CONTENTSINTRODUCTION

TOOLSANDSKILLS001BuildaBasicToolbox002MasterLayoutandMeasuring003ScrewItBetter004SmoothThingsOut005SplurgeonTheseTools006DrillDownonOptions007AvoidTearout008GettheRightDrillBit009SortOutSaws010DoItbyHand011UsetheRightTerms012GetintoaSpiral(Saw)013MeettheMulti-Tool

014ScoutOutRouters015GetaGoodCompressor016GetsomeAir017RenttheBigStuff018PowerUp019GetStuckonGlues020ClampDown021GlueItRighttheFirstTime022SticktoIt023SealUpWindows024UseFoilTapeGently025WrapThreadSealTape026PressItDown027LevelUp028EnjoytheLaserShow029UseaMultipurposeSpeedSquare030GetYourGearTogether031ApplyYourPaint032CleanUp033OrganizetoOptimize034GetOutoftheShop035StoreSmarter036DealwithRust037RecycleWhatYouCan038GreaseItUp039WinterizeTools040FireItUp041RaiseanExtensionLadderProperly042ChoosetheRightLadder043KnowYourLadder(s)

044BeStable045ReachNewHeights046SuitUpforSafety047PushItRealGood048SaveYourEars049ChargeAheadWisely050StoreItSafely051GettheLeadOut052AvoidAsbestos053TestforRadonGas054GetWired055ConnectItRight056GoNuts057PowerUp058KnowYourPipes059TrySomethingNew060UnderstandPlumbing101061KnowYourLimits062ChoosetheBestCaulkGun063SealItUp064CaulklikeaPro065MakeCleanupEasier066HandleHazardousWaste067StudyChemistry068DisposeofDebris

QUICKFIXES069InspectYourHome

070WatchforWater071ChecktheExterior072GetUpontheRoof073CheckItOutInside074CheckPipesandDucts075GetaGoodFoundationENERGYEFFICIENCY076UnderstandInsulation077KnowYourMaterials078SearchforLeaks079FilltheGaps080LayaBetterBead081SealaLeakyDoorway082BeaHappyHacker083StayintheZone084SaveEnergy085JointheProgram086ChangeYourFilter087GetReadyforWinter088KeepWarmforLess089HittheDecks090FliptheDeckBoardsPLUMBING091CleartheClogs092TrythisSolution093PlungeaSink094UseaSnake(orNot)095CleantheMainDrain096KnowYourToilet097TroubleshootaTricklingToilet

098GetaRoyalFlush099SolderCopperPipe100PlantheInstallation101SolderSafely102TackleTankTrouble103HandleBrassValves104JoinPVCPiping105ShutDownaLeak106ThawFrozenPipes107TryPush-FitConnections108UseSelf-FusingTapeELECTRICAL109LighttheBathroom110CookUpaKitchenScheme111KnowYourWiringBasics112UsetheRightBulb113UpdateFixtures114GetGrounded115KeepUpwithTechnology116TestYourGfci117KnowYourOutlets118AssessYourOptions119ReplaceaTwo-ProngedOutlet120ReplaceaStandardSingle-PoleBreaker121ChoosetheRightReplacement122TestaBadBreaker123InstallaNewThermostat124UpgradeYourThermostat125CustomizeLandscapeLightingAROUNDTHEHOUSE

126FighttheFungi127SpotClean128TackleMajorDamage129SealYourHomeUpTight130KeeptheWaterOut131LookforMoisture132UpgradeYourLook133ComeUnhinged134PaintYourRegisters135HandleIt136InstallCustomClosetShelves137MountShelves138JointheIndustry139RemoveOldWallpaper140KnowtheScore141UseaChemicalStripper142StripwithSteam143SilenceaSqueakyFloor144StabilizeaFloor145RepairaCarpetBubble146GiveThreadsSomethingtoGrab147FindPartsontheWeb148UseWoodFiller149HideScratches150SteamItOutOUTDOORS151TakeCareofYourRoof152DoanInspection153ApplySomePressure154SluicetheSiding

155WatchYourWood156PatchWoodRotwithPutty157PerformSurgery158UseTwo-PartEpoxy159PatchItUp160TaketheTube161CareforConcrete162GotoReformSchool163TreatYourself164TrySturdySoftwoods165SizeItUp166GoExotic167DoaDeckCheck168KeepItSparkling

WEEKENDPROJECTSPAINTANDTRIM169SprayIt170PicktheRightPaint171GettheRightSheen172FillaHole173MakeaPanelPatch174RepairPlaster175BattenDown176BitetheBullet177GetReadyforPrimeTime178BrushItRight179BeaHighRoller

180TapeandProtect181PrepforOutdoorPainting182SpiffUpSiding183PaintConcreteFloors184PrepMetals185WorkwithWood186AddKnockdownTexture187ApplyFauxFinishes188KnowTrimBasics189FinishtheRoom190LearntoCope191LearnfromthePros192GetHigh193InstallCrownMolding194InstallOutsideCorners195ScarfItUp196ToolUp197GetaComplex198GoMiterless199InstallWainscoting200GoPrefab201FakeItWINDOWSANDDOORS202GetFilledInonFraming203KnowYourLimitations204WrapYourHeadAroundHeaders205PutItonaPlate206GetaTrim207SelectYourWindowStyle208GetaGreatLookWithGrids

209BeEnergyEfficient210PickYourMaterials211MeasureaWindowforReplacement212ReplaceMetalWindowsinBrickHomes213DoItYourself(orGetHelp)214TrimYourWindows215JambOn216GiveYourWindowanApron217CasetheJoint218PutYourWindowonaStool219ChecktheExterior220GetAnchored221GoInside222AddAnotherDoor223KnowYourDoors224PullOuttheStops225PutInaNewWindow226ChecktheFinalFit227BrickYourWindow228ReplaceaPre-HungDoor229LearntoUseShims230DoubleUp231InstallaHandle-Set232InstallaDoorTrimKitINTERIORIMPROVEMENTS233ReplaceaFaucet234FixaShowerFaucet235GetaValveSetKITCHENSANDBATHROOMS236InstallaToilet

237InstallLaminate238CleanUpaCounter239MakeCleanCuts240MakeContactProperly241CoverBigCounters242CoataCountertop243EdgeItRight244RefinishYourKitchenCabinets245TakethemApart246SandorStrip247ApplyNewPaint248PutItTogetherOUTDOORS249PreserveOutdoorWood250TreatNewWood251FixWeatheredWood252ApplyStainProperly253UseaConditioner254ImproveOldStain255InstallGuttersandDownspouts256ChalktheSlope257CutItDowntoSize258PreassembleYourGutters259Hang’EmHigh260GettheDownspoutsDone261FastenItYourself262SetaConcreteSlab263MakeaJoint264CureYourConcrete

BIGPROJECTSTILE265WorkWellwithTile266PlanYourInstallation267PrepYourTiles268GettheRightLayout269InstallYourTiles270ApplySealant271MakeStraightCuts272NipItintoShape273WhetYourWetSaw274DrillTileAndGlass275InstallMosaicTileFLOORING276PutInaNewFloor277PrepYourSite278UseBarrierProtection279InstallaFloatingFloor280BeReadytoFloat281LaytheFloor282SetaSolidWoodFloor283ReadytheNewFloor284LayOuttheBoards285BeResilient286GetItReady287FloataVinylFloor288PeelandStickItDECKS

289BuildaDeck290ConsiderYourDesign291LeadWithaLedgerBoard292GettheRightLayout293GetGoodFooting294InstallYourFraming295GetOnDeck296AddRailingstoYourDeck297SelectYourStairSystem298ConsiderYourOptions299MakeStairsSimplerFENCES300BuildaFence301PlanYourLayout302DigDeep303PostUp304String’EmUp305GoPicketing306MakeaBigFinish307GiveYourFenceaGateBUILT-INSHELVING308ShelveIt309DemolishaWall310CreateaCase311MakeYourShelves312InstalltheShelves313AddTrimWorkCARPET314PutInYourOwnCarpet315SeamtheSections

316StretchYourCarpet317EdgeItOut318GoModularREPAIRWOODFLOOR319FindLostTreasure320FixDamagedFlooring321FinishtheFloor

INDEX

IMAGECREDITS

DIYNATIONForacertaintypeofperson,thesoundofsurrenderistheringofaphoneastheycallarepairman.That’sme.IwillinvariablyattemptahomerepairorimprovementbeforeIpaygoodmoneytosomeoneelseforajobIcandomyself.

Doesthatmakemearrogant?Maybe.Stubborn?Absolutely.AmIacheapskate,too?Iprefertheword“frugal.”

AndI’mnotalone.Fromlong-runningtelevisionprogramslikeThisOldHouseto

cablechannelssuchasHGTVandtheDIYNetwork,itshouldbeobviousthatdo-it-yourselfhomeimprovementisn’tapassingtrendsomuchasalifestylethat’sbeenembracedforyearsbyhard-workingindividualsfromcoasttocoast.Imean,heck,thefirstsettlersbuilttheirownhomeslongbeforebuildingdeveloperswerethrowinguphigh-risecondos,andwe’resimplycarryingthetorchofthatrichtraditionofself-reliance.

Forsomeonetofollowthispathrequiresanindependentspirit,awillingnesstobreakalittlesweatand—maybemostimportant—aneagernesstolearnnewthings.

IcameaboardaseditorofExtremeHow-Toin2003withacollegedegreeandaraftofworkexperiencefromtimespentlaboringinasteelfabricatingplant,analuminumwarehouse,ashippinghub,aframingshop—Icouldgoonandon;Ievenoncehadagigsellingknives(andhatedit).AlthoughIwasnohomeimprovementexpertatthetime,Iwasyoungandambitiousandeagertolearn.Iwasunafraidtotrynewthings,andnomatterwhatchallengesIfaced,I’dfigurethemoutonthejob.

IthenspentmanyyearsstudyingallthethingsIrealizedIdidn’tknowabouthomeimprovement.

That’swherethisbookcomesin.Acollectionofhundredsoftried-and-truetechniquesandprotipsforsuccess,wecoverthemostcommonDIYprojectsinsideandoutsidethehome.ForyearstheaimofExtremeHow-Tohasbeentodemystifyprofessional-gradeprojectsforthedo-it-yourselfer,toequipourreaderswiththeknow-howto“buildityourself,andbuilditbetter.”

Ifyou’rewillingtolearnnewthingsandyoudon’tworryaboutgettingyourhandsdirty,thismanualwillhelpconqueryourrepairsandremodelswithouteverhavingtosay“Isurrender.”

READTHISFIRSTIfyou’renewtohomeimprovement,getreadyforawildride.It’safunandsatisfyingjourney,butasyourprojectsgrowmoreambitiousthansimplefixesandminorimprovements,you’llfindthebigjobscanrequirealotofwork—muchmorethanyou’llseeeditedintosplit-secondTVclipsonyourfavoritehomeshow.Anyjobcanberifewithunforeseenpitfalls,buttrial-and-errorcanbeapowerfulteacher.

Thebestwaytominimizeerrorsistogatherasmuchinformationasyoucanpriortobeginningyourproject.TheInternetisagoldmineofhome-improvementinformation,fromExtremeHow-

To’swebsitetomanyothers.You’llfindallsortsofhelpfulvideosonYoutube—it’samazinghowdetailedsomeofinstructionalclipsare.Forlargeprojectslikedeck-buildingorshedconstruction,buyabookdedicatedtothesubjectthatdetailsthevariousdesignoptionsandtechniquesforconstruction.Anothergreatwaytosoakupknowledgeistoobserveajobsite.Forexample,ifyouspendafewminuteswatchingaroofingcrewtearoffandreplaceahome’sshingles,youmightquicklydecidethatsinceyoucan’tbeinthatmanyplacesatonce,mayberoofingisaprojectbestlefttotheprofessionals.

GETAPERMITSomeprojectswillrequireapermitfromyourlocalbuildingdepartment.Ingeneral,buildingcodesaredevelopedbyindustryassociations“toprovideminimumsafetystandardsforahome’soccupants,theenvironmentandthepublicatlarge.”Thecodesareadoptedandenforcedbylocalgovernmentsandvarybasedonlocalpoliticalissues,environmentalregulations,andsoforth.Checkwithyourlocalbuildinginspectortodeterminealllocalrequirements.

Althoughcodesvaryfromstatetostate,apermitisgenerallyrequiredforremodelingprojectsthatinvolvechangestothebuilding’sexistingfootprint,electricalsystemorplumbing.Addingnewwindowstoexistingwallsusuallyrequiresapermit.You’relikelytoneedapermitforprojectsthatgobeyondasimplerepairorcosmeticimprovement,suchas:•addingsupportingwallsorremovingload-bearingwalls,•in-groundconcretepooloraporch/deck,•replacingtheroof,•backyardshed,•concretesidewalks,drivewaysandslabs

Whenapermitisfiled,cityofficialswillusuallyinspecttheworkcompletedatdifferentstagestoensureitcomplieswithcurrentsafetyandhealthbuildingcodes.

Whenworkisdonetorefreshthehome,however,apermitisnotusuallyrequired.Updatingkitchencabinetsandcountertops,forexample,doesnotrequireapermit.Otherremodelingupdatessuchasflooring/ceilingcoverings,painting/papering,tilingorcarpetingcanusuallybedonewithoutapermit.Evenifapermitisn’trequired,certainprojectsmayrequirelicensedprofessionalsforstructural,electricalandplumbingwork.Ifyou’renotsure,checkwithyourlocalcityorcountygovernmentoffice.

THERIGHTTOOLSFORTHEJOB

Somethingsyoulearnthehardway.Forexample,Ioncedrilledintomyhand.OnaseparateoccasionInearlyelectrocutedmyself.Whiletoolsforhomeimprovementcancertainlyprovehandy,their

associatedworkcanoftenbehazardous,especiallyifyoudon’tknowwhatyou’redoing.

It’ssmarttoalwaysusetherighttoolforthejobandtouseitthewayitwasintended.Andthoselittleinstructionmanualsthatareincludedbythemanufacturer—readthose,too,becauseit’smorefuntolearntheeasyway.

Myfirsttoolboxwasagiftfrommydadandcontainedyourbasichammer,screwdriver,pliersandawrench.Itgrewovertheyears.ThesedaysIhaveabackyardgaragetostoreallmystuff.Youmightneverrequirequitethatmuchroomforyourequipment,butthemoreprojectsyoutakeon,themoreyourtoolcollectionwillexpand.Startwiththebasicessentialsandadditemsasyouneedthem.Beforeyouknowit,toolcollectingwillgetinyourblood,andyou’llstartpickingupgadgetsthatyoumightnotneedtoday,butyoumightneedsomeday.

Thischapterwilloverviewcommontoolboxessentialsaswellashighlightingsomeslightlymoreobscuredevicesthatmightjusthelpyournextprojectgosmoothly.We’lloffersomebasicinstructiononhowtousethem,andprovideprofessionalinsight

thatyouwon’tfindintheproductliterature.We’llshowwhentograbtherightglue,andwhentousetherightclamp.You’llgetsomegoodadviceonhowtogearupforasafeworkarea,aswellashowtokeepthehouseascleanaspossiblewhileyourepairandremodel.So,getreadytoreviewsomecooltoolsandlearnhowtogetthemostoutofthem.

001BUILDABASICTOOLBOXFromsimplefix-upstomajorhomeimprovements,therighttoolsmakeallthedifference.NoviceDIYersshouldassembleatoolboxwithahandfulofessentialtoolsthataremostwidelyapplicabletoanyjob.Additionalmaterialscanbepurchasedasrequired,expandingyourarsenalasyourexperienceandskillsetimprove.Chooseatoolboxwithamplestoragespaceforlarge,irregularitemssuchasahammerandsquare,butonethat’slightandcompactenoughforeasyportability.

HAMMERFromhangingapictureframetobuildingawall,therighthammerisanessentialhouseholdtool.You’llfindspecializedmodelsforheavy-dutyframingandforfinewoodwork,butagoodbasicmodelshouldbemediumweight(16to20ounces)withasmooth-facedhead,ripclaw,andnon-woodhandle.

SCREWDRIVERSWhetheryou’reputtingsomethingtogetherortakingitapart,therightscrewdrivermakesallthedifference.You’llfindvarious

typesofscrewsineverythingfromwoodworkingtoautomotivework,andeachtyperequiresamatchingscrewdriver,soyou’llneedavariety.Commonscrewtypesincludeflat-head,Phillips,square-drive,Torx™,andPozidriv.

TAPEMEASUREThetapemeasurewilllikelygetthemostmileageofallyourtools.A25-to30-foottapewillsufficeformostjobs,bigandsmall.

UTILITYKNIFEYoucanusearazor-sharputilityknifetoopenuppackages,cutroofshingles,triminsulation,andsomuchmore.Chooseamodelthatoffersconvenientin-handlestorageforextrablades.

TORPEDOLEVELThishandytoolutilizesabubblevialtocheckforlevelandplumbonanythingfrompictureframesandshelvestofenceposts.Althoughlongerlevelsaremoreaccurate,atorpedolevelcomescloseandfitsinatoolbox.

SPEEDSQUAREThisisaveryhandytoolusedforsimplemeasuring,drawingstraightlines,andmarkingangles.Italsomakesagrade-cuttingguideforacircularsaw.

CHALKLINEAnothermemberofthemarkingandmeasuringfamilyoftools,achalklinecanbeveryusefulwhenworkingwithdrywall,roofing,floorinstallation,oranyotherunusuallylargepieceofconstructionmaterial.

SAFETYGOGGLESArguablythemostimportantitemtokeepinatoolboxisapairofsafetygoggles.Thesewillobviouslyhelpkeepdangerousparticlesoutofyoureyeswhilecuttingorperformingdemowork,buttheycanalsobewornwhilepaintingtoprotectfromflyingspecks.

WOODCHISELA½-inchwoodchiselisusefulformanydifferentapplications,notjustcarvingandshapingwood,asit’sactuallyintendedtodo.Muchtothemanufacturer’schagrin,chiselscanbeusedaseverythingfromaminiatureprybartoapaintscraper.Keeptwochiselshandy:Oneforcuttingwoodandanotherforgeneralusage.

WRENCHESAvailablewithadjustablejawsorwithfixedbox-enddesigns,wrenchesprovideafirmgripforlooseningandtighteningbolts,nuts,andotherfacetedfasteners.

PLIERSAvailableinmanysizesanddesigns,plierstightlygraspandholditemsthatcan’tbeheldbyyourfingersalone.

TONGUE-AND-GROOVEPLIERSTheadjustablemouthoftongue-and-groovepliersmakesthistoolhandyforgrabbinglargeitemsaswellassmall.Itsprimaryuseisforgrabbingplumbingfixturestoobigforstandardwrenches,andthelonghandlesprovideplentyofleverage.

LOCKINGPLIERSKnownbythebrandnameVise-Grip,thistoolworkslikeadjustablepliersbutlocksintoplacewithincrediblegrip,freeingyour

handsforotherwork.

ALLENWRENCHESAppliances,machinery,andpowerequipmentoftenhavescrewswithahexagonalrecesssetintheirheads.ThesescrewsrequireAllenwrenches,whicharesmallL-shapedtoolsinsetsofbothmetricandimperialmeasurements.

SOCKETWRENCHSETThesemodularsystemsincludeawrenchhandleandindividualsocketsofdifferentsizes,aswellasextendersandadapters.Thesteelsleeveofthesocketslipsoverahexagonalnutorbolthead,andthewrench’sratchetingactionturnsthefastenerinonlyonedirectionwhile“freewheeling”intheotherforfasttighteningandloosening.

TOOLBELTAgoodtoolbeltwillkeepyourtapemeasure,pencil,fasteners,andothersmallitemsrightatyourside,savingyourepeattripsback

andforthtothetoolboxtosearchforandretrievesupplies.

002MASTERLAYOUTANDMEASURINGYou’veprobablyheardthephrase,“measuretwice,cutonce.”Thefollowingtoolshelpmakethatareality.

FRAMINGSQUAREThemetalL-shapedframingsquarehasa24-inchleg(theblade)andashorter16-inchleg(thetongue).Therigid90-degreeheelcaneasilyverifytheaccuracyofrightanglesfoundinsideandoutsidecorners.Mostframingsquaresalsocomewithreferencetablestoassistindeterminingroofpitchandcalculatingrafterheights,alongwithothergeneralapplications.

T-SQUAREForlargeareas,drywall,andsheetgoods,aT-squarecanbeusedtomeasureandmarkstraight,accuratelinesupto48inches.Itcanalsobeedge-clampedinplaceandusedasaguideformakingstraightcuts.COMBINATIONSQUAREThecombinationsquareconsistsoftheblade(ametalruler)andastock,whichslidesalongthebladeandmaybecompletelyremoved.Athumb-screwtightensthestockinplace.Thecombosquarecanbeusedtocheckinsideandoutsidecornersfor90and45degrees.Itcanbeusedasamarkinggaugetodrawaparallellineagainstanedge,andthebladecanbeusedtomeasurethedepthofaholeormortise(notch).Thestockfeaturesabubblevialforcheckinglevelandplumb.

LEVELSBotha2-footanda4-footlevelarehandyfordeterminingifanobjectisindeedlevel.Whenthebubblerestsevenlybetweenthemarksonthevial,thetoolislevel(orplumb).Thelongeralevel’slength,thegreateritsaccuracy.However,inmanycasesa4-footlevelistoolongandcumbersomeforasmalljob,makingthe2-footversionabetteroption.

003SCREWITBETTERAsyourprojectsgetmorecomplex,you’llwanttoconsideraddingtoyourscrewdrivercollection.

MULTIPURPOSEThisoptioncanreducethenumberoftoolsyouneedtocarrywithyou.Avarietyofbits,usuallystoredinthehandle,insertintoahexagonaldriveshaft.Comparemodelstofindthebestbitselectionforyou.

MINIEyeglasses,mobilephones,computers,andpersonalelectronicsoftenhaveverysmallscrews,whichinturnwillrequireverysmallscrewdrivers.Minisareavailableinflat-head,Phillips,Torx™,Pozidriv,andmore.

RATCHETINGAswithasocketwrench,thequick-driveratchetingactiondrivesscrewsfastwhile“freewheeling”intheoppositedirection.Thiseliminatestheneedfortheusertoreleaseandre-gripthescrewdriver,savingtimeandlabor.

CORDLESSArechargeablebattery-poweredscrewdrivercanbefittedwithanynumberbitsinawiderangeofsizesanddrive-styles.Whenyou’redealingwithalotofscrews,you’llappreciatethehigh-productiveefficiencythisbasicpowertoolbringstoyourprojects.Keeponeonthechargerforgrab-and-goconvenience.

004SMOOTHTHINGSOUTWhetheryou’reremovingpaintorpreppinganewpieceoffurnituretostainandfinish,sandingwillbeanecessarystepintheprocess.Theabrasiveparticlesinthesandpaperaregradedandnumberedas“grit,”indicatinghowcoarseorfinetheseparticlesare.AgoodapproachforaDIYeristoselectthreegritstohaveonhand.Startwiththesandpaperthat’sjustcoarseenoughtogetridoftheworstsurfacedefects.An80-gritsandpaperisusuallyagoodplacetostart.However,coarsegritswillleavefinescratchesonthewood,sothenextstepwillbetoturntheselargescratchesintosmallerscratcheswithafinerpaperofaround120-grit.Forthefinalsandingphase,sandpaperat220-gritwillworkformosttypesofwood.Woodwithdensegrainmayrequirefinergrits,suchas320-grit,toremovethelastofthescratches,thusresultinginasmooth,ready-to-finishsurface.Powersandersdotheworkforyou.Smallpalmsanderscansmoothawoodsurfaceinpreparationforstainingandsealing.Aggressivebeltsanderscantearawayanoldwoodsurfacewithferociousefficiency.Andoscillatingdiscsandersstrikeabalancebetweenaggressivematerialremovalandfinish-sanding.

005SPLURGEONTHESETOOLSManypeoplefindthemselvesbuyingexpensivetoolstheyalmostneveruse.Besmartaboutpurchases,butsometimesitdoesmakesensetospendthemoney,asinthefollowingcases.

STUDFINDERIfyouplantohanganythingheavyonawall,you’llneedtomountitintoasolidstudinthewall’sframing.Todoso,youmustfirstlocatethestud.Whenpassedoverawall,anelectronicstudfinderusesinternalsensorstofindthestudandsignalitslocationforyoutomark.

WORKLIGHTSTask-specificlightingintheformoftripodflashlightsorLEDheadlampsaregreatforDIY.Theselow-wattage,low-heatlightscomeinhandybeneathsinks,insideclosets,andinanyworkcircumstancewhenthepowerhasbeenshutoff.

NAIL-PULLINGPLIERSRemodelingworkwillusuallyinvolvedemolition,whichoftennecessitatesremovingallthosenailsandfastenersinstalledbytheoriginalbuilder.Ahammerclawwon’tgrabontoaheadlessbradnail,andstandardpliersdon’tofferadequateleverageforpullingthemout.Toremovepeskyoldnails,investinspecialtypliersconstructedwithanangledheadtogripandprythemloose.

LASERMEASURINGDEVICEArelativenewcomertothehardwarestoreshelves,thistoolisalsocalledadistancemeter,rangefinder,orlaser“tape”measure,dependinguponthemanufacturer,andisgreatfortakingprecisemeasurements.Onceyouhavethelaseraimed,justpressabuttonandthedevicecalculatesthedistanceandthendisplaysitonthescreen.Thismeasurementistakenwithprecisionlaseropticsthataccuratelymeasurethedistanceofthebeamthathitsatargetobject.

006DRILLDOWNONOPTIONSYou’llfindawiderangeofelectricdrillsincordedandcordlessversions.Withacordeddrillyouwillalwayshave120voltsofpower,morethanenoughjuicetopowerthebiggestdrillthatyou’reapttouse.Abattery-poweredcordlessdrilloffersfreedomofmovementwithoutbeingtetheredtoanoutlet,butitrequirestimetorechargethebatteryand,dependingonthesizeofthedrill,thebatterycanaddsignificantsizeandweighttothetool.Specificallydesignedandgearedtoboreholesinavarietyofmaterials,drillscomeinarangeofpowerclassesandtoolsizes,butmostDIYerspreferacordlessdrill/drivercombo.Herearesomeotheroptionsaswell.

DRILL/DRIVERAcombinationdrill/driveroffersvariablespeedadjustmenttofunctionasaversatiledrillaswellasapoweredscrewdriver.Theabilitytoreducespeedandtorqueincreasesusercontrolforscrewdrivingapplications.

IMPACTDRIVERSpecificallymadeforfasteningapplications,animpactdriveremploysaninternalanviltodelivermuchhigherrotational

torquethanconventionaldrill/drivers.Whenthepowerneededtodrivethefastenerexceedsthetorqueofthetool’srotationalforce,adrivegearwithtwomatchinglugsstrikestheanviltonudgethebitalong.

HAMMERDRILLFasteningitemstoconcreteormasonryoftenrequiresboringahole,insertingananchorofsomesort,thenboltingorscrewingtheiteminplace.Drillingpilotholesintothesehardermaterialsismosteasilyaccomplishedwithamasonrybitattachedtoahammerdrill,whichusesanelectro-mechanicalhammeringsystem.Thisconsistsofagearassemblythatdeliversanimpacttothechuckrangingfrom20,000tomorethan50,000blowsperminute.AgoodchoiceforaDIYerisan18-voltdrill/driverthatoffersahammer-drillfunction.

007AVOIDTEAROUTTodrillperfectholesinfinewoodworkwithnotearout,therearetwopossiblemethods.

METHOD1Useabackerboardthat’sclampedtotheworkpiece.Selectagood-qualitybitwithastartingpointandsidecutters,suchasaForstnerorbradpoint.Thebittreatsthetwoclampedpiecesofwoodasasinglepiece.

METHOD2Forapplicationsinwhichapreciseholeisnotrequired,useaspadebittodrilloutthehole.Whenyou’vejustaboutpiercedthebackside,stopandfliptheworkpieceover.Usetheholepiercedthroughthebacksideoftheworkpieceasacenteringguide,andfinishofftheholefromthebackside.

008GETTHERIGHTDRILLBITDrillbitsareindispensabletools,andnewtechnologiesaregivingallthesetoolboxstaplesmorecuttingpowerthaneverbefore.Thestandardtwist-typedrillbitisthemostcommonlyproduceddrillbitavailable,andit’ssuitedforawiderangeofgeneral-purposetasks.However,theworldismadeupofalotofdifferentmaterials,andtherightbitmakesabigdifferenceindrillingperformance.

BitType:Spade

Description:Hasaflat,paddle-likeshapewithtwocuttingedgesflankingaspur,whichguidesthetrajectoryofthedrilling

Uses:Forquickdrillingoflargeholesintendedforrough-inworksuchasframing,plumbingandelectricalwork;theaggressivecuttingandhigh-speedactioncanleaveasplinteryhole

BitType:Countersink

Description:Hasanadjustabletwistbitthatlocksintothecountersinkbodywithasetscrew

Uses:Allowsyoutosimultaneouslypre-drillscrewholesinwoodandcountersinktheholesforrecessed

screwheads

BitType:Twist

Description:Pointangleisbetween90and150degrees;118degreesisthemostcommonpoint

Uses:Sharperpointsworkforaggressivecuttingintosoftermaterials;theshallowertipisdesignedfordrillinghardermaterialssuchasdrillingsteel(butrequiresastarterhole)

BitType:Forstner

Description:Forstnerbitshaveacenterspurasaguideandradialcuttingedgesthatshearwoodfibersattheedgeandbottomofthehole,creatingasmoothborewithanexactdiameter

Uses:Forstnerbitsarethebestchoicefordrillingprecise,flat-bottomedholesinwood.Theycancutontheedgeofablockofwoodtocreatechannelsandcanalsobeusedtocreateoverlappingholes

BitType:Concrete/masonry

Description:Hasachisel-liketungstencarbidetiptobreakupstone,brick,orconcrete,whiletheflutespullbackthechippedmaterial

Uses:Excellentforinstallingwiringandplumbingintoexistingconcrete,blocks,orbricks,aswellasdrillingpilotholestosetfastenersintoconcrete

BitType:Bradpoint

Description:Hasaspurwithasharppointinthetip

Uses:Thebradpoint’stippenetratestheworksurfacetoholdthebitinposition,whilethesharpcornersdrillacleanholeinwoodorplastic

BitType:Holesaw

Description:Acup-shapedbitsetwitharepeatingpatternofteeth

Uses:Madetocutoutlargecirclesorcoresofwoodfortasksrangingfromplumbingtoinstallingdoorknobs

BitType:Glassandtile

Description:Somefeaturespear-pointedcarbidetips;somefeatureholesaw–typecylinderswithdiamond-gritcuttingedges

Uses:Accuratedrillingforfastenerholesinceramictile,marble,china,mirrors,andglass.Thebitsareidealfordrillinginbathroomtileorwallmirrors.(Usewaterspraytocooldownthecutting)

009SORTOUTSAWSFrommetalandmasonrytoplasticsandwood,you’lluseasawonvirtuallyeverymajorhomeproject.There’sawiderangeofoptionsoutthereforbothgeneralandspecificuses.Hereareallthebasicsyou’relikelytorunintoasyouplanbasichomeDIYprojects.

HANDHELDCIRCULARSAWNootherpowersawcanperformasmanycuttingtasksinsuchanaffordable,storage-friendlypackage.Ripping,crosscutting,plungecuttingandmore;circularsawsdoitallandcanevenmakepartialkerfs,bevelededges,andcompoundangles.

MITERSAWFromdeckbuildingtointricatefinishcarpentry,amitersawutilizesacircularbladetocrosscutboardsatthecriticalanglestobuildinsideandoutsidecorners.Ifyouhaveacompoundmitersaw,notonlycanyouturnthesawforamiter,youcantiltthebladetocutabevelaswell.

TABLESAWAlthoughtablesawscancrosscutshortboards,theirprimarypurposeistoriplongboardsintothinnerworkpieces.Acircularbladeprotrudesthroughasmoothtablesurfacetocutthematerialasyoufeeditintotheblade.Sincetheuserguidesthematerialalongaripfence,tablesawsoffersuperiorcontrolandaccuracyforlongripsandbevels.

JIGSAWAlsocalledsabersaws,jigsawsareexceptionallyusefultoolsformakingtight,intricatecuts.Thetraditional“jigsaw”puzzle’stightlycurvedandcomplexnetworkofcutoutpiecesdemonstratesthesaw’smaneuverability.Thestraight,narrowbladecanmakecurves,smallholes,anddetailedcutsthatlargerbladescan’taccomplish.

RECIPROCATINGSAWSimilarindesigntoajigsaw,areciprocatingsawislargerandmoreaggressive.Theseversatilestraight-bladedtoolsaredesignedtomakecutoutsandcutoffs,disassemblewoodframing,trimbranches,maketoughcutsintightquarters,andmuchmore.

BANDSAWCommonlyusedtocutcurves,abandsawconsistsofapairofwheelsthatholdanarrowbandoftoothedmetal.Thisbandridesonthewheelsinthesameverticalplane,andasteeltableisusedtoguidetheworkpieceintothecuttingedge.Abandsawcanripthicklumberintothinnerslabsaswellascutmetalandothermaterials.Portableversionsarealsoavailable.

010DOITBYHAND

HANDSAWSThebasichandsawisgoodforlarge,roughcuts,plusitworkswhennopowerisavailable.Whenusedwithamiterboxforimprovedaccuracy,handsawscanalsomakeangledcuts.

COPINGSAWSHandsawswithathin,flexibleblade,theyareusedtomakeverysmall,detailedcutsforjoiningtrimcarpentrysuchascrownmolding.

011USETHERIGHTTERMSDifferentsawsaremadetomakedifferentcuts,soyoushouldknowalltheterms.

RIPCUTToripaboardistocutitintothinboardsofequallength,sawingparalleltothewoodgrain.

CROSSCUTThismeanstocutaboarddownintoshorterlengthsofequalwidth,sawingperpendiculartothewoodgrain.

MITERThisreferstoanangledcrosscutforjoiningtwoboardsatanangledjoint.

BEVELAbevelisacutthatismadewhenthesaw’sbladeistiltedatanyangleotherthan90degrees.

012GETINTOASPIRAL(SAW)

FromdrywallandcarpentrytoflooringandHVAC,veryfewtoolsoffertheversatilityofaspiralsaw. Originallydesignedtomakedrywallcutoutsaneasychore,theRotoZipisaconstruction-gradespiralsawthatusesthincylindricalbits,similartodrillbits,butwiththeabilitytomakelateralcutsalongtheshank.Equippedwiththerightbit,thetoolcancutthroughvirtuallyanybuildingmaterialupto1inchthick.ARotoZipcanalsobeequippedwithacircularsawattachment.

Smallerrotarytools,suchasaDremel,functioninthesamemanner,buttheyoperatewithvariablespeedandcanbeoutfittedasdetailsandersforworkingaroundoddshapesandsmallnooksinwoodwork.Whenequippedwithsmallsandingdrums,Dremelsarefrequentlyusedforcraftprojectsandmillwork,suchaswindowanddoorcasings.

Boththeheavy-dutyRotoZipandtheDIY-friendlyDremelareavailableincordedandcordlessmodelsandusuallycomewithmultipleattachments.Spiralsawsaregenerallyusedwithadepth-gaugeattachmentthatrestsflushagainstthecuttingsurface,andthebitisraisedorloweredviaanadjustablesleevearoundtheheadofthesaw.Therightbitscancutthroughawiderangeofmaterialfromwoodandmetaltotileorcementboard.

Forgroutremoval,youcanselectanangleddepthgaugeforyourspiralsawtoslidesmoothlyalongthetilesurface.Theseattachmentsareusedinconjunctionwithspecializedheavy-duty,grout-removalcuttingbits.

013MEETTHEMULTI-TOOLTheoscillatingmulti-toolisquicklybecomingamust-haveitem,asitcanequipavarietyofdifferentbladesfornotchingwood,cuttingmetal,removinggrout,sanding,makingelectricalcutouts,andmuchmore.Byutilizinghigh-speedoscillation,theseversatileinstrumentscanscrape,sand,makecutsflushwithadjacentmaterials,andmore,usingabroadassortmentofaccessoryblades.Thisallowstheusertoperformeitherfinedetailworkortotacklemoreaggressiveapplications.

014SCOUTOUTROUTERSRoutersareusedtohollowoutor“rout”anareainthefaceofaworkpiece.Therouterhasabroadbaseandabitprojectingbeyonditsbaseplate.Dependingontherouter,thebitcanbeguidedintotheedgeofaworkpieceorplungedintothesurface,whereitcutsanynumberofstraight,curved,ordecorativeprofiles.

FIXEDBASEThetool’sbaseplateisattachedinafixedpositiontothemotor,whichisagreatsetupforcuttingaprofileintheedgeofaboard.Smallertrimrouterstakeadvantageofthefixed-basedesigntocutdownontoolweight,whichmakesthemeasiertomaneuver.

PLUNGEROUTERBoththemotorandcutterheadslidealongguidebarsthatareattachedtothebase.Plungerouterscanbegincuttingthecenterofapieceofwood,wheretherouterbitisloweredor“plunged”intotheworkpiece.However,plungeroutersoftencostmoreandareheavierthanfixed-basemodels.

015GETAGOODCOMPRESSORThemostpopularaircompressorsamongDIYersandprosaremidsizeportableunitsthatcanbecarriedtoajobsitewhilestillprovidingamplepower.Herearefactorstoconsiderwhenmakingachoice.

OUTPUTThemostimportantratingforanysizeaircompressoristhestandardcubicfeetperminute(SCFM)output.Todeterminethesizeofcompressoryouneed,firstconsiderthetoolsyouwilluse.ThetoolthathasthehighestSCFMratingwillbeyourguidelineforchoosingacompressor.Forthebestresults,purchaseacompressorwithanoutputof1.5timesthatrating.Forexample,ifyouwanttouseanimpactwrenchthatrequires5.0SCFM,youwouldpurchaseacompressorthatputsout7.5SCFM.Ifyouanticipateusingmultipletoolssimultaneously,addtheSCFMrequirementsforalltoolsthatwillbeusedatonetime,andmultiplythesumby1.5.

TANKSIZEIfyou’llbeusingtoolsthatrequireahighvolumeofairforcontinuoususe,suchasapneumaticsander,thenyouneedalargertank.Ifyouonlyintendtousethetoolforintermittentuse,yourcompressorcanhaveasmallertanksize.Forintermittentuse,youcansavemoneybychoosingaunitwithasmallerpump/motor(themostcostlypartoftheunit)andalargertank.AlargeenoughtankwithapumpthatexceedstheSCFMrequirementofyourtoolswillallowthecompressortimetocoolbetweencycles.Toolsrequiringonlyquickburstsofair,suchasbradandfinishnailers,willdeplete

thetankmuchmoreslowly,soa2-to6-gallontankshouldsuffice.

016GETSOMEAIRAirpowerisgreatwaytotakeyourhomeshoptothenextlevel.Whetheryouneedtorunanythingaframingnailerorasandblaster,therightaircompressorcanhandlethejob.Theseversatile,economicalmachines,provideasinglepowersourceforawiderangeoftools.Smallinflatorscanairupbasketballsandleakycartires.Larger,compressorscanbeusedinconstruction;therearealsoprofessional-gradestationarymodelsforcarpentryshopsandautomotivegarages.

Anaircompressorisonlyasusefulasthesetofpneumatictoolsthatdothework.Theyrequireconnectiontoacompressorhose,butairtoolsoffersignificantadvantagesovertheirelectriccousins.Theydon’tneedtheirownmotors,soairtoolsaremorecompact,lighter,andeasiertohandle—withlessmovingpartstomalfunction.

Versatilityisanotheradvantage.Youcaneasilyswitchtoolsatasinglecompressor,includingaratchetwrench,paintsprayer,anglenailer,finishnailer,orimpactwrench.

017RENTTHEBIGSTUFFAheavy,bulkyitemlikeaplatecompactorcanbenotonlycostprohibitive,butrequirestoragespaceandmaintenanceaswell.However,yourlocalequipmentrentaloutletcanprovideyouawell-maintainedtoolatareasonableprice,andthentakeitbackoffyourhands.Somepubliclibrariesevenmaintainatoollibrarywithequipmentthatlocalscancheckoutforlittleornocost.

Commonrentalitemsincludegeneratorsforremotepowersupply,platecompactorsfortampingdownfoundationsandpatios,jackhammersforconcretedemolition,andblowersforinstallingcelluloseinsulation.Ifyou’reworkinginthedarkyoucanrentlightingequipment.Ifyou’reworkinginthecold,youcanrentakeroseneheater.Checkoutyourlocalsuppliertoexplorethemanyrentaloptions.

018POWERUPYoumaywanttolookintoageneratorthatcanbeusedifthepowergoesdownforanextendedtime.Youwillneedanadequateelectricaltorunlargeappliancesormultipletoolssimultaneously.High-powergenerators,however,costmoretopurchaseandrequiremoreroomforstorage.

Tocalculatewattagerequirements,firstmakealistofallelectricaldevicesyouwillbepoweringatonetimewiththegenerator.Nexttoeachdevice,listthegreateroftherunningorstartingwattage.(Ifonlytherunningwattageforadevicewithanelectricmotorisknown,estimatethestartingwattagetobeatleastthreetimestherunningwattage.)

Ifwattageisnotgivenonthenameplate,thewattagemaybecalculatedbymultiplyingthenameplatevoltagebynameplateamperage.Forexample,120voltsX5amps=600watts.

Addthewattagesforalldevicesonyourlist.Chooseageneratorwithahighercontinuousoutputratingthanthesumtotalwattage.

Youcanincreasethenumberofdevicesyourgeneratorcanpowerbystaggeringtheloadonthegenerator.Forexample,youcouldalternatelypoweryourrefrigeratorandairconditionerforlimitedperiodsoftime.

019GETSTUCKONGLUESTheglueaisleofahardwarestoreisclutteredwithcountlesstubesandbottles,anditcanbeprettytoughtodeterminetherightproductforthejob.Thetablebelowshouldhelpdeterminethebestadhesivefortheapplicationathand.Foranyhomeproject,it’shelpfultoknowtheglue’ssettingtime(howlonguntilit’sinitiallybonded),dryingtime(whentheadhesiveisdry),andcuringtime(whenit’sfullybonded).Erronthesideofcaution:Keeptheprojectclampedlongerthanneededtoavoidmessyandannoyingfailures.

TYPEOFGLUE

Woodglue

USEDFOR

Asthenamewouldsuggest,it’sforjoiningwood.

SETTINGTIME

20to30minutes

DRYINGTIME

1hour

CURINGTIME

24hours

Superglue

USEDFOR

AlsosoldasKrazyGlue,cyanoacrylatesaregoodchoicesformetal,glass,ceramics,plastic,andrubber.

SETTINGTIME

5to15minutes

DRYINGTIME

1hour

CURINGTIME

24hours

Siliconeadhesive

USEDFOR

Oftenusedinplumbingprojectsorforglassrepair;cratesaflexible,waterproofbondformetal,glass,rubber,wood,andceramics.

SETTINGTIME

5minutes

DRYINGTIME

1hour

CURINGTIME

24hours

Epoxy

USEDFOR

Epoxyconsistsoftwoparts—anadhesiveresinandanactivator/hardener—thatmixtoformanextremelydurable,waterproofbondthatworksbestonrigidsurfaceslikemetal,ceramics,andplastics.

SETTINGTIME

5minutesto2hours

DRYINGTIME

12hours

CURINGTIME

24to48hours

Hotglue

USEDFOR

Thiscomesinstickformandmustbeusedwithheatedglueguns.Itcreatesfast-setting,moderatelystrongbonds,idealforlightweightmaterialsandtemporaryadhesion.

SETTINGTIME

15to30seconds

DRYINGTIME

5to10minutes

CURINGTIME

24hours

Sprayadhesive

USEDFOR

Thisgluedispersesinfinedropletstoprovideathin,uniformbondingsurfacethatworksbestonlightweightmaterialssuchaspaper,fabric,andsmallorthinpiecesofplastic,wood,andmetal.

SETTINGTIME

Low-tackformulaswillgiveyouafewminutesbeforeitsets;high-tackwillsetinstantly

DRYINGTIME

30minutes

CURINGTIME

24hours

Expandableglue

USEDFOR

KnownunderbrandnamessuchasGorillaGlue,thesepolyurethane-basedproductshavefoamingpropertiesthatexpandandfillcracksinthematerialtocreateanextremelydurablebondoncecured,idealforheavy-dutymaterialsincludingwood,metal,ceramics,glass,plastic,andstone.

SETTINGTIME

Variesdependingontype

DRYINGTIME

1to2hours,or30minutesforfast-drytype

CURINGTIME

24hours

Constructionadhesive

USEDFOR

Thisindustrial-gradeadhesiveissoldincaulkingtubesusedinconjunctionwithfastenersforadheringplywood,cementboard,treatedlumber,andotherbuildingmaterials.Polyurethane-basedversionsareavailableforbondingplastics,vinyl,ceramics,mirrors,granite,andmarble.

SETTINGTIME

15minutesto1hour

DRYINGTIME

24hours

CURINGTIME

24hoursto7days,dependingonproduct

020CLAMPDOWNHerearetheclampsyoushouldconsideraddingtoyourburgeoningtoolbox.

C-CLAMPThemostbasicandversatilememberofthisfamilycanbeusedtoholdtogetheritemsyou’regluing.Typicallymadeofsteelorcastiron,theytightenusingalarge,threadedscrew.

SPRINGCLAMPSTheyresemblegiantclothespinsandmakeahandythirdhandtoholditemsforsmallrepairs,painting,orgluing.

BARCLAMPSAnadjustablelowerjawslidesonabartobracketthework,andathreadedscrewtightenstheclampwithimpressiveforce.Considerinvestinginavarietyofsizes.

PIPECLAMPSClamphardwarethatyouaddtoyourownpipe.Cutthe½-inch-or¾-inch-diameterpipeaslongorshortasyouwantit.

BENCHCLAMPSTheylooklikeonlyhalfaclampbecausebenchclampsareboltedtoaworkbench,andthesingleupperjawholdsworksecurelydownontothetabletop.

STRAPCLAMPUtilizingaflexibleband,strapclampsaredesignedforclampingrectangular,round,oranyirregularlyshapedprojects.

ANGLECLAMPSApplymultidirectionalpressureto90-degreemiteredcorners.

BENCHVISEOftenusedformetalwork,thisheavy-dutymetalclampistypicallyboltedtoaworkbenchandusedtoholdanobjectsecurelywhileworkisperformedonit.

021GLUEITRIGHTTHEFIRSTTIMEWhengluingwoodpiecestogether,makesureallsurfacesaresmoothandclean.Theadhesivecanbeappliedwithaglue-bottleapplicatortip,butit’simportanttoevenlycoatthewoodsurface.Thinstripsofwoodcanbeusedas“paddles”tosmoothoutbeadsofgluetomorethoroughlycoatthesurfaceofnarrowjointpieces.Ifcoatinglargersurfaces,suchaswhengluingdownveneers,arolleristhebestchoiceforasmoothandthoroughapplication.

022STICKTOITTherighttapecanworkwondersforquickrepairs,andsomearemadeforspecificpurposesaroundthehouse.Herearethemostwidelyusedtapesforthedo-it-yourselfcrowd..

TYPE

Ducttape

USES

Thisisanexcellentgeneral-purposetapeforquickfixes,temporarybonds,andemergencyrepairs.Useittobundlewires,seamtogetherfloorunderlayment,orpatchavacuumhose.

GOODTOKNOW

Newerversionshavetwicetheadhesiveasstandardducttape.

Notmeantforuseonducts!

Foiltape

USES

Thistapeisthebestchoiceforuseonhomeairducts.

GOODTOKNOW

High-qualityadhesivefoiltapeismoretolerantoftemperaturechangesandcreatesatightersealthanducttape.

Painter’stape

USES

Useittomaskoffareasforcrispcolorlinesandtoprotectareasyoudon’twantpainted.

GOODTOKNOW

Somenewversionsaretreatedwithanabsorbentpolymerthatreactswithlatexpaintandinstantlygelstoformasealagainstpaintbleed.

Electricaltape

USES

Usethistobundleandspliceelectricalwires.

GOODTOKNOW

Mostcommonlymadeofvinyl,it’sthinandstretchabletoprovidelong-lastinginsulationofelectricalwires.

Self-fusingtape

USES

Thisisanon-tacky,silicone-rubbertapethat,whenstretchedandwrappedaroundhoses,cables,andpipes,fusestoitselftoformaseamlessrubberybondthatiswaterproofandinsulateselectricalconnections.

GOODTOKNOW

ThishandymultipurposerepairtapeissoldunderbrandnamessuchasRescueTapeandMightyFixittape.

Threadsealtape

USES

Thistapeisathinpolytetrafluoroethylenefilmusedforsealingpipethreads.

GOODTOKNOW

Itlubricatestheconnectionforadeeperseatingofthethreads,anditalsofillsminordeformitiestocreateabetterseal.

Drywalltape

USES

Combineitwithjointcompoundtoseamdrywalltoprepareanewwallorceilingforprimerandpaint.

GOODTOKNOW

It’savailableinpaperandfiberglassversions.

023SEALUPWINDOWSWindowinsulationkitssoldathardwarestoresandhomecenterscomewithdouble-sidedadhesivetapeandalargesheetofplasticfilm.Applythetapearoundthewindowframeonallfoursides,andthenapplythefilmontothetapesoitcompletelycoversthewindow,creatingasealedairspace.Cutawaytheexcessfilmanduseahairdryertoheat-shrinkthefilmsoittightensthesealandshowsnowrinkles.

024USEFOILTAPEGENTLYMeasureandcutthelengthoftapeyouneedbypullingitofftherollandholdingitagainsttheductseam.Foiltapehasapaperbackingthat’sremovedpriortoapplication.Peelabout2inchesofbacking,applytheadhesiveendtotheseamwithonehandwhileholdingthebackingwiththeother,andslowlypeelitawayasyouwraptheseam.Foiltapeisverytacky;iftheadhesivesidefoldsonitself,it’lltearbeforereleasing.Pressdownthetapeevenlywithastraightedgesuchasacreditcard.

025WRAPTHREADSEALTAPEEmploythreadsealtapeonanythreadedplumbingconnections(notgas)thatdon’talreadyhavearubberseal.Aftercleaningthemalethreadsofapipewitharag,placetheendofthetapeonthesecondthread(notfirst),holditinplacewithonehand,andwrapthetape3to6timesinthesamedirectionthatthefittingwillbetightened,whichisusuallyclockwise.Wrappingagainstthethreaddirectionmightcausethematingthreadstounwrapthetapewhentheconnectionisscrewedtogether.

026PRESSITDOWNPaintrollersandbrushesleaveaslightlyuneven,stippledsurfaceonthewall.Whenyou’remaskingaroomtorepaintit,theflatundersideofthepainter’stapecanbridgetheseirregularitiesandcausepainttobleedpastthetapeedge.Tohelpimprovesurfacecontactwiththewallandensurethebestadhesion,useasmallrubberrollertopressdownthetape.

027LEVELUPJustabouteveryonehasusedabasiccarpenter’slevelorasmalltorpedolevel.Theyarestillincrediblyusefultools,butwideningyour(level)horizonsmaybehelpfulforawiderrangeofDIYprojects.Herearesomeoptionstoconsider.

6-FOOTLEVELThisoptionisevenmoreaccuratethana4-footerforcriticalinstallationssuchasdoorinstallation,wherethehingesneedtobeperfectlyplumbforthedoortoswingproperly.

STRINGLEVELThelongeralevelis,thegreateritsaccuracy.Sometimesthehardwarestoredoesn’tcarryaversionthat’slongenough,inwhichcaseastringlevelcanhelpsavetheday.Pullastringtightbetweentwo

pointsthenhookthestringlevel(ashortcartridgewithabubblevial)ontoit.Keepadjustingthestringuntilthebubblereadslevel.

MAGNETICLEVELThisoptioncanattachtopipesandothermetalobjectstodeterminelevelorplumb,anditfreesyourhandswhileyouwork.

POSTLEVELAbifoldlevelwithmultiplevials,thiscanbestrappedaroundafencepostorsupportcolumntocheckforplumbinseveraldirectionsatonce.

028ENJOYTHELASERSHOWIfyou’reanambitiousDIYerwithahousewhereyou’llbepainting,installingtrimwork,hangingpictures,mountingshelvesorcabinetry,thenalaserlayouttoolmaybewellworththeinvestment.Toprojectperfectlyplumbandlevelguidelinesontowallsandceilings.Werecommendbuyingamodelthateasilymountstoacommoncameratripodsoyoucanpositionitatanylocationwithadjustableheight.

029USEAMULTIPURPOSESPEEDSQUARETheSpeedsquareisafive-in-onelayouttoolthatoffersahandybalanceofsimplicityandversatility.ASpeedsquareisaveryuseful90-degreeshapethatmakesaquickmarkinggaugeforsimplecrosscuts.

Thelongsideisorientedat45degreesforuseasamitergauge.

Thelipofthetoolholdsitsquaretotheedgeofaboard.

The¼-inch-spacednotchesareexcellentforguidingacarpenter’spencilasyouslidethesquaredownitslengthforripcuts.

Markedgradationsmakeiteasytoreadandmarkaccuratedegreesforangledcuts.

Onceyou’vemarkedacrosscut,simplyslideovertheSpeedsquareanduseitsstraightedgetoguideyoursaw’sfootplateduringthecut.

030GETYOURGEARTOGETHERPaintingahome’sinteriorishandsdownthemostpopularDIYproject.Newcolorscandramaticallychangearoom’sdécorandcompletelyalterthelookandfeelofthelivingspace.Herearetheessentialtoolsyou’llneedforyourbasicpaintingtoolkit.

PAINTER’STAPEEssentialformaskingoffanythingyoudon’twanttopaint.

PAINTBRUSHYourgo-toapplicationtoolsfortrimwork,details,andtightspots.

PAINTROLLERAppliespainttolarge,flatsurfacesquicklyandefficiently.

PAINTTRAYHoldsamodestamountofpaintorprimerwhileyoupaint.

DROPCLOTHProtectsflooringandfurniturefromaccidentalmesseswhilepainting.

SANDPAPERANDABRASIVESSmoothdownsurfacesinpreparationforpainting.

PAINTSCRAPERRemovesold,loosepaintandprepssurfacesfornewpaint.

031APPLYYOURPAINTPaintjobsneedbrushesforfinedetailandtrim,androllersformainsurfaces.Here’swhattouse.

BRUSHESForlatexpaintyou’llneedsyntheticbristles;foroil-basedpaintorvarnish,chooseagood-qualitynatural-bristlebrush.Thebetterthequalityofnaturalbristles,thesmootherthepaintfinishwillbe.You’llregretbuyingasupercheapbrushwhenthebristlesfalloutofthebrushandsticktoyournewpaintsurface.Brushhandlesaremadeofavarietyofwoodorplasticsandcomeinseveralshapesandsizes.Chooseahandlethatfeelscomfortableinyourhandforthetypeofworkyou’redoing.Smallertrimbrushesareintendedfortightspaces,andsomehavetaperedbristlestogetintogroovesandcorners.Largerbrushesarelessaccuratebutapplypaintmorequickly.Keepavarietyofbrushesonhandforremodelingandmaintenance.

ROLLERSTheseessentialtoolsareavailableinsmall3-and4-inchmodelsfortightorsmallspaces,aswellasstandard12-inchsizesforpaintingwalls.Paintrollersconsistofacage(theskeletalframethatspinsonahandle)andacover(thefabriccylinderthatappliespainttothewall).Thecoverconsistsoftherollernap,whichismadefromnaturalorsyntheticfibers.Thenapisavailableinvariouslengthstoapplydifferentfinishes.Ingeneral,⅜-or½-inchnapmakesagoodgeneral-purposerollercover.

NAP

¼inch

USES

Smoothsurfacesonnewwalls,ceilings,doors,andtrim

⅜inch

USES

Smoothtolightlystippledwalls

½inch

USES

Mostwallsandmedium-roughsurfaces,includingtexturedplasterandconcrete

¾inch

USES

Roughsurfacessuchastexturedwalls,concrete,andmasonry

032CLEANUPThere’snothingworsethancrustybrushesandothertools,sobesuretocleanuppromptlyandcorrectly.Rollercagesandpainttrayscanbecleanedwitheithercleanwaterormineralspirits,dependingonthetypeofpaint.Disposablerollercoversshouldbediscardedafteruse.Brushescanbealittletrickier.Whenusingwater-basedlatexpaint,it’ssmarttocleanyourbrushesevery2hours.Here’show.

STEP1Removeexcesspaintfromthebristleswiththeedgeofapaintscraperandthenrinsethebristleswithwater.

STEP2Mix1gallonofwarmwaterand½cupoffabricsoftenerinabucket.

STEP3Whiskthebrushthroughthemixturefor15secondsandallowthefabricsoftenertoreleasethepaint.

STEP4Removethebrushandspinitthoroughlytodispelthewater,thenwipeitdryonatowel.

Ifyou’vebeenusingoilpaint,you’llneedmorespecializedcleaningsupplies.Aswithlatexpaint,startbyremovingexcesspaintwithascraper.Next,cleanthebrushwithmineralspiritsforabout10secondstobreakdownthebindersinthepaint.Spintheexcessoutofthebrush,thencleanitfor10to20secondsindenaturedalcoholtostripouttheoils.Finishbywhiskingthebrushfor10secondsinthefabricsoftenermixturetoreconditionthebristles.

033ORGANIZETOOPTIMIZETheworkbenchisusuallythehubofallyourshopoperations.Acommonheightforworkbenchesisjustacoupleofinchesbelowtheuser’swaistline.Thesurfaceshouldbeclearandflat,anditssizecanbebuilttofityourneeds—beforeyoubuildorpurchaseabench,besureitmakessenseforthesizeofyourmiterand/ortablesaw.

Manypeopleoftenaddanextensionpaneltotheirworkbenchthatcanfolduplevelwiththetabletopforworkwithlargepieces,andthencanunlockandfoldoutofthewaywhennotneeded.Lockablewheelswillalsoallowyoutoeasilymovethebencharoundandthensecureitinastationaryposition.Anddon’tforgettooutfittheareawithacomfortablestool.

