Do it yourself

Hi, I am seeking a private investor or a hard money lender. I currently have a property under contract which needs to close within a week. If you can help me and close within a week please e-mail me with the terms or call me at 1-866-446-6376. I already have an appraisal on the property and an estimate from my contractor and vacnacy insurance for the amount of the purchase price. Thanks Bob

Hi friends. Has anyone had success with any method of water stain removal on a stippled ceiling? This last spring one of our skylights leaked during a very bad storm. Somehow rain water leaked in through the seal around the edge of the skylight. Short of repainting the entire ceiling is there a way to 'bleach' the stain out. The ceiling color is either white or has never been painted. The ceiling is cathedral with the high point being about 20 feet high. The room measures roughly 40' by 22. I'm not thrilled with the prospect of painting it. The house is about 12 years old and neither the previous owners nor we smoke, so it is fairly devoid of other airborne stains. Please respond to the list as well as to me directly. It took me forever to find this list; I may never find it again. Ha ha. Thanks, Ron rsalyer@...

Hi all, Does any one know if i can or shouldnt texture over very old very stuck on wallpaper? Do you think it would be ok to do? Thanks for any advice, Jim

I was going to lurk a while, but I got such a nice welcome message from the group moderator I'm jumping right in. My son just bought a house which included a gas stove. White-Westinghouse, fairly new looking. The burners work fine, but the oven won't lite (previous owners said it would work sometimes, sometimes not). Their solution was to buy a new stove and put this one in the garage (and back into the kitchen when they moved). It has a kind of "glow plug" igniter which glows when you turn on the oven, but no sound of gas flowing nor smell of gas. My question is how many things could be preventing the gas flow? It seems to me that the gas valve for the oven is not opening - why? Defective valve? defective switch? Thermostat? I've worked on various appliance before, but never a gas stove. Suggestions? Tony Detroit, MI

My wife and I bought an older house(built 1905). The roof needs to be done, not just the shingles but the wood shingles put on in 1905 need removed and sheeting needs put down. The roof is really slanted and I don't do well with heights. We've had three contractors come out to look. The best is around 4,500-5,000. He seemed trust worthy and we can see his house from ours (very nice deck just added on last year.) Should I go ahead and try to do it myself? If I don't how do I go about getting a home improvement loan? We are in debt house,school, ect.... The roof is not leaking and is not fall down yet but I would still like to get it done. There are several other renovations I would like to do but they will come in the future.

Hi Everyone, This is my first post to this newsgroup. I was wondering if anyone knew if there is some type of insulation that can be installed without completely tearing out the drywall in my home. We bought a new house and and the garages came competely finished w drywall, but the walls are not insulated. It gets pretty hot here in california in the summer and I would like to be able to work out in the garage without cooking. I thought i heard about something called bat or blown insulation that can be blown into the walls? has anyone heard of this? have experience witih this? cost of something like this? TIA - hope this isn't a stupid question! paul

Hi all. We bought the house we are in last winter in Michigan. We definately did not buy it for the house, trust me. It's really not worth saving for much. But anyway, we are planning to build a new house and are seriously thinking about using a wood foundation. Can anyone direct me to where I can find some information about wood foundations? I'm not sure what kind of foundation we are going to have. I want a full basement but he is leaning towards a crawl or partial basement. I'm not sure if this will have an impact on using a wood foundation or not. I would also like to use the attic area for storage in this house, but unfortunately it does not have a floor, just the joists. I would like to lay sheets of plywood or partical board for a floor but am not sure what size to use. I was thinking 1/2 inch would be too weak and 1 inch would be too heavy. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thanks, Connie Weishuhn www.internetmoms.net/cgi-bin/team.cgi?id=Co27050&action=show

Alright, this is our first house and i can't claim to know anything about anything when it comes to anything...um... yeah... so this might be a stupid question, which is good. Cause if it's a stupid question, that means it's an easy answer! We have an electric heater and the air it is blowing is luke-warm. So is there something i can check to fix it on my own, or will i need a technician? I understand there may be a number things it could be, but i dont know any of those things... so so far i've tried exactly zero things. Suggestions? See, you didn't believe me, but i told you i don't know anything! Jeremy

For better protection get a UPS for your computer. Message: 2 Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2003 15:38:32 -0800 From: "Marc Ostroff" <marco@... Subject: Re: GFCI & Grounded outlets! Sorry to bring this up again, as I see you all were having great fun with it while I was on vacation! Anyway, my last concern about GFIs is that I've read they can be too sensitive for some electronic equipment, because they trip more often -- is that something I should be concerned about? Of course, I have GFIs already in the kitchen, bathroom, and garage, but I don't have any of my electronics going through those right now... would it be better to have a GFI than an ungrounded outlet?

I just recently bought this house with a ventless fireplace. During the inspection the gentleman turned on the gas firplace with no problem. Now that cold weather is here and I want to turn it on I can not seem to do so. Is there a simple little trick to this, like holding my head properly? I don't remember the inspector doing anything other than turning on the gas valve and turning the knob in the fireplace. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Ken

anybody have any experience with what laundry chutes are made of...dimension of the chute, etc.? considering dropping one down from a bedroom to the laundry room... Valerie

have a question. My in-laws were telling me that they saw one of the improvment show's on tv. and it had people putting this goop on the plaster walls, and they were putting a design into it. Let it dry and paint it. They did not say what the goop was. I want to do this to our house when we get it, does anyone know what this stuff is?

Why is it when I start a project, I invariably end up spending most of my time trying to either fix something somebody else did, or work around something somebody else did?? Which partially explains my extended absence from the list. Does this happen to anybody else? Ok..I am stepping down off my soapbox now to ask a question...here is the problem... The people that lived here had two different light fixtures up in a small bathroom...ok...just replace them with the same type of fixtures...no biggie. On one of them, when I take the existing fixture off (the 9.99 Home Depot strip light), I discover that the junction box isn't centered. Upon further investigation, I discover the junction box is nailed to a stud (left of center) A bit to the right of center exists a pipe leading to the bathroom sink. Can you all picture this? My problem of course is that basically, anything I put there is going to be off center..unless of course, I put up one of the $9.99 HD specials, and put it up incorrectly at that. Is there anything I can do to install the light on center...which I mean centered above the sink which is actually centered on the wall? I am so frustrated right now, I could just spit. Thanks for listening and any help you can offer. Jen in TX

Hi listers, Does anyone out there know anything about Stucco siding? My sister needs to do a patch job on the outside of her house and people who do Stucco seem to be as rare as people who do plaster! The stucco on the outside of her house is thick and has large swirls worked into it, kind of like icing on a cake. Any web pages or hands on knowledge will be appreciated. We have a large family of do it yourselfers, and I think we could tackle this if we knew how to start. Thanks lots Darla in Missouri

Sorry to keep going on about plaster, but I have a question. My in-laws were telling me that they saw one of the improvment show's on tv. and it had people putting this goop on the plaster walls, and they were putting a design into it. Let it dry and paint it. They did not say what the goop was. I want to do this to our house when we get it, does anyone know what this stuff is?

