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Power tools are a wonderful invention, but there’s something to be said for old fashion hand tools. The hand miter saw is one such tool that is still widely admired by woodworking enthusiasts. The saw is suspended on rollers in a metal guide with a miter box to create accurate cross and miter cuts. Master Carpenter, Norm Abram, described in the Q and A section of the “This Old House” magazine what is needed to cut crown molding by hand.
The handyman who posed the question wanted to know how to cut a joint using a hand miter saw and a slotted miter box. Norm Abram recommended using a metal miter box frame because wood and plastic miter boxes wear out easily. Additionally, a poor quality miter box may limit the cuts that can be made to 45 and 90 degrees- not much versatility. To re-cap: the hand miter saw is a trustworthy woodworking tool, but make sure you have the right miter box frame to accompany it, so you can have the fancy crown molding you’ve always wanted.
If you want to update your countertops consider installing plastic laminate. Laminate comes in many colors, patterns, and designs. In order to execute the project you will need: plastic laminate, contact cement, hand saws, paint brush, roller, sand paper, work gloves, and a straight edge.
Steps:
1. Thoroughly clean and sand the surface where the laminate will be applied.
2. Cut the laminate sheets to size using fine-toothed hand saws, such as Disston hand saws.
3. Brush the contact cement on the clean, sanded surface, as well as to the back of the cut laminate pieces.
4. Let the cement sit for 15 minutes and then move the laminate pieces into position.
5. When the pieces are laid down, go over the top with a roller to evenly apply pressure, ensuring the laminate will stick.
6. To give the project a polished look, finish the trim in the same laminate, using the steps listed above.
Building a new home is a process that begins way before the concrete is poured. There are several important steps you must take to avoid costly mistakes during the construction process. Planning and preparation is absolutely essential to a successful DIY home building project. The end result could very well be the home of your dreams.
The first step is to plan your budget. Start thinking about how much you can afford to spend and how much building your new home is likely to cost. Most people end up taking out a construction loan and a mortgage at this point. In the very beginning of your planning you should find out what size loan you qualify for. Also, knowing the approximate building costs will make it easier for you to modify your building plans to meet your budget.
The next step is to choose your lot. Before you build your new home, it’s wise to take the time to consider the ground on which it will stand. If you carefully think about what you most desire before choosing a lot then chances are you will want to lay roots there for a long time. Some of the major things that you should take into consideration before selecting a lot include your lifestyle, surrounding sounds, surrounding sites, and quality of the soil. You will also need to investigate factors such as drainage, zoning and building codes in the region.
It is now time to hire your team of professionals. When looking for a builder to consult or hire, there are four basic requirements the builder should fulfill. The more time you put into carefully selecting your builder, the better your chances are for getting the house of your dreams. Putting in a little extra time to review four major areas of hiring a builder could save you hours of distraught in the future. The four areas include financial security, variety in floor plans, buying power, and a good warranty program.
Before you build you must have a house plan. It is common for people to use stock plans from a catalog because they are the most affordable. The builder or a home designer that you hire can then make minor modifications in room size, window style or other details accordingly to what suits you best. A custom-designed home, on the other hand, is created specifically to the needs of those living in the home. Custom plans are obviously much more expensive and usually require the assistance of a licensed architect.
Lastly, you will want to make sure to negotiate a contract thoroughly. It is crucial that a thorough contract be made between you and your contractor to establish two important things. It should first specify who is responsible for what and secondly, it should determine what to do in the event of a disagreement. Put simply, a construction contract is the document that ties all the project agreements together by listing them and by setting forth rules that apply to each: plans, specifications, payment schedule, written change orders, subcontracts, production schedule, etc.
Before installing kitchen cabinets you must devise a plan. Simple or not the execution of your kitchens new remodel needs a plan of attack to make and use the most of your options as well as the choices and particular design. On a blank sheet of paper draft, draw or just jot down the dimensions of the kitchen IE 16′ x 14′.5″ with the individual wall lengths as well as the ceiling height’s.
The more measurements you use the better, IE center of kitchen sink and center of any electrical outlets for example. If the left side wall has a door in it then by all means get it on paper. Any island in there? Is there a drop ceiling with lighting causing a loss of an extra 1 foot of height? May this can be updated and removed for more storage. Once this has been completed the major home improvement centers have people in store that can put you in the system and design your dream kitchen with those dimensions. It may take a few minutes but you’ll know much more about what it is you hope to get done, and they have lots of models and different designs to compare with for your ultimate decision. A first step in the right DIY kitchen cabinet venture!
PS: Don’t forget to ask about any blems or damaged goods, they do not want to throw these away and you may easily see how they will work for you just fine!!
How to repair a running toilet, reasons are they run because they leak water out of the tank and down the drain, or the floor. This automated invention has been improved upon many times over for efficiency and has tremendous longevity. But for some reason or another the porcelain substance used will sometimes get a hairline crack and slowly drip to lose water.
