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.
The new baby has arrived, and while you are busy enjoying the new addition to your family, perhaps other people in the neighbourhood are not too keen about listening to the bawling every night. If you live in an apartment building with thin walls, it becomes even a worse scenario, as you cannot exactly keep the baby quiet. While soundproofing may not have been at the top of your list when you remodelled the nursery, thinking it would be best for the baby to get accustomed to noises while he sleeps, it now sounds like something you have to get to as soon as possible—if you want to avoid more complaints from your neighbours. Is there a way to soundproof a nursery without doing a major overhaul, and without spending a fortune? Indeed, the following steps should help you tone the noise down to a tolerable level:
Step 1. Before you attach anything new, consider where the crib is set currently. Is it set against a wall that is shared with a neighbour? If so, move the crib away from the adjoining wall and transfer it towards an interior wall. This will do wonders for the travelling of bawling volumes.
Step 2. How much furniture is in the room? The physics of sound is that the less items there are in a room, the chances become higher for sound to travel and make echoes. This means that a relatively bare room will cause sound to travel more, thus creating more noise. While you would likely want your nursery to look spacious with only a few pieces of furniture, with the problem of noise, it is perhaps time to get more things into the room. If you do not already have an armchair, get a fluffy, cozy one and push it into one corner of the room; shelves or tiny tables and chairs, particularly those made of wood, will also help.
Step 3. How much fabric is in the room? Furniture pieces are not your only choice for muffling noise in the nursery; curtains and other fabric items also help. Perhaps you may opt to switch from vinyl blinds to thick draperies. Cushions and throw pillows also help absorb noise. Why not set up a corner to act as a reading or quiet corner for when your baby grows up and starts crawling? You may also opt to hang canvas mounted on frames on a shared wall, as this can help muffle the noise. An area rug also offers a big help, as do rubber mats. For an area rug, opt for those made of wool instead of cotton, and tufts are preferred over flatter ones. If you can afford wall-to-wall carpeting, that would be even better.
Step 4. If these still won’t work, you might want to consider installing egg trays on the shared walls, though these would require more concealment so as not to destroy the décor of your baby’s room. You might choose to cover up your work with draperies or other decorations, but hopefully you will not even have to resort to these more serious soundproofing items!
A loose doorknob is not only a frustrating thing to deal with every so often, when it spins in your hand instead of opening the door, but it also poses a security hazard. What do you do when an emergency requires you to leave the house immediately, and the door poses a hindrance? Perhaps you have tried to tighten the screws of the doorknob set, and find, to your dismay, that it still becomes loose after a week. This problem usually happens when the set screw has loosened up, failing to give enough pressure on the threaded spindle. This usually comes about when a doorknob is worn out from use. Thankfully there is a way you can fix this kind of problem without needing to replace the entire doorknob set, by using a thread-locker, or a special blue compound that will ease your doorknob issues.
Step 1. First, you will need to remove the doorknob. This is an easy task, as you will simply need to loosen one or perhaps two set screws that are holding it in place against the spindle. From there, unscrew the doorknob from the spindle.
Step 2. As soon as you have removed the doorknob from the spindle, remove the set screws. Be sure to work in a clean work area and carefully set the screws aside.
Step 3. The next step will require you to apply the thread-locker to the set screws. Thread-locker typically comes in two colors, red and blue. The red thread-locker is permanent, while the blue is removable. Interestingly, the two types are typically packaged in the same blue-color packaging, so be sure you get the blue thread locker, as the permanence of the red thread-locker will call for 450 degrees of heat if you ever need to remove it. Purchase the medium strength blue thread-locker; this type may be easily removed using hand tools. To start applying, shake the container first. Then apply it relatively sparingly to the screw threads, keeping the plastic bottle tip from touching the surface of the screws. The compound will cure between the threads and form a one-piece assembly that technically “locks” together.
Step 4. Once you have applied the thread-locker to the set screws, reinstall them, lightly screwing the screws into the doorknob for only a few turns, just enough to get them held in place.
Step 5. Reinstall the doorknob, noting the orientation of the flat surfaces of the spindle, making sure it matches that of the set screws. When you are screwing the knob onto the spindle, stop the screwing motion once the set screw already gets into proper orientation. Fully thread the knob onto the spindle, but be sure to avoid over-tightening the knob. Once your doorknob is back in place, you can continue using it and enjoy knowing that it will never loosen again.
