DIY Life

11 Essentials for Every Toolbox

DIY Life Staff — 2009-06-16T11:00:00+00:00

My husband has a freakishly organized tool box. I tease him that it's because he spends all his time in front of the computer instead of working around the house, but the truth is, he just likes to keep things tidy so that he can easily find the tool he's looking for. Part of me admires him -- you know, the part that's not too busy teasing him!

Whether you're cleaning out an old overstuffed tool bag, setting up house for the first time, or putting together some dorm room necessities, you'll want to include these 11 must-have tools. Including the essentials, like a hammer, level, pliers, and screwdrivers, Dustin claims that these tools will get you through basic household repairs and simple projects.

People must feel passionately about their tools, because the comments bring out some heated discussions about the validity of these recommendations, and argue for tools that didn't make the cut. I wouldn't add any tools to the list, but I think every family toolbox needs the the ever-important duct tape, crazy glue, and some other useful odds and ends like zap-straps and string.

What are your household handyman must haves?

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Duct tape dispenser for on-the-go repairs

Diane Rixon — 2008-07-22T20:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, household hacks, organization and storage

Duct tape has to be among the handiest fix-it tools around. That big, fat roll of tape sure is bulky, though. Consider stowing just a small amount in your pocket, bag, or glove compartment. That way you'll always have some tape on hand, and there'll be no more riffling through the garage searching for the main roll of tape.

Here's how Lifehacker's Brad Isaac made his own pocket-sized duct tape dispenser from a drinking straw. You will need a roll of duct tape, a drinking straw, and a pair of scissors. Carefully wind a length of duct tape around and around the straw, then cut the excess straw on either side. Voila! You have a decent amount of duct tape that slips into your pocket for those unexpected little repair jobs around the house, car, at work, or camping out.

[via Lifehacker]

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Basic toolbox for the home

Francesca Clarke — 2008-07-22T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, organization and storage

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Perpetual Remodeling Syndrome: All about siding

Kelly Smith — 2008-07-18T13:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, preventative maintenance, outdoor, remodeling, Perpetual Remodeling Syndrome

All homes have exterior surfaces that are designed to protect the home from the elements. There are many different types, but the two general ones are brick and siding. Some homes have a combination of the two.

If you're giving your home a face lift, you have choices. Let's talk about the many types of siding.

Cedar Siding for the Home

Western Red Cedar siding is the type most commonly used. It's a natural product, known for its beauty and durability. For energy efficiency, rigid foam sheathing may be applied prior to installing the siding. If this option is taken, kiln-dried cedar siding should be used, because of its stability.

Western Red Cedar siding can be finished in many attractive ways. To achieve that sought-after natural wood look, use a penetrating stain, or your choice of a clear repellent finish. Varnish and shellac used to be popular, but have fallen out of favor. Newer products have a much longer life span.

An alternative finish for cedar

Painting cedar siding is an acceptable alternative to a natural-looking finish. Before you paint the siding, you should coat it with a water-repellent preservative. Next, prime it with a stain-blocking primer. Finally, it needs to be finished with a quality, 100 percent acrylic paint.

Cleaning cedar siding

To clean cedar siding, a pressure washer may be used, but only at a very low pressure. A better method is to use a soft-bristle brush with water, with a small amount of dish detergent mixed in. If mildew is present, mix in a bit of mildew-cide.

Plywood siding

Plywood siding is very popular among contractors. It's often used on homes that are part brick and part siding. Compared to other types it can be quite inexpensive. For best results, it needs to be properly primed and painted. Unfortunately, many contractors don't use a good grade of paint, so the job has to be re-done after a couple of years.

One issue is that, being wood, it expands and contracts naturally with the weather. But all too often, the rate of expansion and contraction is different than that of the material that it's nailed to. This can cause nails to work their way out. A little spot-checking every now and then solves this issue.

Composition board

This is probably the worst choice, in my opinion -- perhaps the cheapest, but the worst. It will expand with moisture like wood will, but it won't return to its original dimensions when it dries out.