034GETOUTOFTHESHOPWhatifyoudon’thaveawholegarageoraspareroomtomakeintoaworkshop?Althoughyoucanoptimizeinteriorspaceswithshelvesandotherwallstorage,you’reultimatelylimitedbythesizeofyourhouse.Butoverlookedareasofthehomecanbemodifiedtoprovideextrastoragespace.Convertthespacebeneathastaircaseintoacloset,buildaplywoodbinunderyourdeck,addagardenshedforlawntools,orinstallasubfloorintheattictocreatestoragespaceabovethejoists.Withalittlecreativethinking,youcanfindanumberofstorageoptionsoutsidethetypicalworkspace.

035STORESMARTERYoucanaddsignificantsquarefootageofelevatedstoragespacebybuildingshelves.Wall-mountedshelvescanbehungwithstore-boughtbracketsscrewedintotheframingstuds.Two-tieredshelvescanbebuiltwithsimplelegsandrailsmadeof2X4sandshelvingmadeof2X6sor2X8s.Screwornailtheshelvestogetherandthenusediagonalbracingtokeepthestructuresquare.Someworkshopshelvesutilize2X2ladderbracketswiththree-tieredplywoodshelving.Stylesvary,butmostshopshelvesarebuiltwithsimpleconstructionfrominexpensivematerials.

WALL-STORAGESYSTEMSPopularbecausetheymakeuseofotherwiseunusedwallspacetoorganizetoolsandsupplies,manyofthesesystemsconsistofslat-wallpanelsfastenedtothewall,whichholdvarioushooks,shelves,andstrapstokeepitemsoffthefloor.

PEGBOARDPANELSThesepanels,whicharemountedtothewall,havelongbeenpopularforstoringsmallitemsincludingwrenchesandscrewdrivers.Awiderangeofhooksandholderscanbemountedtothepegboardholeswithalmostlimitlessversatilitytokeepyourhandtoolshandy.

TOOLCABINETSBiggercabinetsareanexcellentoptionforseriousDIYerswhohavealotofequipmentthatneedstobesortedbytypeandapplication.Thenumberofdrawersvaries,andmanyversionsincludecasterwheelstoeasilyrollthecabinetaroundtheshop.

036DEALWITHRUSTToavoidrust,alwaysstoremetaltoolsawayfrommoisture,anddrythemthoroughlyiftheygetwet.Routinelywipeoffgreaseandgrime,whichcanaccumulategritthatwearsdownmovingpartsandinterfereswiththeirfunction.Keepconstructiontoolsrustfreewithanoccasionallightcoatingoflubricatingoil.Availableinliquidandsprayversions,itdeliversacolorlessoilcoatingthateasesstickingparts,andthethin,wetfilmcanalsoprotectthetoolsagainstwearandcorrosion.

RENEWRUSTYTOOLSFirst,cleanoffthetoolusinghotwateranddetergent.Forlightrust,usesteelwoolorfine-gritsandpaper;scrubtherustoffinthoroughcircularmotions.Forheavycorrosion,useawirebrush.Rinsewithwater,drythetoolandthenapplyasufficientamountofsolventorWD-40toanyleftoverrustandscrubitaway.Repeatuntilthetoolisclean,andapplyaprotectivecoatoflubricantbeforestoringit.

HANDLETOUGHJOBSRenewmultipletoolsormachinerywithsmallcomponentsbyusingaliquidrustremover,whichmakesevendeeprustdisappearwithoutscrubbing.Someremoversrelyonharshchemicals,butEvapo-Rustisanenvironmentallyfriendly,water-basedproductthatcomesina3.5-gallonbucketwithadipbasketsosmallpartsdon’tgetlost.

GONATURALCombinesaltandlemonjuiceinacontainer,thenapplythesolutionwithsteelwool.Thesaltworksasanabrasive,andtheacidinthelemonjuicecutsthroughcorrosion.Leavethesolutiononthetool’ssurfaceforawhilebeforescrubbingtoagitatetherust.Oncethecorrosionhasbeenremoved,cleananddrythetoolwitharag.

037RECYCLEWHATYOUCANWhatbuildingmaterialcanberecycledandhowvariesfromcitytocity;checkwithyourlocalauthoritiestobesureyou’redoingitright.Onegoodthingisthatrecyclingservicesforhazardousmaterialsarebecomingcommon,atleastforsomeofthemorecommonitemssuchasmotoroil,electronics,andbatteries.

Infact,96percentofalllead-acidbatteriesarerecycled.Thisincludesautomobileandlawnmowerbatteries.Almostanyretailerthatsellslead-acidbatteriescollectsusedbatteriesforrecycling,asrequiredbymoststatelaws.Notonlyisrecyclingyourbatteryaresponsibleenvironmentaldecision,buttherecyclerwilltypicallyofferyouabattery-core“credit”thatreducesthecostofyourreplacementbattery.

038GREASEITUPLubricantshaveawiderangeofuses—theycanloosentightparts,protectagainstrustorotherdamage,andmakethingsrunmoresmoothly.Herearethecommontypesyou’llsee.

MULTIPURPOSESPRAYPopulargeneral-useproductthatprotectsmetalfromrustandcorrosion,penetratesstuckparts,displacesmoisture,andlubricatesalmostanything.

PENETRATINGOILQuicklyloosensanycorrodedbolts,nuts,andpartsonhinges,clamps,orfrozenshafts/pulleys.

SILICONESPRAYProvidessuper-slipperyprotectioninaclear,non-stainingfilmtopreventrustandcorrosion;protectsrubbergasketsandpreventsstickingincoldtemperatures.

WHITELITHIUMGREASEIdealall-weatherapplicationbecauseitwill

notfreezeormelt.Provideslong-lasting,heavy-dutygreasecoatforjoints,hinges,andconnections.

LUBRICATINGOILProtectsobjectsagainstmoisture,stopssqueaks,andloosensanystickingpartsonlocks,hinges,andgaragedoorrollers.Preventsrustandcorrosiononsparkplugs,coils,wiring,hand/electrictools,andoutdoorpowerequipment.

DRYLUBRICANTAlong-lastingdryfilmthatcutsfrictionandprotectsagainstwaterandcorrosionwithoutstaining.Lubricatesandsilencesslidesandglides,windowtracks,extensionladders,controlcablesonsnowblowers,andmore.

CHAINLUBRICANTStaysinplacetohelplubricateandpreventcorrosiononfast-movingchainsorwirecablessuchasagaragedooropener,chain-driveequipment,throttle,andbrake.

039WINTERIZETOOLSAfterthelawnandgardenseason,you’regoingtowanttorepairandwinterizeyouryardtoolssoeverything’singreatshapewhenthetimerollsaroundtogetoutdoorsagain.Evenifyouliveinaclimatewhereyou’llbeusingsomeofthosetoolsmostoftheyear,theturnoftheseasonsisagoodtimetotakealookatyourtoolshedandseewhatneedslovingcare.

MAINTAINTHELAWNMOWERIfyouhavemajorsmall-engineorlawnmowerproblems,havethemtakencareofinfallratherthanwaitingforspringwhenallrepairshopsarebusy.Sharpenorreplacelawnmowerblades.Draintheoilandreplaceitalongwiththefilter.Drainthegasoraddafuelstabilizertoenginesinlawnmowers,pressurewashers,generators,orsimilaritems.Doanyminorrepairswhileit’seasiertogetpartsduringtheoff-season.

STRINGITALONGGetreadyforspringbyreplacingthelineinstringtrimmers.Incoldwinterclimates,makesurethesnowblowerisworkingproperly.

DON’TIGNOREHANDTOOLSCleanandsharpenallgardeningequipmentsuchasrakes,hoes,shovels,andshears,andgiveallwoodenhandlesacoatingoflinseedoil.

040FIREITUPDon’twaitforawintertimepoweroutagetodiscoveryourgeneratordoesn’tfunction.Exerciseyourgeneratorevery4weeks.Starttheengineandletitrunfor10to15minuteswithasmallloadpluggedin,suchasalamporfan.Exercisingthegeneratormonthlywilldryoutanymoisturethathasaccumulatedinthewindings,whichcouldotherwisecausecorrosion.

041RAISEANEXTENSIONLADDERPROPERLYTheeasiestwaytoraisealongextensionladderistodoitwithtwopeople.Oneperson“foots”thefirstrung,holdingthebottomoftheladdersecurelytotheground,asthesecondpersonwalkstowardthehousewiththeotherendoftheladder,raisingitwiththefirstperson’shelp,asneeded.

STEP1Ifyouneedtoraisetheladderalone,itneedstobecollapsedtoitsshortestheight.First,bracethefootoftheladderagainstthewallandwalkitslowlytowardthebase,rungbyrungandhandbyhand,untiltheladderisupright.Restthetopoftheladderagainstthewall,roof,orothersolidsurface.Thenliftthebaseouttoaslightanglewhereitcantemporarilyrestwithoutyoursupport.

STEP2Extensionladdersareequippedwithalanyardandpulleytohelpextendtheladder.Tousealanyard,firstfootthebottomrung,thencarefullytilttheladderbackwardwithonehand,andpulltheropewiththeothertoextendtheladderasnecessary.Becarefulofhazardstonearbypowerlinesorotherpeople.

STEP3Anextensionladdershouldbesetwiththebase1footawayfromthewallforevery4feettheladderreaches,orroughlya75-degreeangle.

STEP4Onceyou’vegotitpositionedright,youneedtosecurethefeet.Thebaseoftheladdershouldrestonlevelgroundwiththefeetflippedintoposition.Onawoodendeck,youcannailaboarddownbehindthefeettoactasacleatandpreventslippage.Whensettinguponunevenground,ithelpstodigasmalltrenchbeneaththehighfootoftheladdertolevelthebase.

STEP5Makesurealllocksareengagedandthattheladderissupportedsecurelyatallcontactpoints.Ifitseemstheleastbitunstable,tieropestotheladderstilesbeneaththelowestrungandanchorthemtosomethingsolid.Youcanalsosecurethetopoftheladderusingropeorwirefastenedtoacoupleofeyescrewsmountedintothehouse’sfascia.

042CHOOSETHERIGHTLADDERYourworkenvironment,includingthephysicalsizerestrictions,isprobablythemostimportantfactorindeterminingthetypeofladdertouseforagivenjob.Plentyofpurpose-builtladdersareavailableforspecificjobs.Alongextensionladder isrequiredforaccessingtheroofofmultilevelhomes,whilesmallerA-frameladders andfold-outstepladders makesenseforinteriorjobslikeinstallingcrownmolding.Multipurposeladdersofferaversatilesolutionthatcombinesladdertypesintoasingleunit.ByarticulatinglikeanA-frame andalsoextendingandcollapsingjustlikeanextensionladder,amultipurposeladdercanserveasastepladder,anextensionladder ,

evena90-degreeladder(forgettingclosetowalls).ByadjustingthelengthofeachsideoftheladderindependentlywhenintheA-framemode,amultipurposeladdercanalsogiveaccessoverunevengroundandstaircases.Plus,youonlyhaveoneladdertostore.

043KNOWYOURLADDER(S)Laddersareessential.Theycanalsobeawkward,bulky,andhardtostore.Here’swhattoconsiderwhenselectingone.

MATERIALSLaddersareconstructedfromoneofthreebasicmaterials:wood,fiberglass,andmetal(aluminum).Ifyou’reworkingnearelectricity,ametalladdershouldberejectedsincealuminumconductselectricity.However,iftherearen’tanyelectricalsourcesinyourworkarea,aluminumiseasiertotransport.

HEIGHTAladdermustbelongenoughthattheclimberdoesnothavetostandonthetoprungorstep.Ontheotherhand,astraightladderistoolong,forexample,ifceilingheightprohibitstheladderfrombeingsetupattheproperangle(roughly75degrees).Likewise,anextensionladderistoolongiftheladderextendsfartherthan3feetbeyondtheuppersupportpoint.Inthiscase,theportionoftheladderextendingabovetheuppersupportpointcanactlikealeverandcauseitsbasetomoveorslideout.Safetystandardsrequirealabelontheladdertoindicatethehigheststandinglevel.

FITTheladderthatyouselectalsomustbetherightsizeforbothyourbodyandthejobathand.Checktheladder’sdutyrating—themaximumsafeweightcapacityforthetaskathand.Inotherwords,thedutyratingofagivenladderhastobegreaterthanthetotalweightofnotjustthepersonclimbingbutalsotheirtools,supplies,andanyotherobjectsplacedupontheladder.Ifthetotalloadoutweighstheladder’smaximumcapacity,theladdercouldfeasiblycollapse.

DUTYRATING

TypeIII200-poundcapacity

LADDERUSES

Aneconomicaldesignforlightuse

TypeII225-poundcapacity

LADDERUSES

Abasicdesignforthosewhodon’tusealaddermuch

TypeI250-poundcapacity

LADDERUSES

Agoodall-aroundladderformoststandarduses

TypeIA300-poundcapacity

LADDERUSES

AmoreruggedladderfortheseriousDIYer

TypeIAA375-poundcapacity

LADDERUSES

Anextra-toughladderforprofessionaluses

044BESTABLEForworkonextensionladders,consideraddingastabilizeraccessorytothetopladder.Stabilizersgenerallyconsistofextensionbraceswithrubberpadsthatgriptheworksurfacetohelpkeepthetopfromslippingsideways.Theseaccessoriesdistributetheloadtopreventdamagetomaterialslikemetalsiding.Ladderstabilizersarealsomadewideenoughtospanwindowopenings,andtheyholdtheladderawayfromthebuildingforeasy,unobstructedaccesstoguttersandoverhangs.

045REACHNEWHEIGHTSWhenclimbingaladder,you’llwanttoemulaterockclimbersbyusingthe“threepointsofcontact”ruletoreducethechancesofslippingandfalling.Atalltimesduringascentordescent,theclimbershouldfacetheladderandhavetwohandsandonefoot,ortwofeetandonehand,incontactwiththeladdercleatsand/orsiderails.Whenworkingatopaladder,keepthecenterofyourbeltbucklebetweentheladdersiderails(orwithinthewidthofthecleats)ratherthanreachingorleaningtoofartooneside.It’salsosmarttousetowlinesoratoolbelttokeepyourhandsfreewhenclimbing,orrecruitanassistanttohandyoutheitemsyouneed.Wearonlyslip-resistantshoes,preferablywithheelsandheavysoles,topreventfootfatigue.

046SUITUPFORSAFETYRemodelingahomecomeswithsomesafetyhazards,sotoavoidinjuriesyou’llneedtoweartherightprotectiveequipment.

SAFETYGLASSESCrucialforshieldingyoureyesfromflyingdebrisduringdemolition,sawing,drilling,andmore.They’reavailableinmanystylesandtints,fromstylisheyeglassversionstogogglesthatsealaroundtheperimeteroftheeyearea.

WORKGLOVESProtectfromblisters,cuts,andrepetitivestressabrasiontothehands.Workglovesvarygreatlyinstyle,andsomeincludepaddedpalmsandfingerstoabsorbtheshockandvibrationofpowertools.

RUBBERGLOVESWhenworkingwithpaintorchemicals,rubberglovescanprotectyourskinfromburnsandirritationaswellasstickymessesthataretoughtocleanup.You’llalsoappreciatethemwhenworkingondirtyplumbingprojects.Thinnitrileglovesallowdexteritywhenpaintingandstaining,butheavierrubbergloveswithextendedcuffsworkbestformessyplumbingchores.

KNEEPADSOftenoverlookedbyinexperiencedDIYers,kneepadsdon’tjustreducethewearandtearofworkingonyourknees.Youshouldviewthemasacomfortitemthattakesthepainoutofinstallingnewfloorsandbaseboards—oranyjobswhereyouworkinakneelingposition.

RESPIRATORFreshairisapopularconceptforalotofgoodreasons.Useasimpledustmasktopreventinhalingsawdustduringbasiccarpentrywork,oruseafilteredrespiratorforworkaroundharshchemicals,whencuttingcementboard,andsoon.

WORKBOOTSYourfeetaresusceptibletothreeprimaryinjuriesduringconstructionwork:twistingtheankle,awoundfrompuncturingthesoleoftheshoe,oranobjectfallingonyourfootfromabove.Aqualityworkbootcanfirmlysupporttheanklejoint,protectfromnailsandsharpobjectswithitsthick,solidsole,andsteel-toedversionscanevenprotectyourtoesfromfallingboardsorconcreteblocks.

HARDHATSNotjustforconstructionworkers,youshoulduseahardhatanytimeyou’representbeneathafallinghazard,whetheracrewofworkersisreplacingtherooforyou’recuttingadeadbranchoutofatree.

SAFETYHARNESSFall-protectionequipmentsaveslives.Attachedtoasecureareaoftheroof’sframingbyalanyard,thesevest-likeharnessesarerequiredforworkingonroofsoranyelevatedsurfacewhere,ifyoufall,itwouldbebetternottohittheground.Manydifferentoptionsareavailabletosuitindividualsize,comfortneeds,andworkinghabits.

047PUSHITREALGOODWhenrippingboardsonatablesaworroutingboardsonaroutertable,theworkpieceshouldbepushedforwardandfirmlyagainsttheripfence,guidingitintothebladeorbit.Usea“pushstick”topushtheworkpiececompletelypastthebladetocompletetheriporrout.Apushstickisatoolmadefroma15-inchpieceofwoodwithbeveledandnotchedendstonudgetheendoftheworkpiececlearofthebladeandoffthetable.Thissimpletoolkeepsyourhandsawayfromthebladewhilecuttingandisalsousefulforclearingthetableofanywoodscraps.

048SAVEYOUREARSAskanold-timecarpenterabouthearingprotection,andtheresponseislikelytobe:“What’dyousay?”Exposuretonoiseiscommoninconstruction,andhearinglossisprevalent.DIYersshoulduseearmuffsorearplugstoprotectagainstnoisefrompowertoolssuchasaircompressors,impactdrivers,circularsaws,andthelike.

049CHARGEAHEADWISELYYoucanperformmostelectricalworkinsidethehomesafely,butit’sstillimportanttoshutoffthepowersupplybeforegettingonthejob.Shutoffthecircuityou’reworkingonatthecircuitbreakerboxbyflippingabreakerswitchorunscrewingafuse.Thisboxshouldbelabeledtohelpidentifytheappropriatecircuits,butyoushouldalwaysverifythatthepowerisoffbytestingthelinewithavoltagemeter,whichshouldreadzeroifthereisnoelectricalcurrent.Testallthewiresintheoutletbox(notjusttheonesyou’reworkingon),becausemorethanonecircuitmightberunningintothebox.

Whilethepowerisoff,postasignonthebreakerboxwarningotherpeoplenottoreconnectpowerwhileyou’reworkingontheelectricity.Usetoolswithrubber-insulatedhandles,andavoidtouchingmetalwhileworkingaroundelectricity.Wearnon-conductiverubber-soledshoes,andneverdothistypeofworkinawetenvironment.Mostimportantly,don’tattemptanelectricalrepairorinstallationunlessyouknowwhatyou’redoing.

Repairstotheoutdoorservicedropandthewiresthatfeedthemainshutofftothebreakerboxshouldbelefttoyourutilitycompany.

050STOREITSAFELYWhenitcomestoDIYhomeimprovement,“safety”shouldbeyourmiddlename.Theimproperstorageofhouseholdchemicalscanbehazardoustoyourfamily’shealthandtheenvironment.

CONTAINCORRECTLYStoreallchemicalsintheiroriginallabeledcontainersthatlistdirections,ingredients,andfirst-aidstepsincaseofaccidentalpoisoning.Usechild-resistantpackagingcorrectly,andclosethecontainertightlyforstorage.

KEEPAWAYFROMFLAMEStoreflammableliquidsoutsideyourlivingareaandfarawayfromanyignitionsourcesuchasafurnace,car,outdoorgrill,orlawnmower.

BEPESTICIDESMARTDon’tstockpileanypesticides;buyonlytheamountthatyou’llneedinthenearfutureorduringtheseasonwhenthepestsareactive.Followallstorageinstructionsonthepesticidelabel,andkeepthemoutofreachofchildrenandpets.Ifatallpossible,storeallpesticidesinalockedcabinetinawell-ventilatedareaandneverincabinetsnearfood,animalfeed,ormedicalsupplies.Avoidstoringthemwherefloodingispossibleorwherethechemicalsmightspillorleakintowells,drains,groundwater,orsurfacewater.

051GETTHELEADOUTHomesbuiltasrecentlyas1978mayhavepaintthatcontainslead.Dustandchipsfromdisruptedordegradedleadpaintcancauseserioushealthproblemsfortheoccupantsofthehouse.Teststicks,whichareavailableathomecentersandpaintstores,caneasilydetectthepresenceofleadinpaint.Followthemanufacturer’sinstructionswhentestingthepaint;thetipofthestickshouldturnredifitcontainslead.Forguidanceonhowtohaveleadpaintsafelyremovedfromyourhome,contactthelocalauthoritiesortheEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyatwww.epa.gov.

052AVOIDASBESTOSAsbestoscanbefoundinbuildingmaterialsmanufacturedbefore1978,suchasvinylandlinoleumflooringandtexturedceilingspray.Ithaslong,thinfibersthatcandamagethelungswhenbreathed,whichcancausescarringthatcanleadtocancer.Undisturbedasbestosusuallyposesnodanger,andinsomecasesthematerialcanbecoveredwithnewflooringtocontainit.

Donotattempttoremoveasbestosyourself.Standardrespiratorswillbeinadequate,andanydamagedasbestoscansendairbornefibersthroughoutyourhouse.Checkwithstateandlocalguidelinesaboutprofessionalasbestos-removalserviceslocatedinyourarea.

053TESTFORRADONGASRadongassoundslikesomethingoutofascary1950ssci-fimovie,butit’sanactualdangeryoushouldtakeseriously.Radonisaradioactivegasthatoccursnaturallyinsoilfromthebreakdownofuranium.Itcanriseupfromcracksinahome’sfoundation,orthroughothercracksorholes.It’sacancerriskthat’sassociatedwithasmanyas20,000deathsayearintheUnitedStatesalone.

Thegoodnewsisthatyoucantestforradonsimplyandcost-effectively,andifyoufindhighlevels,therearesimplestepsthatyoucantaketomitigatethedanger.Newerhomeshavelikelybeenbuilttoberadon-safe,butyoushouldstilltestforthegas,justtobesure.

Youcan’tsee,smell,ortasteradon,butitcanbedetectedwithasimplehometest,whichyoucanpurchaseathome-improvementstoresoronlinethroughanumberofothersources.Followtheinstructionscarefully;ifyouhaveaquestionableresult,testagaininaweek.

Ifyoushoulddiscoverthatyourhomeiscontaminatedbyradongas,don’tpanic.Thereareseveralprovenmethodsyoucanemploytoreduceradoninyourhome;themostcommonisa“soil-suctionsystem,”apipe-and-fansystemthatpullsradonfrombeneaththehouseandventsittotheoutside.Sealinganyfoundationcracksorotheropeningswillmakethissystemmoreeffectiveandcost-efficient.Researchwhatisthebestforyourhome’sstructureandthenactaccordingly.

054GETWIREDTypicalelectricalsupplywireforhomeusecomesinaninsulatedsleevethatcontainsthreewires.Theblackwirecarrieselectricalcurrentandisusuallycalledthe“hot”wire.Thewhitewireis“neutral,”and,finally,abarecopperwireisthegroundwire.Whenelectricalwiresarejoinedeachofthemmustbehookedtoitsmate:blacktoblack,whitetowhite,groundtoground.Otherwise,thecircuitwillnotwork.

USETHERIGHTSIZEElectricalwiringcancomeindifferentgauges,orsizes.Thesmallerthenumber,theheavierthegauge.Heavier-gaugewireisthickerandcancarrymoreelectricalcurrentwithoutoverheating.So,forexample,12-gaugewireisheavierandwillcarrymoreofaloadthan14-gaugewire.

MATCHTHEBREAKERSElectricalwireandcircuitbreakersaredesignedtoworkintandemandmustcorrespondcorrectlyinsize.Forexample,14/2-gaugeelectricalwireisratedtoamaximumof15ampsandshouldnotbeusedwithanycircuitbreakerlargerthan15amps;12/2-gaugewiringisratedtoamaximumof20amps.Thesetwosizesarethestandardusedinmosthomestodayforlightingandwalloutlets.

BESAFEItisimperativetoknowthepropergaugewireandcircuitbreakerrequiredforanygivenapplication.Ifthewronggaugewireisusedwiththewrongsizebreaker,itcanresultinafireoramalfunctioningelectricalcircuit.

Iftoosmallawireisusedwithahigh-ampbreaker,thewirecanoverheatandcatchfirebeforethebreakerevertrips.Ontheotherhand,ifawireistoolargethenthebreakermaycontinuouslytrip,disruptingthecircuitbeforethewireeverreachesmaximumload.

055CONNECTITRIGHTReplacinglightswitchesandwalloutletsaregreatDIYprojects.Buildingcodeslimithowmanyoutletsand/orlightsaparticularcircuitcanhaveandevenwheretheycanbeplaced.Consultyourlocalandstatebuildingcodesbeforebeginninganyelectricalwork.

Switchandoutletsaresimilarinthattheyhavescrewsonbothsidesforconnectingwires.Thegreenscrewsareforthegroundwires,thesilver/stainlessscrewsareforthewhiteneutralwires,andthebrass-coloredscrewsarefortheblack“hot”wires.Wiresareattachedbybendingtheendintoahookshapethatfitsaroundthescrewsoneachsideoftheoutletorswitchtomakeasecureconnectionwhentightened.

LIGHTSWITCHESToconnectaswitch,routetheendsofthetwowiresintotheswitchbox,striptheends,andthenconnectthewhitewirestogetherwithawirenut.Connectthegroundwirestogetherbysecuringthemaroundthegreenscrewonthebottomoftheswitch.Theblackwiresareeachattachedtotheswitch,onetoeachbrassscrewontheright-handside.

PLUGSReceptacles(plugsoroutlets)areallconnectedinarow,sotospeak,

byattachingthewhitewirestothesilver/stainlessmetalscrewsononesideandconnectingtheblackwirestothebrassscrewsontheotherside.Thegroundwireconnectstothegreenscrewatthebottom.

056GONUTSForapplicationssuchaswiringalight,thefixture’swiresarejoinedtotheelectricalsupplywireswithwirenuts.Likethewireitself,wirenutscomeindifferentsizestoaccommodatethevariousgaugesofwire.Toconnect,stripbacktheinsulationfromtheendsofthewires,holdthembetweenyourfingers,anduseplierstotwistthewirenutontotheendsinaclockwisedirection.

057POWERUPEveryDIYhomeownershouldhaveageneralunderstandingofthewiringthatrunsthroughoutthehouse.Electricityenterseveryhomebytravelingthroughapowermetersuppliedbythelocalutilitycompany,then,inmostcases,throughamaster200-ampcircuitbreaker,andthentothehome’sbreakerbox.Theflowofelectricityisspreadovernumerouscircuitstodifferentpartsofthehomebyfirstpassingthroughindividualcircuitbreakersthatserveasasafetymechanismtopreventthesystemfromoverloading(andshort-circuiting).Ahome’selectricalsystemisdesignedtoworkoff120voltswiththeexceptionofcertainmajorappliances,suchasanelectricclothesdryer,whichrunsoff240volts.

Beforeyoudoanything,alwaysdisconnecttheelectricalpowersupplybeforeworkingwithanypartoftheelectricalsystem.Useavoltagemeteronthecircuittoverifyitisoff.

058KNOWYOURPIPESArangeofpipescarrywatertoandthroughyourhome,andtheymaybemadeofavarietyofmaterials.Here’swhatyoumayfind.

PVCThemostcommonlyusedplasticpipingmaterial,PVC(polyvinylchloride)wasdevelopedtoreplacecastironandgalvanizedsteelpipebecauseit’slessexpensive,easiertoinstall,andwillnevercorrode.It’smadeforbothpressurizedandnon-pressureapplications,includingDWVapplications,sewerhookups,waterservice,irrigation,andconduit.

CPVCPVC’s“cousin,”thissimilarmaterialhasanincreasedchlorine

contentthatallowsittowithstandawiderrangeoftemperatures.ManybuildingcodesrequiretheuseofCPVCasopposedtoPVCforhot-waterapplications;checkthoserelatedcodesbeforebeginninganyrelevantproject.

ABSArigidplasticpipedevelopedforDWVsystems,typicallyblackordarkgrayincolor.It’sinexpensiveandeasytocutbutissusceptibletocrackingovertimeandisnotallowedbysomelocalplumbingcodes.

COPPERAvailableaseitherrigidpipeorflexibletubing,copperhasbeenthemostpopularsupplylineusedinresidentialsystemsinthelastseveraldecades.Itisdurable,resistanttobacteriaandcorrosion,andunaffectedbyultravioletrays,soitcanbeexposedforoutdoorapplications—andit’salsorecyclable.

059TRYSOMETHINGNEWCross-linkedpolyethylene(alsocalledPEX)isbecominganewstandardforindoorpipes.Thisstuffisresistanttoextremetemperaturesandstressaswellastochemicaldamagefromacidsandalkalines.Thematerialisflexibleandsuitableforuseintemperaturesbelowfreezingandupto200degreesFahrenheit,includingpotablewater.PEXiseasytothreadthroughstudholeswithoutbindingagainstthewoodlikearigidcopperpipecando.Whenapipereachesacorner,simplybendtheflexiblepipethroughthecornerstuds—nojointisnecessary.WithPEXsupplyline,fewerjointssavetimeandreducethelikelihoodofaleak.PEXislessexpensivethancopper,andPEXjointscanbemadewithsimplequick-connectcouplers.

060UNDERSTANDPLUMBING101EveryDIYershouldhaveaworkingknowledgeofthehome’splumbingsystem.

THEBASICSWaterentersyourhouseunderpressurefromyourlocalutility’smainsupplylineandthenflowsthroughpipestovariousfixtures.Gravitythenmovesthewaterthroughadrainsystemintoaseptictankorcitysewer.You’llwanttoknowwherethewatercomesintoyourhouseandwherethemainshutoffvalveis.

SUPPLYLINESAsfreshwaterentersthepropertyitpassesthroughawatermeter,andthenasplitinthelinesendswatereitherdirectlyintotheplumbingfixturesortothewaterheater.

FIXTURESPlumbingfixturesareconnectedtotheplumbingsystemtodeliveranddrainwater(sinks,tubs,showers,washingmachines,andsoon).Beforewaterreachesthefixtures,itusuallypassesthroughashut-offvalveprotrudingfromthewall(ortwovalves,ifhotwaterisalsoused).Thesevalvescanstoptheflowofwatertorepairorreplacethefixture.Aseparatevalveinsidethefixturedeliverswatertotheuserwhenopened.

DRAINLINESWastewaterdrainsfromthebottomofplumbingfixturesthroughaP-traporS-trapjustbelowthedrainopenings.Thetrapsconsistofbendsinthepipetoholdwater,formingasealagainstsewergases.

Allthesedrainpipesleadtoadrain-waste-vent(DWV)stack,themainverticalpipeleadingtothesewerline.TheDWValsoventsoutdoors,usuallyupthroughtheroof,toreleasesewergases.Ithelpsequalizepressureinthesystemsowaterflowsfreely.Sincewaterandsewagetraveldowndrainsbygravity,adownwardslopemustbemaintainedthroughoutthesystem.

061KNOWYOURLIMITSDon’tattemptaplumbingprojectifyoudon’tknowwhatyou’redoing.Afloodedhomecancostthousandsinrepairsandflooringreplacement,whichisalotmoremoneythanaplumberwouldhavechargedtofixtheproblemthatyoubungled—andyou’llstillneedthatplumberintheend.Thoroughlyresearchhowtoperformanyrepairorinstallation,andwhatmaterialsandsuppliesyou’llneed.Seekexpertadviceforanyquestions,andexpecttogetwet.Plumbingprojectsaremessy,timeconsuming,laborious,andoftenuncomfortable(everspentmuchtimeworkingbeneathasink?).Proceedwithcautionand,whenindoubt,hireapro.

062CHOOSETHEBESTCAULKGUNCaulkgunsarerelativelyinexpensivetools,soitmakessensetopayjustalittleextraforagunwiththerightfeatures.

SPOUTCUTTEREverytubeofcaulkwillneedtohaveitsspoutclipped,andthere’snoreasontolugaroundanextrapairofsnips.Lookforagunwithanintegratedspoutcuttertypicallylocatedinthehandle.

SEALPUNCHThissupersimplefeatureshouldcomeoneverygun,butitdoesn’t.It’sasmallmetalrodthatflipsoutfrombeneaththeguntopuncturethecaulktube’sinteriorseal,soyoudon’thavetomonkeyaroundwithawirecoathangerorothermakeshiftimplement.

PLUNGERTYPECaulkgunsuseoneoftwodrivemechanisms:ratchetrodorsmoothrod.Ratchetrodshavevisibleteeththatareratchetedforwardbyadrivearmwhenyoupullthetrigger.Smoothrodsaredrivenbyaspring-loadedpressurebarandgenerallyhavetwicethethrustforsmootherbeadcontrolandlesshandfatigue.Thesmooth-rodvarietyusuallycostsmore,however,andsomehaveatendencytowearoutandslipwhenthetriggerispulled.

063SEALITUPCaulkisavailableinasometimesbewilderingrangeofoptions—flexible,waterproof,mildewresistant,paintable,andmore.Yourbestbetistoreadthepackagingcarefullytoensuretheusesandfeatureslistedmatchthejobathand.

TYPE

SILICONESEALANTS

PROS

•Waterproof•Workswellinkitchenandbathroom;availablewithadditivesthatfightmoldandmildew•Easytoremoveandreplacewhenthebeadgetsgrimy

CONS

•Messyandsticky

•Manyvarietiescannotbepainted

NOTES

Readthepackagecarefullytoseeifitcanbepaintedandwhatadditivesithas

ACRYLICCAULK

PROS

•Economical•Canbepainted•Easytoapplyandcleanup

CONS

•Notwaterproof•Notveryflexible•Maycrackovertime

NOTES

Onlyappropriateforinteriorprojects

HYBRIDCAULK/SEALANT

PROS

•Combinesattributesofsiliconeandacrylic•Comesinvarietiesforinteriorandexteriorusage

CONS

•Moreexpensive

NOTES

Thesepro-gradesealantscostmorebutdeliverexcellentresults

FIRE-RESISTANTCAULK

PROS

•Fireresistant

CONS

•Moreexpensive

NOTES

Usedaroundelectricalwiresandfixturesasanadditionalsafetymeasure

064CAULKLIKEAPROCaulkingcanbeappliedtodoorframes,moldings,andcasings;exteriorsiding;andanywheregapsneedtobefilled.Herearesomecommonapplications.

SEALBIGJOINTSTosealajointlargerthan¼-inchwide,useafoambackerrodasafillerbeforeapplyingthecaulk.Therodsareacheaperwaytofilltheemptyspace.Plus,whenthecaulkisappliedoverabackerrod,itwillforman“hourglass”shapewithlargesurfaceareasofadhesionatthesidesofthejoint.Thiscaulkbeadwithstandsjointmovementbetterthananyother.

CAULKATUBWhencaulkingabathtub,firstfillthetubwithwater.Theweightwillpullthetubdownwardandmaximizethesizeofthejoint.Applyaflexible,waterproofcaulkingalongtheedgeofthetubinfullcontactwithbothverticalandhorizontalsurfaces.Oncethebeadisdry,thenyoucandrainthewater.

REMOVEOLDSEALANTTogetridofanoldgrungybeadofsiliconeforreplacement,cutthrougheachsideofthebeadusingautilityknifeandpullitawaybyhand.Withanyluck,mostofthebeadwillstayintactasastrip.Toremoveanyremainingsealant,scrapeatitwithapaintscraperheldatashallowangle.Finishupbyscrubbingthesurfacewithmineralspiritsandanabrasivepadtogetridofanyresidue.Oncecleananddry,applyanewbeadofsealant.

065MAKECLEANUPEASIERRemodelingcanbemessybusiness,particularlyifitinvolvesanysortofdemolition.Dustanddebrishaveanuncannyknackforspreadingthroughouteverycreviceofthehomeifleftunchecked.Acleanjobsitekeepsthehousespick-and-spanandeveneliminatessafetyhazards.

Youcantakeprecautionarymeasuresasyouworktosavelotsoftimeduringcleanup.

Protectcarpetandhardwoodbycoveringyourfloorswithcontractor’spaper;tapesheetstogetherandattachthemtothebaseboardsoftheroom.

Acanvasdropclothcanmakeaflexibleandreusableprotectivecoverforirregularshapessuchasbathtubsandstairs.

Sealoffthedoorwaysleadingtoconstructionareaswithplastictoinhibitdustfromcirculatingthroughoutotherrooms.

Placeaboxfaninanopenwindow,pointingittoblowoutside.Oncealldemolitionisfinished,sweepthefloorinthedirectionofthefantosendthedustoutthewindow.Onoutdoorprojects,usetarpstocoverthesurroundingground.

066HANDLEHAZARDOUSWASTECertaintypesofhouseholdchemicalsqualifyashouseholdhazardouswaste(HHW),whichcontaincorrosive,toxic,ignitable,orreactiveingredients.Thesecanincludepaints,cleaners,oils,batteries,andpesticidesthatcontainpotentiallyhazardousingredients.Theywillcontaminateseptictanksorwastewatertreatmentsystemsifpoureddowndrainsortoilets,andtheypresenthazardstochildrenandpetsifleftaroundthehouse.Althoughfederallawallowsdisposalinthetrash,manycommunitieshavecollectionprogramstoreducethepotentialharmposedbythesechemicals.Callyourlocalenvironmental,health,orsolid-wasteagencyforthetimeandlocationofyourHHWcollectionprogram.

067STUDYCHEMISTRYFromcleaningupspillstorepaintingwalls,chemicalcleanersprovideapowerfulsolutionforcertainhouseholdtasks.Youshouldalwaysweareyeprotectionanddonheavy-dutyrubbergloveswhenusingtheseproducts.Followthemanufacturer’sinstructions,andremembertoproperlystoreanddisposeoftheseoranymaterialsthatcouldbehazardous.

TSPTrisodiumphosphateisanalkalinetypecleanerthatdissolvesgreaseandcancleaneverythingfromlaundrytoconcretedriveways.

MINERALSPIRITSThisisapetroleum-basedsolventformulatedtodissolveoil-basedpaints.

MURIATICACIDAlsoknownashydrochloricacid,thishighlycorrosivechemicalisusedtocleanmasonry.

068DISPOSEOFDEBRISDebriscanbecollectedfordisposaloutsidethehomewithawheelbarrow.Insidethehome,youcantossitallinto3-millimeterplasticcontractorbags.Fordebriswithnailsorjaggededgesthatmightteartheplastic,Demobagsarewoven,tougher,andmoretear-resistant.

Youcanhaulthebagsofdebristoyourlocaldump,whichwilllikelychargeadisposalfee.Or,forlargerprojects(orlackofatruck),considerWasteManagement’sBagsterbags.This“dumpsterinabag”canbepurchasedathomecentersandunfoldstooffera3-cubic-yardcapacity,withnocontainerusagefees(unlikefull-sizedumpsters).FilltheBagsterwithupto3,300poundsofwaste,andthenscheduleyourcollectiononlineorbyphone.

Majorremodelingjobsthatrequirerentalofafull-sizedumpsterwillusuallyinvolveacontractor,whoshouldbeheldresponsibleforjobsitecleanup.Onjobssuchasrooforsidingtear-offsthatinvolvelotsofnailsandfasteners,aresponsiblecontractorwillhaveaworkercanvasthesurroundinggroundwithamagneticbroomtocollectallthedebris,sothatnailsdon’tend

upstuckinsomeone’sheelortire.

BEAHOME-IMPROVEMENTHERO

Whenaproblemarisesandtheothermembersofyourhouseholdarewailingandgnashingtheirteeth,it’salwaysnicetobethehero.Tostopamessyleakortounclogatoilet—thosearefeatsofgreatstrengthand

brilliance,andyourfamilywillsurelysingyourpraisesasyoucometotherescue.

Thischapterwillshowyouthetypicalsystemsandcomponentsofahouseandhowtomakequickfixesthatcansavethedaywithoutdelay.Everyhomeownershouldhaveafirmgraspofhowtheirhomefunctionsasasystem,fromtheinsulationtoelectricalwirestothemoisturebarriersthatprotectthelivingspacefromwaterintrusion.Abasicunderstandingofthesehousecomponentswillhelpyoulocateproblemsandmakesimplerepairs.Plus,youcanidentifyareasinneedofimprovement.

Wedelveintobasicplumbingtechniquesandelectricalwork.LearntosoldercopperpipeandjoinPVCplumbing.Learntoreplacealightfixtureandhowtowireanelectricaloutlet.Maintenanceisanothermajorfocus,becauseit’ssmartertomakeasmallearlyrepairthanpaytofixmajordamagelater.You’llevenfindadviceonhowtoconductyourownhomeinspection,muchlikeaprodoes.Whetheryouneedtopatcharottingwindow,silenceasqueakingfloor,orfightmoldinthehousehold,weshowhowtogetitaccomplishedwithminimalheadache.Keepthisbook

insafe,dryplacetograbwheneveryouneedtoafastanswer.

069INSPECTYOURHOMEThepurposeofaprofessionalhomeinspectionistoexaminethegrounds,structure,andmechanicalsystemsfordefects,brokenorobsoletecomponents,andanydamagefromweather,rot,orwearandtear.Makingyourownannualhomeinspectioncanhelptodetermineanynecessaryrepairsyoucanmaketopreventbiggerproblemsinthefuture.Ahomeinspectionwillhavethreemajorconsiderations:water,safety,andHVAC(heating,ventilation,andairconditioning).Forexample,theprimaryconcernforasite’sgroundsisensuringthatwaterdrainsawayfromthehouse.Anotherareatoinspectisthesidewalks,makingcertainthatcrackswon’tbeatriphazard.

070WATCHFORWATERWatershouldalwaysbediverted10feetfromthehousefoundation.Thiscanbeaccomplishedbyusingaguttersystem’sdownspoutextensions,splashblocks,ordownspoutdrains.Thegradingshouldbeslopedawayfromthehouse,dropping6inchesforevery6feet.Poordrainagecanleadtoaccumulatedhydrostaticpressureagainstthehome’swalls,whichcancausebasementwallstobuckle,orleadtowatererosion,whichcanweakenthehome’sfoundation.

071CHECKTHEEXTERIORAhome’sexteriorrevealsalotaboutpotentialissuesyoumayface.Here’swhattocheckfor.

PLANTINVASIONInspecttreeovergrowththatcausesexcessiveshade,whichcancontributetomildewandrotonthehouse.Overgrowntreesandshrubsthatcontactthehousecanleadtopestinfestationandshouldbetrimmedback.

WALLTROUBLEAnyevidenceofbulgingorbowingexteriorhousewallscouldindicateaproblemwiththestuds.Studscanwarpifwaterhaspenetratedthewallandcontactedthewood.

ATIGHTSEALUseapickorawltoprodatthewoodcasingandtrimofyourdoorsandwindows.Lookforpeelingpaintandsoft,spongywood.Makesurethattheflashingisinstalledaboveandaroundthewindowstodivertwater.Atthedoors,checkthethresholdsfornormalwearandtearandanywoodrot.Allofahome’swoodtrimissusceptibletorot;checkforwarping,splitting,peelingpaint,andmissingcaulking.Cutawaydeterioratedcaulkingandreplacewithanewhigh-qualityexteriorsealant.

DECKDAMAGECheckeverysingledeck,porch,andbalconyforstructuralintegrity.Foranydecksattachedtothehouse,paycloseattentiontotheledgerboardconnection,whichispronetorotandwaterdamageifimproperlyinstalled.Ifdamaged,itcanbeacommoncauseofdeckcollapse.

072GETUPONTHEROOFCheckallthesebasicroofingcomponents,too.

SURFACEUsealadderandbinocularstoinspecttheroofexterior.Missingordamagedshingles,orguttersfullofgranules,indicateaneedforreplacement.Checkallroofpenetrationsforwornormissingroofflashings.Lookoutforbowing,expansion,orwavinessintheroofdeck,indicatingaproblemwiththeframing.

CHIMNEYLookforcracksinthechimneyorevidenceofanysmokeescapingthroughmortarjoints.Adistortedordiscoloredraincap,creosoteflakesontheroofandground,ordamagedroofingmaterialcouldindicateadangerouscreosotebuildupinthechimney.

GUTTERSInspectguttersanddownspoutsforleaksorcracks.Ensurethatthey’refreeofleavesorotherdebristhatimpededrainage.Guttercovershelpkeepthemclog-free.

EXTERIORWALLSChecktheexteriorsidingforstructuralintegrity,secureattachment,andsignsofrotorwaterpenetration.Weepholesinbrickandveneershouldbeopen.Lookforcracksinstucco—duetoexpansionofplywoodsheathingbeneath—thatcanallowmoisturetopenetrate.Inspecttheexteriorinsulatingfinishsystem(EIFS)withamoisturemetertocheckunseenareasbehindthewallsurface.

073CHECKITOUTINSIDEAfterexaminingahome’sexterior,it’stimetolookinsideforthefollowingthings.

WATERDAMAGEExamineallsurfaces,doors,andwindowsforanywaterissues.Checkthebasement,fireplace,andattic.Stuckinteriordoorscanbeasignthatthefoundationismovingduetowaterpressure.Awallorceilingmaysagifit’sbeenexposedtowater.Plasterwallsexposedtowatercanloseallstructuralintegrity.Onwallsthathavewoodpaneling,ensurethepanelsaren’tbowedorwarped,whichcouldindicatemoisturebehindthewall.Theatticneedsproperventilation;humiditycanoriginatefromabathroomventthatterminatesintheattic,aswellasfromroofleaks.Findandrepairthesourceimmediately.Inbathrooms,checkouttheceilingbeneaththeshowerpansforsignsofmoisture.Testbehindtilingusingamoisturemeter.

STRUCTURALISSUESPoppingnailsmightbeasignofinadequatewallframing.Checkforanyfloorframingproblemsinthebasement.Lookfor

twisted,damaged,orrottedjoiststhatcancauseaweaknessinthefloorarea.Saggingfloorsmaybecausedbyasaggingmainbearingbeam.Checkceilingsfornailpops,cracks,orsagsthatcouldindicateunderlyingstructuralproblems.Iftheceilingjoistsarecausingtheceilingtosag,thiswillputstressontheadjacentwallsaswellastheceiling.

ELECTRICALSAFETYCheckallsmokedetectors,anduseathree-prongcircuitanalyzertoensurethatoutletsworkintheproper120-voltrange.Wiringproblemscancauseshocks,sparks,fires,equipmentfailuresorpoorperformance.Lowvoltagemaybecausedbywiringtoosmallfortheelectricalload,overlylongcircuits,orconductorswithahigherresistancewhenoperatingathightemperatures.

074CHECKPIPESANDDUCTSChecktheplumbingpipesroombyroomforleakage,corrosion,andadequateinsulation.Inolderhomes,theplumbingmaybelead,whichisahealthhazard.Applyamagnettometalpipes.Ifthemagnetadheres,thepipeismadeofgalvanizedsteel;ifnot,it’slikelyaleadpipe.Onewaytoverifythatthehousehasadequatewaterpressureistoturnonallfaucets.Asteadystreamofwatershouldcomefromeachone.Ifnot,thepipediametercouldbetoonarrow.Aprofessionalinspectoroftenchecksforgasleaksinplumbingandapplianceswithabattery-operatedcombustiblegasdetector;youcanbuyoneatahomecenter.TheHVACsystemisn’tinspectedforsafetyorwater,butforitsperformance.Inoldersystems,aninspectorwouldopenthefurnacetoinspecttheflamesandotherparts;newerfurnacescannotbeinspectedinthatmanner.HVACsystemscanbepoweredbyelectricity,gas,oroil,andcanbeconfiguredasforcedair,boiler,steam,orradiantsystems.Ifyouaren’twellversedinthetechnologyofyoursystem,thenit’sagoodideatohaveyourhome’sHVACsysteminspectedannuallybyacertifiedtechnician.

075GETAGOODFOUNDATIONInspectcrawlspacesandbasementsforsignsofwaterpenetrationorcracksinfoundationwalls.Waterforcedthroughbelow-gradewallsindicatesdrainageproblemsoutsidethehome.Checkfoundationandretainingwallswitha4-footlevel.Iftheylistorbowfromexternalpressure,theymayeventuallycollapse,andyoushouldconsultastructuralengineer.

CRACKSHairlinecracksinafoundationmaysimplybecosmetic(occurringasthefoundationcures),buttheyshouldstillbemonitored.V-shapedcracks(wideattop,narrowatbottom),oronesextendingthewall’sfullheight,arelikelycausedbyunevensettlementofthefootingandwillusuallyworsenovertime.Afloorslabthatcracksorheavesupwardmayindicateahighwatertable.Installfootingdraintilestocounteracttheissue.

DRAINAGEIfahomehasasumppump,drainageisapossibleissue.Checktheoutsidefoundationperimeterforrutsonthegroundorbarespotsfromerosion,whichindicatesmorewaterflowthanthesoilcanabsorb.Installationofdrainageconduitcanprovideasolution.

WOODROTUseascrewdriverorawltocheckareasforwoodrotordecayinsidetheframing.Woodrotiscausedbyafungusandisasdamagingastermites.Inspectframingmembersnearthegroundforsignsoftermiteinfestation,suchasmudtubeslinedwithdirt.Termites’wingsfalloffeasily,soapileofwingsisanothercluetotheirpresence.

EXTERIORWALLSCheckexteriorsidingforstructuralintegrity,secureattachmentandsignsofrotorwaterpenetration.Lookforfunctionalweep-holesinbrickandbrickveneer.Instucco,checkforcracksduetotheexpansionoftheplywoodsheathingbeneathit.Cracksofanysizeinthestuccowillallowmoisturetopenetrate.WheninspectingtheEIFS,useamoisturemetertoinspectunseenareasthatmightcontainmoisturebehindthewallsurface.

076UNDERSTANDINSULATIONInsulationhelpskeepahomewarminthewinterandcoolinsummer.Itsavesenergy,lowersyourutilitybills,andcanmakesforamorecomfortablehome.Anyexteriorwallsthatseparateconditionedandunconditionedspacesshouldbeinsulatedtocreateathermalenvelope.Thereareseveralinsulationproductsdesignedforspecificuses.Forthebestenergyefficiency,youshouldcombineseveralofthemtomakeatotalinsulatingsystem,includingproductsforinsulatingthefoundationwalls,exteriorwalls,crawlspace(underfloor),floors,basementwalls,HVACducts,andmore.Herearesomeotherthingsyoushouldknow.

MINDTHEGAPMaintainaminimum3-inchspacebetweenanyelectricalfixturesandtheirsurroundinginsulation.Thisismandatedbyelectricalcode,andifnecessaryyoucannailwoodbarriersbetweenceilingjoiststokeeptheinsulationaway.

KNOWTHER-VALUEInsulationlevelsaredeterminedbytheR-value,ameasureoftheinsulation’sabilitytoresistanyheattravelingthroughit.ThehighertheR-value,thebetterthethermalperformance.

Yourrecommendedinsulationlevelwilldependuponthegeographicareawhereyourhomeislocated.AccordingtotheDepartmentofEnergy,thewarm,southernregionsofthecountryshouldhaveenoughatticinsulationtoachieveavalueofR-30toR-60.Thenorthern,colderareasoftheUnitedStates,meanwhile,requireatticinsulationofatleastR-49tobeproperlycosteffective.

DOTHEMATHTheamountofinsulationthatyouneedtoachieveacertainR-valuedependsonthetypeofinsulationthat’sbeingused.Forexample,3½inchesoffiberglasswillachieveR-13,while2inchesofrigidfoampolystyreneachievesR-10.TheR-valuewillbeprintedonthepackageoftheinsulationproductsothatyoucaneasilycalculatehowmuchisrequired.R-valuesofindividualproductscanbeaddedtoachieverecommendedlevels.Forexample,anR-38addedtoanR-11resultsinR-49.

Ahome’sexteriorwallsshouldincludebothamoisturebarrierandinsulationinstalleduponconstruction.AnyotherareasofyourhomethatyoudeterminetohaveinadequateinsulationcanusuallyberetrofittedtoincreasetheR-value.

077KNOWYOURMATERIALSAwiderangeofinsulationproductsisavailabletototallyenvelopeandinsulateabuilding.Themajortypesofinsulationincludefiberglass,blow-in,sprayfoam,rigidfoam,andvarioustypesofloosefill.Herearethebasicsoneachkind.

TYPE

Fiberglass

TYPICALUSAGE

Commonlyusedinwalls,attics,andcrawlspaces.

YOUSHOULDKNOW

•Themostcommonlyusedtype.•Inexpensiveandeasytoinstall.•Availableinrolls(cuttosuit)andbatts(precutlengthsavailablefor8-and9-footwalls).

PROTIPS

Ifyouinstalladditionalfiberglassinsulationoverexistingatticinsulation,besuretouseunfacedrollsorbatts.Whenthejoistcavityisfull,installthesecondlayerofunfacedinsulationovertheceilingjoiststoreduceheatlossthroughthewood.

Blow-in

TYPICALUSAGE

Agoodchoiceforinstallingalargeamountofinsulationinenclosedwallsorinnarrowspaces,likebetweenceilingjoistsincrampedattics.

YOUSHOULDKNOW

•Achievesuniformcoverageeveninhard-to-reachareas.•CaneasilybedonebyaDIYerwithaweekendtospare.

PROTIPS

Tofillenclosedwalls,anaccessholecanbecutinthewallboardneartheceilingtofillthestudcavity.Oncefilled,theholecanbepatchedorconcealedwithtrimmolding.

Sprayfoam

TYPICALUSAGE

Popularinnewconstruction,wheretheexposedframingcanbefilledwithoutobstruction.

YOUSHOULDKNOW

•Thefoamexpandstoprovideaflexiblefoamblanketofmillionsoftinyaircells,fillingbuildingcavitiesandsealingcracksandcrevices.

•Driesquickly,andanyexcessmaterialcaneasilybetrimmedoff,leavingasurfacereadyfordrywall.

PROTIPS

Mostspray-foamproductsaredealer-installedandarriveonatruckwithalotofcomplexequipmenttosealawholehouse.However,somecompaniesmakeproductsavailabletothedo-it-yourselfhomeowner.

Forroomadditions,remodels,andtargetedareasintheatticorbasement,checkintodisposableself-containedpolyurethanekits,whichareengineeredforprofessionaldutybutarealsoeasytouse.

Rigidfoam

TYPICALUSAGE

Canbeusedtoretrofitbasementsandotherareasofahomewherethereisnotenoughroomforbattsorblow-in.

YOUSHOULDKNOW

The4X8polystyrenesheetsareavailableathomestoresinthicknessestypicallyrangingfrom½to1inch.

PROTIPS

Thematerialiseasytocutwithastraightedgeandautilityknife,andinstallationissimilartofiberglassbatts.

Radiantbarrier

TYPICALUSAGE

Blocksthesun’sraysfromtransferringheattoyourattic,reflectingupto96percentofsolarenergyandsavingonairconditioning.

YOUSHOULDKNOW

Incoolerweather,ithelpstokeepanyradiantenergyfromleavingtheroof,thusreducingheatlosssothatyoudon’thavetoblastthefurnaceasmuch.

PROTIPS

Variousradiantbarrierproductsareavailablethatinstallasflexiblesheetingthatfastenswithstaples,orasfriction-fitpanelsthatsnapbetweenrafters.

078SEARCHFORLEAKSWhetherfromdrywall,carpentry,flooring,orHVAC,airleaksrepresentmoneyoutthewindow.Incoldweather,warmairrisesintotheatticofthehome.Asitenterstheattic,itleavesthelivingspace,whichyou’repayingtoheat.Italsopullsincoldairfromothercracksandcrevicesinthehome,arounddoorsandwindows,andthroughthebasement.Inessence,theseleakscreateaviciouscyclethatcandrainawayenergyandmoney.Inspectyourhomecarefullyforanyleaks,whichcanbedifficulttofindwhenhiddenbeneathinsulation.Somecommonproblemareasincludetheattichatch,plumbingvents,wiringholes,recessedlights,andthesoffitboxesthatcontainthem.

LIGHTACANDLEAsimplewaytocheckforairleaksistouseaburningcandle.Onacool,windyday,closealldoorsandwindowsandturnoffthefurnace.Turnonalltheventfansinthehousetoencouragetheleaks.Movethelitcandlearoundtheedgesofdoorsandwindows.Lookforthesmoketoflutterortheflametoflicker,whichindicatesaleak.

TESTTHETEMPSIftemperaturesdiffermorethan1or2degreesinvariousareasofaroom,itmaybepoorlysealed.Useweather-strippingand/orcaulking,thenretakethetemperatures.(Ifthedifferencespersist,youmayhaveanHVACairflowproblem.)

KNOWYOURWEAKNESSCertainspotsinthehomeareparticularlyvulnerable.Checkroundthefurnaceflueortheductchaseway(theboxthathidestheducts)forleaks.Next,investigateindoorareasincludingheatinganddryerventpenetrations,gapingbaseboardsandcracksalongsillplates,andfloor-to-walljunctions.Ontheoutside,lookforleaksatthebottomofsidingedgeswheretheymeetthefoundation,alonggarageceilingandwalljoints,andallelectric,gas,andA/Cpenetrations.Alsoexaminethebasementrimjoistsandallwindowsanddoors.

DOANAUDITConsiderinvestinginaninfraredthermometer,foraDIYhomeenergyaudit.Foraslittleasahundredbucks,handheldlaser-sightedtoolscandetectenergylossarounddoorsandwindows,insulation,ductwork,andotherareasthroughoutthehome.

PROTIPAPPLYCAULKSprayablereleaseagentscanpreventcaulkfromstickingtothesurroundingareas,makingshapingthejointthatmucheasier.Similarly,maskingthejointwithpainter’stapecanalsohelptoeliminatemessifyouarenotfullycomfortablewithyourprowesswithusingcaulk.

