March 29, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Newsletter?

Latest News
Retaining Wall Design
Deck Cleaning Season
Leveling a Floor
Montrose, CA Meet Up
Austin, TX Meet Up
ATB Survey
Disclaimers & Other Stuff

Latest News

I'm typing this at 38,000 feet as I fly Southwest 897 from New Hampshire to California. I'm starting a 12-day business / pleasure trip that ends up in Austin, TX. Lisa, the humorous blonde flight attendant on this leg of the trip joked about Bearnaise sauce on my fantasy meal that I asked her about. She said it would be exceptionally good today. Three hours into the flight, I'm still making do with a small packet of Lorna Dunes while I wait on the steak and mashed potatoes on this 5.5-hour flight into LAS.

My long-sleeved tie-dye shirt must have set off the TSA profiling this morning. I was pulled from the line and screened for explosives. I passed with flying colors even though hours before I was handling ammo loading a gun. Looks like my pre-dawn shower saved me! Go Dove soap!

Too bad I don't use an iPhone any longer. If I did, I could really use the new California Essential Guide application. It's a handy travel app loaded with video content created by a subscriber to this newsletter, Veronica Hill. Veronica used to edit and publish my weekly column when she was the Features Editor of the Victor Valley Daily Press.

Veronica has transitioned from the newspaper industry to the Internet. She's become the go-to authority on California travel. If you plan to come to the Golden State to see the sights, don't do it without her new app. Hurry Veronica, make a version for my Android phone!

Retaining Wall Design

Is a retaining wall job in your near future? My retaining walls up in New Hampshire are starting to peek out from behind the snow. Remember that gravity wants to tip them over. What's more the taller the wall, the tipping force grows exponentially. Consider leaning the wall back to account for this. We call that batter.

If you're building the wall from just stacked stone, the taller the wall the larger the stones you need to use to make the wall last longer than you. Be sure to bury the first course of the wall into the soil about one-third the height of the first row.

I've got many more tips for you about retaining wall construction at my website. Take some time and read the past columns there.

Deck Cleaning Season is Here

On Sunday, Kathy and I had to drive our youngest daughter back to URI as spring break was over. It didn't seem like spring as we pulled up the driveway past piles of snow still 4-feet high.

But think about it. In just 9 weeks or so, the boats will be zipping up and down the lakes up here and everywhere for the official start to the summer - Memorial Day weekend!

If you're going to clean your deck to seal it, you surely want to consider doing it with my Stain Solver oxygen bleach. It's not toxic like chlorine bleach. It's safe for all your plants and landscaping. It won't turn the wood white like chlorine.

Here's the BEST part. We've switched to all-new packaging, sizes and pricing but I still have a few of the older, less-expensive size of Stain Solver at my AsktheBuilder.com shopping cart.

To clear those out of the warehouse, I'm having a honest-to-goodness clearance sale. If you want Stain Solver for just about the lowest price you'll ever see again, now is the time to buy it.

The quantities of each size are limited. When they sell out, you'll see the new size on the page with the higher price. There's no need for a promo code as I've already discounted them 20 percent.  Go NOW and get the last of the old containers at this amazing price.

Note: This sale is only at the AsktheBuilder.com store. If you go to www.StainSolver.com, you'll not see the special pricing. You can go to the Stain Solver website to learn all the cool stuff about it, but use this link to get the special pricing.

Leveling a Floor

Gail and John visited me yesterday to look at my refrigerator I had listed on Craigslist. Once they discovered who I was, they had a question about a basement remodel job.

The previous homeowner installed a plywood floor on flat 2x4 sleepers that he didn't shim. The floor had more humps and dips than an old country road.

John was about to tear up the flooring to start over. I suggest an alternative. What about two quick coats of water-based urethane over the plywood and then mixing up some self-leveling floor compound? The urethane prevents water from entering the plywood that could cause it to swell and buckle.

They loved the idea. See what happens when you come visit me face to face? You get personal service to your home-improvement problems!

The Montrose, CA Meet Up

I may be meeting you for the first time in person in on Wednesday, March 30th! I've already got quite a few RSVPs for the informal meet up at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in the center of downtown Montrose, CA at 1:00 pm.

It's located at the corner of Ocean View Boulevard and Honolulu Avenue. Some moms are bringing their sons, so there's no excuse for you not to be there other than work, distance or health reasons. My buddy Don Vandervort said he'd show up so if you have any home-improvement question, we'll be able to help you.

The Austin, TX Meet Up

On April 6th at Noon, I'll be doing another meet up. This one will be in downtown Austin, TX within walking distance of the Hyatt hotel. I'll decide where it will be in a few days and send that out. Did I say how much fun the meet ups are? I'll post a photo of the Montrose one the AsktheBuilder Facebook fan page.

Here's what you missed in the last few days by NOT being an AsktheBuilder fan on Facebook:

We did another guessing game about a unique metal bar I took a photo of. I helped Kelly determine how fast to jack up here sinking home. Elice had a mystery clunking noise in her sump pump. We solved that together. Kristin had a wallpaper question about her new post and beam home. And much, much more!

ATB Survey

Several days ago, I asked for your help. I'm doing a massive make over of the AsktheBuilder website. I'm not removing any of the content, but I'm interested in what you want MORE and LESS of.

The early results are absolutely unbelievable. You may have taken the time to share some real gems that will really help make the website better.

To put it mildly, the survey results are highly stratified. One thing's for sure, and this is nothing new, it's impossible to satisfy everyone.

I did want to share one quick fact with you. A few people commented on the unanswered questions in the Comments section below each column. Years ago I started to answer questions there and had to stop because it was taking hours and hours of time each day.

There is now so much traffic to the website that I could spend 24 hours a day and never get a lick of work done. That's why I put the announcement pointing you to the Ask Tim page if you have a question.

A member of my staff spends all day dealing with these questions and passes off the ones she can't answer to me. We at AsktheBuilder.com appreciate your patience when you use this free service.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do it Right, Not Over!

Disclaimers and Other Stuff

I do product reviews frequently. Please read my Disclosure Policy to understand the relationship between me and the companies that make the products or offer the services I review.

PERIODIC OFFERS: This is a free newsletter filled with thousands of dollars of advice for your use and pleasure. From time to time I do offer you some of my products to help offset the time and resources I put into this newsletter. I hope that you consider this when you see me make you an offer.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

Friendly Question Reminder!

If you have a question for me, don't hit the Reply button just yet. Go immediately to my web site and type in the keywords about your problem into my Search engine. The search box is at the top of every page of my web site. You could have your answer in seconds if you do this! Please pay attention to all links you see at my web site. The exact products and services you often need are right in front of you, and you might be ignoring them.

AsktheBuilder.com
100 Swain Rd
Meredith, NH 03253, USA

Fireplace Repair Options

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I have an old rock fireplace that I hate. The built-in heat-a-lator has also stopped working. I want to change the rock face to one that’s wood. I have some extensive woodworking experience, so is it possible to make these fireplace repairs myself? Can I build a wood frame over the rock and disconnect the gas log lighter that’s in the firebox? Suzanne H., Richmond, VA

DEAR SUZANNE: This fireplace restoration is an enormous job. I always say that anything is possible if you have enough resources, which sometimes includes lots of money. This job, however, needs abundant skill, time and a deep knowledge of the building code.

The homeowner wants to transform the rock face into wood. It’s a daunting task fraught with problems. PHOTO CREDIT: Suzanne Hofer

The homeowner wants to transform the rock face into wood. It’s a daunting task fraught with problems. PHOTO CREDIT: Suzanne Hofer

The quick answer is that it’s possible to do what you want. You can transform the exterior look of the fireplace. But I’d caution you about removing the gas log lighter. A future homeowner may want this convenience.

If you’ve ever seen how many masonry fireplaces are constructed, you’d immediately think of the way cars were built before the advent of unibody construction. Cars used to be built like trucks are today. There was a chassis or frame and the body skin of door panels, fenders, quarter panels, etc. all were bolted to one another then to the frame.

Fireplaces are somewhat like this. Modern masonry fireplaces often have a concrete block center core that contains the clay flue liners and the firebox made with high-temperature fire brick. The outer skin you see can be rock, brick, wood, plaster, drywall, etc. These materials are attached to the concrete-block center core.

Your challenge is to see what’s easier assuming you have a masonry fireplace that constructed with a block core: Remove the rock facing or build a code-approved wood frame out beyond the rock.

If you decide to attach your finished wood to a wood frame that’s attached to the rock, be aware the thickness of the wood frame and finished wood skin may cause the firebox starts to get deeply recessed into the overall fireplace. There could be an aesthetic dimension here that needs to be addressed. It could also be a building code issue.

Before you do one thing, you need to visit your local building department and get a copy of the current building code. Take photos with you and meet with the building inspector or the head of the building department. Remember, these are public employees and are our servants. It’s their job to assist you and answer your questions.

You want to be crystal clear on all the clearances that are mandated in the code with respect to the proximity of combustible materials to the firebox. Don’t leave this meeting unless you completely understand what the minimum requirements are. Make drawings there and have the building inspector sign them or otherwise approve your understanding.

You’ll discover quickly that the code talks about horizontal and vertical distances to things that burn. It also may have a section that talks about maximum overhang of combustible materials.

Once you have a firm understanding of these code requirements, take the time to draw a simple scale plan of what you’re allowed to do. See if is going to look right. You want to make sure you also do a side elevation as if you’re looking at the fireplace sideways. This will be on a scale that measures perhaps 1 inch equals 1 foot. You only need to draw from the hearth up to about 3 feet above the mantel. This will give you a good idea of the mass of the new exterior skin.

As for the heat-a-lator, you’ll have to determine if the fans are bad or if it’s some other electrical problem. If there are no fans and it’s just a gravity air convection system, perhaps you can determine why there is no or little airflow as you take apart the fireplace. It could have been poorly designed from the get go, and there may be little hope of making it work without a massive reconstruction effort.