Because of this, it's important to keep moisture away from it. It must be kept well-sealed with paint. Don't let the lawn sprinkler go crazy and splatter the siding. And when installing it, keep it as far off the ground as possible: ideally somewhere from six to eight inches.

Clapboard siding

Clapboard siding is pretty simple: it's just long wood planks that overlap each other. This concept can be simple and plain, or you can take it further with different patterns. Some of these are shiplap, tongue and groove, bevel, channel lap, Dutch lap, and one of my favorites, log cabin!

Like cedar, you can go with the natural look or paint it. Log cabin, of course, wants to be stained. Since these are planks, it's a fairly simple job to repair in the future, as long as you can find a pattern match.

Can't find one? You can most likely craft your own with a table saw, planer, and router. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

Vinyl siding

Vinyl siding has a lot going for it. It's available in a wide array of colors. Many manufacturers guarantee that it will never need repainting. It's usually recommended to give it a good washing once a year. This type of siding does a good job guarding against the elements; also, it doesn't have the porous characteristics that wood does. This makes it a logical option whenever humidity is an issue.

Vinyl siding can raise the value of your home, since it provides a rigid and durable surface. Where rigidity is concerned, the thicker the vinyl, the better. It will resist the elements more effectively... as well as maverick baseballs!

Matching soffit stock and window trim are almost always available, so you can be sure of an exact match with your siding color.

Aluminum siding -- vinyl's cousin

Aluminum siding is very similar to vinyl. It installs easily and has plenty of durability. One drawback is that, since it's a metal, it's often the victim of denting or dimpling. The good news is that it comes in planks, sort of like the old style shiplap siding: if you get a bit of damage, it's an easy DIY fix.

Caring for aluminum siding

Cleaning aluminum siding is a job for the pressure washer -- just watch out for those windows!

Unlike vinyl, you will have to repaint aluminum at some point.

Fiber cement -- the new kid on the block

Fiber cement siding is more durable than either wood or vinyl. When it's painted -- it usually comes pre-primed, saving a step -- it's remarkably similar to wood siding, since it's formed with the grain contour. You'll usually hear it called Hardiboard or Hardiplank siding. (Hardie is the dominant manufacturer of fiber cement products.)

What makes it so desirable? You can forget having issues with termites or rotting. As I mentioned above, it's pre-primed, so painting it is all the finish you need. A high-quality acrylic paint is recommended.

Caring for fiber cement siding

Caring for fiber cement siding is rather straightforward. You can approach cleaning it the same way as cedar: a pressure washer is fine so long as you don't blast the paint off. Of course, this doesn't matter if you're planning to slap on a new coat of paint anyway.

When you choose siding for your home, approach it this way: look at budget, appearance, and how much maintenance you're willing to put into it. Those criteria will help you choose the right product for you.

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Fix annoying chair wobbles

Anna Sattler — 2008-07-17T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, home decor, household hacks

Nothing perturbs me more than sitting in a chair and wobbling back and forth because the chair legs need fixing. I get perturbed because once again I spent my money on something cheap, or someone else did, and they just like to be annoying by rocking back and forth.

Over at the Indianapolis Star, our own extremely talented Shelly Leer learned how to fix annoying chair wobbles when a furniture builder showed her how to apply wood glue to the chair using a turkey basting syringe. Genius!

There's a little more to it: please join me after the break to learn how it's done.

Shelly drilled small holes, then injected the glue through the holes. She wiped off the excess glue, wrapped pantyhose around the legs to hold the joints together, and called the job done.

Any sanding and painting that needs to happen can be accomplished after the glue is completely dry and you are satisfied with your now wobble-free chair. Just sit back and admire your handiwork.

Shelly reminds us that we won't want to use this technique on antique or valuable furniture, and I am glad she mentioned that little tidbit. I would have drilled some tiny holes in my antique rocking chair, kicking myself to the curb for having done such a dastardly deed.