079FILLTHEGAPSSealleaksbetweenmovingpartswithweatherstripping.Usecaulkingbetweennon-movingparts.Youcanuseawidevarietyofproducts,suchascaulkandfoambackerrods,siliconeorwater-basedsealants,orrollsoffoam.Anotherpopularsealantisspray-inexpandablefoam,whichcomesinanaerosolcan.It’simportanttoselecttherightinsulatingfoamforthejob;toomuchexpansioninthewrongplacecanputunwantedstressontheconstruction.Use“nowarp”formulaaroundwindowsanddoors.

080LAYABETTERBEADCaulkingisanecessaryevil.Applyingthestuffisamessyjob,whetheryou’resealingthehomeorfillingjointsontrimtoachievethefinishedlookthatseparatesprofessionaljobsfromamateurattempts.Controlandconsistencyarethekeystoabettercaulkbead.

STEP1Cleantheworkareabeforeapplicationtopromoteadhesion,topreventdebrisfromdisruptingapplicationofthebead,andtokeepanyunsightlydirtfrombeingembeddedinyourfreshcaulk.

STEP2Cutoffthetipofthetubeatastraight90-degreeangle.Startatthetiptokeeptheholesmall.Iftheholeistoobigyou’llsacrificecontrolofthebead.Puncturethesealinsidethenozzlewithastiffwireorthinrod.

STEP3Withthetubeloadedinthecaulkgun,pullthetriggerseveraltimestoadvancethecaulktothetipofthenozzle.Releasepressurefromtheplungeranytimeyou’renotapplyingcaulktopreventexcessfromsquirtingoutofthe

gun’stip.

STEP4Beginatthehorizontaljoints.Toensurethatafullbeadadherestobothplanesofthecaulkjoint,restthetipofthenozzleequallyonbothsurfaces.Depressthetriggerwithonehandtoforcecaulkintothejointasyoustabilizethegunandmovethebeadwiththeother.

STEP5Keepthegunata90-degreeangletothewallforconsistentapplicationandeasyvisibility.Movesteadilytokeepthebeadasconsistentaspossibletoavoidgaps.Ifyoucrossanyverticaljoints,caulkafewinchesupordownthejoints,whichmakesiteasiertoconnectthecaulkbeadslater.

STEP6Fillinalltheverticaljoints,tyingthemintoyourhorizontalruns.Wetashortwoodendowelorshapingtool,anddrawitstipoverthebeadtoscrapeawayexcesscaulkandtopressitintoaconcaveshape.Keepplentyofpaper

towelsforcleanup.

081SEALALEAKYDOORWAYEventhemostenergy-efficientHVACsystemscanstillcostplentyifwarmorcoolairiswastedthroughleakydoors.Asahousesettlesovertime,doorframesoftenshift,creatingagaparoundtheperimeter.Ageneralruleofthumb:Ifyoucanseelightbetweenthecloseddoorandthejamb,youhaveaproblem.Ifthishappenstoadoorleadingoutdoorsortoanunconditionedlivingspace,itequatestoleavingawindowcracked.Thesolutionhereistoinstallasimpleweather-strippingkit.

WHATYOU’LLNEED:•Weather-strippingkit•Drillordriver•Measuringtape•Hacksaw

Hardwarestoressellseveralvarietiesofweatherstripping,butthebesttypefordoorshasarigidaluminumbaralongwithasoftrubbergasket,calledabulb.Thebulbcompressesagainstthecloseddoortopreventthepassageofairandmoisture.Thekitsareusuallysoldwiththreepieces—oneforthetopandtwoforthedoorsides(screwsincluded).Thepiecesoftencomeinstandarddoorheights,butanyofthethreecomponentscanbetrimmedtosize.

STEP1Measurefromthedoorsilltotheupperjamb.

STEP2Cuttheweather-strippingtolengthusingahacksaw.

STEP3Closethedoorandpresstheweather-strippingfirmlyontoit.

STEP4Drivescrewsintotheslots,butleavethemallloose(predrillholesiffasteningintoametaldoorframe).Repeatforthedoor’soppositeside.

STEP5Closethedoorandpositionthestripssothatthegasketiscompressed.

STEP6Measurebetweenthesidestripsforthetoppieceofstripping.

STEP7Cutthetopstriptofit,andfastentightlyinplacewhencompressed.

STEP8Closethedoorafewtimestocheckthesealandmakeminoradjustments.Retightenuntilyou’vecompletelyclosedoffthegap.

082BEAHAPPYHACKERAhacksawisaframe-typesawthatcutsmetal.Thebladeisreplaceable,thin,andflexible,withfinehardenedteeththatareheldintensionbytheframe.Plentyofpeopleownahacksawbutfeeluncomfortableusingit,sincecuttingmetalcanbetricky.Herearebasichintsforhappyhacking.

STAYSHARPHacksawbladesarecheap;there’snoexcuseforusingadullone.Buyaboxofatleasttwodifferentteeth;changeabladewhenitbeginstograb.

STIFFENUPFlexibilityisyourenemyhere.Ifyourbladeisn’tscrewedinastightaspossible,it’spossiblethatitmaytwistorflexduringsawing,makingtheprocesslessefficient(andyourarmsmoresore).Tightenthenutuntilthebladeistotallyrigid,thenseeifyoucantightenitalittlemore.

TRYTHETEETHBladesrangefrom14to32TPI(teethperinch);coarserbladesaresuitedforsoftmetalslikebrassoraluminum,andfinerbladesarebestforthin,hardermaterials.Usetherightbladetoensureaprecisioncut.

PRESSHERE,PLEASEKeepinmindthattheblade’steethfaceforward,socuttingwillonlyoccurontheforwardstroke.Youshouldn’tbeusinganypressureatallonthebackstroke.

STROKESMOOTHLYUselongstrokesthatallowyoutouseasmuchofthebladeaspossibleoneachpass.Pushfirmly,butnotsohardthatyoubendthebladeormovemorequicklythanthesaw’scapabilities,andmaintaina

smooth,constantpace.LubricatetheteethwithalittleoilorWD-40tocutdownonfrictionandhelpremovemetalparticlesfromtheteeth.

083STAYINTHEZONEZoneheatingisanefficientmethodforoptimizingthewayyouwarmyourhome.Typicaloccupantsspend80percentofthetimein20percentofthehouse,soitmakessensetoonlyheatorcooltheareathat’scurrentlyinuse.Abasictechniquewithanexistingforced-airheatingsystemistoadjusttheventsintheunoccupiedrooms.Donotclosetheventscompletely,however.Sealingtheventsclosedcoulddecreaseairflowthroughtheairhandler,causepressureimbalances,andputstressontheductconnections.Closingventsby75percentcanbeeffective.(Theventclosesttothethermostatshouldalwaysbeopen.)

SPACEHEATERSAsimpleandcost-effectivewaytosupplementyourcentralheatingsystemiswithaplug-inheater.Themostcommonareceramicspaceheaterswithfan-forcedair.Availableinawiderangeofdesigns,thesearesafe,compact,andidealforheatingspacesupto150squarefeet.

INTEGRATEDSYSTEMZONINGThisinvolvesasetofmultiplethermostatsconnectedtoacontrolpanelthatoperatesdifferentdamperswithintheHVACductwork.Radiantfloorheatingisanotheroptionforcontrollingheatzones.

FORCED-AIRSYSTEMSTheseworkbestinsidehomeswherethedifferentzonescanbeisolatedfromeachotherbyclosingdoors.Avoidshuttingofftheheatentirelyinanunusedpartofyourhome,becausecondensationcould

formoncoldinteriorwallsurfacesandleadtomold.Also,keepallroomsataminimumof50degreesFahrenheitduringthewintertokeepwaterpipesfromfreezing.

084SAVEENERGYHeatingandcoolingsystemcostsaccountforapproximately45percentoftheaveragehome’sutilitybill,orabout45centsofeverydollar.Forlowerbills,uselessenergy.

Onegoodwayiswithmodernenergy-efficientwindows.Theseincludespacersystems,inertgasfillings,andspecialglassoptionsthatreduceenergyusageby34percentcomparedtonon-coated,single-panewindows.Thespacebetweenthedoublepanesmaybefilledwithargon,anodorless,colorless,nontoxicgassixtimesdenserthanair.Thisdesignpreventsairinfiltrationandactsasanaddedbarriertopreventharmfulultravioletraysfromenteringthehome.Low-E(emissivity)glassalsohasatransparentmetallicoxidecoatingtoreflectheat.

Aluminumstormwindowsareanotheralternative,installedoverexistingwindowstoinsulateandblockdrafts.SomestormwindowsevencomewithLow-Eglass.

085JOINTHEPROGRAMProgrammablethermostatsautomaticallyadjustyourhome’stemperaturesettingsseveraltimesadaytofityourlifestyle.Theycansavemoneyonenergycostsandallowyoutoprogramwhenthesystemshouldscalebackonheatingorcooling.Inwinter,settheheattokickonduringyourcommutehomesoyoustepintoawarmhouse.Insummer,keepairconditioninglowinthemorningtoavoidcoolinganemptyhousewhileyou’reout.

PROTIPSTAYDRY,KINDAIndoorhumidifierssootheirritationfromdryair,butanyexcesshumiditycanbreedmoldorbacteria.Idealhumidityinyourhomeshouldbekeptbetween30and50percent.

086CHANGEYOURFILTERBediligentaboutregularlyreplacingthefiltersthatremovedustfromtheairasitcirculatesthroughtheHVACsystem.Mostsystemsusedisposablefilters.Somefurnaceshaveanelectrostaticfilter,whichisasturdymetalfilterthatneedstobecleanedeveryfewmonths.Ineithercase,acloggedfilterhindersairflow,andyoursystemhastoworkhardertogetthetemperaturesetbyyourhome’sthermostat.

087GETREADYFORWINTERWhenthetemperaturedropsandcoldweatherrollsin,it’stimetoprepareyourhome—insideandout—forthewinterelementsbecause,yes,winteriscoming.Sealingoffairleaksandinstallingadequateinsulationaretwoofthemosteffectivewaystosaveenergy,butyoureffortsshouldn’tendthere.Whengivingyourhouseitsannualphysicalexam,don’toverlookanyofthesecrucialareas.

WINDOWSIdeally,yourhomeshouldhavedouble-paneandlow-emissivitycoatedwindowglass.Youcanalsoinsulateyourwindowsusingheat-shrinkplasticinsulation.Oneoptionforwooden-framewindowsistocovertheoutsidewithheavyplastictoreducecoldairinfiltration.Staplethesheetingovertheoutside,leavinga4-inchoverhangattheperimeter.Securetheedgeswithwoodenfurringstrips,fastentotheoutsidewindowframe,thentrimofftheexcessplastic.

HVACHaveanHVACtechniciandoafullinspectionofyourfurnaceforproperperformance.Ifthefurnaceismadeofold-fashionedsheetmetalductwork,considerreplacingitwithinsulatedducts,includingtheplenum.Ifyouusepropaneorheatingoil,ensurethatthetankhasbeenfilled.

PLUMBINGInsulateoutdoorhosebibsandexposedplumbing,includingthoseinunheatedcrawlspaces.Ifyougoonawintervacation,leaveyourheatsettoatleast50degreesFahrenheitsopipesdon’tfreeze.

GUTTERANDROOFReplacewornordamagedshinglesorflashing.Anicedamisaridgeoficethatformsattheedgeofaroof,preventingmeltingsnowfromdrainingandcausingbacked-upwatertoleakintothehome.Topreventicedams,cleanyourgutterstoensureproperdrainage,andinstallguttercoverstopreventdebrisaccumulation.Properatticventilationremovesheatandkeepstheroofdeckevenlycooltopreventmeltingoftheice.

FIREPLACECHIMNEYSHaveaprochimneysweepinspect,clean,andrepairanyfireplaces,flues,orwoodstoves.Addchimneyorfluecapstokeepoutbirdsandpests.Tuck-pointorrepairanyloosemasonry,andmakesurethedampersworkonfireplacesandstoves.Storeawinter’ssupplyoffirewoodandkindlingawayfromthehouse(forsafety),andcoveritforprotection.

ATTICInspecttheatticforevidencethattheweathersealofthehousehasbeenbroken.Checkforanywetordampinsulationandmoldy,rottedatticraftersorceilingjoists,anyofwhichcouldindicatealeakyroof.Addressanyproblemsbeforetheycanworsen.

BASEMENT/FOUNDATIONInstallcoversoverthecrawlspaceventilationopenings.Coverbasementwindowswithplasticshields.Rakeleavesanddebrisawayfromthefoundation.Sealfoundationcracksandotheropeningstokeepoutmiceandotherpests.

088KEEPWARMFORLESSEnergybillsaren’tgettinganylower—evenifyou’vedoneyourinspectionproperlyandfixedeverythingyoucan,youwillstillneedtoturnontheheatthiswinter.Hereareafewwaystominimizeyourheatingcosts.

ADJUSTYOURFANItmaysoundcounterintuitivetoturnonaceilingfaninthewinter,butmostceilingfanshaveaswitchthathastwosettings.Thecounterclockwisesettingcoolsaroomduringthesummer.However,sinceheatrises,duringwinterthefan’sclockwisesettingforceswarmairdownwardintothelivingspace.

ADDMOISTUREAnyonewho’sspentasteamysummerintheSouthcanattestthathumidairfeelswarmerthandry.Foramorecomfortablerest,andtosoothesinusesirritatedbycold,dryair.useahumidifier.Bothcool-and

warm-misthumidifiersareavailable,andeithercanhelpmakearoomfeelwarmer.

LETTHESUNSHINETheradiantheatofthesuncanbeharnessedtokeepyourhometoastywarmbystrategicallyadjustingtheblindsandcurtains.Onsunnydays,openupthecurtainsthatfacesouthwardtoletinthesunlight.Youshouldremembertokeepthecurtainsclosedatnight,however,inordertoprovideanextrainsulatingbarrierbetweenyourhome’sinteriorandthecoldoutdoorair.

089HITTHEDECKSSweepawayleaves,needles,andbranchesfrombetweenthedeckboardsandoffthesurface.Debriscanretainwaterandleadtomildew.Mildewshouldberemovedfromadeckassoonasitappears.Makeamildew-killingsolutionwith3quartsofwater,1quartofoxygenbleach,and¼cupofammonia-freeliquiddishwasherdetergent.Applywithagardensprayer,letset,thenrinseclean.Fortougherstains,useasoftbristlebrush.

090FLIPTHEDECKBOARDSInsomecasesofweathereddeckboards,youcantrypryingthemupandflippingthemover.Theundersideoftheboardsareofteningoodconditionbecausetheyhavebeenhiddenfromwaterandsunexposure.Ifso,justturnthemover,fastenthemdown,andthenstainandsealthemforaneconomicalwaytorenewyourworndeck’sappearance.

PROTIPTHINKAHEADTakecareofproblemwithsmallenginesinyouryardworkmachinery,orsimilarissues,inwinter,insteadofspringwhentherepairshopsarebusy.Drainoilandreplaceitalongwiththefilter.Drainthegasfromlawnmowersandsimilarequipment,oraddafuelstabilizertoallengines.

091CLEARTHECLOGSPlumbingcanbeaverymessy,smelly,andaltogethernastyjob,butifyourpipesareclogged,youcanoftensolvetheproblembysimplyfollowingtheguidelinesdetailedhere.

Gravitycarrieswaterawayfromappliancesandsinks,andoutofthehouseviadrainpipesranginginsizefrom1¼to4inchesindiameter.Thesizeofthepipedependsonthesizeofthefixture.Eachfixturealsohasatrapthatholdswatertosealoffsewagegases,andthetrapsarehandyforcatchingwaywardobjectsthatgodownsinkdrains,suchastoothbrushesorhairclasps,whichcanberescuedbyunscrewingthetrap.Itwillbeeasiertounclogaslowdrainthanitistoopenonethatiscompletelystopped,solookforsignsofasluggishdrain.Pourscaldingwaterdownthepipetoloosenanygreasebuildup.Ifthisdoesn’tsolvetheproblem,checktheotherhouseholddrains.Multiplecloggeddrainsmeanacloginthemainpipe.Herearesomedecloggingmethodstotry.

TYPE

Cup-styleplunger

WHATITIS

Themostcommonclog-fightingtool,foundinjustabouteverybathroom

WHENTOUSE

Bestforsinksandshowerdrains

Flangedplunger

WHATITIS

Variationontheclassicstyle

WHENTOUSE

Designedtobemoreefficientinatoilet;flangemakesitlessusefulinsinksandshowers

Cylinderplunger

WHATITIS

Newdesignallowsfordrawingwaterintoacylinderandthenpushingitoutwithsuddenforce

WHENTOUSE

Goodfortoiletsanddrainclogswithstandingwater

Plumbingsnake

WHATITIS

Flexiblesteelcablethatworksitswaythroughthedrainpipe

WHENTOUSE

Ifclogsarefartherdownadrainpipe

Compressedair

WHATITIS

Cartridgeshootsairdownthepipe,blastingtheclogaway

WHENTOUSE

Ifyoudon’thaveasnakeorwouldliketoavoidremovingyourtraps

Chemicalproducts

WHATITIS

Variouschemicalsthatdissolveclogs

WHENTOUSE

Usejudiciouslyinsinksandtubs;notforuseinatoiletorlaundryoutflow

092TRYTHISSOLUTIONChemicalclogremoverscanbehelpfulinopeningtheoccasionalpluggedpipe.Butdon’tbesuckeredbythinliquidproducts.Ifyoupourawaterycleanerdownasluggishdrain,it’llgorightbytheclogandintothedepthsofyourplumbingsystem,leavingtheproblemstuckinthepipe.Chooseathickerproductthatstickstotheinsideofthepipe.Chemicalcleanersuseeitheranacidorabasetodissolvestubbornclogsandorganicmatter;thethickerproductshaveimprovedcoverageandbettercontactwithblockage.Allowthecleanertositasdirected;followwithrunningwatertotestthedrain.

Chemicalcleanerscomewithafewredflags.Thefirstisthattheactiveingredientisoftenchlorinebleach,whichisbadforseptictanksbecausebleachcankilloffthebeneficialbacteriainasepticsystem.Bleach-basedproductsarebestsuitedforsystemslinkedtoacitysewer.Also,laundrydrainclogsareoftenduetoaccumulatedclothingfibers.Liquiddrainersdon’tdissolvethoseparticles,soallofthoseclogswillhavetoberemovedphysically,notchemically.Furthermore,liquiddraincleanersarenotintendedforeveryhouseholdclog.They’renotdesignedtoremovethewastethatmaybecloggingyourtoilet.

Thegeneralruleofchemicalcleaners:Readtheinstructionsonthelabelandonlyuseitasintended.Alwaysuseinawell-ventilatedarea,andwear

rubbergloves.Don’tuseaplungerifaliquidcleanerisinthedrain,becauseyourisksplashingcausticchemicalsontoyourskin.Anddon’tpourinaliquidcleanerifthedrainiscompletelyblockedoryouwillbefacedwithasinkfullofcausticwater—anothermessthatyou’llhavetodealwithafterward.

093PLUNGEASINKMostpeoplethinkofplungersintermsofclearingastoppedtoilet,butthey’realsogreatforblockeddrains.Useasimpleplungerwithalargeenoughsuctioncuptocompletelycoverthedrain,creatinganairtightsealaroundit.Fillthesinkwithwatertocompletelycoverthesuctioncup(itmayhelptocoattherimofthecupwithpetroleumjelly).Sealoffanyotheroutlets,suchastheoverflowdraininsinks,tocreateavacuum.Pushoutanytrappedairbeneaththecupandgivetheplungerabout15vigorousup-and-downpumpingstrokestojoltloosetheclog.Thismighttake3to5setsofstrokes.

Ifaplungerdoesn’tworkandyouendupneedingtoopentheP-trapunderneaththedrain,thenuseawrenchtodisassembleandinspectthetrap.Oftenthetrapiscongested,andathoroughcleanoutandreplacementisallthat’sneeded.

094USEASNAKE(ORNOT)Toclearstubbornclogsfartherdownthedrainthanaplungercango,aplumbingsnakeisahandytool.It’sbasicallyaflexiblesteelcablethatgoesthroughthepipework,physicallyremovingclogs.However,thesnakedoesn’tworkverywellintightturns,soremovetheP-trapandthehorizontaltraparmfromtherearwallfirst.

Insertthesnakedirectlyintothedrainpipe.Ifsnakingatub’sdrain,removetheoverflowplateandrunthecabledownthetube.Pushthesnakeintothepipeuntilyourunintotheobstruction.Trytohooktheclogbytwistingtheplumbingsnake’shandle;onceit’shooked,pushthesnakebackandforthtohelpbreakuptheobstruction,thenflushwithcoldwater.

Ifyoudon’thaveaplumbingsnake,orifyouwanttoavoidremovingthetraps,tryoutoneofthenewclog-removalproductsthatshootcompressedairintothedrainandforcetheclogtomove.Someproductsareavailableindisposablecans.AnothertypeisareusabledevicethatusescartridgesofcompressedCO2.Oncethecartridgeisloaded,pressdownfirmlyonthetoolhandle;aneedlepuncturesthecartridge,sendingapowerfulburstofairintothedrain,instantlyuncloggingit.

PROTIPFILLYOURBLADDERAnotherdrain-clearingtoolisthereusablerubberdrainbladder.Thisattachestoastandardgardenhoseandisinsertedintothepipe.Whenthewateristurnedon,thebladderexpandsintothepipewhilesendingapowerfuljetofwaterdownthedraintoforceouttheclog.

095CLEANTHEMAINDRAINIfmultiplefixturesareclogged,youmayneedtoclearthemaindrainline.Locatetheclean-outplugsonthelargedrainpipesinyourbasementorcrawlspace;theymaybeinagarageoroutdoors,alongthefoundationofthehouse.Eachplughasacapwithasquarefittingatthetop.Removethecapwithawrench.(Besurenooneusesthefacilitieswhilethemaindrainlineisopen.)Useaplumbingsnaketobreakupanyclogsintheopenmainline,runningitinbothdirectionsofthepipe.

096KNOWYOURTOILETAtoiletissomethingthateveryoneneedstohaveworking.Itmustfillandflush,andifallisinproperworkingorder,atoiletwilldosowithminimalnoiseandhassle.Whilefairlysimpleindesign,overtimeanyofthesetoiletcomponentscanwearoutandcorrode.Thiscanleadtoproblemswithflushingandrefillingthetank.

FILLVALVEAttachedtoawater-supplyconnectorthroughthebottomofthetank,thefillvalvecontrolstheflowoffreshwaterintothetoilettank.Thetwomainvalvetypesusedtodayarethetraditionalfloatball(alsocalledaballcock)andthefloatcuptype.

FLUSHVALVEThisvalveconsistsofaflapper(or“stopper”or“tankball”)thatalignsoverthedrainandisattachedtotheoverflowpipe.Itregulatesthedischargeofwaterfromthetanktothebowl.

OVERFLOWPIPEOftenattachedtotheflushvalve,thispipesuppliesrefillwatertothebowlandpreventsoverflowofthetank.

TANKLEVERConsistingofaleverarmandaflushhandle,thetankleverallowswatertoflowintothebowlbyliftingtheflapperwhentheflushhandleispressed.

097TROUBLESHOOTATRICKLINGTOILETYoumighthearfreshwatertricklingintothetankwhenyouhaven’tflushedthetoilet.Here’showtofigureoutwhat’shappeningandfixit.

CHECKTHEVALVESLookdowninsidetheoverflowpipe.Ifwaterisrunningthroughtherefilltubeintotheoverflowpipe,checkthefillvalve.Forballcock-typefillvalves,thefloatballrodwillbeatthetopofthetank,withahollowplasticorcopperballontheright-handend.Ifitisbentinanydirection,thencarefullystraightenitbyhand.Iftherodisstraightandthefloatballdoesnotlightlyrestonthetank’swatersurface,itprobablyhasaleakandrequiresreplacement.

LOWERTHELEVELThetank’swaterlevelmayalsobesettoohigh.Lowerthewaterlevelbymovingtheadjustmentcliplocatedontheballcocklink.Simplysqueezethesidesoftheclipandthenpushdownonthelinktoadjustthewater.Floatcup–typefillvalvesalsofeatureawater-leveladjustmentcliplocatedonthecupmechanism.

LOOKFORCORROSIONLookforanystickingorcorrosioninthelever.Ifyoudoseerust,replacetheentiremechanism.

CLEANYOURSEALRemoveanybuildupbeneaththefillvalveseal.Todothis,shutoffthewaterandremovethetopoftheballcockorthefloatcupvalve.Covertheopeningwithanupside-downglass.Turnthewateronandoffafewtimes,andanybuildupshouldbeflushedbythewaterstream.Turnthetopoverandrinseitunderafaucet,thenreattach.

FIXTHEFLAPPERThetricklingwatermaybeduetoaleakyflapper.Iftheflapperisdirty,youcansimplycleanitwitharagtoremoveanygrimeorbuildup.Ifthestopperisdamagedorworn,itcansitaskewandnotsealproperly.Replaceitalongwiththevalveseat.Ifyou’vetriedalloftheseaforementionedmethodsandthewateriscontinuingtorunthroughtherefilltube,thenthefillvalvesealisprobablydefectiveandrequiresreplacement.

GOBEYONDIfyouhearwatertricklingbutyoudonotseewaterrunningfromtherefilltubeintotheoverflowpipe,checktheplacementoftherefill

tube.Therefilltubeisthesmallvinyltubethatstretchesfromthefillvalveonthelefttothehollowpipeontheright.Iftherefilltubeisstuckdowninsidetheoverflowpipe,raisetheenduntilitisjustabovethetopofthepipe.Theadaptershouldhooktothetop.Ifnoneofthesetroubleshootingtipswork,theoverflowpipeorflushvalvemaybecorrodedorleakingandneedreplacement.

098GETAROYALFLUSHAtoiletthatdoesn’tflushproperlycanbebothgrossandannoying.Inspecttheshut-offvalveatthewall;thewatersupplymightbeofforpartlyshut.Justturnthevalvecounterclockwisetoopenit.Then,tightenthetopoftheballcockorfloatcup.Makesureitlockstightlyintoplace.Insomecases,thechainbetweenthetoiletleverandtheflappermayhavedetached.Ifthisisthecase,thechaincaneasilybereattachedorreplaced.

Ifthetoiletbowldoesn’ttotallyflushorwon’tfillproperly,theholesundertherimcouldbelimitingthewaterflow.Useacoathangerorstiffwiretoclearthemofanyobstructions.Next,tightenthesetscrewattachingtheflushhandle;remembertoallowasmallamountofplayupanddown.Ifthehandleorsetscrewiscorroded,thenreplacetheentiremechanism.Also,besurethattheflapperisclosingonlyafterthetankisemptied.Finally,adjustthechain,allowing½inchofslack.Testflushafewtimes,andyoushouldbeallset.

099SOLDERCOPPERPIPEMostAmericanhomeshavecopperwaterlines.Solderingistheprocessofjoiningtwocopperorbrasssurfaceswithmetalbyheatingthesoldertoalittleunder750degreesFahrenheit.Whenthejointcools,itwillbeasstrongasthepipe.Youneedafewbasicspecializedtoolstoworkwithcopperpipe,andthey’reworthputtinginyourtoolbox.Here’swhatyou’llneedtoget.

PIPECUTTERThistoolallowsyoutomakeaclean,squarecuttoensureagoodjointeverytime.

FOUR-IN-ONETOOLThistoolwillquicklyremovedirtandoxidizationfromtheinterioroffittingsandtheexteriorofcopperpipeinboth½-and¾-inchsizestoincreaseyourchancesofasuccessfulsolderjob.

PROPANETORCHYoucanuseahandheld,self-containedunitforbasicsoldering.Getonewithanauto-ignitefeatureandlockingON/OFFswitchorbutton.

100PLANTHEINSTALLATIONFornewplumbinginstallation,plantohaveasfewsolderedjointsaspossibletoreducethechanceofleaks.Determinethematerialsrequiredforthetask,andhavethemaswellasextrapartsonhandbeforebeginning,includingallflux,solder,pipe,valves,andelbowsformaleandfemaleconnectors.Notethatbuildingcodesrequireleadlesssolderfordomesticwaterlines,becauselead-basedsoldercanleachintothewaterstandinginthepipe.

STEP1Measure,cut,anddry-fitallparts.Thiswillensurethattheprojectworksbeforesoldering.Makecertainthereisnostrainontherunofpipeorjoints,becausestresscanresultinfailureovertime.

STEP2Assembleandcleanallpartstoremoveanysurfaceoxidation.Cleanboththeexteriorofcopperpipeandtheinteriorofallfittings.Whenthisisdonecorrectly,thepipeorfittinginteriorwillshinelikeanewpenny.

STEP3Applyalightcoatofself-cleaning,non-acidfluxtoallmatingsurfaces.Useasmall“fluxbrush”forthistask.Thepurposeofthefluxistoremoveanyunseensurfaceoxidation,toetchthecoppertopromoteadhesion,andtohelpthesolderbondwellwiththecopperpipeandfitting.Reassemblethepieces.You’rereadytosolder!

101SOLDERSAFELYAlwayswearsafetyglassesandgloveswhensoldering.Iftheprojectrequiresoverheadsoldering,neverstanddirectlybelowthework.Next,followthestepsbelowtoensureajobwelldone.

STEP1Pullabout12inchesofftherollofsolderandbendthetop3inchestoformarightangle.Thiswillmakeiteasiertodepositsolderallaroundajoint.

STEP2Beginheatingthefittingfirst,thenapplyheattothepipe/fittingjointwithabackandforthmotion.Whenthepipeandfittingreachthepropertemperature,thesolderwillmeltwhentouchedtothejoint,andtheheatwilldrawthesolderintothejoint.Thefluxwillbubbleandsmokeslightly.

STEP3Makesuretofillthejointcompletely.Useadampragtoquicklywipeoffanyexcesssolderfromthejoint.Continuesolderingalljointsinthismanner.(Whilesolderingaroundwoodenframingmembers,becarefultoavoidafire.)

102TACKLETANKTROUBLEAnumberofthingscouldbecausingissueswithhowthetoilettankfunctions.Herearesomecommonissues.

FILLITUPIfyourtankisrefillingslowly,ornotatall,youwillneedtocleanthefillvalveinterior.Shutoffthewateratthewallconnection,liftthefloatarmandtwisttheballcockorfloatcuptopuntilitunlocks.Useacoathangerorothersimilarstiffwiretogentlyscrapeouttheinsideofthefillvalve.Holdanupside-downglassoverthevalveopeningandturnthewateronandoffthreeorfourtimestoflushdepositsfromtheinside.Rinsethefillvalvetopunderafaucettocleantheseal,andthenreplacethetop,turningitclockwiseuntilitlocks.Turnonthewatersupply.Ifthetankstilldoesn’tfillproperly,replacethepipethatrunsfromthewalltothetoilet.Braidedstainlesssteeltoiletconnectorsarepreferred.

KEEPITQUIETIfthetoiletistooloudwhenrefilling,makesuretheshut-offvalveatthewalliscompletelyopen.Also,inspecttheangleadapter,whichistypicallyarigid,plasticelbowontheendoftherefilltube.Tweaktheadapterslightlytowardtheinsidewalloftheoverflowpipetoensurethatfreshwaterhitsthepipewallacoupleofinchesfromthetopbeforerunningtothebottomofthetank.Ifthisdidn’tdothetrick,replacethefillvalve.

103HANDLEBRASSVALVESBrassvalvesrequirespecialtreatmentwhensoldering,andtherearetwocommonlyusedapproaches.Thefirstistoremovethevalvestem(alongwithitsrubberwasher)fromthevalvebodyandattachthepipebysoldering.Oncethevalvehascooled,reinstallthevalvestem.Donottrytosolderthevalvewiththesteminplacebecausetheheatfromsolderingwillmelttherubberwasherandthusrenderthevalveineffective.

Thesecondmethodinvolvesusingafemalethreadedvalveandattachingmalethreadedcouplingstotheendsofthecopperpipe.Afterthepipeandcouplingscool,threadthemintobothsidesofthevalve.

PROTIPSEALWITHLIQUIDSOLDERForsmall,targetedrepairs,liquidsoldersofferastrong,water-resistantalternativetoconventionalhotsoldering.Oncethesemoltenmetalsareapplied,thebondshouldbeclampedtogether,thenleftundisturbedforupto24hoursinordertoachievemaximumstrength.

104JOINPVCPIPINGPVCisthemostcommonlyusedplasticpipingsinceit’scorrosion-resistant,cost-effective,andpromisesalongservicelife.PiecesarejoinedwithPVCcement.Eachtypeofplasticpipeismadeofdifferentmaterialsandrequiresitsownblendofcementtoensureaproperbond.Here’showtoputitalltogether.ThesesamestepscanbeusedtojoinCPVCpipeaslongasyouuseCPVCcement.

MEASURETheendsofPVCpipingwillslideinsidethefittingsuptotheshoulder.Whenmeasuringpipelength,alwaysmeasurethedistancebetweentheshouldersofthefittings;transferthismeasurementtothepipe.

CUTMakethecutasstraightandsquareaspossible,usingastandardhacksaw,mitersaw,orreciprocatingsaw.

DEBURRUseautilityknifeorfiletoremoveburrsfrominsidethepipejoint.

CLEANForgoodadhesionandastrong,leak-freejoint,lightlyscufftheendsofthePVCwithfine-gritsandpapertoremovethesheenandanydirt.Clearoffdustwithacleanrag.

DRY-FITAssembleeverythingtobesureit’sthecorrectlength.Theorientationofcertainfittingsiscriticaltoplumbingdesign.Makedirectionalreferencemarksonthepiecesforeasyrealignmentduringfinalassembly.Markthedepthofpipeconcealedbythefittingtoguidewheretoapplytheprimerandcement.

PRIMEApplyPVCprimeraroundtheentireendofthepipe,aswellastheinsideofthefitting.TheprimertemporarilysoftensathinlayerofthePVCmaterial,allowingthecementtocreateastrong,leak-freebondbetweenthepipeandfitting.

CEMENTBrushPVCcementoverthepipeendandinsidethefitting,completelycoveringthecontactsurfacesofthejoint.

CONNECTSlidethepipeintothefittinguntilitpressesfirmlyagainsttheshoulder.Givethepipeorfittinga¼-inchturntospreadtheadhesiveandmakesureitcompletelysealsthejoint.Makesurethereferencemarksonthefittingsareproperlyaligned.Holdthejointforatleast30secondsasthecementcures.

105SHUTDOWNALEAKIfyouhaveawaterleak,firstshutoffthewatersupply.Ifyouhavealeakatatoilet,sink,washingmachine,orbathtub(withexposedplumbing),shutoffthewateratthevalveslocatedatthefloororwall,beloworbehindthefixture.Butthosearen’ttheonlyonesthatyouneedtoknowabout,soreadon.

MAINSHUTOFFVALVETostopanyleaksupstreamofthefixturevalves,youneedtoclosethehouse’smainshutoffvalve,allowingyoutoopenupanypipewithinthehouse.Locateitpriortoanemergency,checkitperiodically,andthenkeepitmaintained—ifyoudon’tknowwherethiscrucialvalveis,everyminutespentsearchingforitduringanemergencycouldresultingallonsmorewaterspillingintoyourhome.Thevalvedoesn’tgetusedoften,sodon’tletitrustandbecomenonfunctional.Tolocatethemainwatervalve,lookaroundtheinsideperimeterofyourhouseatthegroundlevel.Followastraightpathfromtheoutdoorwatermetertothehomeforthemostlikelylocation.Lookforaccesspanelsinthewalls,whichoftenconcealthevalve,orcheckyourhomeinspectionreport.

OUTDOORSHUTOFFVALVEIfthepreviousoptionsfail,oryouhaveanoutdoorleakintheyard,thenshutoffthewatermainoutside.Lookforaroundorrectangularsteelorironlid.(Note:Incoldclimatesthelidmaybecoveredwithsandordirttopreventpipesfromfreezing).Removethelidtoaccessthewatermeterandvalve.Stormrunoffmayhavecoveredoutdoorvalveswithdirtormud,requiringyoutoclearitwithahandspade.Connectedtothewatermeteristhewatercompany’sshutoffvalve,whichusuallyneedsaspecialwrenchandcanbeverydifficulttoturn.Checkforanadditionalresidentialvalveonthehousesideofthemeterthatusesanutorhandletocloseit,whichisthesimplestoption.Ifthere’snoresidentialvalve,uselockingpliersandelbowgreasetoturnoffthecompanyvalveuntiltheleakcanbefixed.(Specialwrenchesforoutdoorvalvesarealsosoldinhardwarestores.)

PROTIPUSEPLUMBER’SEPOXYYoucanquicklyfixaleakypipewithplumber’sepoxy.Followthemanufacturer’sinstructions,andusetheclaylikeepoxyribbontoformasealaroundtheleak.Turnonthewaterandcheckforanyleaks.Thiswillonlybeatemporarysolution,however,untilpermanentrepairscanbeperformed.

106THAWFROZENPIPESIfpipeshavefrozen,shutoffthewaterandinspectthemfordamageduetoexpansionfromfreezingwater.Ifthepipeisundamaged,drainitbyopeningadownstreamfaucet.Useahairdryerorheatguntowarmthepipeandmelttheblockage.Youcanalsowrapthepipeinatowelandpourhotwaterintothetowel.Afterthepipehasthawed,turnonthewatersupplyandcheckagainforanyleaks.

107TRYPUSH-FITCONNECTIONSIt’ssometimesnecessarytocompletelyrepairapipeand/orjointtomakearepair.Push-fitconnectionsprovidethefastestandeasiestmethodtoconnectPEX,copper,orCPVCpipe.Push-fitconnectionsutilizeacompressionfittingtojointhepipes,requiringnosoldering,clamps,orglue,andthey’recertifiedupto200PSIand200degreesFahrenheit.Here’showtomakeapush-fitconnection.

STEP1Makeasquarecutontheendofthepipe.

STEP2Sanddowntheroughedges.

STEP3Somepush-fitconnectionsusearingfittedintheendofPEXpipetokeepitsroundshapewhiletheconnectorcrimpsoverit.Markthedepthofthepipethatgoesinthepush-fitconnection.

STEP4Pushthefittingtogethertothedepthmarksothatit“clicks,”thenthepermanentconnectionwillbecomplete.

STEP5Whenapipegoesinthefitting,stainlesssteelteethgripittightly,andtheO-ringcompressestocreateaperfectseal.AdisconnecttoolreleasestheO-ringtoeasilychangeandreusevalvesandfittings.

Push-fitplumbingconnectionsrangeinsizefrom⅜to1inch,availableascouplings,elbows,tees,connectors,reducers,andendstops.Morethanjustaquickfix,theseconnectionscanbeusedforallsortsofnewplumbinginstallations.

108USESELF-FUSINGTAPESincethewaterfoundindrainpipesisnotunderpressure,leakscanoftenbefixedusingself-fusingsiliconetape.Stretchalengthofthetapeandwrapitaroundtheproblemarea,overlappingthetapeandmakingsuretocoverthesurfaceonbothsidesoftheleak.Thetapewillfusetoitselftoformawaterproofseal.

109LIGHTTHEBATHROOMPeoplespendagreatdealoftimelookingintothemirror,andtheynaturallywanttoseethemselvesinacomplimentarylight.Startyourdesignforthebathroomlightingschemewiththevanitymirror,whichtypicallyhasthebrightestlight,thendecidewhatambientoraccentsourceswillworkthebesttocomplementthevanitystation.Layerthelightsourcestofillingapsandreduceglare.

Remember:Recessedorcannedlightingisnotidealforabathroom’sonlylightsourcebecauseittendstocastashadowacrosstheface.Theroomdecorisbetterwhenthedesignandfinishofthelightfixturesworktogetherwithalltheplumbingaccessories.Awiderangeoffixturestyles,shapes,sizes,andfinishesareavailable.Herearemorehintstobrightenthesmallestroominthehouse.

WATCHTHEWATERShowersneedlightfixturesdesignedforuseinwetareas.Ifyouhaveroom,tablelampscanaddasoft,humantouchtobathrooms—butplacethemawayfromwatersources.

TAKERECESSTubsneedgoodgenerallight,whichcanbeprovidedbyarecessedfixture.Toavoidglare,aimthelightbeamattheoutsideedgeofthetub.

SHINEONWindowsprovideopportunitytoaddnaturallightingorreplacetheelectricaloptions.

LIGHTUPTHENIGHTThetoespacebelowvanitiesandcabinetscanbelinedwithropelightingforanicenight-light.

GETYOURGLOWIndirect(orcove)lighting,withitshiddenlightsource,addsasoft,warmglowtothebathroom,butispurelyaesthetic.

LOOKYOURBESTForthemirror,lightingfromwarmfluorescentverticalwallsconcescanprovidethekindofevenfacialilluminationthateliminatesdarkcirclesandshadows.Halogenlightingabovethevanityprovidescross-illuminationwhenusedinconjunctionwithwallsconces.

GOHIGHCeilingfixturessuspendedoverheadcanprovideaneleganttouchwhileaddingextralight.

GETREADYTOREADFocusedfloodlightsorhalogenfixturesoverthecommodecanprovidegoodlightforreading(youknowyoudoit).

110COOKUPAKITCHENSCHEMEToday’skitchensareoftenthehuboffamilyliving.Thelightingshouldbesuitableforreading,payingthebills,feedingthekids,andmore.Asinglekitchenlightsourcemeansthatworkaroundtheperimeterofthiscentrallightisrelegatedtothedimmerareasoftheroom.Theproperlightingschemedependsonthesizeandcomplexityofthekitchen.Smallerkitchensmayrequireonlyacentraloverheadfixturecoupledwithunder-cabinettasklightingplacednearyoursinkandstove.Largerkitchensmayrequireacombinationofgeneral,task,andaccentlighting.

PREPAREBEFORESHOPPINGWhenvisitingalightingshowroom,bringphotosofyourkitchenandtakenoteoftheroom’sdimensions.Howtallistheceiling?Wherearethedoors?Howmuchspaceistherebetweenthecabinetsandthecountertop?Thisinformationwillhelpdetermineyouroptions.

STARTWITHTHEBIGFEATURESKitchentablesandislandsarefocalpoints;lightthemupfirst,thendesignyourschemeoutward.Trypendantlightingorafixturewiththreelightsoveranisland.

CREATEABALANCEDMIXThebiggestmistakeisoverlookingsubtletiesinyourlightingscheme.Recessedlightingcancreateablanketof

light,butitdoesn’tilluminateexactlywhereyouneedit.Don’tjustaddmorerecessedfixtures,whichwilljustover-saturatetheroomwithlight.Combinelightingtypes,andrememberthatdimmerswitchesaddflexibility.

CHOOSEANICEFINISHThetopmosttrendsindecorativefinishesforkitchenfixturesinclude:wroughtiron,oftenusedinrustandearthtones;pewterandsatinnickelfinishes,wherebrassusedtobepopular;paintedfinishes;andcoloredglass,asopposedtoplainwhite.Ofcourse,fashionschange,andyoumaynotwanttoremodeloften,sogowithwhatyouloveoverwhat’sinstyle.

DON’TOVERLOOKDETAILSUnder-cabinetlightingcanreduceshadowsonthecounterandaddcriticallighttoworkspace.Mini-pendantsmountedoverakitchenislandcanmakecountertopactivitieseasierforeveryone.Andsteplightsaroundanislandpreventstubbedtoesduringmidnightsnackruns.

111KNOWYOURWIRINGBASICSInmodernwiring,individualwiresarebundledtogetherinsideasheathedcable.Inolderhouses,knobandtubewiringisusedinplaceofcables.Whateveryourwiringsystem,thewhitewireisusuallytheneutralwire,andtheblackistheliveor“hot”wire.Anyredwiresarehot,too.Theunsheathed,exposedcopperwiresaregroundwires.(Note:Insomecases,awiringinstallationmayhaverequiredawhitewiretobehot,inwhichcaseitshouldhavebeenmarkedwithblacktape.However,justbecauseitshouldbemarkeddoesn’tmeanthatitwasmarked.)Manylightfixturesdon’thaveblackandwhitewire,inwhichcase,lookforaribonthewiresheathingtodeterminetheneutralwire.

Ifonlyasinglecable,oronesetofblackandwhitesupplywires,entersthebox,thenthefixtureisattheendofthecircuit.Thisiscommon—butisnotguaranteed—withceilingfixturesandallowsforthesimplestmethodofinstallation.Iftwocables(ortwosetsofblackandwhitewires)enterthebox,thenyourfixtureisinthemiddleofacircuit.Ifalightisinthemiddleofacircuit,youwillhavetotwistmultiplewirestogether.

TYPE

Two-wirewithground

WHATITIS

DESCRIPTION

Ablackwire,awhitewire,andanuninsulatedgroundwire

Three-wirewithground

WHATITIS

DESCRIPTION

Usedwiththree-wayandfour-wayswitches,andhasablackwire,whitewire,redwire,andanuninsulatedground

Knobandtube

WHATITIS

DESCRIPTION

Atwo-wiresysteminwhichindividualwiresareinsulatedwithwhiteorblacktreatedfabric

112USETHERIGHTBULBWhenpurchasingalightingfixture,checkitsmaximumwattage.Abulbwithmorewattagethannecessarycanpresentafirehazardfromtheexcessheat.Wattageindicatesthepowerabulbconsumes—notthelightthatitgenerates,measuredinlumens.Ifyou’regettingexcesslight,uselower-lumenbulbs.

PROTIPGETHUNGUPManyceilingfixturesareoftenpositionedabovefocalpoints,suchasadiningroomtable.Agoodruleofthumbistoinstallthefixtureabout30inchesabovethetable.Toshortenachain,cutittolengthwithmetalsnips,andthencutthewiring6incheslongerthanthechain.

113UPDATEFIXTURESYourprimaryconcernwhenyouareselectingareplacementfixtureistoensurethattheboxandceilingwillsupportthefixture’sweight.Ifanewfixtureweighsaboutthesameastheoldone,theexistingelectricalboxwilllikelysuffice.Ifitsnewreplacementisheavier,theceilingboxmayneedtobereplaced.Havealloftheworkprofessionallyinspectedwhenyou’redone.

STEP1Turnoffthepoweratthebreakerboxbyflippingacircuitbreakerorunscrewingafuse.Useavoltagetestertomakesurethepowerisoff.

STEP2Useaworkplatformfastenedtoaladdertosupporttheweightoftheoldfixturewhileyouremovethemountingscrewsfromtheelectricalbox.Withthescrewsout,pullofftheboxcoveranddisconnectthewiringbyunscrewingthewirenutanduntwistingthewirepairs.

STEP3Organizethefixture’scomponents,suchasthecanopyandhanging

hardware.Ceilingfixturesvarygreatlyinstyleandconstruction,asdotherelatedcomponentsandtheassemblyprocess.Anyqualitylightingmanufacturerwillincludeassemblyinstructionsforthemodel;usuallyyouneedtouseonlyascrewdriver.

STEP4Threadtheboxcover,mountingstrap(whichscrewsintothejunctionbox),andanyothernecessarypartsoverthewireandchainbeforeinstalling.

STEP5Stripabout¾-inchofinsulationfromtheendofeachwire.Matchthefixturewirestothesupplywiresbycolor(seeitem111).Twistexposedendstogetherclockwise,securingthemwithaUL-listedwirenut.Groundwirescanbeconnectedtoagroundscrewonthejunctionboxorjoinedtothesupplygroundusingawirenut.

STEP6Installalightbulbtotesttheconnectionbeforeinstallingthefixture.Ifitwon’tlightup,youprobablyhavealooseconnection.Oncethelightfunctions,protectconnectionsbywrappingelectrician’stapearoundthewirenuts.

STEP7Ifyouhaven’tyetinstalledthemountingstrap,screwittothejunctionbox.Thenscrewthethreadedmountingstemonthechainsolidlyintothemountingstrap.Coverupthejunctionboxwiththecoveror“canopy,”andsecureitinplacewiththelocknutincludedwithyourlightfixture.

STEP8Installtheglassandlightbulbs.Balancelightoutputbyusingseveralsockets;usehigher-wattagebulbsforfixtureswithfewersockets.

114GETGROUNDEDAgroundfaultcircuitinterrupter(GFCI)isatypeofelectricaloutletthathelpsprotectpeoplefromshocksduetohazardousgroundfaults.Groundfaultsoccurwhenanelectricalcurrent“leaks”orfollowsanunsafedirectioninsteadoffollowingitsintendedpath.Whenagroundfaultoccursandelectricityfromanappliancepassesthroughtheperson’sbody,theresultingshockcancauseseriousinjuryorevendeath.GFCIsdetectwhencurrentisleakingfromanelectricalcircuittogroundandautomaticallyshutoffthepoweratthereceptacleinafractionofasecond.

GFCIsnotonlyprotectwhat’spluggedintothembutalsoprovidefeed-throughprotectiontoordinaryoutletswireddownstream(otheroutletsonthesamecircuit).TheULstandardhasbeenrecentlyupdatedtorequirethatGFCIsbeself-testing,whichincorporatesanauto-monitoringfeatureintotheGFCIs,beginninginmid-2015.

INDOORSBathrooms,kitchens,laundryrooms,oranyotherplacearoundthehousewithawatersourcewithin6feetofthereceptacleneedsGFCIprotection.Remember:Electricityandwatercanbeadeadlycombination,sokeepappliancessuchasradiosorhairdryersawayfromsinks,tubs,orpools.

OUTDOORSProtectoutdoorreceptacles,includinganyaroundpools,decks,andpatios,usingGFCIswithweatherproofcovers.Plugpoolpumps,hottubs,andanyoutdoorappliancesintoGFCIoutlets.

115KEEPUPWITHTECHNOLOGYTechnologyismovingfast;electricaladvancementsarenoexception.Hereareacoupleofcooloptionsforyourhome.

USBENABLEDOfferingasimplesolutiontochargeawiderangeofelectronicdevices,thenewerduplexelectricalreceptaclesnowoftencomeequippedwithaUSBinterface.Increasinglypopularinhomesandbusinesses,thesereplacethestandardACduplexreceptacleandeliminatetheneedforbulkyadaptersbyincludingasetofintegratedUSBchargingports.Thesenewreceptaclesmakeiteasytoquicklychargevirtuallyanyapplicableelectronicdevice,includingsmartphones,tablets,e-readers,MP3players,cameras,andmore.

WIRELESSSWITCHESAnothernewhomeelectricaltrendisthegrowingpopularityofwirelessswitches.Thesebattery-poweredswitchescontrolhomelightingoptionsbyradiofrequency.Theadvantagehereisthatyoucanplace

thelightswitchanywhereinthehomewithouttheneedtowireitintotheelectricalsystem,whichsavesalotoftimeandwork.Mountittoanywallsurfaceorevenholdthedeviceinyourhand.Afewofthenewswitchescanwirelesslycontroluptofivelightsourcessimultaneouslyfromanywhereinthehome.Oncetheswitchisinstalled,itsearchesforinstallabledevicesandultimatelysynchronizesitselfwiththem,grantingremote-controlcapability.UsingZ-wavewirelesstechnology,theswitchoperatesonadedicatedradiofrequencysoitdoesnotinterferewithWi-Fiorotherwirelesscommunicationsinthehouse.

116TESTYOURGFCIGFCIssoldtodayofferimprovedprotectionbyautomaticallyblockingtheoutlet’sresetbutton(ensuringthatnopowerisavailable)ifthey’reimproperlywired.Withbothnewerandoldermodels,it’simportanttoperiodicallytestyourinstalledGFCIs(followingthemanufacturer’sinstructionsasyoudoso)toensurethey’reworkingproperly.

STEP1PluganightlightorlampintotheGFCI.

STEP2TurnthelightonandpushtheTESTbuttonontheGFCI.TheGFCIshouldtripandthelightshouldgooff.

STEP3PresstheRESETbuttontoresettheGFCI;thelightshouldcomebackon.

STEP4IfthelighteitherdoesnotgooffwhentheTESTbuttonispressedordoesnotcomebackonwhentheRESETbuttonispressed,thedeviceismalfunctioningandshouldbereplacedatonce.

117KNOWYOUROUTLETSThebasicoutletintheUnitedStateshasapairofverticalslots,theleftslightlybiggerthantheright.Theleftslotisneutral,therightslotis“hot”;theholecenteredbelowthemistheground.Outletsandplugsvaryaroundtheworld,butthesebasiccomponentsarefoundeverywhereinsomeconfiguration.

Weprobablydon’thavetotellyouwhygroundingissoimportant,butitbearsrepeatingsinceagoodgroundcanliterallymeanthedifferencebetweenlifeanddeath.Mostofthethingsyoupluginaremadeofmetal,oratleast

havesignificantmetalcomponents,makingforapotentialshockrisk.Ifawirecomeslooseinsideanappliance,contactingmetalinsidethecase,theentireobjectisnow“hot,”andanyonewhotouchesitcangetanastyshock.Ifit’spluggedintoagroundedoutlet,asitshouldbe,thatchargewillflowstraighttogroundinsteadoftryingtogothroughyouinapotentiallydeadlyway.

118ASSESSYOUROPTIONSIfyouliveinahomethatwasbuiltbeforethe1970s,itlikelyhasatleastsometwo-prongedoutlets.Thenow-familiarstandardgrounded,three-prongedmodelfirstappearedbackinthe1960sandbecamemandatoryforhomesbuiltafter1974intheUnitedStates.Olderhousesweregrandfatheredinundermostbuildingcodes,soyoumaynotberequiredtoreplacetheoutlets—butyoushouldconsiderit.Ifmoneyandtimeisnoobject,thebestthingwouldbetoreplacealltheoldoutletswithgrounded,three-prongoutlets.Butiftimeandmoneyaretight,herearesomeoptions.

INSTALLAGFCIAtwo-prongedslotthat’ssafebyyourbedisarealriskinakitchenorbathroom(oranywhereelseitmightgetwet).AGFCIisasafersolution(seeitem114).YouneedtoputawarninglabelonanyungroundedGFCI(thelabelscomeintheboxwhenyoubuyone)andit’snotassafeasafullygroundedoutlet,butitwillprovideprotectionagainstelectricalshocks.

REPLACEITENTIRELYSensitiveappliances(suchasacomputerorplasmaTV)shouldbepluggedintoanoutletthathasaproperlygroundedcircuitallthewaybacktothecircuitbreakers.ADIYerwhoiscomfortablewithelectricalworkcaneasilytakecareofthis.

119REPLACEATWO-PRONGEDOUTLETThefirststepbelowisabsolutelycrucial—donotcontinueifthemetalboxthat’sholdingyourcurrenttwo-prongedoutletisnotgrounded.Evenwhentheoutletisn’tgrounded,theboxusuallyis,soit’sunlikelytobeanissue.Theboxesinolderhomesaregenerallywiredwitharmored(orBX)cable,whichhasaflexiblemetaljacketthatessentiallyservesasagroundingwireforthebox.

STEP1Checkforground.Insertoneprongofacircuittesterintotheshorterslot(thehotone),andtouchtheothertooneofthescrewssecuringtheplasticcoverplate.Thetestershouldlightuptoindicateaproperground.Ifitturnsoutnottobegrounded,youcanstillinstallaGFCIsafely,butinstallingathree-prongedreceptaclewillbeajobforanelectrician.

STEP2Iftheboxisgrounded,turnoffthepoweratthebreakerpanelorfusebox,thenunscrewthecoverplatefromthewall,removethereceptacle,anddisconnectitfromallwires.

STEP3Toconnectthenewreceptacle,attachthe“hot”blackwiretothebrassterminalintheboxandthewhiteneutralwiretothesilverone.

STEP4Twistoneendofan8-inchgroundingwire(orpigtail)aroundthegreengroundscrewintheoutletbox,andtighten.Ifagroundscrewisn’tpresent,youcanbuyoneinahardwarestore.

STEP5Securetheotherendofthegroundingwiretothegreengroundingterminalonthenewthree-prongedreceptacle.Screwthenewreceptacleintothebox.

STEP6Turnonthepower.Useacircuittestertomakesurethecircuitisworking.

PROTIPUSEAUSBPORTAreyouannoyedbyyourphonetryingtosyncwhileyou’rebusyworking,orjusthavetoomaydevicespluggedintoyourphoneandnotenoughofthecharging-cordadapterplugsthatarealwaysunderfootuntilyoureallyneedone?Severalmanufacturersmakearelativelyeasy-to-installthree-prongedoutletthatalsoincorporatesaUSBport,soyoucanchargedeviceswithoutanadapter.Beawarethatthey’realmosttwiceasthickasastandardreceptacle,whichmaybemorethananolderjunctionboxisengineeredtohandle.Checkfirsttoavoidwastingtime.

120REPLACEASTANDARDSINGLE-POLEBREAKERWhenreplacingacircuitbreaker,standonarubbermatorapieceofplywoodtoinsulateyourselfagainstanelectricalshock.Useaninsulatedscrewdriverandinsulatedwirestrippers.Mosthouseswillhaveacombinationpanel,withamainbreaker,andthenallthebranchcircuitbreakersbelow.

STEP1Removethecovertothebreakerpanelandtestthebreakertoverifythatitisfaulty.

STEP2Beforeshuttingoffthemainbreaker,firstshutoffallbranchcircuitbreakers.Double-checkwithavoltagemeterthatthefaultybreakerandadjacentbreakersareshutoff.Mosthomeswillhave“pushin”or“stabin”typesofbreakers.

STEP3Useascrewdrivertodisconnectthewirefromtheloadterminalofthebreaker.Bendthewireoutoftheway.

STEP4Carefullyprythedefectivebreakeroutofitsposition.Takenoteastohowthebreakerlocksintopositioninthepanel.

STEP5Connecttheloadwiretothenewbreaker.Withthenewswitchoff,pushitfirmlyintoplace.Reattachthewiretotheloadterminal.

STEP6Afterthecoverisbackon,turnonthemainbreakerandthen,onebyone,allindividualbreakers.Testallsystemstoseeifeverythingisnormal.Replacethepanelcover.

