Do it yourself

Hello all, I just joined the group, and I wanted to say hello. I just finished with a new adjustable shelving unit in the laundry room, and I am looking to move on to replacing the vinyl floor down there with ceramic tile. I look forward to this group being a great new tool in my arsenal for Home Improvement DIY projects. Later, DC

hello. hopefully someone can help. i just bought a fixer-upper, not sure why because we are not handy. i just put up drywall, spackled 3 times and sanded and painted. now that the paint is dry the wall is not smooth. you can see the compound on the walls. should i of sanded more because the book i read says to sand lightly. and if i have to sand can i sand over the paint. how much should i sand? please help. thanks

Hi Folks, We're in a condo and have a tin roof over our patio. It leaks when it rains (every day now!). Does anyone know what I can get to seal it off myself? Thanks, Kristi

I have wood paneling that has 1/2" wide grooves/valleys about every 4-6 inches. The paneling has already been primed to paint, but now I am thinking I want to smooth out the grooves. Can I do this with just joint compound? The paneling is in my "library" (OK, really it's just a bump-out, but it has built in shelves, hence the library joke...) which has no heat or air so it does get quite chilly in the winter and rather muggy this time of year. Thanks!

Hello all, My wife and I moved into our new home over labor day weekend. One of the last things the former owner was supposed to do was remove any personal items/trash fromt he property... The garage shed had several large wood working equipment pieces, an old waterheater, and some left over paint etc. Well they completely cleaned it out, only now there is an overwhelming odor of gasoline in the shed area of the garage. There doesn't appear to be any specific area in the shed that gas was spilled on... the odor has decreased slightly in the last two days, but is still pretty much unbearable for any length of time. Does anyone know what I can do, short of ripping out the wood 2x4 flooring and the underlying dirt to lessen / get rid of the odor?

my plaster walls, so that they are consistent, and not a mass of past hole patches. Sheresa I have textured walls using a roller and joint compound (sheetrock mud) or wall texture. The wall texture seems to hold up a little better to my kids, but I also have less of a texture with it than the room I did with sheetrock mud. The sheetrock mud is considerably cheaper. The texture material comes with instructions and is available at most home improvement stores. For sheet rock mud water it down to about the consistency of a good latex paint then start rolling. The roller will determine the texture less nap less texture more nap more texture. A regular 1/2" nap roller will give you an orange peel look. You can also skim coat the walls with mud and use cut out sponges or rags to make a texture. I once saw ceiling texture this way and they used a mop which made star like shapes on the ceiling. It all depends on what you want it to look like. Robert R.

My wife just got a nice new stainless steel finish stove. She wants me to paint or cover our refridgerator to match. Anyone have any ideas?

Lowe's or Home Depot carries "Terro". It comes in a little tube (orange packaging) and you just put a dime size amount of the gel on a piece of cardboard. They swarm all over it for a day or so and then they carry it back home and they are gone. Be sure to keep pets and children away (as it must be sweet tasting).

They don't list it by the linear foot anymore, at least not in my market. -- --jmowreader

Hi, We are doing a complete kitchen remodel, and I'm thinking about a granite sink. Has anyone had experience with the granite sink as to whether they are easy to clean and maintain? I'd appreciate any input. Helene

Saw your pictures. Love your kitchen colors. What did you use for your ceiling?

I have some cement problems (At least I think it is a cement problem). It seems that cement is flaking off of an outdoor patio, you can view detailed pictures of it here at the group website, under Bill_Marcy_Photos. Can anyone tell me what kind tools I will need for a repair, what kind of cement product I should use and any kind of technique I will need to research to affect a repair? Thanks in advance! Bill

We've been planning on replacing our old vinyl kitchen floor with a ceramic tile floor. However, we may have a sticking point. How do you put down a ceramic floor if you have a built in dishwasher? Won't the combination of backerboard(we're on pier and beam), mortar, and ceramic tile raise the floor level too much to ever remove the dishwasher for repair/replace? I assume one answer to that would be to lift the countertop. However, we have a nice ceramic countertop and backsplash, so lifting the countertop/counters would ruin it. Am I missing something? Our floor needs replaced and we thought the ceramic would be nice (really did not want to put down vinyl again). We've talked about laminate wood as an option, thinking that if the dishwasher needed to come out, we could take apart the floor in that area. We really didn't want to put down wood laminate in the kitchen, though. Plus, seems like would be a lot of work to take apart the floor to get the dishwasher out. Any ideas, thoughts, or info is greatly appreciated. Thanks. JD

Hello, I need some advice about my mom's floor. My mother wants to have vinyl peel and press tile put on over her concrete floor in her sunroom. Does it matter if she bought the tile with the sticky side being black rather than the sticky side being white? She bought the sticky side black tile and I plopped one down randomly on the floor just to see how it would stick. It hasn't stuck yet, but its still kind of chilly out, and I have 2 potted plants sitting on it. At this point, any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Nokhada

This group is a great idea! I've done my share of fixin' uppin', but I've learned a bunch just perusing the message board. I'd like to hang around awhile. Gene

Future problems would include lowered self-esteem and personal regret because your deck stain job looks like crap and you have to look at it like that until the stain wears off in a couple years. Really, let it dry two days minimum, preferably three or four. Mark

I am having a deck staining party today, but we got a hard rain last night and a brief shower earlier today and we have a slight chance of rain late tonight. If we go ahead and stain the deck, what future problems may arise?

Hello everyone. I'm a rookie so please don't laugh. What is the best way to remove a wall anchor with out taking out half the drywall?

Hi all.. We are re-doing a bathroom in an older house (built in 1965). The wax ring in the toilet failed sometime back, and the closet flange on the pipe has rusted away, so the toilet has nothing to attatch to. I purchased a new flange to replace the damaged one, but the instructions says to remove the old flange. I tried to hammer it off, but it is cast iron with lead securing it. Any ideas how to remove it? I don't want to use a torch to melt the lead. Larry...

For a sligthly "classier" take you can do something similar with a honeydew. Slice a wedge off one end, deep enough so you can get to the inside and clean the guts out. Pour in a bottle of Midori melon liqueur, put the top back on and refrigerate for a day or two, absolute delicious, without so many headaches. If you have one of those food injectors or a clean hypodermic you can inject chocolate liqueur into oranges (do a couple different locations), refrigerate for a day or so, then serve the peeled sections & orange/chocolate liqueur over vanilla ice cream (home-made especially). You can get the same effect by marinating orange wedges in the liqueur if you don't have any spare hypodermics; or just buy a bottle of Sabra, a chocolate/orange liqueur from Israel--serve your ice cream in those fancy chocolate bowls, with or without orange sections and pour a healthy dose of liqueur over the ice cream just before serving. A chocolate lovers idea of heaven! Marci (who just may have to hit the liquor store now before her BBQ)

Hi All, I'm new to this group, and I hope you can give me some insights... My husband and I are doing a whole-house remodel. Part of that involves purchasing new toilets. We have a septic system, and I'd like to know if there are any types of toilets that are especially bad for septic? I've heard of "pressure-assisted toilets" and wonder if the extra "oomph" is harmful to septic?? Please don't laugh if my question is dumb--I know I don't really know what I'm talking about! Somebody, please educate me!!! Thanks so much, Marie in N. California

We have to replace our old kitchen countertops... and are undecided between Corian and Granite... Does anyone have any experience as to the durability, wear, etc. It would get quite heavy wear in the main area, I cook a lot, we have a garden which means a lot of splashing from vegetable and fruit washing. I would not slice direct on either nor put a hot pan on them so that is not my concern, but rather the standing up to water on it, spills and stains, etc. Any help appreciated Thanks Souzana

(I sent this to the list last year. We've had plenty of new people come in since then, and summer approaches. So! Without further ado...) 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

I think I've still got it...isn't terrorism fun? -- --jmowreader

HANDYMAN CLUB OF AMERICA based in minn.mn. U.S.A?

