Home Improvement FAQ - Help wanted!

[SaabFan]

Hello all-

As I'm sure some of you have noticed, even though this forum is only a few weeks old we're already getting a lot of similar questions. So, I figured it might be a good idea to set up an FAQ in here like we have in some of the other Vortex forums.

I'm looking for help! I'm by no means an expert at home improvement type tasks, so I'd love it if any of you people would be willing to help me get some stuff organized.

For starters, I'd love it if we could get together some links to other sites - there are LOTS of good home improvement resources out there on the web, so if you know of any, post them up. Especially resources for new home buyers, since it seems like we have lots of them in here.

So, let's try to gather some links in the following areas:

1) Sites with info for new home buyers
2) Sites with loan calculators, etc
3) DIY/How-to sites for common projects - drywall, plumbing, roofing, landscaping, etc etc etc.

Post stuff here or IM me if you'd like to contribute. Once we've gotten a good list of stuff together, I'll make another thread and format everything up all nice.

Any and all contributions welcome!

-Nate

[JUS_GT_EYEZ]

I think its a great idea....I guess the tough part would be the orginization... but as you said that will be the next step.

Here are 3 from me to get things started.

DIY -> http://www.diynetwork.com
Calculators/info http://www.bankrate.com
real estate info http://www.realtor.com/basics/...altor

There are a ton more... but like i said hopefully this will get things started.

[SaabFan]

Quote, originally posted by JUS_GT_EYEZ »

I think its a great idea....I guess the tough part would be the orginization...

If people are willing to just dump links/writeups in here I'll spend all the time needed to organize it. I just don't have a good collection of links, but I'm sure lots of you users might.

-Nate

[case sensitive]

Here's a short write-up I did:

Water garden/Pond install 101.

1. Obtain materials: liner (2 feet larger than the pond size to allow for trimming), pump, carpet or sand for under the liner, digging tools, edging materials (brick, stone, etc).

2. Start digging. Depending on the size of the pond you may want rent a backhoe or similar machine. While digging, check that the pond is level. If necessary, use dirt from the hole to level the pond.

3. Once the pond is to sufficient depth (check the frost line in your local area if you wish to winter fish in your pond without heating it).

4. Lay down carpet or sand.

5. Lay the liner out in the sun to warm. Lay the liner in the hole. Start filling, the pond, and smooth the liner, placing folds in the corners. As you are filling put some of the edging around the pond to prevent it from slipping in. If putting in a waterfall or stream, make sure the stream liner overlaps the main pond liner by 1-3 feet.

6. Once full install edging after installing the pump and tubing. Get the pump running.

7. Let the pump run for a few days to oxygenate the water a bit, and to rid the water of chlorine, etc.

8. Add plants, oxygenators, marginals, and floaters. Wait a few days after adding plants to add fish.

[Tyler]

I did a beginner investors primer earlier, would that be suitable to post here?

Tyler

PS here is the link

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=885217

Modified by Tyler at 3:20 PM 7-10-2003

[genixia]

1a) Phone Digsafe if your state code requires it, and preferably do it anyway if the service (or similar) is available in your state. Digging through gas or electric utilities is not recommended.

http://www.about.com has links to a ton of home repair information. The quality is variable, but it's always worth checking.

Anyone in the Boston area with historic wooden windows that need fixing up, windowrepair.com is excellent. They will take your windows away, strip off the decades of old peeling paint, epoxy fill the frames where they've rotted, repaint, and replace any cracked/broken panes with the old wavy glass. They will also cut grooves in the side on the sashes and install spiral tube suspension, and also copper weatherstripping if necessary. (Really old windows didn't have sash weights or cords and relied on being propped.) The price will be comparable with a _quality_ replacement unit, only now your 100+ year old windows should last another 100+ years, wherease the replacement will probably only last 20 years. It will also help maintain historic authenticity and value.
We had some windows done 6 months back, and discovered that they were about 200 years old, ie much older than the house. Good windows really do last.

[Double-V]

http://www.doityourself.com has some useful tips on basic projects.