121CHOOSETHERIGHTREPLACEMENTCircuitbreakersaredesignedtoprotectyourwiresfromcarryingtoomuchcurrentbytrippingoffanoverloadorashortcircuit.Wheneveryouneedtoaddanewcircuit,you’llneedtoinstallanewcircuitbreaker.Occasionallyanexistingcircuitbreakerfailsandneedstobereplaced.Youcansafelyreplaceacircuitbreakerinyourelectricalpanelifyoutaketheproperprecautions.

Beforeyoudoanything,gatheralltheinformationthatyoucan(thebrandname,partnumber,breakersize,breakertype,andsoon)todeterminetheproperreplacement.Althoughsomebreakersareinterchangeable,manyarenot,eveniftheylooksimilar.Replacingwiththewrongbreakercanbedangerousandmayvoidyourbreakerorpanelwarranty.Checkthebreakerpaneldoorforinformationaboutwhichbreakersarecompatiblewithyourpanel.Herearesomecommontypesyoumayfindyourselfdealingwith.

CIRCUITBREAKERTYPE

Standardcircuitbreaker

WHATITDOES

Monitorstheflowofelectricityasitentersthehome.

Single-polebreaker

WHATITDOES

Protectsoneenergizedwireandsupplies120Vtoacircuit.They’regenerallyrated15or20amps,occupyoneslotonabreakerpanel,andarethemostcommonbreakersinahome.

Double-polebreaker

WHATITDOES

Typicallyoccupiestwoslotsonabreakerpanelandconsistsoftwosingle-polebreakersandasharedtripmechanism.Theysupply120V/240Vor240Vtoacircuit,protecttwoenergizedwires,andrangeincapacityfrom15to200amps.Double-polebreakersarerequiredforlargeapplianceslikedryersandwaterheaters.

GFCIcircuitbreaker

WHATITDOES

Cutspowertothecircuitwhenthey’retrippedbyanoverloadofcurrent,ashortcircuit,oraline-to-groundfault.AllGFCIbreakershavetestbuttonsonthefrontandcoiledwires.TheyfunctioninthesamewayasGFCIreceptaclesbutprotectanentirecircuit,eliminatingtheneedforGFCIreceptaclesonthatcircuit.

AFCI(arc-faultcircuit-interrupter)breaker

WHATITDOES

Protectsagainstanunintentionalelectricaldischargeinwiringthatcouldcauseafire.Oncethebreakersensestheabnormalelectricalpath,itinstantlydisconnectsthedamagedcircuitbeforethearcbuildsenoughheattocatchfire.AFCIbreakerslooklikeGFCIbreakerswithtestbuttonsandcoiledwires.Theonlywaytotellthemapartistoreadthefineprintonthebreaker.

122TESTABADBREAKERBeforeyoureplaceacircuitbreaker,makesurethatyou’vecorrectlydiagnosedtheissue.

STEP1Unpluganydevicesalongtheproblemcircuit,turnoffalllights,andfliptheswitchonthebreaker.Ifitresets,youcanthenreconnecttheelectronicdevicesoneattimeandturnonthelightstodeterminewheretheproblemis.

STEP2Turnoffthebreakerbeforepluggingeachitembackin,andthenresetthebreaker.Thispreventsadangeroussurgeofcurrentshouldyouhaveashortcircuitinadevice,whichcansendaveryhighamountofelectricalcurrentbeforethebreakertrips.

STEP3Ifthebreakerwon’treset,testitwithavoltagemeter.Ifthemeterdoesn’treadvoltageontheloadterminal,evenwhenallknownloadsaredisconnected,thenthebreakerisprobablyfaultyandneedsreplacement.

123INSTALLANEWTHERMOSTATThermostatinstallationisafairlysimplejob.Allthat’stypicallyrequiredisaslottedscrewdriver,asmallPhillipsscrewdriver,ahammer,anelectricdrill/driver,a -inchbit,andtwoAAbatteries.

STEP1Cutpowertothethermostatandfurnace.Removethethermostat’scover,whichisusuallyfastenedwithplasticpushtabs.

STEP2Unscrewtheoldunit.Thewiresmightbemountedtothethermostatorwallplatebyscrews.Eachwirewillbewrappedincolor-codedinsulationthatcorrespondstotheterminalsontherearofthenewthermostat(orwallplate).Whenconnectedtotheexistingthermostat,allofthesewiresareusuallymarkedwithacodeletter.Itmayhelptolabelthemtoavoidconfusion.Thenumberofwiresinasystemcanvaryfromtwo(forheatonly)toasmanyaseight.

STEP3Disconnectthewiresandthenunscrewthewallplatefromthewall.

STEP4Pulloutthewiresandclipthemsotheydon’tslidebackthroughthehole.Thenscrewthemtothecolor-codedterminalsonthenewwallplate.

STEP5Attachthewirestothematchingmountingscrewsofthenewunit.Ignoreanywiresthatwerenotconnectedtotheoldthermostat.Pushextrawiringbackintothehole.Iftheholeinthewallbehindthewallplateislargerthannecessary,sealitwithinsulationtopreventairfromenteringthethermostatandaffectingitstemperaturereading.

STEP6Useatorpedoleveltomakesurethenewwallplateisplumb,thenscrewtheplatetothewall.Drywallmountingrequiresfirstpredrillingtheanchorholeswitha -inchbitandhammeringindrywallanchorstohousethescrews.Youmaygetlucky,asintheinstallationshown,iftheper-existingdrywallanchorsfromtheoldthermostathappentolineupwiththescrewholesonthenewunit.Ifnonewdrillingisrequired,simplylineupthemountholesanddriveinthescrews.

STEP7Fastenthethermostattothewallplate.Ontheunitshown,thethermostatattachesusingpress-releasetabsatthetopandbottomoftheunit.BesurethethermostatissettoOFFandthefanswitchissettoAUTO.InsertthetwoAAbatteries.Switchonthemainpowertothefurnace.

STEP8Programthethermostataccordingtothemanufacturer’sguidelines.You’llsoonbesavingenergyandmoney,andhelpingtheenvironment.

124UPGRADEYOURTHERMOSTATProgrammablethermostatsautomaticallyadjustyourhome’stemperaturesettingsseveraltimesadaytofityourlifestyle.Theseunitscontainnomercury,aremoreaccuratethanmanualthermostats,andcanalsosaveyoumoneyeachyearinenergycosts.

Programmablethermostatsincludefourdefaultperiodsperday.Theymaintainaccuracywithintwodegreestokeepthetemperaturesteady.Thenewestprogrammablethermostatsalsohavedigitalbacklitdisplays,touch-padscreenprogramming,voiceand/orphoneprogramming,andotherhelpfulfeatures.

You’llfindthreetypesofprogrammableunits,eachofthemequallyeasytoinstall.

TYPE

7-daymodels

DESCRIPTION

Thebestchoiceifyourdailyschedulechangesoften.Theseofferthemostflexibilitybyallowingyoutosetdifferentprogramsfordifferentdays.

5+2-daymodels

DESCRIPTION

Usethesamescheduleeveryweekdayandanotherscheduleforweekends.

5-1-1-daymodels

DESCRIPTION

KeeponescheduleMondaythroughFriday,anotherscheduleonSaturdays,andathirdonSundays.

PROTIPHAVEASMARTHEATEROnenewadvancementinthermostattechnologyisamodelthatlearnsthetemperaturesyoulikeandprogramsitselfinaboutaweek.Thethermostatturnsitselfdownwhennooneishometohelpyousaveenergy,andyoucanevenconnectittoWi-Fiforremotecontrol.Thenewtechevenalertshomeownerswhentemperaturesdroptohelpavoidfrozenpipes.

125CustomizeLandscapeLightingOutdoorlightsystemsarewiredupusingeitherline-voltageorlow-voltagepower.Heavy-dutyline-voltagewiringplugsintoGFCIoutdooroutlets,andthewiresshouldbeburiedinaconduit.Themorecommonlow-voltagesystemsplugintoatransformer.Thewiresofalow-voltagesystemarethinandcanbeburieddiscreetlyinthesoil.

Homecenterssellmulti-fixtureDIYkitsforlow-voltagesystems.Orpurchaseindividualfixtures,wiring,andtransformerseparatelyandcustomizeasystem.Smallplasticfixturescostaslittleasafewdollars.Moredurablemetalfixturesareabouttwiceasexpensive.

STEP1Chooseatransformer,orpowerpack,thatoffersawattageoutputgreaterthanthetotalwattageofallthelightfixturesinthesystem.Forexample,let’ssayasystemincludesfour7-wattfixtures,two11-watt,andtwo35-wattfixtures:7+7+7+7+11+11+35+35=120wattstotal.Inthiscase,youwouldneedtohaveatransformerthatoffersacapacityofatleast121watts.(Somearealsoequippedwithbuilt-intimingand/orphotocelldevices—popularfeaturesformanyhomeowners.)

STEP2Determinethenumberandstyleoffixturesyouneed.Walktheperimeterofyourhome,notingareastoilluminate.Sketchtheplanongraphpaper,notingkeyfeaturessuchastrees,shrubbery,paths,decks,andpatios.(Spacepathlightsaminimumof10feetapart.Dependingonwattage,floodlampswillcastlight20to40feet.)

STEP3Locatea120-voltGFCIoutletforyourpowerpack.Certainmanufacturersoffer“weatherproof”outdoorpowerpacks.Professionalsstilldosuggestkeepingthetransformerinsidetoavoidtheelements,whichrequiresyoutodrillthroughawalltorunthecable.Thetransformershouldbemountedwithin3feetoftheoutletandatleast1footabovetheground.

STEP4Determinethelengthofcableyou’regoingtoneedforthisprojectbymeasuringthedistancefromtheoutlettothefarthestfixturelocation.Includethelengthofcablethatbranchesoffthemainline.Allowforseveralfeetofextracable.Cableforlow-voltagesystemsisavailablein8-,10-,12-,and16-gaugesizes.Theappropriatecablesizedependsonthemaximumlengthofrunfromthetransformerandthetotalwattageofthelightsintherun.Checkthecablemanufacturer’srecommendations.

STEP5Diganarrowchannelforthecableatleast6inchesdeepfromthetransformertoeachfixturelocation.Ateachfixturelocation,createaloopofcable(about2feet)fortheattachmentofthefixture.

STEP6Placeeachfixtureatitsdesiredlocation,attachingthefixturetothepropermountingdevice.“Surfacemounts”areusedforplacingfixturesontreesorstructures.“Groundmounts”arestakesorspikesdrivenintothegroundtosupportthefixture.

STEP7Connecttheleadwireofthefixturetothecablerunbysplicingthewirestogetherusingwirenuts(applyasealantandelectricaltapetopreventcorrosion,orsolderthewirestoensureastrongconnection).Cableconnectorsareaquickwaytospliceafixture’sleadwiretothecablerun;somemanufacturersevensupplytheconnectorsalongwiththefixtures.

STEP8Pluginthetransformer,connectallofyourcablerunstothetransformerterminals,andturnonthesystem.Ifthere’sanytrouble,recheckallwiringconnections.Oncethesystemfunctionsproperly,fillinthecabletrenchthatyouduginstep5,andyou’rereadytolightupthenight.

126FIGHTTHEFUNGIMoldisatopconcernforindoorairqualityinhomesnationwide.Moldandmildewarebothfungiandsharemanytraits.Theythriveinwarm,moist,andhumidenvironmentsandonsurfaces.Theycanblackenthegroutlinesinyourshower,discolorthewalls,darkenyourdecks,orrotwoodanywhereinoraroundthehome.Fromcausingmustysmellstoseriousallergicreactions,indoormoldandmildewcanbeapeskynuisanceorahealthhazard.

KNOWTHEDIFFERENCEMoldistypicallyfuzzyinappearance andcanbeseeninmanycolors,includingblue,green,yellow,brown,gray,black,orwhite.Moldcancausestructuraldamagetohomesovertimeandleadtohealthproblems,includingrespiratoryproblems,migraines,andmore.Mildewwillusuallygrowinaflatpattern andmaybepowderyordowny.Powderymildewusuallystartsoutwhiteandthenmightlaterturntoyellow,brown,orblack.Downymildewusuallystartsoutyellowandlaterturnsbrown.Likemold,itcanalsoleadtorespiratoryproblemsandallergicreactions.

TELLBYSMELLMustyodorscanbeasignofmoldgrowth,butsuchasmellmayalsoindicateaninfestationofmice.Microfungalgrowthofmoldandmildewcansometimesbedifficulttospot.Tryshiningaflashlightnearlyparalleltothelowerportionofwallorlegoffurniture.Lookforanyfuzzywhite,paleyellow,orblue-greenspots.Thesearelikelymoldcolonies;whendisturbed,thesporescanbecomeairborneandemitamustyodor.

127SPOTCLEANWhenyou’recleaningupmildewandmold,ventilateyourworkarea;severalcleanserscangiveofffumesthatareharmfultobreathe.Wearrubbergloves,anduseafacemasktoavoidbreathinginsporesandanyfumesgivenoffbythecleaningproduct.

Forasimplehouseholdsolution,mix¼cupofbleachpergallonofwater,sprayonsurfacesshowingmoldgrowth,andletdryfor10minutes.Nevermixbleachandammonia,whichcreatestoxicchlorinegas.

Bleachisoftenusedtokillsporesandcleansurfaces,butithasharshfumesandcanbetoxic,andthemoldcanreturn.Also,whenitattacksthesurfacemold,itleavesaresiduethatpreventsotherantimicrobialproductsfrompenetratingtothemoldrootsorhyphae.Ifyou’vetreatedanareawithbleach,cleantheareawithwarmwateranddetergent;oncetheareaisdry,

applyacommercialantimicrobialproducttothesurroundingareaaswellaswhereyouactuallyseethemoldandmildew,toensureyouremovealltraces.

Removeanyitemsthatcannotbethoroughlycleaned,suchasinsulation,carpeting,anddrywall,andreplacethosewithnewmold-freematerials.

128TACKLEMAJORDAMAGEIfyourhomehassufferedanywaterdamagefromflooding,sewagebackup,orplumbingproblems,itwillbepronetoamoldinfestation.Theworstpartofthisisthespeedwithwhichmolddevelops—fromonly24to48hoursofwaterexposure.

DRYOUTSetoutfansanddehumidifiers,andmovewetitemsawayfromwallsandoffofthefloors.Findoutthesourceofmoistureandthenpreventitfromworseningtheproblem.

TOSSTHETRASHItemsthathaveabsorbedmoistureandhavemoldgrowingonthemneedtobethrownout.Iftherehasbeenflooding,removethesheetrockalevelabovethehigh-watermark.Anykindofporousmaterialthatshowsvisiblesignsofmoldshouldbethrownaway.

CLEANUPSurfacemoldgrowingonanynonporousmaterialscanusuallybecleaned.Thoroughlyscrubcontaminatedsurfacesusinghotwater,non-ammoniasoap,detergent,orcommercialcleaner.Useastiffbrushtoscruboutallcontaminants.Rinsewithcleanwater,andcollecttheexcessrinsewateranddetergentwithawet/dryvacuum,amop,orasponge.

DISINFECTApplyableachsolutionorantimicrobialcleanertosurfacesthatshowanymoldgrowth.Aneffectivewaytoeliminatemoldandmustysmellsinlargeorinaccessiblespacesistousea“coldfogger.”Afoggerwillcreateamold-controlmistthatdistributesthecleanerevenlythroughoutthelivingspace,evenintohard-to-accessareas,crushingthemoldsporesasitdries.

LOOKOUTBealerttothesignsofmoldreturningtotheareasofpastinfestation.Ifitdoesreturn,repeatcleaningstepsor,incasesofheavyinfestation,seekprofessionalhelp.Regrowthisusuallyasignthatthemoisturehasnotefficientlybeencontrolled.

PROTIPSPOTTHEPRIMESUSPECTTopreventgrowthonpaintfilm,newermold-killingprimersnowcontainanEPA-registeredantimicrobialagent.Youcanapplytheprimerdirectlytoanyproblemareaswithoutextensivepreparation,andpaintoverandkillanysurfacemold,mildew,andodor-causingbacteria.Thiswater-basedprimercanbeusedonnonporousinteriorandexteriorsurfacesandisrecommendedforbathrooms,basements,windowframes,andmore.

129SEALYOURHOMEUPTIGHTAswe’vediscussedalready,watercanbeyourhome’sworstenemy,causingcosmeticandstructuraldamage,andleadingtomoldandmildewinfestations.Watercanseepinanumberofways,sobesurethatyourhome’sexterioriswellsealed.

ROOFReplaceanymissingordamagedshingles.Lookforanyexposedorprotrudingnails;replacethemwithlargerhot-dipgalvanizedtypesiftheflashingisgalvanizedsheetmetal,orstainlesssteelnailsiftheflashingismadeofstainlesssteel.Removemossandlichengrowthanywhereontheroofusingabroomorgardenhosethathasaspraynozzle.Removedebrisbuildupinvalleysandatwall-to-roofintersections.Inspectflashingaroundchimneyandpenetrations.Ifflashingiscrackedorpulledoff,callforexpertrepairs

GUTTERSANDDOWNSPOUTSCleangutterswithablower,hose,orbroom.Ahosecanhelppinpointleaksandothertroublespots.Useguttercementoncracks,orreplacetheguttersectionsaccordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructions.Replacerustedscrewsandensuredownspoutsdrainawayfromthehouse.

WINDOWS,DOORS,ANDSIDINGInspectandrecaulksiding,windows,utilitypenetrationsanddoors.Placeafoambackerrodinanyseamsmorethan½inchwideor¼inchdeep.Checkthatalloftheweatherstrippingarounddoorsandwindowsissealedtightlytopreventmoisturefromentering.Inspectallstuccoandbricksurfacesforcrackedmortar;repairitwithpatchkitsfromyourhardwarestore.Keepaminimum6inchesofclearancebetweenthesidingandtheground.

130KEEPTHEWATEROUTYouryardisaprimesuspectinwaterdamage.Checkthefollowingareatobesurethewaterstayswhereyouwantit:outdoors!

SPRINKLERSWateryourplants,notyourhouse.Redirectlawnsprinklerssotheydonotwetthesiding,windows,orfoundationwalls.Overwateringyourlawnorplantscancreatemoistureandmoldproblemseveninsummer.

LANDSCAPINGTrimplantlifeawayfromthesiding.Largeshrubsorvegetationmayneedtobemovedifthefoliagepersistentlycontactsthehouse’ssiding,windows,orutilitypenetrationssuchasdryervents.Treerootscaninterferewithperimeterfootingdrainsystems,disruptingtheflowofwaterawayfromthehouseandcausingdampnessorfloodingalongthefoundationandintothebasement.Designyourlandscapingtominimizepotentialrootblockageofundergroundpipes.

DRAINAGEMakesurethattheperimetergroundisslopingawayfromthefoundation.Ifanydownspoutsdead-endnearthefoundation,addsomesplashblockstoredirectwaterawayfromthehome.

Inspecttheoutdoordeckconnectiontothehouse.Thisisamajorsourceofwaterintrusionthatoftengoesunnoticed.Thisledgerconnectionshouldbeflashedandhavesufficientspacebetweentheledgerboardandthedeckboardstoallowdrainageawayfromthehouse.

131LOOKFORMOISTUREOnceyou’vecheckedwaysthattheexteriorofyourhomemightbelettingwaterin,it’stimetomoveindoorsandinvestigatethesecommonproblemspots.

VENTILATIONInstalltimersonbathroomandlaundryfans,andrunfansfor20minutesaftershowers.Yourbath/kitchen/laundryfanductsshouldventoutsideandneverterminateintheattic.Donotventyourdryersinsidethehome.Useanapprovedaerosolfoamsealanttosealaroundanyceilingpenetrationsthatmayallowmoistairtoflowintotheatticspace.Placefoamrubberinsulationgasketsaroundatticspaceaccesspanels.

ATTICBeonthelookoutforwaterstainsontheundersideoftheroof,rustednails,anddiscoloredmoldysectionsonanysurface.Ifyoufindanyofthesewarningsigns,lookforthesourceofthemoisture,possiblyafaultyventthatisn’tdirectingairtotheoutside.Alsocheckthatthereisroomforairtoflowfromtheeaves(soffitvents)intotheatticspaceandouttheupperroofvents.

KITCHENANDBATHInspectplumbingfixturesundersinksandtoiletsandaroundshowerandtubenclosures.Lookforstains,cracks,andmoldoncaulkandrepairasnecessary.Usetileandmarblesealersannuallyorasrecommendedbymanufacturers.

BASEMENTCheckyourbasementandcrawlspaceforanymoistureproblems:standingwater,moldonfloorjoists,orrustonmetalfasteners.

Replacelooseormissingbattinsulation.Ifthecrawlspaceisnotinsulated,installa6-millimeterpolyethylenevaporbarrieroverexposedground.Ifyoufindseriousmoisturedamageorstandingwaterineitherthecrawlspaceorbasement,callacontractortorepairandcorrectthesourceoftheproblem.

132UPGRADEYOURLOOKKnowinghowto“accessorize”isthewaythatmanyfashionistasdescribetheirpenchantforflauntingjewelry;someinteriordesignershavethatsameoutlookonhouseholdhardware.Ifyouconsiderthevastnumberofknobs,pulls,hinges,handles,andevenheatingregistersthatpermeatethehome,youmayrealizethathardwaremakesupamajorcomponentandcanreallymakeavisualstatement.Classycabinetknobsandprettydrawerpullscanmakeanoldpieceoffurniturelookdecadesnewerandhelpfocustheoveralldesignofaroom.

GOCLASSICAtraditionalruleofthumbhasbeentomatchmaterialstotheexistingdécor,forexample,bychoosinggraniteknobstomatchthecountertops,orpurchasingpullswiththesamemetalandfinish,suchasstainlesssteelwithstainlesssteel,andcopperwithcopper.However,thatideatookholdwhentherewaslessofanassortmentofdecorativeoptions.Withsuchanamazingarrayavailabletoday,allthoseoldrulesaretakingabackseattoamoreintuitiveapproachinwhichanythinggoes,aslongasitlooksgood.

MAKEITMODERNModernoptionsnotonlyincludecrystal,ceramic,andwoodbutalsoawiderangeofmetalfinishessuchasbrushednickel,antiquebrass,zincplate,andmanymore—toomanytolist.Hardwarestoresandhomecentersofferplentyofchoicesforinspection,butthewidestselectionandbestcostsavingsformajorhousepurchasesareoftenfoundwithonlineretailers.

Styleisapersonalchoice,butsizeisnot,andyourselectionofcabinetanddrawerhardwarewillofcoursebelimitedinsize.Whenyouremoveapieceofhardware,thereplacementshouldfitthesamemountingholes,orcoverthem.Forpaint-gradefurniturepieces,youmaygetawaywithfillingtheoldholes,repainting,anddrillingnewlocations,butthisisn’trecommendedwherewoodgrainisexposed.

133COMEUNHINGEDWhenorderinghardwareforcabinets,you’llalsoneedmatchinghinges.Thefinishshouldmatchthedécor,andnewhingesshouldmatchthesizeandshapeoftheoldones.Face-framecabinetshaveaframeoverthetopoftheopeningandneedface-framemountedhinges;otherhingeshavearecessedoverlay.Checkhowmuchoverlaythehingesneed.Cabinetdoorscompletelyontopofcabinetfacesrequireafulloverlayhinge.Ifthere’sonlyapartialoverlay,usea⅜-inchinsethingedoorthatcompletelyconcealsthehingefromsightwhenthedoorisclosed.

Tochangehingesonacabinet(orwhenreplacingadoor),removethelowerhingesfirsttokeeptheunsecuredweightofthedoorfromstressingthelowerhardwareortearingthewood.Fastenthenewtophingefirst,andstoreoldhardwareuntiltheswapiscomplete.Ifthenewboltsaren’tright,youmaybeabletousetheoldones.

134PAINTYOURREGISTERSReplacinganold,uglymetalHVACregistercanridtheroomofaneyesore.However,replacingawholehousefullofthemcangetprettyexpensive.Overtime,metalHVACregistersaccumulaterustandgrime.Youhavethreeoptions:leavethemasis,replacethem,orpaintthem.

Paintingisdefinitelyacheaperimprovement,andcompaniesaremakingsomeverycoolnewspray-paintformulasthatmimicthelookofantiquehammeredmetal,namelycopper,bronze,andsilver(althoughmorecolorsareavailable).TheregistershownherewasthoroughlycleanedandthengivenacoatofRust-Oleum’s“HammeredBronze”paint.Afterward,itlookedbrandnewandstylish—forafractionofthecostofreplacingit.

PROTIPMOUNTUPWheneveryouneedtomakenewmountingholesinhardwood,alwayspredrillthefastenerholestopreventsplittingthewood.Totightenaloosehingescrew,removethescrewandtappiecesoftoothpickintothescrewhole.Cutthetoothpicksflushwiththecabinetface.Reinsertthescrew,andthetoothpickmaterialshouldtightentheconnection.

135HANDLEITMostcabinetdoorhandleshavetwomountingholesthatyouneedtomatchpreciselywhenreplacing;spacingisnotuniversal.Measurethehandleorpullatthepointbetweenthepairofholestotheclosest⅛inch.Removal(alongwithreplacement)willrequireonlyascrewdriver,usuallyonethathasaPhillips-headtip.Youmightstill,however,comeacrossanescutcheon—aplatebehindcertaintypesofdrawerpulls—butthesecanberemovedwithasmallcat’s-pawtoolor(carefully)priedupwithaputtyknife.

136INSTALLCUSTOMCLOSETSHELVESOrganizingaclosetbyaddingshelvessupportedby1X2woodcleatsisafairlysimpleprocedureandcanaddmuch-neededstorage.

STEP1Marktheelevation(topsurface)ofeachplannedshelfonthebackwallofthecloset.Whenyou’remarkingtheelevation,takeintoaccountthethicknessofeachshelf(often¾inch)aswellastheheightofthecleats(1¾inch).

STEP2Marklevelhorizontallinesalongthewalltoindicatethetopsoftheshelves.Thenmarkoutsecondaryhorizontallinesthatindicatethebottomofeachshelf.

STEP3Cut1X2woodstripsintocleatsthatfitflushbetweenthesidewallsofthecloset.Positioneachcleatalongthelowerlinethatindicatesthebottomoftheshelfandfastenitintothewallstudsusinganairnailer.

STEP4Levelandfastenthesidesupportcleatstothesidewalls,whichintersectflushwiththerearcleat.Thesidecleatscanbecuttomatchthedepthoftheshelves,ortheycanextendallthewaytotheoppositewallifyouplantoinstallfullshelvesonthreewallsofthecloset.

STEP5Cuttheshelfmaterialtofitoverthesupportcleatsandflushagainstthethreewalls.Fromthebottom,tilttheshelvestoinstallthemoverthecleats,andfastenthemintothecleatswith1½-inchnails.Shelvesareoftenbuiltfrom¾-inchMDFstockorotherpaint-gradewoodproduct,whichyoucanthenfinishtoyourpreference.Forwraparoundshelvesmountedtothreewallsofthecloset,consideraddingverticalpartitionstocompartmentalizethestoragespaceforincreasedorganization.

137MOUNTSHELVESTheeasiestwaytomountashelfonawallisbyusingtheright-angleshelfbracketscommonlysoldathomecentersandhardwarestores.They’reavailableinawidearrayofstyles,finishes,andweight-bearingcapacities.TheseL-shapedbracketsmountintowallstudsusingstrongscrews,andtheshelfisthenscrewedtothebracket.

SMALLSHELVESYoucanfirstlocatethestudcenterswithanelectricstudfinder.Measurethedistancebetweenthestudswhereyou’llmounttheshelves.Onthebottomoftheshelf,centerandthenmarkthecorrespondingbracketlocations.Screwthebracketstotheshelveswiththereararmsflushwiththebackoftheshelf.Leveltheshelfonthewallandscrewthebracketsintothewallstuds.

LONGSHELVESYoumightfinditeasiertomarkalevellineonthewalltoindicatethetopoftheshelfbrackets.Lineupthebracketsalongthelineandscrewthemsecurelyintothestuds.Centertheshelfoverthebracketsandmountwithscrewsfrombelow.

PROTIPFLOATYOURSHELVESFloatingshelvesaremadetohoveronthewallwithnovisiblebracketsormountinghardware.Therebeingnobracketstocontendwith,theshelvescanoftenbesituatedmorecloselytogether,thusgrantingmoreroomformoreshelves.Floatingshelvesarebasicallymadeofflat,hollowboxes.Dependingonthemethodofconstruction,thehollowshelfmountstoeithermetalrodsorawoodencleatthatfitinsidetherearoftheboxandsupportsitfromwithin.Therodsorcleatarefastenedsecurelyintothewallstudsforthestrongestholdingpower.

138JOINTHEINDUSTRYYoucanmakerugged“industrialstyle”shelvesusingsupportbracketsmadefrom¾-inchthreadedgalvanizedpipe,floorflangesandendcaps.Assemblethebracketsfromthepipecomponentsandcoatthemusingablackspraypaintwithahammeredfinishforawrought-ironappearance.Theshelvescanbecutfrom2×lumberandstainedtoyourpreference.Fastenthroughtheflangesofthebracketsintothewallstudsusingheavy-dutywoodscrewsforsturdyholdingpower.

139REMOVEOLDWALLPAPERRemovingwallpaperissometimesanecessaryevilifyouplantogiveyourwallsapro-qualitypaintfinish.Paintingoverwallpaperwillnotconcealseamsorkeepthepaperfrompeelingincorners.Plus,anypaintcancausethepapertowrinkleorbubble.Forthebestresults,youshouldremovethewallpaperbeforepainting.

Lookforanyloosecornersorseams,andifyoudon’tfindone,makeone.Givetheloosetabaslow,controlledyank.Youmightbeabletopeelawaylargesectionsofpaperbyhandwithlittleeffort.Movealongthewall,pullingoffallthepaperyoucan,becausethefollow-upmethodsrequiremoretimeandwork.Useadropclothtocatchthedebris.

Thepaperwon’talwayscompletelycomeawayfromthewallwhilepullingitoffbyhand,however.Theadhesiveonthebackcanbestubbornlyfusedtothepaperfaceofthedrywall.Toremovethepaperwithoutdamagingthewallsurface,youwillneedtoweakenthechemicalbondoftheglue.Therearetwowaystodothis:aliquidwallpaperstripper,orasteam-poweredstripper.

PROTIPPREPBEFOREPAINTINGAfterremovingwallpaper,washthewallseveraltimestoremoveglueresidue.Usefreshwaterandasponge.Otherwise,theresiduewillimpairthebondingofthepaintandcauseittopeel.Useaboxfantohastenthedryingprocess.Oncethewalliscompletelydry,applyacoatofprimer,thenpaint.

140KNOWTHESCOREBeforeyouremovewallpaper,youshouldfirstuseaperforationtooltoabradethepapersothatitcanabsorbliquid(whetherchemicalsorwater).Thistoolissoldatmosthardwarestores;it’sbasicallyapalm-sizehandlethathouseswheeledspurs.Applyjustenoughpressuretoperforatethepaperwithoutdamagingthedrywall.Alternatively,scorethepaperwiththeedgeofawallscraperinacrisscrosspatternwith6-inchspacing.

141USEACHEMICALSTRIPPERUsingachemicalwallpaperstripperisoneoftheeasiestandleastexpensivemethodstodothejob.Here’showtodoitright.

STEP1Mixtheliquidwallpaperremoverwithhotwater,accordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructions.

STEP2Useapaintrollerorspraybottletoapplytheremovertotheperforatedpaper.Waitabout10minutesfortheremovertoweakentheadhesive,andthenpeeloffasmuchasyoucanwithyourhands.

STEP3Forstubbornswathsofpaper,lightlyusea3-inchscraperatashallow

angletoscrapethepaperwithoutnickingthewall.

142STRIPWITHSTEAMIfyoufrequentlyremodelorredecorate,considerinvestinginasteam-poweredwallpaperstripper.Thesetoolseliminatetheneedtousechemicalsandcanbereusedoverandover.Thesimpleststeamersrequireonlythattheuserfillthetankwithwaterandplugthecordinanoutlettostarttheheatingelement.Oncethewaterheatsup,thesteamthatisgeneratedescapesthroughahose.Attheendofthehoseasteamplatecollectsthesteamoveratargetedarea.

Justholdthesteamplateflattothewallpaperforabout10seconds.Thesteamwillheatanddampenthepaper,whichloosenstheglue.Movetheplateontothespotimmediatelynexttotheonejuststeamed,fromwhichthepapershouldeasilycomeoffwithalittlebitofencouragementfromawallscraper.Thispatternshouldallowyoutocontinuouslyremovepaper.Don’tforgetthatsteamishot;waterwillboilat212degreesFahrenheit,sobecarefulwhenusingasteamer.

143SILENCEASQUEAKYFLOORFloorsqueaksarecausedbyflexingofmaterialsintheflooringorsubfloor,whichusuallyrubsagainstanailoradjoiningfloorboardtocreatethenoise.Alooseboardisacommonculprit.

USEASHIMTheeasiestwaytofixafloorisfrombelow.Ifthefloorisaboveabasementorcrawlspace,youmighthaveexposedfloorjoists;thesimplestsolutionistotightentheconnectionbetweenthesqueakyfloorandthejoist.Wedgeashimbetweenthetopofthejoistandthesubfloor.Useahammertotapinjustenoughmaterialtoclosethegapandtightenthejoint.Constructionadhesivecanholdtheshiminplacewhenthewoodcontracts.

SCREWITIfyouknowwhichboardshavecomeloose,youmightbeabletotightenthemfrombelowwithascrewandalargewasher.Drillapilotholeupthroughthesubfloorusingadrillbitslightlynarrowerthanthescrew.Considerthethicknessofthesubfloor,alongwiththefinishedflooring,anduseashortenoughscrewthatwon’tpenetratethroughthefinishedfloorwhendrivenin;itspointshouldremain¼inchbelowthefloorsurface.Insertthescrewandwasherintothehole,drivingitupthroughthesubfloorintothefloorboard,pullingthelayerstogetheragainstthewasher.

ADDACLEATForlargerareasthathavemultiplelooseboards,wedgeawoodcleatbeneaththesubfloorandfastenittothefloorjoist.Positiona1X4or1X6cleatagainstthejoistandthesubfloorandpropitinplacewitha2X4.Hammer-tapthe2X4towedgethecleattothesubfloor.Fastenthecleattothejoistwith2-to3-inchnailsorscrews.

BRIDGETHEGAPIfthefloorsqueaksacrossalargearea,thefloorjoistsmightbeshiftingasthehousesettles.Toreinforcethem,naildiagonalbridgingbetweenjoistsinanXpattern.Youcancutyourownpiecestofitorpurchaseprecutwoodenormetalbridgingfromahomecenter.

144STABILIZEAFLOORAfloormaybesolidlyconstructedandadequatelysupportedbutstillhaveadegreeof“bounce”orvibrationwhenpeoplearemovingthroughouttheroom.Thisisusuallynotamajorproblem,butshouldbeaddressedifyourplantoinstallatilefloor,becauseanyminoramountofdeflectionwithinthesubfloorcouldresultincrackedgroutorflooring.Ifyoucangainaccessbeneaththesubfloor,youcanconstructaperpendiculargirderandpierstohelplevelthejoistsandstabilizetheframingwithadditionalsupportthatconnectstotheground.

145REPAIRACARPETBUBBLEA“bubble”inawall-to-wallcarpetisanareaoftherugthatliftsabovethesubfloorandcreatesunsightlyhillsorridgesinthefinishedsurface.Itcanbeexpensivetohavethecarpetprofessionallyrestretchedtoeliminatethesebubbles.However,there’sasimpleandlow-costmethodtorepairthecarpetthattakesonlyafewminutestocomplete.Allyouneedisabottleofcarpet-seamglue,alargesyringe,pliers,andatowel.

STEP1Analyzethelayofthecarpetthroughouttheroomtolocatealltheareasofloosecarpetingthatneedtoberepaired.Purchaseenoughcarpet-seamadhesivetoaddressthesquarefootagethatyourequire.

STEP2Usingalargesyringe,justliketheonesusedtoinjectmarinadeintoyourThanksgivingturkey,drawglueintothesyringe.

STEP3Useplierstogentlyliftthecarpetoffthesubfloor/paddingatthemidpointofthebubble.Piercethecarpetwiththesyringeandanglethetiptowardtheedgeofthebubble.

STEP4Depresstheplungerandthenrotatethesyringesotheglueisappliedinacircularpattern,coveringasmuchoftheloosecarpetareaaspossible.Asyouemptythesyringe,drawtheneedlepartiallyoutofthecarpetsothegluecontactsthecenterofthebubbleaswellastheperiphery.

STEP5Workingfromthecenteroutward,pressthecarpetfirmlyintotheadhesiveandspreadthegluebeneaththecarpet.Ifyouhavealaminaterollerorrollingpin,putittowork.

STEP6Placeaflatweightovertherepairedareatoprovideclampingforcewhiletheadhesiveissetting.Heavyboxesorbookswillworksolongastheypressthecarpetflatintotheglue.Keeppressureontheglueaccordingtotheadhesivemanufacturer’srecommendeddryingtime.

Repeatallstepsofthisprocessforanyareasofthefloorthatshowsignsofbubblingand,withanyluck,yourcarpetshouldeventuallystaydownandbubble-free.

146GIVETHREADSSOMETHINGTOGRABScrewsoftencomeloosebecausethewoodthatsurroundsthethreadshasbeenwornout,oftenduetothewearandtearfrommovementovertime.Totightenascrew,thethreadsneedmorematerialtobite.Tofixthis,simplyaddwoodtothehole.

Dependinguponthesizeoftheholeworninthewood,youcanfillitusingawoodengolftee,barbecueskewers,ortoothpicks;intheeventofasizableholeyoucaneventryusingawoodenchopstick.Inapinchyoucouldevenwhittlesomescrapwoodsliversusingapocketknife.

Insertthewoodpickintotheholeasdeepasitwillgo,thencutitflushwiththemouthofthehole.Repeatthisstepuntiltheholeispacked.

Reinsertthescrewandtightenwithascrewdriver.Thethreadsofthescrewshouldcrushagainstthenewwoodfiberswithoutwardpressuretomountsecurelyinsidethehole.

147FINDPARTSONTHEWEBSometimesasimplerepairwon’tbeenoughtofixtheproblem,andyouneedareplacementpart.Whenitcomestofurniture,thosevariousparts—sofalegs,metalbrackets,casterwheels—oftenhaveuniqueshapesthataren’tsoeasytofindatthelocalhardwarestore.Foraspecificcomponent,trylookingonlineforfurniture-partsupplierswhoofferawidevarietylegs,clamps,adapters,mirrorsupports,daybedparts,sleepersofamechanismsandmanyotherspecialtyitems.Insomecases,youcanevenemailthesupplierapictureanddescriptionoftheitemyouneed,andaproductspecialistwillhelpyoufindtherightpart.

148USEWOODFILLERFixinglargerdingsanddentsmightrequiretheuseofwoodfiller.Alsocalledwoodputtyorwoodpatch,thissubstanceusuallycomesintwovarieties:water-basedandsolvent-based.Theproductisperfectforrestoringanydamagedareasinwoodtolike-newcondition.Solvent-basedfillershavelongbeenthemainstayinwoodworking,butnewwater-basedfillersperformaswellassolvent-based.

Keepmorethanonecoloroffilleronhand.Ifyou’retryingtomatchthewoodclosely,havingavarietyofcolorsallowsyoutomixuptherightshadetomatchtheitem.Water-basedandsolvent-basedfillerarebotheasytomix.

TYPE

WaterBased

PROS

Freefromsolventfumesandeasytohandle.Noacetoneorturpentine.Won’tdryoutinthecan.Easytohandleandcleanup.

CONS

Notasmanycolorchoices.Driesmoreslowly.

SolventBased

PROS

Thechoiceofmostprofessionals.Worksbetterinlargerareas.Largerselectionofgraincolors.

Looksmorenatural.

CONS

Chemicalsmell.Difficulttodisposeof.Can’tworkitinsmallerspacesduetofumes.

149HIDESCRATCHESScratchesareadrag,especiallywhenvisibleinanicepieceofstainedwoodfurniture.Useapermanentinkfelt-tipmarkertocolorthebarewood.Ifyoudon’thaveasetofcoloredmarkershandy,homecentersandhardwarestoresusuallystockfelt-tippedstainpensmadebypopularwood-staincompaniesincolorsthatmatchthemostpopularfurnituretones.Thistechniquedoesn’tactuallyrepairthescratchsomuchashideit,butit’sthequickestfixyou’llfindforconcealingunsightlynicksanddings.

150STEAMITOUTIntheeventthatyoudentorscratchfinishedwoodoffurniture,flooring,apictureframe,orsuch,youcanoftenmakearepairbydampeningandheatingtheareatoraisethewoodgrain.Todothis,useaverysmallbrushtoapplyasmallamountofwatertothescratchordent.Thenuseahotlaundryironcoveredwithasoftclothtoheatthearea,whichshouldcausethefiberofthewoodgraintoswellandrefillthedent.

151TAKECAREOFYOURROOFAnolderroofmaydevelopblackstreaksorstains,usuallycausedbyalgae.Chlorinebleachorsodiumhydroxidesolutionthatisappliedusingnon-pressuremethodswillkillblackalgaeandgenerallyremovestainswiththerinsephase,butthiswillnotpreventthealgaefromreturninginjustafewmonths.Thesemethodscanalsoacceleratethecorrosionofmetalgutters,flashings,andfasteners;chlorinecanalsobeharmfultosurroundingplantlife.

Tryacleanerdesignedforroofs,suchasDefyRoofCleaner,ablendofdetergentsandanonpollutingchemicalmadeofsandandsodaash.Withspray-on/rinse-offapplication,thiscleanerwillremovealgaewithoutdamagingtherooforharminganyofthesurroundingvegetation.

Youcanthenfollowuponcleaningwithastain-blockingagenttoinhibitnewgrowth,orinstallzincstripsattheroofline.Whenrainwaterflowsoverthezinc,itgenerateszincoxide,aharmless,invisiblesubstancethatcoatstheroofsurfaceandinhibitsthegrowthoffungus,moss,andalgae.Toinstallzincstrips,startateitherendoftheroofpeakandtheninstallacontinuousrowundertheridgeline.Applyroofingcementalongthesealantedgeandslidethestripundertheshingle,leavingthelowerhalfexposedtotreattherainwater.

152DOANINSPECTIONAtleasttwiceeachyearyoushouldfullyassessyourpropertytomakesurenomajormaintenanceissueshavegoneunnoticed.Herearekeyspotstocheck.

LANDSCAPINGCheckthatallirrigationpathsareclearandunobstructedtodivertrunoffawayfromthehouse.Pullweedsandshovelawaybrush,leaves,orotherorganicmatterthatblockdrainage.

DRAINAGEInspectallguttersanddownspoutsfordrainblockage.Aputtyknifeorevenaspatulamakesagoodtooltoscoopawaythedebris.

FOUNDATIONSRemoveanydeadwoodnearthehousefoundation—it’sdinnertotermites,luringthemtoyourhome.Evenmulch(whichtermitescan’teat)shouldbekept12to14inchesawayfromthehometoavoidprovidingthemoist,darkenvironmenttheylike.

PROTECTYOURWOODDeadleaves,downedlimbs,andotherorganicmattercanthreatenanywoodstructuresaroundthehome.Shovels,gloves,rakes,andwheelbarrowswilllikelybetheonlytoolsyou’llneedtoremoveit.Apoweredblowercanmakequickworkofclearingrubbish.Keepyourdecksandporchescleanfromleavestoreducemoldandmildewstaining.

Forsimilarreasons,youalsoneedtocleanthebottomsofdeckpostsandfences.Accumulatedorganicmattercanretainwaterandtransferittothewood,whichmaywickmoistureintotheendgrain,contributingtorotandprovidingapathwayforpestinfestation.

153APPLYSOMEPRESSUREPressurewasherscanworkwondersonmetal,masonry,andconcrete.ThePSI(poundspersquareinch)ratingofapowerwasherreferstothepressurethatthewasherunitiscapableofproducing.Pressurewashersratedupto2,200PSIaregenerallyusedonlyforlight-dutycleaningofmudanddirtfromsidewalksandlawnequipment.Washersrated2,200to3,000areintendedformorefrequentuseorlargerjobs,suchascleaningsiding.

Choosingtherightnozzlecanmakeaworldofdifference.Mostmanufacturersofferarangeofoptionsthatattachtoawasherwandwithastandardquick-coupler.Somenozzlessprayafinefanofwaterforeasycoveragewhensprayingacleaningagent.Whenyouneedtoblastawaytoughstainsonconcrete,switchtoazero-degreenozzle,whichshootsaconcentratedjetthatcancutthroughstubborndirtanddiscoloration.

154SLUICETHESIDINGMetal,concrete,andmasonrysidingcanbecleanedfairlyeasilywithalong-handlescrubbrushorapressurewasher.Manyoftherecentspray-onbleachproductsaredesignedtocleanoncontact,requiringonlyarinsecoattodothejobwithouttheworkofscrubbing.(Itneverhurtstoscrub,though.)

PROTIPCLEANSTUBBORNSTAINSTotackletoughstainsmarringyourbrickmasonry,tryscrubbingwithawirebrush.Theharshabrasionwilloftenremovethestainbyactuallyscrapingawaythematerial’ssurface.

155WATCHYOURWOODWhenwoodisexposedtosunlight,itcandamagethefibers,causingthesurfacetoturngrayovertime.Whenit’sintheshadeandexposedtomoisture,moldandmildewcanbecomeaproblem.

POWERCLEANThemostdirectwaytorenewtheappearanceistosandorpressure-washthesurface.However,sandingcanbeverydifficultandtimeconsumingforlargeareas,andpressurewashingmustbeapproachedwithcaution,becausetoomuchpressurecandamagethewoodsurface,removingthegrayandgreenbutcausingthesurfacetofuzzorsplinter.Whenusingapowerwasher,limityourpressuretonomorethan1,000or1,200PSI,andcarefullyworkinthedirectionofthegrain—neveragainstit.

SCRUBITDOWNAlessaggressivebuteffectivemethodofcleaningistoscruboutdoorwoodwithalong-handled,stiff-bristlenylonbrush.Somebrushesevenattachtoagardenhoseandfeaturenozzlesthatdirectpressurizedwaterrightinfrontofthebroomheadforthemostefficientscrubbingaction.

156PATCHWOODROTWITHPUTTYWoodrotistheresultofatypeoffungalinfectionthatdestroyswood.Itisasdamagingastermiteorotherinsectinfestation,anditcanwreakhavoconwoodenwindows.Ifthewindowsaren’tmaintainedwithpaint,caulk,andglazing,thenwoodrotcantakeholdandcompletelyruinthecasing.However,insomecasesyoucancatchtherotandmakerepairsbeforeacompletewindowreplacementisnecessary.TryDurham’sWaterPutty,apowderproductthathasbeenaroundmorethan80years.Thepowderismixedwithwateronsiteandcanbeusedtorepairdamagedwoodifappliedproperly.Theputtyisalsoeasytouseandeasytocleanup.

STEP1Removedamagedmaterialandwoodrotwithascrewdriver,chisel,shopvac,andsoon.

STEP2Inamixingcontainer,addalittlewateratatimetothepowderandthenstirwithapaintstickuntilyouachieveaconsistencysimilartothickpancakebatter.

STEP3Applytheproductinlayersup¼inchthickatatime.Alloweachapplicationtodrybeforeaddingmoreproduct.

STEP4Oncethedamagedareaiscompletelyfilledanddried,sandtheareasmooth.Itisalsoimportanttofinishtherepairbysealingitwithawaterproofingproductsuchasexteriorprimerandpaint.

157PERFORMSURGERYInsomecases,thebestsolutionmaybetocutoutthedamagedsectionofwood,carefullycutareplacementpieceofpressure-treatedwoodtothesameshapeanddimensions,andthengluethepieceintothewindowcasingwithahigh-quality,exterior-gradeadhesivethatacceptspaint.Anoscillatingmulti-toolequippedwithaplungebladeisanexcellentdeviceforcuttingouttheproblemarea.

STEP1Removeallloosewood,dust,anddebris.Acleanworkareawillmeancleanrepairsaswell.

STEP2Coatallsidesofthereplacementpieceofwood—anddothesamewiththedamagedarea—usinganexteriorprimerbeforefasteninginplace,inordertoaddanextrameasureofmoistureprotection.

STEP3Aftergluingandnailingorscrewinginthereplacementpiece,filleveryholesandseamwithexterior-gradewoodputty,andthensandthejointssmooth.Applypaintablewaterproofsealant,primer,andmatchingpainttocompletetherepair.Forextraprotection,coatallsidesofthewoodreplacementwithexteriorprimer/paintbeforeinstalling.

158USETWO-PARTEPOXYAnothergreatfixforpaintedwindowcasementsreliesonatwo-partpolyurethane-basedwoodrepairfiller.It’ssoldasakitincludingaresinandhardener,whicharemixedtogethertocreatealighttanepoxy.Thefilleristhinenoughtofitintosmallgapsandcracksbutthickenoughthatyoucanmoldit.And,unlikesomeotherwoodfillers,itdoesnotshrinkorcrack.Thedownsidetotheepoxyisthatit’sverysticky,whichwillmakeittrickytoworkwithanddifficulttocleanup.However,theupsideisthatthematerialcanbemoldedintoathree-dimensionalwoodreplacementthatcanbecutorroutedintoshape.Ifyouneedtoreplaceadamagedsillcornerorchippedmoldingprofile,youcanformtherepairfromtheepoxyandcutthefinalshapeonceit’sdry.

159PATCHITUPTopatchuplargerholesorcracks,youcantryVinylConcretePatcher,aself-bondingmixthat’smadeforrepairinganybroken,chipped,orlooseconcreteandmasonry,aswellasfillingcracksupto2inchesdeep.Thematerialisavailableintubsora40-poundbag.Itwilladheretoallproperlycleanedsurfacesandcanbetroweledtoafeatheredgeof inch.

STEP1Chiselawaycrackedorcrumbledmaterials,squaringofftheedges.Evenbetteryet,youcanundercuttheedgeswithachiselandhammer.

STEP2Useawirebrushtoscrapeawaycrumblingmaterialsandtoroughenthesurfaceifithasbeenfinishedsmooth.Therepairproductshouldnotbeappliedoverpaintedsurfaces.Cleanawayalldebrisandrinsewithwater.

STEP3Beforeapplication,dampentheareawithcleanwater.

STEP4Applythemixwithatrowel,usingheavytrowelpressuretoforceitintothecrack.Overfillitslightlyandthentrowelitsmoothtomatchwiththe

surroundingconcrete.Ifthecracksaredeepitmaybenecessarytoapplyinaseriesof¼-inch-deeplayers,allowingthemixtodryfor2hoursbetweenlayers.Cleanthetoolsimmediatelyafterwardwithwater.

160TAKETHETUBESomeconcretecrack-repairproductsfitintoacaulkgunandarereadytoapply.Sashco’sSlabconcretecrackrepaircaulkoffersgoodadhesionandelasticityforalong-lastingfix.Theproduct’swater-basedformulaisalsoeasytoapplyandcleanup.Justaswithcaulk,fillthecracklevelwiththeproductandsmooththetopofthebead.Theformulaevenoffersaheavilytexturedrepairthatmatchesthesandtextureintheconcrete.Whenusedwithafoambackerrod,thecaulkwilladheretojointsupto3incheswide.Anumberofpatchingproductscomeineasy-to-usesqueezetubes,suchasBlacktopCrack,usedforrepairingcracksinasphaltdriveways.

161CAREFORCONCRETEConcreteisaverydurablebuildingmaterialandcanalsobeaestheticallypleasing.Overtime,though,concretecandeteriorate.Mostrepairprojectsarefairlysimpleusingsomeofthespeciallyformulatedpatchandrepairproductsavailablethesedays.

Variousspecialconcreterepairproductsareuser-friendlyandhavedistincttraitssuchasfastsettingtimes,ahighfinalstrength,oranincreaseddegreeofresistancetocrackingandchipping.

Formostrepairsyou’llneedafewtools:acoldchisel,ball-peenhammeror8-poundsledgeforlargerareas,protectivegoggles,andapairofgloves.Useabrushandbroomforcleaningup,andapointedtrowelforapplication.Ifyou’reresurfacingstepsandslabs,thenyou’llneedanedgertoo.Youmayalsoneedlumberforformingmajorrepairs.Preptherepairareaproperlybeforeapplyingtheconcreteproduct.Removeallcrackedandcrumblingareas.Forlargerareas,useasledgeandcoldchiseltobreakawaythinorlooseedges.Sweep,vacuum,orhoseawaydirtanddebrisdowntoasolidbase.

162GOTOREFORMSCHOOLLargerrepairjobs,suchasbrokencornersorslabsofwalkways,usuallyrequirere-forming.Thefirststepistoremovethebrokenareadowntothegravelfill.Ifthegravelfillhasdeteriorated,digdownacoupleofinchesbelowgroundlevelandaddanewgravelbase.Use2X4orothermaterialtore-formthearea.Thetopsoftheformboardsshouldbeevenwiththetopedgesoftheadjoiningconcretesurface.Formsshouldbelevelandshouldfollowthenaturalgrade.Stakesshouldbedrivenintothegroundtosupporttheformsevery4feet.Theyshouldalsobecutoffevenwiththetopoftheforms.

Packaged,ready-mixconcretecanbeused.Mixtheconcreteproduct,thentrowelorshovelitintotheform.Roughlysmoothitupwithatrowel,thencutaroundanyformswithanedger.Allowtheconcretetostiffenslightlyuntilallwaterhasevaporatedfromthesurface.Oncethesurfaceturnsdull,smoothandcompacttheconcretewithatrowel.Keepthetrowelpressedfirmlydownonthesurfaceandflat.Usetheedgingtoolaroundtheedgestosmooththemup.Foratextured,nonskidsurface,useawoodfloatorbroomforfinishing.

Covertherepairwithaplasticsheet,orperiodicallyspraywithagardenhosetokeeptheconcretedampfor5to7days,whichhelpsthehardening,or

curing,process.Concretethathasbeenmoist-curedwillbeapproximately50percentstrongerthanthatexposedtodryair.

163TREATYOURSELFYouwillbesadlydisappointedinyouroutdoorconstructionprojectifyoutrytobuilditusinganymannerofwoodproductsthatwerenotmeantforexterioruse—yourworkwillmorethanlikelyendupswelling,twisting,rotting,hostingacolonyofinsects,oranycombinationofthesevarioustragicoutcomesinaveryshortamountoftime.

Formany,ifnotmost,outdoorprojects,youwillbelookingatpressure-treatedwood,whichhasbeeninfusedwithvariouschemicalsthathelpprotectitfromtermitesandotherinsects,aswellasfungaldecay.

Oftenmadefrompineorfir,treatedlumberhasanaturalappearance,anditsresistancetotermitesandrotisamajoradvantageforoutdoorprojects.Betteryet,itisaplentifulandrenewableresource,andisalsousuallythemosteconomicalchoiceavailable.

Inaddition,itcansupportmoreweightandspanlongerdistancesthancedar,redwood,orotherwoods.Forthisreason,manyoutdoorstructures,suchasdecks,areframedwithandsupportedbytreatedlumber,evenifadifferenttypeofwoodorothermaterialisusedforthefinishedsurfaces.

Treatedwoodcanbefoundinavarietyoflumbergrades,fromknot-free,close-graingradestolowergradesthathavemoreknots,splits,andwane(missingcornersofthewoodwherethebarkonceexisted).Youcanfindthegradedesignationstampedoneachpieceofwood.

Generally,thehigherthelumbergrade,thehigherthecost.Selecttherightboardbyoneofthreecategories,whichshouldbeindicatedprominentlyontheproductlabel.Theyareasfollowsbelow:

ABOVEGROUNDUSEBestfordecking,fences,andrails.

GROUND-CONTACTUSEGreatforposts,beams,andjoists.

BELOW-GRADEWorksforsupportpoststhatarepartiallyburiedbelowgradeandforpermanentwoodfoundationsandplanters.

164TRYSTURDYSOFTWOODSForapplicationsthatdon’trequirepressure-treatedwoods,orifyouwanttominimizethechemicalsyou’reusing,thereareagoodnumberofattractivehardwoodsusedforoutdoorprojectsthatpossesssomenaturalprotectionagainstinsectsandotherdamagingfactors.Herearesomeofyouroptions.

WESTERNREDCEDARThiswood’snaturalfiberscontainnaturalcompoundsthatmakeitnaturallyinsect-andmoisture-resistantwithoutchemicaltreatments.Plus,theeven,consistentgrainandlowdensitymakecedarlesslikelytoswell,warp,cup,andtwistthanotherwoods.Asaresult,itliesflatandstraight.Cedarisalsofreeofthepitchandresinfoundinothersoftwoods—aqualitythatmakesitidealforafairlywiderangeoffinishes,whetheryouchoosealightlytintedsemi-transparentstainoratwo-coatsolid-colorfinish.

REDWOODNotonlyisredwoodstrongandbeautiful,itisnaturallyresistanttoinsects,rot,anddecay;itcanalsowithstandhighheatandpressure.Itshrinksandswellslessthanotherwoodswhenexposedtowater,whichmeansthatit’slesslikelytowarp,split,orcheck(crackparalleltothegrain),makingithighlydurableforbuilding.Itisoneofthemostpliablesoftwoodspecies,makingiteasytosaw,nail,anddrill.Redwoodisalsolightweightandhaslittletonopitchorresins.Itisextremelyeasytopaint,stain,andglue,andaredwooddeckcanberestoredrepeatedlywithminimaleffortandcost.

CYPRESSWhileactuallyasoftwood,cypressgrowsalongsidehardwoodsandisusuallygroupedwiththeminmanufacturing.Itsnaturaldurabilityisagreatbenefitforexteriorapplications.Cypressgeneratescypressene—itsownpreservativeoil—whichmakesitsheartwoodnaturallyresistanttoinsects,decay,andchemicalcorrosion.Theseinherentstrengthsmakethewoodanidealchoiceforlong-wearingoutdoorprojectssuchasfences,decks,docks,andsiding.

