Home Improvement: [OPEN DISCUSSION] Weekly thread |
- [OPEN DISCUSSION] Weekly thread
- I converted and empty warehouse into my mancave. Unfortunately I’ve gotta let it go now
- Created a shed by enclosing the space under my screened in porch
- Ants are in the house and obliteration is on my mind. What's the most effective way to kill the entire colony?
- Playing video games on a sunday night is cool and all, but have you ever been in waist deep water trying to unclog a storm drain?
- Any tips for first time home owners?
- How hard is it to put a door into an existing doorway? Can a beginner do it?
- Remove part of load bearing wall to expand garage depth for large truck?
- How do you deal with aluminum paint?
- Venting a bathroom - who's domain is this?
- Changing light switch to smart switch, confused about wiring?
- How can remove the retaining bar/upper stationary half of my vertical jeld wen window?
- Garage Door Won't Open
- Is there a device to turn a plug on when it senses darkness?
- Wiring/outlet box for porch light in brick
- Gone for 3 Months serious mold/mildew what to do?
- Ceiling Fan Lights Blinking/Flashing
- Shower Niche Tile Miscalculation
- Living rooms smells like stinky cheese. Please help!
- P-drain problems
- Grading foundation - Concrete vs. Dirt
- Popcorn Ceiling Removal
- Opinions on exposed fastener metal roofs?
- Painting door with amber glass advice
- Is it cheaper to buy land & build a house or buy a finished new home?
| [OPEN DISCUSSION] Weekly thread Posted: 12 Oct 2020 07:49 PM PDT Welcome to the (roughly weekly) Open Discussion thread.
We do this for a few reasons. We know some folks are hesitant to create a new post for a small question they may have. Well, this is the place to ask, and discuss. At the same time, with a growing community we find ourselves having to limit the posts that may be off-topic to the primary purpose of the sub (home improvement questions and project-sharing posts). These topics include home warranty companies, general painting advice, room layouts, or rants about companies, contractors, and previous owners. While these may be of interest, we are trying hard to provide a venue that will both allow, and constrain, the conversation. Thus, this thread. Thank you for participating.
Just a reminder to stay away from any personal or disrespectful commentary. From the sidebar:
If you haven't already, please review the sub guidelines.
Have fun and stay safe folks! [link] [comments] |
| I converted and empty warehouse into my mancave. Unfortunately I’ve gotta let it go now Posted: 12 Oct 2020 07:53 PM PDT |
| Created a shed by enclosing the space under my screened in porch Posted: 12 Oct 2020 07:22 AM PDT Two years ago we got a good deal on fixer upper on 5.6 Acres. The biggest compromise for me was the lack of a garage. After living through a couple winters, we realized we needed a better enclosed storage solution for our lawn and garden equipment. Shed Pictures. After doing some earlier research for rehabbing our deck, I found out that our screen porch was grossly under supported, and the main rim joist/beam (2) 2x12 spanned to far (14') and needed addition support. I followed the American Wood Council construction guide for the fix. This project evolved into enclosing the space beneath the screened porch to make a storage shed. First steps were to add two 6x6 support columns, one on each of the open sides. I actually added three because of the double entry doors. I had to dig down 36"-48" for the footings, we are on bed rock so depending on in the location, I did not have to go all the way to 48". Once all of the supporting structure was in place. We added horizontal purlins between the columns for nailing the siding and the battens. The existing siding on the house is 4x8 sheets of rough cut plywood and battens every 16". We matched the pattern for the house. The doors were constructed from 4" grooved siding plywood and trimmed with rough cut 1x4s. Since all the weight is carried by the columns and the deck above the purlins are placed to match the seams of the siding. I prepped for the paint job by caulking all of the corner boards and horizontal battens. Then primed and painted the using Sherwin Williams multi purpose primer and exterior wood paint. Construction materials are rather expensive right now. We completed the project for approximately $2,000. Next year we plan on enclosing the screen porch with a knee wall and vinyl screen porch windows to make it more like a three seasons room. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 12 Oct 2020 05:57 PM PDT I've been noticing ants in my house that seemingly come out of thin air. I don't want to simply spray Raid or vinegar because they'll just come back. I want a fool-proof way to destroy the ant colony that's taken residence around my home. I want to perform the extermination equivalent of dropping a nuke on this ant colony. Is this possible and how can I go about doing this? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 12 Oct 2020 08:50 AM PDT It's clearly mulch is not going to work in this location unless I want to do this every torrential downpour we have. We had a catch basin put in near the top of the mulch bed, but it doesn't work when it get's clogged with clay. Any ideas on how to make this look presentable? [link] [comments] |
