Comments on: Home Improvement Blog?

By: Atlanta Handyman

Atlanta Handyman — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:36:03 +0000

I have heard a lot of people mentioning sealing driveways, decks, fences, etc. Is it possible to seal a tile floor in an indoor kitchen? I would like to prevent the grout from soaking up spills and stains. Any ideas?

By: Diane D.

Diane D. — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 00:58:28 +0000

I am looking for advise on how to replace a broken stem in a tub faucet. Part of the stem came out and the other part is still in the pipe. I’ve replaced these stem’s often but have never had one to break in half. Desperate.

By: John

John — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 20:38:50 +0000

Hi Danny – I just watched your show on kitchen upgrades and really enjoyed it. My wife and I did our kitchen recently and I was really surprised at the number of opportunities to get huge results for low dollars. This may not be the place for all the details, but we did our kitchen for under $9000. That’s not pocket change, but includes what looks like a redo of everything but the floor. Skyline cabinet treatment, granite, stainless appliances, wine fridge, sink, faucet, disposal, tumbled marble backsplash, the works. Two tricks that helped alot. 1) I built 5 boxes that allowed me to reconfigure, but reuse, most of my old kitchen cabinets and bought new doors to get a new look. 2) I shopped for appliances in February and March when the new products are being released and bought new or display models of the prior years appliances and save roughly 40%.
This was a project that started out as – “Honey, we need a new oven”. I had never built a cabinet before in my life. A friend showed me how easy it was to build a face frame and box and I did the all the cabinet work with a $100 portable table saw, a pocket screw jig, and a nailer.
I was amazed at how I got cabinet maker results from supplies and tools you can buy at Home Depot (also got a great deal there on some appliances). People can’t spot the new homemade cabinets from the custom cabinets that came with the house. Too bad I can’t show the before and after pictures. It’s less than $2500 for this kitchen without the granite and appliances.

By: Perry Degener

Perry Degener — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:37:57 +0000

I need to install concrete piers and columns to support a second story addition. Has anyone used those “elephant feet” concrete tubes with the broad plastic base as a way to install concrete support columns>?

By: tim mueller

tim mueller — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:07:29 +0000

hello, i have a 70″s modular home that i want to replace a few windows in. it has vinyl siding. am not sure if the old windows have a nailing strip or not. is there a way to remove the windows without taking the siding off? any help?

By: Barbara Voyles

Barbara Voyles — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 17:22:18 +0000

A few days ago I emailed a question on by-pass doors. As of this date I have only received a response the question had been received. I want to replace bi-fold doors in a very small bedroom with the bi-pass door on the closet. I had seen this done on HGTV. I still need to know the process. The “HOW TOO’s”.

By: John Cannamela

John Cannamela — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:33:40 +0000

I put in “steel building ridge vent” on google and got many sites with your desciption. it sounds like the ridge vent was an option in which case the paperwork may not be on the original print.The 10 foot vent gats installed equally spaced and yes it may leak but you need air under the vent.You also should have louvers for the lower part of the building.I’m no expert I just read a handfull of sites. sorry if this didn’t help.

By: amber applegate

amber applegate — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 20:24:23 +0000

HELP! I am desperate! I just purchased a US Steel building kit. We are almost finished putting it together and are now stuck on the ridge vents. There were lousy instructions concerning how they work and how to put them up. We see how to mount them but there is much more to this than the blue prints say. I can not get my salesman to return phone calls at all. I have been on the internet trying to find out about ridge vents but nothing can answer the questions we have about them.

Ok bear with me. The building is metal as I said. The ridge CAPS on the top of the roof? does the ridge VENT go on top of these caps? Also there is insulation under all the siding and roof structure. So once we mount the ridge vents, then what? Are we supposed to now cut thru the ridge caps and the insulation to make them open to get air flow to work? Nothing tells us what to do?

Or do we leave the ridge CAPS off where the ten foot ridge vents (there are two of them) sit on the roof? I have even had two licensed contractors over that are neighbors but never worked on steel buildings look at the plans and they can’t figure it out either.

I take it the “THROAT” is the opening inside the ridge vent that the chain that I pull from inside the building will open and close?? don’t laugh. I am serious. I don’t know.

Also, if the “throat” is open, what keeps rain from coming inside during the rain season? I live in the PNW and we get rain! I need ventilation year round.

this is very discouraging. The salesman said any idiot could put this building up in three days. Well we have been on it for over a month so we must be really stupid.

We are almost there…IF we can figure out how these ridge vents go up and how to get them open from the inside, ie. cut the insulation and ridge caps or what??
Thank you for listening and hopefully HELP!!

By: John Cannamela

John Cannamela — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 10:20:07 +0000

Pre-finished hardwood is a great option,rent the hammer and air compressor and the prefinished wood is very close to tile in price.It goes down fast and dust free.Floating Laminate flooring is the other choice, its like legos and a cheap miter saw will work hand or power.
Make sure the water is 100% gone.I have seen water in places that were thought to be dry but mold started growing. so have the area checked with a meter or infrared scan.You can find people in your area, if not I can refer people for you.
John Cannamela
http://www.infraredsurvey.com

By: Deb T

Deb T — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 02:34:18 +0000

I am looking for advice for flooring in a lower level of our split level home. We had a flooding problem not covered by insurance. My carpeting had to be taken up, for whatever reason carpet tacks & tile adhesive were liberally applied.l. My first choice to clean&stain with a decorative stencil. However..I am seeking ideas that might be easier since I am doing all the labor, and am recovering from a ten year illness that has left me thankfully alive, but not as strong as I would like to think I am. If the adhesive isnt totally removed or the floor isnt properly prepared, the entire job could be a bust..ceramic tile is I guess the next option but I have no experience in doing this. HELP:)