Your Lawn Questions Answered
March 19, 2023
Over the past 20 years, Extreme How-To has been asked for a lot of lawn-care advice. In this article we’ve compiled our most frequently asked
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Over the past 20 years, Extreme How-To has been asked for a lot of lawn-care advice. In this article we’ve compiled our most frequently asked
Q. What garden vegetables should I plant in late summer? A. July and August are generally ideal months to harvest veggies you’ve already planted, with
Q: What is the best way to paint and protect a concrete floor? A: Painting concrete floors continues to be a popular way to bring
Q: Are there any advantages to installing an indoor dryer vent? A: Indoor dryer vents provide an effective venting option for laundry rooms, or other
Q: Why aren’t “carbide-tipped” drill bits and saw blades made completely of carbide? A: Carbide (specifically tungsten carbide and titanium carbide) is a common material
Q: How do I paint over furniture that has been coated in polyurethane? A: The tried and true method for refinishing furniture is to strip
A: Made from clay and shale, bricks give a home a uniform look that complements almost every exterior home design. Solid brick is a sturdy
Q: How big of a notch can I cut from a floor joist before it weakens the joist? A: Floor joists occasionally need to be
Q: What are the advantages of KDAT lumber? A: Wood labeled KDAT is “Kiln Dried After Treatment.” This process provides the benefits of composite material
Q: I want to add venting to the crawlspace of an old house. Are there certain building code guidelines I need to follow? A: Building
Q: Is there any way to reduce odor from a roof’s sewer vent? A: A house’s plumbing vent is directly tied to the sewer/septic system,
Q: What is the best tool to cut sheet metal? A: Sharp tin snips or “aviation snips” with compound leverage can usually cut sheet metal
Q: How can I unclog the main drain line that runs through our yard without the expense of hiring a plumber? Roots seems to have
Q: If there is no way to avoid digging near buried utilities, what is the best way to proceed with excavation? A: Dig carefully. State
Q: Where are the best places to keep a fire extinguisher around the home? A: If you can reach a fire extinguisher within 6 seconds
Q: What is the proper sequence of replacement when rotating a car’s tires? A: If your vehicle has single rear wheels, and the tread design
Q: When utility companies mark underground utility lines at a proposed excavation site, which paint colors correspond with which utilities? A: Ultimately, the state or
Q: How do I find the septic tank in my yard? A: The best clue is to find where the main drain line (4-in. pipe)
Q: What’s the best way to repair cracked tile? A: The trouble with cracked tile is that it’s difficult achieve a perfect like-new repair. However,
Q: How do I remove hardwood flooring that’s been glued down? A: If the floor was installed correctly with a high-quality adhesive, then you’re in
Q: How do I remove gutter nails? A: Old fashioned gutter nails are called “spikes and ferrules,” with the spikes being giant nails that pass
Q: How do I take measurements for new storm windows? A: You will need to measure the clear opening of the existing windows. This means
Q: I need to replace some flashing on my roof. Is there a trick to shaping the roll of aluminum material to fit? A: Wearing
Q: What is the best method to apply sealer to a concrete countertop? A: Various methods are used to apply sealer to a concrete countertop,
Q: How do I calculate the amount of siding needed for a house? A: Siding is typically sold by the square foot, and lap siding
Q: What’s the most reliable way to find a color match for old paint? A: Paint supply stores such as Behr and Sherwin-Williams can effectively
Q. What is the best type of rock to line a French drain? A: Your landscape supply store will likely have a few varieties of stone
Q: Are block walls built with surface-bonding cement as strong as walls built with mortar? A: Concrete-block walls coated with surface-bonding cement are stronger than
Q: What’s the Difference between SPF and SPFs lumber? A: SPF is short for Spruce-Pine-Fir, a grouping of various commercially important species. SPFs is also
