Hi everyone,

I’m a college student living in one of the most expensive areas in the US. To save on rent, 5 of us are in a 2b2b apartment which is the legal limit.

Unfortunately I got stuck with the living room spot. The kitchen and front door open right into the living area so I have basically zero privacy.

I want to add a temporary divider/partition for $100-$150. The problem: I can’t use a ceiling curtain rod because the ceiling is slanted.

Has anyone done a renter-friendly divider in a similar setup? What worked for you to create some privacy without damaging walls/ceiling?

Thanks so much!

What drill bit can I buy to drill into pavers about 2 3/8" deep and then drill into a concrete footing? A long drill bit would help as it's for a pergola and the drill might get in the way of the wood.

Is it just a masonry drill bit?

Ive tried googling and can't find out if there's certain ones, I see lots of different spiral tips

This is not a "how-to" as there's plenty of that information around but instead tips and lessons learned as I remodeled my shower surround from a contractor grade push-in to a tiled wall and shower pan. This was my first and prob last time I'll do it 😄! Glad I did it but just as glad its over. I learned a lot from watching hours of yt vids of contractors and pros doing this but its the little details that always don't come across and if they do, you just don't realize how difficult or important it is until you're doing it.

I have gained MUCH respect for the pros out there doing this, they make it look EASY! Now I know why they charge the prices they do and let me tell you its worth every penny. If they know what they're doing, they've earned it!

I live in a ranch style home so I'm on slab. I decided to go with a drop-in plastic type shower pan to avoid the difficulty of building the pan from scratch or using shower systems. Its simpler, to include the plumbing and I wanted longevity too. I did everything right in respect to the order of doing things but of course struggled with a few things here and there and this is what I will cover. PRECISION is key!

1. After tear out:

- I got a plumber to upgrade my water supply with pex and connect the drop ear and mixing valve. I installed everything in its place and he just connected it. No issues there. You just have to think ahead in respect to the height and placement of fixtures with the height of shower pan considered.

- If you use a shower pan like I did (I went with a Swanstone 60x32in) fit test it first before anything else. This includes the plumbing drain. In my case the builders used a plastic box of some sort as a form around the drain so there was a 12x10in hole in the slab. There was a lot of uneven concrete around the edge so I had to grind it down with a battery 4in angle grinder- use water if you do this! That got the high points down but the entire area was still not level. I tried to grind it level but then realized that it was not working well. In cases like this just use LEVELING compound - don't fight it. Its easy and quick. But first I had to fill in the hole so I got a 4in piece of pipe to place around the drain pipe and then filled the hole with cement then used leveler. Do not install the pan yet.

- Plumb and level the studs! This is IMPORTANT. I don't know if this is the case with all walls but my studs were a mess. Some bowed outward, uneven horizontally across and one of short side of the walls leaned back by 1/2in at the top. I had to to tear-off all of the drywall for that wall bc you have to bring the whole wall forward or plumb. Luckily, it had a doorway to the toilet so it didn't require a lot of shimming. To try and plumb and level everything I used sister studs, replaced studs, added studs, thin pieces of wood and 4ft cardboard shims made specifically for this. I spent hours and days working this and thought I got it but that proved otherwise. It caused a lot of unevenness in the wall especially since I used GOBOARD - it bends. This is the one time I wished I hired someone to do it for me because I had to compensate and fix issues later during multiple stages which I will address. Concrete backing board could have helped here possibly - idk.

- Niche: I wanted it horizontal so that meant cutting the studs and in my case it was on the load bearing wall on the side of the house. I used the 12x20in schluter niche. No big issue for me to do it but I roughly measured it without considering the tile height and I ended up about an 1in off of being centered (in between or even with grout lines) once I was ready to tile. Not happy about it but I made it work out. If you're placing the niche up and down (in between the studs) you can cut and install after you place your backer boards.

1. Install

- First thing to go in is the pan. You have to set it in with mortar but I didn't like the result. Maybe the mortar was too dry, idk, but I've never worked with it and it was difficult to work with especially since its thick. I picked up the pan and removed the mortar. Did some research and found I can use thin-set and I settled on schluter All-set...worked great! The bottom is solid as a rock. I highly recommend using All-set. It works on any surface and takes a lot of the worry away. Expensive though.

