Vertical structures which usually enclose, divide, define, or protect an area.
28
votes
8answers
36k views
How do I run wires for a wall-mount flatscreen TV?
Like a lot of you, we have several wall-mounted LCD HDTVs in the house. The TVs have two wires -- power and HDMI -- running down the wall to the power outlet and cable box.
I've historically been too ...
18
votes
5answers
3k views
What is the best method to patch a large hole (2-3 inches) in drywall?
I have a large hole where a TV wall mount once was (I believe the hole was used to run power and coax cable to the TV). I have since moved the TV and would like to patch the hole. What is the best way ...
11
votes
3answers
6k views
How do I run ethernet, speaker wire, and coax through a wall into a crawlspace?
I would like to run three low-voltage cables from my entertainment center through an old plaster wall, down (1-3 feet) through the sill plate, and into the crawlspace.
The cables are Ethernet, ...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
How do I soundproof my vaulted townhouse wall?
I want to soundproof my wall. In fact, it's this wall:
I know, right? It would probably be an enormous task, but I really want to get it soundproofed because I have a neighbor on the other side ...
17
votes
3answers
2k views
Are there ways to determine if a wall is load bearing?
Other than looking up blue prints, which many homeowners may not have, are there ways to determine if a wall is load bearing?
Methods I can think of might include:
Going up in the attic to check if ...
8
votes
3answers
17k views
How do you know when and where it is safe to drill into a wall?
Lots of home projects involve cutting or drilling through walls (everything from nails, screws, or hooks to mount things to cutting through drywall and drilling through studs to run wire).
In ...
8
votes
3answers
12k views
What can I use to hang a frameless mirror?
I'm looking to hang a mirror on the wall on my bathroom. It weighs about 20 or so lbs. There are no built in hooks on the back of the mirror? What should I use to hang this thing?
3
votes
2answers
10k views
How can I mount a TV when I can't find studs inside my wall?
WARNING: I'm not the greatest handyman.
I bought a TV mount the other day, expecting to hang my heavy 40" TV above the fireplace. However, the instructions specifically say to first screw the mount ...
10
votes
4answers
8k views
What are the different types of drywall anchors, and what are the advantages of each?
I recently put up wire shelving in my pantry, and spent forever figuring out what type of drywall anchor I should use. I even found several types that I didn't even know existed. It might be good to ...
15
votes
4answers
2k views
How do I find studs when stud finders won't work?
I was trying to hang my TV at my new place, on an interior wall (between living room and a bathroom). Using the stud finder on other walls worked fine, but on this wall I got some very strange ...
10
votes
3answers
2k views
When should you use metal studs?
When does it make sense to use metal framing for an interior wall? What are the advantages to traditional wood framing?
9
votes
1answer
746 views
How can I install crown cornice molding and trim on rounded outside corners?
We have rounded outside corners throughout our house what is the best approach to installing crown cornice molding?
The baseboards that are currently installed just come to a 90˚ point and the gap ...
8
votes
3answers
985 views
Can I wall-mount a TV when there is an air gap between the drywall and the wooden stud?
I'm mounting a 38lb TV (with a ~10lb mounting bracket).
I located a stud, but the drywall floats an inch above it, plus the drywall itself is another 1/2 inch. So a couple 3-inch screws (and not a ...
1
vote
3answers
194 views
Will plaster on basement walls and ceiling provide insulation?
My basement's insides are completely unfinished. It has bare brick walls and bare concrete beams-vaults as the ceiling. I though of coating the walls and the ceiling with 2 inch thick plaster with the ...
11
votes
3answers
4k views
What's the minimum depth that an electrical box can recess into a finished wall? Does it have to be flush?
Do electrical boxes have to be flush to the finished surface? Can they recess any depth into the wall by as much as 1/8" or 1/4"?
Edit: I appreciate everyone offering alternative solutions to ...
6
votes
2answers
3k views
My neighbor keeps complaining about my music. How to soundproof my apartment?
I live in an old apartment building and the walls are thin. This is a problem because I love to listen to music -- sometimes at odd hours of the night. Yes, I can be an asshole in this way. But my ...
6
votes
2answers
2k views
How do I repair screw holes in a brick wall?
I have screw holes which were put in to support a curtain rail. The curtain's been pulled out a few times by accident, and now the screw holes are crumbling and I don't know how to repair that portion ...
5
votes
4answers
959 views
How do I know if a firewall and mortar contain asbestos?
I want to remove a rock wall behind my pellet stove that was put in in 1980.
I have already removed some of the rock and cement that holds the rocks together where the pellet stove is sitting. Then ...
5
votes
2answers
392 views
Is it possible to hang something on the wall surrounding my chimney?
My chimney runs up the center of the house from the basement. Where it passes through the kitchen, there is an obvious bulge in the wall where the wall basically wraps around the chimney. Based on the ...
5
votes
5answers
12k views
What's the best way to hang an unframed poster on a sloping wall without using something that will damage the poster?
What's the best way to hang unframed posters on a sloping wall without using tape or velcro or glue that would damage the poster? Thumb-tacks don't work too well because the poster ends up sagging ...
4
votes
2answers
263 views
Aquarium in the wall
I want to build a wall with aquarium inside. This wall will divide my office from recreational room. Aquarium will be about 2 meters long and 0.7 - 0.9 m high. Width is about 50 - 60 cm.
What ...
3
votes
3answers
13k views
When should a waterproof membrane be installed for shower tiling?
For what kinds of wall structure - tile type combinations a waterproof membrane should be used between walls and tiles?
2
votes
4answers
164 views
How can I measure the r-value of a wall?
What is a reproducible test to measure the r-value of an exterior wall? Or even a specific spot on a specific wall? It needn't produce an absolutely certain result, but a good estimate with known ...
2
votes
1answer
473 views
Is this wall board made of dangerous material?
There's a room in my house that has walls made of a material that I've always thought was weird. It's not like normal drywall. Recently, I pulled up the base boards I got a better look at the bottom ...