Q: What are the advantages of using milk paint on furniture? A: Milk paint is a water-based paint with the main ingredient, case in, a
Q: I’ve read the long list of items to avoid flushing into a septic tank, but are there any proactive steps I can take to
Q: My new home has a thermostat setting for “Emergency Heat?” When is the appropriate time to use that setting? A: “Emergency Heat” is an
Q: I’d like to upgrade the handrail system of my staircase. How are the newel posts typically fastened to the floor? A: Often, a newel
Q: How does a plasma cutter cut metal? A: One common description of plasma is to describe it as the fourth state of matter (aside
Q: I’m making a drainage ditch in my landscape. What type of rock should I use for the drainage? A: Drainage gravel made of crushed
Q: What’s the best way to mount a TV onto a brick wall? A: To hang a TV on a brick or cement wall, we
Q: Can I apply polyurethane over a wood floor without having to first strip off the old polyurethane? A: Yes, a polyurethane-finished hardwood can be
Q: I’d like to build a stone landscape wall. Is there a certain type of mortar mix I need to use? A: There are several
Q: When considering home HVAC systems, what is the main difference between a furnace and a heat pump, and what are the pros and cons
Q: The blown-in insulation in my attic is compressed and I’d like to add more. What is the easiest way to do this myself? A:
Q: My brother-in-law says our dishwasher should be installed with an “anti-syphon loop.” What is he talking about? A: An anti-syphon loop is made in
Q: Do certain colors of house paint resist fading longer than others? A: Dark colors are the most likely to fade noticeably, but even bright
Q: When installing a tiled shower, should I use grout or caulk at the joint where the tile walls meet the tub? A: For tiled
Q: I’d like to cover my deck shade with clear polycarbonate panels. Do the panels handle snow loads in the winter? A: Your local building
Q: Our home inspector said we had an attic ventilation problem, suggesting the attic may get hot in winter and lead to ice dams. How
Q: I’ve been told that construction workers are now required to abide by new OSHA regulations for silica dust. Where does silica dust come from?
Q: I installed a new stainless kitchen sink and faucet, but now the faucet wobbles. Is there a way to stabilize it? A: Most stainless
Q: Should I use bleach to clean mold and mildew off outdoor wood? A: The answer depends on the kind of bleach you’re using. Whereas
Q: Why is plywood sold in odd thickness measurements like 15/32 inch instead of 1/2 inch? A: Plywood can be divided into two different groups—sanded
Q. Is it necessary to remove baseboards when installing hardwood flooring? A: It is not absolutely necessary to remove baseboards to install new hardwoods, but
Q: Is it okay to dispose of scrap pressure-treated lumber by burning it? A: Burning treated wood is not recommended. According to the wood treatment
Q: What costs less, a concrete patio or a paver patio? A: Generally speaking, a concrete patio will cost less per square foot than a
Q: How does “crack-resistant” concrete differ from standard concrete? A: Concrete products marketed as “crack-resistant” usually have fiber-reinforced formulations—a blend of properly proportioned stone or
Q: My router bits always get stuck in my router. Is there a better way to remove these than wrestling them with pliers? A: Router
Q: Do bidets require hard wiring for installation? A: Many new bidets do require hard-wiring the unit during installation, which makes them more suitable for
Q: How do I bend wood with steam? A: Steaming wood is one method of creating a curved piece, and some woods such as oak
Q: What is the best way to paint a ceiling with “popcorn” acoustical texture that is discolored in some spots? A: First, clean the ceiling
Q: How do I anchor a handrail in concrete? A: Use a masonry core drill to bore an anchoring hole for the rail post 2
Q: Is there an easier way to remove ice from car windows than scraping? A: Fill up a spray bottle with two parts rubbing alcohol
Q: Is there a way to rejuvenate old latex paint? A: You might be able to reclaim the old paint, depending on its current condition.
