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    Saturday, January 16, 2021

    Home Unlabelled Home Improvement: I just finished a DIY privacy fence. Way more work than I anticipated but I saved a bunch of money and my wife learned some new skills along side me.

    Home Improvement: I just finished a DIY privacy fence. Way more work than I anticipated but I saved a bunch of money and my wife learned some new skills along side me.

    January 16, 2021

    Home Improvement: I just finished a DIY privacy fence. Way more work than I anticipated but I saved a bunch of money and my wife learned some new skills along side me.

    I just finished a DIY privacy fence. Way more work than I anticipated but I saved a bunch of money and my wife learned some new skills along side me.

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 03:21 PM PST

    https://imgur.com/a/XZy2xHC

    Let me start by saying, I have a lot of respect for guys that do this for a living. Especially considering they get it all done in a day. I started this two weeks ago to the day. I only really worked a true full day twice, the rest was a few hours immediately after work every day. I'd never done any kind of fence work prior to this.

    Ended up using:

    (26) 4x4x8 Ground Contact Posts @~$12/each

    (21) 6'x8' Pressure Treated Pine Pre-Made Panels @~$33/each

    (02) 2x4x8 Pressure Treated (for the gate) @~$8/each

    (01) Adjust-a-Gate (this thing is amazing but the way, didn't know it existed) @$85

    (Too Much) 50# Bags Fast Setting Concrete @~$5/each

    Total Price: ~$1,400

    The price of lumber is pretty high right now. The 4x4x8's actually went up $1.50 in a week when I went back to get a few more.

    I need to clean up the gate a little, particularity the bottom. I decided to create the styled panel look so it's a little uneven. I also have crap all over the yard I need to clean up so excuse the mess.

    All and all, I'm happy. The dogs can run freely now and my little one can play in the back yard. The wife is really happy so that's a bonus 😁

    submitted by /u/uoYredruM
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    Just bought a 100-year old home and I'm literally driving myself nuts re: lead paint, asbestos, etc.

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 11:58 AM PST

    so i'm not 100% sure the home has either but i suspect it given the age of the home.

    to make matters more complicated, we have a 7-month old son at home.

    most of the house has been freshly painted within the last 5-years and even the paint that's older i'm fairly confident is much more recent than the times of lead paint. suffice to say i believe most of it is encapsulated. additionally, we're paying quite a hefty sum to have the ENTIRE inside of the home repainted this coming week.

    HOWEVER, i am hanging blinds, pictures, TV's, etc. which obviously entails drilling into wood trim (where lead is typically prevalent) and plaster. i'm also removing old hardware that has been on trim and walls for god knows how long. this, obviously, creates dust, paint chips, etc. today i hung some blinds so i had to drill the hardware into the trim and remove the previous hardware. there was some dust and paint chips created and i drove myself crazy trying to ensure i cleaned it all up, i went and took my clothes off and showered immediately, etc.

    to summarize, what precautions should i be taking when drilling or removing such items? other than "working wet", cleaning up afterwards and making sure my boy is not in the same room, what else can i/should i be doing?

    i want to keep my kid safe at all costs - but i also don't want to unnecessarily constantly stress the fuck out.

    submitted by /u/Heavy_Cheddar
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    First Big Project - Unfished Basement to Home Theatre / Media Room

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 06:24 PM PST

    This is the first time I've attempted a project of such a large scale. I'm sure there are things I could have done differently, things maybe that weren't done in the best way - but overall I'm super super happy with how it turned out.

    We live in a townhouse in Ontario, Canada. Our basement was just an unfinished concrete shell which had the typical builder's insulation. House was built early 2000s, so no asbestos issues etc - all in all, this was a great space to attempt my first project like this. No massive surprises, no water issues - the way that the house is positioned is such as the area surrounding the basement rarely sees much water.

    I won't bore with too much info here, but happy to answer any questions that people have about the project :) Just a few quick notes:

    1. I went with 2" Rigid XPS on the walls, sealed and then framed in front - studs had Roxul Comfortbatt R14 insulation - so total R value of R24 with the Rigid. I could have used spray foam I know, and this would have been better - but at the time I started this I didn't really have a 'budget', I was just finishing the basement bit by bit whenever the wife and I had some spare money. I had initially thought spray foam would be too expensive, but looking back now I really wish I'd gone the spray foam route. Nonetheless, the basement is super cosy, was cool in the summer and is nice and warm in the winter. No complaints there whatsoever!!