165SIZEITUPChecklocalbuildingcodesforspecificminimumlumbersizesrequiredinyourarea.Dependingonthesizeofthestructure,supportpostsareusuallymadefrom6X6or8X8beams.Railingsystemsrequire4X4posts.Deckboardsareoftensoldin4X6-inchsizes,oryoucanuse2X6lumber.Avoidusinganyboardswiderthan2X8fortheflooringbecauseoftheirtendencytocup.Thelengthofdeckboardswilldependonthestructure’sdesign,andinsomecasesyoucanpurchaseboardslongenoughtoinstalloverthejoistswithnoendjointsbetweenthem.Thesizesofjoistsandbeamswilldependonthesizeandjoistspanofthestructure.

166GOEXOTICSomelumberyardshavebegunspecializinginbringingexoticwoodstothemarket,suchasmahogany ,andlessfamiliarrainforesthardwoodssuchasipe andPau-Lope .Theseunusualwoodscanofferararebeauty,aswellashardnessanddurabilitythatfarexceedthatofconventionallumber.Thedurabilityisagreatadvantageforoutdoorprojectsbutcanalsopresentavarietyofchallenges.Typically,thesetypesofwoodsareverydense,makingitdifficultforstainstobeabsorbed.Theirhighamountofnaturaloilsalsomakethemresistanttopenetrationandrequirespecialstepsforfinishapplication.Andofcourse,“exotic”alsomeansyoucanexpecttopaypremiumprices.

167DOADECKCHECKYoushouldgiveyourdeckafullcloseannualinspectionandfixanythingyoufind.Thiswillensureyearsoffunctionandbeautyoutdoors.

CHECKTHEBOARDSLookoutfordamagesuchassplitting,warping,andmajorchecking.Replaceentireboardsifyoushouldfindanyseveredeterioration.

TIGHTENUPMakesurenofastenersarecomingloose.Agoodwaytodothisistowalktheentiredeck,backandforthalongthejoists,whilebeingalertforanyweaknessorinstability.Checkfornailsthathaveliftedorscrewsthatshowsignsofsignificantweakening.Replacefastenerswithanysignificantrustorcorrosion,becausetheycandeterioratethesurroundingwood.Replacewithqualitydeckingscrewsorspiral/rink-shanknails.

PUSHITInspectrailingsandbanistersbypushingthemtomakesurethereisnogive.

FLASHITFlashingisametalorplasticguardthatdirectswateroutandawayfromsensitiveareasthatarepronetoholdingmoistureandthereforebeingweakened.ApieceofproperlyinstalleddeckflashingshouldbesomewhatL-shaped.OnelegoftheLrunsupbehindthesiding,theotheroverthetopoftheledgerboard.Besurethattheflashingattheledgerboardisstillsound,andbepreparedtoreplaceitifnecessary.Also,makesuretheproperledgerfastenersareused.Acceptablefastenersincludethrough-bolts,½-inchgalvanizedlagscrews,orheavy-dutystructuralscrews—butnotnails.

CHECKCONNECTIONSChecktheframingconnections.Wherethejoistsmeettheledgerboardthereshouldbemetalhardware(joisthangers).Nailsdrivenatanangle(“toe-nails”)arenotasufficientstructuralconnection.Boltsinpost-to-beamconnectionsshouldbe½-inchindiameterandgalvanized.

STEPUPMakesurestairsareofproperrise(height)andrun(depth).Thecombinedriseandrunofacode-approvedstairshouldbenomorethan17inches:ideally7-inchrise,10-inchrun.

BRACEYOURSELFTheposts,beams,andanglebracingshouldbetheappropriatesizeandspacedproperly.Yourlocalbuildinginspectorcantotellyouwhat’stheexpectedstandardwhereyoulive.Generallyspeaking,deckpostsshouldbeaminimum6X6andspaced6feetoncenter.

PROTIPKEEPTHEPRESSUREOFFShouldyouuseapressurewashertocleanyourdeck?Youcan,butfirstyoushouldchecktheindustryassociationwebsiteofthewoodspecies(pine,redwood,cedar)todetermineifpower-washingisrecommended.Alwaysuseaslowapressureaspossible,andtrytoneverspraycloserthan12inchestothedeck.

168KEEPITSPARKLINGWithregularmaintenance,theweatheredlookofdecksusuallycanberevivedwiththeapplicationoftherightdeckcleaner.Evenifyourdeckisseveralyearsold,it’seasytorestoretheoriginalcolorandbeautyofthewoodbyapplyingacleaningsolutionandwoodbrightener.(Followthemanufacturer’sguidelinesforproperuseandtomakesureyou’reusingtherightproductforyourdeck’swoodspecies.)

CLEANITUPDeckcleanersandrestorersgenerallyfallintooneofthreecategories—chlorinebleaches,oxygenbleaches,oroxalicacid-basedformulas.Chlorinebleachesareespeciallyeffectiveatkillingmoldormildewspores—acommoncauseofdiscolorationandstaining.Oxygenbleachesareeffectiveatremovingmildewstainsandweatheredgrayresiduefromsunlight-degradedwooddecks.Oxalicacidproductsareusefulbrightenersforawooddeckbutnotveryeffectiveforremovingmildew.

CONTROLMILDEWIfyoudohaveamildewproblem,treatyourdeckusinganoxygenorchlorinebleachandwatersolution(typically1:3,bleachtowater)andfollowupbyusinganoxalicacid-basedproducttobrightenthewoodcolor.Productswithoxalicacidandbleacharealsoavailable.Theywillworkondeepstains,mold,andmildew,butthesearecommercial-gradeproductsandshouldbehandledverycarefully(pre-rinseand/orcoverplants,andshieldsidinganddoors,toprotectfinish).Moldandmildewmayrequireanadditionalroundofscrubbingandapplicationofbothableach/watersolutionandoxalicacid.

GETITDONEBYMONDAYTheycallyoua“weekendwarrior”becauseyou’renotonlyfiercelyfightingthemanyobstaclesofahomeimprovementproject,you’rebattlingtimeaswell.

Theclockisticking,andthejobhasgottobecompletedbecauseMondaymorningwillbeheresoon,andthenyou’llhaveadifferentjobtodo(sheesh).Butyoutakeastand.Youstaretheclockinthefacewithsteelyeyesandyouspitonthegroundtoshowyouhavenofear,becauseyou’reawarrior.Ontheweekend.

You’vegatheredyourtools,you’vemasteredthequickfixandyou’rereadytoconquernewfrontiers.Well,nowisthetimetostudyup,becauseasyourhomeprojectsgrowmorecomplexyou’llfindagreaterlikelihoodforerror.

Anderrorsaren’tyourstyle.Butyou’reuptothechallenge.Powertoolsareyourweapons,

andyourstrategyissketchedonnotepadwithalotofchicken-scratchmeasurements.Theshabbydoorthatneedstogo;you’vegotareplacement.Theroomthatneedstobepainted;you’vegotitcovered.Needtopouraconcreteslab?Nosweat(well,maybealittle).Yourlivingroomandconnectinghallwaywillsoonbelinedwithbeautifulcrownmolding,andmaybeevenachairrail.

Withtherightsuppliesandalittleknow-how,youcanknockouttheseprojectsandmore.Nobody’sgoingtostopyou,andneitherarethetimeconstraints.Becausethisistheweekend.Thisisyourhome.Andyou’reatwar.

169SPRAYITPaintsprayerscanspeedupthejobandgetintoallthecracksandcrevicesthatarehardtoreachwithbrushesorrollers.Thisisespeciallyimportantwhenworkingwithroughsurfacessuchasbrickorstucco.Herearesomeoptions.

HANDHELDForsmalltomid-sizejobs,anelectrichandheldsprayercandotheworkfourtimesasfastasabrush,witheasycleanup.Someofthelatestmodelsofferadjustablespraypatterns,variablespeeds,andflexiblesuctiontubesthatletyousprayatanyangle.

HVLPHighVolume/LowPressuretechnologycanputaveryfinefinishonsmalltomediumjobs.Thelowpressurecondensesthepaintforcontrolledcoveragewithminimaloverspray,andthesprayereasilydisassemblesforfastcleanup.Thistypeworksbestwithstains,sealers,urethanes,varnishes,lacquers,orthinnedpaints.

AIRLESSForbothlargejobsandsmall,applyingpaintwithanairlesssprayerisaquickandefficientmethodthatalsohastheadvantageofofferingupaconsistent,uniformcoverageonarangeoftextures.Thedownsideisthatthecleanupforlarger-volumemodelscanbearduousandtime-consuming.Somenewerairlesssprayers,however,haveapumpandpaintcupbuiltintothespraygun,whichofferslesspaintcapacitybuteasiercleanup.

TEXTUREForaddingtexturetowallsorceilings,therighttoolforthejobiscalledatexturesprayer,or“hoppergun,”whichutilizesahoppersetabovethenozzletoloadthematerial(forexample,drywallcompoundorpopcorntexture).Simplyfillthehopperandselectyourspraynozzledependingonthetextureyoudesire.

170PICKTHERIGHTPAINTYou’reatthepaintstore,facedwithendlesschoices.Whatdoyoudo?Yourfirstdecisionisbasedonwhatyou’repainting—aninsideoroutsidesurface.Youdon’twanttousethewrongpainthere,asexteriorpaintsoftenhaveafungicideorUVblockertogivebetteroutdoorperformance,butthesechemicalsmayposeadversehealtheffectstothehome’soccupantswhenusedindoors,whereaninterior-gradepaintwouldbeabetterchoice.

Nextthinkaboutthesubstrate—thatis,whatmaterialyou’reapplyingthepaintto.Woodanddrywallareeasytopaint,butsomeplasticmaterials,metal,concrete,andmasonrymightrequirespecialprimersandpaintstoensurethebestadhesion.Furthermore,thechoiceofpaintcolorcanimpactthematerial’sperformance.Forexample,vinylsidingwillwarpfromheatbuildup,soverydarkcolorsarenotrecommended.Asageneralrule,don’tpaintvinylsidingortrimanydarkerthanthecoloroftheoriginalsiding.(Makesureyourpaintisformulatedtosticktovinylsiding,consideringvinyl’stendencytogreatlyexpandandcontract.Recentadvancesinpaintcompositionoffernewoptionsthatworkwellonvinyl.)

OIL-BASEDPAINTSOil-basedpaintsareusuallycomposedofpigmentsdissolvedintoamineralspiritsuchaspaintthinner.Thesealsorequiremineralspiritsforcleanupandtakelongertodry,butthetrade-offisaharderfinish.

LATEX-BASEDPAINTSAnemulsionsuspendedinwater,theseproductstypicallywilldryfasterandareeasiertocleanup,requiringonlywater.Today’simprovedlatexproductscanbeusedinnearlyallapplicationsthattraditionallycalledforanoil-basedpaint.

ENAMELAbroadclassificationforanyfinishingmaterialsthatdrytoasmoothfinish;thetermoncereferredonlytooil-basecoatings,butsomenew

latexproductsarealsoreferredtoasenamelpaints.

Whateveryouchoose,refertothemanufacturer’srecommendationsforspecificusageinstructions.

PROTIPTONEITDOWNIfyou’replanningaboldcolorforabigproject,considergoingacoupleofshadeslighter.Viewingcolorsonasmallpaintswatchcancreateadifferentvisualimpactthanseeingthemonthewallsofaroom.Largesurfacesintensifycolor,andyoumightendupwithaloudercolorthanyouintended.

171GETTHERIGHTSHEENHowglossydoyouwanttogo?Afewthingstoconsiderinthepaintaisle.

FLATPAINTSThesepigmentscanconcealimperfectionsinwallsandothersurfaces,makingthemagoodchoiceforceilingsandroomsthataren’texposedtomuchmoistureorheavysoiling(bedrooms,homeoffices,andlivingrooms).

HIGHGLOSSThesepaintstendtohighlightimperfectionsinwallsandwoodwork,buttheyaredurable,stain-resistant,andmucheasiertocleanthanpaintswithlessgloss.Ahigh-glosssheenisidealforbaseboards,windows,moldings,andplayrooms.

SEMI-GLOSSAcompromisebetweenthetwoextremes,thisoptionprovidessomeofthebenefitsofeach.Semi-glosscanbeusedonthewallsandcabinetsofbathroomsandkitchens.Additionalsheensincludeeggshellandsatin,whicharelessshinythansemi-glosspaints.Theyhighlightnicksandimperfectionsless,butsincetheyhavealittlegloss,they’restilleasiertocleanthanflatpaints.

172FILLAHOLEOvertime,wallsareoftendamagedfromaccidentalimpact,andcrackscanalsodevelopfromthehousesettling.Picturesandartworkarerearrangedtoupdatetheinteriordécor,leavingbehindfastenerholes.Minordrywalldamagecanbeeasilyrepairedwithaputtyknifeandvinylspacklingorlightweightjointcompound.Cleantheholesandrecesstheedgesbelowthewallsurfacewiththeblunthandleofaputtyknife.Usethebladeoftheknifetofilltheholewithrepaircompoundflushwiththewall.Allowtodryovernightandreapplyasneededifanyshrinkinghasoccurred.Lightlysandsmoothifnecessary.Coattherepairwithtwocoatsofprimerbeforepainting.Someofthenewspacklingpastesareformulatedwithprimeralreadyintheproduct,whicheliminatestheextrastep.

Foranylargerholes,youcantryanaluminumscreenpatchsoldathardwarestoresin4-,6-,and8-inchsizes.Useonethatislargerthanthedamagedareaonallsidesbyatleastaninch.Trowelonthefirstcoatofdrywallcompoundsothescreenisbarelyvisible,thenallowtodryovernight.Followwithawidercoatofcompound,featheringtheedgessmooth8to12inchesoutsidethepatch.Allowtodry,thenaddathirdcoat,sandingasneededtoblendtherepairwiththesurroundingwall.

173MAKEAPANELPATCHForbigrepairswhereyouneedtoreplaceasizablesectionofdrywall(forexample,fromwaterormolddamage),tryusingapanelpatch.

First,cutoutarectangularareaofdrywallaroundthedamagedarea,aligningitsedgesalongthecenterofthewallstuds .Thisshouldgive¾-inchofsolidnailingsurfaceontwoedgesoftherepair(plusthe2Xfloorplateiftherepairextendstothefloor).Toprovideanailingsurfaceattheunsupportededgesofthehole,toe-nail2Xblockingbetweenthestuds.

Next,measureandcutarepairpanelslightlysmallerthantheholeandfastenitinplacebydrivingdrywallnailsthroughthepanelandintothesolidframing .Applyfiberglasstapetotheseamsandfinishtherepairbyfillingupthenailholesandfinishingalljointswithsuccessiveapplicationsofcompound .

174REPAIRPLASTERForplasterrepairs,youcanuseapowder-basedproductcalledplasterpatch,whichhasadhesivesthatbondtotheexistingplaster.Beforeapplyingthefirstcoat,removeanylooseplasterandundercuttheedgesoftheholeasitapproachesthewoodlathtobetteranchorthepatching.Preparethedamagedareabysoakingwithwater,thenmixthepatchproductsmooth.Applythefirstcoatwithaputtyknife,inathinlayer(⅛to¼inch).Scorethewetcompoundwithanailforbetteradhesionofthesecondcoat.Allowtodrycompletelytoavoidcracking,andapplythenextcoatinasimilarmanner.Continueuntiltheholeisfilled,featheringtheedgesofthefinalcoat.Sandlightlytosmooththepatch.

175BATTENDOWNAbattenpatchisgreatforlargerrepairsorforworkingonyourceiling,wheregravitytugsattherepairbeforethemudsets.Thekeytothisrepairistoinstallbattensbehindthedrywall,asfasteningbackers.Forthesebattens,usethinstripsof1Xlumberorthickpaintmixingsticks(thinoneswillsplit).

YOU’LLNEED:Drywall•Settingcompound•Drywalltape•Cordlessdrill/driver•Screws•Awood-cuttingsaw(possibly)

STEP1Firstsquareuptheholeasnecessary.

STEP2Cutacoupleofbattensatleast2incheslargerthanthehole.Workabattenintoitandpositiontheendsalongthebackofthedrywall.Withafirmgriponthebatten,grabyourdrillanddriveadrywallscrewthroughthewallintotheendofthebatten.Drivethescrewsintotheendsofeachofthebattens,pullingthemsnugagainsttherearsideofthedrywallandcreatingasturdywoodennailingsurfacebehindthedamagedarea.

STEP3Measureandcuttherepairsectionofdrywalltoslightlysmallerthanthehole,theninstallit.Fastenwithdrywallscrewsintothewoodbattens.Applyfiberglassmeshtapetotheedgesofthehole.Trowelonsuccessivecoatsofcompound,spreadingthemud,featheringtheedgessmooth,andsandingasneeded.

176BITETHEBULLETThebulletpatchisaneasyoptionforlargeholes.Here’showtouseit.

STEP1Cleanoutthehole,thengiveitarectangularshapeusingautilityknifeordrywallsaw.

STEP2Cutablankofdrywallbiggerthanthehole.Exposea“plug”ofdrywall¼-inchsmallerthantheholebyscoringthebackoftheblankinatic-tac-toepatternofcross-cuts.Youshouldcutthroughthecoreofthedrywall,butnotthepaperface.Carefullypeelthegypsum(chalky,whitematerial)awayfromthepaper.Besuretoleavethepaperflangesurroundingtheplugintact,toserveasintegratedtapewhenyoumudit.

STEP3Applyathincoatofmudtothewallaroundthehole,thenplacethepatchonthewallandlightlypressthepaperintothewetcompoundwithyourfingertips.Don’tpressontheplugdirectly.

STEP4Applyasmallamountofdrywallcompoundtolubricatetheedgeofa6-inchputtyknife,andpressitoverthepapertosqueezethemudoutattheedges.Acoupleofpassesensuresatightbond.Then,wipealightfeather-coatonthefrontofthepaperandsmoothdownallroughspots.

STEP5Letthefirstcoatdry,thenapplythesecondwitha10-inchbroadknife,spreadingthecompoundandfeatheringtheedgestoblendwiththewall.

STEP6Afterthesecondcoatdries,lightlysandwith100-gritabrasiveandapplyathirdcoatofcompoundasnecessary.

177GETREADYFORPRIMETIMEStartingwithagoodprimerwillensurethetruestcolorforyourtopcoat,nomatterthesurfaceyou’reworkingwith—walls,cabinetry,ortrim.Beyondthetruercolor,primeroffersstain-andodor-blockingpropertiesandalsoprovidesamoreenduringtop-coatfinish.Ifyou’vedoneanydrywallpatches,it’sessentialthatyouprimebeforepainting.

Onethingtoconsideristhatprimingwillneverhurtanything.Ifindoubt,primeit.Anditdefinitelyhelpstouseaprimerifyou’repaintingalightercoloroveradarkerone.Fordarksoverlights,youcanuseatintedprimertoreducethenumberoftopcoatsyou’llneedtoachievethedesiredcolor.

178BRUSHITRIGHTToloadabrush,dipitonly1to2inchesintothepaint.Gentlytapthebrushagainstthesideofthecontainer,firstoneside,thentheother.Theextrapaintwillstayinthecontainerandleaveyouwithaloadedbrushforfieldpaintingorcuttingin.

“Cuttingin”istheartofdrawingastraightlinetoseparatetwocolorsusingonlyapaintbrush—nomaskingtapeorotheraid.Whencuttingin,alwayskeepafullyloadedbrush.Usingitparalleltotheareatobecut,letthebrushopenupintoasemiovalandthenbringitintothelineyouarecutting.Followthelineuntilthepaintbeginstobreakup.Repeatthisprocedure,workingintothepreviouslypaintedarea.

Ifyoufindcuttinginfree-handedtoodifficulttomaintainacrispline,simplymaskoffthelineswithpainter’stape.However,avoidpushingpaintbeneaththetapewiththebrush,whichcancausethepaintlinestobleed.

Also,don’tpaintbydippingthepaintbrushrightintothecan.Itwillpickupdebristhatmakesitswaybackintothesourcecanandendsupcreatingspecksandlumpsinthepaint.Inaddition,theairinteractingwiththepaintinthecanwilldryitprematurely.Instead,loadthepaintintoaseparatelightweightcontainer,workingwitha½-inchpourofpaint.Refreshthepaintoftentokeepitinafluidstate.

179BEAHIGHROLLERRollersgetthejobdonequicklywithaconsistentsurfacetexture.Here’showtodoitright.Alwaysstartwithafreshrollercover—wornoutonesmayfrayandleavedebrisinyourpaint.Haveastashofextracoversonhandincaseyouneedtoreplaceone.

PRECONDITIONThisoftenoverlookedstepiscrucialtoproperperformance.Everysyntheticcoverrequiressomeformofpreconditioning.Beforeuseinlatexpaints,rinsethecoverunderrunningwater,thenspinittoremoveexcesswater.Beforeusingoil-basedpaints,thecovershouldbelubricatedinthesolventusedtothinoutthepaint.Anymohaircoversshouldalsobepreconditionedinthesolventusedforpaintthinning.(Lambskinrollercovershavenaturaloilsanddon’trequireanypreconditioning.)

PAINTFillthepainttraynomorethanone-thirdoftheway.Loadtheentiresurfaceofyourrollercoverwithpaint,rollingitslowlydownthetray,thenbackseveraltimessothecoverabsorbs.Usethetray’sgridtopreventanyoverloading.Whenpaintingwalls,startatthetopandworkdownward.Rollalarge“W”inaspaceabout3by3feet.Thenfillinbetweenthegaps,blendingintoyourinitialstrokes.Alwaysworkfromtheunpaintedintothepaintedsurface.Repeatthisprocesswhenyoustartanewarea.

Afteryourproject,cleanallrollers,brushes,andrelatedpaintequipment

immediatelyandstoreinaclean,dryplace.

180TAPEANDPROTECTWhiledoingprimingandpainting,DIYerscanusepainter’stapetomaskoffallareaswhereonecolormeetsanother,suchaswindowordoortrim,accentwalls,etc.Whenapplyingtape,usearollerorputtyknifetoburnishittothesurfaceyou’remaskingforthebestseal.Alwaysremovethetaperightafteryou’vefinishedpainting,topreventpaintfrombridgingoverthetapeandpeelingwhenyouremoveit,thusmessingupthecrisppaintlines.

Coverupeverythingyoudon’twantpaintedwithaplasticorcanvasdropcloth,andpassonthecheapest,thinnestplasticsheets.Thethickertheplasticsheets,themoredurabletheywillbeandthebettertheywillremaininplacewithoutwaddingupbeneathyourfeetandexposingthefloororfurniture.Ifyou’repaintingalargeroom,covertheentirefloorwiththickplasticandsealtheseamswithtape.

181PREPFOROUTDOORPAINTINGPreparingasurfacebeforeapplyingatopcoatisthefirstcriticalphaseofanypaintproject.Exteriorjobsrequireextrastepstobattleoutdoorexposure.Paintisdesignedtoformafilm,soitpeelsifitcan’tadheretoasurface.Itdoes,however,stickwelltosubstratesthatdon’tshiftbeneaththepaint.Justaboutanymetalisanexcellentsubstrate.Aluminumsidingisagoodexample;paintcanlastforyearsonaluminum.Woodandother“moving”surfacesthatcontractorexpandduetomoistureortemperaturechangemayrequiresomeextrapreparatorystepstominimizepeeling.

CHECKTHEWEATHERWeatherconditionscanhaveagreatimpactonhowwellpaintholdsup.Theworstconditionsareextremeheatorcold.Thepainthastochemicallybondtothesurfacethatitiscovering,andthisbondingwillonlyoccurifthesolvent(waterormineralspirits)inthepaintisevaporatingataslowormediumpace.Planyourpaintingdaysforcoolertemperaturesandtrytopaintanyareasafterdirectsunlighthasleftthemfortheday.

CLEANWELLBeforepriming,makesuretheexteriorsurfaceofyourmaterialisfreeofdirt,grease,mold,mildew,oranyotherdebris.Removeanyloosened,peelingpaintalreadypresent.Flatputtyknivesor“pull”scrapersworkwellforthis.

SANDITSomesubstratescanbesandedsmoothwheretheoldpaintmeetsthebaresurface.Forbestpaintadhesiononanyglossysurfaces,scuff-sandthesurfacebeforepainting.Butkeepinmind,therearesomesituationswheresandingwon’talwaysbethebestidea.Someolderexteriorhousepaintscontainlead,andsandingoffthistypeofpaintwillendupcreatingtoxicleaddust.

WASHUPYournextstepistowashoffthesurface.Regularliquiddishsoapmayworkfine,althoughitdoesproducealotofsuds.Youmayoptforanon-soapydetergentsuchastrisodiumphosphate(TSP)togetridofdirtandgrease.Cleantheentiresurfacewithaspongeorscrubbrush.Ifanymoldormildewispresent,useamildew-removingsolution.Quicklyrinseandallowthesurfacetodrythoroughlybeforepriming.Allowporoussurfacessuchaswoodorbricktodryforaminimumoftwodaysbeforecontinuing.

182SPIFFUPSIDINGTopreparealuminumsiding,scrubitwithdetergent,rinsethoroughly,andletitdryforseveraldays.Pressurewashersworkwellforthisjob.Removeallmildewandresidualchalkfromtheoldfinish;paintwillnotsticktoachalkysurface.Replaceanyloosecaulk.Toprimealuminumsiding,useathinnedmetalprimingpaint.Tryamixtureofonepintofpaintthinnertoonegallonofhigh-qualityoil-basedprimer.Considerhavingtheprimertintedtohalfthestrengthofthecolorofyourfinishpaintforeasiertop-coating.

Cleanvinylsidingthesamewayaswell.Anoxygenbleachsolutiondoesagoodjobofremovingmildewfromvinylandwon’tharmthevinylortheplantsinyouryard.Primingvinylisnotnecessary,butdoremoveanyrustfrommetalareasandcoatthosewithagoodrust-inhibitiveprimer.

183PAINTCONCRETEFLOORSBeforeyoustartthewholeprocessofpaintingyourconcretefloor,you’llwanttotesttobesureyoudon’thaveanymoistureissuesinthearea,becauseifyoudo,theconcretewon’ttakepaintproperly,andyoureffortwillbewasted.

Totestthiseasily,justtapea2-foot-squarepieceofplastictothefloorandwait48hours.Ifafterthatperiodyouseediscolorationormoistureundertheplastic,skippainting.

Otherwise,youcancleantheflooroffwithadegreaserandthenroughenitusingawirebrushandanacid-basedsolution(agoodexampleisoneparteachhydrochloricacidandwater)tohelpthepaintbondtotheconcrete.Rinseyourfloorthoroughly,letitdryfortwotothreedays,andthenpaint.

184PREPMETALSStartbycleaningawayanycorrosionwithawirebrushandsandpaper.Metalshouldbeprimedonthesamedayitiscleaned.Oil-oralkyd-basedmetalprimersthatcontainhighquantitiesofrust-inhibitivepigmentsgivethebestresultswhenprimingrustysteel.

Unfinishedgalvanizedmetaloraluminumshouldbewipeddownthoroughlyusingadegreasingcleaner,thenrinsedoffanddried.Lotsofbothwater-andoil-basedpaintsworkwellformetals,butbesuretousethepaintsthatarecompatiblewithyourprimer.Mostmanufacturersindicatewhattypeofprimershouldbeusedforaparticularfinishcoat,andviceversa.

Specialpaintsdesignedtostanduptohightemperaturesareavailableforpaintingcentralheatingpipesandradiators.

185WORKWITHWOODOutdoorwoodcanbethetoughestmaterialtopaint.Itstendencytoexpandandcontractcantakeatollonthestrongestofpaints.Withpaintasitsonlylineofdefense,ifanyexposededgesorseamsaren’tpainted,severewoodrotcandevelopwithinjustafewyears.Everywoodsurfacemustbeprimedfirst,usinganexteriorwoodprimer.

PREPITPaintwilladherewelltowoodifallthewoodhasbeenprimedbeforeinstallation.Sealingthewoodcompletelyrequirespaintingandprimingallcutedgesaswellastheboardfaces.Thecutendsareoftenwhereendgrainisexposed;thisiswhereitiseasiestforwatertoenterthewood.Absorbedwatercanmigrate5or6inchesinfromtheendoftheboard,whichiswhyyouseetheedgesorbottomportionsoftrimboardsflake.

SEALITUseexterior-gradecaulktosealtheendgrain.Wipethecaulkwithamoistspongeassoonasithasbeenappliedtoproduceaclean,smoothjoint.Ifpaintingsiding,caulkalljointsbetweenthesidingandtrimboards,butdonotcaulkthebottomedgeofclapboardsiding.(Thesmallcrackonthistypeofsidingallowsittomoveandallowsvaportoescape.)Applyarust-inhibitiveprimertoanyexposednails.Countersinkthenailsandfilltheholeswithexteriorspacklingcompound.

PRIMEITOil-basedprimerisagreatchoiceforwoodprojectsbecauseitpenetratesdeeplyintowoodfiber.Thissealswoodsuchascedarandredwoodthatcanproduce“bleed”stainswhencoatedwithwater-basedproducts.

PAINTITToaccommodateforthemovementofwood,ithelpstousepaintwithsomebuilt-inflexibility.Acrylicresins(paintglue)offerthegreatestamountofflexibility.Thesepaintswillresistbecomingbrittlelikeolderoil-basedpaints,andtheycanalsowithstandmanyyearsofsubstratemovement.

186ADDKNOCKDOWNTEXTUREAddingtexturetoawallisapopularwaytoaddcharactertoaroom.Knockdowntextureisapopularoptionthathasanaged,stucco-likeappearance.It’ssprayedontoaprimedsurfacewithahoppergunand,afterthetexturehascompletelydried,coatedwithwhite-pigmentedshellacprimerandasatinorsemi-glossfinishcoat.

STEP1Loadthehoppergunwithpowder-baseddrywallcompoundmixedtoaconsistencysimilartopancakebatter(youcanalsoemployaspecialtexturecompoundthat’sformulatedtoinhibitmoldgrowth).

STEP2Testyourspraypatternonscrapmaterialuntilthemudmixisattheconsistencyyouwant.Differentnozzlesandadjustabletipsenableyoutouseavarietyofspraytechniques.Adjustingtheaircompressor’soutputpressuremayalsohelpfine-tunethespray.

STEP3Spraythetexturingcompoundontothewall,movingoveritinbig,evenstrokestocovertheentiresurfacefromthetoptobottomwithafairlyconsistentamountofsplatter.Thelargestdollopsofthecompoundshouldeachbeaboutthesizeofapenny.

STEP4Nowit’stimeforyouto“knockdown”thesprayeddollops.You’llneedabroadknifeorlargedrywalltrowel.Ifyou’renotskilledwithatrowel,useonethathasroundedcorners(orgrindthemyourself)tokeepfromdamagingthewallsurface.Afterthecompoundsetsfor15to30minutesandbecomestacky(butnotcompletelydry),holdthetrowelataveryshallow,flatangleandworkitfromtoptobottom,bottomtotop,inverticalstrokesoverthedollopsofcompound.Theobjectivehereisnottosmearordisplacethedollops,buttoremoveanypeaks.Theverticalmotionofthetrowelwillpullthemudupwardanddownward,thusgivingthewallthatrough,texturedfinish.

STEP5Allowthetexturetodrycompletely(foratleast24hours),thenapplyashellacprimerandpaintwithyourcolorofpreference.

187APPLYFAUXFINISHESFauxfinishtechniquescanadddepthandcharactertotheinteriordécor.Paintsblendedwithcomplementarycolorsandglazescancreateartisticeffectsandtexturestodistinguishthelookfromstandardpaintjobs.Beginwithanon-porousbasecoatofacryliceggshellorsatinfinishpaint.Thefinishpaintwillbeyourbasecolor,andmosteffectsarecreatedbyapplyingatranslucentglazeofadifferentcoloroverthebase(althoughsomeeffectsrequiresolidcolors).

Theglazemodifiestheappearanceofthebasecoatbypartlyconcealingitwithatranslucentfilter.Theglazingtechniquecanbe“positive”or“negative.”Withapositivetechnique,youmethodicallyaddglazetothewalltoenhancethedécorofthebasecoat.Withanegativetechnique,youcoverthebasecoatwithglazeandthenuseatoolsuchasaspongeorragtoremoveit,revealingthebasecolorbeneath.

SPONGINGThispositivetechniqueutilizesaseaspongetoapplytwotothreeaccentcolorstoabasecoatforcasualtoelegantlooks.Spongingcancreateasoft,mottledlookonanythingfromwallstotrim,andevenfurniture.

STIPPLINGAnothertechniquesimilartospongingusesaspecialbrushtocreatethepattern.Pouncethebrushoverthebasecoatlightly,usingjustthetipsofthebrush,toapplythetranslucentcolor.Thebrushshouldbecontinuallyrotatedtodeveloparandompatternwithnovisiblesquareedges.

DRAGGINGThispopularnegativetechniqueisgreatforbothwallsandfurniturepiecesthathavelargeflatsurfaces.Firstapplytheglazewitharoller,andthencreatethepatternbypullingaspecial,dry“draggingbrush”downwardthroughthewetglaze,removingstreaksofglazetorevealthebasecoat.

RAGROLLINGApositiveornegativetechnique,ragrollingcreatesdramaticpatternsthrougheitherrollingonorrollingofftheglaze.Inbothtechniquesaraggingcloth,roller,orpadisusedtocreatetheeffect.Torollon,applytheglazetotherag,twistitintoacylindricalshape,andthenrollitacrossthesurfacetocreatethepattern.Torolloff,applytheglazewitharoller,andthendampentheragwithwater,rollitintoacylindricalshapeandrollitoverthewetglazetoremovesomeofthetopcolor.

188KNOWTRIMBASICSTrimmingoutaroomisahotprojectforaDIYhomeownerwhowantstodramaticallyaccentotherwiselacklusterceilings,walls,orwindows.Alongwithtraditionalbaseboards,chairrails,crownmoldings,andcasings,ahomeownercanalsoconsideroptionssuchasfireplacemantels,cornices,medallions,andmore.Herearesometermsyoushouldknowbeforeyoustart.

BASEBOARDMOLDINGThisborderoftrimdecorationhidesgapsandimperfectionsatthefloor-to-ceilingtransition.Varioussizesandprofilesareavailable.Thebaseboardsaregenerallyattachedtothewallstuds,footplate,andwallboardwithfinishnails.

CHAIRRAILSThishorizontalmoldingtypeisusuallyplacedabovewainscotingorusedtodividetwowallcolors.Usuallysetneartheheightofchairs,itsoriginalpurposewastoprotectthewallfromthescuffingofchairbacks,buttodayit’scommonlyusedasadecorativeelement.

CROWNMOLDINGThisoptioncoversthetransitionpointbetweenthewallandceiling.Availableinmanydifferentshapesandsizes,itcanbeinstalledasasimpletrimprofileorcombinedwithotherpiecesofmoldingtoproduceelaboratearchitecturaldisplays.

CASINGThetrimthatsurroundswindowsordoorsisavailableinoptionsrangingfromsimplecraftsmanstyletrimtomulti-piecemoldingsandcrossheadsforamoreelegantappearancetotheframe.

PROTIPGETPRIMEDYoumightconsiderprimingandpaintingallthetrimpiecesforyourprojectbeforeyouinstallthem.Thiswillreducethetimeyouspendworkingonyourknees(forbase)oraladder(forcrown)andlimityourpost-installationpaintingtotouch-upwork.

189FINISHTHEROOMWhencopingthemolding,followtheinstallationsequenceshownhereforthebestappearance.Beginonthewallthatisoppositethedoorandinstallapiecethatissquareatbothends,flushbetweenthetwoadjacentwalls.Thisway,anyonewalkingintotheroomseesthebestsideofthejoints.Onthetwoadjacentor“side”walls,copethejointswheretheymeettheinstalledmolding,butcuttheoppositeendssquareandbuttthemagainstthe“doorwall.”Thefourthwallmoldingshouldbecopedinbothcorners,butthejointsonthe“doorwall”aretheleastnoticeableintheroomincaseofanyminorimperfections.Allmoldingsshouldbefastenedsecurelyintosolidframingwithtwonailsdrivenatoffsetanglesperstudlocation.

190LEARNTOCOPEWheninstallingtrim,it’stemptingtocut45-degreemitersatthecornersandhopeforasurefit.Theproblemisthatmostwallsaren’t90degrees.Joiningtwo45-cutmoldingpiecesmaygiveyouasquarejoint,butasquarejointmaynotworkforyourcrazycorner.Eventheperfectmiterjointcanendupdevelopinggapswhenthewooddriesandcontractsinwinter.

Unlikemiterjoints,copejointshaveonetrimpiecebuttedagainsttheadjacentwallatthecorner.Thejoiningtrimpieceiscarefullycuttonestagainsttheprofileofthefirst.Thesejointseliminatetheproblemofout-of-squarecornerswheninstallingtrim,andthey’relesslikelytorevealagapwhenthewoodshrinks.Todoitright,followthesesteps.

STEP1Buttthefirstpieceofmoldingintothecornerandfasteninplace.

STEP2Cutthesecondpieceofmoldingjustafewincheslongerthanitsfinallength.Then,ontheintersectingendofthesecondpiece,cuta45-degreeinsidemiter.

STEP3Runacarpenter’spencilalongtheedgeofthemiteredprofile,whichdoesthejobofmarkingtheshapeforbettervisibility.

STEP4Clampthesecondpieceofmoldingtoaworksurfacesecurelyandusethecopingsawtocutalongthepencilline.Itmayhelptoanglethebladetoback-cutthemolding.Keepthebladeabout inchtothewastesideofthecutline.

STEP5Whenmostofthewoodisremoved,useafiletofinishthecutandcleanuptheprofile,revealingashapededgethatwillbetheonlypointofcontactbetweentheintersectingpiecesofmolding.Removeallthewoodforwardoftheprofiletocreateasocketthatfitsoverthefaceofthefirstpiece.Arattailfile,whichhasaround,slendershapeworkswellforfine-tuningsmallcurvesandedges.Aflatfilewillworkwellonsquareedges.

STEP6Test-fitthemoldingagainstthefirstpiece.Checkforanygapsandsandorfileawayanyhighspotstoensureagoodfit.Nailthemoldingintoplaceandfinishoffbycaulkingtheseam.Proceedaroundtheroomtocompletetheinstallation.

191LEARNFROMTHEPROSUpgradingtrimcanbeafairlysimpleandrelativelyinexpensivewaytoupgradearoom.Andtherearesometipsandtrickstomakeiteveneasier.

MATCHITUPEnsurethateachlengthofthecrownmoldingyoupurchasehaspreciselythesamespringangle,width,andthickness.Thisisveryimportantbecausebuildingsupplystorespurchasetheirowntrimfromseveralmanufactures,witheachusingtheirdifferentfabricationstandards/tolerances,andanydissimilarpieceswon’tfittogethercorrectly.

GETSQUAREAlwayscheckthesquareofyoursawbeforeyoubegin.Foreverydegreeyoursawisoutofalignment,youwillgettwicethaterrorineachjointthatyoucut.

BEEFUPForoptimalstrength,besuretouseadhesiveineverysinglejoint.

FILLITCaulkalljointsandthetopandbottomofyourcrownandtrim.Useashrink-freespacklingfornailholes.(Caulkingnailholeswillleavevisibledimples.)

GOLONGDonotnailanycloserthan6inchestothejointforlongpiecesofcrownortrim.Forshortpieces,youcangluethejointand/oruseadhesiveunderthetrimpiece.

BECAREFULWhencuttingthemoldingortrimtoyourdesiredlength,itisbesttomakethefirstcutatleastahalfinchintothewastesideofthecrownortrim,andthenmakesmallcutsuntilyoureachyourlengthmark.

TRYTEMPLATESTrybuildingasetofcrownmoldingortrimtemplatestohelpguideyourbladeorientationwhenmakingthecuts.Maketemplatesforright-handandleft-handcutsforbothinsideandoutsidemiters.

PROTIPTHINKBEYONDTHEWALLSFireplacemantels,built-inbookshelves,barareas,andmoremakegreatcandidatesfordecorativetrimenhancements.Insteadofcrowningawall,usemoldingtocreateskirtingforamantelshelf.Useapieceofbaseboardturnedupsidedowntolinetheupperportionofabookcase.Thinkoutsidetheboxwhendesigningandselectingyourtrimpackages,anddon’tfeellimitedbythetraditionaluseofthematerials.

192GETHIGHAceilingmedallionisaneasytrimupgradethataddselegancetoahanginglightfixture.Someceilingmedallionscomeintwohalvesforsimpleapplicationoveranexistingfixture.Othersaresingle-pieceproductsthatrequireremovalofthefixture.Somemedallionsaremadeofthinplasticandinstallwithtwo-sidedtape,butwepreferthesolidurethaneversionsthatcanbesecurelygluedtotheceiling.Toinstall,allyou’llneedisapowerdrill/driver,ahandfuloftrim-headdrywallscrews,woodfiller,andsomeconstructionadhesive.

Tobegin,test-fitthemedallionandmakenoteifitneedstobecentered,incasethebaseofyourlightisslightlysmallerthanthemedallion’sinsidediameter.Whenyou’resatisfiedwithitsposition,marktheceilingaroundthemedallion’sperimeterforeasyreplacementafteryouaddtheadhesive.Liberallyapplybeadsofadhesivetoitsbackside (usepolyurethaneglueforurethanemedallions).Replacethetwohalvesaroundthebaseofthelight,interlockingthejoint .

Countersinkafewtrim-headdrywallscrewsthroughthemedallionandintotheceilingjoiststoholdthetrimpiecewhilethegluesets .Concealthesmallscrewheadswithplasticwoodfiller.Caulktheseamsandpaintifdesired.

193INSTALLCROWNMOLDINGCrownmoldingcanaddgreatlytoaroom’soveralldécor.Here’showtosuccessfullycompletethejobinastandardsquareroom.Onenicethingaboutceilingtrimisthattherearegenerallynodoorsorotherroomopeningstocontendwith.Thissimplifiesthelayoutsomewhat,butyoushouldplantheinstallationaccordingtothelocationsofthecopedjoints(seeitem189).

STEP1Startbyusingastudfinderandpenciltomarkthewallstudsandceilingjoistsaroundtheperimeteroftheroom .Markjustoutsidethemoldinglocationsoyou’llknowwheretodrivethenails.

STEP2Thefirstpieceofmoldingrequiresnoangledcuts,thusmakingittheeasiesttoinstall.Measurethewall,thenmakea90-degreecuttotrimthemoldingtolength.Useapoweredmitersaworahandsawwithmiterbox.

STEP3Fastenthemoldingintothewallandtheceilingframingwithfinishnails .Ahammerandnailwillsuffice,butit’sprettyeasytodentthemoldingthisway.Abetter(andmuchfaster)toolforthejobisapneumaticnailgun,suchasabradnailerorfinishnailer.

STEP4Here’swhereyoubeginthecopingpartofthejob.Measurethewallandthenmarkyourmeasurementsontotheintersectingendofthesecondstripofmolding.Cuta45-degreeinsidemiteratthemark .

Whencuttingcrownmoldingonamitersaw,youwilltypicallyhavetocutitupsidedownandbackward,sothesaw’sbaserepresentstheceilingandthesaw’sfencerepresentsthehousewall.With45-degreeinsidecorners,thecutshouldbemadesothelower,longerpointofthemolding(whenpositionedonthewall)meetsthemarkyoumadeforthemolding’soveralllength.

STEP5Copethemitercutandcheckforfitonthewall.Cuttheuncopedendsquaretofitagainsttheoppositewall.Buttitagainstthefarcornertomeetanothercopedpiece .Repeatthisprocessforthemoldingstripthatintersectstheotherendofthefirstpiece.Completetherestoftheroomaccordingtotheinstallationsequenceforcopedjoints.

STEP6Thefinalmoldingstriponthefourthwall,abovethedoor,iscopedatbothends.Admittedly,itisdifficulttosuccessfullyfitapieceofmoldingthathasbeencopedatbothends.Tomakethiseasier,youcanfiteachcopedcorneronaseparatepieceofmoldingandcutascarfjointtojointhetwopiecesinacontinuousrun(seeitem195).

STEP7Withallthemoldingsolidlyfastenedintoplace,fillupthenailholesandsealseamswithahigh-qualitycaulkorwoodfiller.Sandthecaulkafteritdriesandthen“spot”primetheseamsandnailpatches.Oncetheprimerdries,maskoffthemoldingandfinishupwithacouplecoatsofyourfavoritesemi-glossorhigh-glosspaint.

194INSTALLOUTSIDECORNERS

Toinstallmoldingatanoutsidecorner,firstcopetheendofthemoldingoppositetheoutsidecorner.Holdthatstripalongthewall,nestingthecopeupagainsttheprecedingpieceofmoldingsothattheotherendrunslongoverthecorner.Markthecutlinewherethemoldingoverhangsthecorner .Dothesamefortheintersectingpiece.Cutmitersatthemarksonbothpieces.

Tocutoutsidecornersoncrownmolding,positionthemoldingupside-downandfaceuponthemitersaw.Ideallyyou’llneedtomakea45-degreecutononeendofonepiece,andanother45ontheintersectingpiece .However,wallsareoftenoutofsquare,sofirstchecktheanglewithananglegaugeandthencutitaccordingly.

Installthepiecesbyapplyingabeadofcarpenter’sgluetothejointandsecuringwithfinishnails.Youcanthensmooththejointbyrunningthe

roundededgeofanailsetoverittopressthefibersclosed .Forthick,heavymoldingsorproblemgaps,drillpilotholesatthetopandbottomofthejoint,anddrive4dfinishnailsperpendicularthroughonemoldingintotheendoftheother.

195SCARFITUPUseascarfjointanytimeyouneedtojointwopiecesofmoldingalongastraightrunofthewall.Tomakethisjoint,cutoppositemitersonthetwomoldingpiecesandnailthejointsecurelyoverawallstud.Makethecutsoitanglesawayfromthedoorwaytobetterconcealthejoint.Afterfasteningthefirsthalfoftherunoverthestud,copethecornerendofthesecondpiece.Then,cutasupplementarymiteronitsoppositeend,leavingthestripjustalittletoolong.Test-fitthislastpieceandthencutwaytheexcessonthemiteruntilitfitssnuglyintothescarfjointwithnovisiblegap.

196TOOLUPAfewsimpletoolscanmakeyourtriminstallationmucheasier.

LASERRANGEFINDERAprecisesetofwall-to-wallmeasurementsarecriticalforinstallingcrownandbasemolding.Althoughatapemeasurewillwork,alaserrangefinderwillmakethetaskeasier.Justaimthedevicefromonecornertotheother.Withonlyapushofabuttonyou’llhavetheexactmeasurementrecordedindigitalreadout,andyou’rereadyforatriptothesawtocutthemoldingtomatch.

CROWNMOLDINGHANGERSIfinstallingcrownmoldingbyyourself,checkthelocalhardwarestoreforthesehandytime-savers.Tousethem,tackinacoupleofnailsabout6feetapartjustbelowtheceiling.HooktheCrownHangersonthenails—they’resoldtwoperset.Then,hangthestickofmoldingonthetwobrackets.Afterthat,youcanadjusteachofthehangersbyslidingthebracketsupwardandfinger-tighteningwithalocknut,whichpositionsthemoldingagainsttheceiling,readyforfastening.

197GETACOMPLEXCrownmoldingandcasingarebothavailableinsimplegeometricprofilesaswellaselegant,intricateprofilesthatmimiccomplexclassicaldesigns.DIYerscanpurchasethesemoldingspreformedatthefactoryortheycustom-buildtheirownfromindividualtrimstripssoldathomecenters.

Dentilmolding,forexample,iscomposedofaseriesofrepeatingrectangularblocksthatadddepthandcharactertomillworksuchasfasciatrimandcrownprofiles.Thisparticularmoldingstylehasbeenpopularforcenturies,buttraditionalinstallationwasoftenatime-consumingandlabor-intensiveprocessthatrequiredcombiningalltheindividualpieces.

Today,woodmoldingsareavailablewithallofthedentilmoldingpre-attachedtotheprofilebythemanufacturer.Forpaint-gradetrim,syntheticmoldingsoffersimilardesignadvantages.Youcanpurchasesingle-piecepolyurethanefoamorvinylmolding,whichweighslessandresistsshrinkage,peeling,andotherproblemsassociatedwithbuilt-upwoodmolding.Plus,withpaint-gradeprojects,minorerrorsintheinstallationcanberepairedwithcaulkandpaintedover.

Someofthelarger,moreelaboratelycraftedmoldingshaveagapattherearthatcanmakeittoughforthenailstopenetratefullythroughtothehouseframing.Tocreateasolidnailingsurfaceonwhichtohangthemolding,youcaninstallwoodenblocksalongtheperimeteroftheceiling.Measuretheangleofthemoldingprofileusingacombinationsquare,thencuttriangularblocksfromscrapwoodtofitbehindthemolding.Nailtheblocksevery16

inchesintothewallstuds.Then,nailthemoldingintotheblocks.Don’tbeafraidtogetcreativeanddevelopyourownmoldingsfromanyof

therangeofshapesandprofilesonthemarkettoday.Practicetheassemblyonaworkbenchandmakesuretokeepyourrevealsconsistent.(The“reveal”istheexposureofonetrimpiecebeneathanother.)Makesureyourmoldingissecurelyattachedwithnailsandglue(ifnecessary),andtheskywillbethelimitonthedesignsyoucancomeupwith.

198GOMITERLESSSkippingthemiteringprocessisabigtime-saver,andyoucandoitwithcrownmoldingsystemsthatusecornerblocksinsteadofmitercutsateachjoint.Youjustmakesquarecutsonthemolding;there’snoneedtomeasureanglesorthink“upsidedownandbackward,”andeachcutcanbemadewiththemoldingflatonthebaseofthemitersaw.

Beginbydrawingalayoutoftheroomanddeterminewhatmaterialsyouneed.Payattentiontocorners;whenorderingyoumustspecifytheexactnumberofcornerblocks,andwhethertheyareorientedoutsideorinside.

Withthematerialsready,applyurethane-basedadhesivetotherearanduppersurfacesofthecornerblock.Presstheblockintopositionatthewall/ceilingtransition andnailitsecurelythroughtherecessedareasofthecornerpiece.Proceedaroundtheroom,installingallofthecornerblocksthesameway.

Next,measurehowlongyou’llneedeachpieceofmoldingtobetofitbetweenthecornerblocks .Cutthemoldingtofit,erringonthesideoftoolong.Checkfitbeforeinstalling ;adjustasneeded.(Forurethanemoldings,add⅛-inchtoevery5feetoflinearrun.)

Positionthemoldingonthewallsoitcloselyfollowstheprofileofthecornerblock,whichisslightlylargerthanthemoldingforauniformrevealatthetransition.Eachblockshouldappearasaslightlylargeraccentpieceateachcornerofthelayout.Positionthefirstendagainstthecornerblockandfasteninplace,movingfromoneendtowardthecenter.Nailthemoldingintothewallstudsevery16inches .

Iftwolengthsofmoldinghavetojoininthemiddleofawall,themiterlesssystemalsocomeswithdividerblocks.Thelengthsofmoldingcanbecutsquareandinstalledrightagainsttheflatsurfaceofthedividers.

199INSTALLWAINSCOTINGTheterm“wainscoting”referstonearlyanysortoftreatmentyougivetothelowerportionofawallincontrasttotheupperportion.Thiswillofteninvolveasystemofpanelscappedbyachairrailthatlinesthelowerwallasadecorativeenhancement.Onetraditionaltype,beadboard(shownbelow),ispopularwithDIYersbecauseofitsnarrowrepeatingpattern,whichmakesiteasytohideacutbetweenpanels.

Plantheinstallationsothatthefullpanelsaremostprevalent,withcutpanelslocatedinalessconspicuousareas.Makestrategiccutsinordertocontinuewithafullrepeatingbead-boardpatternfromonepaneltotheotheruntilthewainscotingmeetsacorner.

Applyconstructionadhesivetothebackofeachpanelandfastenthemintothewallstudswithbradnails.(Theruleofthumbisthatthewainscoting

panelsareusuallyone-thirdtheheightofthewall.)Installallthepanelsperfectlylevel.Gapsatthefloorcanbeconcealedwithbaseorshoemolding.Finally,nailthetrimprofileofyourchoiceontopofthepanelingtoserveaschairrail.

200GOPREFABRaisedpanelwainscotinggivesaroomamoreformalappearance,popularindiningrooms,foyers,andhallways.Assemblingthesepanelsfromscratch,however,willrequiresomecarefulmeasurementandshrewdcarpentryskills,plusalotoftimeandlabor.

OnewayforaDIYertocutthelaborinhalfistoordercustomizedwainscotingthatisshippedtoyourhomeaslarge,singlesectionswithallthedecorativepatternsroutedintotheMDFpanels.Ratherthanpiecingtogethereveryrail(horizontalpiece)andstile(verticalpiece),theselargepanelscanbeinstalleddirectlytothewallsothatthejobprogressesasmuchas8linearfeetatatime.Thesinglepanelsarealsolesspronetopaintcracking,becausetherearenorailorstilejoints,whicharepronetoexpansionandcontraction.

WainscotingAmericaisasupplierthathelpsstreamlinetheselectionprocesswithanonlinedesigntool.Firststepistoselectyourpreferredstyleandtheheightofyourpanels,andthenyouchoosefromanumberofotherparameters.Basedonyourcarefulmeasurementsofeachwall,thewebtoolwillproduceavisualrepresentationofyourpaneldesign.Makeadjustmentsuntilyou’resatisfied.Thepanelsthenshiptoyourhome.

Thepanelsareinstalledoverthewallboardusingacombinationofconstructionadhesiveandbradnailsdrivenintothewallstuds.Theseamsbetweenpanelsareconcealedwithanoverlappingrabbetjoint.Thechairrailisinstalledwithglueandnails,andtheentireprojectisfinishedwithcaulk,spackling,primer,andpaint.

201FAKEITFauxwainscotpanelinghasmadeitswayintotoday’shomesbecauseit’seasytoinstallandsavestimeandmaterial.Installingfauxpanelingbasicallyentailsattachingmoldingstothewallstocreatethelookandeffectofsolidwainscotingpanels.Themoldingsaremiteredtocreateasquareorrectangle,andthewallandmoldingsarepaintedonecolortolooklikesolidwainscot.

Forcurvedwalls,flexiblemoldingcanbeappliedtosimulatecurvedpanels.

202GETFILLEDINONFRAMINGWhenreplacingwindowsordoors,DIYerswillhavetounderstandthebasicsofwallframing.It’susuallyeasytoreplaceanewwindowordoormatchingwiththesizeanddesignoftheexistingunit.Ifthenewunitislarger,majorframingreconstructionwillberequiredtoaccommodatetheinstallation.

Thewallsofahouseconsistofbottomplatesthatarenailedtothesubflooring,orpossiblyattachedbyanchorboltsontoaconcreteslab.Studsarethennailedtothebottomplates,andthetopplatesarenailedtothestuds.Thestudscarryalltheweightofthestructureabovethem,soanytimethereisaninterruptioninthosestuds,suchastheroughopeningofawindowordoor,theoverheadloadmustbedistributedandwellsupportedbyaheaderandtrimmerstuds.

203KNOWYOURLIMITATIONSTheroughopeningdefinedbythewallframingmeansthatreplacementwindowsanddoorsarelimitedtomatchingsizesunlessyouwanttoreconstructthewallframe.Insomecasesyoucaninstallwindowsthataretallerthantheoriginalwindowsbyremovingandreconstructingtheheightofthesillplate.However,toincreasethewidthofawindowordoor—ortoaddawindowordoorwhereonedoesnotexist—willrequiretemporarilysupportingtheoverheadstructurewhileyouopenthewallandreconstructtheheaderstoaccommodatethelargerunits.

204WRAPYOURHEADAROUNDHEADERSHeadersarestructuralframingmembersmadefromdoubled2-inchlumberthatbridgetheroughopeningofadoororwindow,supportingtheoverheadweightthatwouldotherwisefallonthemissingstuds.Thelumber’ssizedependsonthespanoftheopeningandwhetherornotitisaload-bearingwall.

Forload-bearingwallswithanopeningof4feet,a4X4(doubled2X4)shouldbeadequateaslongasthewoodisDouglasfirorstronger.Openingsbetween4and6feetrequireadoubled2X6.Therequiredsizeoftheheader

increasesasthespangetswider;theycanbelargerthannecessary,butnotsmaller.

Theheadershouldbeexactlyasthickasthewallstuds.Becauseadoubled2X4(nominal)measuresonly3inches,anda2X4(nominal)wallstudis3½inches,blockingbetweenthe2Xmembersofaheaderisrequiredtoincreasethethicknessoftheheader.Half-inchplywoodordrywallisusuallyusedasamiddleboardtocarrytheloadandensuretheheaderhasaflushnailingsurfacewiththedrywall(inside)andsheathing(outside)onbothsidesofthewall.Rigidpolyurethanefoamcanalsoaddinsulationtotheheader.Forsmallerheaders,thedistancebetweentheheaderandthetopplatemaybetakenupbypartial,or“cripple,”studs.

Fornon-load–bearingwalls,theheadersimplyservestodefinetheroughopeningofadoororwindowandprovideapropernailingsurfaceforjambs,drywall,andsheathing.Headersmadeofdoubled2X4areadequatefornon-load–bearingwallsupto72inches,butuse2X6forlongerspanstoavoidsagging.

205PUTITONAPLATEThebottomedgeoftheroughopeningofawindowisdefinedbyasillplate.Thesillplateisahorizontalframingmemberthesamesizeasthewallstuds,whichthewindowsitson.Cripplestudsareinstalledbeneaththesillplatetosupportthewindowandtocreateaflushnailingsurfaceforthewallboard.Alwaysmakesurethattheroughopeningisplumb,square,andtruefordoorsandwindows.

206GETATRIMTrimmerstudsareinstalledundertheendsoftheheadertosupportitsweightandhelpdefinethesidesoftheroughopening.Thesestudsarenailedflushagainstfull-lengthwallstuds(called“king”studs)andrunbeneaththeheadertothebottomplatetotransfertheoverheadloadtothegroundorlowerlevelofthehome.Trimmerstudsmustbethesamethicknessasthewallstudsandheader.

207SELECTYOURWINDOWSTYLEWindowsareavailableinmanystylesandoperatingtypes.Yourlifestyleanddecorativepreferencewillhelpdeterminewhichtypewillmatchyourlong-termexpectationsforyourhome.

SINGLEHUNGThetopsashofthewindowstaysfixed,whilethebottomsashliftsopenandtiltsinforeasycleaning.

DOUBLEHUNGBothsashesondoublehungwindowslifttoopenfullyandtiltinwardforeasycleaning.

PICTURETheselargewindowsarefixedanddon’topenorclose.

CASEMENTThesashishingedononesideofthewindow,andopenslikeadoorbyturningthecrankhandleatthebase.

AWNINGThesashhashingesatthetopanditopensoutwardwhenyouturnthecrankhandleatthebase.

DOUBLESLIDERPairedsashesthatareopenedandclosedbyslidingfromsidetoside.

SINGLESLIDEROnesashthatisfixedanddoesn’tmove,whiletheothersashopensandclosesbyslidingfromsidetoside.

BAYAtrioofwindowsmulledtogetherateither30-or45-degreeanglesthatextendoutwardfromtheframeofthehouse.

BOWSimilartoabaywindow,bowwindowsareevenmoreroundedinappearancebecauseeachofthe3,4,or5litewindowsaremulledata10-degreeangle.

GARDENTheseextendoutwardfromthehouseandfeaturefunctionalcasementsidelites.Theyaredesignedtoshowcaseplantsorcollectibles.

GEOMETRICFixedwindowsthatdonotopenorclose,butareavailableinavarietyofstylishshapes.

GARDENDOORGardendoorsoperatelikenormaldoors–theyswingopen.

Gardendoorscanhaveonefixeddoor,orbothofthedoorscanswinginorout.

208GETAGREATLOOKWITHGRIDSWhenorderingwindowsyou’regoingtohavetomakeadecisionongrids,whichcanaffecttheoveralllookofthehome’sexterioraswellasitsinterior.Here’swhattothinkabout.

CONSIDERTHESIZEIfawindowlooksabitlargeforaroomoryouwanttoaccenttheunit,it’stimetothinkaboutgrids.Basically,grids(whichcansometimesbecalledgrills,grillesormuntins)dividealargewindowintosmallerviewingunits,called“lites.”

PICKANDCHOOSEThegridsthemselvescanbethin,flat,sculptured,groovedorevenround.Differentwindowmanufacturersofferavarietyofselections.

KNOWYOURTERMSVerticalgridsgoinanupanddowndirectionontheglassofthewindow.Horizontalgridsgosidetoside.Youdon’tnecessarilyneedtohavebothverticalandhorizontalgridsinawindow.

MATCHPATTERNSGridpatternsshouldmatchinallthewindowsonthesamefloorandonthesamesideofthehouseforaunifiedlookontheexterior.

VISUALIZEAGRIDTakeasheetofnotebookpaperandthenfolditinhalf.Theresultingsizeshowstheaveragesizeofglasssurroundedbygrids.Generally,litesingridpatternsshouldbenosmallerthan8incheswideand6inchestall.Thelargerthewindowsize,themorelitescanbecreatedusinggrids.Considermakingamock-upbyapplyingmaskingtapetothewindowswhereyouthinkyou’dliketohavethegrids.Thiswayyoucanseewherethegridswouldbe,andyoucanmakechanges.

209BEENERGYEFFICIENTWhenlookingfornewwindows,considerthosewithenergyefficientdesignsforyear-roundthermalperformance.Single-panewindowshavepoorinsulationandresultincoldspotsinaroom.Newwindowswithdouble-paneLow-Eglass,filledwithharmlessargonorkryptongas,canreduceahome’spowerbill.Thegasesareagreatthermalbarrier,reducingheatandcoldtransfer.Low-Ecoatingsreflectinfraredlighttokeeptheheatinduringthewinterandoutsideinthesummer.Thesecoatingscanalsoreducefadingincarpets,artworkandphotosbyhelpingblockdamagingultravioletrays.

210PICKYOURMATERIALSWindowstakelotsofweatherabuse;theirmaterialmakesasignificantdifferenceindurabilityandperformance.Woodwindowsgenerallyrequirerepaintingandre-glazingevery2to3years.

Aluminumwindowsdon’tgenerallyhavethesamemaintenanceproblemsaswood,butpaintedaluminumcanpitandthemetalhaspoorthermalperformance.Insummertheycanconductunwantedheatfromoutdoorsintotheroom.Inwinter,aluminumtransferscoldthesameway.Thisheattransferleadstocondensationandrelatedissues.Modernaluminumwindowsoftenusethermalbreaks,madeofvinyl,tohelpwiththecondensationproblemandincreaseenergyefficiency.

Vinylreplacementwindowsarepopularforremodelingsincevinylminimizesheattransferfromtheoutsidetotheinside.Theyareenergyefficient,needlittlemaintenance,andthereisnoneedtorepaintorre-stainthemsincethey’reasolidcolorthroughout.

211MEASUREAWINDOWFORREPLACEMENTTheeasiestmethodofchangingawindowis“pocketreplacement,”whereinyoujustswaptheexistingwindowforoneofthesamesize.Thisallowsahomeownertokeepthetrimintactaroundthewindows.Dependingonthewindow’sconstruction,itmayhelptoremovetheoldinteriortrimforamorecorrectmeasurementoftheroughopening.Ifawindowmanufactureroffersspecificmeasuringinstructions,defertothoseguidelines.

Whenmeasuringtheexistingwindowforwidth,placethetapeagainstthejambandmeasuretotheotherjamb (notthestopmoldingorthepartingbead—thewoodenstripsattachedoverthejamb).Ondouble-hungwindows,thepartingbeadthatseparatesthesashesisremovedfromthejambwhenthenewwindowsareinstalled.Replacementwindowsareallsoldinastandardthicknesstofitthe3¼-inchpocketbetweentheoutsideandinsidestopsafterthepartingbeadhasbeenremoved.

Measurethewindow’swidthinthreeplaces:thetop,middle,andbottom.Usethesmallestofthesemeasurementstodeterminethefinalwidtharoundthewindow.

Next,measuretheheightofthewindow,placingthetapeontheverytopofthesill .(Becarefultonotconfuseitwiththestool—asectionofinteriormoldingatthebottomofthewindowthathelpstogiveitafinishedappearance.)Onadouble-hungwindow,thesillistheboardthesashclosesonto.Thesillisusuallyslopedtodivertwaterawayfromthehouse,soitisimportanttomeasurefromtheuppermostpointoftheslopedsill,downtothetopjamb(notastoporpartingbead).

Measurethewindow’sheightinthreeplaces—right,center,andleft—andusethesmallestofthesemeasurementstodeterminetheheight.

Onceyouhavetakenalloftheexistingwindowmeasurements,considerdeductingslightlyfromthemsothereplacementwindowiseasiertoinstall.Someprofessionalssuggestdeducting¼inchfromthewidthand½inchfromtheheight,tomakesurethattheinstallerwon’ttrytoforcethenewwindowintoplace,potentiallydamagingit.Thereplacementwindowcanbeadjustedusingshims,andtheextraspacecanbefilledwithinsulation.

Rememberthatthereplacementwindowmustfitintotheopeningplumb,level,andsquare,eveniftheopeningmaynotbeanyofthese.

Mostmanufacturerswillofferstandardsizedwindows;youshouldorderonethatmostcloselymatchesthosemeasurementsunlessyouplantochangethesize.(Somemanufacturerscustomizetheirwindowstotheexactmeasurementsthatarerequested,soallthestandardsizingissuesdon’tapply.)Ifthewindowisslightlysmallerthanthewindowframe,itcanbeshimmedtoproperlyfit,butifthewindowistoolarge,thewallwillneedsubstantialreconstructiontofitit.

212REPLACEMETALWINDOWSINBRICKHOMESMetalwindowsaregenerallyfastenedwithaflangeinsidethewallbehindthebrick.Tomeasureheightandwidth,followthesamethree-stepmeasuringguidelines(seethepreviousitem)butstrikethetapefrombricktobricktomeasurethewindow’swidth,andmeasurefromthebrickatthebottomtothemetallintelatthetopoftheopeningfortheheight.Thebrickopeningmaybelargerthanthewindowopening;alwaysusethesmallermeasurementtodeterminethesizeofthereplacement.

213DOITYOURSELF(ORGETHELP)Ahomeownerwiththerighttoolsandcarpentryexperiencecaninstallareplacementwindow.However,westronglyadvisethatfirst-timersenlisttheassistanceofanexperiencedprofessionaltoshowthemtheropes.Ifthewindowisinstalledimproperlyandisnotplumb,level,andsquare,anumberofproblemsmightoccur.Thedoublehungandslidersashmaybedifficultorimpossibletoremove.Acasementsashmaynotoperateproperlyduetoexcessivedragonthesill.Thesashpivotbarondouble-hungwindowscouldbindandcausethesashtobecomeinoperative,ortheweatherstrippingmaynotsealproperly—allowingairandwaterinfiltration,evenifthesashislocked.Andremember:Productsvarybydesign,soallwindowinstallers—bothprofessionalsandDIY—shouldalwaysconsultthemanufacturer’sguidelinesforinstallingtheirspecificunits.

214TRIMYOURWINDOWSArchitecturaltrimcandefineyourhome’sinteriordécor.Themajorityoftoday’shome-improvementstoresofferawidevarietyofthemostpopulartrimandmoldingprofilesfordoorsandwindows.

Thesetrimpiecesareavailableinawidevarietyoflengthsandsizes,andtheyareoftenmadeofpaint-orstain-gradepine.Severaloftheselectionsarealsoavailablepre-primedandreadytopaint.

Abasictrimpackagehascasingmiteredatthecornersandappliedaroundthewindow,butitcanbemoreelaborateordecorativewithafewenhancements.

Thewindowshownherefeaturesjambextensions,curvedflutedcasing,rosetteblocksonthecorners,andakeystoneinthecenter

215JAMBONJambextensionslineawindow’sinteriorframetoprovideadecorativeshadowlineagainstthecasing.Thefrontendsofalloftheseextensionsshouldallbeinstalledflushwiththefaceofthewall,thusprovidingacontinuousflatsurfaceonwhichtonailyourcasing.Therearsidesofthejambextensionsshouldnotinterferewithsashoperations.Theextensionsareattachedtothesidesandthetopofthewindowopeningusingfinishnails.

It’scommontoencounterafewframingimperfectionswheninstallingtheextensions.Woodshimscanbeusedtomakesurethey’resquareintheopening.

216GIVEYOURWINDOWANAPRONThetrimpiecebelowthestooliscalledtheapron,andit’softenmadeofasimple,flatpaintedboard.Forthisprojectweusedbrick-mold,whichhasadecorativeprofile.Wealsocutmiteredreturnsforeachsideoftheapronforafinishedlook,andthenfastenedthosetotheendswithnailsandwoodgluebeforeinstalling.Wethencompletedthewindow-trimjobbyfillingallfastenerholes,caulkingtheseamsandpainting.

STEP1Miteredreturnsgivetheendsoftheapronafinishedlook.

STEP2Nailtheapronflushbeneaththestoolplate.Itshouldbesizedsothestoolextendsbeyondthesidesoftheapron.

STEP3Fillthenailandscrewholes,caulktheseams,andaddprimerandpaintwhereneeded.

217CASETHEJOINTForthecasingpieces,consideraflutedwoodprofilewith3½-inchrosetteblocksatthecorners.Beforeinstalling,carefullymeasureoutandtest-fitthelegpiecesandcornerblocks.Forthisstyle,theheadandlegpiecesshouldbecenteredontherosettes.Onceeverythingislevelandplumb,thelegsarefastenedinplace,followedbythecornersandthetop.Finishnailsareusedforallthecasingandcorners,drivenintosolidframing.

Wheninstallingcasing,eachpieceshouldbridgetheedgeoftheunderlyingjambextension,notcompletelyconcealit.Atrimgauge(orcombinationsquare)isagoodlayouttooltokeeprevealconsistentthroughout.

STEP1Cutthecasingtolengthandnailitoverthejambextensions.

STEP2Keepaconsistentrevealwherethecasinglapsthejambextension.

STEP3Centertherosetteblocksoverthecasingandnailinplace.

STEP4Fastentheheadcasingflushbetweenthecornerblocks.

218PUTYOURWINDOWONASTOOLForthestoolplate,wemeasuredthewindowwidthandaddedtwicethewidthofthecasing(toaccountforbothsidesofthewindow).Wethencutthestool2incheslongerthanthemeasurementinordertoallowadecorativeoverhangonthewindowsides.Thestoolshouldalsobedeepenoughtoextendslightlybeyondthefaceofthewindowcasing,sothatthecasingpiecescansitonthestoolwithnooverhang.Agoodchoiceofwoodfortrimapplicationsis1X(⅜-inch)poplar,whichiseasytocutandrout,andisrelativelyinexpensive.

STEP1Ripthestoolplatetowidth.

STEP2Routadecorativeprofileonthefrontandsidesofthestoolplate.

STEP3Useajigsawtocutoutsquarenotchesintherearcorners,measured

tofitsnuglyaroundyourwindowframeandwall.

STEP4Installthestoolontothewindowsillusingcountersunkwoodscrewsandwoodglue.Makesureitislevel;ifitisnotthenadjustitwithwoodshimsuntilitis,andthenfastensecurely.Thereshouldstillbeplentyofclearanceleftbetweenthestoolandthewindowlatches.

219CHECKTHEEXTERIORAlsocalledentrydoors,exteriordoorshaveasolidcoreandaretypicallywood,fiberglass,orsteel.Mostmodernentrywaydoorsareinsulatedandsoldaspre-hungunitswiththejambalreadyattached,orasslabdoorswithnoframing.Commonstylesincludepaneldoors,windoweddoors,carvedwood,andmore—thedecorativepossibilitiesareendless.Entrydoorsoftenhaveatransom(windowabovethedoor)and/orsidelites(windowsatthesides).LeftHingedActiveOutswing

LeftHingedActiveInswing

RightHingedActiveOutswing

RightHingedActiveInswing

220GETANCHOREDThere’snotmuchwoodinahollow-coreinteriordoor,soscrewswillusuallytearoutofoneassoonasanyweightisappliedtothem.Thiscomplicatesmountingitemssuchaspictures,mirrors,andhooks,tothedoor.Mountinganythingintoahollowdoorrequiresspecialhollow-coredooranchors .Theseplasticanchorsfolddownflattofitinsideapilotholedrilledintothedoor .Onceinserted,asmallkeyisusedtoopenuptheanchor ,whichspreadssidebracketstoclampthefrontcollaroftheanchoragainstthedoorface,likeatogglebolt.Thescrewisthendrivenintotheanchor( , )untiltight.

221GOINSIDEInteriordoorsusuallyhaveahollowcore,weighandcostless,andhavenoneedforinsulation.Alsosoldasslaborpre-hungversions,thesedoorsalsocomeinmanydifferentstyles.Flushandpaneleddoorsarepopular,andthewaythedooropensvariesbeyondthestandardsidehinges.Pocketdoorsslideintoawalltobeconcealedwhenopen.Barn-styledoorsrollonanexposedoverheadtrack.Doubledoorsareoftenusedforclosetsortopartitionrooms,andcanbeconfiguredasbi-folddoors,bypassdoorsthatslideoveroneanother,orfreshdoorswithinsetwindowlites.

Paneldoor

Flushdoor

Freshdoors

Pocketdoor

Bypassdoor

Bifolddoors

222ADDANOTHERDOORStormandscreendoorsaresecondaryexteriordoorsmountedtoametalframethatallowlightand/orairintothehomewhenthemainentrydoorisopened.Stormdoorsaresoldinawiderangeofpaintcolors,handleoptions,andglassdesigns.Installationrequireslittlemorethanascrewdrivertofastentheframeflangestothecasingofthedoorway.

223KNOWYOURDOORSIfyoutakeamomenttothinkaboutthenumberofdoorsyoupassthrougheachday,you’llrealizewhatamajorcomponentofahousetheyare.

Doorsareusuallysoldinstandardsizes,althoughcustomordersarealsoavailable.Whenselectingadoor,payparticularattentiontothedirectionthedooropens,whichgreatlyaffectstheflowoftrafficinandoutofthedoorway.

224PULLOUTTHESTOPSMostmanufacturersoffertheirwindowsinstandardsizestoprovideaclosematchtoexistingwindowunits.Onceyouhavethenewwindows,double-checkallofthemeasurementsforfitbeforeremovingtheexistingunits.

Mostwindowsare“clamped”inplacewithstopmoldingoneachsideofthewall.Thefirststeptopullingouttheoldwindowsistoremovestops.Exteriorstopscanberemovedtoinstallthewindowfromtheoutside.Forindoorinstallations,youwillhavetoremovetheinteriorstops.

Usehammers,puttyknives,andprybarstodislodgetheoldstopmolding.Withthestopsgone,theoldwindowscanthenbecarefullypushedoutoftheframe.

225PUTINANEWWINDOWOnceyouroldwindowisout,youwillhavesomecleanuptodo.Removeandreplaceanyrottedwoodinthewindowcasing,sillplate,orframing.

Next,refertothemanufacturer’sinstructionsforspecificsonassemblingyourmodel.Thewindowsmayincludevariousaccessorypieces,suchasvinylsillextenderstohelpfitthewindowintotheopening,whichshouldbeattachedbeforeinstallation.

Ifthewindowistobeinstalledonaslopedsill,woodblocksshouldbeinstalledalongthesillaswell,tohelpsupportthewindowandkeepitlevel.Wheninstalling,tiltthenewwindowintotheopeningwiththesashclosedandlocked,settingthebottomonthesill(orwoodblocks).

226CHECKTHEFINALFIT

Yourreplacementwindowhastobelevel,plumb,andsquare,otherwiseit

won’topenorcloseproperlyandairandwatercouldinfiltratearoundtheedges.Checkbothsidesforplumb andthebottomforlevel .Tocheckforsquare,measurebothwindowdiagonalsfromcornertocornertomakesuretheymatch .Adjustmentcanbemadewithshims ,whichshouldbeinstalledatallanchorpointsandanywherenecessarytokeeptheunitcorrectlyinplace.

Oncethewindowisplumb,level,andsquare,drivetheinstallationscrews(includedwiththewindow)intotheprefabricatedholesinthejamb .Don’tover-tighten,orthewindowmightbowandnotfunctionproperly.Checkthesashforproperoperationoncethescrewsareinplace.

Ifthereareanygapsgreaterthan⅛inchbetweenthewindowandframe,looselypackinsulationintheinterior.Sprayfoamisacceptableiftheproductisdesignatedforwindowsanddoors,soitwon’texpandtothepointthatitcouldpreventproperoperation.

Reinstallnewstopmoldingthencaulkandpainttoyourpreference .

227BRICKYOURWINDOWMetal-framedwindowsinbrickwallshaveanailingflangebehindthebrick.Afterremovingthesash,youwillhavetocutawayallcaulkandpryouttheflange.Youshouldn’thavetoalterthebrickunlessyouwanttochangethesizeofthewindows.Applyflashingtapeonallexposedwoodframingbeforeinstallingnewwindows.

228REPLACEAPRE-HUNGDOORNeedtomakeagreatfirstimpression?Upgradetheentrydoortoyourhome.

STEP1Taketheolddooroffofitshingesandbackoutthelonghingescrewsthatholdthejambtotheframing.Removethescrewsfromthesillandtheboltsofthedoorstrike.Cutlooseallcaulkedjointsaroundthejambwitharazor.Pryoffthecasingontheinsideorremovethebrickmoldingoutsidetoremovethejamb;ifitisn’tlooseintheframing,runareciprocatingsawwithalongbladebetweenthejambandframingtocutthroughanyremainingfasteners.Thisshouldfreethedoorsoyoucantipitoutoftheroughopeningforremoval.

STEP2Pullthejamboutoftheroughopening.

STEP3Preparetheroughopeningbycheckingallcornersforsquare.Double-checkbycomparingthediagonalmeasurements.Theroughopeningshouldbeframeheightplus½inch,andframewidthplus½to¾inch.Usea6-footleveltoconfirmtheframingandwallsareplumb(fronttobackandlefttoright).Fixanyproblemsusingshimboardsorbyadjustingthestuds.Also,ensurethesubfloorislevelandsolid.Scrape,sand,orfilltheopeningasrequired.

STEP4Ifthedoorincludesatransomthatneedstobeattached,laythedoordownonaflatworksurface(coveredwithablankettopreventscratches).Liberallyapplyflexible,exterior-gradesealantbetweenthedoortopandtransombottom.

STEP5Positionthetransomontothedoorandflushwiththejambonallsides.Holdtheseamclosedwithclampsoranassistantwhileyouscrewthetwopiecestogetherusingmetalnailingplates.Foramoresolidconnection,fillallholesinthemetalplateswithshortscrewsintothematingjambs.

STEP6Liberallyapplysealanttothesubfloor.(Caulktherearofthebrickmoldingifit’spre-attached.)Foranextralayerofmoistureprotection,installasillpanintheroughopeningbeneaththenewdoor.

STEP7Positionthedoor’sthresholdoverthesealantandtipitintotheroughopening.Temporarilysecuretheunitinplacebyinstallingscrewsinthecenteronbothsidesofthedoorjambs.Use3-inchscrews,butdon’ttightenthemfullyyet.

STEP8Plumbthehinge-sidejambfirst(inbothdirections)sothedoorswingsproperly.Checkandmakeadjustmentsusinga6-footlevel.Placescrewsateachhingelocation.Inserttheshimsbehindthehingesandabovethescrews(sothescrewspreventthemfromfallingdownwhileadjustmentsarebeingmade).Slidethetriangularshimsintooroutofthejambtoadjustspacinguntilthehingesideisplumbandstraight.Finishdrivingthescrews

tight(themiddlefirst,thentopandbottom).

STEP9Checkthedoor’sweatherstriprevealandpointsofcontact.Adjusttheframesotheweatherstripcontactsthedoorsurfaceequallyatthetop,centerandbottom.

229LEARNTOUSESHIMSThebestwaytousewoodshimsistoinserttheminpairsbetweenthesurfacesyou’retryingtomoveorsupport.Whenshimmingadoor,forexample,theshimsareinsertedfromeachsideofthejambssothattheirthinendsmeetandoverlap.Byslidingtheshimsfurtherintothegap,theypushtheshimmingsurfaceoutward,creatingthethicknessoftwoshims.Thismethodalsoprovidesaflatsurfacetoworkwith;usingasingletriangularshimfromonesidecreatesa“teeter-totter”effectagainstthesurfacebeingshimmed.

230DOUBLEUPToinstalladoubledoor,haveanassistanthelptocenterthejambintheframe.Driveone10dfinishnailor3-inchscrewthroughthemid-pointofeachhingejambintotheframingstuds.Holdthedoorinplacewithnailsorscrewswhileyouplumbandsquarethejamb,usingshimsasnecessary.Placetheshimsatthehingelocationsbetweenthejambandthestuds,andanyotherlocationsneededtosquaretheopening.CheckforsquarebymeasuringthediagonalsofthejambinanXpattern(cornertocorner)toconfirmtheymatch.Makesurethedoorpanelsarealsoevenacrosstheirtopsandbottoms,andthattherevealbetweenthemisevenaswell.

231INSTALLAHANDLE-SETDoorknobsareoftenoverlooked,butahandle-setcanhighlightthedecorativeappealofthedoorhardware.Upgradingasimpledesignorreplacinganoldhandlewithamodernstylecanspruceupanentryway.

Installinganewdoorhandle-setcanbeaquickandsimpleproject,especiallyifthereareprecutknobholes.However,insomecases,theprecutholesarelocatedtoolowforcomfortableuseofalatchhandle.Comparethehole’sheightwiththerecommendedinstallationheightofahandle-set;aknobmaybeabetterchoice.Designsmayvary,butthisreplacementprocedurewillbesimilarformosthandle-sets.

STEP1Unscrewandremovetheolddoorhandle.Test-fitthenewhandletotheexistinghole

STEP2Somehandle-setsincludepapertemplatestohelpalignandmarkplacementofthehandleanddead-boltholes.Otherwise,measureaccordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructions.

STEP3Iftherearenoholesavailableforahandle-setordeadbolt,drillthem

outwithaholesaw.Double-checkthehandlemanufacturer’sinstructionsfortherecommendeddiameter.Usea1-inchspadebittoboreholesinboththejambanddoorforthedeadbolt.

STEP4Ifyou’recuttingnewknobholes,you’llalsohavetocutmortisesforthefaceplatesofthelatchordeadbolt.Tracethefaceplateperimeterwithapencil,andthenuseawoodchiselandhammertochipoutarecessinordertosetthefaceplateflushwiththewoodsurface.

STEP5Ifthehandle-setincludesathrough-boltusedtoanchorthebottomofthehandlewiththedoor,useaspiralorbrad-pointbittodrilloutthemountinghole.Forwoodendoors,youshouldstartbydrillingouttheholefrombothsidesofthedoorinordertopreventtear-out.

STEP6Installthehandlemechanisminsidethedoorholes,andalignthespindlewiththelatch.Securethefaceplatesintothemortisesthatyou’vepreviouslycutinStep4,usingapairofscrewssothattheyareflushwiththedooredge.

STEP7Addtheinteriorlevertojoinwiththeexteriorhandle.Twoscrewsareallthat’srequiredtofastenmosthandlestogether.

STEP8Mountthedeadboltandstrikeplate.Thestrikeplate(whichwillreceivethedeadbolt)comeswithtwo3-inchscrewstodriveintothedoor

jambandhouseframing.Thisdesignwillprovideextraholdingpowerforthedeadbolt.

STEP9Thedeadbolthousingissimpletoinstall,asitrequiresonlytwoboltstojointhehalvesoverthedeadbolt.Finishthehandle-setbyinstallingthelowerthrough-bolt(ifincluded)andcovercaptoconcealtheinteriorboltheadforafinishedappearance.

232INSTALLADOORTRIMKITYoucaneasilyanddramaticallyenhanceanentrywaywithelaboratetrimpackages.Youcanbuildupallofthetrimpiecebypiece,butit’seasiertouseapre-assembleddoor-trimkit.The4-piecekitthat’sshowncontainsapairofurethaneflutedpilastersandacrosshead.Architecturaldetails(thebackingtrim,flutedcasing,crownmolding,andplinthblocks)areextrudedinmanufacturingsoyoudon’thavetoinstallthemindividually,savinglotsoftimeandhassle.And,unlikewood,urethaneislightweightandwon’trot.

STEP1Beforepurchasingthetrim,firstmeasureyourdoorway.Crossheadslookbestwhentheirbreast-boardisthesamewidthasthewindowordoor,plusanysidetrim.Ifyourdooristoonarrow,youmayhavetotrimthecrossheadinthemiddleandreassemblethetwohalveswithadhesive.Ifit’stoowide,youmayhavetocombinetwocrossheadstobridgethedistance.

STEP2Thekitisfactory-primed,butpre-paintingthetrimwillmakeiteasiertoaccessalltheedgesratherthantryingtopaintafterinstallation.

STEP3Markthecenterpointofthecrossheadforalignment.Dothesameforthedoorjamb,andthenholdthecrossheadinpositionandalignthemarks.Whenaligningthecrosshead,workonachievingaconsistentrevealbetweenthenewtrimpieceandtheexistingdoorjamborcasing.Oncepositioned,pre-drillandcountersinkallfastenerholes.Mountthetrimwithappropriatefasteners.Concretescrewswereusedonthestonewallshown,requiringpilotholesmadewithahammerdrill.

STEP4Afterdrillingoutthepilotholes,removethecrosshead,flipitover,andrunabeadofpolyurethaneadhesiveoveralltheedgesthatwillcomeintocontactwiththewallorexistingdoorjamb.

STEP5Carefullyrepositionthecrossheadabovethedoor,aligningthecentersandthereveal,andthenscrewittothehousewall.

STEP6Shimtherearofthecrossheadasnecessaryatallscrewlocationsforanevenandsecureinstallation.

STEP7Measurethedistancefromeitherendofthecrossheaddowntothegroundandthentrimthetwopilasterstofit.Eachpilasterismanufacturedwithaplinthblockatthebottom,wherecutscanbemadetoaccommodatedifferentdoorwayheights.Youcanmakethecutwithamitersaw,orevenastandardhandsaw.

STEP8Thepilastersinstallinasimilarmannerasthecrosshead,withacombinationofpolyurethaneconstructionadhesiveandscrews.

STEP9Keepalltrimrevealsconsistenttoensureauniform-lookinginstallation.

STEP10Toclosetheseam,tackdowntheinsideedgeofthepilastersusingfinishnailswhilethebeadofadhesivesets.

STEP11Thebasictrimkityoupurchasewillalmostcertainlycomewiththeoptionofacenterkeystone.Thekeystoneisadecorativeelementthathelpstocoverupacrossheadseamwhenyouhavetogluetwopiecestogether.Youcanalwaysleavethekeystoneoffifyouhavelimitedclearanceabovethedoor,andshouldalwaysfeelfreetoalterthedecorativepackagetosuityoursituation.

STEP12Fillallfastenerholeswithacolor-matchedplasticwoodfiller.Sandasnecessaryandcaulkallthejointswithapaintableexteriorsealant.Completetheprojectwithafreshcoatoftouch-uppaint.

233REPLACEAFAUCETNewfaucetscanaddstyletointeriordécor;neweronesevenconservewaterforlowerutilitybills.Choosefromsuchfinishesaschrome,oil-rubbedbronze,brushednickel,andmore,inamoderndesignortraditionalstyling.Faucetinstallationisfairlystraightforward,butcrampedspaceandpoorvisibilitybeneathasinkcanbeconfusingforfirst-timers.Here’sanexample,usingthepartsofafaucetdesignedfor4-inchcentersets.

STEP1Shutoffthewatersupply,thenuseawrenchtounscrewthesupplylinesandwingnutsbeneaththefaucetlevers.

STEP2Unscrewthecapofthedrain’sliftrodsothefaucetwillslipoverit.

STEP3Removethefaucet;itshouldpullrightout,butyoumayneedtobreakthesealofoldcaulk.

STEP4Scrubawayanyremainingoldsealantorputtywithadegreasingproduct.

STEP5Placeabeadofplumber’sputtyalongtheedgeoftheplasticgasketthatfitsbetweenthesinkandfaucet.Applythegaskettothesink.

STEP6Inserttheshanksofthefaucetthroughthesinkandsecurethemwithnewwingnuts.

STEP7Unhooktheoldpop-updraincoverfromtheliftleverinthedrainpipeandpullitout.

STEP8Removedrainbyunscrewingtheretainingnutfromthedrainassemblywithawrenchorpliers.

STEP9Applyplumber’sputtybeneaththelipofthenewdraincap,andseatthecapintothesink.

STEP10Thedrainassemblymatingcomponentisinstalledfrombeneaththesinkwitharubbergasket.Applyplumbingsealanttoitbeforeinstalling.

STEP11Connectthedrainandgaskettothedraincapfrombelowwithanewretainingnut.

STEP12Positionthedrainpipewiththelift-leverholefacingtherearofthesink.Fastenthepipeintoplacewiththreadsealtapeorself-fusingsiliconetape.

STEP13Threadtheliftrodinthroughthetopofthenewfaucet.

STEP14Dropinthenewdraincover.

STEP15Installtheadjustableextensionarmtotheliftrod,whichconnectswithasimplethumbscrew.

STEP16Installtheliftleverinthedrain,andthreadtheshortendofthelever(neartheball)throughthehookinthenewdraincap.Theballissecuredinthedrainpipewithanut.

STEP17Threadthelever’slongendthroughwhicheverholeintheextensionarmthatwillalloweasiestoperationofthedrainassembly.ReconnectthesinkdrainontotheP-trapwithacouplingnut,andthenreconnectthewaterlines.Thenewfaucetisnowreadyforuse.

234FIXASHOWERFAUCETWhenatuborshowerfaucetleaks,thetroubleoftenliesbehindthehandles,whichturnvalvesgoverningwaterflow.Thesevalvesshouldbefixedquickly;asidefromtheirritatingdrip-drip-drip,aleakyshowercanwasteasmallpondofwatereveryday.Repairsarefairlysimple,butyou’llneedaspecialsetofdeep-socketwrenches.

STEP1Shutoffthewatersupplytothefaucetbeforedisassemblingthehandles.

STEP2Modernfaucetsusuallyhaverubberwashersthatsealwater;overtime,thesecandeteriorateandleak.Togettothese,firstprythedecorativecapoffthehandles.(Insomecasesthesecapsarethreaded.)

STEP3Removethehandle’sretainingnutandpullthehandleoffthevalvestem.

STEP4Removetheescutcheon,whichisoftenheldwitharetainingnut.Ifnot,thentheescutcheonisthreadedoverthevalvestems,andyoucanunscrewtheentireescutcheonasonepiece.Cutawayanycaulkthatmightbeholdingittothewall.Astrapwrenchmayhelpencourageastubbornonetoturn.

STEP5Thebonnetnutthatholdsthesteminplaceisrecessedbehindthewallrequiringaspecialwrench.Adeep-socketshowervalvewrenchwillfitovertheprotrudingvalvestemandreachthebonnetnutforremoval.Unscrewandremovethebonnetnut.

STEP6Pullthestemfromthewalltoexposetheseatwasherandretainingscrew.Removethescrewandwornseatwasher.Replacewithanewone,coatedinheat-prooffaucetgrease.Usethecorrectlysizedandshapedseatwasherandpressitfirmlyintothestem’sretainer.Ifthestemisingoodshape,you’rereadytoreassembletheshowerhandlesandtestyourfaucet.

STEP7Somemetalstemsmaybewornoutandneedreplacement.Whenpurchasingthestems,notethemodelnumbers,typicallylabeledwitheitherHorC,indicatinghotorcold.Thesedeterminethedirectionofhandlerotation.Getoneofeach;besuretokeepthemstraightduringinstallation.Coattherubberseatwasherwithheat-prooffaucetgreaseandinstallthestem.

Ifthejunctionoftheshowerheadandtheplumbingspoutleaks,wrapthethreadswiththread-sealtapeinthesamedirectionastheheadscrewsontothespout.

PROTIPFIXSINGLE-HANDLETUB&SHOWERFAUCETSTherepairprocedureforsingle-handlefaucetsisverysimilar.First,removethehandleandanystainlesssteelsleeveorescutcheonthatmaybeinplace.ThevalvecartridgeistypicallyheldinplacebyaU-shapedretainingclip;useneedle-noseplierstocarefullytakeitout.Pullouttheoldvalvecartridgeandinsertanexactreplacement.Reinserttheretainingclip,thenreplacethesleeveandhandle.

235GETAVALVESETAshower-valvesetprovidesthesuper-deepwrenchesneededtoremovetubandshowervalves.Thewrenchesareeachdouble-sided,accommodatingthe10standardsizesofplumbingfastenerstomakevirtuallyanyresidentialshowerorbathvalverepair.Thewrenchsetsareavailableatmosthardwarestoresfor$10to$15.

236INSTALLATOILETIfyourtoiletisoldorneedsrepair,itmaybecheapertoinstallanewonethanpatchuptheexisting,especiallyifyoudoityourself.Installinganewtoiletisarathersimpleprocedurethatcanbeaccomplishedinjustafewsteps.Toinstallthenewtoilet,you’llneedanewgasketandtwo -inchboltstomountthebowltothefloorflange;mostoftherequiredpartsareincludedwiththenewtoilet.

STEP1Shutoffthewatersupplyandflushthetoilet.Useabucketorclothtoremoveanyleftoverwaterinthetankandbowl.Usingapairofpliersorsmallpipewrench,removethenutconnectingthewaterlinetotheballcockvalveatthebottomleftsideofthetank.Removethetwonutsattachingthebowltothefloorflangewithacrescentwrench.Oncethey’reremoved,liftofftheoldtoilet.Scrapeawayoldgasketmaterialtoexposethedrainflange(themountingbaseforyournewtoilet).Discardtheoldbolts.

STEP2Placethetwonew -inchboltsintheholeslocatedonthesidesoftheexposedflange,withtheboltheadsinsidetheflange.Positionthetwoboltsstraightupandacrossfromeachother.Thenputthenewtoiletgasket(waxring)ontheflange,withtheflatsidepointingup(iftapered).

STEP3Lowerthebowlstraightdown,centeredonthewaxring;Ensuretheboltscomethoughtheholesoneachsideofthebowl.Applypressurestraightdown;pushingthebowlovertheringandflangesqueezingthewaxtocreateaseal.

STEP4Addwashersandnutstotheprotrudingboltsandtightenthem;becarefulnottocrackthebowl.

STEP5Pushapairof -by-3-inchmountingboltsthroughthesmallholesonthetank’sbottom.Placerubberwashersjustbeneaththeboltheadsforawatertightseal.Addnutsandwasherstotheboltsontheundersideofthetankandtightenuntilsnug..

STEP6Applythesponge-rubbergasketoverthedischargetubewherethetanksetsonthebowl.

STEP7Setthetankonthebowl,threadingtheboltsintotheboltholesonthebowlandsandwichingthegasketbetweenthetankandbowl.

STEP8Addmetalwashersandnutstotheboltsonthetank’sbottom.Holdthetanklevelandtighten.Keepeachboltstationarywithascrewdriverwhilebackingupthenutwithacrescentwrench.(Avoidover-tightening,whichcancracktheporcelain.)

STEP9Screwtheflushhandletotheliftarmthroughtheholeinthetank.Connecttheliftarmtothechainoftheflushingball/flapperinthetank.

STEP10Boltthenewtoiletlidtothebowl.

STEP11Installanewwaterlinefromthewallorfloorfixturetothefeedvalveontank’sunderside.Turnonthewater,checkforleaks,andtryafewtrialflushes.Ifyourtoiletholdswater,tightentheboltsthatholdthebowltothefloor.Adjustminorspacingissuesorinstabilitybetweenthetankandbowl,orbowlandfloor,withhardrubbershims.

STEP12Onceeverythingisinplace,cuttheendsoffthemountingboltstoaccommodatetheplasticcaps.Caulkthebaseofthebowltocreateawaterproofseal,protectingthefloorandprovidingadditionalstability.Replacethetankcoverandyournewtoiletisready.

237INSTALLLAMINATEApopularandeconomicalchoiceforbothkitchenandbathroomcountertopsisplasticlaminate,availableinmanyattractivecolorsanddesigns.Laminatecountertops(oftencalledFormica,althoughthatisactuallythenameofonlyonemanufacturer)comeinjustabouteverypatternimaginable.Fromcontemporarypatternstostylesthatmimicpopularstonelooks,laminateisdurable,affordable,andyoucaninstallityourself

238CLEANUPACOUNTERBeforeinstallinglaminateonyourcountertops,youneedtopreparethesurface.First,removeobstaclessuchassinksandfaucets.Ifinstallingnewsheetlaminateoveroldlaminatematerial,thoroughlysandandcleantheoldsurfacetoremovealldebrisandcontaminants.Sandingremovesanyglossycoatingandroughensthesurfaceforbetterbondingwiththeadhesive.

Plasticlaminateisoftensoldin4-by-8-footsheets.Test-fitthelaminate.Insomecases,youcansetthesheetinplaceusingamarkertotracetheshapeofthecountertopontheundersideofthenewlaminate.Allowextraroomoutsidethetracedlineswhenrough-cuttingasheet.

Theedgesofthesesheetsareverystraight,soplanfortheedgestolineuptotherearofthecabinetagainstthewall,whenpossible.Thesheetcutoutsshouldroughlymirrortheshapeofthefinalcountertop,butaddafewextrainchessothesheetedgeswilloverhangtheedgesofthecountertop.You’llgobacklaterwitharouterandtrimtheedgesflush.

239MAKECLEANCUTSTherearespecialbladesthatletyouuseautilityknifetocutasheet.Youcanalsocutplasticlaminateusingacircularsaw,jigsaw,ortablesawwithafine-toothedblade.Putastripofmaskingtapewherethecutistobemadetopreventchippingandmakethelineeasiertosee.Ifusingapoweredcircularsaworjigsaw,cutfromthebacksidetohelppreventchipping.

Onatablesaw,useafine-toothbladeinstalledbackwards.Theripguideofthetablesawhelpstomakeastraightcut,thebladepeelsastripofmaterialaswideasthekerfitself,andthecutisperfectlysmooth.Youwillneedtosetupbothoutfeedandlateralsupportstoworkwiththebig4-by-8sheets.(Returnthebladetoitsnormaldirectionaftercutting.)

240MAKECONTACTPROPERLYIt’simportantforyoutoattachyourlaminatetothecountertoptherightway.Here’show.

STEP1Plasticlaminateisgenerallyappliedwithcontactcement.Brushcontactcementontotheoldcountertopsurfaceinasmooth,evenlayer.Then,brushalayerofcontactcementonthebacksideofthelaminatecutoutforthecounter.Allowtheadhesivetodryuntiltacky,usuallyabout5to10minutes,butcheckthecontactcementlabelforrecommendations.

STEP2Placewoodedstripsordowelsontothecountertoproughlyafootapart.Theywon’tstick,andwillactasatemporarybarrierbetweenthesheetandcountertop.Theymustbelongenoughtoextendpastthecounteredgesoyoucanpullthemoutlater.Next,placethenewsheetlaminateface-uponthewoodstrips.Don’tletthesegluedsurfacestouchyetortheywillbondtogether.Thenewsheetshouldbeaccuratelypositionedrightaboveitsfinalinstalledlocationwithitsedgesflushagainstthesurroundingwalls.

STEP3Startingatoneendofthesheet,removethefirstwoodstripordowelanduseaJ-rollertopressthenewsheetdownontothecounter,bondingthetwopiecestogether.Usetherollertoapplypressuretothesheetsothegluewillhaveastrongbondandnoairpockets.

STEP4Worktowardtheoppositeend,removingeachofthewoodstripsoneatatimeandrollingtheentiresurfacethoroughlyasyouprogress.

STEP5Bythetimeyoureachtheotherendofthecounter,theentirenewlaminatesurfaceshouldbesecurelybonded.Usearouterfittedwithaflush

trimbittotrimawaytheexcesslaminateflushwiththeedgeofthecounter.Donotrushtherouter;letthetooldothework.

STEP6Youmayencounterobstructionssuchassinks,faucets,andsuch,thatrequirecutouts.Youcanuseajigsawwithafine-toothbladeforthecutout,aswellasarouterorspiralsaw.

241COVERBIGCOUNTERSInsomecasesacountertopmightbetoolong,requiringyoutojointwosheets.Youcanthenbondthelargersheetinplacelikenormal.

STEP1Putanarrowstripofwaxpaperdownalongtheedgeofthelargerpiece.Usesomewoodenstripstokeepthesecondpieceawayfromthecementedsurfaceofthecounter.

STEP2Alongtheseam,positionthesecondpieceflushagainstthefirstpiece,ontopofthewaxpaper.Tapethesecondpiecetoholditinplace.Rollthesecondsheetoflaminatedownasusual,removingthewoodstripsasyouprogresstowardtheseam.

STEP3Oncethesecondpiecehasbeenfullybondedinplace,lifttheedgecoveringthewaxpaper.RemovethepaperanduseyourJ-rollertorollfromthemiddleofthesecondpiecetowardtheseam,bondingtheseamtightly.

242COATACOUNTERTOPOnealternativetore-laminatingistogiveyouroldcountertopsacontemporaryfinish.Rust-Oleum’sCountertopTransformationskitcancreateastrikingnewlookthatreallydoeschangetheexistingsurfaceintoanyofanumberoffauxgraniteorstonefinishes.Youneedtofollowtheinstructionsmeticulouslyforbestresults.

STEP1Carefullytapeoffanywherewallsorothersurfacesmeetthelaminate,aswellasallfixtures.

STEP2Next,scuff-sandtheexistinglaminatesurface.Besuretoroughupeverywherethatyou’regoingtocoatorthematerialmaynotbondevenly.

STEP3Applytheadhesivebasecoatwitharoller.Theadhesivedries

quickly,soifyourhavemultiplecounters,dotheadhesiveandchipstepsoneachonebeforemovingontothenext.

STEP4Useaseedspreadertocoattheappliedadhesivewiththedecorativechips,forafauxgranitelook.Whentheadhesiveisfullydry,sandthesurfaceandapplyacleartopcoat.

243EDGEITRIGHTReplacingyourcountertop’sedgesisastraightforward,butimportantpartofthejob.Here’showtodoit.

STEP1Forthemostpart,edgestripsinstallinmuchthesamewayasthesurfacesheeting.Cuttheedgestripstosize.Brushcontactcementontothebackofthestripandtheoldcountertopsurfaceedgeafterprepping.Allowthegluetodrytacky,theninstalltheedgestripandrollitinwiththeJ-roller.

STEP2Useclampstoholdtheedgestripfirmlyinplacewhileitdries.

STEP3Don’tbreaktheedgestripatacurve.Insomecasesyouredgestripmaynotbelongenoughtocovertheentirecountertopedge,andyou’llhavetojointwoedgestrips.Ideallyyoucanstoptheedgestripatacornerandbeginthesecondstripontheotherside.Ifyouhaveasweepingcurvededge,breakthestripsatalong,flatarea,insteadofacurve.Theedgestripshaveatendencytostraightenout,andit’llbenearlyimpossibletogettheedgingtostaygluedinplaceifyoubreakitatacurve.

STEP4Oncetheedgestripsarebonded,removetheclamps.Trimtheedgesusingarouterandflushtrimbit.Withbitsthatuseaguidewheel,carefullysettheguidesothebitcutstheedgeofthelaminatebutnottheadjoiningcountertop.Fine-tunetheedgesusingahalf-roundfiletoslightlybevelthetransitionbetweenthecountertopandedge.Laminatefillercanalsohelpfixnicks,scratches,orotherminordamage.

244REFINISHYOURKITCHENCABINETSCabinetsgreatlydetermineakitchen’soveralldécor.Overtime,peelingpaint,nicksandscratches,oradull,dirtyfinish,candetractfromthelookofkitchencabinets,butaddingonafreshcoatofpaintcangivethemnewlife.Repaintingalsosavestonsofmoneywhencomparedtofullreplacement,whichcaneasilycostseveralthousandsofdollars.

Dependingontheconditionofyourcabinets,thejobmightonlycallforathoroughcleaningandlightsanding(220-grittoscuffthesurface)torenewtheexistingcolor.Thisisafairlystraightforwardprocedurethatrequiresyoutoremovethehardwareanddoors,andsecureadust-freelocationforpaintinganddryingthedoors;thecarcasscanbepaintedinplace.

Tochangeacabinet’scolor,orforanyheavilyworn,stained,orwater-damagedcabinets,thebestpracticeistosandand/orstripoffallthepaintanddamagedsurfacetorevealtheoriginalwood.Completeremovaloftheoldcabinetfinishwillguaranteeagoodbondforthenewpaint.

245TAKETHEMAPARTInordertorefinishyourcabinets,you’llneedtopreparethemfirst.

Unscrewallthehinges,handles,andknobstoremovethecabinet’sdoorsanddrawers.Ifyouplanonreusingtheoldhardware,storeallloosecomponentsandfastenerssafelywhileyoupaint.Labelthedoorswithpainter’stapetoidentifylocationforreplacement.

Fillanyscratchesordentsinthewoodwithnon-shrinkingputty.Ifyouplanonusinganynewhardwareondifferentfastenerlocations,filltheoldscrewholeswithputty,letdry,andsandsmooth.

Setupaworkareawithalarge,flatsurfacetoworkonthedoors.Usedropclothstocoverandprotectanythingyoudon’twantexposedtowooddustorpaintstripper.(Somepaintstrippersrequireopen-airventilation.)

246SANDORSTRIPOnceyou’vedismantledyourcabinets,you’llneedtoremovetheoldpaint.Fortunately,therearemultiplewaystodothis.

STRIPDOWNPaintstrippersvaryinformulasogettherightone.Brushonacoataccordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructions;afterjustashorttime,thesurfaceshoulddiscolorasthefinishdissolves.Scrapeitawayusingaputtyknifeorfurniturescraper,anddiscarditintoaplasticbag.Strippingbrushesworkwelltoremovematerialfromcontourededges.Thisisamessyjob,sousedropclothsandrubbergloves;keepplentyofragsforcleanup.

SANDAWAYClampthedoortotheworksurfaceandusearandomorbitsanderwithamedium-gritsandpapertogettothebarewood.Stockplentyofreplacementabrasivediscs.Thisisamessyjob;workoutdoorsoruseasanderwithadust-collectionsystem.

COMBINETECHNIQUESThicker,gel-likestripperssticktoverticalcabinetsurfaces,butusingapowersanderinanuprightpositioncanbeexhausting.Placedoorsonaworkbenchforcomfortablesanding.

FINISHUPOncetheoriginalfinishisallremoved,finish-sandthewoodtoachieveaverysmoothsurface.Startwith150-gritsandpaper,thenuse180-grit.Thefullypreppedsurfaceshouldbeclean,dry,dull,andsmooth.Removeallwooddustwithatackcloth(don’tusewater).

247APPLYNEWPAINTWithproperapplicationandcuretime,eitheroil-orlatex-basedpaintwillachieveaqualityfinish.Ifyouoptforlatexpaint,makesuretouse100-percentacrylicformulation,whichismuchmoredurablethanvinylacrylicpaints.Asprayed-onfinishwillachievethesmoothestfinishcoat.Toavoidsprayingindoors,youmaywanttobrush-paintthecarcassandthenspray-paintthedoorsoutsidewithanHVLPsprayer.Otherwise,youcanpaintthedoorsbyusingasmoothfoamroller.

STEP1Beginwithacoatofoil-basedprimer,coveringallsurfacescompletelytoensuretheadhesionofyourpaintcoats.

STEP2Aftertheprimerhasdriedout,lightlysanditwith180-gritsandpapertoremoveanyimperfectionsbeforeapplyingyourtopcoats.Useatackclothtowipedownthesurfaceafteryoufinishsanding.

STEP3Applytwocoatsofpainttothedoors,drawerandcarcass,allowingthepainttodryovernightbetweencoats.

248PUTITTOGETHEROnceyou’vefinishedwithyourrepainting,it’stimetoputyourcabinetsbacktogether.Replacealltheoldhardware,orinstallnewhardware.Toavoidsplittingthewood,keepknobsandpullslessatleastaninchfromanyedgeofthedoor.Ageneralruleofthumbistolocatethemwithinone-thirdtheheightofthecabinet.

STEP1Useacombinationsquaretokeepthelocationofallhandles,hingesorotherhardwareconsistentlyspacedfromdoortodoor.

STEP2Drillpilotholesforallscrews,thenfastenallhardwaresecurely.

STEP3Thedoorsmustbeinstalledlevelandplumb.Ensurethatyourdoorscoveruptheirrespectiveopeningsevenly;anyoffsettotherightorleftwillbenoticeableandwilllikelyinterferewithinstallingthenextdoorinline.

STEP4Onceallthedoorsarebackinplace,you’llhavethelookofnewcabinetsatasmallfractionoftheprice.

249PRESERVEOUTDOORWOODWhetherpressure-treated,cedar,cypress,redwood,orevenahigh-endexotichardwood,propercareandmaintenancewillprotectexteriorwoodandkeepitinsturdyshapeforyears.Stainingandsealingoutdoorwoodisamongthebestwaystoprotectitfromtheelementsandseasons.

Themostcommonlyusedoutdoorwoodcoatingisanexterior-gradepenetratingstain.Thesewater-repellentpreservativesincludeamildewcide;someproductsevencontainultravioletlightabsorbersthatprotectfromsunexposure.Availableinbothoil-andwater-basedformulations,theresinspenetratewoodporestoprovidepigmentandblockoutthedamagingeffectofweatherwhileallowingthenaturalwoodgrainandtexturetoshinethrough.

Thesecondcategoryisafilm-formingsealantthatbondstothesurfaceofthewoodlikepaintorshellac.Theseproductsprovideahigh-glossfurniturelook,whilestillallowingthenaturalgraintoshowthrough.Availableinoil-orwater-basedfinishes,theyformadurableandbeautifulsatinsurface,buttheycanonlybemaintainedwithanothercoatoffilm-formingsealant.PigmentsareaddedtochangethewoodcolorandaddUVprotection.Film-formingsealantsshouldbeavoidedinareasexposedtofoottraffic,becausetheabrasioncanwearthroughthefilmcoating.

Outdoorwoodcoatingsaretypicallyformulatedwitheitherwateroroil.Manywater-basedstain/sealantshavetinyparticlesofpigmentandresinthatadheretoeachotherverytightlyasthefinishdries,similartoapatchworkquilt.Withoil-basedfinishes,thetinyparticlesactuallyfusetogetherchemicallyintoonelargesheet-likesubstance,whichachievesaharderfinishandislesslikelytodevelopanambercolortone.Examinetheproduct’slabelforcluestothecoating’squality,lookingforanyreferenceto“non-yellowing”properties.

Water-basedfinishesaregenerallyheraldedfortheireaseofuse.Comparedtooil-basedformulas,they’reeasiertocleanup,havealowerodorandareoftenlesscostly.Mostwater-basedcoatingsrequiremorecoats,however,andtheystillwillnotlastaslongastheiroil-basedor“alkyd”counterparts,which

generallycanoffermorelong-term,wood-preservingdurabilityforoutdoorconstruction.

250TREATNEWWOODAllownewpressure-treatedwoodtodrybeforestainingorsealing.Thetreatmentoflumberwithwaterbornepreservativesleavesmoistureinthewood.ThisiswhyfreshPTlumberoftenarriveswetfromthesupplier,andthemoisturecanimpedethepenetrationofstainsandpaints.Forbestperformanceofpaintandstaincoatings,allowthetreatedwoodtodryfor2to4weekspriortoapplication.Estimatingexactlyhowlongtreatedwoodwilltaketodryisdifficult,andalotdependsonhowmuchtimehaselapsedsincethetreatment,thelumber’sexposuretothesun,ambientweather,etc.

Woodthathasitsownnaturalpreservatives,suchaswesternredcedar,cypress,orredwood,donotrequireasmuchdryingtimebecausethewoodwasneverpressure-treatedusinganysortofpreservative.

Contrarytopopularbelief,newwoodstillneedstobecleanedtoremoveany“millscale”,whichisacompressionofthegrainduringthemillingprocessthatcancausethestaintofloatorrunoffwithoutabsorption.Cleanthesurfacewithanoxygenatedbleach.

251FIXWEATHEREDWOODWhenwoodisexposedtothesunlighttheultravioletrayscandamagethewoodfibersovertime,causingthesurfacetoturngray.Themostdirectwaytorenewtheappearanceissandingorpressure-washingthesurface.However,sandingcanbeverydifficultandtime-consuming,andpressure-washingcanremovethegraybutcausethesurfacetofuzzorsplinter,posinga“touch”hazardforareassuchasdecksurfaceswherepeoplemaywalkbarefoot.Whenusingapower-washer,limityourpressuretonomorethan1,000or1,200PSI.

Someindividualboardsmaybeheavilyweathered.Replacethemcompletely,cleantheexistingboards,thenstainthemalltomatch.

252APPLYSTAINPROPERLYForagood,long-lastingcoatingofstainonwood,therearesomesimpletipsyoucanfollow.

Alwaysthoroughlymixthestaintoevenlyblendthesolidsandensureaconsistentcolortonethroughouttheproject.Forbothhorizontalandverticalstructures,brushingisthebestwayofstain/sealerapplicationbecausethebristlespushtheproductevenlyintothewoodgraintoincreaseabsorption.Usingasprayerorrollercanapplythestainmorequickly,butbothofthesemethodsleavemuchofthestainonthesurfacewithoutadequatepenetrationintothepores.Thissuperficialproductcanwearawayunevenly,soyoushouldstillback-brushitintothewoodgrainforthemostconsistentappearanceandbestprotection.

253USEACONDITIONERAnoftenoverlookedstepforoutdoorstainingprojectsistheapplicationofawoodbrightener.Thesechemicalagentsopenthewoodgraintoimprovepenetrationofthestainandhelprestoretheappearanceofweatheredwoodtoalike-newcondition.Theproductcansimplybesprayedontothewoodsurface,givenafewminutestoworkits“magic”andthenrinsedoff,requiringverylittlelabor.

Afterusinganychemicaltreatmenttocleanandpreparethewood,useplentyofwatertocompletelyremovealltracesoftheproducts—andthenallowittodryfullypriortostainorsealerapplication.

254IMPROVEOLDSTAINGenerally,it’sbesttoremoveoldstainbeforeapplyingnewstain,especiallywhenchangingproductsorcolors.Oldstainwillusuallyshowthroughthenew,leavingblotchyspotsinthefinish.Film-formingstainsmustbecompletelyremovedbeforeapplyingapenetratingstain.Ifyouplantousethesamecolorandtypeofstain(andyourdeckisindecentcondition),youcanprobablygetbywithathoroughcleaningandafreshmaintenancecoat.Asalways,refertothemanufacturer’srecommendationsforthebestapplicationandcarepractices.

Ifoldstainisbuiltuponthedeck,youmayneedtousesomethingstrongerthanoxygenbleachcleaner.Stainstrippersareoftenmorecaustic,buttheycanremovemostweatheredstainsinasingleapplication.Small,stubbornspotscanthenberemovedwithahandsanderoncethedeckhasdried.

255INSTALLGUTTERSANDDOWNSPOUTSGuttersanddownspoutscanprotectyourhousefromwaterdamage.Bycollectingroofrunoffanddivertingitawayfromthebuildingenvelope,theyhelppreventwoodrot,mold,andmildew.Professionalinstallationofmetalguttersusuallyinvolvestheuseofspecializedequipmenttoformseamlessguttersoutofrollsofsheetmetalatthejobsite.However,DIYerswhodon’tmindworkingonaladdercansaveconsiderablecostbyinstallingguttersusingsectionalsystemsavailableathomecenters.

Startbysketchingyourguttersystemonpapertoquantifythevariouscomponentsrequired.Measureyourrooflineandthewallheighttocalculatethenumberof10-footsectionsofgutteranddownspoutrequired.Accountforendcaps,seamers,insideoroutsidecornerpieces,downspoutelbowsandenddrops.You’llalsoneedsealantormasticforsealingthejoints,downspoutbandstofastentheassemblytothehouse,andsheet-metalscrewstoconnectthedownspoutsections.

