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canyoneer posted:Thanks Killing Flies for your awesome page 185 effortpost on carpeting. No problem. The tools you're going to need aren't going to cost you much. I mean, if you really go pro grade and get tons of stuff you won't even need, then sure you could end up spending a lot. The power stretcher is definitely most expensive (running $400-$900 sometimes). Luckily, you won't need it. A power stretch is an optional type thing. Most carpet installers don't use them unless they really need to get a good fit. All you really need is what I laid out in my previous post - A knee kicker ($40 - $100), a carpet knife or utility knife and extra blades (a couple bucks), and a cold chisel (another couple bucks.) If you don't have very many tools, then the utility knife is something you want to buy for yourself. It's one of those necessary tools everyone needs n their box. Get a nice sturdy one, but don't go in for the ones with the fancy guards and folding crap. It's a tool. It should be simple and durable. The cold chisel - if it were me, I'd buy it. It's not the kind of thing you're going to use every day, but it's nice to have. For you, I'd see if I could borrow one from someone. If I had to buy it, I'd just get a cheap one. It's not going to see any heavy duty work for the carpeting or anything. The knee kicker - rent it if it's economical to do so. You'll probably never need it after this unless you plan on doing more carpeting. Like I said, they're not that expensive to begin with, so if you're looking at $5/day to rent one, and it'll take you two weeks to do the job, just buy the thing and craigslist it when you're done. If you do have seams, a seaming kit will run probably about $100 for the tool and materials. A nap roller is like $12, and a seaming iron is another $80 or so. Some guys use household irons instead, and those you can get for like $5. I've never used one, so I don't know how well that works. Alternatively, they do make carpet seam tape that doesn't need heat. Harder to work with, but cheaper. What I'd be primarily worried about is that you said you're installing this on concrete. You want to be careful here and do your research. Solve any moisture problems before you to the install, and make sure you have a good vapor barrier down. Like I said in my last post - a lot of places do free installation. I think Lowe's had a special where they'd do up to 2000sqft for $37 carpet/pad. Nothing wrong with doing it yourself to save a few bucks, but you might want to run those numbers and take a look at some local stores that carry remnants. They'll often give you a better deal than the big box stores.
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Jun 6, 2013 19:51
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Pogo the Clown posted:Is there an easy way to remove several layers of paint from a whole pile of door hinges? I hope you're the responsible sort, because if you want a horrible chemical that will eat paint, then you want Aircraft Remover. Here is a video of it working: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_DE96qt5CI It removes paint, powdercoat, and pretty much anything else on metal. It's serious stuff. Wear safety gear (Gloves and goggles - it burns if you get it on your skin), follow the directions, and use it in well ventilated area. If you get the low-odor stuff it doesn't work as well. Killing Flies fucked around with this message at 20:02 on Jun 6, 2013 |
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Jun 6, 2013 19:59
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Hey, so, speaking of removing paint... I have a former rental house that we're trying to clean up to put on the market, and apparently the former inhabitants decided the tub was stained and ugly, so they painted it. Without any sort of prep, naturally. Needless to say, it's all peeling and it looks like poo poo. I think it's some kind of enamel paint. The good news is, it's peeling pretty liberally so scraping it off should be possible. The bad news is holy poo poo do we really have to spend several hours scraping this goddamn tub? I'm not sure any kind of heavy paint remover is really an option because I doubt it's copacetic to let any down the drain into the sewers.
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Jun 6, 2013 23:24
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Killing Flies posted:Aircraft Remover Holy crap this is horrifying. I'll keep it in mind if regular paint stripper like dwoloz mentioned isn't up to the task.
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Jun 7, 2013 01:27
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PainterofCrap posted:Sandwich the bottom lip in wood: Sit a piece of 2x4 on the masonry outside the window; secure it with a thin piece of wire bent over the sill so it doesn't fall out during installation/removal and bean someone. Put another piece of cut-down scrap on the inside ledge so that the unit sits on the wood only; the closer you can get to the height of the lip, the better. Be sure the unit angles slightly downward to the outside so the condensate water drains out rather than in. So I tried this and it almost worked but not quite. The exterior 2x4 wasn't tall enough unless I set it on its side, which introduced some stability issues. The thing really wants to just fall out the window, and I don't feel comfortable leaving it there without me holding on to it, even with the window closed. I don't have any woodworking tools at all so I'm not really in a position to keep experimenting with different sizes of wood. I honestly think I'm better off returning this thing and getting a portable AC instead. I keep hearing they suck compared to window ACs, but I'd rather have a subpar AC that won't fall out my window and crush someone sitting out in the apartment's backyard. So, any recommendations?
