Questions tagged [design]
The design tag has no usage guidance.
155
questions
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7
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What is the optimal configuration of a cross brace on a wooden gate?
I'm building a wooden gate for my deck, and I want to put in a cross brace to reduce sagging. I want to install the brace so that it transfers the load from the top unhinged corner, to the bottom ...
- 131k
15
votes
3
answers
5k
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Should rooms be designed to minimize waste of sheet goods?
We are building a new home and I want some guidance on recommendations for design creating minimal wastage and maximum efficiency for the builders.
For example. Are room sizes best divisible by 4 ...
- 161
10
votes
4
answers
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Can a stove be beneath a window
I'm upgrading my kitchen and after endless deliberating, feel that the kitchen is best laid out having the stove directly beneath a window (the window is about 8" above the stove).
I was wondering ...
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10
votes
2
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How should I configure my plumbing with PEX?
I have a house built in 1940, which has a mix of copper, PVC and galvanized pipe for its plumbing at present. I am going to be gutting the upstairs bathroom in the near future, and have access to ...
- 25.8k
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votes
2
answers
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Why does home siding not extend to the ground? [duplicate]
I have noticed that the siding of single family homes in Colorado, at least my made-in-the-70's neighborhood, does not extend down to or into the ground. Why is this? Why not have siding (vinyl, brick,...
- 191
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7
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What should I use for a sandbox bottom?
I'm building a sandbox for my three-year old. It will probably sit on the deck, so it needs some kind of bottom. Ideally, we should be able to move the sandbox around the deck. Is it necessary for ...
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8
votes
2
answers
814
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Help me retrofit a closet in this room [closed]
Here is the floorplan of our master bedroom:
Being a 1940s house, the closet [lower left] is woefully small at 3' x 2'. I'm thinking about a way to expand it. The obvious answer is to build it out ...
- 181
7
votes
12
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5k
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How to scribe a circle in the ground...without access to the middle point?
I want to mark the ground with spray paint and wooden stakes in a nice 25 ft radius circle. The simple way would be to drive a narrow stake in the ground at the center point, tie a 25 ft string to it, ...
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7
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2
answers
17k
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What are the best practices for a low deck built half on a concrete slab?
In our current place, we moved the main access door from going into the kitchen, to entering an old laundry room converted to a mud room. In order to do so, the front door was moved over about 4', ...
- 5,095
6
votes
7
answers
3k
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How to hide HVAC compressor? [closed]
We are trying to make our side yard look aesthetically pleasing. The HVAC compressor cage is an eyesore, as shown in pic below (the gutter were only temporarily removed for painting). What can we do ...
- 191
6
votes
8
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24k
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Is a hexagonal house feasible?
Recently I have been considering the economics and feasability of building a house versus buying a used one. In my design I settled on a hexagon as the logical shape for the frame, which I am ...
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4
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40k
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How can I calculate the load capacity of a platform?
I'm planning to build a very basic bed frame, but I'm not sure what size lumber to use.
I was thinking of building the entire thing from 2x4s (legs would be 4x4), but I'm not sure if this will be ...
- 131k
6
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Should I form and pour the concrete all at once?
I want to build a dog kennel/run that is 4' x 8'. I am planning on pouring a 4" concrete slab. However, part of my design is that I would like the slab to have raised edges all the way around it (...
- 2,030
5
votes
5
answers
3k
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Can I use a 6 foot long table as the base for a stand up desk?
I am looking to create my own cheap stand up desk. My current idea is to take one of the cheap $40 6 foot tables where the legs fold up and buy 4 plastic crates to put on the corners of the desk ...
- 53
5
votes
5
answers
15k
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My living room needs more ambient light and I'm reluctant to drill holes in my ceiling. What are my options?
Problem:
My living room needs more ambient light.
Constraint:
My living room does not have an overhead light fixture and I'm reluctant to drill holes in my ceiling.
Questions:
What are my options?...
- 485
5
votes
4
answers
12k
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How can I verify that the protective earth/ground is separate from the neutral wire in an electrical AC installation?
It's easy to verify which wire is the phase without relying on wire colors. But I'm not sure if I'm able to determine which wire is the ground and which is the neutral.
I have heard that using a ...
- 401
5
votes
2
answers
7k
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How should I lay my engineered flooring to account for a hearth?
I'm scratching my head over how to layout some new flooring in relationship to our walls vs. hearth.
This is an engineered floor with somewhat wide boards (about 4.5")
As it happens, I could lay ...
- 24.2k
4
votes
3
answers
972
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Are there concerns with leaving part of a home's ground level unfinished?
I'm designing a new house for myself, and I've always wanted a basement so I would have unfinished hobby space. The kind of space where you can get messy stuff on the ground like water, paint, sawdust,...
- 1,562
4
votes
2
answers
8k
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Design guidelines for walk-in shower sizing?
I'm renovating my bath and am interested in a walk-in shower area (i.e. no doors). How can I calculate a "safe" distance from the shower head for the door area? Are there design guidelines for ...
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4
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3
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7k
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Building a raised wall for a pond
We are looking to build a small pond (9'x18'x6'), but we want the edge to be raised up about 8". I am thinking about using CMUs (Concrete Masonry Units) which are 8x8x16. The entire pond will be lined ...
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2
answers
719
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Suggestions for a kitchen layout for my house? [closed]
We have just started to renovate our newly bought apartment. It is part of a very nice old building located in the center of Granada Spain.
The apartment is approx 120m2 and we are in the process of ...
- 353
4
votes
1
answer
9k
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How can I conceal an over-the-range microwave?
We are in the process of remodelling our kitchen, and are going from an electric to gas stove. Because of this, we are going to need a vented range hood.
One thing that we are certain about is that ...
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3
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2k
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How much wooded land should be cleared around a new home site?
I'm planning to build in a wooded lot, and want to leave as much woods as possible. What is the minimum buffer that is required or recommended to allow around the home's footprint, taking into account ...
- 1,562
4
votes
1
answer
101
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Prefab recommendations
I'm toying with the idea of completely knocking and rebuilding my house. Does anyone here have experience with prefabs? In my case I'd need a 2000ft2 modern but traditional-looking house (since my ...
- 2,223
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votes
1
answer
12k
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How to design a radiator cover for good heat distribution?
I want to replace some battered, ugly radiator covers in my 1910 home. I have read that to function effectively, a radiator cover needs openings at the front top and bottom, so that natural ...
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votes
2
answers
4k
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Is spruce wood a good choice to make a bunk bed?
I decided to make a bunk bed for my room as it is small and I need a desk. I'm a beginner at woodworking and I need some help.
I have made some "plans", I will put 7x2m stakes, 4x1.40m each around ...
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2
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1k
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What pages should be included in a complete set of plans for residential construction?
I'm designing the plans for my new house and plan to act as my own general contractor (hiring professional labor for most trades).
I feel like I'm close to being done with the plans, but need to know ...
- 1,562
3
votes
2
answers
2k
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How would I create a curved floating desk and shelving unit?
I want to create a modern desk that also works as a shelving unit such as the one below:
The idea is that I will have a corner desk which at one end has the desk curved under the computer tower (also ...
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3
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1
answer
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What important factors should I consider when building a dog house?
I've never actually done this before, and I know that there's more to it than just slapping some pieces of wood together. I live in a place that gets pretty much all the extremes of weather, ...
- 133
3
votes
7
answers
42k
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Can I get away with 5/4" cedar decking across a 24" span in a children's play structure?
I am currently in the process of designing/building a play structure for my son. The structure will include a 5' high elevated deck, that is 6'x4'. The supports for the decking will be 24" center-to-...
- 5,095
3
votes
1
answer
768
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Advice for fence placement at an angle with a tree in the way
I'm looking to replace a fence section that was taken down by some contractors a few years back. They said they had to take it down because that was the only approach to my back yard that was wide ...
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1
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How do I design and build a simple, sturdy, and affordable table?
Table Design
I'd like to build two tables at custom proportions to display my LEGO model city. I've already designed the layout consisting of two tables aligned into an L shape:
The two freestanding ...
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3
votes
2
answers
24k
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Horizontal Fence on a slope; what's the best design?
I am replacing my neighbors low, 4' tall fence on the side of my yard with a new wooden fence.
I like horizontal fences.
I am going to put the horizontal fence boards between the posts. The span ...
- 305
3
votes
1
answer
2k
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What is an appropriate cut radius for a semi-circle bench for a 36" round table?
I'm designing a dining room space, a 36" round pedestal table is ideal for this space, but I'd like to add a semi-circular bench on one side (like a booth at a bistro). I'm wondering what the ideal ...
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3
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1
answer
888
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Can I reroute these drain lines to make this stack more compact?
I currently have a drain stack that is piped like this:
The blue pipe services a sink, and I do believe continues on to become a vent above the sink. The red pipe services a toilet, and the green ...
user11467
3
votes
1
answer
989
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How do I build the support structure for a 36"x14' built-in desk?
I would like to build a 36 in deep desk into a 14ft wide space that has floor to ceiling windows along the back. My initial idea is put cleat plates on the side walls, then run a 2x6 joist at 12 in ...
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3
votes
3
answers
773
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What types of materials should I consider when designing a bench?
I am building a dividing half-wall/shelving unit to separate my living room from entrance door. I am planning to put a bench on the side closer to the door (so me and my guests can sit down while ...
- 223
2
votes
3
answers
100
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Ideas for mounting an antique metal sign to avoid tipping
I have received an antique Swiss Hiking sign as a gift, but it didn't come with any screws or mounts. The sign weighs 0.4kg and has dimensions of 300mm x 100mm, and it is 5mm thick steel.
As I do not ...
- 121
2
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2
answers
7k
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Will this 10-foot wide gate design be rigid enough?
We've been working at putting a fence around our property and are almost finished. The last part that we have to do is we're adding gates to the end of our driveway.
The fence that we put up is a ...
- 3,714
2
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4
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16k
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How do I design a shed to make optimal use of building materials?
I read Michael Pollan's A Place of My Own, in which he builds a small building to use as a writing studio. The architect's design called for wall studs to be cut to 8ft 1in (out of 10ft sticks), ...
- 11.7k
2
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3
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16k
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Is there any advantage to pouring a thicker concrete slab for the basement?
I'm working on designing a new house and trying to determine how thick the basement slab should be. This home will have poured basement walls over the footings, so the basement slab isn't bearing the ...
- 1,562
2
votes
3
answers
22k
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How can I add a closet to an existing room?
So I am looking to add a closet to an existing room. I want this to be a built-in because where I live real estate listings do not count a bedroom with a free standing closet. However I can't ever ...
- 327
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3
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9k
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How can I temporarily partition a large open space to create another room?
I'm renting a small apartment which has one bedroom, near the front door there is a large open space that could easily be converted to a bedroom/office with the addition of a partition across a wall.
...
2
votes
1
answer
3k
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Wet Wall with plumbing on both sides
I plan to be adding 2 bathrooms side by side. Is it possible to do 1 wetwall with all the plubming in it? I attached an overly simplified image as an example.
A few questions.
Is this possible?
...
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2
votes
2
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2k
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Laying bricks/blocks into a concrete slab during the pour
It is common practice to put a brick ribbon around a newly poured concrete walkway. Is it possible to put decorative designs, using bricks, in the middle of a concrete slab as it's poured? How do I ...
- 623
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2
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What is a good exterior wall composition for a wood frame house with pine chink siding in a moderate climate?
I'm designing a house for myself that will be built in northern Georgia (USA). The climate is moderate, with lows in the 20's during the coldest part of winter.
The house will be framed with 2x6's, ...
- 1,562
2
votes
4
answers
212
views
Who is the right type of person to create construction drawings for a home I've already designed?
As the ultimate DIY project, I want to owner-build a home. I've already "designed" the house, meaning I have a 1/2" scale floor plan, roofing ridge line, and elevations for all interior and exterior ...
- 1,562
2
votes
4
answers
5k
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Is there a way to improve the appearance of a covered front porch roof that uses corrugated plastic roof panels?
We are planning to retrofit a 5'x7' corner porch cover to fit under the eaves/gutter. We will be using corrugated plastic roof panels because they are light weight and we can made a 1/4"/12" pitch. ...
- 1,798
2
votes
1
answer
150
views
How to install something to my spiral staircases so that I can separate two floors?
I’d like to do something to my spiral staircases so I can separate my second floor and first floor with a door or something. The reason being I don’t want my pets to go downstairs as we use our first ...
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2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Looking for a splashback pattern in kitchen using 3 or 4 different square tile colours
I'm adding some ceramic tiles to a splashback in my kitchen, I'm using square ceramic tiles. I don't want to use just one colour, and using two only really offers me a chequerboard pattern so I was ...
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