DIY Questions and Answer

Q: What is domino joinery in woodworking? A: Similar in application to biscuit joinery, Festool’s Domino Joiner tool cuts mortises into the edges of wood

Q: What is the best way to prevent knots from leading to rot in a wood deck surface? A: We recommend sealing knots with stainable,

Q: I want to install a new faucet that has a hidden hose for the spout to double as a spray nozzle. My old two-handle

Q: I’ve heard of a Japanese method of preserving outdoor wood that involves charring the surface. How is this done? A: “Shou Sugi Ban” is

Q: The dishwasher leaked at my mother’s house and damaged the flooring. She has adhesive vinyl floor tile, and I can’t find a match. Is

Q: I read about the wonders of rubber-based sealant as an alternative to silicone, but are there applications where this type of product would not

Q: How do I cut a quartz backsplash? A: Currently popular for countertops, quartz is an attractive but very hard material. Its density and durability

Q: How do I patch an aluminum gutter? I had to relocate a downspout, and now there’s a hole where it used to be.  A:

Q: What’s the easiest way to adjust a garden’s soil pH? A: If your garden soil pH level is below 6, the soil is too

Q: How do I remove a laminate kitchen countertop and backsplash? I want to replace it, but the existing countertop is stuck in place, even

Q: Can a DIY’er install a granite countertop? A: For a small end table or island, a couple of DIY’ers strong enough to lift the

Q: I’d like to add a garden of ferns and flowers on the roof of my chicken coop, to provide some decoration and provide insulation

Q: What’s the best roofing material to use for a flat roof? A: For a flat or low-slope roof you’ll need a built-up roof, rubber

Q: Do you have any tips for removing a stripped screw? A: Start by placing a thick rubber band over the screw and then slowly

Q: The electrical fuse in my house keeps blowing. Should I use a bigger fuse? A: Fuses must always match a specific wire size. No.

Q: What bit should I use to drill a hole in glass? A: You’ll need a diamond-coated or carbide-tipped glass bit. The glass will have

Q: What are the advantages of stone veneer? A: Rather than thick, heavy stones that require additional structural support and mortar between the joints, stone

Q: I’d like to get an early start on my garden this year. What plants are appropriate to sow in April? A: Unless you experience

Q: What is shapeable concrete? A: A new product from Sakrete, called Shapecrete, is an easy-to-use, high performance, shape-able concrete mix that can be rolled,

Q: What are the advantages of marine plywood? A: Marine plywood is manufactured from durable veneers and wood plies with minimal defects so it performs

Q: The plastic nuts that hold the seat onto our toilet keep breaking. I’m worried that if I use metal nuts and washers, the porcelain

Q: How do I Fix a Leaky Outdoor Faucet? A: First, try tightening the handle. If the faucet leaks from the handle, tighten the packing

Q: My child has asthma. Is carpet a bad idea for flooring in our house? A: Significant scientific and medical research demonstrates carpet is a

Q: Will PEX pipe break if it freezes? A: No, PEX pipe is freeze-damage resistant, meaning the pipe will expand if frozen and contract to

Q: Can I install an Energy Star-approved appliance myself and still qualify for the U.S. Federal tax credit? A: Yes, you can install the eligible

Q: Can composite decking be stained? A: Yes, you can stain worn composite decking, but since it doesn’t have genuine wood grain you’ll need to

Q: How do I install railing in a concrete sidewalk? A: You can mount the railing with Anchoring Cement, which is a pourable cement that

Q: What is kickout flashing? A: On a roof, kickout flash-ing is installed where a lower roofline intersects a vertical wall. This angled piece of

Q: Do you have a spot-removal suggestion to use on carpet? A: A good standby is to mix 1/4 teaspoon of clear, non-bleach, non-lanolin, non-optical

Q: How do I install an outlet box in a finished wall? A: When running wire through finished walls and you can’t access a stud

Q: I’ve always jumped a car battery by connecting jumper cables directly from the positive and negative terminals on the good battery to the corresponding

Q: Should I use plastic sheeting as a moisture barrier before installing solid wood floors on the first floor of my home? A: You should

Q: I’d like to install tile in a room at the rear of my house, but my neighbor thinks the floor is not stable enough

Q: A valve near the top of my water heater is leaking into a drain line. When I flip the trigger I can open the

Q: The trap beneath our kitchen sink is leaking, and I can’t get the fitting to tighten. Is there a way to repair the leak

Q: I’ve picked up a couple of furniture pieces at yard sales. Their finish is intact, but pretty dull at this point. Is there a

Q: Can I remove a popcorn ceiling with water after it’s been painted? A: The fact that the popcorn finish has been painted means that