256CHALKTHESLOPEBeforeyouplaceyourgutters,youneedtobesurethey’lldrainwaterproperly.Attachaladderstabilizertothetopofyourladdertopreventswaying.Thisalsoprovidesa10-inchstandofffromtheroofline,whichmakesiteasytoaccessthefasciaandgutterwithoutobstructionfromtheladder.

Atonecorneroftheroof,hookachalklineatthepointwhereyouwantthetopedgeoftheguttertoterminate.Attheoppositeendofthefascia,firstlevelthestring,thendropit1inchper40-footrunandsnapthechalkline.Thismarksaslopethatwillhelppullwatertothedownspoutlocations.Ifyouhavealongrunwithdownspoutsatbothends,slopethegutterfromitsmidpointtowardbothofthebook-endingdownspouts.

257CUTITDOWNTOSIZEWhenassemblingagutteranddownspouts,you’lllikelyhavetocutsomeofthematerialstolength.Onebasicmethodistoclampthematerialfirmlytoabenchandcutusingahacksaw.Agoodpairofmetalsnipscandothejobaswell.Aslidingmitersaw,withafine-toothedbladeturnedbackward,makesanice,cleancutwithverylittleeffort.Whencuttingguttermaterialonamitersaw,turnthesectionupside-downsothatthecutwillenterthemorestableundersideinsteadofthetopedges.

258PREASSEMBLEYOURGUTTERSToensureproperconstruction,buildasmuchoftheguttersystemonthegroundaspossible.

STEP1Joiningguttersectionsrequiresaseamer,a3-inchwidepieceofguttermaterialinamatchingprofile.First,applyguttersealantormastictothetopsideoftheseamerpiece.

STEP2Wraptheseameraroundthebuttedguttersectionsfrombeneath.Theseamer’sfronthooksontothefrontedgeofthegutter;therearextendsabovethebackofthegutter,andthismetalflapfoldsoveritsedge.Crimptheseamer’sfrontandrearliptightlytothegutterwithpliers.Coverthevisibleseamwithagenerousbeadofsealant.

STEP3Attachtheguttersectionsandenddropsthesameway.Enddropsaretheshortsectionsthatdrainintothedownspouts,andshouldbelocatedattheendofawall.

STEP4Cutandseamgutterextensionstotheenddropsasneededtoextendtheentirelengthoftheroofline.Endcapsfitontotheprofilewithsealanttoensurewaterexitsthroughthedownspouts.

STEP5Givethesealantafewhourstodryandgainsomerigidityatthejointsbeforeinstallingtheguttersectiononthehouse.

259HANG’EMHIGHGuttersectionsareverylightweight,buttheycanbecumbersomeforonepersontocarryuptheladderandinstall.Recruithelpifpossible.

STEP1Placetheladderontheroofaboutmidwaytowhereyourfirstsectionwillbeinstalled.Positiontheguttersectionsotheendisabout1inchbeyondtheroofline.Tiltitslightlysothetopedgematchestheslopeofthechalkline.Zapascrewintothecenterfastener.

STEP2Asinglescrewholdsthesectioninplacewhileyouinstalltheothers.

STEP3Repeatthestepsofthisprocedurefortheadjoiningsections.Theonlydifferencehereisthatyouwillhavetoseamtogethertheseparateguttersectionsattherooflineratherthanontheground.

260GETTHEDOWNSPOUTSDONEOnceyourguttersareinstalled,thedownspoutsareyourfinalpieceofthepuzzle.

STEP1Usescrewsandsealanttofastenaflangeoutletinsidetheholeofeachenddrop.

STEP2Duct-tapeanelbowsectionontoeachflangeoutlet.Useastraightedgetofollowthepathoftheelbowtothewallwherethesecondelbowwillbelocated.Tapethesecondelbowinplaceonthewall.Measurethedownspoutsectionneededtoinstallbetweenthetwoelbows.Eachdownspoutandelbowhasoneendcrimped;thelargerendfitsoverthesmallerendtoformaslipjoint.Accountfortheoverlappingslipjointwhenmeasuring—

about1inchofdownspoutshouldoverlaptheelbowateachend.

STEP3Assembleyourdownspoutatgroundlevel,drivingtwoprimedaluminumscrewsintopre-drilledholesateachjoint.Avoidanyleaksbyorientingthesuccessivepiecessotheupperelbowordownspouttucksintothelowersection.

STEP4Nailorscrewthedownspoutssnuglyagainstthewallusingtwoflexibledownspoutbandspereach10-footsection.Ducttapewillholdthedownspoutstationarywhilefastening.

STEP5Attachafrontorsideelbowatthebottomofthedownspout.

STEP6Finally,usedrainextensionsorsplashblockstodirectwaterawayfromthebuildingfoundation.

261FASTENITYOURSELFGutterfastenerscomeinvariousstylesandshapes.Someoptionsincludeascrewandferrule,fasciabrackets,roofhangerswithstrap,orhiddenhangers(thetypeshownhere).Thehiddenhangersclipovertherearedgeofthegutterandthenhookbeneaththefrontlip.Eachfastenercomeswitha¼-inchhex-headscrewthatisdrivenintothefasciaboardtohangthegutter.

Pre-attachthehiddenhangersatgroundlevel,clippingthemonevery2feetalongthelengthoftheguttersection.Locateafastenerneartheendofeachguttersectioninordertominimizestressatjointlocations.

PROTIPCOVERUPFOREASYMAINTENANCEGutterprotectionreducestheneedtoclimbaladderandscrapemuckoutofyourgutters.Theideaistopreventleavesandanyotherdebrisfromaccumulatingintheguttersystem,whichcanresultinblockageandinsomeareasleadtoicedams.Anumberofcovertypesareavailable,includinghingedlids,foam-typefillers,andproductsthatlooksimilartolargepipecleaners.

262SETACONCRETESLABAconcreteslabisoneofthemostbasiccomponentsofmodernconstructionthroughouttheworld.Whetherit’susedasabuildingfoundation,sidewalk,patio,orafootingforanexteriorstairway,theconstructionislargelyalwaysdonebythesamemethod.

STEP1Marktheperimeteroftheslablocationwithstakesandstring.

STEP2Calculatethetotaldepthofthefinishedslab,includingtheconcreteandthegravelbase.Concreteistypicallyappliedataminimumoftwoinches,butwerecommendathicknessofatleast4inchesformoredurability.Withthistypeofapplication,bothafineandcoarseaggregatearerequired.Weusedready-mixbagsofconcreteavailablefromthelocalhomecenter.

STEP3Digalevelexcavationtothedimensionsofyourslab,plusroomforformingboards.

STEP4Thefirstbaselayerwillconsistof5inchesofgravel.Shovelinthegravelandcompactthebeddownto4incheswithahandtamper.Besuretodigdeepenoughtoaccountforthegravelbase(about4inchesaftercompaction)plustheconcretepour(another4inches).

STEP5Buildarectangularconcreteformusingtreated2X4s.Prosoftenuseduplexnailstobuildtheform,whichareeasytopryoutaftertheslabcures,butforamorelow-profileform,heavy-dutyscrewscanbeevenfaster.Theformsshouldframetheperimeterthatyoumarkedwiththestakesandstring.Dependingontheapplicationtheformmaynotnecessarilyhavetobelevel,butitshouldalwaysslopeslightlyawayfromanystructuresothatitcanshedwater.

STEP6Anchortheforminplaceonthegravelbedevery12to18inchesbyscrewinginstakesdriveninthegroundoutsidetheframe.Theseholdtheformssecurelysotheydon’tboworblowoutwhenfilledwiththeheavyconcrete.Withthestakesinplace,cutthetopsflushwiththeform,soyoucanuseascreedboardoncetheconcreteisadded.

STEP7Reinforcetheslabwithagridofrebaronwirebracketsthatfloattherebaraboutmidwaydeepintheconcreteforms.Tietherebarintersectionswithwire.Cuttherebarwithagrinderorametal-cuttingchopsaw.

STEP8Mixupsomequick-dryingconcreteandthenfilltheform.Workonebucketatatimeorjustrentaconcretemixer.Spraytheformandthegravelwithwaterwhenaddingtheconcrete.Keeptheentireworkareadampthroughouttheinstallationoftheconcretesothesurroundingsdon’tleachmoistureoutoftheconcretebeforeithasproperlycured.

STEP9Whenthemixreachesthetopoftheforms,strikeofftheexcessconcretelevelwiththetopbyscreedingitwithaverystraight2X4.Movetheedgeofthescreedboardinaside-to-sidemotionacrosstheupperedgeoftheformtocreateanevenslab.

STEP10Useawoodfloatinacircularmotiontoworktheheavyaggregatebelowtheconcretesurfaceandbringthe“cream”tothetop.Togivemoretractiontothetopoftheslab,roughenthesurfacewithabroomastheconcretecures.

STEP11Allowtheconcretetocureforafewdaysmorebeforewalkingorbuildingontopofit.Keeptheslabcoveredinplastictoretainmoisturelongerforaslow,solidcure.

263MAKEAJOINTLargeslabs,suchassidewalksanddriveways,requireexpansionjointstopreventcracking.Ajointertoolheldagainstastraightedgewillproduceanice,straight-linegrooveintheslabsurface.Controljointsarenormallyspacedatintervalsthatareequaltothewidthofyourpour,butyoushouldavoidexceeding10feetinanydirectionwithoutajoint.Thejointshouldbecuttoatleastone-fourthofthedepthoftheslab.Controljointsinlargeslabscanalsobecutaftertheconcretecures,usingamasonrybladeinacircularsaw.

264CUREYOURCONCRETEConcretedoesn’tgetitsstrengthfromdrying,butfromcuring.AccordingtotheexpertsattheSakretecompany,“Curingistheactiontakentomaintainmoistureandtemperatureconditionsinfreshlyplacedcementmixes,allowingthecementtothoroughlyhydrate.”Thisisdonebymistingtheconcrete,placingwetcoverssuchasburlapontheconcrete,orbycoatingwithaproductsuchasCure’NSeal.

Curingisnecessaryfortheconcretetohaveitsdesiredproperties.Rapidlossofwaterfromthesurfaceoftheconcretewillcausethetopoftheslabtocurefasterthanthebottom.Thiscanhappenduringperiodsofhightemperatureorwind.Iftheconcretecuresatdifferentrates,theslabcandevelopcracks.

GOBEYONDTHEBASICSHereyouventureintotheworldofconstructioncraftsmanship.Thetradeprofessionalswhodo

followingprojectsdailymaketheirlivingbyapplyinghard-earnedexpertisedevelopedthroughtimeandexperience.AsaDIYer,youprobablydon’thavethe

luxuryofthatexperience.

Iknowwhatthat’slike.Ihaveahistoryofdivinghead-firstintobigprojectsandregrettingitlater.I’veshingledroofs,builtdecks,erectedfences,installedflooring,andknockedoutwalls.SomeofthosebigprojectsIhopetoneverdoagain.NowthatIhavethebenefitofexperience,IknowwhenI’vebittenoffmorethanIcanchew.Ididn’tgiveupandIdidn’tsurrender,butIhatedeverygruelingminuteoftrudgingallthewaytotheendofthoseprojects.Ialsolearnedfrommymistakes.

So,here’sthebestadviceIcanofferforlarge-scaleprojects:Proceedcarefully,researchtheprojectaheadoftime,andexpectalotofhiccups.You’llfindsomehelpfuladviceinthefollowingpages,butproductsvary,materialsevolve,andentirebookshavebeendedicatedtoparsingthedetailsofsomeoftheupcomingtopics.

Ingeneral,I’vedevelopedwhatmightappeartobeagrimprojectionformajorDIYhomeimprovementprojects:Expectmultipleunforeseenobstacles.Expectthejobtocostmorethanyouestimated.Andplanforthejobtotakeatleasttwiceaslongasyou

think.Idon’tviewthoserulesaspessimistic,however,justrealistic,

andIbasethatonexperience.Homeimprovementisrifewithsurprises.Forewarnedisforearmedwhenyouneedtoscheduleabigprojectaroundyourday-to-daylife.

Lookatitthisway:Ifyoupreparefortheworst-casescenarioandonlythebestcomestopass,thenyou’llbeonehappyDIYerwithextratimeonyourhandstoenjoythefruitsofyourhardwork.

265WORKWELLWITHTILETileprovideshundredsofcreativedesignoptions.Oftenmadeofceramicorstone,tileisadurablematerialforflooring,wallsandcountertops.It’savailableinavastarrayofcolors,patterns,shapes,andsizes.Tileisdurableenoughtowithstandheavyfoottrafficandcanfeasiblylastaslongasthesubstratethatsupportsit.

TOOLUPYouwillneedchalkline,ananglegrinderand/ordiamond-bladewetsaw,anotchedtrowel,agroutingfloat,acarpenter’slevel,acleansponge,amasonrybit,ahalf-roundfile,adowel,acaulkgun,abroom,and(optionally)tilespacers.

GETYOURMATERIALSYouwill(obviously)needtiles,alongwiththin-setmortarortileadhesive,grout,caulking,andtile/groutsealant.

266PLANYOURINSTALLATIONSketchafloorplantocalculatehowmanytilesyou’llneedtopurchase,includingspecialborderfeaturesordecorativepatterns.Thickgroutlinesbetweenjointswillalsoimpacthowmanytileswillfitonthefloor.

Beforeinstallation,removeexistingfloorcoveringsandbaseboardtrim.Makeanynecessaryrepairs,suchasre-nailinganylooseboardsthatmightsqueak.Tileshouldgenerallybeinstalledonarigidunderlayment,whichresistsmovementsuchastheswellingandcontractionthatoccursinwood,whichcandamagetheinstallation.Tilecanbeinstalledoveracementfloorthatisstructurallysoundanddry.

Woodsubfloorsshouldbeaminimumof1¼-inchthick.Innewhomeconstructionwheretraditional¾-inchplywoodisusedasasubfloor,useadditionalsheetsof½-or⅝-inchcementboardtoensurerigiditybeneaththetiles.Fastenthereinforcingsheetstothesubfloor,spacingscrewsevery8inchesoncenter.

267PREPYOURTILESSometiles,suchasnaturalstone,canvaryinthickness,sosortthoseaccordinglybeforelayingthefloor.Tilesthatarenotablythickercanposeatrippinghazardiftheedgesstickupabovethenormalplaneofthefinishedsurface.Startwiththethickesttilesandusemortaroradhesivetobuildupthethinnerones.

Checkthetilesforsurfacedamage.Setasidechippedpiecestocutforedgetiles.Colorvariesaswell;sorttilesaccordingtothepatternyouwant,andstackthemaroundtheroomstrategicallysothey’llbewithinreachduringtheinstallation.

Layoutthetilesdry,fillingthefourquadrantscreatedbythechalklinesuntilthewholefloor,apartfromtheedges,islaidinplace.Ensurethelayoutissquareandsymmetrical;correctanyerrorsbeforeinstallingwithmortar.

Cutbordertilestofitaroundtheroom’sedges,allowingatleast⅛-inchgroutjointalongthewalls.

268GETTHERIGHTLAYOUTAstandardtilelayoutprocedureisthequartermethod,whereinyoudividetheroomintofourquarterstohelpsequencethelayout.First,measureandmarkthemidpointofallfourwalls.Snapintersectingchalklinesatthecenterpointofthesitetoformacross.Checkthatthelinesformrightangles.Layarowoftilesinadryrunalongallfourlines,allthewaytothewalls,creatingacrossoftilesinthecenteroftheroom.Startlayingthetilefromthecenterandworkyourwayoutward.

Usetilespacersifyouprefervisiblydistinctgroutjoints.Insertthespacerssotheystandupbetweenthetilesliketinyhandles.Thesecanmaintainuniformjointspacingduringlayoutandinstallation.Youmayalsoopttobuttthetilesagainsteachotherandgrouttheresultingfinejointlinebetweenthem,usingnospacers.

Typically,thedryrunwillrevealthatthelasttileagainstthewallwon’tfitinthespaceprovided.Hereyouwillneedtoadjustyouroriginalchalklinessothatthebordertilesofoppositewallswillbethesamesize,resultinginasymmetricaltilelayout.Adjustallthechalklinesand,onceagain,layoutadryrunoftilestomakesurethelayoutwillbesymmetrical.Allofthecutbordertilesshouldbethesamesizefromoneendoftheroomtotheother.Thereshouldbenoborderspacealongtheedgeofthewallsoflessthanahalftileinwidth.

Foradiagonallayout,usethecenterpointestablishedwiththequartermethodandsnapsquarelinesacrossthetwodiagonalsoftheroom,formingan“X”ontopofthecross.InstalltilesalongtheX,usingthequartermethod.

Ensurethelinesareattruerightanglesandthatthepartialbordertilesareequalinwidth.

269INSTALLYOURTILESThefollowingstepsexplainfloortileinstallation,buttheprocedurecangenerallybeappliedtomosttileprojects.

STEP1Liftaboutninetilesinthecorneroftheroomfurthestfromthedoor.Usingatrowelwith¼-inchnotches,spreadanevenbedofthin-setmortarovera2-by-3-footarea.Then,repositionthetilesfromthewallsinward.Reinsertspacers,ifrequired.

STEP2Presseachtiledownfirmlyortapitusingarubbermallet.Asyouprogress,useacarpenter’sleveltoensurethetilesurfaceisevenandflushwithsurroundingtiles.Usemortartobuildupbeneaththetilesasneeded.Immediatelywipethesurfacewithadampspongetoremoveanymortarfromthefaceofthetiles.Continueworkingoutwardfromthewalls,progressingtowardtheroom’sexit.

STEP3Allowtilestosetforatleast24hours.Removeanyspacersandfillthejointswithsandedgrout.(Fordelicatetilessuchasmarbleorpolishedstone,useunsandedgrouttoavoidscratchingthesurface.)Workthegroutinto

thejointswithaspongefloat,whichhasadensefoampadonthebase.Usethefloattiltedata45-degreeangletoworkthegroutoverthetiletocompletelyfillalljoints.Wipeoffexcessgroutwithadampsponge,rinsingitfrequentlywithabucketofcleanwater.Oncethetileisfullygrouted,shapethejointsbyrunningadowelorgroutingtooloverthegroutlines.Leavejointsinfloortileasfullofgroutaspossibletoavoiddirtaccumulation.

STEP4Allowthegrouttocureovernight.Onthenextday,scrubthetileusingadamp,abrasivespongetoremovegroutresidue.Repeatthescrubbingforthenextthreedays.Ifgrouthazeremains,asolutionofvinegarandwarmwaterwillusuallyremoveit.Allowgrouttocureforaweekbeforesealing.

270APPLYSEALANTMostceramictilesareglazedatthefactory,butsomevarietiesoftiles(suchasnaturalstoneorterracotta)maynotbeglazedandwillrequireaprotectivesealeronceinstalled.

Regardlessofyourchoiceoftile,youshouldalwaysapplysealertothegrouttokeepitfromabsorbingdirtandgrime.Doingsowillprotectagainststainsandmakeroutinecleaningmucheasier.Workthesealantoverallthegroutlinesusingasmallbrush.Removeexcesssealantandletitdryforatleastfourhoursbeforeuse.

271MAKESTRAIGHTCUTSForsmallinstallationsofglazedtile,youcanuseasmallhandheldglasscuttertoscoreastraightlineontheglazedsurface.Placethetileoveradowelalignedbeneaththescoremark,andpressdownonbothsidesofthetiletosnapitalongtheline.

Forlargerjobs,speeduptheprocesswithasnaptilecutter.Firstmarkthecutlineonthetile.Setthetileonthecutter’sbaseplate,alignthecuttinglinewiththeguidebars,andlowerthecarbide-tippedcutterontotheline.Drawthecarbidewheelorbladeacrossthetilesurfacetoscoreit.Thenpressdownonthehandletobreakthetilealongthescoreline.

Thesetoolsonlymakestraightcutsthatextendacrosstheentiretile.Forcurvedcuts,partialcuts,oranythingirregular,you’llneeddifferenttools

272NIPITINTOSHAPETilenippersprovideasimplewaytomakesmallpartialcutsalongtheedgeofatiletofitaroundapipeorotherobstacle.Tilenipperslookmuchlikeapairofpliersbuttakesmallbites(⅛inch)outoftile.Thesmallerthenibblesyoumake,themorecontrolyouhaveofthecut,andthelesslikelythetilewillcrackorshatterbeneaththepressureoftheblades.Practiceonascrappieceoftilebeforemakinganycriticalcutsinyourinstallation.

Thenipper’steethusuallyleaveafairlyraggededgealongthecut.Thismaynotbeanissueifthecutisgoingtobeconcealedwithaplumbingescutcheonorsimilardevice.Inanyareaswhereappearancematters,itmayhelptosmooththeroughedgeswithafile.

273WHETYOURWETSAWWhencuttingtile,professionalswilloftenuseawetsaw:apoweredcircularbladethathasanintegratedwaterreservoir(oftenwithanelectricpump)tocoolthecuttingaction.Theseareavailableinavarietyofconfigurations:thetable-sawtype(thebladeprotrudesfrombeneaththetablesurfaceandthetileispushedoverit);thebridgeorsled-type(thebladeismountedatthetopofthetoolandcutsthetilefromabove);andportablehandheldmodels.Oversprayfromwetsawscanbemessy,sothey’retypicallyusedoutdoors.

Wetsawsaregenerallyusedwithdiamond-tippedcuttingwheelstoremoveceramicandstonematerialwithgreatprecisionandminimalheatbuildup.Whenequippedwithamitergauge,theycanmakeaccuratecutsatanyangle.

Thecircularbladeofawetsawenablesonlystraightcutting,butyoucanstilluseitforirregularcuts.Tofitatileagainstapostormolding,simplyscribetheprofileoftheobstacleonthetile,firstmakeaseriesofclosely-spacedparallelcutsuptotheprofileline,andthenuseasetofnippersto

removethinstripsoftilebetweenthekerfs.

274DRILLTILEANDGLASSWhenyouneedtomountfastenersintotile,glass-and-tilebitshaveanarrowhead-shapedtipdesignedforpenetratingbrittlematerials.Drillthepilotholeataslowspeedanduseaspraybottleofwatertocoolthecuttingsurface,whichhelpsdrillingperformanceandextendsthelifeofthebit.Gentlyincreasespeedandpressureasneeded.

Ifyou’regoingtobecuttinglargerholes,youcanselectfromcarbide-tippedmasonrybitsordiamond-tippedholecutters.Aswiththesmallerbits,carbidebitsshouldbelubricatedwithwatertoreduceheat.

Bycomparison,diamond-tippedholecuttersaredesignedtodrillathigherspeedsandcanevencutdry.Theywillallowyoutocreateholeswithlargerdiametersforpipeandcableaccesslocatedinthecenterofatile.

275INSTALLMOSAICTILEMosaictileisacombinationoflittlecoloredtilesthatarecalled“tesserae,”andtheycanbeusedtomakeartisticorgeometricaldesigns.Tilesofonecolorcanbeusedforaplainlayout.Complementarycolorsareamorepopularoption;multiplecolorscanbeusedformorecomplexpatterns.Withmanysmalltilestheinstallercanuseindividualunitslikeblocksofcolorinapainting.Toskiptheassemblyofmosaictilepiece-by-piece,youcanalsouselargertilesthatconsistoftesseraeattachedtoabackinginaprearrangedpattern.Thebackingcanbecuttosizeandletsthetileseasilyadheretothefloor.

STEP1Installcementboardovertheplywoodsubfloorandscrewitdownsecurely.

STEP2Ifyou’reusingtilesonascrimbacking,cuttosizetofittheroom’sdimensionsproperly.

STEP3Startwithadryrunoverthecementboard.

STEP4Afterplanningyourlayout,spreadtileadhesiveontothecementboardwithanotchedtrowel.Itmayhelptouseplastictilespacerstokeepgroutjointsconsistentduringinstallation.

STEP5Mixpolymer-modified,sandlessgroutformosaictile.

STEP6Applygrouttothetilejointswitharubberfloat,thenfinishthejoblikeastandardtileinstallation.

276PUTINANEWFLOORFloorinstallationisabigjobdueprimarilytohowdisruptiveitcanbetoanoccupiedlivingspace.Butupgradingafinishedfloorcandramaticallyimproveahomeandaddtoitsvalue.FloorinstallationisalsoachievablebyasavvyDIYer,althoughsomemethodsareeasierthanothers.

STICKWITHSTONEToughtileandstonefloorsstanduptowaterexposure,sothey’repopularinkitchens,bathrooms,andoutdoorpatios.Ceramicandstonetilecanbepurchasedinadazzlingarrayofcolors,sizes,andstylesforvirtuallylimitlessdesignflexibility.

BERESILIENTFlexibleresilientfloorsareavailableinvinyl,linoleum,andrubberinmanycolors,styles,andpatterns.Individualtilesareeasytoworkwith,butsheetflooringcanbemoredifficulttoinstall,butisparticularlywater-resistantbecauseitcanbeinstalledwithnoseams.

TRYCARPETForwarmthandcomfort,carpetishardtobeat,andavailableinaspectrumofcolors,patterns,andpiles.Keepitclean;dirtycarpetcantrapodorsandstains.CarpetcanbeabitdifficulttoinstallforaDIYer;youneedafewspecifictools—availableforrent—butcarpetsuppliersgenerallypriceinstallationintotheproductcost.Rentingthetoolswillnotsaveyoumuchmoneycomparedtoprofessionalinstallation.Carpettiles,ontheotherhand,areeasytoinstallandmakeafinechoicefortargetedareasofthehome.

LAMINATEITApopularDIYchoiceisclick-togetherlaminateflooring,madefromhigh-densityfiberboardplankscoveredwithdecorativesheetingandaclearplasticwearlayer.Thisflooringisavailableinawidearrayofwoodappearances—cherry,walnut,beech,oak,andtonsmoreoptions.Somelaminateflooringhasrealisticwoodtexturesonthetopsurface;othershaveahigh-glossfinish,andeventilepatternsareavailable.Thesefloatingfloorsystemsaretypicallyinstalledwithtongue-and-grooveboardsthatconnectalongtheedgesandare“locked”together.Nonailsorglueareusedtofastentheboardstothesubfloor;instead,thecompletedfloorfloatslikeanassembledjigsawpuzzle,heldstationarybyweightandfriction.

STUDYENGINEERINGSimilartolaminateflooring,engineeredflooring

featuresalayerofgenuinesolidwoodroughly⅛-inchthickadheredtoafiberboardcore.Theseengineeredproductsoffertheuniquegraincharacterofrealwood,andtheycanbesandedandrefinished(usuallyonlyonce).Theseproductsareinstalledjustthesameaslaminatefloorsbutarealsogenerallymoreexpensive.

STAYSOLIDAgenuinesolidwoodfloorcanofferatraditionallook,naturalwoodgraincharacter,andthefloorcanbesandedandrefinishedinthefuture.Realwoodflooringisgenerallymoreexpensivethanlaminate,andnailing,stapling,orgluingdowntheboardscanbechallengingtoinexperiencedDIYers.

277PREPYOURSITEBeforeputtinginanewfloor,firstremoveanybaseboardsandshoemolding.Ifyouremovethetrimcarefully,youcanusuallyrepairitandreinstallitoverthenewfloor.Also,removetheoldfinishedflooring.(Insomecases,anexistingvinylfloorcanbeleftinplaceifingoodconditionbecauseitcanserveasaneffectivemoisturebarrier.)

Subfloorsinahomerefertothestructuralfloormaterialthatisinstalledoverthejoists;examplesinclude¾-inchplywoodandtongue-and-groovedimensionallumber.Avisiblefinishedfloorisinstalledoverthesubfloor.Thesubfloormustbestrongandcompletelylevel.Replaceanysaggingorrottenboardsandsetflushanyproudnails.

Checkforlevelandflatnesswithan8-footstraightedgelaidoutacrossthesubfloor.Mostmanufacturerswillrecommendnomorethana -inchdifferenceinheightbetweenanytwopointsinacirclewitha20-footdiameter.Smoothdentswithlevelingcompound,andplanedownanyhighspots.Youcanalsohelpreinforceasubfloororprepareaconcreteslabbynailingorscrewingdownsheetsof¼-to¾-inchplywoodtoensurealevelbase.

Afterthefloorisleveled,applyamoisturebarrierand/orunderlaymentasrequiredbytheflooringmanufacturerandtheconditionsofthejobsite.(Installthebarrierbeneaththeplywood/OSBifyouhaveinstalledalayertoreinforcethesubfloor.)

PROTIPINSULATEABASEMENTFLOORWhenmakingabasementintoalivingspace,consideraninsulatedsubfloortoincreasetheroom’scomfortlevel.Thiswillnotonlycontrolmoistureinabasementfloor;theflooringcanalsotransfercoldfromthegroundbelowtotheroom.Somesubfloorsystemsaresoldastongue-and-grooveOSBpanelswithaddedclosed-cellpolystyreneforlessheatloss.

278USEBARRIERPROTECTIONAnyfloorinstalledoveranunconditionedairspaceneedsavaporbarriertopreventtransferofmoisture.Forinstance,woodenfloorsoverconcreterequireanimpermeablebarrier,orelsethewoodwillbuckleandwarp.Forfloatingfloors,mostmanufacturersoftenrecommendrolledplasticsheathingina6-milimeterthickness,whichshouldbelaidacrosstheinstallationareawithtapedand/oroverlappingseams.

Anotheroptionforuseonconcretefloorsisaliquidmoisturebarrierappliedwithatrowel,whichworkswellwithglue-downfloorsinstalledoverconcrete.

Forwoodsubfloors,plasticsheathingshouldnotbeusedbecauseitcantrapmoisturewhichmayleadtomoldconditionsatthesubfloor.Instead,use15-or30-poundasphaltfeltroofingpaper,whichcanofferbreathabilityanddoesnotpromoteanymoldgrowth.Recently,hardwoodadhesivemanufacturershavealsodevelopedsealerstobeusedinglue-downinstallationsandnailedorstapledfloors.

Notethatupperfloorsarenotaffectedbymoistureanddon’trequireawaterproofbarrier.However,youshouldalwayschecktheinstructionsforyourspecificflooringbecauseabarriermaystillberequiredforthemanufacturer’swarranty.

Anunderlaymentisalayerofmaterialthatinstallsoverthesubfloorbutunderneaththefinishedflooring.Anunderlaymentcanserveavarietyofpurposes.Forexample,inatilefloor,acement-boardoraflexiblemembraneunderlaymentcanuncouplethewoodensubfloorfromtileandmortar,whichpreventscrackinginyourfloorwhenthewoodexpandsorcontracts.Afoamunderlaymentbeneathfloatingwoodorlaminatefloorscanhelppreventanyfloorsqueaks,pops,andechoes.Theseamsofanunderlaymentbutttogetherratherthanoverlaptomaintainalevelsurface.

279INSTALLAFLOATINGFLOORInstallationmethodsforfloatingfloorsystemsarethesameforbothlaminateflooringandengineeredhardwoods.Thefirststepistolayoutyourfloorplan.Sketchtheroomonpaperandmarkthedimensions.Calculatethesquarefootagerequired,andthenorderextraflooringmaterialtoaccountforunusablecutboardsoranydamagedboardsthatmightrequirereplacementinthefuture.

Also,makenoteofthedifferenttransitionsintheroomwherethenewfloorwillmeetothertypesofflooringorexteriordoors.Theflooringsupplierwillusuallyhavetransitionmoldingsfortheseareas.

280BEREADYTOFLOATToensurealong-lastingfloatingfloor,thereareafewimportantstepsyoushouldfollowbeforemakingtheinstallation.

Oncetheflooringisonsite,keepunopenedcartonsofplanksintheroomwheretheywillbeinstalledforatleast48hoursbeforeactualinstallation.Thisallowstheflooringtoshrinkorswellslightly,accordingtotheclimate.

Beginthejobbypreparingthesubfloorforlevelandflatness.Besuretoeliminateanysqueaks.Applyamoisturebarrierand/oranunderlaymentifnecessary.Manufacturersoftenrecommendusingfoamunderlaymentbeneathfloatingsystemstoreduceimpactnoiseandaddextracomfort.Someproductsevenhavetheunderlaymentpre-attachedtotheundersideofthefloorboards.

Preparetheroombyundercuttingallofthedoorjambsandcasingsinordertoallowroomforthethicknessofyournewflooring.Useahandsawandpullsaw,ortryapowertoolwithaflush-cutblade.Determinetheheightofthecutbyusingascrapofflooringasasawguide.Leaveanadditional¼inchofspaceconcealedbeneaththedoorframetoallowexpansion.

281LAYTHEFLOORAfterallyourprepwork,it’sgotime!Here’showtoinstallyournewfloor.

STEP1Measuretheroom’swidthtoensurethatthelastrowofyourflooringwillbeatleast2incheswidewhenit’ssetlengthwiseagainstthewall.Dividethewidthoftheroombythewidthoftheexposedfaceoftheflooring.Theremainingnumberwillbethewidthofthelastrow.Ifthelastrowislessthan2inches,ripthefirstrowofboardsnarrowertoallowmoreroomforthelastrow,usingatablesawandripfence,orahandheldcircularsawequippedwithanedgeguide.(Ifyourbaseboardorshoemoldingwon’tconcealboththetongueandexpansiongap,ripthetonguesoffthefirstrowofboards.)

STEP2Somefloorsystems’boardshaveastandardlength;othershaverandomlengths.Ifyou’reworkingwithfloorboardsthatallmeasurethesame,laythemoutinadryrun.Ifyouhaveasliverofboardateitherendoftheroom,cutathirdthelengthoffthefirstboardtomakemoreroomforthelast.

STEP3Assemblethefirstthreerowsofthetongue-and-grooveboardswiththetonguesonthelongedgefacingthenearestwall.Youcanassemblethemafewfeetawayfromthewalltoallowsomeroomtowork.

STEP4Theshapededgesjointogetheratananglesimilartoalockandkey.Youcanuseahammerandarubberblocktotapthesejointssecurelyintoplace.Ifyoudon’thaveahelper,youcanholddownallthepreviouslyinstalledfloorboardswithaboxofflooringasyoumovedownthefirstthreerows.Theweightoftheboxwillholdthemsecurelytothefloor,sothattheydon’tseparatewhileyouhammer-tapthenewboardsintoposition.

STEP5Whenpossible,connectthelongjointsfirstandfollowwiththeshorterjointontheend.Thebestwayistoholdthegrooveboardflatwhileyouinsertthetongueofthejoiningfloorboardatanangle.Thenbendtheboarddownward,whichpullsthetongueintothegroove.Staggertheendjointsofadjoiningrowsbyatleast5inches.

STEP6Ifthelastboardinarowwillnotfitpreciselyintothespaceagainstthewall,cutitdowntolength.Youcanthenusetheremainderofthecutoffpiecetobeginthenextrow.

STEP7Onceyouhavegottenthefirstthreerowsfullyassembled,place¼-inchspacersagainstthewallstoallowforexpansion,andthenpushthethreerowsinplaceagainstit.

STEP8Whenlockedinplace,theweightandrigidityofthecombinedrowswillhaveenoughstructuralintegritytoassembletherestwithoutyourneedingtoweighdowntheassembly.Continueworkingboardbyboardandrowbyrow,usingspacersagainstallwalltransitions.

STEP9Insomecases,you’llneedajigsawformakingsmallcutouts,suchasrectangularcutsaroundfloorregisters.Forsmall,roundcutoutsaroundpipes,tryadrillequippedwithahole-saw.

STEP10Attheoppositewallfromwhereyoustarted,youwon’thaveclearanceto“push”orhammer-tapthefinalrowintoplace.HooktheendoftheboardagainstthewallusinganS-shapedpullbar,andthenhammer-tap

thestrikingplateonthepullbartoinchtheboardintotherowandfastenthetongue-and-groovejoint.Whentheflooriscomplete,takeoutallthespacersalongthewallsandreinstallshoeand/orbasemolding.

STEP11Nailthematchingfloortransitionsalongthebottomsofdoorswherethenewfloorboardsmeetotherflooringtypes.Cutthemtolengthandthennailthemflushbetweenthetwofloorareastogetasleek,finishedappearance.

282SETASOLIDWOODFLOORSolidtongue-and-grooveflooringisaclassicoptionforhomes.Availableinhardwoodandsoftwoodvarieties,tongue-and-grooveflooringalsocomesinpre-finishedorunfinishedboards,thelatterrequiringapplicationofaprotectivesealant/topcoatafterinstallation.

Unfinishedmaterialisalesscostlyproduct,butitstillrequiresmoney,time,andefforttosandthefloorandapplyurethane.Pre-finishedfloorshaveseriousbenefitsthatareworthconsidering.First,theinstalledcostofsolid,pre-finishedwoodflooringcanrivaltheinstalledcostofbarehardwood.Althoughtheproductscostmore,theyalsohaveabulletproof,factory-appliedfinishthatwillstanduptonearlyanything.Thetrade-offisabevelbetweeneachfloorboardtohideslightdiscrepanciesinboardthickness.

283READYTHENEWFLOORBeforeinstallingyourfloorboard,besuretoreadytheroomandmaterialsfirst.

Woodexpandsandcontractswithmoistureandtemperaturechanges;letthefloorboardsacclimateinsidetheroomwheretheyaretobeinstalledforatleast48hours.Dependingonthesizeanddesignofyournewfloorboards,precuttingthemtorandomlengthsmaymakethemeasiertomaneuverandhelptoensurearandomseriesofstaggeredjoints.

Prepthesitethesameasanyfloorproject.Removebaseboardsandshoemolding.Yoursubfloormustbeflat,dry,andlevel.Buildupminorflawswithbuildingpaper;aliquidfloorlevelermayberequiredforanybiggerdips,aswellasabeltsanderforhighspots.

Forfirst-floorinstallations,youwillrequireamoisturebarrieroverthesubfloor.Applyacoatingofliquidwaterproofmembraneoverthesubfloororslabusingarollerandletdryaccordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructions.Plasticsheetingisnotsuggested,sincenailsorstaplescanpenetrateit.Ifyouareworkingoverconcrete,useaconstructionadhesivetogluedown¾-inchmarine-gradeplywoodoverthewaterproofing.Trimdoorjambstothenewfloorheightifneeded.

284LAYOUTTHEBOARDSGotsuppliesandroombothready?Thenit’stimetoputinyournewfloor.

STEP1Measurethewidthoftheroomanddividethespanbythewidthoftheexposedfaceoftheboards.Ifthefinalrowislessthanhalfthewidthofafullboard,considerrippingyourfirstrowoffloorboardsnarrowertosplitthedifference.

STEP2Snapachalklinealongthelongest,straightestwallintheroom.Withthegroovesideoftheboardfacingtowardthewall,predrillholesalongitswalledgeandnailittothefloorevery6inches,followingyourchalkline.Predrillingisn’tnecessaryifusinganair-poweredfinishnailer.Maintain½-

inchspacingbetweenthewallandflooringaroundtheentireroomtoensureanadequateexpansiongap.

STEP3Ifyourflooringhastongue-and-grooveendjoints,slotthesecondboardintothefirst.Otherwise,abutitcloselytothenextboardandnailinplacealongthewall.Worktotheendofthewall,cross-cuttingthefinalboardtosize.Leavea½-inchgapagainstthewallattheendoftherow.Youcanthenusetheleftovercutofffromthefinalboardtobeginthefollowingrow.

STEP4Drivenailsata45-degreeanglethroughthetonguesofthefirstrowandintothesubfloor(called“blindnailing”).Predrillholesifhammeringthenails.Countersinkanyproudfastenerheadswithanailset.Laythefollowingrowbyslottingthegroovedendovertheexposedtongueofthefirstrow.Closethetongue-and-groovejointtightlywithahammerandrubberblock.

STEP5Proceeddownthesecondrow,drivingnailsintothetongueevery6inches.Keeptheendjointsbetweeneachrowspacedatleast18inchesapartforarandomappearanceandtoaddrigiditytotheinstallation.Blind-nailtheentireflooror,onceyouhavelaidenoughrowstogainsomeworkingclearancefromthewall,speedupinstallationwithaflooringnailerorstapler.Ajigsawisbestwhenyouneedtonotchaboardaroundacornerormakeacutoutforaventregister.Useanelectricdrillforpipeorcableaccess.

STEP6Toinstallthefinalrow,you’llprobablyhavetouseatablesaw(orcircularsawwithripgauge)tocutofftheloweredgeofthegroovesothatthelastboardseasilydropovertheexposedtongueoftheprecedingrow.Closethejointalongthefinalrowofboardswithahammerandpull-bar(orLam-hammer).Nailandgluethelastrowinplace.

STEP7Removespacingblocksandfillsmallgapsintheflooringwithmatchingwoodfiller.Afteritdries,sandandfinishthefloortoyourpreference(ifitisrequired),thenreinstallbaseboardsandmolding.

285BERESILIENTVinyltileistheeasiestresilientflooringoptionforaDIYertoinstall.Availableinarainbowofcolors,textures,patterns,andappearances,thematerialcanmimicothermoreexpensivematerialsforafractionoftheprice.

Althoughit’sscratch-resistant,easytoworkwith,andcanalsoeasilybetrimmedusingasharputilityknife,vinylflooringdoeshaveitspitfalls.It’snotasdurableaslaminate,anddogpawshavebeenknowntodamagethesurface.Adhesive-backedvinylplanksandtileshavebeenavailableforyears,butsomeofthecheapervarietiesarenotoriousforcomingungluedaftertheirinstallationandslidingapartunderfoot,openinguglyjointsinthefloor.Forthisreason,speaktoyoursupplierandresearchyouroptionstofindaqualityproductfromareputablemanufacturer.

286GETITREADYPreparingtolayvinylflooringismuchlikeotherflooringprojects.Ensuretheexistingflooriscompletelycleanandfreeofdebris.Vinyltilesareverythin,andanysmallobjectsthataretrappedbeneaththeinstallationwillbevisibleonthesurface.Likewoodflooring,thematerialshouldbestoredonsiteatroomtemperaturepriortoinstallation.Anywoodsubfloorsshouldbeleveledusing¼-inchmarine-gradeplywood.Concreteslabscanbesmoothedwithlevelingcompound.

Themethodofinstallationvariesamongvinylflooringproducts.Somesystemshavetilesthatbuttagainstoneanotherandgluedirectlytothesubfloor.Someproductsaregluedtothesubfloor,buttheindividualtilesareinstalledalongwithtilespacerstoensureaconsistentgroutjoint.Othersystemshaveadhesiveedgestripsthatgluevinylplankstoeachotherratherthantothefloor,creatingafloatingfloorsystem.

287FLOATAVINYLFLOORForvinylplanksthatresemblewoodflooring,snapachalklinealongthestraightestwallintheroom,andinstalltheplanksalongitasyouwouldwithawoodfloorinstallation.

STEP1Someofthesesystemscreateafloatingfloor,butusedouble-sidedacrylictapeatthefirstedgetohelpholdthefirstrowsstationaryduringinstallation.

STEP2Toinstall,justremovethepaperbackingfromtheadhesivestrips,alignthestripsbetweenoneplankandtheother,andpressintoplacetoclosethejoints.

STEP3Thethinvinylplankscaneasilybecutasneededwithautilityknife.Apairofaviationsnipsworkswellformakinganysmallcutsaroundtrim.Someprofessionalsrecommendusingahairdryertowarmtheadhesiveedgesalongthenewlyjoinedseamstohelpmeltthegluetogether,givetheplanksatighterbond,andalsomakethevinyltilesmorepliableandeasiertocut.

STEP4Completetheinstallationbyrollingthesurfaceusingavinylfloorroller,availableatanyrentaloutlet,whichhelpstopressallthejointstogethertoassisttheadhesivebondwhilealsoensuringallseamslayflat.

288PEELANDSTICKITStick-downtileisatypethathastheappearanceofgenuinestone.Withsomecarefulplanningandgroutedjoints,youcaninstallanewvinylfloorwithaclassiclookfasterandeasierthanusingthin-setmortarandceramicorstonetile.

STEP1Youcaninstallvinyltilesoverexistingflooring,butit’sbesttojustinstalloverabaresubfloor.Ensurethatthesurfaceiscompletelysmooth.Sweepthefloorseveraltimesandwipewithadampclothtoremovealllooseparticles.Forthebestadhesivebond,coatthesubfloorwithmultipurposefloorprimerusingalong-handledpaintroller.Allowtheprimertodryaccordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructions.

STEP2Snapintersectingsquarechalklinesandarrangethetilesintoadrytest-fitinstallationasyouwouldforaceramictilefloor.Shiftthelayouttoavoidsmallslivertilesattheedges,androtatetilestoavoidrepeatingpatternsiftheymimicthelookofnaturalstone.Also,considerplacementofthetilesinthedoorwayoftheroom.Themajorityofhomeownerspreferafulltileinthemiddleoftheentranceifpossible.

STEP3Removethepaperbackingfromthetilesandinstalltheminplaceonebyone.Simplypresstheadhesivesidefirmlytothesubfloor.Pressdowntheinstalledtileswithyourbodyweightorarollertoensurefirmadhesion.Fillinonequadrantofthecrosspatternatatime.Useplastictilespacerstokeepallthejointsthesamesize.Thesecomeindifferentsizes,butsmall⅛-inchjointsprovidelessgroutsurfacetocollectdirtandgrime.

STEP4Tilesattheendoftherowwillhavetobefitted.Placethetiletobetrimmedoverthelastfulltile,flushwithallfouredges.Then,placeanotherfulltileagainstthewallandmarkacutlinewherethetilesoverlap.Unlikeceramicorstone,noheavy-dutypowertoolsarerequiredtocutvinyltile.Allyouneedisasharputilityknifeandastraightedgetoguidethecut.Tofitaroundobstacles,makeapatternonpaperorcardboard,traceitsoutlineonthetile,andcuttoshape.

STEP5Groutthejointsasyouwouldanyothertileinstallation,withaready-to-use,premixedsandedacrylicgroutformulatedforvinyltile.Spreadgroutdiagonally,holdingasharp-edged,rubbergroutfloatata45-degreeangletothejoint.Pressfirmlytocompletelyfillthejoint.Removeexcessgrout,usingtheedgeasyouwouldasqueegee.Angledstrokeshelppreventthefloatfromdiggingintothefilledjointsandpullingoutthegrout.

STEP6Removegrouthazeasyouwork,usingaspongeandabucketofwater.Keepanytrafficoffofthefinishedsurfaceforatleast24hoursofdrying,andthenuseaspongeandwatertoremovethefinalremaininggrouthaze.Sealthegroutafter72hoursinordertomakethejointseasiertoclean.

289BUILDADECKDecksarebuiltwithbasicframeconstructionandareapopularDIYproject.Takethetimetothoughtfullydesignyourdeckforitsintendedpurpose,area,andenvironment—andinaccordancewithlocalbuildingcodes.Withproperplanning,theprojectshouldgosmoothlyandyou’llhaveawell-builtdeckthatwilllastformanyyears.

290CONSIDERYOURDESIGNBuildingmethodsfordeckshavechangedovertime,soyoushouldbeawareofthatfactwhenyoudesignone.Deckjoists,whichstraddlethesidesofasupportpost,arenolongerapprovedbytheInternationalBuildingCode,andtheyshouldbesupportedbyaload-carryingbeam—ormultiplebeams.

Theentirestructureofthedeckmustbebuiltsturdyenoughtosupporteverythingaboveit,includingpeopleandfurnishings.Therefore,decksthataresupportingheavyitems,suchashottubs,willrequireadditionalreinforcementframing.Checkwithyourlocalbuildingofficialforspecificconstructionguidelines,lumbersizerequirements(differentwoodspecieswillhavedifferentstrengths),andjoistspanlimitationsinyourarea.

291LEADWITHALEDGERBOARDOnceyou’vedoneathoroughjobofdesigningyourdeck,you’rereadytobeginbuilding.

STEP1Constructionusuallystartswiththeledgerboard,thepiecethatanchorsthestructuretothehouse.Thiswillalsoestablishyourdecklengthandheight(soaccountforthethicknessofthebuildingmaterial).Theledgerboard,joists,andbeamwillsupporttheweightofthedeck,souse2X8sor2X10s,dependingonthesizeofthedeckyouplantobuild.

STEP2Makesuretheledgerislevelandfastenitwithlagboltsorheavy-dutystructuralscrews(½-inchdiameterwithwashers)thatattachtoyourhome’srimjoist(somesidingmayneedtoberemoved).Or,useexpansionboltsifyouareattachingittoaconcretefoundation.

STEP3Theledgerboardneedstohavecontinuousflashinginstalledaccordingwithyourbuildingcodetopreventanywaterpenetrationintothehouse.Theflashingshouldalsolapupthehousewallbehindtheexteriorsiding.

STEP4TheInternationalResidentialCoderequiresadecksupportedbyanadjacenthousetobebuiltwitha“positiveattachment”tothehouseframingtohelpresistlateralloads.Checkthelocalcodesforrequirementsinyourarea.SimpsonStrong-Tieoffersadecktension-tieforattachingadecktoahomethatmeetsthelatestcodestandards.TheDTT1Zdecktension-tiefastensfromoutsidethehouse,allowingthefourrequired750-poundlateralconnectorstobefastenedtothestructuralframingmemberswithinthehouse.Thistieisscrewedtoeitherthenarroworwidefaceofasingle2Xjoist.Afterward,alonghexscrewwithanintegralwasherattachesthetension-tietothesupportingstructurewithaminimumof3inchesofpenetration.

292GETTHERIGHTLAYOUTYoucanestablishthelayoutofyourdeckbyusingstringandwoodstakestodeterminewheretolocatethesupportingconcretepiersandsupportposts.

STEP1Drivestakes(orbatterboards)ateachcorner,abouttwofeetfartherthanthebeamwillbeawayfromthehouse.Attachastringtoeachstakeandattachtheoppositeendstotheledgerboard.Makesurethestringsaresquaretotheledger-boardusingthe3-4-5method.

STEP2Drivetwonewstakesabout2feetoutsidethefirstsetofstringsatthedesiredlocationforthebeam(alsocalledagirder).Attachathirdstringbetweenthetwonewstakesandparalleltotheledger-board.Atthepointwherethestringsintersect,checkforsquarebymeasuringdiagonallyfromtheintersectionofthestringstotheoppositecorneroftheledgerboard,thenchecktheotherdiagonalmeasurement;theyshouldbethesame.Movethestakesuntiltheoutlineiscompletelysquare.

STEP3Useaplumbbobonthebeam-layoutstringtomarkthecenterpointsofthedeck’ssupportposts.Beamscanoverhangthepostsamaximumof1foot.Spacingofyourpostswillbedeterminedbylocalcodes,joistsize,beamsize,andwoodspecies.Forexample,ifthedeck’sjoistsizeis2X6,andyouuseadoubled2X6beam,maximumpostspacingisusually6feet(forwoodssuchasSouthernPineandHem-Fir).Adeckwith2X8joistsandabeammadeoftwo2X10swillhavemaximumpostspacingof8feet.Consultalumberdealeroranengineerfordesignassistance;whenindoubt,alwaysover-build.

293GETGOODFOOTINGDeckpostsshouldbesupportedbyconcretepierfootings.Thefootingholedepthwillbedeterminedbyyourlocationandfrostline.

STEP1Checkwithlocalbuildingcodestofindouthowdeepyou’llneedtodigtopreventfrostheave.Digaholetothatdepth,14to24inchesinwidth.

STEP2Mixconcreteandfillthefootinghole.Tube-shapedcardboardfootingformscanhelpkeeptheconcreteinacylindricalshape.

STEP3Insertan8-inchJ-boltintothecentersofeachofyourwetconcretefootings,leavingenoughthreadedrodexposedtomountametalpierbracket.Oncetheconcretedries,attachthebrackettotheboltwithawasherandnut.

STEP4Useasupportpostsizeofatleast6X6that’smadeoftreatedlumberandintendedforgroundcontact.Placethepostintothebracket,plumbandsquareit,thenfasteninplacewithgalvanizednails.

294INSTALLYOURFRAMINGAfteryourpostsareset,youneedtocreatetheframinguponwhichyou’llbuildtheflooringofyourdeck.

STEP1Determinetheanticipatedsurfaceheightofyourdeck,thenmeasuredownward,subtractingthethicknessofthedeckingandtheheightofthejoistsandbeam.Transferthismeasurementtothepoststodeterminewheretocutthemtoacceptthebeam.Astringlevelhelpsmeasureoverlongerdistances.Insomecasesyoushouldengineeraslightslopetothedecktopitchdownwardawayfromthehouse,especiallyifyourdeckingmaterialcouldcollectwater.

STEP2Afterthepostsarecut,installthebeamontothesupportposts(andparalleltotheledgerboard)withmetalpostbracketstopreventupliftandlateraldisplacement.Beamscanoverhangthepostsouttoamaximumof1foot.Allthehardwareandfastenersshouldbehot-dipgalvanizedorstainlesssteel.

STEP3Deckbeamsthataremadeof2Xtreatedwoodshouldbefastenedtogetherusingstaggeredrowsof10dgalvanizednailsor#10woodscrews.Ifnecessarytospliceboardstoformthebeam,staggerthesplicesandlocatethejointsoverthebeams.

STEP4Installthesidejoistsontotheledgerboardusingmetaljoisthangers.Ensurethatthejoistsaresquaretotheledgerboardandmountthemtothebeamwithmetalhardware.Thejoistscanterminateatthebeamorcantilever(overhang)byacoupleoffeet,accordingtospanlimitations.

STEP5Marklocationsalongthebeamfortherestofthejoistsandinstall

themusingmetalhardwaretoresistupliftandlateralmovement.Joistsaretypicallyinstalled16inchesoncenter(closerspacingmayberequiredforsomedeck-boardsystems.)

STEP6Ifjoistlengthsvary,snapachalklineovertheendsandcutthemtothesamelength.Fastenarimjoistovertheendsandflushwiththetopedgesusingmetaljoisthangers.Doubleupontherimjoiststoaddstrengthandstability.

STEP7Tohelpstabilizemovementinadeckframe,youcanplacealongdiagonal2X4braceacrosstheundersideofthejoists.Alternatively,useperpendicularblockingbetweenthejoists,cutfromthesamesizelumberasthedeckjoists;or,installdiagonal2X4bracesfastenedontothesupportpostsandtheadjacentframingmembers.

STEP8Constructhandrailandstairsystemsbeforeinstallingthedeckboards.Handrailpostsmustbeboltedtothedeck’sframingmembersaccordingtobuildingcode.

295GETONDECKAdeck’ssurfacecanbemadefrompressure-treatedwood,PVC,wood-plasticcomposite,cedar,cypress,oranexotichardwoodsuchasipe—thereareevenaluminumdecksystemsavailable.Eachmaterialhasadifferentsetofadvantages:Someofferthegenuinewoodgrainthatyouwillonlyhavewithanaturalproduct,whileothersmayoffercoolhidden-fastenersystemsapre-finishedappearance,andminimalmaintenancerequirements.Researchyourmaterialoptionscarefully,andexplorethemaintenanceissuesassociatedwitheach,aswellasthecostoftheproduct(whichcanvarygreatly).

Asyoubegininstallingthedecking,besuretheboardisfastenedperfectlystraight,becausealloftherestofthedeckingwillrunfromthisboard.Keepthedeckingatleast½inchfromthehouse.Attachtheboardsusingfastenersthatarerecommendedbythemanufacturer.Centerjointsoverajoistoradd2Xblockingsothatyoucanattachbothendssecurely.Separatethedeckboardsapproximately to⅛inchtoallowforexpansionandcontraction.Asyouareinstallingthedeckboards,allowthemtorunlongovertheouterjoists.Whenalloftheboardsareinstalled,snapachalklineacrosstheendsandtrimallofthedeckingatonceusingacircularsaw.

296ADDRAILINGSTOYOURDECKFordecksmorethan30incheshigh,railingsareacriticalsafetyfeaturethatarerequiredbybuildingcodes.Variouscoderequirementswilldictatehowtoconstructahandrailsystem;consultyourlocalbuildinginspectorforanyspecificclarification.

Generally,thepostsshouldbeaminimum4×4size,andbesolidlyanchoredtothedeckjoistandtherimjoistofthestructure.Useapairof½-inchthrough-boltsandametaltension-tiefortheupperboltconnection.Postsshouldbespacednomorethan6feetapart.Railscanusuallybebuilt36to42incheshigh(checklocalcodesforguidance).

Buildingadeckgivesyouampleopportunitytocustomizeitwithapersonaltouch,andthehandrailsareanopportuneplacetoaddtothedécor.Designsandmaterialsvarygreatly.Postsmadeoftreated4X4lumberaretypicallyusedforstructuralstrength,andtheycanbestained,sealedandleftexposed,ortheycanbesheathedinaPVCsleeveandintegratedintoasleekvinylrailingsystem.Railsandbalustersareoftenmadeofwood,andyoucaninstallmetalbalusters,steelcable,orevenglasspanelsbetweentheposts.

297SELECTYOURSTAIRSYSTEMStairs,stringers,andguardrailsmustmeettheIRCdesignandstrengthrequirementsfortreadheightandopening/spacingrequirements.Thestepsshouldhaveaconsistenttreaddepthwitha7¾-inchmaximumriserheight.(Adeviationof⅜inchisallowedbycodebutshouldbeavoided.)

Ifthestairshaveopenriserstheyshouldnotleta4-inchdiameterspherepassthroughthem.Justaswiththemaximumspacingforbalusters,thisisintendedtopreventsmallchildrenfromgettingstuckorfallingthrough.

Stairlandingsmustbeatleastaswideasthestairandatleast3feetdeep.Usuallymadefromblockorconcrete,thelandingmustprovideasafeexitfromthestairandmaynothaveaslopemorethan¼inchperfoot.

Layingoutthestaircaseisthefirststep.Thepitchofyourstairswilllargelybedeterminedbytheriseandrunyouneedtotraversetoreachthelanding,factoredwithacomfortabletreadandriserheightthatadherestolocalcodes.

Anotherfactorinthepitchofyourstairsmightbethehandrailsystem.Whereasyoucancustom-buildyourhandrailstotheslopeofyourpreference,purchasedsystemsusuallyonlyworkinalimitedrangeofpredeterminedangles(suchas30to35degrees).Theserequirementsneedtobeaccountedforwhendesigningthestairlayout.

