If you’re looking for a one-stop portal for free guides on how to perform all your do-it-yourself home repairs, you’ve come to the right place. At DIY-Repairs.com, we’ll teach you how to do a wide variety of household tasks at all difficulty levels. Read through our pages and you’ll learn how to do all kinds of do-it-yourself home repairs including plumbing repairs, electrical fixes, safety improvements, door and window repairs, and tons more.
DIY-Repairs.com is written and provided by veteran home repair professionals, and we’ve put together this project out of a love for our work. Some of the do-it-yourself home repairs that you’ll learn about include:
- Basement fixes, including how to fix cracks in the foundation and how to make improvements.
- Bathroom repair, including how to resolve all sorts of issues relating to sinks, tubs, toilets, and tiles.
- Door & Window fixes such as how to fix problematic doors and how to replace broken windows.
- Fixing electrical problems, including how to reinstall light fixtures and switches and how to troubleshoot power problems.
- Exterior improvements, including how to build things like porch swings, decks, and tool sheds, as well as simple improvements to make your yard a more pleasant place for your family.
- Heating & cooling repair, including how to keep your air conditioning and heating systems in proper working order.
- Kitchen repairs, such as how to install a garbage disposal, how to optimize your kitchen space, and how to fix a stove.
- Lighting repairs, such as how to make lights more energy efficient and how to repair your light fixtures.
- Plumbing fixes, such as how to fix leaks, how to unclog pipes, and knowing when to hire a plumber.
- Wall and floor repairs, including how to paint a wall, how to fix up a floor, and how to know where it’s safe to hang a heavy picture.
In addition to instructions for these do-it-yourself home repairs, we also provide extensive guides on how to stay safe as you’re making repairs and how to make your home more safe for your family.
If you’re not an experienced handyperson, don’t worry. We provide instructions on how to become handy and what types of tools and supplies you’ll need, and we provide plenty of guides to tasks that anyone can do, even if you’ve never handled a hammer or screwdriver in your life. Meanwhile, if you’re someone who know how to get things done but just needs a little step-by-step guide as a reminder, we also provide guides to a number of advanced tasks that require a good deal of skill and experience.
A house that seems to be short on space does not always require a full-fledged construction of an additional wing; sometimes all you have to do is look up! Yes, the attic is one space in nearly every house that is not quite maximized, and converting it into a bedroom will be a great way to expand your living area without needing an actual extension. Of course, you will need to adhere to building code to make sure you do not compromise structural integrity and safety, but if you happen to be handy with power tools and as long as you know the basics of construction, you can easily convert your attic into a spare bedroom. A well-constructed attic bedroom will even raise the overall value of the house should you ever decide to sell, making it a worthy investment.
Step 1. Before you start building, there are some preparatory steps to take: First, be sure you check with the local building authority for the needed papers. Then, confirm that the attic has at least 7 feet height in the top portion of the rafters, although higher is more preferable. Also, check the part where the rafters slope downwards: a minimum of four feet is required to make it usable for living space. While you are there, check the structural integrity of the floor rafters. There should be a minimum of 2 x 4 inch lumber spanned a maximum of 10 feet with no support. The rafters should also sit on centers of 16 inches or less. You can actually consult an engineer to confirm the structural integrity of the space, just to be sure.
Step 2. Re-route all existing attic vents, especially if they will wind up interfering with the new configuration of the space. You can opt for ridge vents, as they are considered a good choice for attic conversion. Also re-route all furnace and plumbing vents, making sure you avoid terminating any of the vents. Along with that, plan the air and heat access to the attic bedroom. Sometimes you may not be able to connect to the existing HVAC system, but you can get around that by installing a small HVAC unit instead, preferably a horizontal one, and creating a vent into the exterior of the house.
Step 3. Build a staircase for the new bedroom. Make sure you allow at most 8 inches for the rise and at least 11 inches for the tread. This keeps you from making a staircase that is too steep or too narrow.
Step 4. Lay down the subfloor: this will extend under the area under which the knee walls run. Unless you want to use the space for cabinets, you may not need to install a subfloor beyond this point. Create a frame for the sidewalls and knee walls, at a minimum of 2 x 4 inch lumber that you set on 16-inch centers. Any exterior sidewall windows should also be installed at this point.
