the home improvement thread

[Fnord5]

Get a Dremel Tool! I've had mine for a couple years now and every single time I use it I think to myself "This thing is friggin awesome, how did I exist without one?"

I don't know that it'd help with your door sweep install, but I'm sure you could find some way to use it if you tried hard enough. And if you're like me, once you have it, you'll try.

Drill pilot holes for the screws.

Won't help any, but won't hurt either.
Could use it to trim the sweeper if too long, and sand down the sharp edges at either end.
Then polish the screws.
And the sweeper.
And the door knob.
Then the hinges.
and the bolt.
And the cat's claws.
The dogs teeth.
You get the picture.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

know any good tutorial sites on tiling? the missus and I want to re-tile the washroom in the near future. it would be a major project because the washer/dryer have to be moved as well as a few cabinets.

Let me do some research online and get back to you...I've got a few books on tiling, but never researched it online.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

I did it without a wetsaw when I tiled my bathroom with slate tiles. Wasn't bad at all, I used a cutter that scores the tiles and you snap them, along with a snipper. Wasn't bad at all. I mis-broke only a few tiles and I bought plenty of extras anyways. I used sections of the ones that didn't break right to fill in along the wall anyways.

The trickiest part was the hole needed for under the toilet, but I snipped out the holes on 2 separate tiles instead of trying to get a hole in the center of a single tile and that resolved that potential problem.

However when you're done, I can't emphasize GROUT SEALER enough. 3-4 years later and my floor's white grout is still bright white. Says it's good for 15 years, but I'll probably add another coat far before then just to keep it looking fresh.

More power to you bro. I only used the cutter/scorer tool for one project and hated it. The wetsaw I purchased ($100 at Home Depot) was perfect and I've had through six years, three PCS moves and multiple projects. I've also loaned it out three times for major projects (one guy tiled his whole house with it). Only one blade change since. The thing is a dream.

And the snipper you talk about...yeah....not so much for me either. I broke like 10 tiles trying to cut a U shaped one. I still have the thing, but I gag every time I see it LOL

 

[Stubblefield]

Completely unrelated, but it is usually always cheaper to replace a toilet rather than repair it. I'm finding that out the hard way right now.

As for tiling, look through the books at homers and pick the one with the most advice on technique. That, and always use a saw (I rent one).

 

[Magnus6208]

My best advice is to hire somebody to do it for you. With how clutzy I am, I need to add the cost of a trip to the ER to any project that I do.

my thoughts exactly...

 

[mmack66]

Completely unrelated, but it is usually always cheaper to replace a toilet rather than repair it. I'm finding that out the hard way right now.

Unless something is wrong with the bowl or tank, it should only be about $30 and no more than a couple of hours to completely replace the flushing mechanism in the toilet tank. I hate messing around with wax rings, so I'll do anything I can to avoid pulling the whole toilet.

 

[airplanedoc]

I have never had much luck with the score and break method of tile cutting either. I rent a saw if I have a lot of complex cuts, or jsut let Lowes cut mine, (knock on wood) they have never charged me the .50 per cut. I also have a rotozip and the $30 tile bit for plunge cutting, which helps a bunch.

As for learning to tile. Check with Lowes or Home Depot, I think they both offer clinics for a hour or so throughout the week. I have not taken one, and I don't think you will be ready to tile trump plaza when you are done, but it cant hurt.

 

[gaseousclay]

I think tiling should be a relatively easy task, i'm just worried about the complexities of tiling around a drain

 

[gaseousclay]

does anyone know how to plug woodpecker holes? just discovered one outside my bedroom window and the little bastard pecked a hole in the window frame.

 

[jwhite]

Is the frame molded or flat? Also describe the frame and size/depth of the hole.

Pics would be a big help.

 

[Monkeydad]

does anyone know how to plug woodpecker holes? just discovered one outside my bedroom window and the little bastard pecked a hole in the window frame.

If they're not over an inch in diameter, I'd use wooden dowels and glue...drill the hole so it's perfectly round and the size of the dowel, then you can use a file to get it even with the frame and use a little wood filler to hide the seam. Should be invisible after some paint.