[Matt H]

This one is especially helpful for folks with older homes
http://www.hammerzone.com/

Hard to find stuff and period replica items
http://www.rensup.com


Modified by Matt H at 10:17 AM 4-2-2004

[scotaku]

It's on a site for computer hardware, but is the absolute -best- written article on planning and installing wiring for a home network, including wireless services. The write-up I just posted on my plans for my own home came about well before I found Mr. Stellmack's article below and I wished I'd found it sooner.

He covers the entire process from deciding what services he wants, where, and at what quality. He goes a little nuts with the component rack out in the open, but that's his choice. He also delves into some home networking security which is a good segue for the uninitiated into a serious subject.

He wusses out a little and decides to hire a contractor to install his cabling. But, he's dealing with a finished home and does pay for the benefit of having all the lines tested included in his invoice. It's nothing a diy'er couldn't do on their own though.

http://www.tomshardware.com/ne....html

[Spindle]

Some Links I've found helpful.....

Appliance repair
http://www.american-appliance.com/service.html -Diagnostic info
http://www.fixitnow.com/ -Fun diagnostic info
http://www.faucetdirect.com - Found some obscure PricePfister parts here -shipped quick

HVAC Knowledge
http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/forum...mid=1 -Learned enough to fix my A/C
http://toad.net/~jsmeenen/index.html -Learned enough to fix furnace

[ElectroMike]

Useful links I had bookmarked in my Home Improvement folder:

Plumbing Parts Depot.
http://www.plumbingpartsdepot.com/sltubindex.html

Misc. stuff to buy for Home Imp.
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/

Place to order cheap tools for home and auto.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/html/g2.html

Window and Door Awnings.
http://www.cheapawnings.com/

In house Steam Rooms, Architectural Guide inside:
http://www.steamist.com

For the lazy, Home Depot
http://www.homedepot.com

[lady-in-love]

the calculators site i go to most often is at http://www.dinkytown.net/

[machschnell]

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/ Lots of articles, video. Great magazine as well.

and the forums

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/forums

[Ratamahatt]

I got a ton of electrical sites if you want.

[american gigolo]

when my wife and I were shopping for a house, we created our own mortgage/loan calculator. It is alot more detailed than the ones that are on sites. it's an .xls file. if anyone would like it, please post here, or IM me, and I will e-mail it to you.

-Steve

[RiverBunny]

Ceramic tile setter for hire I know, i know, not the rite thead...

[Rlyeezz2]

I think a yard care explanation would be good. How to grow a good yard and keep it healthy etc etc etc.

[scotaku]

If you've got an uninsulated garage door on your attached garage, consider adding insulation to the door to help buffer the space from your living spaces. I recommended to a fellow 'vortexer that he start with the manufacturer of his garage door to see if an insulation kit were available for his door. I was also careful to mention that the added weight of insulation on the door will definitely require an adjustment in the opening and support systems of the door.

Mine was very inexpensive and, though installed by the subcontractor of my new home, very easy to flex and pop into place. $150 for the kit and installation and the heavier spring... 'makes working in the garage in the winter very comfortable.

Speaking of comfort, I found adding a 60" industrial ceiling fan to be a breeze (pun intended!). Working in the summer was a little uncomfortable so I dragged a box fan into the garage. Just moving a little air through the otherwise stale space really made a difference.

I tapped power off of my existing garage door opener circuit and used a retrofit ceiling fan box brace to provide support for the new fan. The fan was $45 at Home Depot. The retro box/brace was $15. I used a wireless fan controller ($35) and mounted the stylish transmitter in a mud ring box with a Decora cover. On the lowest setting, sweat wicks away and my jobs go much more comfortably.

Comfort is one thing, but visibility is another. I knew I wanted more light in my garage workspace when picking options for my new home. I paid the premium for two additional light fixtures but found the incandescent lamps to be dim and downright yellow. Replacing them with 4x T8 flourescent fixtures upped the lighting to wonderfully white light at a mere 60W additional consumption (360W now vs 300W before). The fixtures were 'better' quality from ye olde Home Depot at were $30 each.

Back to the garage door, the sub shared with me a trick he used on a lot of customer 'doors. Along the bottom of many doors the rubber gasket could be filled with plumbing insulation to better fit the gap between the door and the ground when closed. The threshold of the garage may not be perfectly straight or even close to the bottom edge of the door. Using the foam insulation to fill the gap made perfect sense.