Q: How does an inverter generator differ from a standard gas-driven generator? A: Inverter generators utilize a different type of alternator to generate very clean
Q: Why can’t aluminum and steel be welded together? A: It’s our understanding that the two metals can be bonded using some special techniques that
Q: How does LVT differ from vinyl flooring? A: Sheet vinyl is fiberglass-cushion-backed sheet flooring that is glued directly to the subfloor. The flooring comes
Q: I’ve read that copper has antimicrobial properties. Does brass have the same properties? A: The surfaces of copper and its alloys, such as brass
Q: Do I need a special kind of concrete to make a concrete countertop? A: Ready-mix concrete companies like Quikrete and Sakrete offer special formulations
Q: I see a lot of new power tools being advertised as having “brushless” motors. What’s the advantage? A: In a power tool’s electric motor,
Q: We found some stick-down tiles at the flooring store that had beveled edges for grout joints. Can resilient tiles be grouted? A: If you’re
Q: How do Structural Screws compare to Lag Screws? A: Structural screws are just as strong or even stronger than lag screws and they’re easier
Q: When I mow my lawn, how high or low should I cut the grass? A: When mowing, far too many people will set their
Q: When my garage door closes it immediately opens back up. How do I fix it? A: These situations are often caused by the garage
Q: Are there any rules about how to build a mailbox? A: As far as the aesthetic design of the mailbox, you should check with
Q: Is shellac really made from insects? A: Shellac wood finish is made from a resin secreted by the female lac bug, on trees in
Q: What type of footing is required for a concrete block wall? A: To construct a block wall, you need to establish a solid footing
Q: I like the look of tray ceilings, but wouldn’t it be a bad idea to cut through the ceiling joists of my home to
Q: How do I apply a German schmear to brick? A: A “German schmear” (or “smear”) is a technique of whitewashing brick by smearing lightly
Q: I’m building a work-shed supported by concrete blocks, but I live in a cold climate so I’d like to enclose the space beneath the
Q: What is Dry Ice Cleaning? A: Dry Ice Cleaning (aka Dry Ice Blasting) is a process in which particles of solid carbon dioxide (dry
Q: How can I prevent algae from growing in my air conditioner’s condensation pump? A: It’s a good idea to get rid of algae from
Q: How Do I Fix a Leaky Garbage Disposal? A: First step when working on a garbage disposal is to safely disconnect the electrical power
Q: How is polyacrylic different from polyurethane for a woodworking finish? A: Polyurethane is a widely used oil-based finish that creates a durable protective shell
Q: I’d like to move a backyard shed about thirty feet to make room for a new deck. Is there a way to move it
Q: I have a metal handrail that has some rust spots, including an area at the bottom of the hollow post where the metal has
Q: What’s the best way to match a popcorn-textured ceiling when making a repair? A: Home centers will usually carry a Popcorn Texture Patch product
Q: I’m planning to build a deck attached to the rear of the house. It will be about 2 feet high. Is it necessary to
Q: The fan to my furnace/AC system stays on after the furnace has finished its heating cycle. This causes it to blow unheated air non-stop,
Q: I’d like to add a ceiling fan in my bedroom, but the center of the room (where I’d like to locate it) falls right
Q: I replaced the floor tile in a bathroom. The new tile isn’t nearly as thick as the old tile, and now my toilet sits
Q: What is the best type of screen material for a screened porch? A: Fiberglass and aluminum are the two main choices for a screen
Q: Why is it necessary to wait a few weeks before staining a new pressure-treated deck? A: Treatment with waterborne preservatives leaves moisture in the
Q: Is there any easier method of extracting a broken fence post than digging up the entire concrete base? A: After removing the fence rails
Q: I saw a photo online of what looked like interior wooden curtains that slid together on an overhead track to cover a window. How
Q: I’m planning to install vinyl siding on a detached garage that’s built on a concrete slab. The siding instructions suggest that I “compress the
Q: Will plastic sheeting be an okay moisture barrier to use beneath hardwood flooring? A: Avoid plastic sheeting on wood subfloors because it only serves
Q: I inherited a house from a cigarette smoker. How can I remove the residual odor? A: Cigarette smoke can leave a smelly film over
Q: What’s the best way to fix a sagging car headliner? A: Those annoying cloth headliners always seem to eventually detach from the foam backing
Q: What is the difference between face brick and brick veneer? A: Face brick is exposed brick on a home’s exterior or interior. Brick veneers
Q: What’s a more durable wood finish, shellac or varnish? A: All wood finishes fall into one of two categories: evaporative or reactive. Evaporative finishes
Q: How do I get bats out of the attic? A: This is a timely question for our October issue. Bats can be annoying, leave
Q: What’s the most reliable method for attaching a treehouse to a tree? A: Consider using a Treehouse Attachment Bolt, also called a TAB. This
Armstrong-Clark’s deck and siding wood stain has nondrying conditioning oils that separate from the drying side of the formula. These oils penetrate deep into the deck or siding wood fiber where the wood’s natural oils used to be. This process rejuvenates the wood. The drying oils stay at the surface, lock in the conditioning oils […]
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