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Electric drill depth-stop on the fly

Kelly Smith — 2008-07-15T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, household hacks, tools, wood working

There are many times when you need to drill a hole only so far -- and no deeper. Either it's a "break-through" issue, or you're doing some production holes that have to be the same equal depth. This is easy enough with a drill press fitted with a dial-in depth stop.

But what to do if you don't have a drill press, or just as bad, the workpiece won't fit in it? This can easily be the case with a tabletop drill press.

You just have to DIY. All you need is your hand-held drill, the proper drill bit, and a roll of tape: electrical tape, duct tape, or masking tape -- your choice.

Simply measure the depth of the desired hole from the tip of your drill bit, and make a couple of wraps of tape around the bit. When your drill bit is spinning, the tape will blur into a perfect line. All you have to do is drill slowly, and back off just as you approach it!

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Use bronze wool instead of steel wool

Kelly Smith — 2008-07-10T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, preventative maintenance, tools, cleaning

Steel wool is great for many DIY projects. It comes in different grades for different applications (#00, #1, #2), and in many cases it's much better than sandpaper. But as great as it is, in some cases there's a much better product -- bronze wool!

Why is it better? For one thing, it doesn't rust like steel will; this is an important consideration on any project that involves moisture. For the same reason, you can store it longer in a humid environment. Consider these applications:

Gun maintenance: It'll take off minor rust, but not the bluing.
Any boat maintenance: it doesn't rust, so it won't discolor wood -- like that expensive teak.
More suggestions after the break....

Packing around any open spots where your dryer exhausts from your garage: Mice can't chew through it and invade your home.
Spiffing-up aluminum outdoor furniture: It's not as "scratchy" as steel wool.
Cleaning stainless steel: Contrary to popular opinion, stainless steel is oxidation-resistant, not oxidation-proof.
Cleaning anything where magnetism is an issue: Bronze doesn't have the magnetic properties of steel. (This isn't to say you should clean old floppy discs with it, though.)

You can expect to pay a bit more for bronze than for steel, but for many jobs, it's the best way to go!

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Sweet July 4th DIY deals

Diane Rixon — 2008-07-04T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, home decor, weekend projects, remodeling

Looking for deals on DIY-related gear?

If you're staying home this 4th of July weekend, it's a good time to work on the house and yard. Let's visit the big boys of home improvement supplies: check out July 4th deals from Lowe's here, and The Home Depot here. Neck-and-neck as always, both stores are offering 10% off major appliances ($397 and up) and deals on carpet installation.

Lowe's is offering gift cards in return for purchases, too, starting at a $10 card for purchases from $99 to $199 and going up to $100 cards for purchases of $600 or more. Nice to get something in return for all that spending, huh? Oh, and Lowe's is also offering 10% discounts this weekend for military personnel and their immediate families.
Among The Home Depot's best offerings: discounts on Behr exterior and interior paints. $5 off 1-gallon cans and $20 off 5-gallon pails, to be exact. Nice.

Oddly, neither retail juggernaut Walmart nor smaller (but more stylin') rival Target are making the July 4th weekend a time for sweet deals. Don't even bother looking, 'cause they're assuming you're out barbequing.

Happy 4th of July!

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Bicycle repair brain trust

Kelly Smith — 2008-07-01T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: cars and transportation, fix-it, preventative maintenance, recreation, staying green

Bikes. They're everywhere. Mountain bikes and road bike sales started trending up about a decade ago (thanks, Lance), and recently sales got an additional bump because of rising gas prices. Do you own one? If so, you're familiar with the expensive pricing structure at the bike shop.

You really should get a complete tune-up on a yearly basis. And if you do the work yourself, you can save bucks big time. This used to be a case of reading confusing manuals with substandard illustrations. But no more! At this excellent bike repair online resource, you can do it all.

The instructions are clearly written and the photos are well-done and informative. So get out the tool box, surf over there, and get started! This is a great time to replace a freewheel, adjust your brake calipers, or adjust a headset!