I have Vinyl siding on the sides and back of my home! I want to clean the mildew off the vinyl. How do I clean the area where the electrical service enters my home? Or do I just leave it alone?

_____ I think I've decided to bite the bullet and dry wall over the plaster popcorn ceilings, but the walls are latham plaster too, and this house spent close to 20 years as a rental, so they are really uneven and messed up. I don't particularly want to skim coat. When my MIL had her house painted recently the painter came in taped everything and sprayed a texture on the wall. I'm wondering was this watered down mud? Or is there something else that is used. Does anyone know? Regards, Sheresa

hi, everyone. i have a question i hope someone knows the answer to. can you paint countertops? and if so does anyone know what i could use. thanks so much. linda.

We are reflooring our kitchen and have gone through 4 layers of one kind of flooring or another and are on our second layer of MDF ( I swear i would love to get my hands on the person that laid this stuff in a kitchen we have sawdust like stuff everywhere) If it should have been there or that is the proper way of doing it I just think that is wrong.lol Anyway this next one almost has me in tears. Please someone tell me that was done for a reason... What we have found under the last layer of that stuff is what seems to be TAR or something that looks and smells just like it, between the layer of MDF and the subfloor!! There is tool marks and it looks like someone spread it out real nice and then stapled and nailed the MDF over the top. What do I do??!! The parts of the floor under the washer, dryer, fridge, and oven are fine and do not have this stuff. Is there any way to make this last layer of floor come off any quicker ( we are measuring our success in inches right now not feet)with out damage to the subflooring? What we are putting down is tile, and we are going to use Dura Rock under the tile(is that too heavy for floors that have wood subfloor?). It is almost impossable to get 100% of this stuff off in places. Would sanding it do any good? Please I really need help. Thank you in advance Kathy

I guess I have to share this with you.. I was recently one of those people who asked... "What color would you choose if this were your house?" "What do you think would look best in here?" I had to paint the stairway after I remodled it myself... living room and dining room needed paint too... the last time I painted.. I was in a rush to paint the trim... (getting close to the holidays) and I have never been satisfied with the color of the trim. sooooo I hired a lady who does interior planning and decorating... (I always loved her house) she introduced me to the Valspar Historical colors.. after listening to my love of country colors.. (Since we have a farmhouse) My initial thoughts were.. that this job was going to be overwhelming!! My mind was so boggled... I asked her to show me what colors she would choose if the house was hers.. and I didnt care for it... she also gave me so many suggestions.. that I had a lot to think about.. and consider... she also told me what colors to stay away from... she knew what they looked like on a wall.. and new I would not like them.. or they wouldnt go well with my furniture. It took me a couple of weeks to decide. I took those little color squares and cut them apart.. held them up against my oak entertainment center.. oak dining room table... set the favorites on the steps and stared at them for days. I bought pint cans in the 6 or 7 colors that I liked the best.. and then swashed large stripes on the walls.. and looked at them every day for another week or two.. I painted sections of 1x4's and set them in the different rooms. before I finally decided. I choose the stairs and stairway first.. then later the living room. spring time hit.. and I had no more time to dedicate to the trim.. so it will not have to wait until fall... spring and summer are just too busy for me to worry about painting indoors. I think that the biggest problem many people like me run in to.. is that we are so busy with hectic lives.. that we rush... there are so many paints out there.. and I wasnt even aware of many of them... so many ideas... I am beginning to realize that going to open houses on sundays.. might be a very good way to get decorating ideas joyce

Has any of you made thimed room in your house ideas would be nice

A soy based drain dissolver/cleaner? Sounds fishy to me Me too. There are white peanuts for packing that are made from a gel substance that dissolves in water so they are environment friendly. I'll bet that is what he used for the demo. Joan

Jim et al... Makita has a "get a free cordless drill when you buy a cordless impact driver" sale. I am about 6 months or so from needing such tools. Is this sale a "once in a lifetime" deal or is it relatively common? Joel

In a message dated 5/25/2005 9:04:02 A.M. Central Standard Time, jetsrus@... writes: Go to www.hsn.com and search for 'flash drain' or 'professor amos' Thank you Julie. I do shop at both of those websites so will head over there and have a look thank you debbie

I don't usually watch or shop on the QVC or Home Shopping Network, but channel hopped by the other day and say the demonstration on an odorless, soy based <? drain dissolver / cleaner. The man had a 12" or so clear tube filled with those foam packing peanuts and poured the solution in there as if pouring down the drain, and within 20 sec's the foam pieces starting shrinking and essentially disinegrating. I might really consider buying this from the website. I don't have a drain problem right now, but with a 50 yr old house and two teen boys, etc. I might need it sooner or later. Go to www.hsn.com and search for 'flash drain' or 'professor amos' I do not have a disposal, the house never has, and one plumber said those are the worse things for the pipes , even if you are careful. I've also heard before of a home remedy that a plumber would tell his people to use once a month flushed down the toilets, etc but can't for the life of me remember what it was. It's a routine type of thing to do to keep your pipes clean. If I find it , I'll post it. Julie

Hi all, i have just purchased a loft lots of big windows which are great i dont want to cover them but i am going to find sleeping hard as i like the dark Question: does anyone have an idear of somthing i can build around my bed?? thanks jason

Just say, "I am sure whatever you decide on will look great" or something to that effect. It is all in how you word it. If you remove any real opinion from yourself and place it back onto the asker in the form of positive feedback, they will not notice the difference. Most likely they are just asking to be conversational, to hit on you ;-), or as one person said: to just have some positive reinforcement. "Whatever you think/like/pick/ will be just fine," "Well, what do you think" "You would know better than I would since I have never been there" Kati in Iowa with a dodgy husband when it comes to straight answers

