Do it yourself

I would opt for either, polyacrylic satin or a acrylic clear filler? ===== James L. Wolcott

REMODELING OUR 1928 LOS ANGELES HOUSE, FOUND A BEAUTIFUL ANTIQUE WOOD DOOR WITH 9 GLASS PIECES AND BEAUTIFUL BRASS LOCK, WHICH INCLUDED ABOUT 8 COATS OF PAINT OF EVERY POSIBLE COLOR, GREEN REDS, SILVER, BLACK, BROWN, ETC. WE STRIPPED THE DOOR, WHICH STILL SHOWS SOME OF THE REMAINING COLORS AT LITTLE DENTS AND MARKS, ADDS CHARACTER TO OUR RECENTLY APPLIED COAT OF DIAMOND FINISH BARNISH,EXCEPT NOW I HAVE ABOUT 14 OR MORE LITTLE PIECES OF BRASS,THAT ANTIQUE AND ALL, HAVE ALL KINDS OF SLAPPY PAINT JOB SPLASHES AND A THICK COAT OF OIL RED PAINT, HOW CAN I REMOVE THAT THICK COAT OF PAINT FROM MOST OF THE BRASS PIECES, WITHOUT RUINING THE FINISH OR RATHER NATURAL LOOK???? I KNOW YOU GUYS KNOW IT ALL, THANKS. PATRICIA

What's the best way to clean and seal the solid slab of black slate in front of my fireplace. It's in the family room so the stains are probably thinks the kids have spilled. The finish is rough but the slate absorbs everything. Water, detergent and a stiff brush did nothing. Then I'd like to seal it so it stays clean. Thanks. Jill

I guess you ve considered owens pink blown insulation? ===== James L. Wolcott

does anyone know if plexi glass can be restored? by rubbing it out with something?

I have a question on refinishing vintage chairs.... I bought four of them and they are a bit beat up in spots.... and the cushion I want to change out. But I was wondering how I would refinish the wood. I don't want to strip it .... but I want to get rid of the little dings and shine it up a bit. What is the best method of doing it and how do I do it? Thanks, Angela

I am going to be siding my addition and replacing most of the siding on my house. Question is there a down fall to using only vented soffits? On older siding jobs I have looked at every third piece of soffit was a vented piece, but on some more recent work all the soffit is vented. I was be using power vents and most of the new jobs I have looked at have ridge vents. Has anyone used the vinyl fascia instead of metal? I don't have a break some I was thinking of using the vinyl but have not seen any of it before. Thanks Robert R.

A good sound dampening system is via, Owens Corning. Contact your local outlet, or look up the name via Y! for thier website? ===== James L. Wolcott

Anyone have a great suggestion on what to use to sound proof my new walls I am building? What works and what doesn't work? Thanks, Ray www.mountainviewdome.com

In a message dated 7/16/2004 7:56:23 PM Central Daylight Time, Quiltingfriend@... writes: you don't :-) My mother was a paperhanger, as was her father before her. I have been hanging paper since I was big enough to paste it. You start in an obscure corner, where it is least likely to be noticed. And you work your way around and unfortunately you may not match when you meet yourself in that corner. Sometimes you can minimize the difference further if you start where there is something less decorative on the border. So if it looks like this .......&&&&&....... I'd be more likely to start in the midst of the ...... (does that make any sense??) Sidney

Are you talking of a old kouse sorta appearence? Look at the links on my group,via my Y prof ile? Woodworking, for esthetic ideas; ===== James L. Wolcott

I don't know if this is a question for this group of the Interior Motives group, I thought I'd see if anyone here could help me first. When your handing wall paper border how to you get the start and finish corner to match up? There has to be a secret to getting the paper to line up right. I appreciate anyone's help. Thanks, Lisa

Hello everyone, My daughter had put stickers on her ceiling fan, which is white. When she took them off it took the paint off also. Can I spray paint the ceiling fan blades with regular spray paint? Thanks for your advice! Lisa

While I was hospitalized & then home but immobilized, my daughter decided to add a number of strays to our then household of 5 cats (now down to 4). The strays apparently didn't know what a litter box was & the resident cats soon followed suit, with my teen only cleaning up rather lackadaisically. The resident cats now use their box faithfully, so resoiling is not a problem. I pulled the already horrid 70's era carpet, but the smell is still STRONG (luckily we both have severe sinus problems) even after repeated dosings/scrubbings of the enzyme cleaners to the hardwood. My house is 103 yo and the floors need refinishing anyway, but don't have the $ to have it done or the abilty to hold the big sander steady right now. Since the problem is isolated to the edges of the room, would it be possible to lightly sand just the perimeter for now, dose regularly with more enzyme stuff and either leave unfinished or finish. Looks for the short term aren't that big an issue (the perimeter is hardly visible anyway), I just want to be able to refinish completely with no problems in a year or two. Any advise will be VERY appreciated, as I'd like to be able to have company without having to hand out gas masks!! Marci

Hi, all! I just joined, and I love the comeraderie and humor here! Five years ago, we moved into a 1947 post-war cottage that was built in a hurry right across the street from a (now closed) air force base. Our first adventure was finding out that we had what is called "orangewood" (I think that was the name of it) sewer pipe. Never heard of it before, but it was actually tarpaper! Metal was scarce after the war. Now I'm ready for a little bit of voluntary diy remodeling. Old and shallow kitchen cabinets. Money is tight. I want to replace the sloppy, diy tile countertop with an undermount sink. It looks like they put it together with concrete? Or didn't seal the grout or something? I'd just as soon re-use the old-but-functional lower cabinet. Is it complicated to move it out 2 inches from the wall? The current 22-inch depth is keeping me from putting in a built-in dishwasher. What is the cheapest or simplest countertop to re-use my undermount sink? I want to learn to do my own diy ceramic tiling. That way I can add a matching backsplash. Thanks in advance to all who can throw clues my way. LOL! Singing Alto Katy aka "cantemoose"

I really want to build (convert) two doorways to arched walkways. I have found archway kits on the internet, but want to build a frame with normal (Home Depot) type materials. Yeah, ok... I want to see what I am getting before I buy it. Anyway, what is the best method to do this? Thanks in advance.

I have aluminum accordian hurricane shutters and live on the coast in florida. I was wondering if anyone knew the steps to refinish them, i.e. strip off the old paint, how to prime and repaint, what equipment and supplies to use to complete the job and any tips on how to extend the life of the paint job. thanks, Rob

First thing to do is run the thing and see if its worth putting any money into. If thats okay then the fix-up is no big deal. You can clean and lightly sand the inside of the tub and put another coat of gel coat on it and replace some tiles along the top. Considering the prices of these thing new, you may have a deal. Oh yeah, check the heater out, a new element is about 50 bucks. But most of the time the wiring might need some cleaning up. If you need to replace some pvc use Oatey Rain or Shine as a cement. Any more questions ,,let me know,,,,been there, done that.