Step 5. Install venting runs, electrical, phone and cable wire, plumbing vents, as well as other mechanical elements into the bedroom. Extend the rafters to a minimum of 5-1/2-inch depth to have room for an R-19 insulation at the minimum.
Step 6. Apply drywall mud and tape on the walls, following sheetrocking. Paint over the walls, and then install the outlet covers and light fixtures. Install the final flooring, window trim, and base trim, and attach all closet doors. Now your attic bedroom is ready to go!
Keeping a kitchen clean and nice-smelling does not only entail “cleaning as you go” as chefs tell their protégés, although that certainly helps; instead, other possible sources of bacteria or foul odors should be considered, and the garbage disposal is one of the culprits for these. In addition to cleaning up your kitchen daily and cleaning out the fridge regularly, the garbage disposal also needs its share of being cleaned and freshened up. Essentially, the garbage disposal pulverizes and removes kitchen waste from food products, but the truth is food particles still tend to get trapped inside it and the kitchen drainpipe. This makes for a great environment for bacteria and mold to breed, resulting in many ugly odors and an unhealthy environment overall. The following cleaning agents and suggested ways should give you a better grasp of how to clean out your garbage disposal and get rid of these unwanted bacteria breeding grounds:
- Baking soda and vinegar – These kitchen staples have always been hailed for its cleaning properties, and for garbage disposals, it is no different. First, pour a half cup of baking soda into the kitchen drain. Right after that, pour in a cup of white vinegar into the drain, too. Close the drain off by putting the drain stopper into the sink; for double sinks, do this for both. The baking soda and vinegar mixture will make fizzing sounds. While this happens, boil water in a full teakettle or a medium-sized pot. Then, pour the boiling water down the drain.
- Chlorine bleach – This is another common cleaning agent used for kitchens and bathrooms. For your garbage disposal, mix one tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach into a clean container with one gallon of water. Then, slowly and carefully pour this solution down the drain, leaving it to settle for a few minutes. After a few minutes, flush the drain out by running the tap for a few minutes.
- Ice cubes – You can clean the cutting blades of your garbage disposal by making it grind ice cubes. You can do this by placing a few ice cubes into the drain and grinding them.
- Citrus fruits – The rind from citrus fruits are an excellent choice for adding a bit of nice scent to any area. You can do this by adding rinds to the drain, whether those of oranges, limes, lemons, or grapefruits.
- Dishwashing detergent – You can use this for daily cleaning to keep your garbage disposal in excellent shape. Pour a bit of dishwashing detergent into the sink and run some tap water in order to form suds. Turn the garburator on and let the soapy water flush through the unit. This helps clear most of the stuck-up debris from the unit. Continue running cold water for about one minute after the food has been cleared by the disposal unit. This is effective at pushing the food waste down as far into the drain as possible. After the water has flowed through, stop the unit, take out the screen and clean it by scrubbing with an old toothbrush.
When you suddenly realize that your baby is already big enough to move into his or her own bed, you will have the option of buying a toddler bed with its own railings. After all, the railings will not only be for your child’s safety, but they will also work for your own peace of mind. Then again, buying a toddler bed will mean that he will soon outgrow it and you will have to buy another bed; as such it might be much wiser to buy a regular-sized single bed and just build the bed rails yourself. After all, building your own bedrail also means you have unlimited options for the design.
Step 1. Set your table saw rip fence to 4 inches. Be sure to measure from the inside edge of the fence to the center of the blade. For the depth, set it at about 1-1/2 inches. Make 2 pieces each from two pieces of 8-foot length of clear pine measuring 1 x 12 inches. This will give you two pieces measuring 4 inches wide, and two pieces measuring 3-1/2 inches. Set the 3-1/2-inch-wide pieces aside.
Step 2. Measure the rip fence and set it at 1-3/4 inches. Rip the two pieces of 8-foot x 3-1/2-inch clear pine. You will use these to make the spacer blocks as well as the vertical rails for your bedrail. Get measurements of the height from the top of the side rails of your child’s bed frame to the floor; for bedrails that rise about 18 inches over the mattress, add 24 inches to the height you measured.