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Jun 7, 2013 02:09
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Tagra posted:Hey, so, speaking of removing paint... Plug your tub drain with some rags, and get yourself some of this Soy Gel Paint Remover. It is 100% biodegradable and I have used it on latex, oil, and enamel based paints. Just use a rag to wipe up as much as you can when you are finished and rinse the rest down the drain. It takes a couple hours to take effect, but the paint will look similar to that aircraft remover video when it is time to start scraping. Make sure you use a plastic scraper so you don't damage the glazing on the tub. iForge fucked around with this message at 02:19 on Jun 7, 2013 |
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Jun 7, 2013 02:17
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If you use a stripper on the tub you risk getting down past the topcoat you are trying to remove. Sealing a tub is a professional only kind of job so weigh your options. Plastic tub or cast?
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Jun 7, 2013 02:42
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Buy the citrus based paint stripper, all the chemical stuff requires pro-grade laminate gloves to safely handle and is considered hazardous waste fresh out of the bottle. It tends to contain methylene chloride, which is also used to weld acrylic. I got CitriStrip to handle tool chest enamel and it does a bang-up job without dissolving my gloves, making my hand burn, then ache terribly for 2 days like the Kleen-Strip did.
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Jun 7, 2013 03:49
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XmasGiftFromWife posted:Plastic tub or cast? I'm assuming it's acrylic but I'm not entirely sure. It's whatever the cheapest kind of bathtub is that they would have installed circa '76 or so. The surface of the tub is stained pretty badly. I strongly suspect that whoever buys this place will probably attempt some sort of resurrection or remodel on it... I was just thinking it might look like slightly less work (or at least not leap out as "oh god look at all this work we have to do") if it's not also covered in lovely peeling paint  I'm not trying to "flip" the property or anything, it's part of my mother's estate so we're trying to get it on the market mostly so we don't have to worry about maintaining it while we have all this other stuff to deal with :/
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Jun 7, 2013 04:33
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Tagra posted:Hey, so, speaking of removing paint... Dumond SmartStrip is what I use http://www.dumondchemicals.com/home-peel-away-smart-strip.html No fumes, doesn't burn your skin and it's biodegradabe Whereas Jasco or aircraft stripper works instantly, this stuff takes a day but IMO it's worth it. For it to work, you need to cover the application with thin plastic to keep in the moisture. Exposure to air will dry it out prematurely and it won't have enough time to react. When you pull off the plastic most of the paint comes away with it. Its expensive poo poo so I'd recommend collecting the paint caked goo for later re-use. You can re-apply it many times and save a bunch of money. I stripped hundreds of linear feet of woodwork with this stuff and while it's still not a walk in the park, its the best method I found dwoloz fucked around with this message at 05:12 on Jun 7, 2013 |
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Jun 7, 2013 05:10
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Kilersquirrel posted:Buy the citrus based paint stripper, all the chemical stuff requires pro-grade laminate gloves to safely handle and is considered hazardous waste fresh out of the bottle. It tends to contain methylene chloride, which is also used to weld acrylic. Just wanted to second this. If the tub is acrylic - do not use aircraft remover or most other "industrial" strippers. At worst, they'll eat right through it. At best, the chemical reaction generates a fair amount of heat and is liable to cause a crack. At the very least, it could weaken the tub by making it more brittle.
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Jun 7, 2013 14:41
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Killing Flies posted:No problem. Good stuff, thanks. I'm not 100% certain that it's concrete. It's a one story ranch style house. I live in a hot and gross desert, so I'm worried about moisture the same way the architects of the pyramids were worried about moisture. As far as buying carpet/remnants, I'm sort of at the space where if I can't find some cheap remnants with which to do a room or two I just won't bother with the carpets and just replace them all with tile in the future anyway. Thanks.