Stairlayoutcanbeverycomplicated.MeasuringanddesigningthestringerscanbesuchachallengeforDIYers;homecentersusuallyoffer

precutstringersforsale.Metalconnectorscanbeusedtoconnectthestairstringerstothedeckframe.Codetypicallyrequiresthatstairsbesupportedbystringersspacednogreaterthan2feetapartoncenter.

298CONSIDERYOUROPTIONSIfyoudon’twantahandrailbuiltfromwood,youhaveplentyofotheroptions.Deckrailingsystemsarealsoavailableinmetal,composite,andPVC.Thesystemsvaryinmethodofinstallation,soresearchyouroptionscarefullywhenselecting.

SLEEVEITSomerailingsystemshaveaPVCsleevetoslipovera4X4treatedpost.ThePVCprotectshepostfromweatherexposureandprovidesasleekmatchingappearancetoavinylbaluster-and-railsystem.

MAKEITSOLIDOthersystemsutilizeametalnewelpostinsideahollowPVCpostsleeve,whichisthenfilledwithconcrete.

LOOKTHROUGHTHEGLASSGlassbalustersareavailableforahigh-endlookthatoptimizesvisibility.

MAKEITMODERNForacontemporarystylewithnighttimeillumination,considerastainlesssteelcablesystemwithLEDaccentlights.

299MAKESTAIRSSIMPLERAnotherDIY-friendlyalternativeforstairwayconstructionistoavoidusingprecutnotchedstringersandinsteadsimplyscrewonL-shapedmetalstairbracketstosupportthesteps.Thebracketseliminatetheneedtocutstairnotchesandreducethemeasuringandmarkingasyoufastenthemtothefullstringerboards.

STEP1FastentheL-shapedstairbracketstothestringerboards.

STEP2Mountthestringerstoboththedeckandlanding.

STEP3Installthetreadsoverthetopsofthestairbrackets.

300BUILDAFENCEAfencecandoalotforalandscape:dividepropertylines,boosthomeequity,addtooutdoordécor,andsafelycontainanimals.

Therearelotsofoptionsformaterialsanddesign.Fencebuildingmaterialscanvary,frommetalandwoodtovinylandwood-plasticcomposites.Foraneasy-to-buildfence,youmightconsiderusingpre-assembledpanelstodramaticallyreducebuildingtime.

Ifyouryardissloped,tokeepthepaneltopslevelyou’llhavetostaggerthepanelheightswheretheyarefastenedontotheposts.Ifyouryardhasasignificantgrade,thesestaggeredpanelswillcreategapsatthebottomofthefence.

Analternativeisaprivacyfencethat’sbuilttocloselyfollowthegradeoftheyard.Youcaninstallthepicketsalongonesideofthefence,orputinashadowbox-stylefence,whichalternatesthepositionofthepicketsfromonesideofthestringertotheother.

Treatedwoodisoftenchosenforframinglumber.Postscanbemadeof8-foot4X4s,andthehorizontalstringers(alsocalledfencerails)canbemadeoutof8-foot2X4s.Thetreatedpostsshouldbeapprovedforgroundcontact.

Forthefenceboards(orpickets),usetreatedwoodoraspeciessuchascedarorredwoodthathasnaturalpreservativeoilstoresistinsects,decay,andchemicalcorrosion.

Setthepostswithfast-settingconcretesoldinready-mixbags.Simplypourthemixstraightoutofthebagintotheposthole.Oncethepostisburied,pouraboutagallonofwaterper50-poundbagoverthedrymix,whichthencuresinabout30minutes.Useroughly1½bagsperpost.

Fastenallconnectionswithhot-dippedgalvanizednailswithringedshanksforextraholdingpower.Besureyourfastenersareapprovedforexterioruseinchemicallytreatedlumber.

PROTIPTELLASTORYPreventrepetitivemeasurementswithastorypole.Makeonebymarkingeachstringerheightonascrappieceofwoodwithmaskingtape,thenplacethepolealongsideeachpost.Usethetapetodetermineeachstringerlocationandmarkitwithpencil.

301PLANYOURLAYOUTBeforebuildingafence,checkwithlocalofficialsregardingbuildingcodesandnecessarypermits.(Someneighborhoodsmightalsohavetheirownarchitecturalguidelinesor“covenants”thatrestrictdesign.)Double-checktobesurethatthelocationofyourproposedfenceisnotonaneighbor’sproperty.Beforedigging,alwaysdial811nationallytogetanyundergroundutilitylines,cables,andpipesmarkedforfree.

Withinlocalcodelimitations,theheight,décor,andtrajectoryofyourfencewillbeuptoyou,andmaybedictatedbyotherobstaclesinyouryard,suchastreesandsheds.

STEP1Markyourfencelayoutwithstakesandtwine.

STEP2Pullthelinetightlybetweencornerstakes,thenstakeitintermittently

alongthefenceperimetertokeepthestringtightandstraight.

STEP3Walktheperimeterwithatapemeasureandspray-paintalarge“X”topinpointtheplacementofeachfencepost.Postsareusuallyspaced6to8feetoncenter.Thecloserthefenceposts,thestrongerthefence.Thismeasurementisalsocrucialforthesakeofyourmaterials,asdimensionallumberissoldinstandardsizes.Ifyourpostsareaccidentallyspaced8feet,1inchapart,an8-footboardwillbetooshort.Inthatevent,youwouldhavetopurchasea10-footboardandcutoff1foot,11inchestocreatealongenoughstringer,whichisawasteofmaterial.

302DIGDEEPGenerally,youshoulddigholesforfencepostsdeepenoughtoburyathirdoftheoveralllengthoftheposts(atleast2feetdeep).Godeepenoughtosetthepostbelowthefrostlinetoavoidfrostheaving;diganextra4to6inchesdeeperthanthedesiredpostdepthforagravelbedbeneaththatpostfordrainage.

Prepareforlotsofdigging.Atraditionalwayiswithamanualclamshelldiggerandtrenchshovel.Getsomehelptospeedthingsup,andrentatwo-manpoweredaugerfordigging.

PROTIPGIVETHEMASOAKWhileyou’redigging,soakthebasesofyourpostsinwatersealer.Placeabout4postsuprightinatallbucketallatonce.Theirmassdisplacesthewater,whichrisestothetopofthebucket,thussoakingthebottomsoftheposts.Aftersoakingthemforaboutanhour,rotatefournewpostsintothebuckettosoak.

303POSTUPPostsarethebackboneofyourfence,soinstallthemrighttoensureastrongconstruction.

STEP1Beginbysettingallthecornerpostsfirst.Haveahelperholdthepostuprightwhileyouuseahandleveltomakesureitisplumbonthegravelbed.Apostlevelisalsohelpful,becauseitfreesupyourhandsbystrappingaroundthepostwhileplacinglevelvialsontwoadjacentsides.

STEP2Oncethepostisplumblefttorightandbacktofront,thenbraceitinplace.Ifyouhaveahelper,theycanholditinpositionwhileyouaddconcrete.Alternatively,nailscraplengthsofwoodextendingfromtheposttothegroundtoactasmovablebraces,withthenailsservingaspivotpointsforadjustment.Plumbandsquarethepost,adjustthebracestoholditsteady,thenaddconcrete.Useasledgehammertopoundthepostsintothegroundoncesurroundedbyconcrete,thenrecheckforplumb,adjustingasneededonceagain.Leavethebracesonwhiletheconcretesets.

STEP3Oncethecornerpostsareset,fastenastringbetweenthemtoguideplacementoftheremainingposts.Keepthelineontheoutsidefaceofthepostsandsecureittightly.Settherestoftheposts,keepingtheiroutsidefacesplumbandlinedupexactlywiththestring.

STEP4Pourdry,fast-settingconcretemixintotheposthole.Thenjustaddwater;nomixingisrequired.Ifyou’reusingstandardconcretethatshouldbepremixed,youcanmixsmallbatcheswithawheelbarrowandshovelorhoe,followingthemanufacturer’sinstructionsfortherequiredamountofwater.Allowthepoststoset.Oncetheconcreteishardened,coveritwithdirtandslopetheearthawayfromtheposttodivertwater.

304STRING’EMUPWithyourpostsproperlyset,yournextobjectivewillbetoplacethestringers.

STEP1Forastandard6-foottallfence,positionthebottomstringer10inchesupfromthegroundandspacetheothertwostringersevenlyapart.Youmayneedtoalterplacementdependingontheheightofyourfence.

STEP2Youhaveavarietyofoptionsforattachingyourstringers,suchasface-nailing,mortiseandtenonjoints,ortoe-nailing.Forashadowboxfence,stringersaretoe-nailedbetweenpostsbydrivingatleasttwonailsintothesideandonenailthroughthetopofthestringerandsolidlyintothepost.

STEP3Ifyou’retoe-nailingstringersthatfollowaslope,cutthematamitertofitflushbetweentheplumbposts.First,buttthesquareendofoneuncutstringeragainstthepenciledlocationonyourleft-handpost.Holdthatendfirmlyagainstthepostwhileyoupositiontheotherendofthestringertooverlaptheright-handpostatthepencilmarks.Markthestringer,usingthepostasapencilguide,andthenremovethestringerandtakeittothecuttingtable.Useananglefindertotransferthatangletotheleft-handendofthestringer.Beforecuttingthemiters,recheckthepost-to-postmeasurementtoensureyoudon’tcuttooshort;remembertoaccountforthe⅛-inchwidebladekerfofacircularsaw.

STEP4Expectalotofnailing.Aframingnailgun(eitherair-poweredorcordless)canreallybeahugehelp.Use3-inchhot-dippedring-shanknailsforallframingmembers.

STEP5Withallstringersinplace,cutthetopsofthepostswithareciprocatingsawsothey’reallthesameheight.Cutthepostsinamannerthatdivertswaterfromstandingatoptheposts,whichcouldcontributetorot.Youcancutpyramid-likecrowns,coverthemwithpostcaps,orjustslicethemoffatanangle.

305GOPICKETINGWithpostsandstringersdone,it’stimefortheboardsofyourfence.Attachthepicketssecurelyagainstthestringers.Forashadowboxinstallation,cutaspacingblockslightlynarrowerthanthewidthoftheboards,sotherewillbeaslightdegreeofoverlapamongthealternatingpickets.

Placethefirstboardalongthecornerpostandusea4-footleveltofindplumb.Nailithome,usingtwonailsperstringerlocation.Positionthespacingblock nexttothefirstpicketandthenplacethesecondpicketagainstit.Driveinonenailatthetopstringer.Usethatnailasapivotwhileyoufindplumb,thennailthatpickethomeaswell.Followsuitallthewaydownthestringer,spacingeachpicketwiththeblock.Ifyourfenceboardsvarysomewhatinheight,keepaneyeonthetopssothattheylineupconsistently,adjustingtheirplacementagainstthegroundifnecessary.

Forshadowboxinstallation ,onceyoureachthenextpost,returntothefirstpostontheoppositesideofthestringer.Centerapicketacrossfromeachspaceprovidedbythespacingblocktomakethealternatingpicketstyle.Installtheboardsinthesamemanner—spacing,plumbing,andnailing.

Ifyoupreferthepickettopstofollowastraightlinebetweenposts,walkthefenceandlocatethehighandlowspotsbeforeinstalling.Tackpickets(preferablyattheposts)toeachofthosehighorlowpoints.Startanailinthetopofthosepickets,stringinglinebetweenthemtoguidepicketalignmentasyougo.

306MAKEABIGFINISHYourfenceshouldbeprotectedwithagoodwaterproofsealer.Althoughtimeconstraintsandinclementweatherdon’talwaysallowit,it’smucheasiertopre-applythefinishtothefencecomponentsbeforeconstruction.Also,pre-finishingtheboardsgrantsaccesstoallsidesofthepicketsandstringersthatmightotherwisebeinaccessibleoncebuilt.Useastain/sealerproductofferedbyareputablemanufacturertohelpprotectagainstrotting,waterdamage,andUVrays.

307GIVEYOURFENCEAGATEThisfenceshownhastwogates:asingle-doorgateandatwo-doorgateforapickuptruck.

It’sagoodideatopurchasethebeefiesthingehardwareavailableatthehardwarestore,becausegatehingesarenotoriousforfailureovertime.Installaccordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructions.Toconstructthedoors,fastenallpicketsontheoutsideofthestringerstoprovideasolidplanetomountthegatehinges.

Whenconstructingthegatedoors,useamplebracing.Forlargedoors,passontheconventionalZ-shapedbracinginfavorofadouble-Z.Buildeachdoorwiththree2X4crossbracesperpendiculartothefencing,connectedbytwodiagonalbraces,withthefenceboardsnailedintoeachbracetheycross.

Correctlyconstructingyoursupportpostsisalsocritical.Youwillgetmorestabilityfrom6X6postsratherthan4X4s.Anchoreachpostwithaconcretefooting.Burythepostinthegroundtoathirdofitsheight.Addextrastrengthatthebaseofthetwopostsbyinstallingahorizontalpostflushbetweenthetwo,oruseapouredbridgeofconcrete,tokeepbothpostsfrompullingtowardeachotheratthebottomduetotheweightofthegatedoors.

308SHELVEITBuilt-inshelvingrequiresopeningupawallandthenconstructingabasicshelfcaseinsidethespace.

Beforeremovinganywallstuds,besurethatthewallisnotload-bearing.Exteriorload-bearingwallsaren’tappropriateforbuilt-incasesbecauseremovalofthewalleliminatesinsulation(andwouldrequireconstructionofaload-bearingheader).Ifyouwanttolocateshelvesoveraload-bearingwall,thenbuildthecaseoverthestudslikeapieceoffurniture.Forquickvisualreferencematerialasyouwork,trysketchingyourdesignonpaperordiagramitonacomputer.

309DEMOLISHAWALLBeforecuttingintoawall,disconnectelectricalpowerincaseyouaccidentallyrunintoawire.

STEP1Outlinetheplannedshelfonthewallusingpainter’stape,aT-square,andapencil.

STEP2Sealofftheworkareawithlargevinylsheetingfordustcontrol.

STEP3Cutthroughthewallboardforaccesstothestuds.Prythewallboardoffthestudswithaflatbar.

STEP4Trytoremoveallthewallboardinlargesectionstominimizedustanddebris.

STEP5Useamulti-toolwithaflush-cutbladetocutthroughthenailsholdingthewallboardagainstallthestudsontheoppositesideofthewall.Thenremovethewallstudsfromtheareawhereyouwanttobuild.

310CREATEACASEWithyouropeningready,it’stimeforthecase.

STEP1Cutacoupleoftheoldstudsastrimmerstuds,whichwillframethenewshelves.Makesuretoinstallthestudsperfectlyplumb.

STEP2Installplywoodbackingovertheexposeddrywall.AttachitusingacombinationofLiquidNailsconstructionadhesiveandsomestrategicallyplaceddrywallscrews.(Don’tscrewthroughthedrywallifithasavisiblefinishedside.)

STEP3Useasfewscrewsasyoucantominimizewood-puttyrepairs.Clamptheplywoodinplacewhiletheadhesivedriesbytackingontemporary2×4cleatsalongtheedges.

STEP4Forthefoundation,screwtogether2×4studmaterialinarectangularboxandstrengthenitwithblocking.This“toe-kick”boxraisesthebottomshelfafewinchesoffthefloorandmakesroomfordecorativebasemoldingatthebottom.Screwtheboxintothelowerplywoodpanel.

STEP5Theseshelvesaredesignedwith1¼-inchnosing(½inchoverhangingthe¾-inchshelves),sofastenalayerof½-inchplywoodovertheboxtoraisethebottomshelf.

STEP6Installthesidepanels.Mountthemintothetrimmerstudswith3-inchself-countersinkingscrews.Thesidesmustbeperfectlyplumbandsquaretotheback.Thesidescanbemadefrom¾-inchsolidwoodorplywood.

STEP7Puttyandsandallfastenerholes.Stainorprime/paintthecasebeforeaddingtheshelves.Applypaintwithafoamroller,whichachievesthoroughcoveragewithoutleavingbrushmarksorthestipplingeffectofarollernap.

311MAKEYOURSHELVESShelvesareoftenconstructedofstain-grade¾-inchplywoodorsolidwood.Nosingoredgingcanbeaddedtotheedgeofplywoodshelvestoachievethelookofsolidwood.

STEP1Riptheshelvestowidthandlengthusingatablesaworacircularsawequippedwitharippingguide.Ifadding¾-inchnosing,cuttheshelves¾inchnarrowerthanthesidesofthecasetoleaveroom.Ripthe¾-inchsolidwoodnosing(1½incheswideinthiscase),andcutitatlengthtomatchtheshelves.Youcanattachtheshelvestothebackofthecasewithpocketholes,theneachcanbesupportedfrombeneathwithahorizontalcleat.Screwsdrivenintoeachendwillprovideextrasupportatthesides.

STEP2Decideifthepocketholeswillgoonthetoporbottomoftheshelves.Forthetop,you’llneedwoodplugstohidethescrews.Ifyouchoosethebottom,theshelveswon’thaveasmuchholdingpowerwiththescrewheadsangleddownward(butsupportcleatsshouldsolvetheproblem).Useapocket-holejigtoguideasteppeddrillbit,spacingthepocketholes12to18inchesapartalongthesidesandback.

STEP3Finish-sandtheshelvesinthedirectionofthewoodgrain,progressingtofinerpapertoatleast220-grit.Dustwithatackcloth,thenapplywoodstainandpolyurethanesealer.

312INSTALLTHESHELVESNowthatyou’vebuiltyourshelvesforyourwallcase,it’stimetoputthemintheirproperplace.

STEP1Startatthebottom.Thefirstshelfrestsonthetoe-kickbox.Insteadofusingpocketscrews,it’sfastenedthroughthefaceusingcountersunktrim-headscrews.Thetinyscrewheadsareeasytohidewithwoodfiller.

STEP2Locatethenextshelftoconcealthejointbetweentheplywoodpanelsintherearofthecase.Oncethiscriticalshelfhasbeenmounted,useitasacontrolpointtoinstalltheremainingshelvesatanequaldistanceapartfromeachother.(Note:Thetopshelftypicallyhassomeextraoverheadspaceasroomforstoringanylargeritems.)

STEP3Wheninstalling,makesuretheshelvesarelevelineverydirection.Ithelpstohaveanassistant,oruseclampsandcabinetjacks,toholdtheshelvesduringinstallation.

STEP4Fastentheshelvestightlyalongtheiredgesusingpocketscrewsandapocketdriverbit.Whenlocatingtheshelves,rememberthatifyourshelfnosingistallerthantheshelves,thentheverticalmidpointofthatcompletedshelfwillnotbethesameasthecenterpointoftheplywood(nose-less)shelf.You’llneedtoaccountforthisduringthelayoutoryourmeasurementswillbeoff.

STEP5Onceallshelvesaremounted,installthenosing(stainedandvarnishedtomatch).Makesuretheupperedgeofthenosingisflushwiththeshelfsurface.

STEP6Fastenthenosingwithwoodglueandfinishnails.

STEP7Ifyouhaveinstalledthepocketscrewsfrombelowtheshelf,youcanfurthersupporteachshelfwithafull-lengthhorizontalsupportstripor“cleat”measuringroughly1x⅜inch.Ripthisstripfromsolidwood,thenfastenitflushagainsttheundersideoftheshelfwithacombinationofwoodglueandpinnails.

313ADDTRIMWORKThetrimpackagethatenclosestheshelvescanbeassimpleoraselaborateasyouwant.

STEP1Thecaseshownbelowhasverticalface-framesrippedto2incheswidethatcoveruptheedgesofthesidepanels.Theseface-frameswerenailedtothecasesidesaswellastothenosingoftheshelves,withtheirouteredgesflushwiththesides.Face-framescangivevisualweighttoacaseforamoresubstantiallook.

STEP2Thetoe-kickboxwaswrappedwithbaseboardmoldingmiteredattheoutsidecorners.Thenewtrimwasmatchedtheroom’sexistingbaseboardprofileandintersecteditwithcopejoints.

STEP3Atthetop,a“cap”panelofplywoodhidtheceiling.Thetopofthecaseisthenwrappedusinga1×6thatwasmiteredatthecornerstoserveasfasciaforthecase.Additionalmoldingsareusedtodecoratethetopandaddshadowlines.

STEP4Pre-primedcovemoldinglinesthesidesofthecasetoconcealthejointagainstthewallforafinishedappearance.

STEP5Oncealltrimwasinstalled,fastenerholeswereputtiedandalljointswereallcaulkedaswell.Repairsweresandedbeforeafinalcoatofpaint.

314PUTINYOUROWNCARPETDo-it-yourselfcarpetinstallationisthebestapproachforsmallroomsthatdon’trequireacarpetstretcher.Iftherearenoseamsrequired,evenbetter;carpettoolsareavailabletorent,butrentalcostswilllikelyequalthecostofaprofessionalinstallationjob.Thesmall-roomscenarioeliminatessomeofthepricierrentalitemsandcansometimesbecarpetedwithlittlemorethanaknee-kicker,acarpetknifeandcarpettucker(alsocalledabroadknife).

STEP1Rough-cutthecarpettoaworkablesizebeforehaulingitintotheroom,toavoidliftingmorethannecessaryandhavelessexcessmaterialobstructingtheworkarea.

STEP2Recruitsomehelptolifttherollofcarpetintotheroom—it’llbeheavy.

STEP3Cutthewoodentackstrips(whichanchorthecarpet)tofitaroundtheperimeteroftheroom.Leaveroombetweenthetackstripandthewallequaltothethicknessofthecarpet.Nailthesestripstothefloor.Laycarpetpaddingovertheentirefloor,buttingtheseamsandtapingthemtogether.Staplethepadevery12inches,workingtowardthetackstrips,securingthepadagainsttheedgeofthestrips.

STEP4Useacarpetknifeandstraightedgetocutthecarpetroughly6incheslongerandwiderthantheroom.(Iftheroomistoolargeforasinglepieceofcarpet,you’llneedtojointheseamsusingseamtape,aheat-bondiron,andacarpet-seamroller.)

STEP5Placetherugwiththeexcesslappingupthewalls.Reliefcutsatcornerswillletthecarpetlayflat.

STEP6Oncethefirstcornerisanchored,gototheadjacentcorneralongthelongwallandanchorbothsidesofthatcornerjustasyoudidthefirstcorner.Foralargerroom,youmightneedtoworkusingacarpetstretchertopullthecarpettightlyfromoneendoftheroomovertotheothercorner.Oncethatsecondcornerhasbeenanchored,proceeddownthewallbetweenthetwoinstalledcorners,knee-kickingthecarpetinplaceandtrimmingasyougo.Followthisproceduretoanchortheshortwall.Installthesecondlongwallandfinishwiththefinalshortwall.

STEP7Trimthecarpetasyougo,cuttingawaytheexcessalongthewallwithacarpetknife.

STEP8Useabroadknifetotuckintheedgebeneaththewallorfloortrim.

PROTIPGIVEITAKICKEvenforsmallDIYjobs,akneekickeristheonespecializedtoolnecessaryforcarpetinstallation.Placethetoothedendofthekneekickeronthecarpetabout3inchesfromthewall,startinginacornerandfacingthelongwalloftheroom.“Kick”thepaddedendofthetoolwithyourknee,thuspushingthecarpetoverthetackstriptohookitinplace.Usethecarpettuckertopushthecarpetfirmlyontothetacksofthestrip.Workaboutayarddownthewall,thenrepeatthesameprocedurealongtheadjacentshortwall.

315SEAMTHESECTIONSIfitisnecessarytoseamthecarpet,planthelayoutsotheseamsfallinlow-trafficareasoftheroom.Butttogethertwostraightseamsandbesurethecarpetlaysflatandinline.Placeastripofhot-glueseamingtapecenteredbeneaththeedges.Slowlymovetheheatedbondingironunderthecarpetflapsandoverthetapetomelttheadhesive.Asyoumovetheirondowntheseam,theflapsofcarpetwillfallbackdownontotheactiveadhesive.Useweightsoracarpet-seamrollertofirmlyattachthecarpettothetape.

316STRETCHYOURCARPETIfyouareusingacarpetstretcher,startwiththefootofthestretcherplacedagainsttheshortwallofthestartingcorner.Makesurethecarpetstretcherisplacedagainstsolidwallframingsothatyoudon’tinadvertently“stretch”thetoolrightthroughthewallboardofthehouse.Anglethestretcherabout15degreestowardtheoppositecorner.Acarpetstretcherisamodulardeviceinwhichtheinstalleraddslengthsoftubesbetweentheheadandfootofthetooltotraversethedistanceacrosstheroom.Setthetoothedheadofthestretcherabout6inchesfromthewallandpushdownonthehandletostretchoutthecarpet.Oncestretched,usedthekneekickertoanchoritinplace.

317EDGEITOUTWherethecarpetmeetswiththeperimeterwalls,theedgescanbeconcealedbybasemoldingand/orquarterround.Wherecarpetmeetsanotherflooringmaterial,atransitionmoldingsuchasathreshold,acarpetbar,orZ-barbindingstripmaybeinstalledforamorefinishedlook.Forlow-pilecarpets,someinstallerswillsimplyfoldthecarpetunderandstapleitflatly.Otheroptionsincludewoodenthresholds,oryoucanhot-seamtwocarpetfloorstogetherifitmeetsanothercarpetofequalthickness.

318GOMODULARAneasyDIYapproachtocarpetinstallationistheuseofmodularfloortilesfromcompaniessuchasFlorInc.These50-centimetersquaresareavailableinamassivearrayofcolorsandstyles.Thesecanbeusedforwall-to-wallcarpetortoaccentcertainareasofthefloor.They’realsoportable.Ifyouwanttomovethecarpettoanotherroomoranotherhome,justpullupthesquaresandre-install.Incaseofstainsorspills,justreplacethatsinglesquareratherthantheentirerug.

STEP1Simplymeasurethedimensionsofyourfloortodeterminethequantityoftilesneeded.Considertheuseofvariouspatterns,accentcolors,andbordertilestodevelopadecorativestyle.

STEP2Laythetilesonthefloorwiththeirseamsbuttedtogether.Insomecasesitmayhelptosnapachalklinetokeepthelayoutsquarewiththewalls.

STEP3Usetheincludedadhesivediscstoanchorthesquarestogether.Peelawaytheirbackingandplaceeachdisc,adhesive-sideup,attheintersectionoffourtilestoadheretothefourcornersandholdthemtogether.Dothesamearoundtheperimeterofthecarpet.

STEP4Forwall-to-wallapplications,orothersituationswherethecarpettilesneedtobecut,useametalstraightedgetoguideasharpcarpetknife.Justscoretheflexiblebackingofthetileafewtimestogetanice,cleancut.

319FINDLOSTTREASURESometimes,ahardwoodfloorishidingundercarpetinginstalledbythepreviousresidents.Often,yourfirstindicationofthiswillbeinacloset,wherethecarpetingstops.Tocheckitout,useapairofplierstograbsomecarpetpileandpullitback.Pullbackthepadtoseewhat’sunderneath.Youmayfindafloorthatcouldbeworthrestoring.

STEP1Tocompletelyremovecarpettoaccessthehardwoods,grabthepilewithsomepliersandpullupwarduntilyourutilityknifewon’treachtothehardwoodfloorunderneath.Cutalongtheedgesandfolditback,thenrollupthecarpetandpadintothecenteroftheroomfordisposal.

STEP2Removethetackstripsandcarpet-padstapleswithaprybar,hammer,scraper,andpushbroom.

STEP3Ifstaplesbreakoff,sinkthemintothewoodusinganailset.

320FIXDAMAGEDFLOORINGNormalwearandteardullsawoodfloor’sfinish.Furniturecanscratchthesurface;waterdamagecancausebuckling,separation,andevenrotintheflooring.Occasionally,homeownersmayneedtorefinishthefloor,replacesomefloorboards,oracombinationofboth.Thebiggestchallengewhenreplacingflooringistointerlacethenewsectionintotheold.Ifthedamagedareaisverylarge,youmaybebetteroffreplacingalloftheflooringintheroomratherthantryingtopatchit.

STEP1Toremoveadamagedsectionofthefloor,cutacrosstheboardsjustoutsidethedamagedarea.Setthebladedepthtocutjustthroughtheflooring,notintothesubfloor.Keepagoodgriponthesawandweareyeprotectionasyoucutacrosstheflooring,becauseiftheboardswereblind-nailedthroughthetongue,youwon’tknowwhenyou’llhitanail.

STEP2Pulloutthecutboardswithoutaffectingthegoodpartofthefloor.Eachcutboardwillneedtoberemoved.Becausetheyarelockedinwithtongueandgroove,youwillneedtoslidethemtowardthevoidleftbytheremovedflooring.Startbydrillingapocketat45degreeswitha¾-inchspadebit.

STEP3Placetheendofaprybarorlargepunchinthepocket.Strikethebartodrivethefloorboardtowardthevoiduntilyoucantaptheendwithahammer.Becarefulnottodamagetheadjacentboards.

STEP4Removealltheboardsintheaffectedareadowntothesubfloorandthenthoroughlycleanoutalldebris.

STEP5Installthenewhardwoodrowbyrowwiththefirstpiecematchingintotheexistingfloor.Sinceyouwillbeworkingwithrandomlengthboards,besurethatendjointsdonotlineupwithjointsontheadjacentrowofboards.Makecutsonlyonthewallendofthelastpieceineachrow.

STEP6Blind-nailtheboardsatananglewherethetonguemeetstheedgeoftheboard.Finishnailerscanalsobeusedtonailthroughthefaceoftheboard

inareasnexttowallswheretheguncannotbeangledintothetongue.Identifyanylooseboardsinthefloorandnailthoseaswell.

STEP7Whenallboardshavebeenreplacedornailed,vacuumtheentirefloorusingapowerfulshopvac.Removealldustanddebrisfromnailholes,joints,andcracks.

321FINISHTHEFLOOROnceyou’vereplacedthedamagedflooring,it’stimetofinish,sand,andseal.

FILLUPYou’llwanttoapplyaqualitylatexputtyovertheentirefloorsurface.Adrywalltapingknifemakesagoodtoolforapplyinglatexputty.Applyenoughpressuretoforceputtyintothecracksandnailholes.Scrapeoffexcessputtyasyougo.

SANDITBeforesanding,sealoffanyareaswhereyoudon’twantdusttogousingplasticsheetingandtape.Next,useadrumsandertosandthemainpartofthefloor.Whethersandingoffoldfloorfinishorstartingwithnewrawwood,youwillneedtostartwithacoarse-gritpaperfortherough-sandingphase.

Whenyourentthedrumsander,rentanedgesanderaswell.Ifyourfloorareahascabinetswithtoekicks,makesureyougetasanderwithalowprofileatthesandingdisksoitwillfitbeneaththem.

Makesureyouknowhowtochangethepaperonbothsanders.Youwillhavetochangepaperasthegritwearsoff,asthegritclogswitholdfloorfinish,orwhenyoucompleteapasswithonegritnumberandneedtograduatetoafinergrit.

Therentaloutletthatsuppliesthesanderwillusuallysupplythepaperaswell.Thesuppliercanmakegritsuggestionsforyourtypeofproject.It’sagoodideatotakemorepaperthanyoumightneedandreturnwhatisn’tused.

SEALITAfterthefloorshavebeensandedandvacuumed,applyapenetratingsandingsealer.Useaspongebrushalongtheedgesfirst.Next,justpourthesealerontothefloortocoverupthecenterandspreaditwithaT-barapplicator.Keepyourmovementssmoothandcoverageeven,anddon’toverworktheproduct.Spreaditinthincoats,leaveittodry,andthenrepeattheprocessaccordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructions.

INDEXNumbersrefertotheitemnumber.Unnumbereditemsareindexedbythenumbereditemthattheyfollow.So,“following277”meansthatyoucanfindthisinformationintheboxthatappearsafterthetextnumbered277.

Aabove-grounduselumberABSpipesacryliccaulkAFCI(arc-faultcircuit-interrupter)breakersA-frameladdersaircompressorsairleakscaulkinginstallingweather-strippingkitssealingsearchingfor

airlesspaintsprayersallenwrenchesaluminumscreenpatchesaluminumsidingpaintingpriming

aluminumstormwindowsaluminumwindowsangleclampsaprons,windowarc-faultcircuit-interrupter(AFCI)breakerasbestosatticscheckingforwaterleakswinterizing

awningwindows

Bbandsawsbarclampsbaseboardmoldingbasementscheckingforwaterleaksinsulatingbasementfloor,followingwinterizing

bathroomscheckingforwaterleakslighting

battenpatchesbatteries,recyclingbaywindowsbeadboardfauxinstallingprefabricated

below-gradelumberbenchclampsbenchvisesbevelcutsbifolddoorsbigprojectsbuildingdecks

buildingfencesbuilt-inshelvingcarpetinstallationfloorinstallationrepairingdamagedwoodfloorstileinstallation

bits,drillbradpointcarbide-tippedmasonryconcrete/masonrycountersinkForstnerglass-and-tileholesawspadetwist

blackwiresBlacktopCrackblade,framingsquaresbleachcleaningdeckscleaningnewwoodcleaningsidingremovingmoldwith

blowersblow-ininsulationbottomplatesbowwindowsbradpointdrillbitsbrassvalvesbreakers,electricalbrickhomes,replacingmetalwindowsinbridge(sled-type)sawsbrushes,paintchoosingcleaningaspartofpaintingtoolkit

brushingpaintbuilt-inshelvingbuildingshelvescasinginstallingshelvesplanningtrimwalldemolition

bulletpatchesbypassdoors

Ccabinetshandleshingesknobsrefinishing

canned(recessed)lightingcarbide-tippedmasonrybitscarpetbubblesincoveringedgesinstallingknee-kickers,followingmodulartilesoverviewremovingseamingstretching

casementwindowscasingbuilt-inshelvingoverviewwindows

caulkgunscaulking

airleakscaulkcaulkgunsjointsremovingoldsealanttubs

c-clampsceilingmedallionschainlubricantchairrailschalklinechemicalcleanerschemicalstoragechemicalstripper,forremovingwallpaperchimneysinspectingwinterizing

chlorinebleachcircuitbreakerscircularsawsclampscleaningchemicalcleanersdeckshandlinghazardouswastenewwoodafterpaintingprepworktominimizeremovingdebrisremovingmoldremovingrustroofsidingsurfacesbeforepaintingwood

clogs,clearingwithchemicalproducts

withcompressedairinmaindrainlineplumbingsnakeplungers

closets,customcombinationsquarescompressorsconcrete,repairingconcretefloors,paintingconcreteslabscuringjointssetting

concrete/masonrydrillbitsconditioningoutdoorwoodconservingenergyHVACfiltersprogrammablethermostatswindowszoneheating

constructionadhesivecontroljointscopingsawscopingthemoldingcopperpipescordeddrillscordlessdrillscordlessscrewdriverscornerblockscountersinkdrillbitscountertops,laminatecove(indirect)lightingCPVCpipescripplesstudscrosscutscrossheads,doorcross-linkedpolyethylene(PEX)pipes

crownmoldingcrownmoldinghangerscup-styleplungerscuringconcreteslabcustomclosetshelvescuts,sawcuttingin,paintingcuttingtilecylinderplungerscypresswood

Ddebris,removingdeckscleaningdeckingflippingboardsfootingsframinginspectingledgerboardsoverviewplanninglayoutrailingsstairsstructurerequirementswinterizing

DefyRoofCleanerdemobagsdentilmoldingdiagonaltilelayoutdiamond-tippedholecuttersdiggingfencepostholesdistancemeters(lasermeasuringdevices)doorsdouble

exteriorhandle-setsinstallingtrimkitinteriorreplacingpre-hungsealingselectingshims

doubledoorsdouble-hungwindowsdouble-panewindowsdouble-polecircuitbreakersdouble-sliderwindowsdownspouts.Seeguttersanddownspoutsdownymildewdraggingpaintingtechniquedrainlinesdrainageinspectingpreventingwaterdamage

drain-waste-vent(DWV)stackdrawerpullsDremelsdrill/drivercombodrillsavoidingtearoutbitstypesof

dropclothsdrylubricantdrywalltapeDTT1Zdecktension-tiesducttapeducts,inspectingdumpstersdutyratings,laddersDWV(drain-waste-vent)stack

Eearplugs/earmuffs80-gritsandpaperelectricaltapeelectricalworkcircuitbreakersgroundfaultcircuitinterruptersoutletsreplacinglightswitchesandwalloutletsturningoffpowersupplytypicalhomeelectricalsystemUSBenabledwirenutswirelessswitcheswiringhouse

enamelenergyconservationHVACfiltersprogrammablethermostatswindowszoneheating

engineeredflooringentry(exterior)doorsepoxyescutcheonsexpandableglueextensionladdersexterior(entry)doorsexteriorhomeinspection

Ffansfaucetsrepairingleakyshowerfaucetsreplacing

shower-valvewrenchsetfauxbeadboardfauxfinishpaintingtechniquesdraggingragrollingspongingstippling

fencesdiggingpostholesgatepicketsplacingstringersplanninglayoutpreassembledpanelsprivacysealingsealingposts,followingsettingpostsstorypole,following

fiberglassinsulationfillvalvesfillingholesfilters,HVACfinishinghardwoodflooringfire-resistantcaulk5-1-1-daymodelthermostats5+2-daymodelthermostatsfixedbaserouterfixtures,plumbingflammableliquids,storingflangedplungersflashing,decksflatpaintsfloatingfloorslayingfloormakingfloorplanpreparingroomandmaterials

vinylflooringfloodlightsflooringcarpetengineeredfloatinginsulatingbasementfloors,followinglaminatemoisturebarrierpreppingspaceresilientsqueakystabilizingstonesubfloorsunderlaymentvinylwood

flushdoorsflushvalvesflushingissues,toiletsfluxfoiltapefold-outstepladdersfootings,decksforced-airsystemsForstnerdrillbitsfoundationdivertingwaterfrominspectingwinterizing

four-in-onetoolsframingdeckswallsandwindows

framingsquaresfreshdoors

frozenpipesfurniture,repairing

Ggardendoorwindowsgardenwindowsgates,fencegeneratorsgeometricwindowsGFCI(groundfaultcircuitinterrupters)glassbalusters,deckglasscutters,fortileglass-and-tiledrillbitsglazingglovesrubberwork

gluegluingwoodtypesof

grids,windowgrits,sandpapergroundfaultcircuitinterrupters(GFCI)groundwiresground-contactuselumberguttersanddownspoutschalkingslopecleaningcuttingtosizefastenershanginginspectingoverviewpositioningdownspoutspreassemblingpreventingwaterdamage

winterizing

Hhacksawshalogenlightinghammerdrillshammershandheldcircularsawshandheldpaintsprayershandle-sets,doorhandrailshandsawshardhatshardwarecabinetknobsdrawerpullshingesHVACregisterskitchencabinets

hardwoodfloor.Seewoodflooringhearingprotectionheatingminimizingcostzoneheating

HHW(householdhazardouswaste)highglosspaintshighvolume/lowpressure(HVLP)paintsprayershinges,cabinetholesawdrillbitsholes,fillinghollowdoorshomeinspectionexteriorinterior

hopperguns(texturepaintsprayers)horizontalgrids,window

hotgluehotwireshouseholdhazardouswaste(HHW)humidifiersHVACfiltersregisterswinterizing

HVLP(highvolume/lowpressure)paintsprayershybridcaulkhydrochloricacid(muriaticacid)

Iimpactdriversindirect(cove)lightingindustrialstyleshelvesinfraredthermometersinspectingdecksexteriorhomeinspectioninteriorhomeinspection

installingbeadboardbuilt-inshelvingguttersanddownspoutslaminatecountertopsthermostatstoiletsweather-strippingkit

insulationblow-incalculatingamountneededfiberglassinsulatingbasementfloor,followingradiantbarrierrigidfoam

R-valuespacingsprayfoam

integratedsystemzoninginteriordoorsbifoldbypassflushfreshhollow-dooranchorspanelpocket

interiorhomeinspectionInternationalResidentialCodeipewood

Jjackhammersjambs,windowjigsawsjoiningPVCpipingjointscaulkingconcreteslabscarf

Kkingstudskitchenscheckingforwaterleakslightingrefinishingcabinets

kneepadsknee-kickers,followingknobandtubewiring

knockdowntexture

Lladderschoosingforjobextensionsafetyselectingstabilizers

lambskinpaintrollercoverslaminatecountertopslaminateflooringlandscapinginspectinglightingsealinghouse

laserlayouttoolslasermeasuringdevicelaserrangefinderslatex-basedpaintslawnsprinklerslawnmowerslayoutdecksdiagonaltilefencesmasterstandardtile

lead,checkingforledgerboards,deckslevelsoverviewpostlevelstorpedotypesof

lighting

bathroomkitchenlandscapelightbulbsreplacingswitchesupdatingfixtureswiring

lites,windowload-bearingwallslockingpliersLow-E(emissivity)glassL-shapedstairbracketslubricantslubricatingoillumber,163.Seealsowood

Mmagneticlevelsmahoganywoodmaindrainlinemainshutoffvalvesmasterlayoutmeasuringlasermeasuringdevicetapemeasuretoolsforwindows

metalpaintingprimingwindows

mildewmineralspiritsminiscrewdriversmitercutsmitersaws

modularcarpettilesmohairrollercoversmoisturecheckingforwaterleaksmoisturebarrierforflooring

mold,removingmoldingbaseboardcopingcrowndentil

mosaictilemountingshelvesmultipurposeladdersmultipurposescrewdriversmultipurposespraylubricantsmulti-toolmuntins,windowmuriaticacid(hydrochloricacid)mustyodors

Nnail-pullingpliersnegativeglazingtechniqueneutralwiresnippers,tilenoisyrefill,toiletsnon-load-bearingwalls

Ooil-basedpaints120-gritsandpaperorganizingworkspaceoutdoorpaintingoutdoorshutoffvalves

outdoorwoodconditioningsealantstainstreatingnewwoodweathered

outletsoutput,compressorsoutsidecorners,moldingoverflowpipe,toiletsoxalicacid-basedbleachoxygenbleach

Ppaintrollerspaintscraperpaintsprayerspainttraypaintbrusheschoosingcleaningaspartofpaintingtoolkit

painter’stapepaintingaluminumsidingapplicationoptionsbrushingchoosingbrushcleaningupconcretefloorscuttinginenamelfauxfinishtechniquesflatpaintshighglosspaintsHVACregisters

kitchencabinetsknockdowntexturelatex-basedpaintsmetaloil-basedpaintsoutdooroutdoorwoodpaintsprayersprimingrollingsemi-glosspaintssubstratetapingandpreppingareatoningdowncolor,followingtoolkitvinylsidingwood

paneldoorspanelpatchespatchingsurfacesaluminumscreenpatchesbattenpatchesbulletpatchesfillingholespanelpatchesplasterpatcheswoodrot

Pau-Lopewoodpeel-and-stickvinylflooringpegboardpanelspendantlightingpenetratingoilperforationtool,forremovingwallpaperpesticidesPEX(cross-linkedpolyethylene)pipespickets,fencepicturewindows

pipeclampspipecutterspipesinspectingPEXpush-fitconnectionsself-fusingtapesolderingtypesof

pitchofdeckstairsplasterpatchesplatecompactorsplierslockingnail-pullingtongue-and-groove

plumbingclearingclogscross-linkedpolyethylenepipeshiringprofessionalsinspectingpipesandductspipessolderingpipesfornewplumbinginstallationtypicalhomeplumbingsystemwinterizing

plumbingsnakesplungeroutersplungertypecaulkgunsplungersclearingsinkclogscup-stylecylinderflanged

pocketdoorspocketreplacement,windowspolyvinylchloride(PVC)pipespositiveattachment,decks

positiveglazingtechniquepostlevelsposts,fencepowderymildewpowersanderspowersupply,turningoffpreassembledfencepanelspreconditioningpaintrollersprefabricatedbeadboardprefabricatedmoldingpre-hungdoors,replacingpressurewashingprimingaluminumsidingkitchencabinetsmetaloverviewtrimpieces,followingwood

privacyfencesprogrammablethermostatspropanetorchespropertyinspectionpushstickspush-fitconnectionsPVC(polyvinylchloride)pipesPVCpostsleeve,deckhandrails

Qquickfixesairleakschoosingwoodforprojectclearingclogsconcretedeckselectricalwork

floorsfrozenpipesfurniturehomeinspectioninsulationjoiningPVCpipinglandscapelightinglightingmaintenancemoldpropertyinspectionpush-fitconnectionsremovingwallpaperroofsavingenergysealinghouseshelvingsolderingpipesthermostatstoiletsupgradinghardwarewaterleakswindowcasementswinterizinghousewoodrot

Rradiantbarrierinsulationradongasragrollingpaintingtechniquerailings,deckrangefinders(lasermeasuringdevices)ratchetingscrewdriversreceptacles(walloutlets/plugs)recessed(canned)lightingreciprocatingsaws

recyclingredwiresredwoodremovingcarpetmoldoldsealantwallpaperwindowswoodrot

rentingequipmentrepairingconcretedamagedwoodfloorsfaucetsfurnituresurfaceswindowscasements

replacingdoorsfaucetslaminatecountertopslightswitchesandwalloutletswindows

resilientflooringoverviewvinylflooring

respiratorsrigidfoaminsulationripcutsrollers,paintrollingpaintroofsDefyRoofCleanerinspectingsealingwinterizing

ropelightingRotoZiproutersrubberglovesrust/corrosionintoilettankontools

R-value,insulation

Ssabersawssafetyavoidingasbestoscheckingforleadchemicalstorageequipment,46hearingprotectioninspectingelectricalsystemladderspushsticksafetyglassessafetygogglessafetyharnesssolderingpipestestingforradongasturningoffpowersupply

sandingkitchencabinetspowersanderswoodflooring

sandpapersawsbandbridge(sled-type)circularcoping

cutshacksawshandsawsjigsawsmiterpushstickreciprocatingsaberspiraltabletypesofwet

scarfjointsSCFM(standardcubicfeetperminute)outputscrapers,paintscreendoorsscrewdriverscordlessminimultipurposeoverviewratcheting

screwssealpunches,caulkgunsealantscaulkingoutdoorwoodremovingoldtile

sealingairleaksatticbasementbathroomdoorsdownspoutsdrainageand

fenceposts,followingfencesguttersandkitchenlandscapingandlawnsprinklersandroofsidingventilationandwindowswood,beforepaintingwoodflooring

seamingcarpetself-fusingtapesemi-glosspaints7-daymodelthermostatsshadowboxinstallation,fencepicketsshelvingbuilt-incustomclosetshelvesindustrialstyleshelvesmountingshelves

shimsshower-valvewrenchsetsidingaluminuminspectingsealinghousevinyl

siliconeadhesivesiliconesealantssiliconesprayssillplatesSimpsonStrong-Tiessingle-doorfencegatessingle-hungwindowssingle-panewindows

single-polecircuitbreakerssingle-sliderwindows6-footlevelsslabs,concretecuringjointssetting

sled-type(bridge)sawsslowfillingtank,toiletssocketwrenchsetsolderingpipesbrassvalvescopperpipesnewplumbinginstallationsafety

solvent-basedwoodfillersspaceheatersspacers,tilespacinginsulationspadedrillbitsSpeedsquaresspiralsawsspongingpaintingtechniquespoutcutter,caulkgunsprayadhesivessprayfoaminsulationsprayers,paintspringclampssquaressqueakyfloorsstabilizers,ladderstabilizingfloorsstainingoutdoorwoodstairs,deckstandardcircuitbreakersstandardcubicfeetperminute(SCFM)outputstandardtilelayout

steam,forremovingwallpaperstipplingpaintingtechniquestoneflooringstoolplates,windowstorageoptimizingspaceavailablepegboardpanelsstoringflammableliquidsstoringpesticidestoolcabinetswall-storagesystems

stormdoorsstormwindowsstorypole,fences,followingstrapclampsstretchingcarpetstringlevelsstringers,fencestrippingkitchencabinetsstains

structuralissuesstudfindersstuds,framingsubfloorssubstrate,paintingsupergluesupplylines,plumbingsurfacescleaningbeforepaintingpatchingandrepairing

syntheticpaintrollercovers

Ttablesawstanklevers,toilet

tanksize,compressorstapedrywallductelectricalfoilpainter’sthreadsealtape

tapemeasuretearout,avoidingtesseraetexturepaintsprayers(hopperguns)thermostatsinstallingprogrammableupgrading

threadsealtape320-gritsandpaperthree-prongedoutletsthree-wirewithgroundtileapplyingsealantcuttingdiagonallayoutglass-and-tiledrillbitsinstallingmaterialsmosaicnippersplanninginstallationpreppingstandardlayouttools

toe-nailingstringerstoiletsfillvalvesflushvalves

flushingissuesinstallingnoisyrefilloverflowpipeslowfillingtanktanklevertricklingwater

tongue,framingsquarestongue-and-grooveplierstongue-and-groovewoodflooringtoningdowncolor,followingtoolbeltstoolcabinetstools.Seenamesofspecifictoolstopplatestorpedolevelstrays,painttreatedwoodtricklingwater,toiletstrimmerstudstrimmingbaseboardmoldingbuilt-inshelvingcasingceilingmedallionchairrailscopingthemoldingcornerblockscreativeuseoftrimpieces,followingcrownmoldingcrownmoldinghangersdentilmoldinglaserrangefindersoutsidecornersprefabricatedmoldingprimingpieces,followingscarfjoints

upgradingtrimwindows

trisodiumphosphate(TSP)T-squarestubstwistdrillbits220-gritsandpapertwo-doorfencegatestwo-partpolyurethane-basedwoodrepairfillertwo-prongedoutletstwo-wirewithground

Uunder-cabinetlightingunderlaymentsupdatingdoorsfixtures,lightingthermostatstrimwindows

USBenabledelectricalworkutilityknives

Vvalvesbrassmainshutoffoutdoorshutofftoilets

ventilationverticalgrids,windowvinylflooringfloatingoverview

peel-and-stickpreparingfloor

vinylsidingcleaningpainting

vinylwindowsvoltagemeters

Wwainscotingfauxinstallingprefabricated

walloutlets/plugs(receptacles)wallpaper,removingwithchemicalstripperoverviewperforationtoolwithsteam

wallsbuilt-inshelvingbuilt-inshelvingandframinginspecting

wall-storagesystemsWasteManagement’sBagsterbagswastewaterwater,divertingfromfoundationwaterdamagecheckingformoldand

waterleaksmainshutoffvalvesoutdoorshutoffvalvesself-fusingtape

water-basedwoodfillers

wattage,lightbulbsweekendprojectsframingwallsandwindowsinstallingbeadboardinstallingcountertopsinstallingguttersanddownspoutsinstallingtoiletpaintingpatchingandrepairingsurfacespreservingoutdoorwoodrefinishingkitchencabinetsreplacingandrepairingfaucetsreplacingandupdatingdoorsreplacingandupdatingwindowssettingconcreteslabtrimmingroom

westernredcedarwoodwetsawswhitelithiumgreasewhitewireswindowinsulationkitswindowsaluminumapronsawningbaybowbrickingcasementcasingcheckingfitdouble-hungdouble-panedouble-sliderenergy-efficientframinggarden

gardendoorgeometricgettingprofessionalhelpwhenreplacinggridsjambsmeasuringmetalpictureremovingrepairingcasementsreplacingsealinghousesingle-hungsingle-panesingle-sliderstoolplatestrimmingvinylwinterizingwood

winterizinghouseatticbasementchimneysdecksfoundationguttersHVACminimizingheatingcostsplumbingroofwindows

winterizingtoolswirenutswirelessswitcheswiring,electricalwood

choosingforprojectexoticlumbersizespaintingpreservingoutdoorwoodprimingsoftwoodstreatedwood

woodchiselwoodfillerwoodflooringlayingflooroverviewpreparingroomandmaterialsrepairingdamagedwoodfloorstongue-and-groove

woodgluewoodpatchwoodrotcheckingforpatchingremoving

woodwindowsworkbootsworkglovesworklightsworkbencheswrenchesallenshower-valvewrenchsetsocket

ZzoneheatingZ-wavewirelesstechnology

PHOTOGRAPHSAllphotographscourtesyofExtremeHow-Toexceptasfollows.C.A.Technologies:169(2);CM:051;Cen-Tech:049;Craftsman:013;Cuprinol:148;Daptex:077,Defy:151;Dewalt:004;Durham’s:156;Osmo:148;Powerhorse:018;Quickrete:159;Roto-Rooter:092;Sashco:160;Shutterstock:titlepage,allintroductionimages,contents,001,030,031,032,036,037,039,040,045,046,048,056,063,068,078,081,083,084,088,089,091,093,098,099,106,118,127,128,132,133,134,137,151,178,192,198,225,247,254,261,Wagner:139,169(1&3);WestMarine:158

ILLUSTRATIONSConorBuckley:09,10,14,45,178–180,189,202–204,215,224,226,229,242,303–307,311HaydenFoell:76,104,113,136,145,146,193,200,201,220,243,259,298,299VicKulihin:06,15,24,27,33,107,156,176,199,211,212,216–218,252,263,267–269,270–272,277,313LiberumDonum:69,73,87,109,110,129,167ChristineMeighan:25,41,47,55,56,60,65,80,81,101,119,120,123,125,140–142,159,173,175,186,187,190,192,194,196,198,228,231–234,236,240,258,260,262,275,281,284,287,288,291,294,295,309,310,312,314,315RobertL.Prince:35LaurenTowner:02–05,08,42,44,62,64,96,100,111,116,117,157,162,195,197,207,219,221,241,261,273,274,280,290,292,293,297,301,302,316,318,319,321

FROMTHEPUBLISHERWhileeveryskillandprocedureinthisbookhasbeenfact-checkedandfield-tested,thepublishermakesnowarranty,expressorimplied,thattheinformationisappropriateforeveryindividual,situation,orpurpose,andassumesnoresponsibilityforerrorsoromissions.Theinformationinthisbookispresentedforentertainmentvalueonly,foranadultaudience.Beforeattemptinganynewactivityorproject,makesureyouareawareofyourownlimitationsandhaveadequatelyresearchedallapplicablerisks;thisbookisnotintendedtoreplaceprofessionaladvicefromanexperiencedlicensedcontractor.Alwaysfollowallmanufacturerinstructionswhenusingtheequipmentfeaturedinthisbook.Ifthemanufacturerofyourequipmentdoes

notrecommenduseoftheequipmentinthefashiondepicted,youshouldcomplywiththemanufacturer’srecommendations.Youassumetheriskandfullresponsibilityforallofyouractions,andthepublisherswillnotbeheldresponsibleforanylossordamageofanysort,whetherconsequential,incidental,special,orotherwise,thatmayresultfromtheinformationpresented.

ABOUTTHEAUTHORMattWeberhasbeeneditor-in-chiefofExtremeHow-Tosince2003.Heisanexperiencedhomeremodelerwhohaswrittenhundredsofarticlesonhomeimprovementandrepairs.HelivesjustnorthofBirmingham,Alabama,withhiswife,twoyoungsons,adogandalizard.Inhissparetime,WeberplaysbassguitarintherockbandSkeptic?andisalsoownerofPintBottlePress,whereheauthors/publishesworksoffiction.

ABOUTTHEMAGAZINEExtremeHow-Tomagazineistheenthusiast’sguidetohomeimprovement,providinghard-hittinginformationontough,practicalprojectsthatbuildequityforthedo-it-yourselfer.Seasonedhandymenandsavvyhomeownerscanfollowthemagazine’sdetailed,step-by-stepinstructionsforawidevarietyofindoorandoutdoorprojects,whilegeneratingtheirownideastoputapersonalstampontheirwork.Getthelatestinformationontoolsandmaterialstogetthejobcompletedlikeapro.

ExtremeHow-Tonotonlyoffertonsofhome-improvementcontent,butalsosupplementsthisinformationonthepopularwebsite,www.extremehowto.com,andwithadigitalversionofthemagazine.Browsethroughthepageswiththeclickofamouse,andinteractwithenhancedelectronicfeatures,suchasvideo,audio,andlinkstoarticlesofferingfurtherinformationonaparticulartopic.

Ourmissionistopassalongthelatestandgreatesthomeimprovementknowledge,andanysmartDIY’erwilltellyouthatknowledgeisthekeytosuccess.

FROMTHEAUTHOR

I’dliketothankmydadTomWeber—myDIYmentor—forteachingmethevalueofhardworkandself-reliance,aswellasamillionotherlessonsthatIuseeveryday.I’dalsoliketothankExtremeHow-Tomagazine’smanytalentedcontributingwriters,includingMonteBurch,MarkClement,RobRobillard,ClintC.ThomasandLarryWalton.Finally,I’dliketothankthepublishersofExtremeHow-To,TrentBoozer,ChadGillikinandJeremyHollingsworthofLatitude3MediaGroup,LLC.

PRESIDENT,PUBLISHERRogerShawASSOCIATEPUBLISHERMariahBearSVP,SALES&MARKETINGAmyKanekoFINANCEDIRECTORPhilipPaulickPROJECTEDITORIanCannonCREATIVEDIRECTORKellyBoothARTDIRECTORWilliamMackDESIGNERIanPrice

ILLUSTRATIONCOORDINATORConorBuckleyPRODUCTIONDIRECTORChrisHemesathASSOCIATEPRODUCTIONDIRECTORMichelleDugganDIRECTOROFENTERPRISESYSTEMSShawnMaceyIMAGINGMANAGERDonHill

WeldonOwenwouldliketothankMarisaSolísandMollyStewartforeditorialassistanceandKevinBroccolifortheindex.

SpecialthankstoBaronWeberforreviewingtheelectricalprojectsforaccuracy.

©2016WeldonOwenInc.1045SansomeStreet,#100SanFrancisco,CA94111www.weldonowen.com

Allrightsreserved,includingtherightofreproductioninwholeorinpartinanyform.WeldonOwenisadivisionof

DigitalISBN978-1-68188-131-7PrintISBN978-1-61628-956-0

EXECUTIVEVICEPRESIDENTChadGillikinPUBLISHERJeremyHollingsworthEDITOR-IN-CHIEFMattWeber

ExtremeHow-To2300ResourceDrive,SuiteBBirmingham,Alabama35242