You’ll have to incorporate a new stone material that surrounds the firebox and transforms to the wood. You may choose to use a natural stone like marble or granite for this. You can also use ceramic tile. We had one fireplace at our last home that had a green serpentine marble surround that complimented the walnut wood surround. Our living room fireplace had a traditional decorative ceramic tile facade just outside of the firebox.

All of these treatments usually need perfectly smooth surfaces to bond the tile or the stone to the fireplace core. You’ll have to engineer all of this into your plan before you start the job. This may require you to tear off all the stone to get to the central core of the fireplace. Be prepared to punt frequently as you’re entering unknown territory.

If you decide to build a frame on top of the rock, I’d strongly consider using lightweight steel studs. These don’t burn. If you need to add lumber to make nailing or screwing your finished wood to the frame easier, be sure to used fire-rated lumber that’s cut to fit into the steel stud channels. You can often find commercial-grade fire-rated lumber at specialty lumber yards. It’s been chemically treated so it doesn’t support flame except under the most fierce fire conditions.

You want to do everything possible to ensure an ember that could somehow get behind the finished wood doesn’t set the frame on fire as you leave the room unattended. Steel is your best bet.

Column 877

Home Dust Control Systems

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: Can cellulose insulation in our attic cause dust in your house? The insulation was put in about 40 years ago. Our house is so dusty I can’t keep up with it. If it’s not the insulation, what else is the cause and what can I do to minimize it. How can I figure out what is really the problem? Too much of my time is spent getting rid of the dust! Linda B., Colorado Springs, CO

DEAR LINDA: You’re not alone in the war against dust. It affects just about everyone I know of, except those who work in labs and factories where dust can seriously affect the outcome of tests or the manufacturing of certain items. The Center for Disease Control, electronics factories, etc. all come to mind.

Look at the dust on this small table. This happened because of remodeling in the house. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Look at the dust on this small table. This happened because of remodeling in the house. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

I’m sure you’ve seen commercials or shows on television where the workers wear special coveralls, masks, even hooded suits to eliminate contamination. One can only imagine the massive multi-stage air filtration equipment that’s capturing all the dust around them.

You may have it bad where you live, but I feel there are others who suffer even more. Last spring I was on a road trip out West and got to finally visit the famous Monument Valley with the amazing rock formations. The hotel we stayed in was in the middle of the desert on a small butte.

As I was walking to dinner that night I looked down at the floor at an emergency exit to see a orangish-brown cone of dust where the bottom of the door closed against the jamb and threshold. I then looked at the corners of the windows in the hallway and saw the same thing, actually there were miniature dust dunes at these locations. This micro dust from the outdoors was finding tiny gaps in the weatherstripping and getting inside.

You and I and everyone else who owns a home or business fights the dust war each day. It’s huge business. I’m sure you’ve seen dust-control sprays, mops, and other tools that arm you in this battle. What a business to be in as dust is just not going away.

It’s absolutely possible that some of the dust from the cellulose is making it down from your attic through similar air leaks between your living space and the attic. There can be drafts of air that leak around holes drilled in your wall framing that were used by plumbers and electricians to get pipes and wires into your attic. These may never have been sealed.

But I suspect there are many other sources of the dust in your home. The list is endless. Let’s start with the things inside your home. Your clothes (especially lint from dryers), carpets, food, paper products, cardboard boxes, upholstery of any kind, concrete, etc. all can produce dust. Think of what happens when you use flour to bake.

If you really want to see dust in all it’s glory, use a flash light in a totally dark room. It works best with some of these bright LED flashlights that produce a narrow beam. Turn one on in a dark room and look at the dust that’s swirling about.

Now add to that all of the airborne dust that’s outdoors trying to invade your home. There’s dust from pollen, rock dust, fibers from trees and other vegetation, etc.

To determine what is causing the dust, use a 10X or higher-powered magnifying glass to inspect the dust. I prefer to capture the dust with a piece of clear tape that’s got a mild adhesive on it. Apply the tape to a dusty surface and peel it away immediately. Using good light, look through the magnifying glass at the dust. You’ll be shocked at how distinct some of the particles are. You’ll be able to clearly distinguish between clothes fibers, pollen, food dust, rock or dirt dust, dander, etc.

The best way to control dust in your home is to use a central vacuum to clean. But it’s mission critical that it exhausts outdoors. You want any ultra-fine dust that makes it past the bag or canister to get outdoors.

If you don’t have a central vacuum, then you must use a regular hand-held vacuum that has a top-quality bag that only passes the tiniest of dust particles through the bag. Just the motion of running the vacuum creates a dust storm, so it’s tough to get it all with the machine.

To prove this, operate a vacuum over your carpet in the dark while a friend holds the flashlight near the machine as you use it. You’ll think it’s snowing inside your home, because you running the machine over the floor disturbs the dust and the air passing through the bag swirls this dust into the room. This is why I prefer to use a central vacuum as it doesn’t discharge air into the room as you work.