Hi Roger and all.... I have an older house and a "barn" actually, not a true barn. It's light green metal quanset hut shaped work shop and we just call it "the barn" ... No hay or horses, either! But this one needs electricity run to it and also is about 100' from house. I don't know what you have to power in your barn, but here - my dad built it and it's great with a cement block floor but he never put lights or anything Dad had some kind of electrical cord ran directly from the south side of the house where the power comes into the house and the breaker box is in an interior closet. That elec line runs from the breaker box, down the exterior wall and comes out by the foundation (there's a crawl space) then he ran it the 100' or so out to the south side of the barn and had an electrical outlet plug thing on it and would just plug in a power barn and hook up a temporary light and his big old table saw. What I've been told by more than one person is that of course burying a power line is better and that if all it will be is some flourescent shop lights and some outlets for the occasional saw or drill, etc. And even if we put a flood/security light above the door , then just use 12 gauge wire to run it out there and it will not be pulling all that much electricity. It is not a workshop that will have a lot of machinery running all day. The only thing that would run all is maybe the shop lights. But I was told that they don't pull much power. I haven't done any of that yet, was also told about putting a separate breaker out there. A neighbor has a remote control for the light in his outbuilding/shop and that sounds very handy! GOOD LUCK and let us know what else you find out or what you do. Julie in Oklahoma

Hi, I am new to the group and I have a question. We have lived in this house for about 6 years. A couple of years ago I had a sink clog and called a plumber. He came snaked it and charged me 250.00. A few days ago I had another clog and I snaked it (borrowed from neighbor) and all was well for 2 days. Now it is clogged again. This is my kitchen double sink with garbage disposal. I have used Liquid Fire in it yesterday and nothing happen. I would like to know if anyone has any ideas of what to try? I really can not afford to use a plumber again. I went to Home Depot and they have a CO2 plunger but I asked if this could damage pipe and the gentleman told me it has been know to do just that. So I really don't want to use that. Any help would be appreciated. thank you Debbie

I would like to run power out to my barn. It is approx. 150 yards from the house. I'm looking for suggestions on how I can run a line from my existing house panel to the barn? Thanks, Roger

hey folks again! im buying an above ground pool. and out here in phoenix its like 103 and id like to get somthing that keeps my pool cool so its not like a hot tub. anyone have any idears? thanks!

When I traveled in the 70's you could buy converters all over the place, I still have mine. Should be able to find one easily. I think Sharper Image still has them. Mike

Hello again. I bought the 18v Ryobi "The works" and love it! I have to ...ummmm I mean GET TO.... lol... do some remodel work at my daughter and son-in law's house - change a loft into a bedroom for my grandson. The ISSUE is that the kids live in Germany (my S-I-L is a German national - no military involved... just a long story). My QUESTION is... any idea on a battery charger? Coontacted Ryobi and they do not make a 220v/50 cycle charger. Not sure about a converter... that MIGHT do the trick. HELP!!??!!??!!??!!

Because we live out here in dry California (Sacramento area), we need sprinklers. I need to install some in a backyard with some big honking Fruitless Mulbury trees. 50+ footers. I will *** to the extent possible *** try to trench around the perimiter of the yard as far as possible from the trees. Here is the question - if I use a trenching machine, how (generally) will it do with roots. Will they faze the trencher? I will need to go about 8" deep is all. Heck, LESS perhaps. Ideas or thoughts?????

Hi , i would like to find a shower head to install in my shower. i need something that supplies plenty of water pressure, but since i live in california, i would also really, really like to find something that also conserves water. what should i look for when shopping for a shower head in order to find what i want? also, is there anything i should know about installing shower heads before i begin?? I've never done it before... but then, i'm a beginner in home maintence and repair. Any help, recommendations, or instructions would be greatly appreciated. Maggie

Does anyone know what I can do about some sprung springs on some old porch furniture? We have inherited a set of redwood furniture which is mostly in nice shape, but the springs on the seats of the easy chairs are sprung out of shape and useless. Can I somehow fix the old springs, or buy new ones somewhere? I have never seen springs like this for sale anywhere, so if anyone can tell me where I could find some, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance!! Ann

greetings folks! after the temp hit like 112 here today in phoenix ive decided that i want to build a water mister undernieth a patio umbrella. anyone know of nay kits that are available or where i can find just the nozzles? i can make the rest out of water pipe thats easy. any help would be great. thanks :-)

Hi.. Just wondering if anyone can help.. what do we have to do when one of the lines on the outside pipes coming from the central air unit is freezing the water... what do we do to defrost?? HELP!! HOT IN TEXAS!! Thanks, Slvia

We are remodeling an older mobile we would like to know if anyone has ever put up styrofoam insulation and wallboard over the existing paneling. We know we'll loose a small amount of floor space but to insulate the inside and provide some sound barriers would be a big help. We would also welcome hearing from anyone else who has remodeled an older mobile and what you did to improve it. Thanks

Hi, Has anyone words of advice for me? I am contemplating installing a shower (a *real* shower, not only cold water) outside a small guest house. I'd have to put in a full sized water heater, waterproof (tile, perhaps?) the outside wall and install the drain system. I'd love to hear from anyone who has done something similar. Regards, Carmen

Hello, I just joined this group because I am going to add a 16'X16' porch to the back of my house with the porch roof attached to the back of the house and one corner of the porch roof tied into a corner of an attached garage roof. I was hoping that there might be some archived info in your group that might help me.

Hi I am new to the group, I have done many projects after reading about what I wanted to do and just jumping in.. My best half would be the leary one, and drive me nuts until the project was done then he would love it.. LOL I am soo tired of my kitchen.. I painted it, took of the doors, and replaced the floors but it is just not doing it for me. The counters have to go!! Tile that has seen way better days, the do it yourselfer that installed them (no not me) used floor grout and it is just a mess. The tiles are cracking and breaking on the corners..I was thinking about taking a unfitted approch. I ran it by hubby, he is the one ready to just tear everything out, and I am the one thinking OH MY SOUL I am going to rip out my whole kitchen and what if I cant find funiture to fit right or what kind of wood would I put on top of something that needs a new top etc,,, Does anyone have any ideas? Is it possible to just start taking out counters, cubboards and painting the wall behind it? There is a tile backsplash that I think has me the most afraid. Can this be done by DIYers? Any advice is much needed. Thank you Kathy

how do you go about ... putting a ceiling light in a room.. where there wasnt one before? there is a switch on the wall where we would connect the wire to thanks joyce

I have fished wire through walls many a time. I use sash chain (the kind used in the old windows with weights). The links are interconnected into each other so It won't break. Start at the top hole and drop it down into the wall. You can hear it as it travels. Open your hole in the bottom of the wall and use a piece of coat hanger to find and fish it out. Keep in mind that there is a 2x4 laid flat on the floor so don't drill too close to the floor or you will just be drilling into the base 2x4 instead of the wall cavity. I found that the chain is so tough that you can enlarge a passage if your wire won't fit by pulling it back and forth in a sawing motion (need two people to do this). Ray Hi all, I'm new to this group. I see that there are a lot of knowledgeable people here helping each other which is great. I want to run speaker wire through the wall in my living room (bring it through the baseboard and pull it out through a whole at the top of the wall). Does anyone know of a tool which could help me put the wire through the wall and retrieve it again. Also will I have troubles with obstacles in between? (eg: 2X4 etc) Thanks in advance! Ramin

Our dis washer was not installed correctly. When you open the door and pull a tray out the whole dish washer unit comes out from under the counter. How do I attach the dish washer to keep it from coming out? Thanks, Bob