I purchased four pieces of insulation at about $0.60 a piece. I found they were a little too large in circumference to fit the door gasket so I trimmed probably a third of the tubing away. Then, with the gasket slipped off one side of the door, I laid the cut insulation into the gasket and fed the combined pieces back into the channel along the bottom of the door. It took some shimmying once the majority of the gasket was filled but the entire length was eventually filled.

Now, when the door closes, the foam-filled gasket on the bottom of my door scribes perfectly to the less-than-perfect threshold on the ground. It's resisting the wind, weather, and bugs and only cost me $3 and an hour of my time.

I'd like to recommend my Wayne-Dalton iDrive garage door opener, but only with a brief warning. The system is amazingly compact, fast-opening, and safe but it does not come ready to replace a competing screw, belt, chain or other hanging door opener. The included cord is simply too short to be served by a typical overhead garagedoor opener circuit which W-D should amend and potential buyers should be aware of.

The iDrive attaches to the wall above a torsion-spring supported door. Ring-toothed gear sections attach to the torsion beam and are the means by which the iDrive opener twists the beam assisting the torsion spring in opening and closing the door. The motor itself acts as the locking mechanism when the door is closed preventing the door from being opened manually from the outside. Only the emergency release inside allows manual operation. Otherwise it's one of the included transmitters or exterior code entry pad that trigger automatic opening.

I am extremely happy with the system though disappointed in the short power cable I had to contend with. The iDrive is a special order item from Lowe's for about $300.

Last but not least, I want to highly recommend Hyloft overhead storage units. I found Amazon.com had an unbeatable price on the 4'x4' units rated for 250lb each. Installation was a little awkward, but absolutely worth the effort. The units are wire trays that attach to adjustable-depth hangars that mount to the ceiling joists using lag bolts.

I put mine up in the front of the garage above the garage door where they would not interfere with the opening and closing of the door. What was once a wasted space has been transformed into seasonal storage. All I've got to do is pull one of the cars out, close the door, and my storage is available for the less-often used things that would otherwise be taking up space in potentially more heavily-used areas.

I have some other mods yet to be completed including epoxy coating the floor, pegboard for hanging tools, a recycling center near the entrance to the living space, a usable narrow workbench with lighting, and a worksink for cleaning up outside of the house. Remember to maintain your garage door opener and support systems regularly. I hit my torsion spring and moving parts of my opener with a shot of WD-40 about every other month.

[eurotrashrabbit]

I have been in the construction industry for 5 years both commercial and residential e-mail me or IM with questions. I work for a homebuilder now in the warranty dept. If I do not have an answer I can get one

[FlyingV]

^


Modified by FlyingV at 7:54 PM 10-5-2005

[diehonda]

DIY Tile Floors

PROJECT
GUIDE

Preparing Wood subfloors:
1. Using a 1/4" x 1/4" square-notch
trowel, apply VersaBond® Fortified
Thin-Set Mortar to plywood as a
leveling bed for WonderBoard®
Cement Backerboard.
2. Place WonderBoard, with label side
down, on fresh mortar.
3. Anchor WonderBoard with 1-1/4"
backerboard screws or 1-1/2"
galvanized roofing nails.
Tips:
1. Flooring material must be
thoroughly bonded to the floor.
Clean thoroughly and remove all
waxes, coatings and other
contaminants. Do not apply
directly over cushioned sponged
back flooring.
2. Subfloor under linoleum must
comply with requirements of
wood subfloor and should be
well bonded.

Preparing uneven Concrete floors:
1. Start with a clean surface. Brush or
roll on LevelQuik® Latex Primer.
2. Pour LevelQuik® RS Rapid Setting
Self-Leveling Underlayment.
This product will flow to seek
its own level.
3. Smooth edges with a trowel.
Tips:
• Make sure the surface is
flat, smooth, clean and
free of any contamination
before installing ceramic
or stone tile.
• To help ensure proper
bonding clean and degrease
surfaces with T.S.P. or T.S.P.
Substitute.
• Some surfaces are meant
to slope to allow for water
run-off. Use SpeedFinish to
patch while maintaining a
sloped surface.