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Jun 7, 2013 16:36
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What kind of canvas should we look for to make a covering on our outdoor deck? We need some shade, and have two poles we can attach two corners on, and two more hooks on the fence to hook the other two on. The size would be ~16'x10'
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Jun 9, 2013 01:12
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raej posted:What kind of canvas should we look for to make a covering on our outdoor deck? We need some shade, and have two poles we can attach two corners on, and two more hooks on the fence to hook the other two on. The size would be ~16'x10' Shadecloth
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Jun 9, 2013 01:41
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I put in some of that plastic landscape edging yesterday, and have more to do today. What's the easiest way to dig the trench for it? All I have is a regular-sized shovel and something that's like a large hoe but not bent. I can go rent tools somewhere if need be.
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Jun 9, 2013 14:17
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hooah posted:I put in some of that plastic landscape edging yesterday, and have more to do today. What's the easiest way to dig the trench for it? All I have is a regular-sized shovel and something that's like a large hoe but not bent. I can go rent tools somewhere if need be. I believe a garden spade is probably the best tool for installing edging. http://www.lowes.com/pd_229821-302-...%7C1&facetInfo=
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Jun 9, 2013 14:24
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Hashtag Banterzone posted:I believe a garden spade is probably the best tool for installing edging. Better than a trench-digger/ditch witch?
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Jun 9, 2013 15:02
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hooah posted:Better than a trench-digger/ditch witch? Rent a trencher if you have a big yard/ house surround. Use a spade if you have a few flowerbeds/mostly curved sections. Spade is easy, one cut straight down, then cut at a 45* angle inside of bed heading towards turf. Make sure to cut deep enough for your edging to lay as you wish. Then place your edging and stake. Be sure to stake it every 2-3 ft on curvy sections. Also buy some topsoil to make sure the ground is level on both sides of the edging.
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Jun 9, 2013 15:16
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hooah posted:Better than a trench-digger/ditch witch? I think (depending on how hard your soil is) that would be tremendously overpowered for the job. Unless you're running like 3/4 of a mile of that edging.
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Jun 9, 2013 16:08
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If you have an edger, you can also use that by running the edger where you want the edging and then pounding the edging into the hole with a rubber mallet. Just make sure you set it at the deepest setting. http://www.homedepot.com/p/ECHO-21-2-cc-Gas-Stick-Edger-PE-225/100663417?N=bxdgZ36i#.UbSdARXD_WM
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Jun 9, 2013 16:20
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Hmm. It's not a whole lot, but my parents want me to do at least 50 feet. The problem I had using the non-square spade was that I had a hard time getting the trench deep enough without making it several inches wide - the curl at the bottom kept running into the sides of the trench when I stuck a spade in and wiggled it. Part of the problem, I think, is that we have a lot of clay, sand, and rock in our soil. I'll think about it. Thanks for the advice.
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Jun 9, 2013 16:58
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I have a frustrating issue with my Kwikset keyless smartkey deadbolt lock. When I have the key installed on the exterior of the door and no plate on the interior, the key locks and unlocks turns smoothly and with little effort. When I install the plate on the interior and tighten with the long brass bolts, it takes a crazy amount of effort to lock the door (turning the key to unlock is fine). Since the plate is in the way I have no way to see what is causing the problem. I am planning to call Kwikset tomorrow but I thought I'd try you smart people first. Note that my door is 1.75" thick and the hole is 1.5" wide and 1 3/8" from the edge of the door. Pretty standard. Thanks Edit: note that I did wiggle it and move it around and try all sorts of different angles for at least an hour and it was not helpful, although some angles were worse than others. kripes fucked around with this message at 23:45 on Jun 9, 2013 |
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Jun 9, 2013 23:32
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Replacing telephone wires with cat5 cable. All the info I can find is either about, which wires go where or is focused on electrical wires. What I want to find out is how you physically replace a cable that is in a wall! Do you have to rip it out or can you thread it through?
