3
votes
2answers
1k views
What information do I need to select a circuit breaker?
I am having 2 new lines run in my basement to power a workbench's tools and an unrelated computer station.
I have room in my panel for additional breakers, and rather than tie into existing wiring, I ...
1
vote
3answers
681 views
ceiling mount shower curtain rod
I am currently (slowly) re-modeling a small bathroom (about 32 sq/ft) and I have small problem with the shower curtain rod. The space is small, and one of the walls that the shower curtain rod would ...
2
votes
2answers
794 views
Using a window as a dry-erase surface
I'd like to put some kind of easily removed clear (or semi-translucent) material on my large windows so I can use them as a dry-erase surface without blocking out the light. Any suggestions on what to ...
6
votes
1answer
529 views
Can cutting pressure treated wood harm my saw blade?
Should I take time to clean my circular saw blade after cutting pressure treated lumber? Since fasteners other than stainless steel or galvanized can corrode when used in pressure treated wood, is it ...
4
votes
5answers
175 views
Wallpaper removal: Should I use chemicals in addition to a steamer
I'm removing wallpaper that has a layer of paint underneath. Currently, I'm using a scoring tool then a steamer to remove the different layers. As you can imagine this is a slow process. Would it be ...
3
votes
1answer
667 views
Amp rating of ganged circuit-breakers
Backstory: I'm considering replacing my current tank water heater with a tankless whole-house unit. The units I see generally require a 120-amp breaker circuit.
Currently, my panel has two ganged ...
1
vote
1answer
707 views
Remounting an undermount sink in a manufactured stone benchtop
The undermount sink in our recently purchased house has started to pull down from the benchtop, so there is a ~5mm gap and the seal has broken. It's only pulled away from one side but I don't think it ...
3
votes
1answer
2k views
Filling in gaps between pavers with a caulk-like material?
I was walking home the other day and came across a group of workers installing pavers for a driveway. The thing that caught my attention was one guy who was filling in the gaps (about 3/8 to 1/2 ...
3
votes
1answer
216 views
Service mast too short
I've read that the service mast on the roof should be 12-18 inches high. The one we have is a lot shorter than that. Does that pose any safety issues? We recently purchased the house, and the previous ...
4
votes
3answers
614 views
Self Priming Aura paint vs Priming Then Painting
We've just finished an addition and had it skim-coated. Does anyone have an opinion on whether or not we should prime and then paint or use a so-called "self priming" paint, i.e., Benjamin Moore Aura ...
2
votes
1answer
596 views
Easiest/Cheapest way to improve insulation of a room
I have a home office, which has 2.5 walls that border the outside of the house, and a floor that is over the garage. It's a nasty combination. It gets quite hot during the part of the day where the ...
5
votes
5answers
251 views
Need an apparently-discontinued moulding profile; where to look?
My wife and I recently bought a house, and one of her highest-priority projects was to strip some rather kitschy wallpaper and repaint the walls in our kitchen. This is nearing completion; however, ...
5
votes
2answers
916 views
Bathroom vent terminates to attic not outside.
Bathroom vents terminates to attic. The Inspector recommended that it terminates to the outside. What is the best way to do this. Should I just place the bathroom vent next to the roof vent opening.
...
2
votes
3answers
3k views
How to loosen a nut when bolt and nut move together?
I have a sofabed whose back is fixed to the bed by bolt and nut. When I try to loosen the nut by wrench, the bolt and nut move together. There are no rust. How shall I loosen the nut?
Update: the ...
7
votes
5answers
1k views
Carpet company wants to charge me for the waste they will have left over. Is this normal?
My floor measures out at 296 sq ft, but the carpet company wants to charge me for 330 sq ft. Their reasoning is that they are not charging me for the actual square feet of total area, but for the ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
How do I properly paint a wood floor made of plywood?
I have built a yurt platform, which is basically a deck with 1 1/8" tongue-and-groove plywood as the decking. Usually that stuff is used as a subfloor, but in this case it's the floor itself. Call it ...