Measuring and laying out tile:
1. Mark centerlines of the floor. Use a
3,4,5 triangle to check for square.
2. Do a dry run to determine tile
placement and cuts. Place a row of
tiles along each line using spacers.
3. If the space at the wall is less than
1/2 tile, shift centerline to eliminate
small cuts. This will allow wider tiles
at both walls.
4. Work in chalked grids (typically 2
tiles by 2 tiles) allowing space for
grout joints.

Preparing to cut the tile:
4 Basic Ways to Cut Tile
1. Wet Saws – for precise cuts on stone and large tile
2. Tile Cutters – for straight scoring and cutting of tile
3. Tile Nippers – for breaking away small pieces and edges of tile
4. Hole Saws – for cutting small circles
• Use a 3,4,5 triangle
to check for square.
a) Measure 3’ from center
on one line and 4’ from
center on the other.
b) When the connecting
diagonal measures 5’,
the lines are square.

Set the tile:
1. Spread the VersaBond Fortified
Thin-Set Mortar on surface with a
notch trowel, held at a 45° angle.
2. Set tile firmly into place while slightly
moving tile back and forth to help
tile settle.
3. Use spacers to ensure proper distance
between tiles. Remember to
remove spacers prior to grouting.
4. Clean off any mortar left between
the tiles or on the surface of tile
with sponge and scrub pads.

Cut the tile:
1. After setting your full tiles, go back
to set tiles requiring cuts. Mark cuts
with a grease pencil or china marker.
2. Make straight cuts using tile cutter
or wet saw. Notched, curved
or quarter round cuts require a
wet saw.
3. For unique shaping, use tile nippers
to cut away small pieces of tile.
Tips:
• Notch trowel size depends on
tile type and size.
• Check for complete coverage
by pulling up one tile. Mortar
should cover at least 80% of
the back of the tile.
• Clean out as much mortar
from the grout joints as you
can; this will make it easier
to grout.

Grout
1. After setting tile, wait 24 hours before
grouting. Using a grout float, held at a
45° angle, spread Polyblend® Grout
pressing firmly into joints.
2. Allow grout to set for 10 - 20
minutes, then lightly clean tile
and shape grout joints with damp
grout sponge.
3. Buff off remaining grout haze with
clean, dry cheesecloth after grout
has dried. Let grout cure 48 - 72
hours prior to sealing.
Tips:
• If using more than one bag
of grout, mix all dry powder
together first for color
uniformity.
• Make sure grout joints are
completely filled.
• Use clean water and grout
sponge changing water
frequently.
• Minimal clean-up water
should be used to ensure
proper grout curing.

Protect and Maintain:
1. Wait 48 - 72 hours after installation
to seal.
2. Apply TileLab® SurfaceGard®
Penetrating Sealer with sponge,
foam applicator or sealer applicator.
Use OneStep™ Cleaner & Resealer
for routine cleaning.
3. Test sealed surfaces for effectiveness
every year. Sprinkle water on the surface
at various locations, if it penetrates
then renew by applying one
coat of sealer.
Tips:
• Sealing grout ensures
future maintenance is
quick and easy.
• Even if your tile is glazed, the
grout can get stained. Sealing
grout, after installation, will
protect against staining.

Tools and Materials:

Scoring knife
5 Gallon bucket
Tape measure
Layout square
Grease pencil or china marker
1/4" x 1/4" Square-notch trowel
Margin trowel
Chalk line
Chalk
Notch trowel
Tile spacers
Scrub pads
Sponge
Bucket for rinse water
Cheesecloth
Heavy-duty grout gloves
Tile cutter
Rod saw
Tile nippers
Wet saw for larger jobs,
stone, marble or saltillo
Knee pads
Tile spacer remover
Grout float
Tile grout sponge designed
for grouting tile
Bucket for rinse water
Heavy-duty grout gloves
Cheesecloth for final
clean-up and polish
Sealer applicator, sponge
or foam brush
Heavy-duty grout gloves

Modified by diehonda at 8:54 PM 9-8-2005

[diehonda]

PDF for tile installs

Countertops
http://www.custombuildingprodu...ng=en

Bathtub walls
http://www.custombuildingprodu...ng=en

Tile walls in dry areas
http://www.custombuildingprodu...ng=en

Material calculator
http://www.custombuildingprodu...ng=en

[stimpsy]

thanks!