Hi all, I'm new to this group. I see that there are a lot of knowledgeable people here helping each other which is great. I want to run speaker wire through the wall in my living room (bring it through the baseboard and pull it out through a whole at the top of the wall). Does anyone know of a tool which could help me put the wire through the wall and retrieve it again. Also will I have troubles with obstacles in between? (eg: 2X4 etc) Thanks in advance! Ramin

I was curious about this too. I just used my Keyhole 2 LT Satellite Imaging program to "look" at South and North Korea and Japan and it sure seems like Japan is a lot "greener" than the Korea's. If you want to see the satellite image, send me an email and I'll reply with the attached pictures at different satellite ranges. I may upload them to my webshots site later on if anyone wants to see them and can't get them via email. Does the group allow uploads of pictures to the Photo page? Interesting how a DoIt_Yourself group got onto the topic of trees in Korea. :-) Lenny Vasbinder Message: 19 Date: Tue, 17 May 2005 14:41:13 -0700 (PDT) From: harold Subject: Re: Digest Number 1654 gee, it would seem pretty hard to cut down every tree in a country. on top of that, it must be pretty tough to build without wood. the only reference i could find to any trees being cut down was on Mt. Kumgang. are you certain about this "history"? i never heard of there being a scarcity of wood due to japanese occupation. are there any Koreans out there that can substantiate this? SNIP Below: In 1910, the Japanese invaded Korea. Their occupation lasted until 1945. This wasn't a pleasant time for the Korean people. Among the atrocities the Japanese committed was cutting down all of the trees in Korea except for one--the Japanese knew the Koreans held trees sacred, which is why they cut 'em all down. They also abolished the Korean language and forced thousands of women into prostitution. (Which led to a couple of very useful Korean obscenities, but this is a family list so we won't get into that now.) Anyway, the whole point of this paragraph is to inform that there's not enough forest in Korea to use firewood.

Just above my entry door there is a "window" with four recangular sections-36" x 19" each. This is actually a rectangular frame, devided into four sections by three upright pieces. There is one single panel of ugly yellow acrylic sheet in each opening, held by 1/2" x 1/2" wood all around the edges from the inside. I would like to replace these acrylic panels with double walled insulated clear glass, same as the panels in a window. My question is, can I get these panels custome made to the measurements, WITHOUT the wood or vinyl frame as in regular windows? How, and at what point, are the two glass panels sealed to hold the inert gas? Are they sealed by the frames themselves, or are they sealed by the spacers and some kind of glue and then put into frames? I want to get these panels made to measurement because I do not want to touch the existing frame work. They are load bearing, and I don't want to play with it. Any input will be appreciated. Thanks. Mat

The prior drywall job in my newly-acquired house has some problems that are visible upon close inspection (e.g. visible drywall screws beneath the mud, visible seams where butts meet). It appears to me that the cause is NOT a failure to sufficiently sink the screws or put the factory produced butts together. Instead, I think the installation didn't use enough mud (based on width, it looks like they only applied one or two coats of mud). Question: How should I correct this so the shoddiness of the drywall installation isn't visible after applying a new finish? Can I apply a skim coat of topping compound over the existing paint? How do I ensure that it bonds to the paint?

My dwelling faces a relatively busy street. I currently have a metal skin door with a foam-type core. My home is two years old. How does this type of door compare to a solid wood door in terns of reducing street noise? The current door seems noisy and I'v already weatherstripped it. Thanks.

I need some advice on installing a new entry door. I want to install just the door. Home Depot's doors are too tall. My neighbor wants to trim the door to fit. My door is 32 1/8" x 78 3/16". Home Depot's are 32" x 79". The door I want to get is steel and has decorative panels. Is trimming a good idea?

I'm curious if bricks from around the mid 1950's or older are worth anything. I guess I should add that they are used and have been taken out of what was built (some in decent shape and others broken). I have a feeling that this question is either a very good one or I've just made several hundred people crack up. lol. But I'm serious. Shawn

I am hoping to install sunscreen over some non-opening windows to minimize the heat and UV build-up I'm experiencing. There are five of floor-to-ceiling windows, all side-by-side, and separated by about 6 inches. I have located almost all the materials I need, with one exception-- the mounting brackets. The glass is held in place by 1x2s and then there is a 2x4 trim-like frame attached to the siding. As a result the sunscreens would nicely fit inside the trim-frame and be most visually appealing/less architecturally distracting. My challenge is the mounting hardware--everything I've found so far presumes that the screens are not framed by anything and you attach the mounting hardware on the same 'plane' as the one the screens are on or go over existing operating windows with tracks. In my case, I need to find mounting hardware that attaches at a 90% angle to the sunscreen. (OK, this is kinda difficult to imagine. So, let's try this:) - Place a piece of paper on your work surface--this is the glass. - Place a thin pad of post-it notes adjacent to the piece of paper-- this is the wood that holds the glass in place. - Place the spine of a thick dictionary adjacent to the post-it notes (on the side opposite the 'glass')--this is the frame atop the siding. - Place a piece of anything thin and large across the piece of paper and atop the post-it notes, aligning it with the dictionary's spine-- this is the sunscreen. Note now that the way to hold this in would be something attached to the spine of the dictionary. I know that yet another trim piece (maybe a 1x1) could be attached along the whole length; but I've got about 80 feet of this to do and don't really want to deal with the cost of non-rottable wood and painting upkeep. (Note too that I'll be using a vinyl-coated and colored frame for the sunscreen, so want something that will not damage that as well as color coordinate. Yeah, I want it all!) Any and all suggestions are welcome! (The more detailed, the better.) TIA for all your help.

I bought a drywall sanding rig (from home depot i think) that uses a five gallon bucket about half full of water with two hoses coming out of it. One goes into you shopvac intake and the other to a sanding block with holes in it to suck up the dust. It works good and was only about 30.00. Roy

If it was orange, that was a Fein. These are made in Germany and no one in America has ever heard of them (for one thing, they're really expensive--the smallest one is about $150 and the biggest one is over $300), but they're quiet and they work. -- --jmowreader

I am going to be installing crown molding in my master bed as well as on top of the kitchen cabiets. I am not sure exactly how to do it. The 45 degree angle never match up. Can anyone give me the tips I need to match the ends perfectly? thanks, Scott Naperville

I just joined and would like to mention to all that may be interested,the possibility of introducing SOLAR stuff into you remodeling projects! I am OFF the grid, and use solar power for heating, light, and lots more! i just discovered this item called a "sun pipe" very interesting article to check out if anyone is interested! Thank you, Lisa C.