Check all the weatherstripping on your doors and windows to ensure hardly any outside dust is getting in your home. Inspect for other air leaks. Be sure you always clean the lint filter on your clothes dryer. Realize that it’s a never-ending battle.

If you have a forced-air heating or cooling system, be sure you have excellent air filters and change them regularly. Some of the newer pleated paper filters do a magnificent job of capturing dust.

Here is an email that I received from Kuba Ober about how she handled her dust problem.

"Tim, here's a dusty first-hand anecdote. We bought our 30 year old house a year and a half ago. After moving in, there was plenty of dust settling on everything for 2-3 months. We then replaced the cheap "one per month" HVAC air filters left by the previous owner with highest grade 3M filter one could get. The first replacement was almost clogged after 3 weeks, the second one lasted 3 months, and from there on: smooth sailing with filter changes every 6 months. It looks like there was simply a dust in the ducts that was being blown around and not removed by the cheap filters. As far as I'm concerned, the cheap air filters should be taken off the market, because people don't know any better and keep breathing in the dust. Cheers, Kuba Ober"

Column 876

March 25, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Newsletter?

Meet Me in LA
Cordless Circular Saw
Making AsktheBuilder.com Better

Last-Minute Meet Up in LA!

This is NOT a normal newsletter in case you signed up in the past 72 hours.

I needed to do a quick announcement about an upcoming trip and meet up. A meet up is a chance for you and I to just kick back and get to know one another. They're free, fun and all it costs you is your time.

I'll be in Los Angeles next Wednesday. Yesterday on my AsktheBuilder Facebook Fan Page, I announced a meet up in the foothills just northwest of Pasadena.

http://www.facebook.com/AsktheBuilder

Next Wednesday, March 30th, I'll be in Montrose, CA at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf store at the intersection of Ocean View and Honolulu Avenues right in the heart of downtown Montrose, CA. Let's shoot for 1:00 pm. If you don't want coffee, there's a great ice cream store around the corner we can walk to.

I'm trying to get a friendly competitor of mine, Don Vandervort, to be there as well. If I can pull him out of his office just down the street, you'll have two home-improvement experts in the room. What a deal!

You can come to just relax and chat or bring photos of a project you need help with.

Please email me back and tell me if you're coming. If too many respond, we may have to move to another venue that can handle everyone.

Great Cordless Circular Saw

I just wanted to mention that over the past month, I've been using my Milwaukee Cordless Circular Saw during my kitchen remodel job. It's a fantastic saw and cuts very accurately. What I love about it is how it has virtually no vibration.

I've decided to start a new series of videos on how I use tools. I figured these may help you in case you struggle to use certain tools or want to get professional results. You can bet you'll see this saw of mine in a few videos!

How Can AsktheBuilder.com Be Better?

It's time for an extreme makeover of the AsktheBuilder website. I want and NEED your help. After all, the website's a tool that you use and it should be comfortable, helpful and easy to navigate.

So tell me, if you could wave a magic wand and AsktheBuilder.com was yours, what would you do to make it a perfect website?

I've created a survey page that allows you to respond to questions and add comments.

The BEST part is I have a gift  for you. Complete the survey and you get a 15% discount promo code for ANYTHING at my store. The promo code only can be used once and it expires in a week. (Ending date: April 1, 2011) Use it on as many things as you want, but you need to buy them now.

Oh, reminder! If you use the promo code to get Stain Solver, note that the OLD sizes are in LIMITED supply. If you see an out-of-stock message, it just means that you'll never see that size again.

For example, one of our most popular sizes the 8-pounder - well, there are LESS than 200 of those left. I expect them to be gone forever in just days. If you want one of those, you better act now.

I'll have another short newsletter next week while I'm on the road! I may do another meet up in Austin, TX the first week of April. Anyone up for that?

Thanks for subscribing and reading my newsletter!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Do it Right, Not Over

ATB Change

Posted on by Tim Carter

Thanks for clicking on my Newsletter link. Below is the coupon code to receive your 15% discount at my Ask the Builder store.

This discount is good on any and all products in the store. The catch is you can only use it on one order and it expires April 1, 2011.

The coupon code will give you 15% each item on the order. So you can order as many items as you want and receive the discount off all of them.

During checkout, just enter the coupon code: ATBChange15

Click to go to the Ask the Builder store.

One other tip, if an account is set up in the store and you receive an email with your password, don't copy and paste it in the store log in. For some reason, the copy and pasting adds a space at the end of the password. This stops it from working. Type in the password and things will work just fine.

Thanks.

March 23, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

Whats in This Newletter?

Latest News
Testing Irwin Tools
AsktheBuilder On Facebook
Custom Wood-Stain Colors
Step-by-Step Photo Guides
Latest Columns & Videos

Remember, Do it Right, Not Over!

I do product reviews frequently. Please read my Disclosure Policy to understand the relationship between me and the companies that make the products or offer the services I review.