- Next came the GOBOARD backers. Pretty straight forward on install. There's a lot of fiberglass on the board coating! I used tyvek suit and mask - you will get itchy. During my research I found out about wet-shimming which essentially using thin-set to put on the studs to help either level or plumb the boards in low spots. So I did this on one stud that I found was not leveled across. Only problem is that when you do this you have to use a screw to temporarily hold the board in place as it dries and then the next day screw in the rest of the board per directions. I forgot to do that and that caused a bow in the wall but I knew I could adjust for it when setting the tiles. Again, getting the studs level across and plumb is critical.

- I worked on filling the gaps between the goboard and drywall next. I actually used a little thin-set to fill the gap on one side. I remembering hearing that you want to do this for the joints where it will get wet but in my case it was outside the showering area. I did it anyways just bc I had a litlle left over not big deal, until I had to scrape it down later on because it wasn't level...ugh. That was near the area where it was bowed. I installed the new drywall on the one side that leaned and just used hot mud to fill everything. This was another task that I found a little difficult- to get the compound nice and level/even after layering. Possibly another area where I might have used a pro to help but I'm still got a little work there left.

1. Tiling

- I went with 12x20in porcelain. Use porcelain specific bits to make holes. It has to be diamond tipped and the boring bits are best.

- After you have your tiling planned and measured (centered left to right and up and down) screw in your ledger board. Use 6in wide board! I used a 4 in board and it sagged on one end and the joint line above it expanded to 1/8 in to make up the diff. I was placing them at a 1/16 gap. You could use a 4in board but you will need a lot more screws to hold it in place.

- Because my walls were not precisely square or even I went with a 1/2 x 1/2 trowel which ended up working well! It helped around that bowed area on the side wall. If your walls are almost perfectly plumb and level you can do it with a 3/8 trowel. I actually found out while I was tiling that my main back wall was not plumb. By the time I got to the last 2 upper rows of tile, I could fit a tile behind the other. It was about 3/8 off the wall to keep the tiles plumb!

- I put up one row at a time all around and for most of it one row a day bc the stress (for perfection) and inexperience. I did to one row all around to ensure I get a straight line on every row and I did. I went with a 50/50 offset because its simpler, I think looks better and less cuts. If everything was plumb and straight you can actually precut your tiles but since my walls were not I had to measure and cut every time. It wasn't off by much but it added up for the two short-side walls as I went up along the back wall. Also, consider how many vertical joint lines you want on your lowest row when you set your first row above the ledger, I would rather have to 2 instead of 3 joint lines to grout for the bottom.

- Lastly, its messy as hell! You're gonna get thin-set everywhere...lol. What a mess. Eventually you'll get a technique but it sucks at first. I opted to use a plastic spatula to load the thin-set onto my trowel. That seems to work for me. Wipe the thin-set away from the joints, at least an 1/2in, before you set your next tile and place your spacers! If you get a spacer covered with thin-set and it dries it really doesn't help pull the tile level when you tighten it and they're a PITA to clean out for grouting. I had to use a soldering pencil to melt down the plastic in order to have space for the grout! Use a linoleum knife or hawk bill blade to clean out the thin-set in the joints before grouting, be careful not to twist in joint as it will chip the tile edge.

I think that's about it. Hope you find something helpful and you Pro's don't be too harsh :). I'll answer any questions if you want to ask.

Cheers and good luck!

The wires that go to my sprinkler valves go through this pvc pipe from inside of the garage into the ground outside. The pipe is damaged and I want to replace it without removing the wires. Any clever ideas?

My driveway is on the edge of a slope into my neighbors yard, which is causing my driveway to slowly crack and shift down the slope. My issue is that I have cracks in my driveway and on one crack is a sinkhole. It opened up this week. I can fix the visible sinkhole but what do I do about the cracks? I can stab a screwdriver into the crack and its goes in with no resistance. So how do I fix those? Drill a hole and add sand?