    I opted not to use a vapour barrier because I used the 2" XPS. The views on this were mixed, but I read far more evidence to suggest that the barrier wasn't needed because of the thickness of our XPS.

    Since these pictures (I uploaded a few weeks ago to show some family, I never originally intended to upload to reddit) - I've built the projector screen - 120" using some nice projector screen fabric and by building a frame out of 1x4's. I've also finished the trim now - will upload pictures of both of those things shortly.

    I know some people will probably look at these pictures and criticize, but I'm so proud of how it turned out that I wanted to share with you all. I never ever thought I'd be able to tackle something of this size, so I'm amazed that it turned out better than I could have hoped.

    Final note - I also completed all electrical work myself. Yes - permits were pulled. ESA passed the rough in 1st time :) A few books, some youtube videos + a detailed plan work wonders!

    This sub has been a great inspiration and I know I would have never even attempted to tackle anything like this if I hadn't lurked here so long. Thank you!

    Pics: https://imgur.com/a/SX9K6hc

    Our couch is scheduled for delivery at the end of January. We ordered in October but I guess it's been on backorder for a long time so we've been using the space sat on beanbags haha. I've now installed AV Receiver, 5.1 surround sound, PS5, the storage room doors, vents etc. A lot more finishing touches have been done that I just realized aren't shown in these pictures. Going to add ASAP!

    EDIT: Oops - I meant unfinished in the title but apparently I can't spell.

    EDIT2: New pictures added of the screen, some trim, door install etc! :)

    submitted by /u/Yanfly26
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    Hi guys! I'm just looking for a few tips since my dad scared me straight about home improvement when I was younger.

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 04:31 PM PST

    Hey everyone!

    I'm sorry if this isn't the right sub for this (I'm almost never sure when I post anywhere, so I always feel the need to start it like this). I'm new here, and new to home improvement in general. I'll save you the dramatic backstory but my mom, brother and I are finally moving away from my dad. This is relevant because ever since I was young, I was forbidden to pretty much know about/touch/help with anything to do around the house. Like I'm talking scared away from doing it, belittled, how I wouldn't be able to handle it, how I'd fuck it up somehow, etc. I was never allowed to watch while he did anything, as it would distract him, I wasn't allowed to ask questions or help with anything. I also do not have any other family here, so I couldn't refer to an uncle or older cousin for anything like that. This has caused me to pretty much completely avoid that part of life entirely, which is something that has reared its head time and time again.

    Fast forward to present day. I'm (22F) finally helping my mom divorce him and move away, and to help financially, we have decided to start renting a place together. This might seem like too much backstory but I just want to emphasize that I truly know pretty much nothing about tools, home improvement and anything of the sort. But if I'm clueless, my mom is even one step below me (bless her heart). But the thing is, I desperately want to learn. I've always dreamed of being able to paint my own place, of making my own bookshelves, making small night-tables, and overall finding crafty ways to improve a space. I love interior design and home improvement projects so much (thanks extreme makeover home edition), and I've always been so frustrated with the fact that I don't even know where to start at this age, when theres so much I want to be able to accomplish eventually.

    Bottom line, I have absolutely no idea where to begin. I've watched DIY tutorials, beginners guides, tool explanations, you name it and I've seen it. I will be purchasing paint tomorrow and I'm aware I'll be able to ask associates to help me decide on which type of paint to buy, but I'm weary of being sold things that are expensive and not really necessary, but that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I'm a hard worker, I want to make this space so nice for my family. So if there's any main tips you guys could help me out with, anything I need to know before painting an entire floor of a house, or any supplies that I'll need for sure, that would be so helpful. I have scoured sites but everyone recommends 34 different products and a lot of them are very contradictory. Should I buy a toolbox or the tools separately as I need them? Is there really a difference between the types of paint if I'm painting a living/dining and kitchen area? Specific primers? What is God's name is "eggshell"? Or semigloss? Is there actually a difference for an indoor space? I'm 1 steps away from just colouring the wall in with a 2B pencil.

    Once again, I'm sorry if this isn't the right sub, I'm gonna do some more digging in the tools/DIT subreddits, or if anyone has a suggestion where this would fit better, please let me know!

    submitted by /u/itsalmost6am
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    [CELEBRATE] 2020 Best of /r/homeimprovement Winners!

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 07:45 AM PST

    Best of 2020 Winners

    We closed up voting the other day and now proudly announce the winners of the Best of 2020 contest. Winners, look out for a virtual reddit currency prize with the coins they gave us to run this contest as a reward!

     

    Advisor of the Year

     

    Al Borland Award (Best Home Improvement Project)

     

    Tim Taylor (Biggest Fuck-Up)

     

    The Jill Taylor (most supportive redditor) Award

     

    The Heart Attack Award

     

    Thank you all for keeping the conversations here helpful, on-topic, supportive, and kind.

    submitted by /u/dapeche
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    Wife bought a new hair straightener and now the bathroom lights flicker.

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 04:32 PM PST

    It's plugged into a GFCI and the lights slightly flicker when it's plugged in. Her old hair straightener and her blow dryer make the lights slightly dim when they plug in but don't flicker after that.

    Is this a serious issue?

    submitted by /u/karpomalice
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    New home with no grounded wires

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 06:46 PM PST

    So I just bought my first home and am super excited. A problem is a bunch of the outlets aren't grounded and are two prong. Someone explained to me that there is no grounded wire running to the electrical box. I think I'm explaining this right. I had an electrician come and give me a quote for almost $5,000. He also is supposed to run wire for a future dishwasher and garbage disposal. This seemed a bit much but then again I'm not an expert. I then had a family member take a look at my wiring. He has military experience doing stuff like this. He told me they might have to cut open some walls to do this. I wish I hadn't painted yet. I'm just curious on some of your opinions. Does the quote sounds standard for a small home? I've also been told I could do it myself. Is that something I should look into. Also I was reading about these GCFI outlets. They seem pretty easy to install vs running new wire.

    submitted by /u/videomike89
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    When to replace 6 year hot water tank?

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 06:00 PM PST

    I purchased my house in Sept '19 and I was down in the basement the other day and noticed the install date written on the water tank was April 2014. I looked up the model (GG50T06AVH00) and it's a 6 year tank. So we're a couple months away from 7 years on the 6 year tank.

    The tank works fine. Gets nice and hot, never runs out of hot water, no leaks, no nothing. It's seemingly still working as advertised.

    That said, I don't want to get to an emergency situation where it either floods my basement or otherwise dies and provides no hot water, and then I'm at the whim of whatever the store has in stock, and whenever the contractor can come and install it, potentially days without hot water.

    When would you guys typically replace it? Am I being paranoid, or proactive in thinking I may need to replace it soon?

    Thanks

    submitted by /u/tripleelbow
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    Help me to find replacement exhaust fan

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 08:14 PM PST

    I am looking to replace exhaust fan in my bathroom. But I am not able to find it online or instore. Does someone has idea which fan it is?

    https://imgur.com/a/rQkS6MV

    Thank you in advance.

    submitted by /u/codetime2020
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    Second floor bath joists

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 09:13 PM PST

    Hi. I am currently adding a second floor tub. It is a large 66 inch solid surface freestanding with approximately 80-90 gallon capacity so would be somewhere around 1000lb full. The bath is in an extension that was built 20 years ago. Uses 2x10 joists with one end on a bearing exterior wall, the other plated 10 ft across the room. Tub will run perpendicular to joists so will likely span 4. There are a few small 3/4 inch holes and one 2.5 in hole through a couple joists for plumbing. Contractor thinks structure should be fine which I guess people have fish tanks and stuff or 4 heavy people could stand over a 4x2 foot area but just seems like a lot of weight and want to be sure. Not sure if anyone has any opinions or if I should get an engineer out or what. Thanks.

    submitted by /u/bski17
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    Reddit, help me figure out the monstrosity my electrical cabinet is.

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 08:47 PM PST

    Recently moved into a 30 year old house (Toronto, Canada) and there's all sorts of wires coming into the electrical cabinet. Would love some help and advice in managing this as the mess drives me crazy.

    https://imgur.com/a/yHoI7Vt

    A few things that are in the house:

    1. Alarm System - Don't think it's fully functional but all the sensors light up whenever someone walks by them. I don't really plan to use this and would love to rip all the sensors out as they make a really annoying sound.
    2. Sprinkler System - No idea how this works. There's a wire in the garage that leads to one of the sprinklers but I would assume all pipes must be frozen right now.
    3. Potlights on the exterior - These come on automatically at night. There's also a motion sensor near the entrance. I've no idea how they come on. There's some wiring in the garage but I haven't had the chance to look at it closely.
    4. Four path lights in the backyard that seem to be linked to the moorays. Interestingly, the moonrays box isn't plugged in but the backyard lights come on every night. I can't say for certain if they're on 24/7.
    5. Lots of Coax cables. I plan to replace all these with ethernet very shortly.
    6. Telephone connection in all rooms, laundry and the garage. I'm probably going to rip all out and replace the wall sockets with blank plates. Can't use these for fishing wires as most of the wires are stapled to the studs.

    The goal is to clean up the cabinet as much as possible so there's less clutter. Thanks in advance!

    submitted by /u/LostHomeOwner261
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    Whats name of this for concrete ?

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 01:21 PM PST

    Whats name of this for concrete

    http://imgur.com/gallery/UQsbpLA

    submitted by /u/Durjek189
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    Laminate flooring

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 06:41 PM PST

    I just layed about 1200 feet of laminate, in a few places the laminate floor transitions into tile, I bought transition strips but the tile is higher than the laminate, I then bought reducers but the lip that hangs over the tile leaves a gap over the laminate floor. How can I fix this?

    submitted by /u/narfeed
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    I need help coming up with something I can install under my deck to protect a robin’s nest from a raccoon.

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 05:21 PM PST

    My house has a second story deck that goes out into my fenced-in back yard, and nearly every spring in the 24 years I've lived here a pair of robins has built a nest under my deck—Imgur link of last year's nest. However, last spring, a few days after the eggs had hatched I found the nest on the ground, empty. A few days later I let my dog out to go to the bathroom before bed and he ended up chasing a raccoon out from under the deck. She scurried up the fence and hopped onto the deck railing, then she saw me standing nearby and hopped back down onto the fence and waddled off.

    It seems like too big of a coincidence for her to not be the culprit, especially considering I hadn't seen a raccoon in the yard since the first or second year after my family moved here. I haven't seen any raccoons since the incident with my dog, but just in case she comes back—or if the opossum I saw in the fall does—I want to put something up to try and protect the spot where the robins usually build their nest. I'm just not sure what the most effective type of deterrent would be for a raccoon and that would work on that part of my deck, though. Maybe some sheet metal at a slant off the front and back of the platform?

    I live in Minnesota, btw.

    submitted by /u/jrDoozy10
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    Dog ate my dresser drawer. Any tips??

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 07:53 PM PST

    I'm dog sitting this weekend and woke up to the sides of my dresser like this

    Any ideas on how to fix it? I'm really upset.

    submitted by /u/Hes9023
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    What are my options for repairing an Air Mattress

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 09:57 PM PST

    My box didn't come with and repair substance. I have none, I also don't have any tire substance. Nor do I have and strong glues (except for Gorilla Wood Glue which will apparently start a fire) The only tape I have is Masking Tape which doesn't work, I already tried. If I had hot glue I would use that. Can't get any glue either because I'm stuck at my house. It's late and I'm starting to consider using White-Out. Anyone know what to do?

    submitted by /u/Walkyboy
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    Wooden flooring problem

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 09:39 PM PST

    Hi , I live in the ground floor of a condo in Michigan. The floor above my house has a pretty bad wooden flooring and hence I am getting lot of noise and I am having sleepless nights because of this. We have informed the tenant who stays above our house .They are not giving a shit about this and I don't have access to the owner.

    Is there anyway I can fix the sound issue within our house or any solutions here?

    submitted by /u/techno-geek447
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    What would you do with this fireplace?

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 10:20 AM PST

    I think it needs an upgrade of some kind. Paint it white, try to stone wash it, leave it? What are your thoughts?

    fireplace

    submitted by /u/hankejp
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    Installing engineered hardwoods, need 18 gauge 1 1/2” cleats. Will they fit in my flooring nailer that uses 16 gauge 1 1/2” cleats?

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 04:19 PM PST

    This is probably a no and a silly question. Regardless...

    My engineered hardwood is 5/8" thick. The instructions call for a flooring nailer that shoots 18 gauge 1 1/2" cleats.

    The flooring nailer I have is meant for larger 16 gauge 1 1/2" cleats.

    Is anyone aware if you can use 18 gauge inside a 16 gauge gun? The flooring nailer I have is a Bostich MFN-201

    submitted by /u/NikolaiBullcry
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    Hanging Heavy Bag From Wood Between Two Joists

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 12:12 PM PST

    I'm planning on installing a plank of wood between two basement joists so I can mount a heavy bag onto the plank (similar to this https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/191837)

    My heavy bag is very long though so I'd like to push the plank of wood as high to the ceiling as possible.

    1. Would using a 4x6 for the plank of wood be a good idea? The footprint of the heavy bag mount (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R3KJS8M/) is 1.57" x 3.53" and the screws are 3.5" (0.31" diameter) so I take it the plank would need to be at least this thick?

    2. I'm not sure what the purpose of a "joist hanger" is. Can I just screw the plank of wood into the joists or do I need a joist hanger like in the stackoverflow picture? Are there any special screws I should use?

    3. This answer below on stackexchange mentioned I should avoid drilling into the bottom half of the joist. Is this an issue if the plank of wood goes a bit below the neutral axis?

    https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/191822

    submitted by /u/tvheavybag
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    Did maintenance screw up? What should I do?

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 08:55 PM PST

    I moved into a new (literally, brand new) apartment a couple weeks ago. A few days ago, when the winds were very gusty for most of the day, I noticed a knocking in my bathroom fan. It even woke me at night since my bedroom is kiddy corner to the bathroom.

    I didn't really know what was going on, so I had maintenance come over and take a look. In an effort to eliminate that knocking noise, he removed the interior flapper in the bathroom fan. It didn't solve the knocking issue (only the wind dying down did that) but when I had maintenance try to put that internal flapper back in the fan, a hinge broke and he couldn't do it.

    He left a note saying he would have to tear out drywall and replace the whole ventilation system. Without that internal flapper, it's now noticeably colder in that area of my apartment because, I assume, it's easier for cold air to come in and easier for warm air to go out.

    There's an external flapper/damper too, towards the side of the apartment building (my fan is on the wall, not the ceiling). But it seems like the fan had two flappers installed for a reason.

    How would you proceed, would you have maintenance come back, tear out drywall and replace the ventilation system so it can go back to having two flappers/dampers? I live in the windy midwest.

    submitted by /u/knick90
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    Trying to put a 30" microwave in a 36" space above the range. Looking for a solution.

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 01:22 PM PST

    My current kitchen

    I'm remodeling my kitchen. It's pretty small with not a lot of counter space. Previous owners had a microwave on the counter but I'm going to mount one above the stove. There's an existing under the cabinet range that I'm going to remove. The range has a 36" width and it seems the largest microwaves are 30".

    Do microwaves mount to the sides of cabinets or to the cabinet above? Both? If it mounts up into the cabinet above I was thinking of centering it under those cabinets and just adding wood to wall-off the three inch gaps on either side. Is this a weird idea? Anyone have a similar situation?

    submitted by /u/Chicago31
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    What is this wood? Original panelling in my 1920 Albert Kahn-designed condominium

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 10:16 AM PST

    Reason I'm asking is for general repair in other areas. Plus those two dots in the middle of the photo are wood plugs and they're missing in other areas. I need to get replacements and I'd like to match the wood type.

    https://imgur.com/a/DDbDgdp

    submitted by /u/ScoobaDood1
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    What am I doing wrong? (Rewiring a single gang metal box to be a double gang)

    Posted: 16 Jan 2021 08:17 PM PST

    Reference Photos.

    Hey all, I just finished rewiring this single gang metal box, and turning it from just a light switch to a switch and an outlet. My current predicament is that when I turn the lights on the outlets get no electricity and when I turn them off the outlets work. That wouldn't necessarily be an issue but the light switch controls all of the lights on the sealed in back stairs where this is located. This is on the 4th and top floor. Usually we try to leave these lights on at all times so I was hoping to have them both be on at the same time. There are 4 individual light switches on each landing. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

    submitted by /u/ShootingIn8k
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