I need to install a peep hole in the front door, my drill has a 3/8" chuck, but I need a 1/2" hole...any suggestions? Thanks, Steve

Two stips of horizontal siding on my house have come loose at one end. Most of the strips are still in place, so they aren't hanging down or anything, but they aren't secure. What does it take to get these re-attached to the house? Do I just nail them in? I know nothing about siding. The warranty on my house expired in April (the one where they repair everything because it's brand new)! Thanks, Megs

If I already have water lines in the laundry room (for the washer), then how hard is it to add a sink? Do I need seperate water lines for the sink? Thanks! Megs

I have used electronic thermostats for years and swear by them. In this house, I allow the temp to go to 80 during the day, but about 5pm I have it cut down to 75 before I get home. Now I'm beginning to worry that that may be to severe a drop. Seems that I read an article once that said if you have the high temp too high, when you drop it, it will use more electricity than if you left it set closer to the lower temp. (Instead of dropping from 80 to 75, maybe drop it from 78 to 75). Does anyone know of a rule of thumb for this,, how big a spread can/should there be before you are wasting electricity and over working the A/C unit. I know there may not be any exact answers to this, so educated opinions are appreciated. <- Richard - (All Outgoing Mail Scanned by Norton Antivirus )

Your probably using a roller. If you want to really paint on an even coat then you have to use a brush. Now how you get around that is to put the paint on the wall with a roller and then immediately work the paint around with a brush. It really doesn't take that much longer.

What causes this phenomenom and how can I correct it?

This is a way (CHEAP) way that we use. Between the cats and dogs, we had to find something..................Clean up pets urine..................Combine a small amount of liquid detergent & 3 tablespoons of vineger in 1 quart warm (don't put the paw in the warm water or you'll have to start all over again ). Sponge the soiled area untill clean, rinse/ blot till clean with warm water NOTE Luck (II know you know this, just felt I had to say iti :-) FOZ Remember the POW/MIA , theres still Hope

I have a bunch of tools that are rusted, and I'd like to get rid of the rust, then oil them up to help keep them in better condition. What do you suggest for rust removal, and what type of oil to rub them down with? These are carving tools, and smaller indoor types of hand tools. They got rusted while in storage. Thanks Wendy You can't get to second base, while you foot's still on first

There are lots of pet odor eliminators on the market. You can get them at pet stores, Wal Mart and the bigger grocery stores. It has an enzyme in it that will neutralize the odor. They really work and I would use them before steam cleaning the carpet. Be gentle with YourSelf Sue

Hi Folks, My little buddy did my hallway carpet last week. I'm not going to have time to steam clean the whole place before guests arrive next weekend. Anybody got any suggestions?

Dumb question of the day. How do you know when you have adequately primed a new sheetrock wall. When I have done previously painted walls I have used two coats of primer. Basically a nice even finish. I have been told 1 coat is enough but there are lap marks. I figure the primer needs to be perfect since it is the base coat. I'm using a Behr Premium latex primer. Thanks Robert R.

Hi, Everybody! Is there any way to tell if a fiberglass tub is a drop-in covering another tub or if it replaced a previous tub? I've lived in this house for 25 years and the house is 50 years old. TIA.

I have several projects in mind that require pavers--which I can't afford right now. I saw some chunks of fallen limb about a foot across and a light went off--saw slices and use them as pavers. Since I live in an older neighborhood (with old trees) fallen branches are readily available after a good storm and thanks to the large walnut trees in the yards on either side of me, some even deliver themselves. How thick should I cut the slices? I thought about using deck finish or something similar on the top surface, but wonder if I should also use something on the bottom and sides to delay decomposition. I plan on excavating the whole area to be paved, then laying down a bed of sand, arrange a variety of sizes, fill cracks in with sand partway & the rest of the way with dirt so I can plant small creeping vines in between (thinking creeping white thyme). Can you see any problems with my idea? Any suggestions? Thanks, Marci

Hello all, I am retired. My wife still works. We are remodeling one of our bathrooms. I may need some sound advice from time to time. I am surely not a craftsman but need something to take up some of my time Les

I purchased about two years ago a mk-diamond wet tile saw (It looks like a small table saw) from Lowes for less than $100. It does a very nice job, and still cuts as well as it did when I first purchased it, and it at this point done two bathrooms, including the floor in one, a kitchen floor, and a few other smaller projects. 4. for tile and brick work, a wet saw. Rent for small projects, purchase if doing a lot (try to figure out in advance if rental fees for the life of the projects exceeds purchase cost).

1. Wire cutters/strippers 2. Metal ruler 3. Weller Soldering iron 4. Air Compressor (5 hp) 5. Exacto knife 6. Ott light 7. Porter Cable Nail Gun 8. Porter Cable Brad Nailer 9. Table Saw 10. Scroll Saw

I need help with a garbage disposal. Everytime I turn it on it makes this low humming and then kicks the reset button. I then hit the reset and it does it all over again. Do I need to install a new one or is there something that I can do to remedy this situation much cheaper?? Thanks, Ken

We've done this before, but for the benefit of our newer members, let's launch a Favorite Home Improvement Products thread. And this time, we're going to have rules! Rule number one: You gotta think of ten products. Rule number two: No listing duct tape because everyone already knows about that. I shall start...in no particular order... 1. Sikaflex Construction Sealant. This is a polyurethane caulk invented in Switzerland, and it has multiple uses. It makes a decent household glue. You can make great rubber motor mounts out of it. And you can use it as caulk. I used to go through a case of silicone caulk a year; I'm on my sixth tube of Sikaflex out of the case I bought in March and it's only July. 2. Hanger iron. This is a roll of inch-wide sheet steel with holes an inch apart all the way down the strip. It's great for quickie bracing. 3. A quarter-inch-drive ratchet. Any bolt you can turn with a 1/4" drive socket is likely to have real small threading on it. So what do we do? Throw an adaptor onto a 3/8" drive ratchet and proceed to strip the threads right off the sides of the bolts. With a 1/4" drive ratchet in your toolbox, a tool that's only about six inches long, you're not going to do that. 4. Square-drive screws. In Canada they're called Robertson screws and are a source of national pride. The slick thing about a Robertson screw is that the driver doesn't cam-out of the recess like it does on a cross-tip or flat-tip screw. 5. A rubber hammer. Sometimes one must "motivate" an assembly by whacking it with a hammer. Rubber hammers do not leave dents in the work. 6. Japanese handsaws. The Japanese handsaw cuts on the pull stroke, which allows it to be thinner than a Western saw. It's also easier to cut straight with a Japanese handsaw. 7. Combination squares. The combination square is that funky little square that has the sliding metal block. This is so handy for setting the cut depth on a tablesaw--set the depth on the combination square, put the square on the saw table with the block over the highest point on the blade, and crank the blade up until it touches the bottom of the square. Fast and accurate. 8. A digital multimeter. You can get one of these for about ten bucks and it can save you from a horrific death. It can also save you money and time. Say you've got a light that won't come on when you flip the switch. The first thing to do is change the bulb. If that doesn't work, the next thing to do is to change the switch. But if you have a multimeter, you can test that switch first. It may not be bad. The fixture itself may be bad. 9. Autobody sandpaper. This comes in really fine grits--1500 and 2000 are what I keep around. I love 2000-grit sandpaper for sharpening chisels and kitchen knives. 10. Shellac. This is good for two things in the workshop. First is furniture finishing--you get the very best gloss with this product. It makes polyurethane look sick. It is also good for stain/odor coverage; if you are attempting to renovate a rental property where the last renter loved to smoke cheap cigars, just wash the walls good with spic-and-span, let them dry, brush on a coat of shellac and the stench of Phillies and White Owls will trouble you no more. -- --jmowreader

The new deck I'm building will have a curved overhang. I'll be planning two treated 1 by's down to 3/8" thickness. I'll bend the first board around and screw it to the ends of the curve/cut joists, appling glue, then attaching the second board over the first with more screws. I'd like to know the best exterior wood glue for the laminating. Thanks Patrick

Any body got any tips on re-hanging a long length of metal gutter? It tends to flex and bend quite a bit. I carefully took it down to repair the fascia board behind it. The board was solid but poorly attached, (nailed along the bottom but not the top) and the weight of the gutter pulled it away. I screwed in short pieces of 2x4 to have attachment points along the top end of the fascia and reinstalled it. I just have to put the gutter back up. From what I read it should have a 1/4 pitch for every 10 ft.