6
votes
2answers
3k views
What gauge speaker wire do I need?
I am looking to run some speaker cable through my unfinished basement.
I will need 35 ft long cables for a couple of Technics SB-A10 speakers. What gauge of cable will I need? How is the gauge ...
65
votes
12answers
20k views
Is there an easy way to measure the height of a tree?
I'm looking to get an antenna installed for Internet service that will need to clear some trees on my neighbor's property because it requires a clear line of sight to work.
I really don't trust my ...
1
vote
2answers
796 views
Removing Tuck Tape from an unfinished window frame
The builder taped the vapour barrier to the window frames in my basement. Is this normal? I attempted to peal it off but the glue residue is stuck to the wood.
Any suggestions on how I can remove ...
1
vote
2answers
9k views
How to prepare previously stained trim / baseboard for painting?
We have a few rooms of dark stained trim, casing, and baseboards that we would like to paint white. I am pretty sure it is oak, I have not seen it to be sure at this time. It has already been taken ...
3
votes
1answer
194 views
Identify type of switch
Can anyone identify the type of switch this is? There are 4 connectors at the bottom and 3 at the top.
I've already purchased a 2 gang 2 way switch which turned out to be the wrong one (it only has ...
5
votes
2answers
6k views
LCD TV mounting bracket does not “fit” the studs location in the drywall - how can I overcome that?
I would like to mount my 32" LCD TV to a wall using a swivelling bracket that I bought. The wall it needs to go to is plasterboard so I need to mount it on the studs. However, I've got a problem - the ...
5
votes
3answers
3k views
What happens if I use vegetable oil instead of machine oil or grease?
It's kind of tempting to use vegetable oil for lubricating door hinges and other similar basic mechanisms around the house - vegetable oil is readily available in almost any household. However I ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
How often should I change the oil in my lawn mower
I have just purchased a new lawn mower and am wondering about the maintenance. I'm not very good at mechanical maintenance and without a small engine shop in my local home town I'm wondering what I ...
3
votes
2answers
371 views
Apartment cooling with fans
I've just moved into an apartment without an air conditioner in Sunnyvale, California. The weather is not too hot, but there are going to be some pretty warm days in the summer, especially since I'm ...
2
votes
1answer
2k views
How to fit a pendant light hook?
I'm a complete amateur, so please bare with me.
I have a pendant ceiling light that requires a hook.
I'm guessing that simply screwing a hook into the ceiling is a bad idea (electricity and all ...
2
votes
1answer
345 views
Can you do a dual flush conversion on a pull chain toilet?
I am in the process of purchasing a new house that has a pull chain toilet. It is well water with city sewage. I really like the overhead tank pull chain style toilets as I had on in my house as a ...
4
votes
1answer
199 views
Installing Glass Mosaic Backsplash
I'm installing a glass mosaic back splash. The tiles are 3/4 inch square and are mounted on a mesh of size 13 x 13 inches. They are 5/32 of an inch thick. I am having trouble with my technique to get ...
2
votes
2answers
431 views
What bracing is appropriate for this shelving?
I've built a work bench by modifying some plans I found, and one part of the modification involved installing a shelf. The bench is 8' long, stable and solid, and I used 4x4x6 uprights in the back ...
3
votes
1answer
69 views
What should I do with this bare spot on the step?
The bare spot you see below used to be covered by a gnarly patch of carpet, but I removed it when I laid that tile down. My intent was to put the same tile design over that spot, but I never got ...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
Should I Get My Bathtub Refinished?
The bathtub at my new place isn't in horrible condition, but it does have a few patches on the bottom that look a bit grayer than the rest of the tub, and are rougher. In general the bottom is not as ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
What might cause garage door opener sensors to work intermittently?
I have a Marantec garage door opener. I can provide the model number if necessary. It seems like 50% of the time the sensors are not operational. I can still close the door by holding down the ...