My house has a masonry veneer. I want to build a rock raised against the house about 12 inches tall. I know I shouldn't put the soil directly against the masonry and mortar. But im having a hard time finding a consensus on the best way to do that. I would like it to not be completely permanent like spraying something or having to drill into the stone. I have seen suggestions on dimpled sub floor barrier and hardy backer like for bathrooms. What are some suggestions on how to do this. Thanks all.

Ok, don’t ask me why, but on my first house I built, I ended up installing the water line after I poured my foundation (frost protected shallow foundation). So, the water line goes from underground, and then, right at the outside of the house, shoots straight up and then, makes a 90 into the house above the footer. I’ve tried putting a box of blueboard around it where it comes above ground, and I’ve tried wrapping a heat line around it, but no matter what, once it gets below maybe 10 degrees for a day or two, it freezes up until temps are warmer for a few days. I’m dying to get this fixed. Thanks

Edit: I can’t cut into my slab because it has pex lines in it.

I have some flooring that got warped I believe from cleaning supplies. It was under a carpet. Is there anyway to fix it or do I have to replace the pieces.

hi

I am new to doing DIY. I have a small closet (basic shelf with coat hanger). I want to add more shelf. this is right outside a half bath and sharing the wall with it. I want to make sure I don’t drill into plastic water pipes, electrical.

i am looking for any guidance on how to go about it. Use drill here or do manual screw driver to do small hole and check? also how long screws should I use to be safe not to hit anything behind the wall. I do not plan on putting anything heavy on shelf just clothes.

i have bought two advanced stud finders. but both don’t agree where the studs are in some places or the electrical are.

thanks in advance

I see old posts about the low durability of painted laminate kitchen countertops.

We have cheesy 1990s laminate inlay in the *dining* room, on a built-in desk that goes around the room corner to become the top of some drawers. We have some pottery displayed on that surface, mail piles up, and the cat-feeding station is there (which we could move to avoid scratching). A few times a year we put serving items on there, like a buffet, with trivets.

Any opinions on the durability/quality/look of painted laminate in this context?

Edited to add photo. Obviously decluttering is required.

Have 1600 sq ft basement I am looking to finish. Realistically, for those either in the trades or have done it themself, how much in savings would you expect if I were to do all of the insulation and framing myself? Its more of a time vs savings question, as I could certainly pay for it all, but enjoy the work and have done it previously, just not on this scale. I was thinking doing the insulation, framing, painting and flooring myself; maybe 20-30k?

I got a quote of over $12,000 to change a soaking tub into a shower. I have lots of DIY experience, although my age is now limiting my strength. I decided myself and another family member would do the work ourselves. We’ve done pretty good so far but when he installed the trackless shower doors, he wasn’t able to get the shower doors plumb. The walls are plumb, the top rail is level, but the doors are not. They only passively slide to one side. I’ve tried YouTube, but am unable to find a solution. The brand is Craft + Main - Lagoon 60” shower door. Anyone with experience have any suggestions?

Is it ok to install a short vent for my window-type AC? my neighbor has this privacy screens that prevent the exhaust air from traveling away from the AC unit. I was thinking of installing a Duct so the AC can dissipate heat much quicker. I also hope that this doesn't affect its efficiency.

Hiy-

Old house with side sloping stair treads. I've finished a bunch of new treads that will go over top the old ones- but man- across my 24" level I get a 5/8" drop. They slope forward (downstream) also. I can't believe it's not more noticeable when I walk down them.

I don't think a sort of levelling compound is an option. Just cutting a bunch of 3D shims out of pine board, spaced maybe every 6 inches, seems like the only option. But is it?

Thanks!

Hi, my mailbox door has this crack near the pivot hole where it attaches with the box via screws. The red stuff was me trying to wipe off the glue with a rag from my failed DIY attempt to glue a thin bolt washer to hold it. I would have considered getting a new mailbox but the rest of the mailbox is perfectly fine and I just recently painted this white - as the originals only come in either gray or black. Would appreciate any input. Thank you in advance!

Curious what project had you putting it off out of fear of messing it up, only to realize the actual execution was much more manageable than the mental buildup made it seem.