On Thursday, Jul 15, 2004, at 08:58 US/Eastern, Phil & Dana Potocki UGL Drilok works okay. It's made to coat the inside of concrete water tanks, concrete swimming pools and other such structures. -- --jmowreader

Fully understanding the extent to which this poor girl is challenged by her lack of living skills, and knowing that should she have any of the standard forms of lubricants that might be used, she wouldn't be able to find them, might I suggest the following alternatives. Olive oil, cooking oil, sewing machine oil, a hair dryer to warm the lock and apply some melted lip balm, baby oil, castor oil,remove the dip stick from the car and drip some oil into the lock (if you know where it is located}---- and if all else fails, move to a location where you don't have to keep everything under lock and key. Dale

Buying a new padlock might be cheaper than getting a spray can of teflon. And it goes without saying that it woukd be a heck of a lot easier. Joe In a message dated 7/10/2004 10:52:37 AM Central Standard Time, flamnembr@... writes: ok, so what do i use to lube it??? remember, i might be the moderator, but severely challenged here <grin Feisty by Nature Trinity

Hi, I want to add a 20x20 bedroom to my house. Can anyone share their experiences in doing such project. I'm loong for as much information as I can get before starting this project. I have initial questions like - 1. How to get city approvale for such building. 2. How much (approx) it'll cost me 3. Who should I call for the project ? Architect ? Contractors ? 4. How long will it take to finish this project ? thanks a lot -s

Jim, They are having the same classes here in KC--I'll be there--I love them! The store where I attend is lucky enough to have WOMEN available to teach other women. A lot of the ladies I talked to found it much less threatening to be taught by another woman. The one class I've been to that was taught by men (cornices) was like Keystone Cops--they hadn't used a mitre saw in a while & the whole class was spent with them trying to figure it out. I really wanted to learn how to cut & install it for my old house, so I hope the class is offered again--once they've had some practise. Since you do not have the advantage of feminine ingenuity, I'll help-- picket fence beds works lovely in a garden themed room, among others (not that the women in your class will need help in deciding how to use it once it's made)! Besides, knocking a hardheaded male noggin' into windows, doors, etc is a much more useful way of breaking & entering. LOL-Hope you don't mind some razzing from a newbie, but I just couldn't resist. Marci

We are wanting to expand the width of our patio but the tiles (terra cotta)that are currently down are no longer avaliable. We don't really want to tile over or remove the exisiting tiles so we are looking for ideas on how to mix designs/materials and still keep the patio looking nice. Any suggestions???

At 6:30 pm at the Home Depot in Fayetteville, we will be participating in the national Do It Herself Workshops night. I will be presenting two classes: "You can Build a Decorative Display Cube" (I am making a sample one right now; it's very nice with cherrywood sides and a walnut bottom) and "You can Build a Headboard with Fence Pickets." Inspired by the hit TLC show "Trading Spaces," this headboard is the perfect thing to break into your neighbor's house and install if they manage to do something to really piss you off. It is, without a doubt, the single ugliest thing I will ever make, but it might work in a kid's room in an overall "Tom Sawyer" theme. Anyway, we're having free refreshments so come on down. -- --jmowreader

Probably the easiest remedy you can try is to run a dehumidifier. In Wisconsin we have had a very rainy spring and summer. I am running two dehumidifiers and have had no water or mold problems. Joe In a message dated 7/8/2004 10:15:53 AM Central Standard Time, potocki@... writes: Im having a problem with a damp basement it is alwasy very humid to the point where i was getting my wifes saddles out and they were covered with mold i dont live near a lake and im on a hill the dirt is very sandy. im also having a problem with my water line comming in to the house that on certian days it sweats real bad to the point where i have a good size puddle underneath the pipe

Im having a problem with a damp basement it is alwasy very humid to the point where i was getting my wifes saddles out and they were covered with mold i dont live near a lake and im on a hill the dirt is very sandy. im also having a problem with my water line comming in to the house that on certian days it sweats real bad to the point where i have a good size puddle underneath the pipe thanks phil

Here is one for you to contemplate - I still do. I worked for a commercial photographic firm here in Utah. We were a well known local firm that was in business since 1890. Not 1980, not a typo. We were also one of the oldest Eastman Kodak dealers in existence. I ran this custom lab, and we processed hundreds of rolls of film per day, at times. Not to mention everything else, from extremely large format black and white sheet film like Cirkit and Banquet sizes, to glass plates, and hundreds of thousands of feet of 5 and 10 inch aerial film. All roll sizes were processed in large ceramic deep tanks, using racks and hangers; sheet and plates in smaller hard rubber tanks. All prints were washed for an hour in a Pako drum. Vast numbers of prints went through our labs every month, from 3-1/2 x 5 prints to murals. With absolutely no interruption, our lab ran Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 8 PM, nonstop, since 1890. Never in our history did we attempt to recover a single speck of silver from our solutions. Not ever. I wonder to this day how much money we lost because we did not recover silver. All effluents were dumped into the sewer system. Our solid material traps would clog monthly, and copper scouring pads would heavily plate with silver. Tons of this sludge was dumped. I am betting we lost a literal fortune in silver, especially when the silver costs were so high. I think we probably dumped far more than a ton of silver. Bob

I had that happen. Luckily the drain was right near the water heater, so nothing flooded. I let mine go for about six months. It gradually got worse and the trickle became a stream. That's when I knew that I could not procrastinate anymore. The noise also became very annoying. It began to sound like I had a drum corps practicing in the basement. Joe In a message dated 7/7/2004 4:52:50 PM Central Standard Time, drywall2155@... writes: If the water heater were to go,,, you wouldn't just dump 40 or 50 gallons of water on the floor. The cold water line that is connected to it will continue to keep filling the tank,,,which of course would continue to leak out. If you were not home at the time and didn't know it was happening,,,,you could flood the entire house,,or basement or wherever it is.. Todays tanks are much more fuel efficient annd have a much faster heat recovery time than the old models.. It woud pay for itself to replace it.

Hi, all What brand did everyone use for laminate flooring. Chris Hunter

Today I was selling lumber when a guy approached me. He had a shirt and hat on that advertised a roofing company, and later I saw his truck--he was a roofer. "Sir, can you help me?" 'Yes, what would you like?' He hands me a rough sketch of a roof. "Can you tell me how many square feet are in this roof?" A roofer who can't figure square footage? Crazy, man. After I figured it out for him (it was a 1200-square-foot roof) he then asked how many squares (a square-100 square feet) that would be. It's right on the shingle package in big letters: One square=100 square feet. Make sure you go to this guy. -- --jmowreader

If the water heater were to go,,, you wouldn't just dump 40 or 50 gallons of water on the floor. The cold water line that is connected to it will continue to keep filling the tank,,,which of course would continue to leak out. If you were not home at the time and didn't know it was happening,,,,you could flood the entire house,,or basement or wherever it is.. Todays tanks are much more fuel efficient annd have a much faster heat recovery time than the old models.. It woud pay for itself to replace it.