Step 3. Using the crosscut guide on your table saw, cut the two pieces of clear pine with 4-inch width to this dimension; these will be the sides of your bedrail. Set the width of your bedrails by deducting 8 inches for the width of the side pieces; cut two pieces of the pine for the top and the bottom of the rail.
Step 4. Lay the pieces for the side bedrail flat, putting the bottom and top pieces flat between them. Flush the outer edges of all the corners. Put wood glue to the ends of the pieces, using clamps to hold the sides fixed in place on the bottom and top of the frame. With a framing square, check that the frame is aligned, and then tighten the clamps. Leave the glue overnight to dry, and only remove the pole clamps after the glue has dried.
Step 5. Cut 8 pieces of spacer blocks measuring 4 inches long from the 1 ¾-inch wide rip pieces. Also make 6 vertical rails of the same dimension for the side pieces.
Step 6. Pre-drill each end of the vertical rails and the spacer blocks. Put wood glue to the vertical rail and have it aligned against one edge of the bedrail frame. Use 1-1/4-inch wood screws to screw the vertical end piece to the bedrail. Spread wood glue to the spacer blocks, and have them set flat on the vertical end piece at the bottom and top of the frame, flushing the edge of the spacers and screwing 1-1/4-inch wood screws to them. Do the same for the rest of the spacers and vertical rails, with the final vertical piece aligned against the edge of the bedrail. If necessary, cut a special spacer to complete the project.
If you have an old concrete patio and an extension made with pavers, with the whole thing looking mismatched, you actually have one more option to make it look deliberate and well-designed: making a cobblestone patio. Still, whether you have design issues to settle or simply like the look of cobblestones on a wide patio where you can relax in the evenings, you can make light of this task with the right tools and knowledge.
Step 1. First, you will have to prepare the base. You will need to do different prep treatments for different surfaces. For concrete portions, you will simply need to pressure-wash the area. For areas that are not concrete, you will need to bring in base rock to make a solid foundation: lay the base rock down so that it rises at least one inch above the concrete, and then use a gas-powered compactor to push it down until it is only very slightly higher than the neighboring concrete. For bare soil, you will need to dig a bit until you have two inches of base; give room for about half the height of the pavers to measure the final height of your patio.
Step 2 . Add sand over the entire area, and spread it out using a rake until it is approximately an inch thick. This sand bed will become the cushion for your cobblestones.
Step 3. Start laying your cobblestone pavers. The way you lay them will depend on the shape of your cobblestones: some are straight, some are round, while even others come in fanned-out designs. The straight ones are, obviously, the most straightforward: starting at one end, lay the cobblestones on the sand forming straight rows all the way to the other end of your space. Use wire snips in removing the two smaller cobbles on each end of the mat of pavers, making sure they fit together. When you reach the end of each row, keep the smaller pavers on the mat, serving as a straight edge.
Step 4. Depending on where you lay the cobbles, you might need to compact them. For concrete, you will not need to do this step; for base rock, spray the cobbles lightly with water, and use a compactor to push them down part way into the base rock, making sure not to push them down all the way.
Step 5. Prepare your grout depending on instructions, and pour it into a wheelbarrow that you have previously soaked down: this will keep the grout from sticking to your wheelbarrow. Spread the grout using a foam squeegee held at the end of a broom handle to fill in all the gaps between the cobblestones. When you have gone over the entire area, go over them again using a different squeegee to remove the grout off the top of the pavers. After that, use a broom with a stiff bristle to remove any grout remnants. Leave your new patio to dry for at least five hours before you walk on it, and after that you can now enjoy your new cobblestone patio!
A natural wood deck is an attractive as well as relaxing addition to any home. But, wood deck naturally succumbs to wear and tear over the years, especially with changing weather conditions every so often, with heat and rain beating down on it. What happens when a plank or board on the deck gets damaged or turns rotten? You can actually replace it by yourself without requiring the help of a professional. For this project, with difficulty level deemed just right for the slightly-experienced handyman, you will need a jigsaw, a circular saw, a power drill, a framing square, 3-inch deck nails or screws, a tape measure, and eye protection.