If you want your kitchen to have a different look, perhaps you can consider replacing your kitchen cabinets or installing new ones where there weren’t any in the first place. This is a practical do-it-yourself project that can save you a fortune instead of having your kitchen renovated, and with the availability of affordable cabinets that you can assemble yourself, the possibilities may very well be endless.
Step 1. Find a partner to work with you. While it is possible to install kitchen cabinets yourself, it is easier to work with a partner, because cabinets tend to be heavy. Also, arrange the materials you will be working with such that you can install upper cabinets before the lower ones, as this will give you plenty of legroom to work in.
Step 2. Remove all the doors and drawers in the cabinets to make them easier and lighter to install, being careful to find as well as mark all the studs. Make measurements from the ceiling, making a line on the level where you will be placing the cabinets.
Step 3. Use a level to ensure that the line you are marking it exactly 180 degrees. Screw a ledger board on the line; this will help you keep the upper cabinets straight. Have your partner hold the cabinet steady against the line. Insert two screws into the top and bottom stud on the back of the cabinet to ensure that the cabinet is held securely. If the cabinet falls only across one stud, install a toggle bolt to work as a supplemental fastener.
Step 4. After that, work on the sink cabinet. This is undoubtedly the most difficult cabinet to install. Start off by measuring the plumbing area and marking where the holes must be cut. Make cuts along these marks, and put the cabinet into place. Use a level to make sure the cabinet meets flush with the other cabinets. Clamp them into place.
Step 5. After you set the sink cabinet, you can work on the remaining cabinets. First, make pre-drilled holes along the place where the cabinets will be held together. Insert screws into these holes. Put shims along the stud lines in the spaces between the sink and wall cabinet. Insert drywall screws through the shims along the wall to secure the cabinet to the wall. If there are gaps where the cabinet and the wall meet, just let these be, as these come about from uneven walls. Understand that the gaps work in keeping the front of the cabinets flush with one another, and the countertop will cover these gaps anyway.
Step 6. Once the bottom cabinets are in place and flush, you can proceed with installing the countertops, and your new kitchen is ready for use!
If you happen to have a lot of wooden furniture, you probably love the way they look with the vein of the wood showing through either varnish or oil wood stains. But if you have little kids running around, there is a great possibility that some of your wooden furniture will have to succumb to chipping, whether from accidental bumping with the sharp edges of toys or intentional: kids love acting out what they see, and if your preschooler has ever seen you use a hammer and chisel on something, he will likely imitate you and give you a headache at the looks of your wooden table or other furniture. But relax, all is not lost, as it is quite easy to restore the smooth finish of your wooden furniture:
Step 1. Examine the extent of the damage. You will need to see if the chip is quite minimal or is large enough to require you to find the missing piece. For the latter, it will also help for you to see what kind of damage was done: if it was a child that caused the damage, it is possible that the huge chip might not be found at all.
Step 2. If there is a minimal chipping, head on over to the local hardware store for some wood putty. The directions are usually straightforward; you will need a flat piece to spread it evenly, preferably metal. If the chipped off piece is rather large and you have the piece at hand, use some wood glue to set it back in place, and then apply putty to cover up any gaps. If the chipped off piece is missing, you can opt to find spare pieces of wood to cut into shape into its place, or cover the whole thing with putty.
Step 3. Apply the putty on the chipped are according to directions and also follow the set time for it to dry.
Step 4. Once it is completely dry, use some fine grade sand paper to smoothen off the putty. This will also make it more like a part of the wood.
Step 5. Proceed to treat that portion with the same finishing treatments that the rest of the parts of the furniture have. If the table is painted, it is easiest, as the putty will virtually disappear under the paint. If it is varnished, be sure you buy the same shade of varnish.
Step 6. If the table happens to be oil stained, you will need to consult catalogs to match the color of your table. This is because the tone of oil wood stains go by different names for different brands, so if you are unsure of the shade, be sure to buy only a little amount from the hardware store and test it on a spare piece of wood. However, staining will require several coats, so if you can find an exact match on the catalog to the color of your table, you might well be on your way.