My gas water heater has been leaking for a couple of months now, due to rusting at the base. It's working just fine (so far) but has been increasing very gradually. I assumed it automatically meant replacing it, but someone told me they thought it could be rpaired although they didn't know how. Is this possible and if so how? I imagine it would be a stop gap measure, but at this point anything safe that would buy me some time before I have to replace it would help. Without (or with) repair, how long can I expect it to keep going before replacement is mandatory? I have an oversize one currently and would like to replace with the same size, as never running out of hot water quickly is a luxury I've never enjoyed 'til now, but just can't afford to do so at this time. Thanks, Marci

I'm building a deck and just extended the water lines since the old outside faucet on the house will be covered by the deck. The I ran the pipe under the floor joists. I've never used the black plastic pipe that comes in 100 foot rolls, and of course since I just finished installing it, I'm wondering if I should have used the rigid white pvc that I've always used in the house. I used 1" from the basement to the center of the deck and and then T'd into two seperate 3/4" lines for two faucets. I didn't use any plastic connectors at all, and the only steel I used was the fitting with threads on one end and barbs on the other. The guy at the hardware store seemed knowlegable and said if I heated the end of the pipe with a hair dryer before inserting the fitting, and then heated it again and put the clamp on tight, I'd never have a leak. I did have a couple of very slow drips at the fittings, so I loosened the clamps, reheated and tightened the clamps again. No leakes after that, but after the plastic cooled I went back around to the fittings and noticed I could tighten the clamps even more. My deck will be too low to crawl under, so after the decking is on, it would be a major job to repair fittings. How good or long lasting is this black pipe, and is there anything else I can do now to make sure I don't have problems in the future? Also, if I shouldn't have used the black plastic to begin with, I'd like to know. I did use 160 psi. Thanks for your comments. Patrick

(corrected...) The silver concentration in the fixer has to be pretty high before it's recoverable this way. -- --jmowreader

Does anyone have any ideas on how to remove moisture from insulated glass?

I don't want to sound rediculious, but there is always the possibility that the "hot" water pipe is not really connected to the hot water system anymore,,,and it may be on the cold water line. Please don't ask how. The good part is that it's got running water and you can actually attach a separate electric hot water heater under the sink with a lot less effort than tearing out a concrete wall. All the hell they're going to do in there is wash thier hands and it's not worth driving yourself crazy over.

I'm going into Evil Slumlord Mode for this one... Apparently, the original poster has moved into a hovel that she sees great potential in. It is falling down (because the current owner thinks it's a hovel) and she's willing to fix it up. If it was my hovel that you wanted to eventually purchase, I'd let ya fix it up for cost plus ten percent taken off the rent--if you weren't in there, it would just sit and I'd have to pay the property taxes on it anyway, so no great loss there--let you get all the way done, then either go out of my way to find you in breach of your lease, giving me grounds to evict you, or have the place appraised after you did all of the renovations before setting my price. In real life I wouldn't do that because (1) the company that makes Thorazine doesn't make enough of it in a year to get me through a week of being a rental-property owner, (2) if I was a rental-property owner I wouldn't put a place that was as run-down as the one you describe up for rent (in North Carolina you legally couldn't anyway) and (3) if I really did have a place that run-down with an interested buyer, I think I'd just do a self-financing setup, in which you give me what you're paying in rent now and I call it "payments" instead of "rent." If I were you, I would find another place to buy that doesn't need everything done to it, right now. -- --jmowreader

Hello, I am trying to replace my wall thermostat with a new digital programmable unit. I bought one and noticed once I got home that it says it isnt compatible with multifunction units. I have a central AC/heat unit that has emergency heat but not auxillary heat. Is this a multifunction unit? Also I have 6 wires going into the thermostat and I'm not sure which wires to use on the new thermostat. The new thermostat gives diagrams on 3,4, and 5 wire systems but nothing on what to do with the rest of the wires. Some of the wires in the old thermostat arent even mentioned in the new thermostat. Would appreciate any help. Thanks

This just sounds like a waste of a good watermelon and even worse, a bottle of vodka--I must be getting old. What's Cowboy Koolaid? Is is anything like the horrid concoction we used to make (in buckets or trashcans depending on the size of the party) of grape Koolaid and grain alcohol? We didn't call it that but I can't remember what we did--obviously another sign of age or imbibing too much of the stuff in my youth.

Happy 4th of July!!! Check out my latest page at www.mountainviewdome.com select CONSTRUCTION and look for the FLOOR FINISH button. We also update some of the personal page and added a couple of pictures of critters we experienced lately. Enjoy!

I tend to agree with Dale. Be very careful. It sounds like a lot of work and money. If you do not own the house now can you be sure that you will after you finish all this work? Unless you already have signed a lease purchase agreement and have a good idea as to how to fund the projects and the mortgage, I would wait until after you have purchased the house to begin renovating. Joe In a message dated 7/3/2004 3:25:57 PM Central Standard Time, dalu@... writes: Please take the advice of one who is certainly older and not necessarily wiser. Don't do a think until you get a contract in writing stating what you are paying for the house and everything else that could be pertinent. Do this with the aid of YOUR attorney, and if the seller is offended by this, find another house, because no one who is on the level is ever offended by someone doing what is right in their own behalf. If you do all these things you will be increasing the value of the home and could very easily be pricing yourself out of the house. The bottom line is that if you can't afford to buy the house now, you can't afford to be doing all this work on it either. Dale

Hi All, I just had some non-glue laminate flooring installed and have noticed there are a few "soft" pockets here and there in small areas. It's installed over a concrete subfloor and I'm guessing it wasn't quite level. I know the big solution is to rip out the flooring, level the subfloor and then re-install. There are many technical cuts and other stuff so that would be tons of work. What I'm thinking of though is to drill a tiny hole through the flooring in one of the areas and inject a liquid silicone or something similar to give it some support. The soft areas are typically quite small (1 sqft). Any thoughts on this??? thanks, B.

My husband and I just moved into our new home. We are currently renting the house, but with the option to buy in a year (which we plan on doing) But there are some things that we want to do now instead of waiting until we buy the house, which we do have permission to do, so I need options. One of the things that I REALLY want to do more than anything is replacing all of the ceilings. Every room has a drop ceiling or it has ceiling tiles. In the annex part, the roof must have leaked at one point, because there are a couple of tiles (this part has the drop ceiling) have some water damage to them. And one tile actually has mildew on it. I have sprayed it with Mildew Killer stuff just to make me feel safer (I dont know if that is ok or not, but it sits right over my desk). Anyway, do you just remove the ugly ceiling tiles and put up sheetrock or dry wall. Is this an easy thing to accomplish? One thing the HAS to be done is the bathroom. The shower and tub walls are tiled, and the tile on the wall with the faucet and handles are falling off. They look really bad. It looks like those cartoons you see of hillbillys with their teeth all over the place. Im afraid that they are going to fall off real soon. Should we just replace the tiles, or just regrout them? My husband has done tile work in the past so it shouldnt be that bad, but he says to just to replace all of the tile. None of the tile is cracked or damaged, just not hanging right. The biggest and hardest project is the garage. We have a massive unattached garage. Ill describe it so that you guys dont think that we should just tear it down and build a new one. When you look at the front of the garage it actually looks like another house. It has a 3 car carport on the front of it. To the left, you have a car bay. It is about 1 ½ cars wide, and about 2 cars deep. If you go around the side of the garage, you have another bay, which would fit 2 cars wide and 2 cars deep. At the end of the bay, you have a massive work bench that spans the width of the bay, and off to the left you have another small workbench. This bay also has massive amounts of fuses, a huge circuit breaker, a 220 in, a wood burning stove, and a water pump. The 2 bays form an L shape. In the area cut of the L shape, you have 2 raised offices; complete with heat and working phone service. Obvious this was a service garage at some point. The sad part of it, it wasnt taken too much care of. The roof is fairly new, and the outside is in good condition, the bad part about it, is that birds and other animals took over it for a while. My husband wants to rip out all of the paneling (it has wood paneling in the offices, the car bays have unfinished walls). Then clean out all of the dead animals, bird poop, ect. Fill in between all of the studs with that expanding foam stuff, and then drywall all of the walls. Then the second phase of the project is to figure out how on earth to replace the skylights in the garage. In the front car bay, there are 2 pieces of what looks like fiberglass material, that are being used as skylights. Well on of them leaks. Should this area just be reroofed or just put in another skylight and seal it up? How hard is it going to be to rip out, clean up in the walls, and re-wall the garage? Thank you for taking time to read all of this. Sorry it is so long. If you need pictures of anything, please let me know, and I can put them in a folder :o) Thanks again Shirley