I am replacing the chain link fencing between my indoor dog runs.. (I am tired of cleaning the hair out of the wires) I am planning to cover a 4x4 sheet of plywood with 'professional grade aluminum trim coil' (I asked at Menards if there was any piece of solid metal I could use for the divider and was told no' What would be the best way to attach this? The sheeting is 24 inches wide. Is there a slick way to fold the sheeting around the end of the board to give it a nice finished look? Can I use liquid nails to adhere it? thanks joyce

Now! This vanity that you have, it is 18 inches from front to back, correct? And you are wanting to replace it with a molded vanity top? We know the vanity is 18 inches "deep." If you measure across the front, it's...oh, let's pull out a number...24 inches across. Add an inch to both directions and you get 19 x 25. That's the top you want. If you have a drop-in sink you want to replace, take the old sink out and measure the length and width of the hole. Add one inch in each direction to get the sink size you need. -- --jmowreader

Hello all, I have a 50's ranch house with sliding aluminum windows. I'm planning to replace them myself with windows from either Home Depot or Lowe's. I know the windows Lowe's have are made by Pella, very good brand. Home Depot's are from American Craftsman, my wife favors these since both panes slide, the Lowe's ones only one side opens. Has anyone had experience with either of these window brands from them? I would very much appreciate any information about this to help me make my choice. Thanks, Terry

I'm making a 10-inch diameter x 7-inch depth suspended tom-tom for a drum set using segmented turning techniques. A few years ago, the place I was working was throwing away lots of printing plate boxes. These came from Brazil, and had a two-inch-wide board at each end of the box to keep the plates from breaking out. I got about 200 of those boards over a three-month period. I started my drum by cutting these boards into two-inch chunks with 15-degree miters at each end, then glued twelve of them into a circle. (Right now you're going "where did he get these numbers?" Each ring has 12 pieces in it. Divide 360 by 12 to get 30, which is the number of degrees in each corner. Now! If you are turning a corner by a particular angle, half of that angle needs to be on each of the boards that make up the corner. Half of 30 degrees is 15. As to the length, I just picked a number that would be enough to make a ring at least 10 inches in diameter. The drum shell needs to be somewhat smaller than 10 inches so a standard head will fit on it. This one's 9.25 inches in diameter, so I'm fine.) Okay. Onward and upward. My original plan was to cut out 84 little pieces of wood, glue them into seven rings, then glue the rings into a stack. I glued up the first ring and left it to dry overnight. Surprise: the pallet-grade wood that comes from Brazilian forests is more open-grained than red oak. It wicked all the glue up into the pores and the ring I made fell apart. On to Plan B. Last Wednesday was my day off. On the way out of the store on Tuesday, I stopped by tool rental and bought a big sheet of the self-adhesive sandpaper we sell for floor sanding. We had 36 grit and 60 grit in stock. 36 grit sandpaper has boulders glued to it; I got a sheet of 60 grit. I stuck the paper to a sheet of plywood. I sanded one face of each of 24 blocks smooth, then glued them up into a two-layer ring that's offset 15 degrees, put the ring between two sheets of melamine, and put them in my hydraulic press. I then had dinner while the glue dried under a bit of pressure--maybe 100 pounds, certainly no more. Two hours after applying pressure, I sanded the sides of the ring on the large sandpaper and added two more layers, one on each side. Once again, two hours of pressure and sanding. Eventually, I had seven layers built up. I set my kitchen oven to "Warm," put the drum shell blank on an old cookie sheet, and baked it for two hours to get it good and hard. Then I put the blank on my workbench and left it overnight. The next day, I cut out a piece of plywood, glued some construction paper to it, glued the blank to that, and put it on my lathe. I used gouges and skews to make the outside round and the size I wanted, and gouges, skews and some scraper work to make the inside round and the walls half an inch thick. Then I sanded it and oiled it. The way you tell whether a drum shell is any good is to take all the hardware and the heads off it (or don't put any on yet), suspend it off your little finger and rap on it with your fist. This one sounds really good. It's got a nice crisp sound with no trace of muddiness to it. This is going to be a great sounding drum. It's going to be a great looking drum too--as you turn the drum around in your hand, the individual blocks change color from a dark red to almost white. Think "Chromalusion" but this doesn't rely on high-tech finishing to achieve the effect; this is just how it is. Right now I'm busy applying coats of oil to it. I'm going to put a total of 14 coats of oil on the shell, one per day. After it's been thoroughly oiled, I'll let it sit for a month to get good and dry, then apply probably ten coats of Minwax finishing wax with an electric lambswool buffer. Finally, I'll put in the six vent holes, add an internal microphone mount and an XLR connector, make some hoops so I can head it, add lugs and heads, and start on the next one--I need a total of seven. Where this is going to get fun is when I do the bass, the snare and three of the toms: None of those drums will fit on my lathe, so I'll have to use a Surform tool to shape them. All of those drums will be made from cherry, walnut and hickory--I don't have nearly enough of the Brazilian wood to make a bass drum, and cutting a million little blocks of wood on a compound miter saw is NOT my idea of a good time! -- --jmowreader

our old bathroom... has a window above the tub. how could we keep a window... and still have a shower? Is there a special (yet economical) window that is better ... so it wont rot out...? that can still be opened to allow summer breezes... is it better to put in some type of tub surround... or is structoglas good enough? we will be using a shower curtain and not a shower door thanks joyce

Hi!! Need a little reassurance on hooking up the power cord to the stove I received from another freecycle member... The 3 prongs on the cord were not marked... well, the ones on the outside have plastic ties attached to them... one is yellow, the other orange. The plug on the back of the stove has the red, white, & black (left to right) In looking at the way the cord is bent, I think I have it hooked up correctly... If I switch it around, the cord bends underneath the stove and the little locking hooks in the prongs look out instead of towards the hookup... With that... can anyone tell me if there is a right or wrong in hooking up the cord? So any advice out there for this ole gal??? thanks much! Jaime

I would like to build a loft in my garage. I have a plan from a recent Family Handyman that calls for securing 2x4's into the ceiling joists with 5" metal L-brackets to support the loft. Will this work with silent floor joists? Will it support the same weight as a 2x8 or 2x10 joist? Drywall covers the ceiling of the garage. I think that the Silent Floor joist has 2x2's at the top and bottom with an 8" wide piece of OSB in between. I am concerned about the weight the joists can support from below.

I need some help and advice picking the panel material for inside my garage. The garage itself is insulated (kraft backed paper to inside), 2x4 construction with forced air heat. It is at grade level and dry. It is big at 24X44, located in S.E. Ohio (mild snowy climate). I'd like to put up 1/8 inch white bead board on the walls, attached directly to the studs with 18 or 16 gauge air driven brads or nails. Problem is, I get to Lowes or HD and all the paneling goods in this thickness warn that "this product should not be fastened directly to studs" or something similar. Same goes for most panels of a 1/4 inch thickness. Apparently the panels are made to only go over drywall, or be attached with adhesive? It seems totally counter-productive to have to put up drywall just to attach the paneling I want. Furthermore, I just ripped out some paneling in another part of my house that was nailed up to the studs for probably the last 30 years-- no problem. As an alternative, I suppose I could put up 1/2 sanded plywood for a totally solid surface, but then I'd have to sand it and finish it all with paint or poly. The beaded panel option, at about $17 per sheet, will run about $300 for the necessary 17 sheets, while the 1/2 inch plywood would cost about $500 for 17, including the paint/poly. Not a big difference over a decade, but I really want the look of the white bead board. I guess my question is,"Can I use this thinner paneling attached directly to the studs"? What problem will I encounter now or in the future if I do so? I've been agonizing over this decision for about 3 months now, and would appreciate some input about just what the problem is related to nailing this thinner stuff up on the studs. Thanks. TIM/

Hi Everyone, I will be framing in a bathtub & tub surround.I'm not sure how to do this or what materials to use. Does anyone know a website I could go to for help? Thanks

It has been 5 months now since I fell off my ladder while decorating for Christmas. I am still on crutches and go to physical therapy 3 times a week. I had ankle and knee surgery and the Doc says it will take a year to recover. I had to grit my teeth when I read your letter. I grimace when I see anyone on a ladder now. You were very lucky. DON'T DO IT AGAIN. lol Joan We're both just lucky to still be alive or not injured from it. I wouldn't try it agian. It sounded stupid to attempt before I did it and I complained the whole time I did it. There has to be a better way. Anyone done anything like this?

