Drywall Finishing Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Drywall Finishing Video

Going from a taped seam to a perfectly smooth wall is not that hard. You have to have the right tools A 10 inch broad knife with rounded edges is a must. Be sure the edged are rounded so they don't dig into the drywall. Apply a heavy second coat of drywall joint compound over the seams. The edges of the drywall mud should be thinner than the center. Leave a hump in the middle of the compound.

When the joint compound is dry, take a sanding pole and knock down that high spot in the middle. Then apply a third thin coat of joint compound. When dry, sand it down and you will have a smooth joint.

Follow these steps for a professional looking finish on your drywall projects.

Central Vacuum Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Why lug around a heavy vacuum when central vacuum systems can do the work for you? Central vacs have the motor and filter located in a remote part of the house. There are outlets available where you just plug in the hose. There are vacuum hoses or pipes located inside the walls that carry the dust and dirt to the filtering system.

Worried about clogging the system? Don't. The piping inside the wall is a larger diameter than the vacuum head. So a clog can not happen inside the walls.

Place the filter canister in the basement or garage. This keeps the dirt out of the house. Just empty the canister into the garbage can. If you place the motor in the garage, this keeps all the noise out of the house.

Central vacuum systems can be installed in an existing home in as little as a day. Check your local yellow pages for a vacuum equipment and systems company.

Central vacs last a long time; they are affordable and you will love the ease of cleaning your carpets.

Circuit Breaker Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Circuit Breaker Video

Electrical shorts are the cause for many house fires. There is a new type of electrical circuit breaker. This is different from the common ground fault circuit breaker found in most bathrooms. This breaker can sense a small electrical arc in the wiring. As soon as the arc is sensed, the circuit breaker shuts itself off. This shuts down the circuit long before there is any smoke or flame.

Most current electrical panels can be retrofitted with this new arc fault circuit breaker. Check your local yellow pages under Electric Supplies. See if they have the arc fault circuit interrupter that will fit in your circuit breaker panel.

The initial cost to switch all your breakers over might seem like a lot of money, but a house fire could cost you thousands of dollars. Or even save a life.

Book Shelf Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

After buying or building bookshelves and loading all the books onto it, it becomes very top heavy. This could cause it to fall over, damaging other objects or injuring someone. By attaching the book shelf to the wall can prevent this.

A screw or nail can be driven through the book case into the wall, but that looks tacky. Use an L bracket that hides behind the bookcase. To install this bracket, draw a line on the wall even with the top of the shelving unit. Move the book case out of the way. Position the L bracket so that the bottom of the top leg is flush with the reference line you drew. Slide the book case back into position and the L bracket will just touch the top of the case. Use a small nail to center punch or mark the location for the screw. Drive the screws into the top of the unit and it will be securely attached to the wall.

One last tip, be sure the screw you use in the top is short or it will break through the top. Follows these steps to ensure you have a safe bookcase in your home.

Basement Floor Crack Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Before installing flooring on your concrete floor, you have to make sure it is smooth and crack free. You will need a floor leveling or crack filling compound. There are several that are just mixed with water and cement based so they are very sticky. Read the instructions on the package for preparation. Most will require that the floor be clean and free of loose concrete. Take a scraper and remove any high spots. Clean the area with a sponge and water. Let the floor slightly wet, this will help the floor crack compound stick.

Mix a small amount of filler. They have a fast setting time, often 3 - 4 minutes. If you mix too much, it will set up before you can use it. Apply the material with a large broad knife. Try to get it as smooth as possible. A second coat might be required.

Get up any excess so when it dries, it will not stick up through the floor covering. Also, clean your tools as soon as possible. If the crack filler dries on the tools, you might have to throw them away.

Battery Recycle Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

What do a camcorder, laptop, cell phone and cordless drill have in common? A rechargeable Ni-Cd battery. There are thousands of these batteries out there that go bad. Don't throw them in the garbage. They contain toxic materials that can harm the environment. Many of these rechargeable batteries can be recycled.

Most recycling programs are free. If you battery has nickel cadmium on it, stores like Sears, Wal-Mart, Circuit City, Radio Shack or Target could be an authorized recycling center. When that battery dies, do the right thing, help the environment and recycle that battery.

How To Fix A Leaky Gutter Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Aluminum gutters rarely leak along the length of the gutter. The leaks occur at corners and the downspout. The solve the leak you need the right sealer or glue. Many of the gutter manufacturers have a sealer that is compatible with their gutters. Check the end caps for the manufacturer's name. If their name is there, get the gutter seal for that type of gutter.

Clean the inside of the gutter around the leak. Remove any standing water and using a small scrub brush and some soap, clean the inside of the gutter. Rinse it and dry it. Then following the directions on the gutter sealer, apply it to the leaky joint. Apply a liberal amount because it will shrink as it dries.

The gutter seal material is easy to work with. It can be spread with a twig or stick and it sticks tight to the gutter. Your leak at that joint will be solved.

Drive A NASCAR Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Ever wanted to get behind the wheel of a 600 horsepower racing car? Tim got the chance to do eight laps at Kentucky Speedway. To drive the car yourself, you have to take a short class. Then you ride around the track as a professional driver tells you where the groove is for that track. If every thing goes right, Tim should do about 160 mph on his final lap.

These NASCAR stock cars are designed to stick to the track in the corners. The post-race printout indicated that Tim only achieved 139 mph. Next time, he vows to go faster!

Basement Remodeling Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Basement remodeling is a great project to add space to your home. When first starting, be sure to check for cracks in the floor or foundation. Some areas have problems with Radon gas. Patch these cracks before processing.

Second, allow about an inch between the basement walls and your wall studs. This will allow for the uneven foundation walls and any concrete lumps at the corner of the wall and floor. This will allow you to make nice square walls.

Finally, try to align your vertical studs with the overhead studs or floor joists. This will make it easier on the HVAC installation people, plumbers and the electricians. They can run their ducts, pipes and wiring easier.

These are just a few tips to get you started on your basement remodeling project. Remember safety first and keep it plumb, level and square.

Checking For Square Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Checking For Square

What is square? Are they talking about a framing square? No, they are indicating the all the corners in a project are 90 degrees. There is a way to check your object for square without doing a lot of fancy math.

To check a wall for example, make sure that the top plate and the bottom plate of any of the walls are the same length. In addition, check that all the wall studs are the same length. If so, you will have a rectangular with you assembly the components.

Now, using a tape measure, measure the length from one corner to the opposite diagonal corner. Then measure the opposite set of corners. Adjust your wall or deck frame until these measurements are the same distance. Then you will have a nice square wall or frame.

Why is this important? When you go to install plywood or drywall or deck flooring, it will be so much easier if things are square.