This may be out of the scope of the list, but has anybody had any experience with alternative power sources? I am building a house on a hill that ALWAYS has at least a breeze and the land is very open so I get a lot of sun exposure. 1. is there truly a good return on money invested on such projects (windmill/solar) or is it just a gadget 2. where does one even start to look (I live in central NY if anybody knows of a dealer of such equipment) 3. how reliable is the equipment 4. is this beyond a do-it-yourself project dawsy p_dawsy@... on msn messenger may the force be with you

We used to make a similar concoction in my younger and wilder days. We would fill a cooler up with fresh cut fruit (strawberries, oranges, kiwi) and drown in in ever clear. We called it jungle juice. You could dip in a glass or just eat the fruit. Either way would give you the desired effect. Kati in Iowa

The perfect accompaniment to any patio party, a plugged watermelon is a refreshing, summery treat. Here's how to make your own. What you need: One watermelon One knife A roll of duct tape A Sharpie Half a gallon of vodka First, wash and dry the watermelon. Cut a little triangle-shaped "plug" out of the end of the watermelon; it doesn't have to be more than a couple inches across. Sit on the floor and prop the watermelon up between your legs. Open the vodka and stick the neck into the hole you just made. Now for the fun part: Kinda tuck the watermelon under your left arm and grab onto the vodka bottle. Then start beating the side of the watermelon with your other hand like you were playing the bongos or something. Every time you whack the watermelon, more vodka will go into the watermelon. Keep doing this until (1) all of the vodka is in the watermelon or (2) you don't feel like doing it anymore. Next, take the vodka bottle out of the watermelon. If there's anything left in the bottle, put the cap back on it and stick it in the freezer for later. Put the plug back in the melon, tape it in, write "Don't eat this! This is for the party!" on the side of the melon, and stick it in the fridge until party time. These are better made two days in advance, but one day is enough. Now for your questions: 1. "What's the best way to eat the plugged watermelon?" If you made it two days in advance, you'll be drinking the plugged watermelon--the vodka will dissolve the meat. If you made it last night, just cut it up and pass out the chunks. 2. "Where in hell did you learn to do this?" I learned this at Military Intelligence School. 3. "Are you saying all MI soldiers are unrepentant drunks?" No, only the competent ones. 4. "Won't I get falling-down drunk if I eat the plugged watermelon?" Of course you will, and that's kind of the point of doing this. 5. "I'm going to a pool party on Sunday. Should I bring a plugged watermelon?" Only if you wear a life preserver. 6. "What would our President do if he found out I was plugging watermelons?" Let's put it this way: you'd better plug two watermelons. 7. "What if my children want some of the plugged watermelon?" You tell them there are some things that only adults can have, and you bring an unplugged watermelon for them. 8. "But they won't eat the unplugged one. They only want the one Mommy's having." That's why you don't bring children to adults' patio parties. 9. "I don't have any vodka, but I've got a whole gallon of 25-year-old Scotch. Can I use that instead?" No, and you should be ashamed of yourself for wanting to plug a watermelon with $500 worth of Scotch. 10. "I also have some white rum." That works fine. 11. "Can I drink beer while I'm eating plugged watermelon?" Your hangover will feel like guys are beating against the inside of your skull with sledgehammers, but if you like that sensation, be my guest. 12. "Will you drink some beer while you eat plugged watermelon?" I don't like that sensation, so I believe I shall pass. 13. "We're having cigars and plugged watermelon at my next club meeting. Can you help me choose a cigar?" Ones that cost about a dollar apiece will be fine. Try not to choose the ones that are Watermelon Flavored, they really suck. 14. "My husband and I are attending a plugged watermelon party. What should I wear?" Clothes are good. Ones you don't mind getting watermelon juice on are better. 15. "Are you going to a plugged watermelon party this weekend?" No, I'm working all weekend. But enjoy yourselves at the ones you hold. -- --jmowreader

hi everyone i was hoping someone could help me out........there is a large hole in one of my walls....i went to a home repair store to get a dry wall patch but it was to small......the woman working there wasnt sure what i should do........the hole is like 7inches wide and about a foot or two long.....doesn anyone know how i can repair this......im just getting ready to redo the room.......but i need to fix this first........any help would be greatly appreciated.... thanks Cara

ok, the custom door thing is NOT going to work. The Door Doctor wanted to get a standard 80 inch door, and add a piece of wood to the top for the extra ten inches. YUCK!!! The solid custom door was plywood, and splintered when shaving down. Sigh. So, we're back to plan a - how do we add some type of LOCK to interior swinging, custom french doors, so we can get PRIVACY???? Thanks in advance, Maribeth

My friend has a stove she is not using and I need one. The question I have is that hers is one which is installed between two cabinets and I need to put mine on the end. Is there a panel you can buy that goes on the end so it looks finished and keeps the heat in? Or should I pass this one up for the kind that is made to fit on the end? Joe

I am just finishing up a 10 x 12 shed on a concrete slab. Has anyone used the Rainhandler system instead of gutters? It works by converting the runoff into droplets that just fall to the ground like rain. It seems to be a great system, but others have expressed concern about directing the water away from the building. It seems to me that it would not be any different than rain falling around the building, would it? If you have any experience with the Rainhandler, good or bad, I would love to hear about it. Thanks, Dave

Metal is a very good roof, but not too neighbor friendly during a hail storm, as the hail comes off the roof in a horizontal plane that will take out every thing on your side of the neighbors house. I guess it is a good thing that the house next to us is uninhabitable then. Thanks for all the input on the roof and the how to on making the metal and shingle work together. Now to get the supplies located at the best price, I have alreasy found a handyman to help with the actual work part. Laura in OK

Just to add on to what I was saying: I don't know what area you live, but I am in a spot where A/C is used only during the summer on the hottest days, which is say about 30. I therefore have opted for a couple of window units which serve the purpose. I don't have to cool down the whole house when its not really necessary,,if anything were to go wrong with either of the units , I would still have the other. Getting a replacement is not a monumental task, and I am not at the mercy of a repairman.

In a message dated 6/29/2004 11:25:58 PM Central Daylight Time, mattyjkent@... writes: Thanks, I'm also waiting for my 21 year old refrigerator and 14 year old stove and microwave to break so I can replace them in the kitchen. Sidney

We moved into a new home and put in sod right away. I am trying to edge the lawn but our ground is unbelievably rocky. It's like we built on a river bed of rock. The plastic edgings are impossible to put in. I was thinking of getting some metal flashing and working it in. Do you think that would work? It's sharper and rust proof isn't it? Joan

Yep, born and bred and will die an Okie, but what is a tern plate roof? I will be happy with a roof of barn metal as long as it doesn't leak...I mean afterall this part we are replacing is in the back of the house and most people won't see it anyway. Besides the grooves will help the water flow down away from seam. Laura in OK

I put down armstrong laminate on the stairs in my house. You can't use underlayment on the stairs, the laminate gets glued down. 2 beads of liquid nails is plenty. Glue down is the instructions from many manufacturers including Armstrong. It's the most durable stair tread you'll ever have. Message: 7 Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 11:50:41 -0500 From: "mikemck7" <mikemck7@... Subject: Laminate Flooring Since we're on the topic, maybe someone can help me out. We've decided to remove the carpet from our stairway to the second floor of our house. We're finding that stairs are the hardest place to keep carpet clean. We pulled up a corner and found that the raw wood treads under it, though sturdy, is unattractive and would be too difficult to refinish so we're considering laminate flooring for the stairs only. Having never worked with laminate flooring before, I did some research and found differing opinions on using underlayments with laminate on stairs. Has anyone installed laminate with underlayment on stairs? If so, what problems have you found if any? Also, do the "big box" stores keep stair-nose in stock for the brands they sell or do they have to be special ordered? Mike

Ok I am taking the advise of the group and fixing the roof now with no insurance involved. I am not going to be able to replace the entire roof but where the problem is, is an addition, and that will be completely redone from the frameing to the top layer. Here is my next problem...right now we have comp shingle roof on the entire house, I am wanting to go metal. Since I am replacing everything on the addition now I figured I would put metal on that while leaving the shingles on the original part of the house until I could replace them. Hubby says that this won't work, it has to be all of one or the other, but my thinking is that it would be better to be out the cost for a metal roof on the addition now instead of the cost of shingles now and metal in the future. Which way should I go? Laura in OK

I had the carpet removed on our stairs when I had my entrance hall and hallway done in hardwood. The stairs were covered in the plywood that everything else is covered in under the carpets in this house. So I had the hardwood guy put on oak treads and a thin veneer over the risers. I did cover that in a fake oriental runner and held it down with the brass rods attached to the treds at the very back where the riser meets the tread. I've had that down for 8 years now and my runner still looks really good. I don't understand why, as the carpet that had been there was 6 years old and looked bad! But I love the look of the hardwood stairs. You might want to consider something like that. Sidney

I'm half finished building a new deck and wanting to use only the best stain and or water sealer available. The wood I'm using through out is presure treated yellow pine. The color I'd like to end up with is a golden or copper like tone, so I'm not wanting a dark color. Do I use stain, and then a water sealer, or are both just one product. I want the best product there is, regarless of cost. I'd also like to know how best to apply the stain/sealer, and how often I should repeat both to maintain the color. I'm sure this has been asked before, but maybe there are new products available now. Thank you. Patrick . I'm sure this question has been asked many times, so if someone

I had laminate installed in the master bedroom. After watching the guys install it, I think it I could have done it. But it would have taken a video or really good instructions with pictures. There are a limited number of patterns on the strips, so the main thing is to develop a random non-pattern so that a repeat is as noticeable. As for use---it was easy to clean--vacumn, dust mop. The main problem I had was that it was very slick, no surface texture. My older dog could not walk on it, so I had to arrange throw rugs all around the room. She had no problem on the real wood in the living room which was a pre-finished oak floor that we installed. As for how I walked on them, there was no problem, it wasn't any louder than the other wood. Perhaps if someone hadn't had a hard wood floor before it would seem loud. Every hard floor has it's own characteristics. I think it would also make a difference as to the type of subfloor. It does have an underlay "padding". The quality of that will make a difference. I wouldn't do it again because of the lack of texture. But then I probably would not like a real hard wood foor that had layers of polyurathan (spelling is way off) on top of it. Be gentle with YourSelf Sue

I am planning to put laminate flooring in one of my bedrooms. Can someone tell me how to do it? I live in Florida. Is it difficult to install myself. What would I need to do the job? I appreciate any help I can get. This is my first big reno. Angela

I have a bathroom off our master bedroom that has a seperate shower, a whirlpool tub and then the toilet is in its own little (and I do mean little) room. That room's floor is done in ceramic tile. The rest of the bath is in carpet. I hate the carpet. It's been there for 14 years and next year is the year it goes. I thought I wanted hardwood,Bruce Natural Reflections, which is what I have in the kitchen and entry and hall and what I am putting in the master bedroom next year. But the guy who just did my kitchen floor said it was not recommended for a full bath and he couldn't put it down in there. I know I don't want more white ceramic tile. I don't think I want carpet again. Do y'all have any suggestions? As you can probably tell I love hardwood but if it won't be a good idea in the bath then I won't do it. There's not a lot of floor to cover in this bathroom, probably no more than 7 feet by 9 feet in the carpeted area that I want to replace. Any suggestions welcomed. I just started on this thought process and I have about 10 months to work on it! :-) Thanks, as always, Sidney

anyone had experience with the craftsman (24883) table saw? i am considering this for my father's birthday present...... thanks, dawsy

This is directed to gurus and experts of painting! I have purchased a brand new (to me) 47 year old home. Some of the ceilings are sprayed, about 2/3 of the exterior is stucco. It needs complete paint inside and out. Should I pop for one of those Wagner airless spray paint guns or stick to the ol' brush and roller. Since I have so much area to do every bit of time that I can save is important. And with the large amount of painting I can justify the spray gun. Then, I don't know if the airless paint sprayer is any good or if it would make a mess. I should add that the house has carpet in every room and all the carpet is going. Thanks Scott

I just had to share this one, we have a small hardware store that actually made the newspaper this week. On their sign outside the store it reads "Try Our All New Low Carb Hardware". I guess they are hoping to get the attention of some customers. Shall I go ask for some Low Carb Hardware? Have a great Sunday. Lisa

Hi there, I am an avid reader but a seldom writer to the group. I do appreciate all of the wisdom I have been silently soaking up to apply to my 100 year old home. My question is this: Last week I had a cedar fence and arbor installed in the front portion of my home. I am getting mixed in put as to weather proof it or let it be as it is essentially weather proofed as cedar. Since it was sooooo expensive (for me) I'd like to take the best care possible of it and would appreciate your input. Thanks so puch, Debbie (in Highwood Illinois along northern Lake Michigan our winters can be brutal and possibly affect how to maintain the fence .)

Sorry, I do not know much about cedar fencing but I wanted to say "hello" to all those in the northern burbs of IL. My folks live in glencoe and I am located in the northern burbs of Milwaukee. Not only are our winters bad but it is getting to seem like our summer has not yet arrived. It amazes me how it is nearly July and I still have the heat on. Joe In a message dated 6/25/2004 10:16:21 PM Central Standard Time, debkoen2u@... writes: Thanks so puch, Debbie (in Highwood Illinois along northern Lake Michigan our winters can be brutal and possibly affect how to maintain the fence .)

it, and just rent for a while. Maribeth, I would love to do this but the market here won't let me get what I owe, and rent is higher than my house payment so I guess I'll keep it and do what I can with it. What I meant when I commented on the possiblity of causing roof problems when we repair the foundation is that we are not experienced in this area and with Murphy's Law it is possible that we could do damage not necessarily probable. Laura in OK

It's difficult to give any useful comment on these sorts of things over the internet because , without actually seeing it or having all the factual circumstances , the solution is a guess. And some repairs could result in great personal injury if not done properly and safely. Jacking up a house,,climbing a roof,, and playing around with electric wires are three on the top of the list.

