Hour 1
Hear how a lot cash it can save you by putting in luxurious vinyl tile your self, what to do about thermal growth gaps in crown molding and extra.
Save Large by Putting in LVT Your self
Luxurious vinyl tile is a good choice for owners in search of a sturdy, waterproof, and easy-to-clean flooring choice.
Additionally, it’s probably the most reasonably priced flooring choices, making it an ideal selection for budget-conscious owners. Joe researched the prices and right here’s what he discovered:
Most individuals pay on common $1,400 to have 200 sq. toes of vinyl plank flooring put in. Nonetheless, you should buy luxurious vinyl for $2.50-$4 per sq. foot at The House Depot.
So, when you set up it your self, it might solely value you between $500-800. That’s a saving, on common, of $600-900 over a professionally put in job!
You don’t want any particular instruments to put in luxurious vinyl tile. A field cutter is all it takes to chop the tiles.
The primary mistake folks make when putting in is chopping it tight towards a wall. All floating flooring require an growth house — you’ll want wherever from 1 / 4 inch to half an inch.
Run the posh vinyl tile as much as the baseboard and canopy the hole with shoe molding. Simply remember to safe the shoe molding to the baseboard.
Observe the instructions precisely relating to any underlayment. Relying on the sort you purchase, the underlayment might already be connected.
Watch: The best way to Simply Set up Luxurious Vinyl Tile
What to Do About Gaps in Crown Molding
That is the primary winter that Chris has spent in his new Alabama dwelling, and he’s seeing the results of thermal growth.
Over the previous months, he says important gaps have proven up within the crown molding all through the home.
“Ought to I ask my builder to appropriate the difficulty? If the gaps are stuffed, will it trigger the molding to buckle when it will get hotter?” he asks.
It’s wonderful how a lot supplies in a house broaden and contract, and possibly nowhere is it extra evident than once you’re crown molding.
The excellent news is these gaps will normally shut on their very own as soon as hotter climate comes again round.
Nonetheless, in case you have some gaps which can be very pronounced, right here’s what you are able to do:
- Nail it in place: Use a nail gun to safe the crown molding to the wall.
- Fill it with caulk: As a substitute of utilizing conventional caulk, fastidiously apply an acrylic latex caulk. The trick is to barely feed it into the cracked space, in order that when it does shut again, it stays versatile. The hole will nonetheless seem however it gained’t be as deep or as noticeable.
Hour 2
Take heed to be taught the straightforward method to take away acorns out of your yard, why a glass cooktop can shatter, what you could do to cowl terracotta tile and extra.
Eliminating an Acorn Overload
That is nuts! A house owner says he has greater than 250,000 acorns in his entrance yard.
“Moreover raking, which I hate, how can I choose up the acorns? My self-propelled lawnmower doesn’t have the facility to choose them up. Is there a chunk of kit appropriate for the job?” he asks.
Right here’s what you need to use to take away acorns from a yard:
- Leaf blower: A leaf blower can blow the acorns right into a pile, making them simpler to gather. Bonus tip: Use a tarp to include the acorns whereas blowing them, making cleanup even simpler!
- Garden vacuum: A garden vacuum can suck up acorns and take away them from the yard. These might be dear, so see when you can lease one, or rent a landscaper who owns one to make use of in your yard.
To get rid of this downside sooner or later, forestall the acorns from falling within the first place. If potential, take away the tree or prune it in order that it doesn’t produce as many acorns.
Some chemical therapies can forestall acorn manufacturing, however solely an expert arborist ought to apply them.
Take into accout — eradicating acorns might be time-consuming and also you would possibly must repeat it as new acorns fall.
At all times put on security gear to guard your self from falling acorns and pay attention to bugs or critters within the acorns or hiding within the tree.
‘Why Did My Glass Cooktop Shatter?’
A house owner says the tempered glass on his gasoline cooktop all of a sudden shattered the opposite day, regardless that the equipment wasn’t on and he didn’t drop something onto it.
“What would trigger that to occur?” he asks.
Tempered glass is designed to be robust and sturdy, however it could actually shatter unexpectedly for a number of causes.