| Any tips for first time home owners? Posted: 12 Oct 2020 04:56 PM PDT Hi fellow redditors, My wife and I are moving in to our first ever home in the US in the next three weeks. On one hand we are very excited but on the other hand a little nervous as well - do you have any tips for us? I added a few questions below that I have been trying to get answered, if you have insights on them:
Thanks in advance Admins, please remove if the post does not fit. [link] [comments] |
| How hard is it to put a door into an existing doorway? Can a beginner do it? Posted: 12 Oct 2020 03:40 PM PDT It doesn't have to be pretty. But our master bathroom doesn't have a door. It needs to have a door and I haven't been able to get anyone out to add one. Is it something I could do myself? Am I crazy for thinking it? I've not really done anything beyond using anchors and toggle bolts to hang things. But I have replaced a sink and hose Bib before so I'm not opposed to learning. It seems as though a barn door would be "easiest" but 1) I hate them, 2) there's another closet door in the way, and 3) they are ugly. Edited to add: link to pics Doorway is approx 76" tall and 26" wide. Exact measurements shown on one of the attached pics. The door must swing outward since the vanity is very close to the doorway. I'm fine with it hinging on either side. The door is not square, but not as far off as I expected. Maybe a degree or so. My speed square is almost flush. [link] [comments] |
| Remove part of load bearing wall to expand garage depth for large truck? Posted: 12 Oct 2020 05:23 PM PDT I am looking at getting a full sized pickup truck in the next year. My garage depth is a standard size at approximately 20 feet (give or take?). In order to have enough room to get around the back of the truck without opening the garage door, I'll need likely another 2 feet of clearance. The solution I see is to carve out enough room from the wall to give me space to pull forward. The cutout could be at an angle simply to get the hood and wheel well up a few feet. Next, I would have to probably pour concrete to extend the surface area of the garage floor where the start of the staircase is now so my front left wheel doesn't fall into a hole. I'm assuming I'd have to re-do the stairwell for the (now) narrower drop to the garage basement entrance. My questions are as follows: 1. Am I thinking of this in the right way? My garage opening is wide enough for the truck, but not long enough 2. If that is a load bearing wall, what is a workaround? 3. The other option is pouring asphalt on the left side of the house (see other photo), and building an awning/enclosed structure. The problem is I live in a very cold state and the truck I'm getting is battery powered, so I'd like to have it semi-insulated from the cold as much as possible. I will be hiring this out. I have no idea how to do anything like this. I appreciate the feedback from this active community Thank you! [link] [comments] |
| How do you deal with aluminum paint? Posted: 12 Oct 2020 04:29 PM PDT Hi everyone! I've been living in this house for a couple of years now and keep discovering the "joys of home ownership". This particular "joy" has been troublesome lately. We discovered not long ago that underneath our current coat of paint is a layer of metallic paint. I believe aluminum. It's silver and shiny and it seems that everything has trouble adhering to it and drying properly on it. This is making projects a little difficult. In some spots the current layer of paint is just peeling or flaking off. And they're not solid chips, but more like pliable and bendy. If I ever need to repaint or patch a hole or do anything related to a wall or ceiling, I'm stuck having to deal with this metallic paint. This metallic paint is directly on the gyprock, so we can't really remove it easily, so it looks like our solution is to peel off the current paint (which is easy to do) until we get down to the aluminum, and put on the proper primer, then repaint everything. I have no idea what primer though or what to even look up. Had anyone had experience with this before? Any idea how to deal with it or what primer to use? Image 1: https://imgur.com/gallery/n45pQBA Image 2: https://imgur.com/gallery/aoSw7NM [link] [comments] |
| Venting a bathroom - who's domain is this? Posted: 12 Oct 2020 06:10 PM PDT What contractor would I talk to if I wanted to install an exhaust fan in my bathroom? It moves air so it's an HVAC thing? But I've normally known these things to be installed, or at least roughed in by electricians... And if I'm going through the roof, do I involve a roofer? Who do I contact about doing it properly? If it's going through the wall, how far from soffit does the vend have to be? I should add: low slope roof, no shingles. Rolled tar/grit membrane sheets up there. [link] [comments] |
| Changing light switch to smart switch, confused about wiring? Posted: 12 Oct 2020 09:36 PM PDT I bought a smart light switch to change out a switch that controls five recessed lights in my living room area, and when I opened the wall I saw the picture in the link. The two black wires were connected via wire nut to each other, the white wire was on it's own in a wire nut, and the two red wires were the only wires connected to the old switch. It seems the ground wires were twisted together in the back. There's also another white wire that was not stripped. What is going on here, how do I wire up the smart switch? this is the only switch controlling the recessed lights, unless it used to be a three way? [link] [comments] |