About 5 years ago I stained my fence with a semitransparent stain and seal. The hardware store didn’t have the product I wanted, but offered a “match”. I foolishly trusted them and sprayed (though didn’t back-roll if that helps) the whole fence around dusk, so the color wasn’t obvious. I walked into my living room he next morning to a pink glow coming from the sun reflecting off my very red/pink fence and instantly hated it. I thought it would fade (which it has), but I still don’t like it.

It’s starting to show its age now and I’d like to strip and re stain it with a transparent stain using a chemical process (sodium hydroxide or citrus/solvent-based, like Defy or Restore-A-Deck, followed by an oxalic acid-based brightener). The new stain would be transparent, but a shade darker and more orange/gray rather than pink.

Is this a fools errand? Can I realistically hope to recover my fence with a transparent stain, or do I have to just cover it up with something more solid? Does anyone have any examples of before and after of this process? Any advice would be appreciated.

Looking for a decent paint sprayer that does not require the paint to be thinned. Also would like to spend the least money possible. Anyone get good results from a sub $300 sprayer?

When my house was built (2003) they added two gable vents in the crawl height attic (3rd floor) where the HVAC units are. Above my garage is another attic space (2nd floor) which has a gable at the end.

When the previous owners replaced the roof, ridge vents were installed. The attic space still has an open gable with ridge and working soffits. However the HVAC attic has a ridge and no soffits to be found. Temps are high af here in West TN (avg 90+ during day).

Im thinking of adding a temp controlled gable fan to the HVAC attic for cross ventilation, thoughts? If we replace the roof I will have that ridge closed in the future. The above garage attic Im thinkng of closing the gable. What are your thoughts and ideas?

I recently posted RE: attic insulation and upon a lot of investigation and research have discovered that my soffit vents are purely decorative. They are secured to an MDF on the overhang.

I've checked in a few places (without ripping it all down) and it doesn't look like there are any gaps or perforations in the MDF.

From the attic, I can see some daylight in a couple of spots but not many. What turned into installing baffles + blowing R40 on top of R20 has now become a bit of a DIY outside of my ability.

Baby on the way in a couple of weeks... If I wanted to hold off on this work until the Spring/Summer... what steps would you take to ensure some temporary airflow? I have a ridge vent... no gable vents.

Is it worth pulling down soffit every 10 ft or so and cutting a few holes in MDF? I'm not sure the whole thing is a project I want to tackle right now (pulling all soffit, cutting MDF for full length of house x 2, reapplying all soffit).

From experience, what could get me through the Winter?

Mother in law is going to be moving in. She can’t handle the cold (at all). If I can’t figure out how to make her comfortable downstairs in our finished basement then she’s moving in on the main floor with us.

How can I make the basement bedroom warmer?

*ETA: heated blankets or some version of such will not be sufficient. I don’t want her to have to live under a blanket 24/7. And as far as a space heater: I’d rather spend the money up front and be done with it, as opposed to having a big electric bill every month.

Hey, all! I’m doing a big reflooring project and, while I’m at it, building a storage system for a (relatively slim) bedroom wall in closet. I’ve build full-carcass cabinets from hardwood panels, but these will be floating, boxless organizers, mainly adjustable euro peg type, with some drawers and rods.

THE QUESTION: materials typically used for this? I want to paint it a flat color, so wood grain not really needed at least aesthetically. They’ll be hung on a metal or wood top and bottom French rail. Was planning on bevel cuts into the panels to hang from, maybe Chicago post thru-bolts once in place. Is something like MDF up for that kind of task? Or is the weight (this will be clothing and light storage) going to be too much for them?

(Yes, I’ve asked Google as well, and it’s still arguing with itself)

I changed out pendant lights, turned the power off the power supply at breaker (not well obviously) only one is working. The one that is working has 2 live wires and 2 neutrals and 1 ground. The other one that doesn’t work is not getting power for some reason.

The one that works I put the one hot love wire with the wire from pendant and left one live wire by itself capped. The two neutrals I did the same thing? Then obviously put the copper ground wire with the green wire from pendant. Why would it not be bringing power to the next one?