A number of the most typical causes of tempered glass shattering embody:
- Improper set up: If the cooktop just isn’t put in appropriately, it could actually put stress on the glass and trigger it to shatter. For example, if the countertop is overlapping the cooktop, it might put some stress on the highest, finally inflicting it to shatter.
- Thermal stress: If the cooktop or the glass is uncovered to fast adjustments in temperature, resembling from a sizzling pot being positioned on a chilly cooktop or vice versa, it could actually trigger thermal stress and trigger the glass to shatter.
- Manufacturing defects: Generally, tempered glass can have manufacturing defects that make it extra liable to shattering. If that is so, report it to the producer.
You possibly can name an expert to interchange the glass cooktop, however it may be costly. Take into account changing the equipment with a range that doesn’t have a glass cooktop.
To forestall a glass cooktop from shattering, comply with the following pointers:
- Don’t place a sizzling pot on a chilly cooktop or flip the cooktop on excessive and instantly place a chilly pot on it. This will trigger thermal stress and might trigger the glass to shatter.
- Use cookware with flat bottoms to distribute warmth evenly and forestall warping or bending.
- Don’t slide cookware throughout the cooktop, as it could actually scratch or chip the glass.
- Don’t place heavy objects, resembling forged iron pans or strain cookers, on the cooktop as they’ll trigger influence injury.
- Clear the cooktop commonly with a gentle detergent and a non-abrasive sponge or fabric to take away any filth, grime or stains.
- Use a stovetop cowl to guard the cooktop from scratches or stains when not in use.
- Don’t overheat the cooktop, as it could actually trigger the glass to overheat and shatter.
- At all times comply with the producer’s directions for the care and use of your cooktop.
Overlaying Terracotta Tile
A house owner has terracotta tiles all through her second-floor California rental.
“The floor is just too laborious, very uncomfortable!” she says. “Can we have now extra comfy flooring put in on high? It looks as if removing can be very costly, disruptive and noisy.”
As a result of conventional terracotta flooring has such an irregular floor, you’ll wish to apply a self-leveling underlayment to create a easy, even floor for putting in one other sort of flooring over it.
You would possibly run into the issue of elevating the ground top an excessive amount of to the place it could actually block home equipment from opening or make them not degree along with your cupboards and counters. Examine the peak of the brand new flooring to verify this gained’t occur after you’ve put in it.
There are a number of choices for protecting terracotta tiles, together with:
- Vinyl flooring: Vinyl flooring might be put in over the prevailing tiles and is sturdy and simple to scrub.
- Engineered hardwood flooring: Engineered hardwood flooring might be put in over the prevailing tiles and supply a heat and pure look.
- Laminate flooring: Laminate flooring will also be put in over the prevailing tiles and is out there in lots of kinds and colours.
- Floating ground: A floating ground is a kind of flooring that isn’t connected to the subfloor, such a flooring might be put in over the terracotta tiles and might be made of various supplies like laminate, engineered hardwood, or cork.
Seek the advice of with an expert flooring specialist to find out the most suitable choice on your particular scenario.
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Easy Options
Pool-Toy Plumbing Device — Earlier than repairing most plumbing clogs, it’s essential to first take away any standing water. Now, you would use a sponge or moist/dry vac, however right here’s another choice: take a child’s water-squirting toy, generally known as a water blaster, and use it like a siphon pump. Merely place the nozzle of the toy into the water and draw again on the deal with to suck up the water. Then you may squirt it right into a bucket, rest room or tub. That is nice for sink clogs, rest room clogs, or in case you have a malfunctioning washer that has water standing within the tub.
Watch: The best way to Take away Standing Water From a Clogged Sink
Paint Display screen Saver — When utilizing paint from a beforehand opened can, it’s finest to go the paint by way of a filter to display screen out dried paint chips and different small bits of particles. You should buy disposable paint filters, however they’re flimsy, not reusable and the paint flows by way of a lot too slowly. As a substitute, use a chunk of vinyl insect screening. Minimize the display screen about 12 or 14in. sq., safe it to a brand new, clear paint can with three small spring clamps, after which pour the outdated paint by way of the display screen. When achieved, rinse out the display screen with a backyard hose and put it aside for the subsequent paint job.
Watch: The best way to Filter Paint Utilizing a Window Display screen
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