A number of years ago I owned a house that later ended up with foundation problems. The cause was water damage due to a parking lot the university built near my house (of course they would not admit to this). The water run off went right into my backyard. At the time I was renting out the house and living in another state, so I did not learn about the foundation problem until it was quite advanced. I hired an engineer who told me I would need to jack up the house in order to fix the problem. The cost was prohibitive. The only other option was to fill in the basement with pea gravel. Needless to say that was the option I chose. I began the work enough to fix the problem temporarily and was lucky to find a man looking for a rent-to-own situation. The deal we struck benefited both of us, and I was able to come out with a profit on the house. This astonished everyone since those I had consulted (real estate agents, insurance folks, handymen, etc.) told me I should advertise it as a fix-it-upper and sell it to the first interested buyer. In any event, if you decide to opt out of doing all this work you might want to consider picking up a book advising you on how to sell using a lease-purchase arrangement. Joe In a message dated 6/25/2004 9:44:45 AM Central Standard Time, rexlady@... writes: I'd be REAL inclined to sell the house for whatever you can get for it, and just rent for a while. Maribeth still an insurance agent.

The call came in on my settlement...not enough to move or even fix the two major problems with the current house. <sigh choose either the foundation or the roof that has started leaking like a sieve. Which should I do now and which should wait until next spring when we get our tax return? As far as I can tell the foundation has fallen anymore...and who knows what type of moisture we will get during the next 9 months. It goes from severly dry to overly wet in a matter of days here lately. If I do the roof now will it get damaged when I jack up and level the house? Just trying to make sure I spend what I am getting wisely. Laura in OK

I'm also interested in what others have to say about this as well as what you all think about Corian vs. Silestone vs. Granite countertops as I'm having one of these put in as soon as I decide which one! Sidney

Have any of you had any experience with acrylic kitchen sinks? They have glossy finishes, made to look like porcelain and matte finishes made to look like Corian. I was just getting ready to purchase one when the HD sales associate said they are very high maintenance and high persuaded me against getting them. He said the glossy one scratches very easily and washing big pots and pans and cast iron fry pans is just inviting problems, let alone trying to wash a wok. The matte finish is highly succeptible to stains like tomato sauce, and tea bag stains. I was so disappointed when he told me since I had my heart set out on one of these. Peachtree Forge makes these in US and Acri-tec makes these in Canada. I think Blanco also makes them too.

IIRC it's $299 but it's still about $80 cheaper than buying all the parts separately. The real advantage of the Porter-Cable nailer combos is you don't have to make the second trip to the hardware store when you realize you forgot to get the Teflon tape, the hose, or (don't laugh, someone actually did this) the compressor. All of it's in one nice neat little (heavy) box. -- --jmowreader

I'm having a new porch built and am planning on painting it myself. The builder said I should put primer on it first and then paint it with "porch" paint because it is thicker than regular paint. I've never heard of "porch" paint, but I'm planning on using a roller to put it on. Is this something I could find at HD or will I have to go to a regular paint store. Second part of the question is ,,,,,, has anyone ever used one of those electric Power Rollers? Looks like a good idea, but there must be a down side to something that looks that easy. I think Wagner makes them. <- Richard - (All Outgoing Mail Scanned by Norton Antivirus )

OK..I need education in the area of nail guns. I am going to be building some basic shelving units, a corner entertainment center flanked by the bookcases, and a chest for my daughters bedroom *these are the projects in the imminent future*. I know a brad nailer is used for finishing, molding (?) and the like. I will also eventually be putting wainscoting up in a bathroom with gypsum plaster walls. I will glue and nail the wainscoting. So what do I need? I assume a framing nailer is going to be too large? Will a brad nailer be too small? Will I be needing both? I have a medium sized air compressor that can definitely handle a brad nailer/staple gun. Harbor Freight Tools has great deals on compressors. I need some education on the range of the nail guns from someone who has used them enough to share good information. Kathie Forest Hill, Maryland Mom to Brenna * 9years * and furbabies Kylea * 13 ½ yrs * and Shia * 12 mths* the Keeshonden

I power washed my wood deck about a month ago, let it dry for a week, and then used Thompson's Water Seal on it. I waited 3 days and then gave it a second coat. Now, almost two weeks later it is still sticky. Any ideas what happened for it to take so long to dry? It has rained and been humid a few of the days, but dry for most. Thanks. Larry

Jim M.: The party I'm going to put the deck in for got a printout from Home Depot which had a picture of the finished deck and a list of materials with the costs of material. I'm wondering if that is what you are referring to.. Unfortunately for me the "plans" do not give any breakdown and I have to "wing-it" from there. The only dimensions given are the lenght and the width of the deck and a schematic of where the concrete posts go. But the picture does look nice. Without folllowing a specific plan there are going to be problems when the job is done because I will not have specific measurements to back up my case and collect on the job. If there is some other type of plans that can be gotten from H.D. please let me know and I will send them back for them. Thanks.

I have a air powered brad nailer and it has a tendancy to push the brads all of the way thru a peice of 1/4" Plywood. My question is this, if I regulate down the air pressure, will it decrease the depth that it drives the brads? Thanks

I replaced alguts in the toilet tank and I have 2 problems. 1-for some reason after turning the flush handle the flap wants to close immediatly and not allow all the water to finish going in to the bowl. after the tank does refill and the bowl is refilled if i go to flush again the tank wants to empty but the bowl doesnt. Allan In need of help

Our shower developed a drip. No big deal, just replace the washer. Well, I discovered that the valve seat was rough and needed to be replaced. I bought a special 4 sided, tapered wrench just for that job.(No screwdrivers for me, I was going to use the correct tool for a change!) To make a long story short, the seat wrench just spun around and handed me a bunch of brass shavings. So, how do I remove a damaged valve seat if the seat wrench won't grip any more? I am tempted to try an Easy Out, but I thought I would ask here first. Has anyone faced this before? By the way, I bought a refacing tool and found it very difficult to use. I have the shower back together and it does not drip, but I would really like to get that valve seat out and replace it. Thanks, Dave Dazer

Many thanks::I'll try both Simpson Strong and HGTV.

I just moved into a home that used rocks all around the gront and back instead of mulch.. There are weeds comming up inbetween all the rocks. What can I spray on them so they wont return? question 2.. It will be almost impossible to dig them all up so I need to know how many inches of topsoil I would need to cover the rocks with if I wanted to grow grass? Allan

You may all think that I am nuts, but I can assure you that I am not. I really need your good advice on how to paint a bedroom. It is obvious that I have to buy paint and all the other things you need to paint. What I need to know, is how to get the room ready for the paint. My daughter said I have to start with getting rid of all the clutter and items I no longer want first. Put it all into boxes and get it out of the room. Next, I should look at the walls and do all repairs to them. When you use spackling, do you have to put a primer over all the spackled areas? Where do you start painting? I know you should paint the ceiling first. I want a nice bright sunny room. Was thinking of some type of yellow paint. I was also thinking of a hot pink color. Really have to get some paint samples and see how it looks. Have any of you used the blue masting tape? It is rather expensive, but comes off easy. Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated. I have waited over 4 years for dh to paint. I am done waiting. I will do it myself. Hugs, Alice (Pudggiebunny)

Well, if you there home/property owner? You could forw a D.B.A. buisness for your intended purpose(permits,insur.,etc.!), you could ask for sub contractors to bid the labor and supply needed tools,etc. and a %10-20 profit? ===== James L. Wolcott

I need to replace the wood underneath tiles on my 2nd floor outer deck. There is plaster underneath the tiles on this deck. I found one of the existing tiles was loose and upon lifting it up, I found that the plywood was shredded. Because of the size of the tiles being supported by the wood framing, I have not lost the deck yet, but there is a potential to lose the deck. Can you tell me what materials I need to get. I was going to use 30 or 40# felt?, plywood (3/4"), plastic sheeting, cement, tiles. What is the best way to begin the project?.

