge vats, and then painted over it...and painted over it, and over it. I need to remove all of the layers of paint but don't know what to use. I was told that bronze can be easily damaged and discolored by chemicals so I'm looking for something mild but effective. The leaf and acorn iron work is quite delicate and Victorian in style. Jan "Some days you're the dog, some days you're the hydrant"

easy fix, get a reproduction doorset, there are tons of repro businesses out there, most of them are US (you lucky dogs!!) so shipping would be relatively cheap and you would have a doorset that is ideal for your house..... Brenda

Hi all... I have a question about fence... I have two dogs and am getting a 3rd shortly (Alaskan Malamute). I want to fence in a portion of the wooded property for the dogs. It's very rocky (house is on somewhat of a ledge). My question is, would it be OK to attach the fence to the trees and if not, what would my other options be? Thanks.... ML <--- Long time no see!!! :)

Here's another water-related question. Our 100-year-old home as a lot of galvanized pipe used for the water instead of copper. As we remodel I'd like to remove the galvanized and replace with copper. (Good idea, right?) However, I'm finding that t