Anyone know where I can find a free set of plans for a simple, small, one-room cabin, about 16 x 24 feet? Thanks

Hello all, I'm looking for ideas to share, such as primary tools after your nailbags and hammer, but also gadgets and ideas. Example: Drywall hole saw. I have one close at hand on all my remodel jobs - and they make a great small branch trimmer around the yard (for branches just larger than loppers can handle). I imagine this bunch here has a few tips to share. I'll be passing these ideas on to those near and dear to me because I know I'm had to buy gifts for. Thanks, David OKC

Hi all, The wife and I priced out the cabinetry we'd like to order for the batrhoom we are renovating. The total came to a shocking $3,000! I'm wondering - does anyone know of any online resource where you can obtain bathroom vanities/cabinetry at a lower cost? I know there are such outlets for bedroom furniture, etc., so I'm wondering if anyone has found something for bathroom cabinetry. Thanks! Shane

Does anyone know if Craftsman Paint Tanks are compatible with Campbell & Hausfeld Spray Guns? I am looking at a tank on ebay. They look pretty similar, but I can't find any literature.

It has suddenly occurred to me that I have been quite silent the past couple of months, and since this is entirely contrary to my character I thought I'd better do something before Trinity, Liz, Karl and some of the others got the wrong opinion and gave me up for dead. Over the past years and months there have been a variety of discussions about what to do with old cracked and loose plastered walls and ceilings, and unfortunately there seemed to be a consensus of opinion that they should be ripped from their frames and replaced with "sheet-rock," which at best is a cheap imitation for a structural wall covering. In only the worse case situations is this either necessary or IMHO advisable. Keeping in mind that dry wall is little more than a Plaster-of-Paris core between two paper walls. Only high end homes can afford to be finished with plaster these days, dry wall is used for everything else, so save what you have that only the wealthy can now afford. First let me establish the case for good solid plaster walls. Rock, which is what plaster is, is a great temperature reservoir and a plastered house will hold its temperature far longer than will a structure of equal size that is dry walled. Second, all that lath and the associated plaster covering adds a significant degree of structural integrity to the home. Third, plastered homes are quieter, and less subject to vibration just due to the mass of the "rock" contained within the structure. And fourth but not least of all these advantages is the fact that plaster can be resurfaced over and over again with paint or paper without destroying the original surface. Plaster that is cracked is easily repaired, but not with mud or plaster patch but instead try using, paint-able acrylic latex clear or white caulking compound. This is an excellent adhesive and when pressed into the scraped and prepared cracks will give with the movement of the structure and prevent the crack from reopening. In the case of large cracks or those that are slightly offset, even after reattaching "see next section," cover with mesh dry wall tape and smooth just as you would dry wall mud. Once the latex is dry cover with mud if necessary to compensate for shrinkage, then sand and paint or texture. I also use the latex to fill in large nail holes and other imperfections. Another trick is to run a small bead of white latex down each corner and around the corner between the walls and ceiling, taking care to smooth with a wet finger and wiping away any excess with a damp cloth. Reattaching loose plaster: It seems that the fear or reality of a chunk of loose plaster falling from a wall or ceiling has spelled the demise of many a good plaster wall or ceiling. These minor imperfections are easily repaired and that good old plaster can be salvaged to live another day, or century as the case may be. It is easy to find these loose spots by tapping lightly with a " soft faced" hammer an listening for the difference when a loose section is located. Next drill small holes, "no larger than 1/4 inch" about every three inches apart over the loose section, using a masonry bit, "masonry bits do not drill wood very well." The trick here is to penetrate the plaster and hit the lath under neath without drilling through the lath. If you hit a gap between laths, move up or down about 3/4 inch and drill again, marking the first hole so that you don't try to use it in the next operation. After you have drilled all the holes, cut the tip on a tube of acrylic latex caulk so that it just fits snuggly into the hole and pump about a tablespoon of caulk into each hole. In the case of plaster that is bulged or that has caused an offset crack it will be necessary to apply pressure against the repair for about 12 hours until the caulk has set. In the case of a ceiling repair, a sheet rock jack or jack post can be used, while in the case of a vertical wall an angled brace that is either pushed against a cleat attached to the floor or that is of sufficient length to be pressed against an opposing wall will need to be used. A board or piece of plywood sufficient to cover the repair is used to distribute the pressure across the repaired area. NOTE: this is important: You must use either a sheet of waxed paper or waxed butcher paper between the board and the wall, "waxed side to the repair," or use a board that has been hot waxed using paraffin applied with a heat gun to prevent the board from becoming a permanent part of the repaired surface. Acrylic latex caulk is an excellent adhesive, far better than liquid nails which hardens and becomes brittle over time. In the case of an offset crack that cannot be pressed back into perfect alignment, not to worry, simply tape and cover with a coat of smoothed latex, and then mud and sand to perfection. We just completed a house in which the plaster looked like an old lady, "or old man, but old men are supposed to look that way," that had spent too much time in direct sunlight, and the walls now look and feel like new. "Shoot if you must This old gray head, But save that plaster wall, The craftsman said." Dale

What the telcos typically use are a little plastic-shell butt splice connector that's silicone-jelly filled, stick in the wires and crimp the button down with pliers. They come in two-wire and three-wire flavors. I know all the Home Depots around here sell 'em. John.

Does anyone have any opinions about these two all in one woodworking stations? The FIL is looking at them and I told him I would look and ask around to see if anyone had some stories. Sheresa

Hello, My house appears to have been rewired for telephone service some time before I purchased it. In some rooms there are two phone jacks side by side where one works and the other doesn't. In other rooms, only the old wiring exist and there is no dial tone. A few months ago, during a remodeling project, I cut a twelve-conductor wire that ran above the ceiling. Since it was part of the older wiring none of my phones were affected. I now want to restore that wire so I can use it to bring tone to the rooms with the old wiring. I have been trying without success to locate a source for wire connectors, the type where you use one connector for each conductor in the phone wire. Does anyone know where I can purchase these? Mike.

Hi everybody!: Greetings for all!. I'm a member of the group since some months ago but I haven't post too many to the list. I want to ask if somebody can help me introducing me in wood treatment. I'm doing my first project in wood works and I don't know how wood have to be treated to give it a good look and resistance. I would like to know what products I have to use to seal, paint,protect against water, etc... I'm sorry if it's a silly question but I'm really new to work on wood. I generally work with metals. I hope somebody can help me. Greetings!.