Im doing alot of repair on the Drywall in my garage and am in need of a sander! My questions are: What is better Sheet sanders or Orbital Sanders?

When you bore glass, the bit has to run in oil. Otherwise, the glass will heat up and crack. You also need to exert a constant amount of pressure, so if you've got a drill press that's the best thing. -- --jmowreader

Just use house paint. -- --jmowreader

I drill into ceramic tile using a diamond tip bit, which I bought at Harbor Freight, also it is important to go slow when drilling or you will break it. Brenda

Hello All, I need to paint the front door of my home. Do I have to use a special paint? I have painted inside but never outside - Do I have to do anything special? Thanks for your help. Stephanie - in GA.

well Jim.. now that I know you work at Home Depot.. and you have so much experience... Can you.. (and anyone else) please share your thoughts on wooden floors. I have decided that I do not want laminate ...I want the sound of real wood.. I can not afford hardwood throughout.. I have been thinking in terms of the back of car siding.. I have talked to two people who have done this.. Both said that the down side of it is the marking.. (I dont care.. it adds character) and the fact that the finish wears off faster.I saw one house with this.. the floor is 10 years old.. has to be refinished because they didnt use area rugs. The other house was built about 20 yrs ago.. the owner owns a lumber yard and he said he would go with the pine floors again if he had to do it all over again. our farmhouse was built in 1935.. we live paycheck to paycheck... I would probably have to do most of the work myself.. since my husband works so much. Another possibility would be to buy pine and have a man in town put in the tongue and grooves... please send me your ideas and suggestions joyce

Removing the distributor cap in an Accord is a grade-A pain. It bolts on and you've got to take off the advance mechanish. -- --jmowreader

am I allowed to ask a question for automobiles? if not.. does any one know of a do it yourself list for cars? I do most of the building or repair work here by myself... decided to help out my husband.... by removing the spark plug wires and returing them to auto zone for an exchange for new ones.. (lifetime guarantee.... needed to bring in the old ones and the receipt) well... he explained to me that when one changes these wires.. you do it one wire at a time.. so you know which one to put.. where. he told me I didnt have to help with auto mechanic stuff anymore... I have until sunday.. to find the information ... for those darn spark plug wires... so we can tune up my sons honda accord.. and do a few other repairs to it... so my son can have his car back... any suggestions will be greatly appreciated joyce

I recently bought a Porter-Cable 10-inch laser compound miter saw. Great tool, and it even comes complete with some great lowbrow humor! The joke is titled "Cutting Crown Moulding with Porter-Cable Frame & Trim Saws and Compound Miter Saws. In it you will learn that if the angle between two walls is 88 degrees, you must set the miter to 32.52 degrees and the bevel to 34.53 degrees. The scale used to set the bevel spans 45 degrees, and it's 3/4" long. Is there ANYONE who can tell me how to set the saw bevel to 34.53 degrees when you can barely set it to full-degree increments? -- --jmowreader

Hi! My foundation is re-settling due to years of water on the front lawn and is slowly erroding the the dirt under the foundation. I will be digging some trenches to lay underground tubing to divert some of the water away. Stone foundation. What are "french drains". Any, suggestions?

I'm using Oldstone Colony pavers which are shaped like an octagon with a protrusion sticking out on one side. I started the first row out with the aid of a tight string stretched for about 20 feet. I now have spaces opening up between the bricks up to about 1/4 inch because they are not fitting together like they should. When I tap the bricks in to close these cracks, more cracks open up in the other direction. I just can't seem to have it both ways! I'm sure there are secrets to know when putting them down, but I'm not having any luck finding them. Can any one in this group help me? thx/jerry

Hi! I have a house in need of some serious fixes, but back in March there was some discussion about plaster vs. plaster board and asbestos. I have what I beleive to be horsehair plaster as there is no paper on either side and under this is wood slats with plaster (?) between them. This stuff is so dry I can push parts of the wall and make it move, not to mentions the cracks are actually starting to just have chuncks of plaster fall off. Is this asbestos? Also, the ceiling tile is not real tile it is like compressed board. Are these asbestos? Thanks!

I recently had plumbing done and the plumber had to knock holes in my kitchen ceiling to get access to the pipes going to the upstairs bathroom. After the work, I noticed that the flow to the hot water in the upstairs sink was much slower and almost stops when the warm water actually gets to the faucet. There is no problem with the cold water or the hot water supply to the upstairs bathtub. I called the plumber and told him. He said that he saw no intake pipes going to the sink, (Only the intake pipes to the cold water and the hot water to the tub were replaced) so they might be between the partitions. This would require removing the subflooring under the upstairs bathroom. He said in order to replace the pipes, he needed to see two junctions, so he would have to keep removing flooring until,he could see the junctures. I am really at a loss to know what to do. I want to have the plaster repaired in the ceiling, but should I go ahaead and then have to put up with a slow warm water flow or get another opinion from another plumber? I hate to tear the house apart to replace what is likely a 3 foot section of pipe.

Okay, I love the outside and there is nothing like waking up with freshair and sunlight on your face. So I want to have my windows open in the morning. I need my windows completely shut at night (well atleast the blinds the actual windows can stay open) cause the light from a street is right at my window. So I want to make my window open actuallically in the morning. This is what I've done so far. I have my blinds controled from remote (cheap device from Lowes (about 20) that replaces the closing stick) and I've ordered some hardware and software for my computer that can give infrared signals at a scheduled time. So thats one things that I've done with but I need two more. I'm going to add some drapes to further block out the street light. Here are a few questions. [B]What material is the best to block out light?[/B] My moms (sower) made one that doubled up on the fabric but still didn't block it all out. The one she made had five strings attached to the drapes that all went through a devices that had wheels inside with one having teeth, so that when you pull at it at the right angle it would lock. [B]What is this deviced called that has the teeth wheels?[/B] And here is my last question. [B]Finally, any ideas on how to make them automatic w/ infrared control of course? [/B] (cheap) And here is the last and probably hardest part. [B] Any ideas on how to make the actual windows automatically open?[/B] I would think you would need some kind of devices with wheels that was under the window. Thanks

Where can I purchase Tiflawn seed? Is there a brand name that I sould look for? Thanks.