| How can remove the retaining bar/upper stationary half of my vertical jeld wen window? Posted: 12 Oct 2020 09:34 PM PDT Ive Googled all over and can only seem to find how to remove the bottom section or the glass from the top half, but not the middle remaining bar itself. I'm trying to take it out so I can move a couch in through the window but can't seem to find any way to get it out and am not sure if it's screwed in from the sides that are in the wall or not. Any help would be great! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 12 Oct 2020 05:47 PM PDT So I moved into a new house a couple months ago and this issue popped up today (no problems before). I was working in my garage and as I was heading into the house I noticed the overhead garage door light was still on. I tried to shut it off using the control panel but nothing. Tried opening the door as but it was unresponsive. My first thought was to unplug and plug it back in which seemed to resolve both issues. The door opened and I could turn the light on/off again. Problem is it wouldn't close now so same thing, unplugged it and plugged back in and it closed again. But back to square one where the light wouldn't turn off and the door wouldn't open. I did the unplug/replug so that I could turn the light off but am avoiding opening the door back up until I can resolve the issue. Any thoughts? Edit: Both sensors seem to be fine according to the manual (one solid red, one solid green). I tried opening the door a few more times and it now just opens a few inches before coming back down. Light turns on/off fine. I'll mess around with it in the morning but it "probably" still opens manually, although I can't confirm at this very moment. [link] [comments] |
| Is there a device to turn a plug on when it senses darkness? Posted: 12 Oct 2020 02:35 PM PDT I moved into a house with cabinet lights, but it's just a simple LED that plugs into the wall and is turned on by turning a dial on the wire. Isn't there something that can automatically turn them on at night? All I can find on Amazon are night lights, rechargeable cabinet LED lights (who would want to recharge something when a plug is right there?), motion-sensing lights, and big, bulky outdoor plug sensors. [link] [comments] |
| Wiring/outlet box for porch light in brick Posted: 12 Oct 2020 08:56 PM PDT We recently replaced the back and front porch lights in our very old, recently purchased house. The rear light was in vinyl siding and had a standard outlet box, but the front light (under a covered porch) is mounted directly to (painted) brick. It didn't have an outlet box, but rather a hole for the electrical conduit and the light mounting bracket attached directly into the brick with two large bolts. We were able to install the new light using the same bolts, and it's working. However, there are some gaps where the brick surface is uneven, which would allow insects into the fixture (it's covered so precipitation is not an issue). Assuming I don't want to do any further removal of the brick wall: 1) I have to measure (didn't think to do it when we disassembled the old light), but I think the distance between the two mounting bolts is the standard 4 inches. In that case, should I get and install an outdoor-rated outlet box onto that wall, even if it protrudes completely, i.e. is mounted flat against the brick wall? 2) The distance between the brick surface and the mortar is about 0.5 inch. That seems like too much to caulk. Is there a better way to seal that gap? I'd need to seal it regardless of whether we leave it as is or install an outlet box. I'm in Washington DC. [link] [comments] |
| Gone for 3 Months serious mold/mildew what to do? Posted: 12 Oct 2020 06:20 PM PDT Over July, August, and September I was away from my apartment for work in another state. While I was gone my apartment had very little air flow, and essentially became a breeding ground for mold and mildew. I didn't really know what was going on so I didn't notify my landlord until today and they came in and cleaned the bottom of the sink. What do I do with everything else, I feel way in over my head. I have never dealt with mold before and it seems to be everywhere. Am I high risk of adverse health ekffects for living here? Do I need to get ride of furniture and clothes? Especially since I didn't so anything for about a month. Please help. Attached are some pictures: [link] [comments] |
| Ceiling Fan Lights Blinking/Flashing Posted: 12 Oct 2020 05:55 PM PDT Thought I'd toss this up here and see if anyone has an idea. I recently installed a ceiling fan and while it works - there's a weird issue with the lights. When I install two lights of the same type, it flashes rapidly. Or sometimes the lights just flash quickly and go off for 2 seconds or so then flash on and off again. When I put in two lights of different wattages, it stops blinking and they work OK. So right now I have a 4.5 and an 8.5 LED bulb set in. I don't understand what's going on. The fan itself works fine, and the lights are fine with the two different ones. But if I try to put in lights of equal wattage, it goes crazy. To add - I installed the same fixture downstairs on a double switch and it's good. Upstairs it's a single switch but the previous fan was on remote. So I kept the remote box with it. Could that be an issue with it? It's a lot of work to take it down and try without the remote box. [link] [comments] |