Has anyone heard of and know where to purchase light-weight, acrylic (waterproof) covered cotton fabric which could be suitable for bedspreads? Linus

In the spirit of today - (can you imagine if a president tried to give this speech today? It mentions ~gasp~ God . . . and is full of big words that nobody would understand now) President Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1863 The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union. Abraham Lincoln

Well, I am not an electrician nor do I play one on tv, BUT I can tell you that 1) the test button works fine without a ground wire - I redid my house in VA and it tested just fine because I tried it. It also functioned great - it cut off IMMEDIATELY the day that while standing barefoot on a concrete floor measuring, I dropped the metal tape measure across the prongs of a LIVE appliance - I didn't even get a tingle, but it burnt the metal tape! 2) As far as I know, no manufacturer requires a 3-wire system to install them. Levitron specifically approves installing on a 2-wire system to facilitate replacement of old 2-hole outlets. I suppose you are talking about an equipment ground. Which is not a part of surge protecting . .. is it? I'm asking for real here. As I understand it, equipment grounds are for when there is a physical disturbance, like water, etc. Computers need surge protection and if they get wet, they're in trouble anyway. <grin 3) Don't know about failing - don't they stop working? i.e. no power coming out? I would put in a GFI breaker and not outlet, they last longer. aside - I have always wondered what happened to the house I sold in VA - I sold it to a realtor, and all the circuits upstairs had been replaced by GFI outlet on the beginning of the line and 3-prong outlets after that. The house was wired so bizarrely that if one circuit went out, I doubt they would ever find the reset button that applied to that circuit LOL . . . but I wasn't in the house when it sold, and my ex- knew nothing about it so I guess they figured it out by themselves. Liz

Happy Thanksgiving to all in the group and I wish everyone a safe holiday season please do not eat to much (unknown quantity) and do not spend to much (again an unknown quantity). There have been many posts over the last several days about GFCI and grounding and while I agree with all that has been said there are several points that many have missed in the quest of putting down missinformation. While GFCI or GFI will work on a two wire circuit there are several problems with doing this. Your local codes may not allow you to have a grounded outlet installed on an ungrounded system which means you will be required to remove the outlet if and when you ever need to sell the property. The GFCI test button will not work without a ground. As has been discussed the GFI operation is based on the current flow through the hot and common wires and in order to unbalance this for testing the hot needs to be shorted to ground and if your system has no ground then how can this be done? Even a GFI tester will not work because it also shorts the hot to ground when the test button is pressed. You may ask so what, but I am not willing to trust an untested device when I know they do go bad. I reciently replaced the GFIs in the home of an elderly couple where they were on grounded circuits but would not test. Three of the GFIs failed to test with the test button or with a GFI circuit tester and after replacement all tested correctly. These devices do fail and therefore require periodic testing. One of the characteristics of electricity is that it is lazy and will always find the path with the least resistance. Many people do not know that the neutral and ground lines are actually connected. The ground is a safety device providing another path for the current should the neutral fail to provide it and circuit breakers are there only to protect the circuit not the people. If you have a hairdryer or other appliance that has a ground lug on the plug then the case and internal metal components of that device are connected to the ground wire. It is there should any component fail causing the metal components to be at the input potential be it 120 or 220 VAC. If you come in contact with these parts and are connected to a ground (faucet or metal sink) then you are the ground and in this case the GFI will protect you because you unbalanced the circuit even without a ground but if you became part of the circuit through a broken wire or switch and were not grounded you have not unbalanced the circuit and therefore would not trip the GFI. You could fry with the full 20 AMPs of the ciruit and never trip the GFI. Granted the possibility is remote but still exists and no I am not trying to alarm anyone I am just pointing out the possibilities. If the manufacturer states the GFI must be installed on the grounded circuit and you do not and it fails to protect you then you have given them ammunition against you in a civil suit. I am not advocating you rip out your walls but in order for the GFI as a safety device to live up to it's full potential then it needs to be installed on a properly grounded system. If you are installing an outlet then put forth the extra effort and give your family the maximum protection. If anyone should wonder no I am not a licensed electrician but I used to work on multimillion dollar flight simulators and I know what 5VDC can do and what 30,000 VDC can do and what three phase at 400AMPS per leg can do. Ken

My daughter has a home built in 1920. Everything seems to work ok(lights, elect dryer,vacuum cleaners and other things), but the other day she plugged in a space heater in the spare bedroom and it kicked the circuit breaker. When she told me about it, I told her not to plug it in any more because it could be a fire hazard. ( I admit I don't know Jack about wiring or electrical stuff). But, what could have caused that? Is there something wrong with the wiring, or is the space heater too powerful? Could a smaller one work alright? I have never had a problem with space heaters, but I have heard that some people do.

I hope this isn't considered spam... I'm trying to find DIY disaster stories in the Los Angeles area for a new TV special we are producing early next year. Can anyone help?

I'm pretty sure we've been over this over the last few weeks, but a double-check can never hurt -- our house does not have grounded outlets (built in 1943) -- GFIs in the garage, kitchen, and bathrooms -- if we want broadband internet, they say they need a grounded outlet... I'm basically SOL, right??? Because it's not cost effective to ground an outlet since you'd have to rip through the walls, etc?

Victor, What is on each side of your wall oven? Darla

Tile cannot be set down on any type of wood. The wood absorbs the water from the tinset before it has time to setup. The tiles will pop off/loosen. Use Hardibacker or wonderboard for your underlayment. Message: 1 Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2003 14:33:48 -0500 From: "J M" <jmudri@... Subject: tile setting Hi all, quick question for any tile setters out there. I'm putting down cermaic in my kitchen/morning room. I'm getting ready to put down 15/32 BC Pine plywood as the underlayer -- is this acceptable? A friends grandfather who own and operates a tile installation shop says not to use anything but AC Fir - because the tiles will begin to pop up within a year - is this true? He says there is a residue in pine that prevents the thinset from completly bonding to the plywood. Please let me know ASAP -- the pine goes down tomorrow. Thanks John

of my dining room and an entryway to the upstairs. You'll see what I need the Kilz-behis Primer, and Binn By Zinnser for... Tres's house

I just had Lowe's remove an old double entry door system that was in poor condition. It was replaced with a single door and two sidelights. The new door's threshold is 2" higher than the floor and is now a trip hazzard. Did they install a door made for new construction rather than a replacement door? Is there a difference? Please help me understand what happened so I can at least know what I am talking about when I face them later today. Thank you very much. Dave

Our ejector pump well is filling up and water is coming out of nearby drains. The pump starts a few seconds and shuts off without ejecting water... What can I check? I have thought it may be a check valve, but I wonder if we need to replace the ejector pump. Pump is 14 year old QUICK! BTW--I did replace a sump pump a few years ago...is this as easy? Thanks Al

I'm looking for the best, but least chemical way to strip polyurethane from stained woodwork. Any suggestions/advice? Thanks

I don't have the time or the $$ to remodel my kitchen. The Problem... I have a Oven, built in, gas, Caloric. it is 29" wide. It has a 2 rack oven and a broiler. The temp. sensor is shot, + I get blow back from the oven sometimes. The oven is appox. 34 yo. All the NEW built in wall Ovens are right around 30" to 32".There is a Cabinet on top of the oven and a cabinet on the bottom of it.All the new Ovens have real nice features. but the ovens that fit my openings do not. Does anyone have any ideas? I am handy, I know what side of a hammer to hold and where to plug in a saw. I am truely stuck. Unless I remodel the whole dang kitchen. Thanks for your time. Vic from NJ.

Is there a cheap alternative to Kilz? And will it work?

has anyone ever waterproofed their basement theirselves, I mean the actual tearing up the concrete floor and putting in drain pipes. And if so was it hard?