When a single piece toilet gets a crack the whole toilet will need replacing. Where as a two piece toilet, the tank can be unbolted and removed to be replaced. Sold both ways although and neither is superior to the other, height restriction or the lower profiled single piece toilet may have this going for it, depending on the DIYer’s personal preference. Most manufacture’s will sell you the tank alone down the road someday if want or need takes precedence. Do your homework and pull the trigger on your choice.
We recently got the job of tiling a upstairs bathroom floor. With the linoleum demoed off, we knew before hand that the height restriction were minimal. The owners selected the tile they wanted to use and we had to figure out how to install tile floor with a 3/8″ product and had to stay built up a maximum of about 5/8″ total to finish floor. A 1/4″ backer board was first thought but we wanted to lay a moisture barrier and then thin set of coarse.
So the remedy was to apply 2 layers of jumbotex paper first, rolled up behind the future baseboards, then an expanded screen metal tight and flat, nailed 6″ o.c. throughout. Then with a mortar mix, spread a well mixed batch completely covering the mesh metal, that gave us a strong water proofed, low profile cementitious substrate to adhere the thin set tile to. All the while keeping just under our elevation restrictions.
The bathroom is ready for the floor to be covered and we are going with a 12″ ceramic flat tile that will bring a visual marriage to the shower tiles on the walls. After placing a level on the slab floor we have come to the conclusion that it’s very out of level in a relative short distance up to 3/4″ from lowest to the highest peak. Lucky for us the high point is located at the door transition, where tile meets the carpet in the hallway and will not be an issue.
We want to pour a leveling agent that can go from 0″ to 3/4″ and not crack or breakup over time. The liquid will find its own level and fill the low area as we pour. We have marked the borders here as to not over fill. The agent we have chosen is for leveling uneven wood or concrete floors. A quick setting, non-shrinking compound with excellent adhesive qualities for leveling and repairing uneven surfaces before the installation of ceramic tile of a resilient floor. Waiting for the curing process and the we can apply the tile over this with thin set.
I understand it’s hard, maybe even not possible in the mind set, but i’ve did this alot because it had to get done and no help was available at the time. What Im trying to say is with the right techniques we can do anything, even how to install a full sheet of drywall on the ceiling.
A solo approach to hanging a sheet of drywall overhead, we need help right. Well instead of another person use a cleat on the wall , a little holder if you will. Getting this through the door alone is harder for me. But i want to use the ladder as a shelve first, now im in the room and have the sheet balanced on the ladder, it cant fall because the walls to the left and right of me are the ends of the drywall as well, and the third wall is now in front of me 48″ away. Now with the ladder placed just right as i did my pre dry run I also have the cleat to hold the sheet from falling, and with 4 drywall nails on the sheet from my pre layout marks im golden, awkward yes but really not too heavy for one person at all. AS I guide it onto the cleat I now raise it and hold pressure against the ceiling with my non hammering hand and grab my hammer and nail her home. We only do some things out of pure need but by all means enlist a helper every chance you get.
Okay our float coat has dried long enough, the thicker it is the longer we should wait. Usually 24 to 48 hours depending on the thickness and climate of coarse. This has a tendency to dry from the inside out and can burp a little and even crack the tile if the thin set has enough strength. Were just saying because we’ve seen this before.
Tile thin set is the general term for this adhesion process. Thin set must be mixed thoroughly, 100% until it’s a nice creamy one colored substance. Then it must set approximately 10 minutes or so and remixed again. Now if the float is accurate a 1/8″ notched trowel coat can be applied. And the first and bottom course will be laid around the top of tub on the walls. This first course is the most important to get right because it will predicate the rest of the walls all the way to the top. Any cuts will go into the ends or corners, while all the rest of the pieces are the full manufacturers piece or common pieces. Many companies offer spot(s) to create designs that we will be adding on this remodel. Glass spots the same dimension as the commons.
After we cut and cover the tub with plywood to protect the finish. Installation of diamond lathe over the black paper to hold our cement float before the ceramic tile is applied has a important job here. So to get it right the first time lets cut and pre bend for the corners before it gets tacked on, also cut around all the plumbing and dry fit first. The float of mortar needs some teeth and this is the lathes vocation if you will. We typically hand nail using self furring stucco nails to hold the screen lathe away from the moisture barrier to allow the wire to get surrounded by the cement. This enables strength for our new tile bed.
The hand nailing is for two particular reasons, small enough job to do quickly and to make certain no holes in our Jumbo-Tex paper for obvious reasons. And one more, to be diligent as to not bang and rattle any pre existing situations were unaware of. A remodel instead of new construction. Otherwise a pneumatic stapler would surely do the job here. Be sure and check the local codes for any nailing schedules that may apply.