| Shower Niche Tile Miscalculation Posted: 12 Oct 2020 05:45 PM PDT Renovating my bathroom and I've gotten to tiling the shower walls. Unfortunately when I calculated the height for my niche I assumed my tiles were 12x24" when they're 11 3/4 x 23 1/2. This means I can't tile as I originally planned. If anybody has some input or has been in a similar situation I'd love some input. I've attached a couple of new tile layouts, one the grout lines won't match the niche and the other will have a small strip of tile at the top/bottom of shower. Thanks! [link] [comments] |
| Living rooms smells like stinky cheese. Please help! Posted: 12 Oct 2020 02:50 PM PDT A couple months ago we noticed a smell. We narrowed the source to a corner in our living room. Some characteristics:
What our apartment management has done so far:
The smell seems to be coming from a particular corner. It really stinks and we are growing extremely frustrated. Management ruled out electrical, plumbing, and dead animal. Would love some input if anyone has experience with things like this. Thank you! Idk if this helps but here's a picture of the wall. The smell is coming from that circled area. We have a neighbor on the other side of that shared wall. Management said that wall is a "double wall." I'm not sure what that means. On the other side of the adjacent wall is my bathroom shower. No plumbing on those two wall, btw. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 12 Oct 2020 12:33 PM PDT I had contractors install plumbing in a walkout basement that is nearing completion. I am installing the floors and have discovered the floor drain stinks even though its p-drain is properly filled and has been all along. I believe, as in this picture https://imgur.com/a/rKG2TZa, that they may have left the line from the drain to the sump flat and is thus allowing waste from the toilet to back up into the p-drain. as its all buried in concrete its not very practical to rip this up and truly fix it. I was wondering, as pictured in the second part of that link, if there is a drop-in p-drain of sorts that could fit inside the pipe of the original. the pipe is large enough i could create some kinda pipe in pipe with hole deal to create an additional water lock. has anyone seen something like that for sale so I don't have to bother making my own? [link] [comments] |
| Grading foundation - Concrete vs. Dirt Posted: 12 Oct 2020 03:09 PM PDT Simple question. I have some water issues with a new house in my crawlspace. The entire street goes downhill so with big rains the neighbor above me floods my yard which flows to the next yard below. Have done a lot of the basics with gutter extensions, re-grading the back yard etc. I have one part that is still an issue, it's a gravel path on the high side of the lot - the gravel path will basically flood during big rains. This water then absorbs, goes below the slab on the extension there and straight into the dirt behind my crawlspace wall. My question is simple - would replacing the gravel path with a properly graded concrete sidewalk prevent the majority of the water from absorbing into the soil on that side? It would be nice in general to turn it into a proper sidewalk - the concrete would go from the slab -> retaining wall at my neighbors yard. I was just wondering does putting a sidewalk of concrete against a foundation work well for preventing water from absorbing into that soil. Thank you! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 12 Oct 2020 01:56 PM PDT I have been getting wild estimates for popcorn ceiling removal. Should I just do it myself? [link] [comments] |
| Opinions on exposed fastener metal roofs? Posted: 12 Oct 2020 04:38 PM PDT as title states. What are your opinions on them for residential housing? How do they hold up? Please no "google" answers, I'm looking for people who have or have had them before. Thank you. [link] [comments] |
| Painting door with amber glass advice Posted: 12 Oct 2020 06:49 PM PDT I have started painting over the old dated wood stain in my door frames. I have started the sliding door for my lounge room. I have painted architraves and the rail guard across the top of the door I'm just wondering if I should paint the actual door white too ? Me and my wife like the yellow glass door as a feature for the room. I'm worried it will look TOO white. Also the white paint in the pictures is just primer at the moment. I am intending to use gloss white to finish. Unless there is another option to consider ? Any advice would be great. [link] [comments] |
| Is it cheaper to buy land & build a house or buy a finished new home? Posted: 12 Oct 2020 10:31 PM PDT Theoretically, if I wanted to build a 4500sqft home, would it be cheaper if i bought land and built it or would just buying one already built be cheaper? [link] [comments] |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Hivemind Improving Homes. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
No comments:
Post a Comment