Im so glad that I found this group! Im in the process of buying a fixer upper, and there is much work to be done. I can hardly wait to get into that house and started. The house was built in 1900 and a college student that was big into partying had it. The house on the inside, surly looks like a party house. Red Gossy paint Dining room, and Black upstairs... The walls are completly black, and so is the carpet up the stairs. Im going to have to stock up on Kilz. I don't think regular base coat will cover it. Plus some of the walls are Plaster, but its in pretty good shape. :)

BlankDoes anyone here have familiarity with tile saws? I ordered a bunch of tile today for a project, and the woman at the tile store pointed out how much easier my life would be if I had my own tile saw. True, I said, except that I am scared to death of power saws so it wouldn't help me much. (I'm not scared of *all* power tools -- just the ones with big round blades that cut things. Haven't gotten over that -- yet! :) Anyway, she said I didn't have to be scared of tile saws because they don't have teeth (they use a diamond blade) and won't cut human flesh. She swore up and down this was true ... does anyone know if it is actually true or not? I sure would like to know!! Second question ... I looked at tile saws at www.harborfreight.com just now and saw a cheaper one that I thought might work for me. (ITEM 40315-1VGA, if anyone wants to look it up.) Can someone tell me what the real differences are between a cheapie like this and the more expensive ones? I am assuming that the cheapie will wear out much sooner, of course, and perhaps the motor is less powerful so it won't cut as hefty a tile. But my project is limited in scope ... and I figure if I get really hooked on this whole tile thing, I can trade up later. I just don't want to buy a $200 tool for a project I may never repeat. What I want to cut is some marble tiles, 3/8" thick. (I have to apologize for my stupidity about these saws ... but since I am scared of saws in general, I have never looked into it before. But one that wouldn't cut me sounds right up my alley! :) Thanks for any light anyone can shed on this! Ann

Hey guys, I need your honest opinion. My friend bought a former crack house through sherif's sale to rehab and re sell. I think it's an awful idea. Looney tunes in fact. Call me crazy but I think it's money wasted. Anyways, she wants to rehab as cheaply as she can for profit. The lighting fixtures look like they've been around since the turn of the century. The copper pipes were ripped out and she's getting some scrubby group of guys to put in dry wall already without fixing the electrical wiring in the walls. That's the good part. I won't even go into the bad stuff. She's setting herself up and exposing herself to potential liability,don't you think? Am I wrong to think this?---luba

Hello all, first post here. We are also having a mold prob. But ours in in the AC ventalation system. We were recently having our ducts cleaned (the difference since then is great, much better airflow), and the guys showed me some mold (not black mold) on some of the wires in the AC unit and showed me how it was also in the ventalation system near some of the ducts... Their solution: have them come out and do the $600 treatment that includes a 6 year garauntee and a check up every 6 months. The garauntee seems like a great one, but $600 is a lot to throw down. It really didnt look like a lot of mold right now, but i dont see how i could clean this one up myself to keep it from growing since it's in the ventalation system... Any suggestions on doing it my self for less? or should i do the treatment? and is that a competitive price? we always shop around, so we will do that if i should just go ahead and get the treatment. Thanks in advance. jeremy

Hints, suggestions on building a home bar in my rec room basement? Dimensions? Wood type etc... Thanks

I hear you about the price tag!! We are still paying off bills from our renovation, so I am being very selective about what new gewgaws we "need." A friend of mine had an ionizing air cleaner, I don't know what brand, and was very happy with it. He said it helped his allergies tremendously. However, I couldn't stand the thing. The air in his house smelled like pepper and it made my chest hurt. I finally had to ask him to turn off his air purifier and open a window when my husband and I were going to be there. So I am somewhat leery about buying an ionizing model for myself! I really just prefer fresh air. We keep our windows open a lot. But maybe in another six months I will look into testing our air and seeing if we have unusual numbers of mold spores. (There are always *some* mold spores in the air unless you live in a bubble, or possibly in the desert.) We did an awful lot of abatement work in this house, though, so I am not really worried about it. I sprayed the interior of the walls (studs etc) with bleach solution, also subfloors, ceilings, anything that didn't move. We put up new drywall and sealed and painted every wall and ceiling in the house. The new flooring has a moisture barrier under it. We also made darned sure we fixed the moisture problem that caused the mold in the first place. (Though I will be keeping an eye on it through the winter as it rains around here, to make sure we didn't miss something.) At any rate, I am pretty satisfied that we have abated the mold problem. Ann

Hi, I've decided to replace all of the privacy locks in my house that have the bulb shaped knobs with locks that have lever type handles. Some have two screws which are easily removed to take the lock apart. I'm have a hell of a time figuring out how to dismantle the locks that have no visible screws. I'd rip the darn things off if I didn't risk damaging the doors. On the inside there is a slot just wide enough to insert the tip of a small flat head screwdriver then I can pull the knob off. There is no such slot on the outside so lock is still solidly in place even with one knob removed. What am I missing? Mike

Does anyone have tips on how to prep an old concrete floor for painting? I'm in the middle of this, using BEHR products, already cleaned carpet adhesive off with Jasco, then used concrete cleaner and degreaser and now am stuck in the etching process. The problem seems to be in the removal of the etcher. I put the etcher on at a 1 part etcher to 1 part water per BEHR, I scrub and scrub with a brush, let it sit 5 minutes, then rinse using the same brush but rinsed out and then use fresh water scrubbing and sucking that up with the WetVac then fresh water about 5 or 6 times, only to have it dry and have white residue. I've called BEHR and they said I had to get the white residue off, only way is with doing the etching again, that he did his garage floor and flushed it with the hose running for 15-20 minutes as he brushed and it came off. And that seems to be where the problem is. How does one equate that with an interior floor in not having the same ability to run a hose? Has anyone done this? How did you do it? How many times did you rinse and how did you do it?

Hi, I mostly just lurk and learn here but now I have a question for you:) I am looking into purchasing a home but the basement has 1 finished bedroom in it, and there is extensive mold growth on the walls. I intend to remove everything, and attempt to correct the water leak problem but I am curious as to how to kill whatever mold remains after the demolition of walls that actually have visible mold. Can mold spores spread throughout the house or do they require moisture to grow? I hope this question makes sense:)Thanks! Teresa

Hello, I am normally a lurcker on this list. First I would like to thank all of you for allowing me to lurk and learn! This list has been a great resource to me as I learn how to do my own home improvements. Recently I have started working on our master bedroom. Refinishing the wood floor has been the biggest project I have taken on. It went well, I learn alot and it looks good;-) I did make a few mistakes that I won't make as I refinish the wood floors through out the house over the next few years. The Masterbath is small and was remodeled by the former owners about 9 years ago. I am working on it now...although I had planned a bit less work then I put into the bedroom. Problem I have is on the wall between the bathroom and the kitchen. About 9 years ago the former owners removed a doorway in this area and put in a solid wall. Which has worked fine for us. But on this wall over the years a black stripe, that is widening and becoming longer with time, has been forming. It "seems" to be forming along the "frame" line of the old doorway. I have primed and painted it several times over the years, this "black line" always seeps through the primer/paint only to be seen again in a short time. Other then showing a "black line" on the wall the across the top of the "old" frame doorway there have been no other problems in this area. I found myself coming up with ideas like placing a wall mirror in this area to cover this "black line". But I am wondering if I should tear out the dry wall and see what is going on behind this wall? Although, there are no outward signs of "mold" I am starting to wonder if it may not be mold behind this wall. Although it seems odd that it is only showing up in the "old frame" and not anywhere else. This black line runs across the top of the old door frame and is now about 1/3 the way down the wall , still on the "old frame" area. I know very little about mold in wall spaces, have learn a little with online searches. I have also never added or removed a doorway and am wondering if this might be from some type of "mistake" made when the area was filled in? My concern is what are the chances this is mold? There is a working/used fan in the bath , but the wall is in a very high humidity area with the bath on one side and kitchen on the other. Any ideas/advice is very much appreciated, Tina