[via Lifehacker]

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Perpetual Remodeling Syndrome: Install tile in your bath or kitchen

Kelly Smith — 2008-06-26T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, home decor, in the kitchen, weekend projects, bathroom, framing and drywall, tools, remodeling, Perpetual Remodeling Syndrome

Have you been thinking about a bathroom or kitchen remodeling project? Good choice! These two rooms get used a lot -- they're both functional and intimate. And both of them feel right at home with tile, including ceramic, porcelain, and good, old-fashioned stone.

Begin your remodel with a demo

Some folks consider the demolition phase of the remodel to be the most fun. After all, it's an opportunity for a bit of justifiable violence. Be careful though; don't cut into any plumbing pipes or electrical circuits. If your home has a few years on it, the walls in your bathroom are most likely regular drywall or greenboard (water-resistant drywall.

Greenboard used to be the industry standard as the base for installing tile on, but now it's frowned upon. You'll want to get rid of it and replace it with backer board. This is a cement-fiber material that offers not only water-resistance, but also incredible stability.

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Save a wet cell phone

Debra McDuffee — 2008-06-26T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, miscellaneous, electronics

Technology is both a blessing and a curse. Sure, cell phones are getting smaller and smaller, which is a plus for portability. To me, though, small cell phones spell opportunity for accidents. It is easier for them to slip through hands and wind up, say, in a bathtub, boiling pot of pasta, or bowl of soup.

If you are like me and you've just ruined your free cell phone that came with your cheap calling plan, you probably aren't too alarmed. Is that fancy iPhone more your style? You'll want to do something about your wet cell phone, and fast.

Popular Mechanics gives detailed, step-by-step instructions of how to attempt to save your cell phone after getting it wet. Tips like surrounding it in dry rice or silica gel packets could help, as could using an air compressor or shop vac to blow or suck the wetness out.

Other tips? Avoid heat (no hair dryers!) and rinse with fresh water if salt water has gotten into your cell. Hopefully these tips will help you save your fancy cell phone so you don't end up with the free version, like me.

(via HackNMod)

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GE's new Caulk Singles for mini DIY jobs

Diane Rixon — 2008-06-25T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, bathroom, doors and windows

Not a hard-core DIY'er? Then you probably loathe caulking... the gunked-up tubes and the unwieldy caulking guns are a pain, that's true.

Here's a cool solution, new out this month from GE: Caulk Singles. As the name suggests, these are cute little single-use, easy-grip tubes of caulk. Says a GE product representative, "Caulk Singles will do for caulk what the bleach pen and disposable razor did for people on the go."

Why? GE believes the product offers busy people a fast, no-tools-required way to get small caulking jobs done. Caulk Singles are available in both 100% silicone (with a choice of white or clear) and paintable acrylic. They retail at 1.25 ounces for $2.48.

Oooh! Free stuff! GE is giving away samples... just fill out this form at the Caulk Singles promotional website.
Caulk Singles are being marketed with the line "tear, squeeze, toss." Yes, that makes the product sound a bit environmentally unfriendly. But think about it: this soft squishy tube is probably no more wasteful than the big standard-sized plastic tubes of caulk... especially if you consider most homeowners eventually throw away unused left-over caulk anyway.

Want more caulking advice? Check out Kelly's common-sense caulking tips and a clever trick for keeping caulk workable in freezing weather.

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Plumbing access panel installation

Kelly Smith — 2008-06-23T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, household hacks, weekend projects, bathroom, framing and drywall, plumbing, tools, nature

When a home is built, the architect and builder should always make provisions for future maintenance. Unfortunately, altogether too often, this is one place where corners are cut. One of these details is access to plumbing components. This means plumbing access panels in the walls.

These panels allow the homeowner to get to the tub water supply and drain, and the manifold (hot/cold water mixer). The access panel is generally located on the other side of the wall in a closet. But what if you have to do a repair and you search high and low for a panel and find nothing?