Leaks in hot tubs are not easy to fix especially if you have difficulty locating where it is coming from. Nevertheless, there’s no need for you to call in a professional since it’s very possible for you to get the job done on your own. The things you will need for this project are a pump wet end seal, plumbing tubing, heater assembly manifold, knife and gate valves, jet bodies, wrenches, acrylic spa shell. Prepare all these materials first before starting to work. In the meantime, here’s the step by step guide in fixing a hot tub leak:
Step 1. Check the pump first since it’s one of the most common places that leaks occur. Make sure you turn the power off first before checking the pump. If you can confirm that the problem is coming from the pump, you will need to replace the seal or the pump itself.
Step 2. Check the heater next. Look for problems that may be present in the heater itself, the pressure switch, and the other components. Any parts that may need some fixing should be fixed or replaced immediately.
Step 3. If there is no problem with the pump or the heater, check the union fittings that are located around them. Usually, a hot tub may leak if the fittings become loose. Check the fittings and tighten them by hand if necessary.
Step 4. Another part you might want to check for problems would be the valves. The gasket present in the valve may get damaged and cause leakage. If the problem is with the gasket, you will have to replace as soon as possible.
Step 5. Next, check all the connections, as well as the jets and the pipes. For damaged PVC pipes, the solution is to patch the cracks or holes. On the other hand, loose connections can be sealed or tightened. If the problem is a leaking jet, there’s a huge chance that the gasket needs some replacing.
Step 6. Check the shell as well because even though most shells are made of strong materials such as fiberglass, they can still acquire some damage that causes leaks.
Step 7. After checking all the components and still you can’t seem to find the cause of the leak, then you might want to check other parts of the tub for problems. Sometimes, the leak may be caused by a hole in the tub itself. To find out the location of the hole or the crack, fill the tub with colored water. Mix some dye into the water and observe the tub for leaks. The dye in the water will make it easier for you to locate the problem especially if the leak may result to puddles underneath the tub. Once you confirm that the problem is indeed a hole in the tub itself, then you will have to allow the tub to dry completely and fix it accordingly.
Learning to deal with rot is essential especially if most of your fixtures at home are made out of wood such as frames, sills, and even thresholds. While wood can both be a stylish and a very strong material to be used at home, you can’t deny the fact that it can be exposed to heat and moisture, which gradually causes it to rot. The key to dealing with wood rot is to act on the problem immediately as soon as it is discovered. When left ignored, the damage done to the wood can become serious and leave you with a bigger problem. Wood rot can easily be dealt with, and by following the steps below, there will be no need to call a professional when faced by such situation.
Step 1. When dealing with wood rot, you will need to prepare the following tools and materials: hammer, chisel, reciprocating saw, screwdriver, wood scraper, crowbar, epoxy filler, stain or sealer, sand paper, and replacement wood material.
Step 2. Once you discover that there’s a problem, examine the damage first and evaluate how much work you’re going to need. Wood rot is usually characterized by flaking, splitting, splintering, and discoloration. If these signs are present, you would want to examine the wood and find out how deep the damage the fungus had done by poking the wood with a long metal object such as a screwdriver.
Step 3. Any damaged portion of the wood should be completely removed immediately. If only a small portion has been impacted and you observe that the damage is a minor one, then you will only need to remove those parts. However, if the damage is serious and has been present for a very long time, the best thing you can do is to remove the entire piece whether it’s a door frame, a window frame, or a floorboard. Use a crowbar when prying off wooden frames. Smaller pieces on the other hand can be chiseled out with a hammer and chisel.
Step 4. After removing all the part that has been damaged, you will need to perform some repairs on the rest of the wood that’s left. For instance, if there are small holes on the surrounding wood, you can repair them by filling them up with epoxy fillers. You can also sand down the wood and stain it. If, however, the damage occurred in a large piece of wood such as an entire door or window, you will need to replace the fixture entirely.
Step 5. Once you’ve replaced damaged wooden fixtures with new ones, you will need to make sure that it doesn’t acquire wood rot again. By this, regular maintenance will be required. Generally, wooden fixtures should be stained or sealed annually to prevent fungus from damaging it. It is also ideal to inspect wooden fixtures such as doors, windows, and posts for signs of rot in a regular basis. This way, you will have huge chance of anticipating such problem before it gets worse.
There’s no doubt that fiberglass doors are very strong and durable. However, just like any other material, fiberglass can be exposed to factors that can cause to acquire damages like scratches or cracks. Cracks most especially can make your fiberglass door look unsightly, but fortunately, cracks can be easily repaired with the use of special solutions. When working with fiberglass doors, preparation is important if you are to come up with a smooth finish. It’s actually not too difficult to repair a damaged fiberglass door.