HI, I'm trying to make our house wheelchair accessible for my mother-in-law who will be moving in with us soon. I've installed 36-inch doors to the rooms she will need access to. Now I want to build wheelchair ramps for two 5 1/2 inch risers leading to the living room and kitchen. I'm looking for design advice on building two inexpensive, lightweight and attractive ramps. Thanks. Mike

Hello. The hot water pressure is non-existent in my bathroom shower. However, hot water is fine everywhere else in the house, including the bathroom sink. I've concluded that the problem is the single-handle water valve in the tub. It's the kind that when turned all the way to the right is off, then as you turn left it gets hotter. However, as soon as you get pass the halfway point, it goes from really cold with good pressure to really hot with no pressure. There is no middle ground. My question is, is this something that can be fixed? Is it just a bad washer or something? or would I need to replace the entire assembly? I would like to replace it with dual handles, but that would involve putting in a new wall, which I'm not ready for yet. I would appreciate any comments. Thanks, Josh

Feliway is very effective stuff. But it works best if you get the cat urine smell completely out of whatever it is you are trying to protect -- carpet or couch or whatever. Feliway is a pheromone spray that basically hangs a "smell sign" that says "Don't pee here!" over whatever you are spraying. But if they can still smell pee there anyway, that counteracts the Feliway. As for price, I always do a web search before I order since sometimes I can find it on sale on the Internet. There are a lot of different ways to attack the problem of an incontinent cat. Sometimes it is behavioral and sometimes it is physical and sometimes it is both. It is important to find a really good vet to try and track down the problems. I just talked to my vet this morning about our own "problem child" and he was looking through the cat's old records, and suddenly he noticed that an old test showed a high level of acidity in the urine. The vet told me that cats with a lot of urine acidity sometimes develop stones in their bladder that can keep them irritated and make them continue to pee inappropriately. So sometime soon, we will get a sonogram or X-ray for the cat (when we have a little extra money!) to see if he has those stones in his bladder. There are other remedies, too ... Prozac or buspirone if the problem is behavioral, combined with retraining. Basically, there are a lot of things you can try if you are working with a professional to guide you. IMHO, it's better than giving upa member of the family. Ann

The *entire* room? Some rooms in our house require a combination of switches to turn the whole room off, but individual ones turn off portions of the room(s). As an example one circuit turns off one wall of the kitchen and part of the den, which is on the other side of the wall(though the affected outlet isn't part of that same wall. It also turns off the bathroom upstairs(and overhead). To Jeanne: Re: the rooms that don't appear to be able to be shut off via circuit breaker - I'd have that looked into right away as that's a hazard. It also makes me wonder about the wiring/switch to the ceiling fans. Are the circuits labeled at all at the fusebox? If not I'd label them; makes things a lot easier. Regarding the fans, you could try replacing the switch and see if that works; if not try switching out the fixture and see if another one works. If it does then the next step would be trying to figure out why the first one stopped working :) Rich

Every time it rains heavy here, a corner of my basement slab gets moist and wet. When it rains heavy here, (ie 4 inches a day for 4 days or so) my basement will get about 5 gallons of water. in about a 25 sqft area. The funny thing is, is that it is not at an exterior portion of the basement slab, but it is a closet next to the unexcavated area underneath the stairs. It rained lightly over the past day or so and the corner of the slab was moist. Is there any way or any product available to waterproof/moisture proof/ or dampproof the slab, or is the remedy much more difficult? I'm afraid that if I just waterproof the corner, then hydrostatic pressure will just force the water further along to a new location.

My sister had a cat the urinated all over the house. The cat ended up having a type of feline cancer. She eventually had to be put to sleep, but I believe they now have treatment for this. (We just can't seem to get off the subject of kitties, can we? ;-) ) Kati

Hey All! We have an older house. Built in 1943... just moved in last year, and have lost 3 TVs now in the bedroom (all were older TVs and we thought maybe this was just their time - but now we're getting really suspicious that something is causing them to short out... the first one just wouldn't turn on at all... the second one would turn on and off intermittently... and the third one, well, my wife just called to tell me the news, so I'm not really sure... any recommendations on a good way to check for any fluctuations in the power that might be causing the problems?

Try graphite powder or duy lube. Scratch on the bits with a pencil tip before use. using a wet lube like oil might work, but it might cause the bit to clog up faster, and make your lures smell funny to the fish.

I just pulled my lawnmower cord and it didn't wind back up. This is the 3rd time in five years that this has happened to me. Two different mowers I must add. I am sick and tired of paying to have it repaired. I am wanting to repair it myself. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Has anyone had any experience with using moisture proof paint, ie drylock, on previously painted surface.

Ever have one of those days. Last night at about 6:00 I decided to finally get around to replacing the back sillcock that has been leaking for a while. I already had a replacement and all the copper fittings and pipe I could ever need. After getting the water off and getting the old one removed I went to solider some slight modifications I had to make and I could not find my flux. Last place I did plumbing work was at grandmas house, that is where my flux is. now it is just about 7:00. I go down to the hardware store and he is closing up. Then my wife calls me and says she is thirsty and there is no water. After a trip to the city and two different home centers I finally had flux. It was close to 10:00 and we had water again. Just a normal day in the life of mike.

We would like to replace our florescent lighting with a track light. We had a question though...we actually have a total of two florescent lights (wiring). Since the track light only requires one of those, what do we do with the one that isn't going to be used? Or alternatively, do we HAVE to use them for it to be safe. (i.e. put in a total of two track lights) Of course, our consideration is safety...how safe is it going to be with electricity going through wires going nowhere? Make sense? Thanks in advance for your help. Jen

Hello folks, I am considering buying a manufactured home. anyone know where online i could look at listings of land for sale? thanks :-)

We bought our house this summer (a repo) and noticed two somewhat ominous things...one, the laundry room smelled like cat litter. Two, some of the vent covers, when lifted, had air freshners (like you hang from your rearview mirror) tied to them. Now that it's winter and we've turned on the heat, the house smells like a giant cat litter box. Not horribly; we only notice it if we're standing right over a vent when it starts, and when we come in the door after being gone a while. Even so, it's disgusting and extremely annoying. The smell is definitely coming from the heat/AC ducts; that's where it smells the strongest, and the house has brand-new carpetting and pad. Is there anything we can do about this? -- Debbie Frost

I have a Black & Decker Mouse sander that is giving me problems. The sanding sheets that are supposed to stick to the sanding pad don't. What can I do to make the little buggers stick? The sanding sheets have plenty of stickum so that's not the problem, they just refuse to adhere to the sanding pad. Is there something I can clean the sanding pad with to make them stick? I was thinking maybe I could clean the pad with rubbing alcohol but I don't want to mess it up more than it is already. Any ideas folks? Thanks Hazel