PERIODIC OFFERS: This is a free newsletter filled with thousands of dollars of advice for your use and pleasure. From time to time I do offer you some of my products to help offset the time and resources I put into this newsletter. I hope that you consider this when you see me make you an offer.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

Friendly Question Reminder!

If you have a question for me, don't hit the Reply button just yet. Go immediately to my web site and type in the keywords about your problem into my Search engine. The search box is at the top of every page of my web site. You could have your answer in seconds if you do this! Please pay attention to all links you see at my web site. The exact products and services you often need are right in front of you, and you might be ignoring them.

Latest News

It feels like a Tuesday to me because Monday felt like a Sunday. Why? I was traveling back from an IRWIN Tools Editors Conference all day Monday. There aren't many flight choices from Tri-Cities airport in Tennessee so I was traveling much of the day. I ended the day doing doughnuts on icy I-93 in a heavy snowstorm. Good thing everyone was 1/4-mile behind me so we wouldn't play bumper cars.

It was a busy weekend that centered around the Bristol Motor Speedway. I'd never been to a NASCAR race and from what I've now discovered, going to Thunder Valley to this Cathedral of Speed is one great place to experience a race. The noise was deafening. I've been told a ticket to BMS is one of the most sought-after tickets in NASCAR.

By Monday, my brain was mush. I was tired from the action-packed weekend. I had to endure a grueling 3-hour layover in Detroit with two other editors that were headed back to New Hampshire with me. The last flight home was in a Delta Sardine Tube. Fred Purifoy II was our flight attendant and he totally scammed me in a good way.

His fantastic wit and sense of humor totally caught me off guard as we were pushing back from the gate. With pencil in hand and writing on a piece of official paper that looked like a checklist, he quietly and seriously asked the aisle passengers if they would prefer lobster or steak. Not paying attention to what he was doing, I did a double take when he addressed me. It was the last thing I expected him to ask me. Keep up that humor Fred, we need MORE flight attendants like you!

Testing IRWIN Tools

Irwin Tools logoOn Saturday, part of the conference was a hands-on demonstration of some of the IRWIN tools. I really enjoy these events where you get to test the tools in real life.

One of the things I played with was the cobalt uni-bit. This is a must-have drill bit if you find yourself needing to drill perfect holes in thin metal. The advantage of the uni-bit is that this Irwin Unibitone simple bit, shaped like an ice-cream cone, allows you to drill the pilot hole and the exact-sized hole without ever changing the bit! This bit has been around for a while, but not many know about it.

http://go.askthebuilder.com/IrwinUnibit

That's an affiliate link. If you decide to buy that bit, I get a very small commission from Amazon.

Irwin Saw BladeThey also demonstrated a carbide circular saw blade that could cut through nail after nail after nail without hardly dulling at all. They did a side-by-side comparison with a competitor's blade and it couldn't cut as many nails and practically burned up the saw it got so dull.

http://go.askthebuilder.com/IrwinSawBlade

That's another affiliate link. If you decide to buy that blade, I get a very small commission from Amazon.

I'll be producing some videos in April of many of the tools I saw and used. I really believe you'll like the videos and the tools!

AsktheBuilder on Facebook

AsktheBuilder on FacebookHave you become a fan of my AsktheBuilder Facebook page yet? It's so simple. All you have to do is click the Like button once there.

http://www.facebook.com/AsktheBuilder

Here's what you missed this past week by not being a fan. Remember, you get alerts on your Facebook page when something's going on at my fan page.

I helped Kimberley make the right choice about vinyl siding on her new home.

Betsy got some advice from me on how to fix a tile counter top issue.

I tried to help Izak with his water-heater pilot light that keeps going out.

Many people guessed correctly what the thing was in the photo I uploaded. We play that game each week.

You should seriously consider joining us for all the updates and fun at my fan page.

Custom Wood-Stain Colors

Marie from Oak Harbor, WA emailed me asking:

"Can two different paint stains be mixed together to make desired stain? I am trying to match a cabinet door to remodel my unfinished doors. I have watched your wood conditioner video. I took the cabinet to a paint store. He can't seem to match the color of the door."

Marie, you bet you can mix two colors together. What's more, if you still don't get it right, it's possible to add pigments or colors to the urethane or varnish that you use over the wood.

I had to do that once where the wood trim in the house we were working on had a slight reddish-brown color. We got really close, but the new trim needed just a touch of red. I added some red pigment to the urethane and nailed the color perfectly. We then put on two clear coats over the wood and you'd never know that our trim wasn't installed 90 years ago. Good luck on your project!

Step-by-Step Photo Guides

Last week, you told me what step-by-step color photo guides you need with respect to plumbing. Now I'm opening it up to all topics.

What do you struggle with? If you could wave a magic wand and there in front of you were step-by-step photos of a small project, what would it be? You can enter what you want in the survey below.