As long as you have the necessary materials needed for the job, you can definitely get the job done yourself. The tool and materials you need for a fiberglass door DIY repair include fiberglass patching fabric, fiberglass mat, resin, grinder, solvent, tape, cutter, and roller. For a step by step guide into repairing damaged fiberglass door, refer below:
Step 1. The first step into repairing fiberglass door is to evaluate the damage. Once the damage needs immediate fixing, you will need to cut the damaged portion out. Use your grinder and cut out the area that has been damaged.
Step 2. After cutting out the damaged glass, clean the hole thoroughly by getting rid of dirt and debris using cleaning solvents. Small particles may prevent the bond from sticking properly when you apply it later on.
Step 3. Next, apply some paste wax around the hole. Once you apply resin to the hole, it will have a tendency to bond with the door’s exterior and create some mess, making your door look ugly. At the same time, screw or tape a waxed backer at the bottom part of the hole to create a stable surface once you begin the patching. See to it that you create a smooth finish so that it matches with the rest of the fiberglass.
Step 4. Get the measurement of the hole and cut a piece of mat and fiberglass fabric based on its size. For best results, use two layers of both the mat and the fabric and layer them up alternately. Four is the ideal number of layers you should use to fill up the hole so make sure you estimate correctly and not lay more than four layers of mat and fabric.
Step 5. Using epoxy resin, secure the fabric and mat inside the hole by patching them up. If possible, use laminating resin since it makes a stronger bond than other types of resin. If you are using a type of epoxy resin that needs a catalyst to harden it, just follow directions provided by the manufacturer. To get rid of bubbles in the resin, run a resin roller on the surface.
Step 6. To finish the job, you will have to remove the wax backer. Check your work for any imperfection and correct them by filling them with gelcoat. You would want the fixed area to be seamless so make sure you sand it down afterwards. Check your work again and perform necessary fixes if needed. Otherwise, your work is complete.
Fiberglass is an excellent material for bathroom tubs. Many homeowners prefer it because of its style and durability. However, fiberglass tubs can also acquire damage over time, and more often than not these damages come in the form of holes. While the job of repairing fiberglass tubs may seem intimidating at first, it can actually be done even without the help of a professional. The materials you will need for the project include a fiberglass fabric, a fiberglass epoxy resin mix, fine grit sandpaper, oxygen bleach, mild detergent, acetone stripper, tongue depressor, and some popsicle sticks. The guide below will help you with the repair step by step:
Step 1. The first step to repairing holes in a fiberglass tub is to evaluate how large the damage is. In large fiberglass holes, fiberglass cloth is often used. However, if you’re dealing with a small or narrow hole, you can simply use epoxy resin.
Step 2. Using a stripping agent, strip the part where the hole exists and sand the area surrounding it using 100-grit sandpaper. Allow the area to dry and remove sanding residue using a brush or a cloth.
Step 3. After stripping and sanding the damaged area, it’s time to apply the fiberglass epoxy resin. Following the instructions in the label, mix the epoxy resin and fill the hole with it using a popsicle stick. See to it that you push the epoxy inside to fill holes completely. After applying the epoxy, wipe the excess with a rug or cloth. Allow the epoxy to dry and sand the area using 200-grit sandpaper.
Step 4. In case you’re dealing with a wide hole, you will have to patch it up. Take the fiberglass fabric and cut it according to how wide the hole in the tub is. Next, apply epoxy resin into the hole but make sure to leave a space for the fiberglass fabric to come in. Insert the fabric next and apply epoxy resin on top of it until the hole is completely covered. Again, get rid of excess epoxy resin by wiping it off with a rug or cloth. Ally the mixture to dry and sand the surface using 200-grit sandpaper. Cut any fabric that may be protruding and cover the hole again with epoxy. Allow to dry and sand the area.
Step 5. Bathroom tubs are usually white in color. If this is the case with your tub, then there’s no need for you to paint the hole to match the color with the tub. Otherwise, you will have to repaint the area you have just repaired to make sure the color of the fixed portion is uniform with the color of the rest of the tub. To get rid of any soap residue, apply wax to the tub before painting it. Once you are done repainting the tub, your tub will be as good as new.