Step 1. Plan the cuts and make them. Planning is important, as you will definitely want the replacement to look as natural as possible. This includes cutting out the damaged parts of the plank as cleanly as possible. You can do this by cutting out the section between one or two spacings between the joists. First, find the damaged portion between two joists, and determine which cut will look more natural. With your eye protection in place, use a framing square to guide the edge of your jigsaw, and cut the damaged portion out. Do the same for the other edge of the damaged plank, and remove that section of the deck board.
Step 2. Now that you have removed the damaged plank, you can now install the supports at both ends of the opening for the new board. Cut two sections measuring 12 inches in length from your 2 x 4 pieces of lumber using a circular saw. These will function as your support blocks. Place one of these support blocks right in the center beneath the opening by one of the joists; be sure to pull it tightly against the underside of the boards. Nail the block to the underside face of the joist using two 3-inch spiral shank galvanized nails. Do the same for the other side of the opening, nailing the second block to the face of the other joist.
Step 3. With your support blocks fastened securely, installing the new plank comes next. Cut the new plank to the right length, ensuring that you make a right angle on all ends. Check the grain pattern on the new plank, and place it with the bark side down, with the grain pattern rings curving upward, as this will help you avoid cupping as the plank succumbs to wear and tear. For deck materials that have not been pressure-treated, and are not redwood or cedar, treat the wood with a preservative before installation. Then, make pilot holes with your drill on the new plank right into the support structure; fasten the plank using 3-inch galvanized deck screws or nails. Once you have them set in place, you can now grab a deck chair and enjoy the rest of the day in your newly-repaired deck!
Many homeowners are wondering where their rising electric bills are coming from, without realizing that the answer is, literally, just over their heads. The attic is a place in a home that is typically overlooked, especially in terms or proper installation. Studies show, though, that the proper insulation, such as one done with fiberglass, actually contribute to good savings on electric bills, no matter what climate you live in. This is even more important for places that have cold winters, especially those that undergo a lot of snow during the winter. If you realize that your attic needs to be insulated, you will find the following steps to ease the process for you.
Step 1. Before you purchase your insulation material, measure your attic, making careful note of measurements between the joists. This ensures that you buy the correct width of materials. In the absence of a perfect match, order the closest size and be ready to trim the insulation material using a utility knife. You may find the suggested R-value that is best for your area when you know what to ask at the hardware store. For exterior walls, the minimum is usually R-19, but be willing to ask your local store.
Step 2. Be properly geared for the task, prior to unwrapping your insulation rolls. Wearing long pants, long-sleeved shirts, socks, and shoes will ensure you do not suffer from the itchiness of insulation fibers: these are typically described as feeling like little slivers embedded into the skin. Also wear a face mask and gloves to avoid inhaling the insulation fibers.
Step 3. Cut the insulation according to your measurements of the areas between the joists, beginning on one end of the attic at an exterior wall, moving towards the entry. The material is typically spongy, so press on it firmly to make accurate cuts.
Step 4. Set the cut insulation piece gently into the space, giving it a tap with your hands. The insulation will fall into place without requiring nails, staples, or any other way of fastening.
Step 5. Be sure to leave at least a 3-inch gap between the insulation and electrical boxes, lights and fixtures. If you need to ensure that the fibers do not float towards these items, you might want to frame the insulation pieces with cuts of 2 x 4 lumber.
Step 6. You may opt to cover the first insulation layer with another layer, but generally, it is not that necessary.
Step 7. After you are done with the task, be sure to wash with cold water to flush out any fibers that may have stuck onto your body. By all means, avoid warm showers, as hot water tends to open up your pores, giving the fibers an opportunity to get lodged in them.
Rock bands have been around for several decades, and while technology has changed the face of music on several counts, including the way it can be recorded and shared, the magic of forming a garage band remains. Even with the rise of the Internet, youngsters’ desire to get together and form a band remains unchanged. What do you do when your teen decides to convert your garage into a music studio? While you desire to support his musical interests, you doubt if the neighbors will be just as understanding. How do you make sure you can contain the sound enough so as not to disturb the neighbors without needing to put all the instruments on earphones? Soundproofing a garage is actually something you can do by yourself without needing the services of a professional acoustics specialist.