Well, you're just going to have to cut into the drywall -- but plan in advance. Before doing a thing, head out to the local home improvement store and pick up a plastic snap-in access panel. This type needs no framing and will only set you back about $12.00. Just cut the hole in the drywall and it snaps in!

You'll need to locate the spot in the closet where you need to cut. Then locate the studs with a stud-finder closest to the cut-point between adjacent studs. Mark the wall, open it up with a drywall saw, make the repair, and snap in the plastic access panel. Easy as pie!

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Furniture touch-up, not refinish

Kelly Smith — 2008-06-19T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, home decor, weekend projects, wood working, painting

Do you have a piece of wood furniture or two that's got a few dings? Not quite enough to warrant the effort of stripping, puttying, sanding, and refinishing? Been there, done that. Well, there's an elegant solution that you can DIY in just a few moments (say, right before the company arrives)!

This little bit of touch-up magic comes in the form of a marker; it looks kind of like a magic marker and you can pick them up at most home improvement centers. I know, it sounds lame, but it really does work. The brand I'm familiar with is Mohawk, which is a company under the same corporate umbrella where RustOleum resides. That says quality to me.

The real trick is in matching the shade. I learned how to do this when I worked for a major hotel chain where guests seem to get a sardonic pleasure in abusing furniture the way they would never do at home. Anyhow, they only come in a certain number of shades. Here's the trick: swipe with a shade slightly darker than your finish and quickly wipe with a cloth. After wiping it'll be lighter than the marker says.

Repeat with the swipe 'n wipe until you've got a match. Each swipe will get you closer. Using the chisel edge of the marker, you can even match grain patterns with practice.

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Sliding door repairs

Kelly Smith — 2008-06-17T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, preventative maintenance, weekend projects, doors and windows, tools

Sliding doors come in two flavors: they work like a charm or they're a pain in the buttocks. Because of their very nature, things can go wrong. For most repairs, the door will need to be removed. No big mystery here; just raise it up and swing it outward. Here's a few problems and their solutions:

The door won't roll. Inspect the rollers. If they're loose, tighten them. If they're broken, replace them. Is the track bent? It can usually be tapped back into shape using a wood block and a hammer.
The door doesn't glide like it used to or jumps off the track. Check the bottom rollers and track. Clean them both carefully and lubricate them with paraffin or silicone spray.
The catch doesn't catch. Door catches don't last forever and if they won't catch properly, they won't lock either. Sometimes they get bent and don't mate up properly, and sometimes they just wear out. If it's broken or worn out, just replace it. If it's bent, remove it and clamp it in your vise. Use needle-nose pliers to straighten it out. Replace it and test it. It should click and catch when the door slides up and mates with the frame.

Use these tips and you'll be slidin' and glidin' in no time!

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Solder copper pipe

Kelly Smith — 2008-06-16T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, weekend projects, plumbing

Does plumbing intimidate you? Don't let it! It's not as mysterious or carnivorous as electrical work. Permanent plumbing connections are secured using an assortment of copper pipe and fittings: if you can do Legos, you can sweat copper.

You'll need a propane torch, tubing cutter, emory cloth, flux, lead-free solder, fire extinguisher, and a wire pipe brush for pipe innards. The first thing to do is cut, rough up mating surfaces, and dry-fit it all to ensure a good fit. Let's walk through the procedure for a connection.

Stir flux and brush it on mating surfaces.
Assemble pipe and fittings.
Light and adjust the torch. It's right when you see a flame within a flame.
Touch the tip of the inside flame to the joint and watch the flux boil.
At approximately 15 seconds, the flux will disappear; touch the solder to the pipe/fitting intersection and remove the torch.
When the solder melts, it will be drawn into the fitting where the flux was. You'll have about 10 seconds to apply more solder, if needed. Until you get the hang of it, err on the side of excess.