Can anyone tell me the proper mix for stucco? Type of concrete and mixing instructions ? thank you

Hi, I am new to this group and am enjoying all the information. We are planning to put new exterior siding on our house. We want something that will blend into our mountain setting here in North Alabama. We have had trouble with birds and carpenter bees boring into the stuff we have now. It is Cedar or some kind of rough hewn wood. Does anyone have any recommendations? Is there something you can treat Cedar with to keep away the birds and bees? Also is there a website where one can go to get a current cost comparison and pros and cons of the different types (vinyl, hardiplank, cedar etc)? Thanks for any help! Peg

Insulated Concrete Forms! Does anyone here have any experience with this type of construction? Wanted! The good, the bad and the ugly! Ken

My younger brother is in the process of purchasing a house in the northeast. Living in the midwest I cannot believe that a small stone house costs $300K, just nuts. The house while a great property has one huge fault and that is it's stone construction and the act of a previous owner. A previous owner poured a concrete slab abutting one end of the house. During the inspection it was found that the first floor joists are being pushed off of the ledge that are sitting on in the crawl space and at the same time they are being crushed from above by the weight of the house with one joist having fractured back along it's lenght. This is only happening on the end of the house with the slab as the other appears normal. Our theory is that water is getting between the slab and the stone wall then freezing during the winter. Because the slab is very large the stone of the wall gives and is being pushed inward and fractured by the weight of the stone above it. The exterior stone wall is a structural member of the house and carries the weight of the house. Does anyone in the group have any experience with this (Cape Cod) style of house? Our fear is that it will cost many thousands of dollars to repair and if left in it's current state could place at risk the structural integrity of the house. The house has too many other factors in it's favor to simply walk away from the deal. Ken

Hi...... Just a new member and I'm contemplating attempting a simple hopefully DIY loft conversion within my home. Anyone got any useful hints ? Hellen

Folks, What are the appropriate steps (in order, please) for temporarily disabling and/or disconnecting the incoming electrical connections on the exterior of my home while replacing the siding? Does one have the local electrical power company turn off the power while the siding behind the electrical connection is replaced? Or, do I just hire a licensed electrician to handle that while I replace the siding? TIA

Hi All, I'm in process of finishing my basement. I am attempting my first crack installing electricity. Just a quick question here - is it required by code to have an outlet every 8ft? Also, is it ok to run the cabling behind the studs between outlets, rather than drilling through each stud? Thanks John

I know that drinking coffee is not a good idea in cold weather so I cut back to not more than 15 or 20 cups an afternoon during that kind of weather. Coffee causes the blood vessels to dilate and this increased blood flow hastens the cooling of the body. Coffee will also increase the rate of dehydration in hot dry weather. Caffeine has the same effect as alcohol but to a much lesser effect. My personal preference is cold coffee and I usually try to leave at least 1/2 pot in the evening so I can gulp a quick fix when I get up in the morning. I suppose it will kill me sooner or later but heck, everybody has to die of something and at least I will have an idea of the cause, either the coffee or my trusty old pipe. With my luck I'll probably fall off a ladder and break my neck. Dale -- The Old Man of The Plains

Well, since Liz asked: I'm a beadworker/jewelry maker. Been doing it for about 4 years, and even my ever-worsening Carpal Tunnel can't keep me away from my beads, which I consider manual meditation. You can see some of my creations at www.chicagostation.com/jackdaw. If you go to www.chicagostation.com/jackdaw/trunk.htm you can see the ones that are actually available. This page changes constantly, so keep checking back for new stuff (I also do custom work). Jeanne

Could you explain why you shouldn't drink coffee? Message: 13 Date: Sat, 01 Nov 2003 13:35:54 -0000 From: "victor71995" <victor71995@... Subject: Cold weather is coming. FYI, For those of you who work outside in cold weather, don't drink coffee. It is best to drink Hot tea or hot cocoa. In very cold temps, stay inside for a min. of 1 hour to make sure all of your body gets warm.

BlankI am still so excited about this ... I must announce that Herr Inspector signed off on all our projects last week, and we are now finaled! Woo hoo! We have received our official Certificate of Occupancy. (Well, not really a certificate ... he just signed all our job cards and noted their completion. Same thing.) Some of you may remember when we started this project last spring ... I announced my presence on this list with a question about getting rid of mold in houses, when we were still thinking about buying our house, and I am sure I have bored all of you with my many questions over the summer about how to do the subsequent renovation work. But now the mold is gone, the drywall has been replaced, the roof has been replaced, the windows have been replaced, the sump pump and the moisture barrier are in, the elastomeric paint is on the stucco, the dishwasher was shoved in place correctly with exactly 1/8" to spare (remember that debacle? When we installed the kitchen cabinets wrong in relation to the floor, and forgot to leave room for the dishwasher!), the bedroom windows were re-replaced in the correct spot after finding out they were exactly 2" too tall from the floor for fire regulations (and no, of course Herr Inspector didn't even check them afterward!!) ... and we are done. Well, mostly. Still a few "small" jobs like putting in baseboard molding throughout the house, but that seems like chickenfeed now. Mostly I want to say a huge THANK YOU!!!!! to all the members of this list who gave me such great advice, taking time to write out long emails with lots of good ideas and instructions, and even doing things like calling other people to check on things and then emailing me with the answer. Wow, what a friendly and knowledgeable group of people. Seriously, this group helped us so much in our journey toward fixing up this house. It would have been so much harder without your input. I am really sorry that I did not always thank everyone who gave me answers, but in my defense I must say that most of the summer, I was working 12 hrs a day on the house, 7 days a week ... so it was a little hectic. But thank you all now for the great answers! Very sincerely, Ann

Hi guys My washing machine is broken, so I need help. It stopped while doing some laundry, dirty water is still in the machine, and it cannot be restarted. Is it an electrical error, or perhaps something is stuck in the pipe? Pleeeeeese help me... Thanks Kathy

Hi All, I am amazed at all the wonderful advice given on all subjects; learned a lot just reading all the messages. Thank you. My kitchencountertop is fading near the sink area - scrubbing it clean faded the color. Due to various reasons I do not want to replace it. Can I paint the formica? A special type of paint needed? Or can I just put tiles on top? At least around the sink? Thank you Lucie

I have always cut drywall so that the seams butt together over a stud. Out of curiousity,can you tape/spackle a seam if it's not over a stud? Doea anyone do this...or is it just bad practice?

i got a pest problem and i am looking for a solution. a week or so i noticed these little flying bugs or gnats in my kitchen. don't know what they are. they actually seem to be mini flies. they act like flies especially when i try to smack 'em. they will inevitably fly off when i try to hit them and sometimes i can catch them in mid-air. not often though. they showed up about the same time the weather got cool and i started leaving my windows closed. i have done a little spraying in my kitchen and just when i think i might of gotten rid of them, more show up the next day. they are driving me nuts! i have no idea what they are or exactly where they hide. maybe i got a fly colony behind something, i don't know. any help with a solution would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance, phil

FYI, For those of you who work outside in cold weather, don't drink coffee. It is best to drink Hot tea or hot cocoa. In very cold temps, stay inside for a min. of 1 hour to make sure all of your body gets warm.