Step 1. Determine what kind of instruments will be used, as well as which part of the garage each one will be set up. If you already have a drum set in your garage, that should give you a general idea of how the setup will look. If you are unsure, do not hesitate to ask your teen.
Step 2. Cover all the walls with sound proofing materials. Egg trays are a very affordable choice for sound proofing, although some experts question whether they make any difference in keeping the sound in. A next choice would be to buy Styrofoam panels or a thick, heavy foam. You can typically get these for a low cost at factory outlets, as you can buy extra pieces from other people’s cut-ups. But the best choice by far would be to invest in acoustic boards. While these may be a bit more expensive, if you intend to keep the garage studio for a while, it would turn out to be a good investment.
Step 3. Drums are typically the loudest instrument in any band. Other instruments will generally be plugged into amplifiers, whose volumes can be easily turned down, but drums will have to played really softly or you will need to do something to keep the sound in. many experts swear by drum shields, although buying a drum shield may set you back a bit too much. Instead, you can purchase acrylic sheets joined together with hinges. A good size would be between four to six pieces of 2 feet wide panels, with height ranging from 4 to 6 feet. What the panels do is to bounce back the sound of the drums; as such, make sure you also attach acoustic boards all across the wall behind the drummer.
Step 4. Finally, do a quick check of the items left in the garage music studio. If you find many items made of a wide expanse of metal, try to transfer them to another room, the attic or the basement, maybe, as the material may cause the sound to reverberate, creating greater noise than you would like.
A threshold is where different kinds of flooring meet together beneath a doorway. This can refer to tile or wood meeting carpet or another kind of surface. It functions not only to give you a nice, finished look to the edges, but also to give you safe footing. While thresholds may also come in stone or metal, the most common material used for them is wood. This is also the type that needs to be replaced for many reasons, such as damage, warping, or pure age. If you intend to replace a threshold with a new one due to any of these reasons, it is actually not a very complicated task, but you will need to know the basics in order to make sure you wind up with the finish that you want.
Step 1. Gather the materials you will need for the project: a hammer, a pry bar, measuring tape, a hand drill, and nails or screws to set the new threshold in place. Making sure you have everything at hand will ensure you save time, especially since you will be putting your home at risk if you do not finish installing the new threshold, and consequently, the new door, before sundown. As such it is best to start work early in the day.
Step 2. For thresholds that are not inserted under the doorframe, use the pry bar to loosen it and then lift it out. For those that are attached under the doorframe, first remove the nails; then use the hammer to bang against the threshold from underneath the doorframe. Alternatively, you can cut the threshold into half and bang it out of place.
Step 3. Clean up the dust and sawdust as well as other debris. Make measurements of your new door opening, and trim your new threshold according to the measurements. If your old threshold was flat and you plan to use a new threshold with a sloping or rising surface, it might require trimming the doorstop or the doorway. This extra task will give you room for the new shape of the threshold. Of course, it also takes much more time, but in the end, the finished work will show you it was worth the time and effort you spent trimming the doorstop or doorway.
Step 4. Use your hand drill to make holes on the threshold before you nail it into place. This is because thresholds are mostly constructed of hard wood, making it extremely difficult to nail through it. This pre-drilling process makes sure you get your nails through the threshold with no trouble.
Step 5. Set the new threshold into place, checking to see it is lined up properly. Nail it into place with screws or nails that are at least one or two inches longer than the thickness of the wood on the threshold.
Step 6. Sand your new threshold using fine grit sandpaper and proceed with your choice of finishing, whether you plan to varnish, stain, or paint the threshold. This gives your work that finished and highly professional look.
Preparing for a new baby in the family is not only fun and exciting, it can also get challenging for new dads. In addition to buying necessities like the baby’s clothes and other supplies, getting the nursery up and running is just as important. Many moms-to-be already spend weeks planning the paint job they want the dads to finish before the baby is due. Of course, the planning does not stop with painting the nursery pink or blue: soundproofing is another important consideration to make sure the baby gets plenty of restful, undisturbed sleep. The most important thing to consider when soundproofing a baby’s room is the door, which you can easily modify with the right tools. In addition to making it soundproof, fixing the door also means you can help keep the nursery from unwanted drafts.