3
votes
3answers
453 views
Framing a cement room
Under our garage is a cement room (23' x 20', 8' high). We added it to the construction plans as a storage room, with the option of using part of it as living space. Everyone seems to think it would ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
Attaching a pergola (or deck) to vinyl siding
Building a structure which is attached to a house usually involves a plate which is bolted to the existing building, typically a 2x8, or 2x10. I understand how to structurally attach this, my concern ...
5
votes
3answers
558 views
Running electric cables in basement shop
I am setting up a workshop in the unfinished area of my basement. I need to run a couple of electrical outlets and would like to run them along the block walls through grey PVC. Will this be a ...
5
votes
1answer
459 views
No water after reopening main water valve
I closed the main water valve for simple repairs. After reopening it there's barely any water doesn't even register in the meter. The valve doesn't feel broken but I can't think of what could be ...
8
votes
8answers
15k views
How do I remove a 4x4 fence post that is snapped off at ground level?
I'm trying to come up with a cheap and easy way to remove a broken-off fence post. It's a 4x4 lumber post that's snapped off flush to the ground, without any concrete around it.* I'd like to pull it ...
4
votes
2answers
6k views
Why is my new hot water heater making a clicking noise?
I have a relatively new water heater (installed by previous owner). I've only been in the house a few months and did not notice this noise until after being there a few weeks. What happens is after ...
6
votes
4answers
745 views
Heating/cooling system recommendations for this small house?
I will soon build my first house and I need to choose what type of heating/cooling system I'll have installed. I know very little about this and I'm seeking recommendations, ideas, suggestions, etc.
...
2
votes
2answers
313 views
Locating a leak, water on top of kitchen cabinents, under two bathrooms and drain stack
I am trying to locate a leak that has reappeared.
The leak appears on my kitchen countertops, it actually is leaking on top of one of my corner cabinets. Theres a bit of a gap between the cabinet and ...
3
votes
3answers
4k views
How strong are bolts compared to welding and what qualities to look for in foundations?
I'm planning on building a home climbing wall, made from a mild steel subframe. It will probably be around 10 feet tall approx.
I was thinking along the lines of using mild steel angle, cutting to ...
7
votes
2answers
450 views
What should I look for when choosing faux tin ceiling tiles?
My fiancee really likes the look of the faux tin ceilings. We found some in Home Depot, but they are 20$ for each 18" x 24" pane. For a moderate sized room, this will be a LOT of money to do one ...
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 ...
4
votes
3answers
940 views
What is a good plan for building cube bookcases with basic tools?
I don't have a table saw or a router or anything like that. I do have a circular saw, and a drill. I could probably justify buying a tool like a Kreg Jig or something like that for this project.
5
votes
3answers
1k views
Using fire rated drywall/sheetrock in a partially finished basement
Background: We have a full basement and I have recently completed about half of it as a hang out spot for my teenage boys and their friends. The other side I use as a workshop and a place to store ...
2
votes
1answer
1k views
Leaking sprinkler system area top of valve?
I noticed a small leak of water when I turned on the sprinkler system this year. The leak seems to be coming from the top of the pressure vacuum breaker. Note this is not the exact picture of what I ...
6
votes
1answer
421 views
Paper joint tape VS. Mesh joint tape
What are the pros and cons of each type of drywall joint tape? Are there situations where one should always be used over the other?
5
votes
2answers
992 views
Drywall - final joint compound coat
While remodeling an older house (where nothing is quite straight) we used fiber glass mesh joint tape and 3 coats of joint compound. The first coat was applied with a 4 inch knife, the second with an ...
8
votes
3answers
1k views
Dowel joints in plywood
I plan on replacing my kitchen cabinets later this summer. The old ones were home made by the previous owner and are oddly sized so I need to make my own out of plywood. Is it possible to put dowel ...
4
votes
2answers
313 views
What to look for when buying recessed lights?
I'm finishing two rooms in my basement (13x10 bedroom, and a 19x8 living area), and I've come to the point where I want to install recessed lights. When shopping for the lights what are the things I ...