This survey is now closed. While on this subject, would you help me by taking a quick three-question survey about how you might view and use one of my eGuides? Please go here for the survey:  Tablet Use

Today and tomorrow, I'm creating three of these color photo guides. These are pretty specific, but they will help some. One is showing you how to cut a precise hole in a kitchen island cabinet for an electrical box. You can't afford to make a mistake and ruin the cabinet. The other two will show how to attach the decorative panels on integrated refrigerators and freezers.

Latest Columns and Videos

Gun Safe
https://www.askthebuilder.com/gun-safe/

Frozen Pipes
https://www.askthebuilder.com/frozen-pipes/

Low Water Pressure
https://www.askthebuilder.com/low-water-pressure/

Discount Ceramic Tile
https://www.askthebuilder.com/discount-ceramic-tile/

Concrete Control Joint Video
https://www.askthebuilder.com/control-joint-video/

Christmas Tree Fire Video
https://www.askthebuilder.com/christmas-tree-fire-video/

Ice Dam Video
https://www.askthebuilder.com/ice-dam-video/

AsktheBuilder.com
100 Swain Rd.
Meredith, NH 03253, USA

Apron Sink Video Part 1

Posted on by Tim Carter

Hi, I'm Tim Carter and guess what? I want to show you a neat cardboard box and lets discover what is in it. What might be in the box?

Inside the box is an apron sink or a farm house sink. This particular one is a double bowl sink. It has two different size bowls. This also has great detail on the face of the front apron.

This particular sink is made of virtuous china, which is a glazed clay that is fired in a kiln. This creates a very hard material.

In another video, I will show the installation of this sink. It is a complex installation when installing an apron or farm house sink.

Cabinet Pulls

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: We just installed new kitchen cabinets in our home and now my wife wants handles on them if you can believe that. To make matters worse, she selected D-type handles that require me to carefully drill the holes for the screws. There is little margin for error. The cabinet doors and drawers have a face frame that's about 2 and 1/4-inches wide. What secrets can you share so that I don't goof up installing the cabinet pulls? I'm not really that great when it comes to measuring and I can't afford a mistake. Help me Tim, you're my only hope. Rusty W., Montrose, CA

DEAR RUSTY: Kitchen cabinet handles are fairly functional when you think about it. I know that you can open and close drawers and cabinet doors without them, but it's really best that you satisfy your wife's wishes.

See how the custom jig fits over the face frame. If you do everything right, the result can be seen on the pull-out drawer just below where the D-handle pull is installed perfectly. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

See how the custom jig fits over the face frame. If you do everything right, the result can be seen on the pull-out drawer just below where the D-handle pull is installed perfectly. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

The slender D-handle pulls can be a challenge to work with if you've got little experience. I agree that there is little room for error. That's why I take the time at the beginning of a job like this and make my own custom jig. You can buy stock plastic jigs and templates, but they don't always have the holes in the locations for my liking.

The way I make my jig takes very little time. For standard D-handle cabinet pulls, I cut a piece of thin 1/4-inch plywood about 6-inches wide. The height of the plywood can be 3 to 4 inches. At the top edge of this piece of plywood I glue a 6-inch-long piece of 3/4 by 3/4 piece of wood making sure the top edge of the plywood is perfectly aligned with the strip of wood. This block of wood will rest on the top of the drawers or on the edge of the doors so that the plywood laps over onto the frames.

Now you have to hunker down and measure correctly. You need to ensure the face frame of the drawers and doors is exactly 2 and 1/4 inches. If it is, take a very sharp pencil and make a line that's parallel with the long edge of the plywood. Measuring from the 3/4 by 3/4 block down the plywood, you want to make this line 1 and 7/8 inches. That's the sum of 3/4 inch and 1 and 1/8 inch. The 1 and 1/8-inch measurement is half the width of your face frames.

Lay your jig on a flat surface so that the wood block hangs over the edge of the surface and the small plywood is flat. Look at your D-handle pulls. See if the screw hole isn't centered in each leg of the pull. I'm sure it is.

Place the pull on the piece of plywood as if the plywood is a cabinet front. Center the pull on the plywood as best you can and slide the edges of the pull so they just touch the pencil line you drew.

Now mark carefully the center of each leg of the pull on the pencil line. Extend this line to make a small cross on the long pencil line. Use a small 1/16th-inch drill bit and drill a pilot hole through the plywood precisely at the two cross points. Then enlarge the hole using a bit that's just a tad larger in diameter than the diameter of the screws that will be used to fasten the pulls to the cabinets. Put the screws through the holes in the plywood and see if they don't fit the D-handle perfectly. If they do, it's time to do a test.

Cut a piece of 3/4 inch plywood or stock lumber so that it's about a foot long and 2 and 1/4-inches wide. This is going to be a test piece. Slide your new jig onto the piece of lumber and use your tape measure to center it. You don't have to do fancy math. All you need to do is make sure from each end of the strip of wood the distance to the center of each hole is the same.

For example, imagine you put your jig on the strip of wood and it measures 4 inches from the left side of the strip to the center of the left hole in the jig. Holding the jig securely so it doesn't move you measure from the right side and it's 6 inches to the center of the right hole in the jig. To center the jig on your test face frame, you need to slide the jig to the right 1 inch.