Step 1. If the door is hollow, replace it with a door made of solid wood. This is because hollow doors transmit more sound than do solid doors. Alternatively, if you are not able to replace the door, you can choose to glue some wood panelling on the inside of the hollow door; this added panelling will help in absorbing any extra sound.
Step 2. Make sure the hinges do not squeak. There’s nothing more frustrating than spending an hour putting the baby to sleep and then have her awaken in a bawling, foul mood simply because somebody squeaked his way in the room. First, close the door and then tap the pin inside one of the door hinges to get it out of the hinge. You may use a hammer, a long nail, or a Phillips screwdriver to do this. When the pin has already risen up out of the hinge, take it out and apply petroleum jelly; put it back into the hinge, and do the same with the other door hinge.
Step 3. After you have eliminated the squeaky hinge and dealt with sound absorption issues, consider adding a door sweep at the base of the door. This will help block the sound that comes in through the opening. It will also help get rid of potential drafts. You can also find other spaces where sound might get in by turning the lights on outside the baby’s room; stand inside the room with the lights off, and check where the light is seen around the door. Any place where the light can be seen will be places you will want to consider covering up, as these are entry points for sound.
Step 4. Install a door closer to ensure that the door will automatically close on its own. When you purchase a door closing system, make sure it comes with a way to set the closing speed and strength to your preferences. Set the closing system to a quiet mode, wherein the door will close slowly without a slamming sound. This will also get rid of the chance of anybody accidentally slamming the door, as well as reduce the sound usually made by the closing of a door.
Adding a patio extension to an existing porch is a great idea for making a house look more attractive and inviting. But do you know that it is something that you can actually make yourself, without needing to hire professionals? Of course, some handyman skill would come in handy, and you will need to take perhaps two days for every 9-foot-square area, to finish the task. Before you even begin, be sure to choose the site for your patio carefully, finding an area that is well-drained and relatively level, with slopes facing away from your house.
Step 1. To make a patio as a grid of concrete units, preferably measuring 3 feet square, Sketch the area of your yard and draw a plan for the patio in increments of 3-foot-square units. Plan on your design and outline the area for the patio on the target site using string tied onto stakes to have an idea how it will look, as well as to mark the area. Be sure to make accurate measurements, and keeping a right angle at the corners of the stakes.
Step 2. Excavate about 7 inches off the entire area you have marked out: 3 inches will be for the gravel base while the remaining 4 inches will be for the concrete. Try to keep the dig-out vertical, with the bottom as level as you possibly can; fill the excavated area with gravel up to 3 inches thick, and run a rake to level out the gravel.
Step 3. Make the frame for your patio using 2 x 4 lumber that has been pressure-treated and ground-contact. The treated wood is necessary so the frame will not rot; you may also opt to build the frame out of 2 x 4 redwood or cedar stock. Butt the corners of the 2 x 4s together to form the outside of the frame; then add dividers to make the grids, measuring 3 x 3 feet. Be sure the top edges of all the wood pieces are flush, as they will form part of the finished patio. Use 8-penny galvanized common nails, with at least two nails used through each joint, and confirm the strength of the joints using a carpenter’s square.
Step 4. Drive stakes measuring 12 inches around the frame, with one at each corner and every grid joint. The stakes may be cut from 1 x 3 lumber that has also been pressure-treated and ground-contact, or 1 x 3 redwood or cedar. Be sure you drive the stake carefully, with the frame held vertical, and pound the stake end well below the top edge of the frame.
Step 5. Check the slope of the frame, making sure the patio will slope about a quarter of inch per 12 feet distance from the house. To adjust, rake the gravel in the area until it meets the required angle.
Step 6. The next step will be to pour the concrete. If you live in an area that has cold winters, be sure to use machine-mixed concrete. For warmer areas year-round, hand-mixed may suffice. Before you start mixing, soak down the gravel base using a garden hose set to fie spray, and put 2-inch masking tape all around the top edges of the frame.
Step 7. Pour the concrete into the patio frame by section, using a shovel to get rid of air holes in the concrete. Pour it until it looks slightly overfilled. Level the surface of the concrete by pulling a 6-foot long 2 x 4 in a zigzag across the wet cement.