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Jun 10, 2013 07:50
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Jqim posted:Replacing telephone wires with cat5 cable. All the info I can find is either about, which wires go where or is focused on electrical wires. You're looking for info on how to fish wires, if you google that you'll get a lot of info. It really depends on how your house is but most likely your phone lines are stapled so you can't use your existing wire to pull your cat5 through you'll have to do it yourself.
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Jun 10, 2013 08:41
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So I'm trying to renovate my childhood home that was given to me (not really, I inherited it) and I'm in so far under my head that I panic whenever I think about it. Not going to go into the background as that would constitute making GBS threads up the thread, but basically every bit of roofing, some of the rafters, one wall near the chimney, the whole floor and all the walls are going to be replaced before we move in because of mold issues, not taking any chances. So currently, we've replaced what needes replacing on the roof and have been tryinf to get it shingled since winter. Wind has blown off the roofing felt several times, so I bit the bullet and bought that heavy rubber ice shield stuff. It was nailed down every 18 inches and a few sheeta of it has come up too. I've never shingled anything and the person with the knowledge that was helping me has a difficult schedule for mine to mesh with. I don't have any skills, knowledge or equipment other than a good hammer. My dad has helped, but my grandfather is the only one in my family with any roofing experience and the idea of his mid 80 year old self on a ladder makea me sick. So seriously. Is shingling something I can watch a few videos on and make a few mistakes but get done or should I start begging my fiance's family for any help? I can't afford to really pay much of anything past a takeout meal and some beers. Have I gotten us into a money pit or is there an end to this thing?
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Jun 10, 2013 12:06
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gileadexile posted:
I've known lots of friends that did roofing over summers and things, not something I have done, but from what I understand it is pretty straightforward...stagger the joints, flash around roof obstructions, etc. You should probably put the shingles on right after the underlayment though, I can't imagine it is a good idea to just let the underlayment lay around uncovered. To be clear, there is a big difference between getting a roof on and doing it correctly I imagine...it is a pretty important piece of the home. That said, if you don't have the know how to DIY or the money to get something as major as the roof repaired you might want to consider selling, this is the sort of horror story the House Buying Megathread in BFC warns about ntd fucked around with this message at 14:31 on Jun 10, 2013 |
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Jun 10, 2013 13:08
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Unless you have a dirt easy roof design with all of one peak where two panels meet, I would suggest getting professional help. The hardest part is figuring out all the joins where and how the flashing goes when parts of the roof intersect, and then where those parts intersect with other things like dormers, vents, 3 way corners etc. It's something that you don't know you screwed up until it's pouring rain and way too late, or you get a nasty freeze thaw that ice-dams you a nice leak. You can DIY and screw with just about anything in the house except your roof and gas.
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Jun 10, 2013 14:31
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ShadowStalker posted:If you have an edger, you can also use that by running the edger where you want the edging and then pounding the edging into the hole with a rubber mallet. Just make sure you set it at the deepest setting. You don't merely want to "stuff" edging into the ground like that unless you want frost to heave it out of the ground in a few seasons. You really want enough dug out so you can pound the stakes through the bottom of the edging at a near-horizontal angle.
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Jun 10, 2013 14:53
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Shame Boner posted:You don't merely want to "stuff" edging into the ground like that unless you want frost to heave it out of the ground in a few seasons. You really want enough dug out so you can pound the stakes through the bottom of the edging at a near-horizontal angle. Some of us live in states where we have no frost heave as the ground never freezes. I do miss having 4 seasons though. Also, if you can; To save yourself some work, it would be best to put the top of the edging as close to the ground as possible. I live to have it low enough that I can put 6 inches of my riding lawnmowers blade over it when I'm cutting the yard. Saves yourself from having to weedeat too. ShadowStalker fucked around with this message at 15:04 on Jun 10, 2013 |
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Jun 10, 2013 15:01
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Jqim posted:Replacing telephone wires with cat5 cable. All the info I can find is either about, which wires go where or is focused on electrical wires. "Replace" as far as "take old cable out, put new cable in" would be ripping the wall open. Unless the people who built the house were truly loving worthless, that phone line is stapled to the stud and not coming out. Learn how to wall fish. Buy a set of glow rods (5/16" are better and bendier than 3/8") that can thread together. It's cheaper than a Magna-pull and more useful in other projects.