Hi there- the welcome message suggested a short intro, so here I am before I revert back to lurkdom... My name is Diana, I rent, have been in the same wonderful old cottage for nine years now, soon hope to have the credit to think about buying...well, in a year or two...because the owners will sell to me when I can, and not to anyone else, I feel like it's a house I can invest time and energy in. I am finishing up painting it- the weather is great, but the lady bug type beetles are pests in my yellow paint... There is so much to do inside and out....reglazing windows, sanding/varnishing floors, painting, when I buy I want to re-hang the sheetrock upstairs, it's a finished attic, but I want to enlarge it and move my bedroom up there... also have much landscaping to do, some waterproofing, my bf works at a cabinet manufacturer and gets great big discounts, so that is on my dream list.... Now, an end to the ramble, and my question...Has anyone had experience with the rubbermaid tools? The handles feel great, I have CTS and gripping isn't fun, so comfy tools are great, but are they sturdy/durable? Thanks- Diana

Damn lawyers! MC

I'm looking at installing T4 fluorescent lights both undercabinet as well as in my plate rack...is anybody familiar with a T4 fixture that is greater than 20" in length... Has anybody done this sort of thing with any...I wish I would've... Thanks for any tips, Valerie

Um, yeah, oil is a very popular option :) Our house has central forced air heating and cooling that was put in by the previous owners about 8 years ago now I would guess. I actually prefer baseboard gas heat but ya always compromise somewhere. If you have forced air already obviously that simplifies things a great deal as the ductwork is already run. The cost (and mess) in routing ductwork through an assembled house is significant. Rich

I cut milk jugs into 1/2" X 3" strips, write the name of the plant and the date the seeds were sewn with a "Sharpie". Stick into the planter or the ground and I don't have to try to remember when an item was planted or what it is. Our milk jugs are yellow too, which makes them easy to see. Just thought I'd throw that out there. Cathy in Orlando

If memory serves me correctly I think hot mud contains quick lime but as far as I know it only comes in dry mix since the quick lime is activated with water. Dale -- The Old Man Of The Plains

I'm looking to set up a tubing system to water my plants directly from the water line. But rats frequent our apartment blocks & I'm afraid they'll either chew away the plastic pipes or use them to get into our house through the window. Our house is on the second floor, and the wall between the water tap & our balcony is not accessible from the inside. Any suggestions on how to keep the little critters from getting on the pipes? I had thought of making a small cone on either end of the portion accessible to the rats. This, I hope, might work to deter them from climbing any further. I believe that bird tables have similar cones attached to keep cats from getting to the birds. I'd appreciate some sort of a response from the people here. Thanks. /pranav

I had a vinyl window installed. The inside of the window is flush to the studs - not flush to the drywall. I want to add molding, but I don't know how to handle the 1/2" between the window and the drywall. Any ideas/suggestions?

We've had this old beer keg for about five years. I'm sick of cleaning around it and am seeking suggestions from everyone. This isn't a traditional metal keg, it's black and made of rubber and/or plastic. Since we don't have the "keggerator" any more, it's completely useless to us. I imagine I could cut a hole in it and use it for a rolling composter, but we have much more "yard waste" than will fit. Hubby wants to turn it back to the store for the $20 deposit refund, but there's no receipt and I don't think that will work. ANY suggestions? ANYONE? Thanks in advance! Cathy in Orlando

Does anyone have any thoughts as to which is better, a solid oak door jamb or a finger jointed, veneered one? My initial reaction was that the solid oak would be sturdier, but the dealer said they are more prone to warping. I am replacing some cheap doors in our house with pre-hung oak, six panel doors. We need 5 1/4" inch jambs and I have found them available with finger jointed and with solid oak. I'll be happy to listen to any opinions. Thanks again. Dave

Well, my name is John. And I'm moving to a new home in a month or so. I was given the basement in this home with my 2 roomates, and I had expressed some...distaste about the atrociousness of the walls (turquoise painted cement) and especially the floor (hard, hard, ceramic tile in all the pleasing splendour of an elementary school hallway). I asked my roomate if it was ok if I fixed up the place, even though I have a limited (student) budget. And by the grace of God, he not only gave me permission, but agreed to furnish the cost of whatever materials, furniture, and paint. etc. I needed. Step one has been the fact that we are going to install 3/4 inch maple over the floor. The man is an architect, so I assume he knows all this stuff. And then I'm going to do all the other labour. Thing is, I don't know how to do stuff like install track lighting which I plan on doing...so if anyone knows how to do that...let me know. I'm doing an asian/modern motif. Like a zen-style ultramodern sort of room. The bed will be a simple platform about 1.5 feet off the ground with a futon matress on it. Contrasting colors (sage, white, and black) very clean, minimalistic and lots of space. So, I guess I'll check in when I come to something I don't know how to do...

Has anyone ever heard of the Stiebel Electron heating system? My boyfriend has one. When he bought his house, the previous owners had removed the controls that allow each unit to be adjusted and he has never been able to find controls. It's unreal. As soon as it's chilly enough for the heat to be on at all, it's on full blast. But no one seems to know anything about these systems anymore. His house was built around 1972. If anyone can point me towards a dealer, company or other resource for parts for these systems, I'd appreciate it. Janice

I want to drain and winterize my doughboy for the winter, but can't get the last 2 feet of water out. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm desperate! Thanks in advance for any advice.

Why not switch agents or search for a different homeowner's policy? I did that last year and lowered my premium. Keep in mind, however, that when earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and wildfires strike, it affects every policy holder no matter where they live. LC

Hello, I am in the process of purchasing and old farmhouse that is in desperate need of renovations so I will have tons of questions for everyone here. Thanks for the advice on how to remove those ugly vinyl tiles from the hardwood:-) My next question concerns tile in both the kitchen and bathroom. Both floors need to have a new subfloor put down due to previous water damage and I would like to install ceramic tiles in both rooms. I want to use a terra cotta in the kitchen but I don't know what to try in the bathroom. (I have zero experience with tile, so this will be interesting:-) How would I seal this tile for use in the kitchen and bath, without making it slippery? Thanks! Teresa

BlankWe have to replace our door to the garage with a solid-core fire door (Herr Inspector insists), and we discovered a fairly large problem a little while ago when we went to put the new door on. We were just switching out doors, not putting in a whole new door frame, and it turns out that the places in the old door frame where the hinge screws go is pretty well reamed out. Is there anything at all we can do to fill those in besides replacing the wood underneath? (Which is a real problem for us at the moment.) I know that wood putty won't work, since it crumbles under any pressure. I thought of shooting some epoxy into the holes, letting it set up, and then trying again. Would that work? Or is there something else that would work? Time is of the essence here ... we can't put up ANY door at all now until we get this fixed!! Thank you! Ann

My husband and I are getting ready to build a loft bed for our 3 year old grandson. I've looked at the Lowe's project and it's too expensive and too complicated. Does anyone know of any other site with plans? And do you think 2 x 4's are sufficiently strong for the corner posts or do we have to use 4 x 4's? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated! Mary Anne

Hello to all! I posted some pictures in a folder called Playset of a little (cough) backyard project I did for a friend last year. One lucky little kid is all I can say! Ken

Sorry if you receive from both lists : ) Does anybody recommend using the liquid sand products in wood prep for kitchen cabinets/doors/drawers/etc. ? I have washed/filled/sanded/vacuumed them but would this really make a difference? or do I just wipe the surface down to prepare to prime? If so, is there a particular product that anybody has had success with?