You can use a 4 step hand sand method, using a quarter or half page orbital sander, first start with a belt sander with 80-100 c. grit, and tge final sanding use 280 x fine grit,and use the same or finer in between ynur varnish coats,etc.; ===== James L. Wolcott

For all those who wish to have finished hardwood floors without the expense of hiring a contractor: It can be a very messy and difficult job but after doing three bedrooms and a *very* water-stained hall, I offer some helpful suggestions: Forget the traditional drum sanders. I rented one and it was difficult to use and not serviced as it should have been. Go to Home Depot and rent a drum sized large FLAT sander. This cuts down the time considerable and is much easier to use and will not carve out your floors. You can also get up close to the molding without trying to use the impossible orbital sander which tends to make swirls in the wood. Buy as many tack cloths as you think you will need to remove the excess sawdust (after vacuuming) and double it. Test stain a small portion--say a part of a closet--to see how the stain holds before applying to a large section of the floors. If the stain does not seem to be applying evenly **even if wood is hardwood like oak** apply a pre-stain right before you put down the stain. Again, test on small out-of-place area. I might add in doing the pre-stain it left my oak floors with a beautiful finish by darkening the grain more. If you will be using a water-based poly over the stain make sure you allow for many more coats than you would normally expect (I put down seven) and follow the directions closely, especially about not mixing or reapplying before it dries because of the bubbles produced. Good luck Joe

Mark, I have had the same problems with carpet in my home....once we pulled it up, we found that the stains and such were coming from the padding. Especially with excessive cleaning, and it getting wet frequently from that. Also, another thing we leanred was that dirt was falling through the carpet and the padding onto the hardwood below; when we would vacuum or steam clean the carpet, it would suck the dirt back through. Also, if you walk on it too soon after cleaning it (not vacuuming), you can cause more dirt problems there as well. Suggestions on what to do about this: Make a "no shoes" policy in your home, post a nicely made sign on your outside doors Have it cleaned one more time and immediately after it dries, put a large area rug in the middle of the room and corresponding walkway type area rugs where the highest traffic paths are. Don't forget to put mats outside in front of the doors for visitors to wipe their feet before coming in as well. Compare the cost of what you would spend on having it professionally cleaned vs. just buying new carpet; then make that "no shoes" policy again. You can Scotch Guard your carpet as well, I think you can buy a couple cans of carpet Scotch Guard at any Home Improvement store. Go buy a Hoover Steam cleaner from Sears...cheaper in the long run than porfessional cleaning or renting a Rug Doctor (I think they work better than the Doc as long as you use very hot water) If you have pets, a friend of mine (who is also has her own house cleaning biz) either puts little boots on her dog before he goes outside or as soon as he comes in, she wipes his feet down, he fought her for a long time but now he expects it done. When we replaced our living room carpet, we laid a vinyl remnant (very cheap) about 5' x 5' in front of the entry door before the carpet layers came. They just cut the carpet around it and they put down metal dividers to hold it down and make it look nicer. That seemed to help for a while. But ulimately, about a year later we ended up pulling the carpet (after going through a toddler and a new puppy) and now have very unfinished hard wood floors underneath. Our kitchen has carpeting in it as well and the floor underneath (hard wood) is painted, it is the same problem that we had in the living room, only worse because we have never replaced it, but we are going to this summer with vinyl flooring, I steam clean it about once a month...although I know it is just pulling the dirt back up, but it does keep our socks and feet clean for a while. Hope this helps... Kati In Iowa

You should allways wash and lightly sand any surface to be painted, or primed. And you should nt have to caulk the corners(unless of a crack threat?). ===== James L. Wolcott

Like many homeowners, we are trying to make improvements with very little expense. Here is our dilemma. We have a light colored carpet in a high traffic area. This carpet requires constant professional cleaning and the stains come back within weeks. We were thinking about removing the carpet, but we found out that the hardwood flooring underneath had been painted red. We're concerned that although affordable, painted floors may not look right, as the carpet is in both the living and dining rooms. Recarpeting or refinishing the floor is too expensive and not an option at this time. The constant cleaning bills are getting out of hand not to mention we're tired of looking at dirty carpet and dirty socks. Are there any thoughts? How can we keep our carpet cleaner or how can we improve the painted floors underneath? Thanks in advance. Mark B.

I saw a painter running a bead of caulk down the corners before he painted the walls. He was repainting the station I work at. This seems like a good idea. I will be painting or addition next month so I'm dealing with new sheetrock walls. Should I do the calking before priming the walls? Is there any reason not to caulk the corners? Robert R.

I have been getting lots of info on the net and a lot of it is conflicting. The traditionalists recommend a 1/16" grout joint where others say that you can butt join them togeter. The bevels on the two butted granite tile edges will form a 1/16" joint for which you can grout over with epoxy grout. Lots of pros and cons for each Also highly recommended was a 3/4" or 5/8" ply with a 1/4" backerboard, where as others have recommeded or used just straight 3/4" ply and then just straight thinset on top of that without any problems. On a previous granite tile countertop insallation I did, I did not use any backerboard and applied the thinset directly on top. Now, I don't know if I did the job right or not. It's been 5 years and so far the countertop has held up. I used a 1/16" joint space with unsanded grout, but now would like a more seamless joint. The seams on my previous job bothers me somewhat. I am sure to get lots of other advice to this post as well.

Howdy all! I'm so happy to have found this group. We are the owners of a home that had been sold through sheriff's sale, and of course it's one heck of a fixer-upper. First off, we're replacing part of the roof and most of the windows. The roof in general seems to be ok, but a portion of it is flat (about 8' by 8'). I'm being told that a rubber roof would be best in this situation, and I've never heard of that before. Is that expensive, and what should I look for in a roofing company? The windows are to follow, it's like living in Swiss cheese with a door <laugh installation company? Are there any ball park prices for these procedures? We're talking about 8 standard installation windows and a rip-off repair section of roof. Thanks! Lillian

Subject for the DIY site: How to Curse Like a Sailor? -- --jmowreader

That was me, Kati that wrote that...Jim just wrote the top paragraph...my fault...I accidently put the phrase I was referencing up top instead of at the bottom of the email...sorry for any confusion... Kati blushing in IOwa In RE to: I second Jim's description ... I've always been termed as a 'tomboy' and Jim's description of herself absolutely matches mine... not a word different !! Deepali

I'm replacing a bunch of windows in an old house with plaster walls. I've been using a side grinder with a diamond blade to cut the openings to make them bigger. Is there a better way to do this without all the dust?

Jim wrote: definition of the word 'tomboy.' They say it's "a girl who determines her own destiny." Last I checked, it was a girl who likes to dress up as a boy. OK, I am going to have to split hairs here... I do not agree with either definition of tomboy being presented here. All tomboys are not female DIYers and all female DIYers are not tomboys (sounds like an IQ test question!). I have been called a tomboy my entire life. I do not dress like a boy, but I do not wear dresses very often. I am called a tomboy because I don't fuss with hair or make up, I am often found in the presense of "boys" and thought of as "just one of the guys." I prefer barefeet or tennis shoes to heels or blistering sandals, but I do pai