The nut has corroded to the point where it is coming up out of the toilet base hole, unfortunately the hole in the tank itself is smaller. Because of the proximity of the tub, I can't get my bolt cutter in there and my teen daughter and I have been sawing with a hack saw off & on all day and only about halfway through. It doesn't help that we can't keep the saw in the same spot, but I think the main problem is pure lack of muscle power. Can I use a reciprocal saw or a roto-zip for this? I have a Dremel with cutting discs that would have worked, but unfortunately my mother borrowed it and now doesn't know where it is--leaving me with an unusable tank on the only toilet in the house! Any ideas--I really don't have the $ for a plumber and the only male I know who would normally come to my aid is out of town!? Marci--who is terribly frustrated by a lousy bolt after successfully installing a hot water heater and a gas stove this weekend!

Go buy a tape measure. Today. I don't care if you have a tape measure. You need a longer one. Or a shorter one. One that's purple. Anything. But get one. Today. Check this out and you'll understand why I have given you this mission: A woman came into the store today asking for a board to be cut. "How long?" I asked. She pulled out a piece of elastic that's about three feet long and said "this long." (Y'all do know elastic stretches, right?) So I figured she had just laid the elastic on the thing she wanted the board to be like. I laid the elastic on the wood, marked it and cut it. Oh no! She had STRETCHED the F'ing Elastic until it was around four feet long...but she wasn't sure exactly how MUCH she had stretched it. And she got all upset that I couldn't match *exactly* the width of her pantry. I can--if you don't bring me measurements you took by stretching a piece of F'ing Elastic about y-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-y much across the pantry. I told her to go buy a tape measure, go home, measure the pantry and come back. "I don't want to buy a tape measure, they cost too much." The scary part isn't that one idiot came in with a measurement she took with a stretchy item. The REALLY scary part is that male Fort Bragg Paratroopers will do the same thing with parachute cord, which is nearly as stretchy as elastic. And they'll do it with life-and-death stuff: we had a guy come in to get some support blocks made to set his 155mm towed howitzer--an artillery field gun--on while it was on an airplane going to Iraq. A howitzer weighs about eleven tons. It has to sit on these big blocks that lift the wheels off the floor of the plane so it won't start bouncing up and down if the plane hits turbulence. This guy came in and told me to make the blocks "this high." According to his parachute cord, the blocks needed to be 14 inches high. According to the battery first sergeant's tape measure, 14 inches would have been too short to reach the axle. So all y'all on this fine Do It Yourself list, go buy a tape measure. Today. -- --jmowreader

Because here is what I want to do... We live on a VERY poorly graded lot (50+ yrs old), and there is an existing 20'X30' Garage/workshop in the back. BUT it sits low and can flood in the winter. As a temp solution, I added a sump outside and have a pump that chucks the water out to the street in the front. The issue is that when there is a big rain storm, that is also the time we are most likely to lose power. AARRGGGHHHHHHHH. I want a more permanent solution. I would like to just jack up the building (it is bolted to slab w/ embedded "J" bolts), and lay another 6-8"of concrete under it. The existing slab dates from 1953 (it is dated), and has NOT A SINGLE CRACK in it. Solid as the dickens. So the question... can I just overlay additional mud, add new "J" bolts and reset the building? Please please please????

Having watched too many home improvement shows.. I realized that one problem area we have could be solved by sliding doors on "barn-door like" tracks. My problem area has three big spaces (about 4' x 9') each which need doors to make enclosed closet/cupboard like spaces. I haven't found a way to inexpensively make "doors" for them since they are so large. I was wondering if getting a barn door track and putting a sliding door in front would work.. there is room for the track. I also like the look. The only issues are i) the tracks after a quick pricing the tracks seem to run $50 - $150 each (would need 2) -- the three spaces are right next to each other so I would put two doors on one 12' track and one on another 8' or 12 ' track. - does this seem reasonable? I could open each individually, but not all at the same time.. that's okay since they aren't pass throughs to other areas but closet-like enclosed spaces. ii) what kind of wood/material can I use as the "door". I called and a hollow core door of that size would be special order for $200 or more. Too much for three! Anything else and the guy I talked to was worried about warping for something that size. any thoughts on something that sized and reasonably priced that won't warp and isn't too heavy????? iii) would there be too much "wobble" do I need to secure it on the bottom as well? The only alternative I have come up with is curtains.. but UGH.. won't look as nice - I want a more permanent look. Thanks, Sarah

We bought a set of old kitchen cabinets and they are painted, what is the best way to get the paint off of it, and also how can we tell what kind of wod that they are made out of? We would like to try to try to get a pantry to match it, or some other piece's to match it. Please I have no clue at all.... Cheryl

Hello, We are renovating a house built in the 40's and are putting a shower spa in the master bathroom, which has high capacity output from 2 shower heads and body jets. We are considering tankless water heaters just for this bathroom and cannot find any independent information (not coming from the manufacturers)online. I'm looking for anyone who has used a tankless water heater in this or similar high capacity setting, and whether they were satisfied. Any information or references would be extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mike Frith Broussard, LA

help how do i build a wall?

I am laying laminate flooring and I need to change the color of my stair railing. I am having a hard time finding ways that will work for stripping and re-staining the railing. Since there are small grooves along the railing I was wondering what was the best method/product to remove the current stain from the small crevices?

several years ago... less than 10 ... more than 5 we purchased some new 'decking' at an auction. The lumber is a soft wood...and I am not sure what kind it is. We brought it home and stored it in our barn until we could afford posts. Finally got up our 3 board wooden fence around our barn. I painted it using a white stain the first year. the next year it was peeling, and the year after that it needed to be repainted. Every other year I have to repaint. I have used stain, laytex, oil. primer and paint ect ect.. and nothing sticks to that wood. I have been told to use tsf ? tsh? and scrub it down. That product had so many precautions on it I was concerned and never used it. Someone has told me to paint the wood with aluminum paint because that paint stick sto anything. Should I paint it with aluminum? Then cover it with what? oil? The wood obvioulsy was treated with something. any suggestions will be apprectiated thanks joyce

Kim, why not just paint the tile, or use some rubber stamps on them to add some freshness to the look. Lots cheaper and easier to do... Brenda do you have to remove all the tile from the bathroom walls before you put up the wanescoating(is that spelled right?) or can you just use liquid nails and stick the stuff over the tile? i really hate the tile in my bathroom its grey and from 1957. i want kind of a new look to the bathroom ya know and i dont think i can spend all the time to remove all the tile(i am a mother of 4)and replace it with dry wall stuff,or the money!.(i am a novice DIYer and dont know all the technical words for stuff! thanks for your help in advance!

I am thinking of putting on a new metal roof. Can I put the new roof on over one layer of existing shingles that are in ok condition? I was thinking it could help with damping the noise on the metal and also provide more insulation. Are there any troubles I should consider when placing metal roofing over shingles? Also, can anyone recommend a site showing the how-to for applying the metal roofing for the do-it- yourselfer? Thanks. Roger Otsego County, NY

Our lawn is covered in Crab grass, other weedy grass types and weeds. I would like to redo the whole thing! Would it be better to tear everything up and start over? Or throw new seed down on a regular basis? Any suggestions? I would like a nice deep green color, that is soft on the feet and durable. Any suggestions on the type of grass or brand. Thanks for any suggestion or links:)

Hi, I'm a novice do-it-yourselfer. There is an old addition on the back of the house, perhaps 25 X 15 ft in size, just eyeballing it. It currently has a sort of pressboard, exactly the same stuff as the backs of dry-erase boards or clip boards at staples are made of, and the surface is a film of wood-patterned plastic. It's rather ugly, and so I am in the process of tearing it out and replacing it with drywall. This addition has historically always been cold in winter. Partly it might be poor ducting. The house and its furnace and ductwork weren't designed with the addition in mind, so it might just not be getting enough. Partly, it used to be a porch, so it's sitting on concrete slab and not a real foundation. That doesn't help at all. I don't know what the insulation in the ceiling is like. The insulation in the wall is perhaps 2" fiberglass between the studs (it doesn't say, and it's fluffy so that's only a guesstimate). I could replace it with 3" fiberglass. I'm not about to change any of the other factors to its being cold, I can't give it a foundation or modify ductwork (well, I could put a fan into the pipe?), and the ceiling is covered with drywall so I wasn't planning to rip that out. My question is, then, what does insulation cost, and by merely trading 2" for 3" fiberglass in the walls, considering that the floor is probably the greatest culprit anyway and won't be modified, will I get my money's worth for it? thanks for your advice! -Bernard

hi , i am new here , well i have been lurking for a while now just eating up all your advice! any way, the question i have is this : do you have to remove all the tile from the bathroom walls before you put up the wanescoating(is that spelled right?) or can you just use liquid nails and stick the stuff over the tile? i really hate the tile in my bathroom its grey and from 1957. i want kind of a new look to the bathroom ya know and i dont think i can spend all the time to remove all the tile(i am a mother of 4)and replace it with dry wall stuff,or the money!.(i am a novice DIYer and dont know all the technical words for stuff! thanks for your help in advance! kim

I have a large redwood gate already and am planning on building a fence. More (a lot) of redwood fencing doesn't suit the house, but a completely white fence doesn't either. Yesterday, I saw a beautiful fence which looked like redwood with a whitewash (?) over it. It had a nice natural color, not a bright white but rather a pinkish/beige weathered tone - . which seemed to come from the combination of the color of the underlying wood and the paint/stain over it. Imagine a weathered cape cod color but instead of the blue tone, a more pinky/beige tone. Any thoughts on how I can replicate this? What are my options? I once heard of something like this mentioned by a fence guy..but he was very proprietary about his info and acted like it was something special only he knew.. . At the home I saw yesterday, the fence was there before the homeowner moved in, so they have no idea what it is. Oh, and I would like it to be easy to apply and long-lasting.. Of course. Thanks, Sarah

has anyone used the product "five minute fence"? or have you cleaned and stained a fence that has turned grey?

I was given an assessment by my HOA that I needed to paint my pakeboard... if only I know what that was...I would paint it! haha. I am assuming it's the wood trim boards that outline my siding. Help please??? Thanks, Steve

Our funky little old house came with a propane cook-stove in the kitchen. A huge dinosaur of a stove, big oven, 4 burners and a griddle in the middle. I'm ashamed to admit it but it's been seven years and though I've washed around it as far as my short arms can reach, I really need to move the thing so I can get behind it to clean, (it's kind of in a corner and I can't get to the other side any other way than moving the stove.) My boys have learned to cook over the years and really I'm kind of afraid to think of what I'll find behind it. So, if it has that metal tubing for the propane connection, is it going to be safe to move it and then move it back? Will it crack and break? Is that not-real-flexible metal hose stuff still legal or am I going to need to plan to replace it? Thanks for any thoughts you can share, Cheryl MT -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.11.5 - Release Date: 5/4/2005

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just a couple of questions. Is this a private single family home or part of a larger building such as a condo? A steel I beam going across the floor is the reason I ask.

Pam, I just got one and didn't even think of trying it on the sink. I'll let you know. Thanks, Joan Mr. Clean Magix Erasers - - I should own the company by now. Oh how I wish I had had these when DS had white band shoes! If it DOES NOT work, please let me know. Pam in GA.

I have to admit that I know nothing about propane tanks of any sort. I just need the answer to a very basic question. I bought a propane torch wand to burn weeds in my yard. I saw this and I thought it would be great, no pulling or spraying! Of course now that I have this I do not know how to connect it. The wand came with no instructions but it says to attach to any propane tank. I went out and bought a small propane tank from Lowe's--it was the only one they had that was small, the only others were large ones for gas grills. Now that I have it at home I do not know how to put the two together. The torch has a nipple on the end of the hose that needs to be screwed into something. The tank that I have just has a white plastic cap that is impossible for me to turn and I think that even if I take it off I would not be able to screw the nipple into the opening. I most probably bought the wrong kind of tank. The tank has no helpful instructions either. It ust says "hold cylinder upright while attaching" and to handtighten only. Any suggestions would be appreciated since I do not want to play with something that could be potentially dangerous. Ande

I would like to build a retaining wall in front of my house. My problem is that it slopes down to the right. How would I make this level for laying the blocks? The top would be level and it drops down about 3 ft. Do I make level sections? I am at a lost. Does anyone want to help me? We could have a weekend retaining wall cook out? Wouldn't that be nice if we got a group together and did one project and went to the next!

I want to make a play house for my kids. Does anyone know what would be the easiest way to make the floor. Example: Would you make like a deck, or bricks like a patio and build around that? any info would be appreciated. Thanks

Hello from a first time poster! My house was built about 50 years ago (in DC) and as all houses go, it is in need of constant caring. Recently the roof and siding were replaced (by contractors). Now I'd like to tackle the brick. Under the windows on the side of the house, the brick is crumbling. Do they need to be replaced or can I fill in the gaps somehow? One of the windows is beginning to fog up. Could this be a result of water getting in? Is this a job for the professionals? Any ideas/wisdom would be much appreciated! Kay

We are needing to replace our current system Do you have any recommendations and links that compare the various units out there??

We have lots of hard clay also. Some neighbors have used a tractor or babcat bucket to 'press' their fence posts into the ground. Need more force fill up the bucket with clay. Ray

Hello Everyone, I am going to be putting in a patio this summer and have some questions. The size of the patio is going to be 14' x 25'. 1. Material used- I am pretty sure we are doing cement. How would I go about stamping it if that is what I choose to do? 2. Preperation- Since I am going to be digging out the patio area, how far down do I dig and what are the steps after digging? I want the patio to be level with yard. 3. We are using a cement guy who drives a truck and does side jobs, so what do I need to look for when he is pouring? 4. I am a constant DIYer, but have no experience in this. Any other ideas or comments would be welcomed. Thanks, Scott Illinois

I've been getting pricing online from Window Stores - But want to check prices with other sites..does anyone else know of any other where I can get pricing like this? much thanks, bob

I just wanted to say how much I have learned on this forum and thank you all. I also enjoy the humor that goes with the advi