Greetings, I'm new to the group. Can someone tell me what type of electrical boxes I can use, or must use, when running the electrical wires? I don't know if plastic boxes are allowed, or if metal boxes are required. What about grounding? I live in Maryland and haven't found any rules or reqs on this. Thank you.

Had the idea that maybe I could make more room in my kitchen if I changed the hinges on the door leading to the garage so it opens towards the garage instead of towards the kitchen... is this as easy as removing the door, changing the hinge placement and reattatching?? or am I getting myself into a lot more trouble?

About 30 seconds after you flush our toilet, the house sounds like there's a foghorn in the basement. Anyone know what's going on? It's spooky.

Hi, My husband and I are looking into purchasing an older farmhouse with hardwood floors. The problem is that a previous resident put down those 12x12 vinyl floor tiles over the hardwood and I have no idea how to remove them with the least amount of damage to the hardwood floor under them. Anyone have any idea's about this is done? Thanks, Teresa

I will be constructing a custom tile shower. Can anyone offer advice or suggestions for building the mortar bed base? How about referrals to web sites or other resources? I want to be sure that I end up with good drainage in the shower and no leaks. Does anyone have experience building the tile curb at the shower door? Is there a standard size/height that the curb should be? Thanks in advance for your help!

Is it OK to shut off the furnace in a vacant house if outside temps do not drop below 40 deg? Only concern I have is the water pipes. Is there any thing else I should be concerned about?

Hi, I have been lurking here as well as in the Interior Motives group and thought I should probably show my virtual face. I have enjoyed reading both boards and hope that I can be of help to some people here, as my husband and I are DIYers as well as getting ready to completely revamp our home. So that's it. Happy Monday! Kati

First - thank you very very much for helping me with this list - I am eternally grateful! If it wasn't for you, the list would probably be defunct now. Second - please make sure that when you approve a post from a new member, set their status to "USES GROUP SETTINGS" - - - - don't set it to "UNMODERATED" Thanks Thanks again for everything! You guys do a great job! now back to your regularly scheduled project discussions ;o) Liz

Hello all, I have been lurking and I was nervous about asking but I am so thrilled with all the helpful ideas I have seen here, I feel like I am with my best friends, Here's my dilema I am looking for any suggestions please. We have a fireplace on a wall in our living room which is red brick. I would like to paint it and not sure exactly what type of paint I HAVE to use. As I want to paint the living room a light camel color, I would like to take the same flat paint and use on fireplace. Will be replacing the painted boring mantle with a oak mantle which will go with the mission style furniture I have in that room. I also am looking forward to makeing a wooden insulated board which will fit into opening that will help keep the warm air in the room and not up the damper. Figure I can have a decorative design on the front for decoration. If anyone has any helpful hints I would sure love to hear them. Thanks, Lisa

As part of the remodel/redecoration project of my second floor condo, I am considering revamping my fireplace. It is presently on a raised hearth about 9" above the floor level. I want to lower the hearth and fireplace down to the floor, then, change the character and style of the mantle while making it deeper (more utilitarian than ornamental) and finally, add a river rock facade around the entire enclosure. I realize that any actual alterations will depend on the conditions required by the fireplace/flue installation and it's code and safety needs. In the mean time, I've been looking at cultured rock to install for the facade. I could really get into a true natural stone installation, but am sure it is not practical if even possible under my conditions. I've found several styles of cultured stone I like, but have one major problem with this type of stone. It doesn't feel like real river rock!!! The stone's surfaces have a soft, chalky, dusty texture to them. They do not have the feel of real water washed, rounded, river rocks: hard and smooth surfaces. When I complained about the texture of the stone, a salesman suggested using a sealer on them, saying that it would give the results I wanted. Has anyone tried this aproach? If so, How well does it work? Thx FF

I am considering replacing the exterior door for my kitchen and was wondering if anybody has any 'big box' doors they like that are steel/insulated...at least I think this is they type of door I would like...It will need to have a 9-paned window in it...or something like that. I have not been happy with the door my husband ordered from Stanley that is steel insulated with a steel frame (for the garage entry)...the hinge side has a strange gap... Or, are there any 'custom' doors that anybody has particularly liked...if you've gotten into new construction, etc. I'll also need to replace the storm door... Thanks for any info, Valerie

If anyone sent me an email message to groups@..., they have been bouncing, please resend your email to me - the addy is working now. Gee, I thought everyone was awful quiet LOL Liz group owner

Hello everyone. Just want to be in a group to learn. I have done a few diy projects such as installing garage door opener, painting, appliances repairing, electrical installations. I am trained in electronics engineering, but like to get my hands on other things around the house. Tom.

Not only does the vent have to go to the outside, but the length of the vent is limited by the dryers ability to blow the air through the vent. Check the manual or manufacturer for the maximum length your vent run can be. Message: 2 Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 19:30:57 -0400 From: "MC" <mc@... Subject: Dryer Vent Got a question. If I vent my dryer vent down into my crawl space, will this create a problem, in the long run? Right now my other choice is to vent it out through two rooms. MC

Good idea or bad? They will get wet from the shower...but if sealed properly and coated with a lot of coats of poly, is this a good option?

Hi, My wife and I are preparing to have my mother-in-law who is confined to a wheel chair, move in with us. We are converting my ground floor office to a bedroom. We will be widening doorways and pulling up carpet in the room to facilitate her maneuvering the wheel chair. We are expecting to find bare concrete under the carpet. We are considering finishing the concrete so as to create an attractive floor. Does anyone have suggestions on problems we should anticipate, tools we will need and how best to approach this project? Thanks in advance. Mike

Anyone ever make their own garage doors? After pricing a few replacement overhead doors, I'm thinking about it. Any information? It seems straightforward to me, just remove the old ones and make new ones out of plywood and some trim. What am I missing?

Got a question. If I vent my dryer vent down into my crawl space, will this create a problem, in the long run? Right now my other choice is to vent it out through two rooms. MC

Hi - Am redoing kitchen on a tight budget. Thought I had no choices but laminate for our countertops. Found a product online called granicoat. It's a solid surface. Sounds really good and they say they are priced as reasonably as laminate. Anyone hear of it or have seen it used. Is it as durable as they say? Is it inexpensive? I am in Philadelphia area - anyone know of someone who has used or installs it? It sure looked good in the pictures (ha). Thanks for the info. Iva

Hi there, I'm new to the group and new to home repair/remodeling. I'm looking for some advice on tools that I should purchase to help with my projects. I'm thinking that a good table saw would be essential but I don't know which one to get. I've heard good things about the Dewalt 746 and Jet's Super Saw but don't know if they are good for novices? Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks,