75
votes
Is it unsafe to remove one stud from a load bearing wall?
The opening you want to create has to be framed like a window as shown*.
Notice the addition of a header to carry the load of the cut stud (cripple stud) to the sides, and the added jack studs which ...
- 1,359
66
votes
How to block a window with plywood for big wall to project a movie?
I have had great success using a 4x8 foot sheet of white foam board.
It is extremely light weight. I hung it from ceiling on strings attached to three binder clips or bull dog clips like show below.
...
- 4,553
63
votes
Accepted
Why don't bookshelves come with wall mounting screws included?
From the linked assembly instructions:
Screw(s) and plug(s) for the wall are not included. Assess the
suitability of the wall to ensure that it will withstand the forces
generated. Use screw(s) and ...
- 739
51
votes
Accepted
Is this a load bearing column?
We can never be certain from pictures but I'm going to stick my neck out a bit and say "yes", it is load bearing.
Given the open design of both the lower and upper floors, it would be ...
- 43.8k
49
votes
Accepted
Are gaps above and below framing members a concern?
I always wonder “what else is wrong” when there are so many obvious errors.
You’ve noted the obvious problems, but you’ve probably missed some major items that are not so obvious:
In Picture #1 ...
- 23.4k
44
votes
Accepted
How to drill through wall without hitting boiler on the other side
Buy a drill stop to screw onto your bit, and set it to the thickness of the wall. Some drills also have a built-in stop that can be adjusted. If you don't know the thickness of the wall, then just ...
- 3,970
41
votes
Accepted
What is this sticking out of my wall?
Given age of building, shape and "magnets stick to it" I'm going with old gas pipe.
Old gas pipe is not generally something you want to mess with, especially if your use of "tenants" implies rental ...
- 223k
41
votes
Should I be worried about this giant crack?
Yes, you should be concerned, IMO.
Some movement in a house of that age is normal, but a crack of that size (especially considering that it's been repaired once already!) suggests that you have some ...
- 3,508
36
votes
Can I hang this heavy and deep cabinet on this wall safely?
It looks like the cabinet is intended to sit on top of a base cabinet. You are right to be concerned about the structure of the cabinet. You can add a discrete support below it. In addition to the ...
- 4,213
35
votes
Accepted
Tool to help precision drill 4 holes in a wall?
I make a template with a piece of paper or cardboard (like the box the item came in). This makes drilling holes in a precise pattern a bit easier. In some situations, you might transfer the pattern ...
- 3,382
34
votes
Accepted
Metal braided cord in the wall
That's plaster, not drywall, and you've encountered metal lath. It was commonly used at corners and other vulnerable locations to add strength and crack resistance.
It won't be a problem to cut a ...
- 144k
32
votes
How can I make a long wall perfectly level?
Use a 70 foot water level.
Here is a diagram of one.
Use 1/4 inch tubing or slightly larger.
Fill tubing with water before submerging one end.
The container of water is required because a huge ...
- 2,979
31
votes
How do I make around-the-room shelves for a seriously skewed room?
The Easy Way
Fortunately, you're holding up a model train, not an actual train, so you can take some liberties.
The hard part is following the rounded, off-square corners; the easy way to work ...
- 25.2k
31
votes
How should I conceal gaps between laminate flooring and wall trim?
Wood flooring is usually installed with a gap to the actual wall - this is important, because it allows for differences in expansion/contraction between the flooring and the materials used to frame ...
- 1,056
31
votes
Why does my home’s ceiling and wall have lines, bumps, and bulges?
Poor quality drywall joint finishing work - utterly normal.
Also utterly fixable, if you care to do better quality drywall finishing work.
I will normally live with it until I'm going to repaint a ...
- 223k
28
votes
Need more torque for driving screws
drilled a 6 mm hole in the masonry, then used brown wall plugs and #8 screws
Your hole was too small and the screw was the wrong size or type. A #8 screw has a 4mm diameter.
Brown wall plugs fit ...
- 24.5k
28
votes
Is it unsafe to remove one stud from a load bearing wall?
It is absolutely UNSAFE! - this will damage the structural integrity of the wall! The load in a load-bearing stud wall is carried by the studs.
Your options are:
Surface mount the cabinet
Flush ...
28
votes
What is the actual danger of power cables inside walls?
It'll be fine if everything else is fine
The #1 issue with cordage inside walls is thermal - cordage is permitted smaller wires because it's in the open air in a habitable room, where a human will ...
27
votes
What are those metal discs at the base of some walls?
Plumbing pipe cleanout cover. You can remove the silver coverplate and you’ll have access to the sanitary drain pipe.
- 23.4k
27
votes
Accepted
By manually impacting and cooling drill bit in water may one slowly drill concrete and bricks without impact function?
Impact drills are used in concrete and stone, with the appropriate drill bits, because they drill faster by causing micro fractures of the material surface and thus easier removal. The drill bits can ...
- 65.8k
27
votes
Accepted
Why were the screws set in pairs in my drywall?
Like others have said in comments, drywall was commonly nailed in pairs to help prevent punch-through--hammers had a tendency to crush the drywall and weaken the hold of the nail. When screws were ...
- 144k
26
votes
What could be in the stud in my wall?
If you are going into studs, you do not want to use those expanding anchors. You just use regular wood screws. The anchors are only needed if you aren't using studs and putting it into just drywall. ...
- 5,679
25
votes
How to Connect Modems to Wall?
That's a keyhole slot for a screw. It's not specific to a modem (though I'll keep using the word here). In this case it's actually a double keyhole. The idea is that you put a screw into the wall with ...
- 7,276
25
votes
How to drill through wall without hitting boiler on the other side
Don't. You'll ruin the cable.
As Nelson points out in the comments, CAT5 cables have a turning radius of 1 inch to avoid damage to the cable. In a scenario where the boiler is only 2cm from the wall, ...
- 706
25
votes
damp line behind toilet
The mark could be from condensation on the cold water pipe. As the pipe warms, when not in use, condensation stops. If that is the cause, there likely would be condensation on the toilet tank.
Some ...
- 8,374
24
votes
Accepted
How can I repair/reattach loose cable covers to the wall?
The proper way to fix this is to install it the way it should have been installed in the first place, with a box eliminator, a.k.a. low-voltage bracket:
There are many varieties. I usually use ...
24
votes
How can I raise new wall framing height by 1/2"?
The "shim" you're looking for is called "a sheet of 1/2" plywood". You can rip it into 3-1/2" wide strips and add it between the doubled top plates.
Please note that &...
- 47.9k
23
votes
How do I make around-the-room shelves for a seriously skewed room?
You don't. You transfer cut marks.
You don't need to make a paper plan of your cuts. Just lay the shelves on each wall.
Don't attempt to span a whole wall with 1 shelf board, it should always be ...
23
votes
Is this wall load bearing? Blueprints and photos attached
Disclaimer: I'm not a structural engineer, nor should you believe the word of a internet stranger. Contact a local structural engineer to take a look so you don't bring the house down.
A few details ...
- 12.9k
23
votes
Are gaps above and below framing members a concern?
It's probably a good time to review the contract you entered with the framers. Does it allow you to withhold payment until defects are resolved? Does it stipulate how claimed defects are to be ...
- 32.1k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible