Comment by Jon Raynor on How do I fix a hole in drywall?
Correct. Basically its a piece of wood that can fits in the cavity of the hole that the piece of drywall can screw to. You could use anything from a scrap piece of 2x4 to a paint stirrer. Usually as...
View ArticleComment by Jon Raynor on How can I attach a 1/8" strip of steel to MDF so...
I'm not a pro, but in this case I would go with a polyurethane construction adhesive.
View ArticleComment by Jon Raynor on How can I reduce the amount of noise transferred...
You could try a using a fan, with the added benefit of air circulation.
View ArticleComment by Jon Raynor on Do I have studs on my plaster and lath wall...
This answer is related...and contains several helpful suggestions diy.stackexchange.com/questions/2887/…
View ArticleComment by Jon Raynor on slow draining bathtub - is a frozen pipe a possibility?
Every house should have a clean out port, however, it's location will be different. In my house, my pipes run under the basement floor and just before leaving the foundation perimeter there is a end...
View ArticleComment by Jon Raynor on What is the best method of hanging drywall on ceiling?
@pstatix - Yes the butt joint down the joist. Thx for clarifying.
View ArticleComment by Jon Raynor on Will my wooden bridge withstand the weight of my...
One could do some ballpark estimating....en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexural_strength
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for How can I dog-proof a chain link fence?
Add an electric fence about 1 to 2 feet in front of your regular fence. You will have to train your dog about the new boundary by walking along the line of the new "invisiable" fence if he/she is used...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for How to make a swing swing straight?
Replace your standard swing with a tire swing with just one connection to the tree. The tire swing does not have to follow the same path when pushed.Otherwise, I think you will need to build some sort...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for Is there any danger in pulling a washing machine...
A washer typically has three connections:Hot Water LineCold Water LineWater discharge LineThe hot and cold water lines are definately attached to the machine, much like a garden hose is attached to a...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for Why does this toilet clog so often?
The first thing I would recommend is to use one of the other 2 toilets that don't clog. For the troublesome toilet, these are some clogging factors:Too much waste. Try multiple flushes or cut down on...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for What is eating my drywall?
Looks like termites. Termites travel in mud tubes and those pictures look like your drywall has lots of mudtubes. They may not be eating the drywall (maybe the paper) but using it as a conduit to get...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for How to fix cracks in lath and plaster?
Spackling's best use is to fill holes made by pictures, curtain holders, etc. To fix cracks in plaster, use Plaster of Paris or Durabond, not spackling compound.Cracks are caused by moving or shifting,...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for How to design a radiator cover for good heat...
A radiator works by heating a room with radiation and convection. Radiation is smaller in percentage as opposed to convection. The heat of the radiator is radiated into the room.Convection works by...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for Why do my new dimmable CFL bulbs hum?
It looks like CFL bulbs are difficult to dim.A dimmer typically reduces the effective voltage, which decreases current to the bulb. The science behind fluorescents just isn't meant to work that way,...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for sanding old plaster wall texture to prepare for mudding
I assume you have a textured surface. If so, yes sanding the peaks down a bit will help later on with the skim coat, because less skim coat will be required to fill in the uneven spots.But there are...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for Who to call about sinking porch and mud room?
You need to search on "foundation" and "engineering".Several years ago I worked for a company who did this type of work in the Boston area. Basically, we would jack up the foundation, build a new...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for How do I remove cat spray smell from the exterior of...
Vinegar and water should work, but really the source of the problem must be stopped.You can try oranges, lemon, grapefruit (citrus) in the area to keep them away. Also I suggest spay/nueter if it is...
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Answer by Jon Raynor for How can I transition from carpeted stairs to an...
One potential location is on the last rise on the stairs. This is depicted below on my crude diagram. Make the cut of the carpet right under the lip of the top of the 2nd floor. Use a piece of trim to...
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Answer by Jon Raynor for What can I do about this gap between the...
There should be no gap. Looks like shoddy construction.See figure 16 from this page for proper alignment:Also I have never seen a "band" or "rim" joist that are configured in the fashion described by...
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Answer by Jon Raynor for How do I build a Gambrel roof?
You can use a program to calculate the angles for your desired gambrel shape. Here is one such example:http://www.easyrafters.com/gambrel.htmAs @Skaperen says, a basic gambrel is nothing more than 1/2...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for How to prevent incandescent light bulbs from heating...
P = I * ATypically 10 or 20 AMP circuits draw :10 * 120 = 1200 W20 * 120 = 2400 WWatts of power.So, 600W is a lot on one circuit, (25% to 50%) of total output.That in of itself will produce a...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for How to prevent wall-mounted TV above fireplace from...
I am not sure what kind of fireplace you have. But there is definately a legal clearance limit around the opening for combustable materials. Check with your local building codes or manufacturer if you...
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Answer by Jon Raynor for How should I patch a popcorn ceiling?
I've had similiar issues and have re-applied the popcorn to good results since my house has popcorn ceilings. You can certainly scrape off the popcorn for the entire ceiling and either re-apply it or...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for What are good options for protecting expensive lawn...
You want to make it difficult for a potential thief to steal something or at least deter them from doing it.Some ideas:Motion sensor lights/w camera around building housing machineA dog, preferrable...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for Realistically, could you build a useful built in...
Not really. To frame it out you would need to use 2x4 or 2x3. Add in the sheetrock thickness on top and now it is only 5 to 6 inches deep at most. That's not a lot of depth. It sounds like a good area...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for Is there an easy way to replicate this ceiling texture?
It sounds like you have a mud swirl pattern on your ceiling. These can be difficult to match an existing pattern to a repair.Practice matching the pattern on scrap pieces of drywall by changing the...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for Secure TV mount?
TVs can be mounted to walls. I have two of them mounted on articulating arms.There are two points of concern:TV to MountMount to WallFrom TV to Mount ensure that:Mount can be bolted to TVThere are...
View ArticleBest option to fix cracks in ceiling with radiant heat?
One of friends recently purchased a house with electric radiant heat in the ceiling. Several rooms have cracks in the ceiling. Currently they are redoing the kitchen which has a large crack which is...
View ArticleHow to deal with the stress of DIY renovation?
I've done a few DIY projects over the years and over time it starts out as fun and exciting and then it detoriates to stressful and not so fun. Our latest project was to redo our basement. This...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for How to finish wide gap in drywall at edge of ceiling
Although I up voted other answers, the correct thing to do as others have pointed out is to take it down and start again. The ceiling goes on first, going completely across the ceiling with no gaps....
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Is it OK to mount a smoke detector vertically?
In my basement I have several lolly columns attached to wooden beams that are supporting the floor joists. On one of these wooden beams I have attached a smoke detector vertically on the side of the...
View ArticleHow much gap to leave between basement concrete floor and bottom of drywall...
We have a dry basement with a concrete floor. When putting on the wall boards, how much (if any) gap should there be between the concrete floor and the bottom of the board? The boards are 3/8 inch, I...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for How many lights can be on one breaker?
As the other two posters have indicated, it depends.For 20 AMP you have 20A*120V or 2400 watts and 15 AMP you have 15A*120V or 1800 watts. Good Electricians will only use 80% of the circuit and leave a...
View ArticleComment by Jon Raynor on Dryer vent coming up out of the ground
The first thing I would do is run the dryer and and make sure there is a hot air escaping from the existing vent. Then you can decide on replacement strategy. If there is no air coming from the vent,...
View ArticleComment by Jon Raynor on Can you still use a plug if the third prong is...
Lack of correct grounding prong may cause electrical device to become energized. Which means if you, your small child, fido, or kitty come in contact with an energized device they will get a shock....
View ArticleComment by Jon Raynor on Can I cover a ceiling drywall with drywall?
Short answer, yes. This is a cheaper option than tearing everything down from scratch. Use longer fasteners. If you have crown molding, you will have to remove it and reinstall after the new ceiling is...
View ArticleAnswer by Jon Raynor for What’s the best way to fix this drainage hole?
Get a barrel or steel drum, drill some small holes at the bottom of the barrel. Dig a hole and place a bed of stones at the bottom. Place barrel inside hole on top of bed of stones, cut a hole to fit...
View ArticleComment by Jon Raynor on Drill perpendicular hole through thick lumber using...
I would mention practicing on a scrap pieces of wood and note an failures/error before doing the real piece.
View ArticleComment by Jon Raynor on Adding risers and treads to an old basement stair
How wide are the stairs? 36 inches need 3 stringers. Your picture suggests the treads are not "finished" pieces of wood. I would pop off the treads, put in a 3rd stringer and then add finished pieces...
View ArticleComment by Jon Raynor on Any ideas on how to direct heavy rain water flowing...
A French drain would help. Basically, the idea is to dig a trench between the tree and parallel to your foundation that collects the water and then directs it away from the house, instead of flowing...
View ArticleComment by Jon Raynor on What is the sandy stone-like material with hair in...
It could be a lot of things, a nail, an electrical box, metal pipe (old houses did not use plastic pipes), a metal beam, a metal stud, or maybe even some other memento that someone stuck up there. One...
View ArticleComment by Jon Raynor on How to clean cloudy floor tiles
You could try polishing the tile. Do you know what type of tile it is? Once the type of tile is known, one can try a polishing technique. One such link that goes over the methods for different types of...
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