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Jun 10, 2013 17:53
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GD_American posted:Buy a set of glow rods a.k.a. "fish sticks". Jqim, also learn how to mount old work low voltage boxes/brackets. They're great when running cable since they will give you a hole in the wall big enough to reach your hand through.
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Jun 10, 2013 20:04
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Fixed my issue; I redrilled the hole in the door to 1" and did the entire installation before trying the latch (on the advice of Kwikset's customer service). Then it worked fine
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Jun 10, 2013 22:03
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What's a good way to clean polyurethane coated hardwood floors? Getting mixed reports about whether water can be used, or if it can if it has to be a light mist, or what. It's an actively used kitchen and is starting to have a light film that doesn't come up with sweeping or a little vinegar.
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Jun 10, 2013 23:10
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Gourd of Taste posted:What's a good way to clean polyurethane coated hardwood floors? Getting mixed reports about whether water can be used, or if it can if it has to be a light mist, or what. It's an actively used kitchen and is starting to have a light film that doesn't come up with sweeping or a little vinegar. Why would you have hardwood floors in a kitchen?
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Jun 11, 2013 00:30
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I may post a thread about this, but who has had to deal with carpenter ants before? Not 100% they're carpenter ants, but they are some kind of destructive ant eating away at my house. Discovered my hose bib was leaking, and found ants crawling around inside the siding where the bib exits the house. On the opposite inside wall is my laundry room, I took down some drywall and there was a lot of sawdust and visible ants. I have an exterminator coming out tomorrow to have a look, but just how screwed am I? I poked around the visible studs I could see with a screwdriver and none seemed to give, but it also appears there is a further inside cavity the ants are traveling to. Am I crazy for wanting to tear down some interior drywall and checking the structure, or am I panicking prematurely. Also, obligatory "That's how you get ants!" 
SuicidalSmurf fucked around with this message at 01:02 on Jun 11, 2013 |
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Jun 11, 2013 00:54
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kid sinister posted:Why would you have hardwood floors in a kitchen? Our house came with hardwood everywhere except the two bathrooms and the two guest bedrooms.
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Jun 11, 2013 03:05
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kid sinister posted:Why would you have hardwood floors in a kitchen? I have hardwoods in my kitchen... Ours are really dark but the best thing we've found to clean them is windex. Sounds weird, but works ok.
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Jun 11, 2013 03:57
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1920s didn't have many flooring choices. I use murphys oil soap and like the result.
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Jun 11, 2013 04:16
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C [/quote] Turns out GD_American posted:"Replace" as far as "take old cable out, put new cable in" would be ripping the wall open. Unless the people who built the house were truly loving worthless, that phone line is stapled to the stud and not coming out. Learn how to wall fish. Turns out the extension sockets where wired wrong. When I removed the face to have a look I saw it was wrong, corrected it and now my speed is up to 10mb (12mb at the test socket) so is not worth replacing cable. So yes, house builders = worthless
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Jun 11, 2013 08:09
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SuicidalSmurf posted:I may post a thread about this, but who has had to deal with carpenter ants before? Not 100% they're carpenter ants, but they are some kind of destructive ant eating away at my house. Discovered my hose bib was leaking, and found ants crawling around inside the siding where the bib exits the house. On the opposite inside wall is my laundry room, I took down some drywall and there was a lot of sawdust and visible ants. Your level of screwed will vary between "not at all" and "maybe totally." Seriously though, people tend to panic at carpenter ants, but they're really only a problem if they go hog wild unchecked for a while. Carpenter ants, as you've discovered, really only like wet wood. They found a nice wet spot around your leaking hose bib and moved on in. Then they found a nice damp laundry room and set up shop. An exterminator will probably only get you so far unless you address the moisture issue. This depends on your house. For example, if you had that leaking bib soak your sheathing, the studs, and all the way down to the rim joist or sill plate - well, then that's a big deal because it means replacing structure from the foundation up. On the other hand, if they just got the sheathing or a stud or two, then you just replace that timber with some nice dry stuff. Head to your basement or crawl space and snap some pics, check for rot and ants. Killing Flies fucked around with this message at 14:34 on Jun 11, 2013 |
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Jun 11, 2013 14:31
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