When you do this and have precisely measured, you should discover that the distance from each edge to that side of the hole in the jig will be 5 inches. Just take your time and measure accurately. Once you get the jig in position, take your sharp pencil and make two tiny circles inside the holes in the jig. Drill these holes and then install a D-handle pull on this scrap piece of lumber. If all the measurements were correct, it should be centered top to bottom and left to right and it should look perfect when you tighten the screws.

It's highly advisable to use a drill that has a level built into the top of the drill. This handy feature allows you to drill level holes into the cabinet drawers and doors. Always use sharp drill bits and drill the first hole from the front of the cabinet. If you drill from the back to the front, you can create ugly splinters when the drill bit blasts through the finished material.

Brad point drill bits are excellent for this work as the small point centers the bit on the wood so the bit doesn't walk around as you start the hole. Finish carpentry like this requires precision often measured in 64ths of an inch. So take your time and do it right, not over.

Column 875

March 15, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Newsletter?

Latest News
A Wet Lot
Irwin Tools World Championship
Removing Cabinet Doors
Plumbing eGuides
Using Bleach Outdoors

I do product reviews frequently. Please read my Disclosure Policy to understand the relationship that I have between the companies that make the products or offer the services I review.

PERIODIC OFFERS: This is a free newsletter filled with thousands of dollars of advice for your use and pleasure. From time to time, I do offer you some of my products to help offset the time and resources I put into this newsletter. I hope that you consider this when you see me make you an offer.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

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If you have a question for me, don't hit the Reply button just yet. Go immediately to my web site and type in the keywords about your problem into my Search engine. The search box is at the top of every page of my web site. You could have your answer in seconds if you do this! Please pay attention to all links you see at my web site. The exact products and services you often need are right in front of you, and you might be ignoring them.

Latest News

Facebook - AsktheBuilderSeveral weeks ago, I launched an AsktheBuilder fan page on Facebook. Friends of mine had been pestering me to do this for well over a year, but the move from Ohio to New Hampshire stretched my time and resources way too thin.

http://www.facebook.com/askthebuilder

All I can say is that I'm blown away by the engagement at Facebook. Here's why. I'm having a blast uploading photos of building and remodeling things and having you answer questions about the photo. If you're one who's taking the small amount of time to do this, it sure seems like you're enjoying it.

door hinge with stopper

What is on the Door?

Here's an example. Yesterday, I uploaded a photo of a door hinge. Within 3 minutes of uploading the photo, possibly just two minutes, I had THREE responses. Keep in mind that each of those who responded had to view the photo, study it and then type a response. Then there was the slight lag in the email that Facebook sends me telling me someone commented!

The point is, if you're not using Facebook, you might be making a mistake. I'm devoting more time to it because it seems to be a good idea. If you're not an AsktheBuilder fan, I ask you now to go there and click the Like button. Join in the fun!

http://www.facebook.com/askthebuilder

A Wet Lot

Springtime brings soggy ground, leaking basements and lots of other *avoidable* problems. Here's an email I got just hours ago. Kathy Hamilton of Independence, MO wrote to me:

"My husband and I bought some land a couple of years ago and are planning to build a home with mother-in-law quarters in the full finished basement. My concern is that this piece of property is always damp and even has standing water sometimes in spring and summer. I am scared this is going to cause water problems if we build.

I know about the french drain system, but does is need to go as deep as the bottom of the basement? How do we keep the yard from having standing water? Should we reconsider and try and sell the land? Should I get a specialist out to see the land and give us his expert opinion? We have a paid off home and do not want to build a new home and sell our old one to be stuck in a moldy, wet BIG financial mistake!

Thanks, Kathy"

French DrainKathy, you need to read every column in my Drainage category.

What you'll discover when you read several of the articles, especially the ones about Linear French Drains, is that you can often transform a soggy lot into a dry one. The more fall you have across the lot, the better your results will be.

If the land slopes enough to where there is a spot on your lot LOWER than the footer for your basement foundation, you'll NEVER have a wet lot or wet basement if you follow all the advice in my Drainage articles and if you read all of my Foundation articles.

IRWIN Tools World Championship

Irwin ToolsThis coming weekend, I'll be in Bristol, TN, attending a massive IRWIN Tools media event. The schedule is full and we'll be on the go for two solid days. I'll get to witness the person who's going to be crowned World Champion of the IRWIN Tools Ultimate Tradesman Challenge at 10 am ET on Sunday. I'll be shooting a video of it and uploading it moments after it happens at my AsktheBuilder YouTube channel.

We'll also be seeing what's new with IRWIN Tools on Saturday. I'll have an opportunity to ask about different things if you want me to. Here's what I suggest. Go here and browse the IRWIN Tool line.

Let me know if you have a question that I can put to the top tool folks at IRWIN this weekend. What new tool do you want to see? What tool questions do you have?