[CarbonTC]

I would like to contribute by offering my company services for people located in south and central florida. Also, I could answer any window tint/film questions you may have if you are located out of the state of Florida.

My Business Information
Carbontech Shield, Inc.
Solar, Hurricane, Safety & Security Window Film
http://www.solarandsecuritywindowfilm.com

Free Estimates on Site

Thank you.


Modified by CarbonTC at 9:49 AM 2-23-2007

[Shamrock]

http://www.inspect-ny.com/aluminum.htm

this should go into the Home improvement ever expanding thread

[Bus pasS]

http://www.ontariotile.com

great information for people looking to start a tile project for their own home.

[Horus]

residential sprinklers-this is something all home owners and buys should look into
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citize....shtm

[DHill]

If you have any questions about the following topics, send me an IM through here. If it is listed below, I've done it and am happy to provide info.

DIY:
1. Patios
2. Framing
3. Siding
4. roofing
5. pneumatic nailers
6. refinishing wood floors
7. insulation
8. glass block windows

Cost Calculations for Construction/Rennovation(all in Excel)
1. Insulation types per square foot
2. Framing out a structure, lumber and materials costs
3. Floor tile cost estimator

Cost Calculations for House and Retirement (all in Excel)
1. Estimate mortgage payment, extra payment, time to payoff
2. Loan progress monitor with improvements and home appreciation
3. Mutual fund return estimator with fees accounted for
4. Net worth estimations and predictions with variable inputs
5. When-is-it-good-to-refinance calculator

[Northren vr6]

ELECTRICAL Questions

Experience - 15 years Electrical Field, 10 years Journeyman Electrician, 3 years Estimator / Project Manager / Field support.

Experience in New / existing residential, Commercial upto 500k sq/ft, Industrial / Design Build.
I really don't like giving advice on existing intallations, as peoples descriptions on what is actually there can vary, but for any design / specification / specific requirements, and some helpfull tips shoot me a PM!

Code varies from area to area, but I am well read on the C.E.C. - Canadian Electrical Code 2006 Edition, and have a decent amount of practical knowledge.

[DHill]

Pneumatic Nailers

For general construction and finishing, this is your ideal assortment.

Framing > Finish > Brad

The framing nailer will shoot nails typically from 2.5-3.5". This is what you use to nail studs together. Some framing nailers have attachements to help you with "metal connectors" aka Simpson Strong Tie products. They now make framing nailers that use coils of nails, or the more conventional design uses plastic collated "clips". Some clips of nails are bound together with thin wires spot welded to each nail.

A finish nailer is great for exterior trim, crown molding, etc. Typically shoots ~1.5"-2.5" nails with small heads for easy counter-sinking and filling.

A Brad nailer is the smallest of the three, ideally shoots 3/4"-1.5" nails, usually used for interior crown molding. Nails are similar to finish nails with small, countersunk heads.

Other specialty nailers

Roofing nailers usually shoot ~3/4" - 1.5" nails with a broad, flattened head. The head is broad to hold down shingles, siding, and tar paper. A typical roofing nailer uses a coil of nails - Hitachi seems to be widely used among roofers for some reason - my Hitachi is a factory refurb but I love it - works great. Works well for James Hardi fiber cement siding as well.

The Bostitch Palm Nailer is about the most universal nailer you can own. It fits in your palm, and you insert one nail at a time, place the nail where you want it, and push. The nailer pounds the nail in like a machine gun. Works great for most nails and holds most in place with it's magnetic receiver. Particularly useful for tight spots, and a great alternative to a framing nailer with a metal connector tip. Works great for nailing Simpson Strong Ties with recommended 1.5" galvanized nails.

Pneumatic Staplers are great for projects like putting up insulation, adding rafter vents between attic rafters, and installing Tyvek.

[autie.]

http://home.howstuffworks.com/ Great site for things around the house. Give it a look!

[Rockhead261]

HVAC FAQ link in my sig.

[autobahmer]

NEED roofer. west chicago burbs. tear-off and cover. cash in hand or foot in ass, your preference. happy pumpkin month

[xpirtdesign]

THANKS! those links help me alot. I will be using those links for alot of future projects

[xpirtdesign]

yeah i also recommend dinktown.net but also you should look around but yeah good luck