And there you have it! Keep the fire extinguisher close at hand, and finish any further assembly. Bravo: one more DIY skill in your toolbox!

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Perpetual Remodeling Syndrome: basement waterproofing

Kelly Smith — 2008-06-13T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, preventative maintenance, weekend projects, stone and concrete, Perpetual Remodeling Syndrome

Basements can be a real source of grief for the homeowner. Holes and cracks in the basement walls and floors allow water and even ultra-nasty sewage to seep into the basement. This can subject the home to major health risks from debilitating mold, not to mention the offensive nose-bombs.

You can't let this situation go on -- it'll just get worse and worse, and compromise the integrity of your home's foundation. So, what's the first step to getting a grip on this situation? To nip this situation in the bud, and prior to even thinking about waterproofing, you need to thoroughly understand what causes cracks in the basement floor.

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Remove carpet indentations

Anna Sattler — 2008-06-11T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, home decor, cleaning

Every time I move a piece of furniture, my carpet is left with indentations that I am not sure how to remove, especially if it happens to be a large piece of furniture. I try to fluff the carpet, but combing the area with my fingers or vacuuming doesn't always help.

When it comes time to move my heavy entertainment center, I will be left with a carpet indent that will have me shaking my head wondering how to fix it. Combing the carpet with my fingers sure won't work for that enormous piece of wood, but I bet using a steam iron or ice would work to remove the carpet dents.

The Frugal Life posted a question from Debbie, who asked how to remove carpet indents. The responses to her question varied, but the majority of answers were to (A) either use an ice cube on the dent, (B) wet a towel and use a steam iron to "iron" out the indents, or (C) use a blow dryer and a comb or brush to make the carpet appear new again.

I have tried the comb and brush method, and it doesn't work all that well for me. Using a hot iron with a wet towel makes the most sense to me, so I'll have to give that one a try. I will try the ice cube method too, but only on small indents. I don't want to be stuck with a gigantic indent in my carpet when I move that monstrous entertainment center, so feel free to leave a comment and tell me your best method for removing carpet indentations.

via: Craft

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Hem and shorten wooden shades

Anna Sattler — 2008-06-05T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, home decor, household hacks, crafts

While shades and blinds come in all lengths and widths, wooden Roman blinds tend to be 72 inches long, no matter how wide they are. When I cleaned the filthy blinds in our old apartment, I totally neglected the Roman blinds, only because I wasn't sure how to clean or shorten them.

I wish I had known then about DIY Maven's tutorial on how to hem wooden shades. I could have made my 6 foot wide kitchen window blinds look new again, using hot glue and Tacky Glue, and Maven's step by step instructions and follow along pictures to shorten them to a manageable length.

All you have to do is mark the shades at the length of your window, do a little cutting, gluing, and folding of the shades, rehang them, and stand far enough away from them to admire your hemming handiwork.

I actually like wood blinds and shades much more that vinyl blinds, and now I will buy them for each room in my home, now that I know how to make them shorter, and can do it in just a few minutes.

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Say goodbye to wood trim

Kelly Smith — 2008-06-03T20:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, preventative maintenance, weekend projects, outdoor

Are you replacing some rotten wood trim or about to trim out that new shed? Wait! You now have choices. Wood trim is great, but it requires routine maintenance to protect it from the elements. There are new materials on the market. You might want to take a look.

Fiber cement: The most recognizable brand name is Hardi and they have a huge market share. This stock comes already primed so that step is eliminated. You'll need a special circular saw blade to cut it. Although they claim you can nail it like wood, in my experience it laughs at finish nails. Pre-drill holes for best results.
Composite trim: This material is a blend of plastic resins and wood fiber. Not only is it weather resistant, it's cheaper than wood and holds paint better.
PVC plastic trim: Yes, PVC isn't just for pipes. You'll pay more for this option than you would for wood, but it will outlive you.

Give these modern building materials a shot. You'll be glad you did when your neighbor is once again replacing rotten fascia board while you're lounging by the pool.

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