Removing Cabinet Doors

Let's say you need to remove a kitchen or bath cabinet door. Usually this is accomplished by unscrewing one side of the hinges. If you do this wrong, you can ruin the door, hinge or both.

I've found it's always best to start at the bottom and work to the top removing the top hinge last. If you do it the other way and are not paying attention, the door can tilt so much that it rotates and bends the hinge or cracks the door. Have a helper hold large doors as you work on them.

Plumbing eGuides

I always have projects of one sort or another on the table. But recently a string of requests, one may have been from you, has caused me to create a quick survey I need you to take.

Fixing A Stripped Wood Screw Hole eGuideIt seems that you, and others, want some great, simple and affordable ($2) step-by-step photo guides. Right? That's what you're telling me. If I'm wrong, let me know. These eGuides are Instant Download and you can open them on your computer, smartphone,  iPad or other tablet and have right with you where you're working. Here's the first one I did back about seven weeks ago:

http://shop.askthebuilder.com/products/Fixing-a-Stripped-Wood-Screw-Hole-eGuide.html

I intend to spend the entire spring and summer creating many of these. All facets of building and remodeling will be covered, but right now, let's deal with plumbing.

Hiring a plumber is really expensive. I know, because for years I've been a licensed master plumber. Why pay a plumber $75 or even $90 an hour when you can possibly do the job yourself? If you get in trouble, then call in the cavalry. Just be aware of the location of your main water shut-off valve and that it works.

Please help me. Take this quick survey and tell me, assuming you could wave a magic wand, what eGuides are of most interest to you. I plan to start on them in April. (This survey is now closed.)

Using Bleach Outdoors

I get home-improvement newsletters just like this one. One of them is from a very famous TV home-improvement celebrity. I was SHOCKED to see this in his latest email to me:

"When the weather warms up, it's time to remove that layer of mold or mildew on the outside of your home. In order to get rid of it, you have to kill it and remove the spores. On nonporous surfaces – like vinyl siding – a solution of bleach, detergent, and water will work."

ACKKKKKKK! This is really bad advice. Chlorine bleach is TOXIC to all vegetation around your home. You may have spent thousands of dollars on expensive landscaping and this person is telling you to poison it.

The safe and ORGANIC bleach to use is Oxygen Bleach. It's totally non-toxic to vegetation. In fact, it helps plants because it pumps oxygen into the soil as it soaks in. It does a superb job of cleaning mold from surfaces.

If you're planning to clean off your siding or your deck, I'll be having a MONSTER Stain Solver sale in about three weeks. Did you see the new Stain Solver website? Have you signed up for that SPECIAL newsletter?

AsktheBuilder.com
100 Swain Rd.
Meredith, NH 03253, USA

March 13, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

As I write this, the annual checklist sale of mine is about to end in just a little over twelve hours. Yes, midnight tonight, Sunday, March 13, 2011, Eastern Time, it's over. With the time change last night, that's an hour sooner than when I first announced the sale.

I'm pretty certain, with inflation starting to heat up, this may be the last time you'll see the checklists ever priced like they are now.

What's a checklist? I've been asked that thousands of times. Well, when you go to hire a contractor to do a job, how in the world are you SURE he's going to do it right? Wouldn't you LOVE to have a list - a checklist - of questions to ask him to make sure you're not going to get ripped off?

Don't you want to get the job done on time and within the bid price? That's exactly what my checklists offer! It's a road map to get your job done RIGHT, at the RIGHT price and RIGHT on time!

You can buy individual checklists now for only $5 each. But the BEST deal is if you get all of them at once. That way you have them when you need them. You can get them all for just $79.

But the sale ENDS at midnight tonight. (Note: Sale ended March 14, 2011.)

This may be your Last Chance ever to get all of them for just $79.

Here's the special link to get ALL of them for the $79 price:

Oh, I FORGOT to mention this last Wednesday when the sale was announced:

All my checklists come with a Money-Back GUARANTEE.

If you feel they'll not help you find a pro or get your job done better than you would have without it, I'll give you your money back. NO HASSLES.

Oh, and guess what? At midnight tonight when the checklist sale ends you know what's going to happen? You'll never guess.

The NEW Stain Solver begins!!! Wait till you see that at midnight tonight!!!

If you go to the Stain Solver website now, you'll just see the same old. In fact, you SHOULD go there now to see what the transition will be.

Then either stay up or go back tomorrow to see the NEW Stain Solver.

I'll have huge news on Tuesday all about Stain Solver. I've been working on this transition for a year. I can't believe it's finally happened.

Wait till you see it.

Tim Carter
Founder - AsktheBuilder.com

Do it Right, Not Over

P.S. You should really consider that Bundle where you get all the checklists for the hugely discounted price. I don't know if it will ever be that low again with inflation about to kick into high gear.

P.P.S. That's why you need the checklists. You CAN'T AFFORD NOT to have them. If you make one mistake hiring the wrong person, you'll spend FAR MORE than $79 to correct the mistake(s).