Q: How do I cut glass to repair a broken window pane? A: Generally speaking, picture-framing stores and certain hardware stores, such as Lowe’s, will

Q: My water bill has been on steady incline the last few months. The water department says I must have a leaking plumbing fixture, but

Q: When hanging drywall, how far apart should I space the drywall fasteners? A: Fastener spacing for installing gypsum panels depends on the particular drywall

Q: After installing a 2-by-2-foot drywall patch into a ceiling, I realized the piece was too thin and has a “pushed in” look, compared to

Q: How do I mount a screw-mounted fixture onto a tile wall? A: Installing a fixture in tile first requires pre-drilling a pilot hole through

Q: Thieves stole our bicycles by unscrewing the toggle bolt of the bike rack, and stealing the entire rack to which the bikes were chained.

Q. I’ve picked up a couple of furniture pieces at yard sales. Their finish is intact, but pretty dull at this point. Is there a

Q. Can I remove a popcorn ceiling with water after it’s been painted? A. The fact that the popcorn finish has been painted means that

Q. How do I cut glass to repair a broken window pane? A. Generally speaking, picture-framing stores and certain hardware stores, such as Lowe’s, will

Q. My water bill has been on steady incline the last few months. The water department says I must have a plumbing fixture, but I

Q: Can I mount a screw in a hollow core door? A: Since there’s not much solid wood in a hollow-core interior door, screws will

Q: The top of my kitchen island doubles as a butcher-block cutting board. What is a sanitary way to clean the cutting surface? A: Scrub

Q: How do I know what type of polish to use on my wood floors? A: Most wood floors installed over the last 30 years

Q: Is there an easy way to remove old glazing from a window? I’m afraid I’ll break the glass if I chip away at the

Q: I’d like to replace a 2-prong receptacle with a 3-prong receptacle but was told I could only do this if the outlet box was

Q: Why are some saw blades “carbide-tipped”? A: Carbide (specifically tungsten carbide and titanium carbide) is a common material used for cutting tools such as

Q: What is the advantage of a wireless light switch? A: These battery-powered switches control the new home lighting options that are controlled by radio

Q: We installed a new tile floor in the bathroom, but the toilet drain is now too low for the toilet flange. How can we

Q: Should I use concrete to set a fence post? A: Concrete will certainly work to set a fence post, but you should rest the

Q: Is it okay to use treated wood inside? A: Many pressure-treated wood products do not emit any vapors and are safe for interior use,

Q: How do I clean artificial stone in my house? A: First, protect the areas around the stone with a drop cloth. Fill two buckets

Q: Does copper kill bacteria? A: Antimicrobial copper alloys are the only solid metal “touch surface” materials registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to

Q: I’m installing additional loose-fill insulation in my attic. How far away from light fixtures should it be kept? A: Electrical codes generally require that

Q: Does track lighting require multiple electrical wires for all the individual lights? A:Track lighting requires only the standard wiring necessary to power a single

Q: How do I install crown molding when the nails won’t reach the ceiling joists? A: Due to the direction of the ceiling joists, two

Q: What’s the easiest way to run electrical lines through a finished wall for a new outlet? A: If you’re running the wire up from

Q: Our bikes where chained to a bike rack that was mounted to the wall of our back porch. Thieves still stole the bikes by

Q: My mailbox has fallen victim to a game of “mailbox baseball.” I’d like the next one to be encased in brick. How are brick

Q: While visiting a restaurant I noticed the walls had a faux finish with vertical straitions like wood grain or the texture of certain plant

Q: Why do building codes vary from location to location? A: In general, building codes are developed by industry associations to provide minimum safety standards

Q: How should I paint interior brick? A: First step is to scrub the surface clean using a firm synthetic-bristle brush and a TSP (trisodium

Q: When installing insulation, on which side of the wall should a vapor barrier be applied, the inside or outside? A: Most insulation requires a

Q: How should I transition new wallpaper around an arched doorway? A: Since the wallpaper won’t fold neatly around a curve, and it can be

Q: What’s the easiest way to measure the slope of a roof? A: A carpenter’s square (L-shaped) is probably the simplest tool to measure roof

Q: How are clinch nails used? A: Clinch nails are made of soft metal or are cut so the pointed end may be bent over

Q: I’ve seen composite decking for sell as solid boards as well as boards with arched voids on the underside. Is there an advantage to

Q: What’s the best way to deodorize a refrigerator? A: Placing an open box of baking soda in the fridge is an old standby method

Q: How Do I Replace a Circuit Breaker? A: If you’ve already tripped the circuit breaker and the circuit did not reactivate, then you likely

Q: I need to replace a dimmer switch. Are the switches universal? A: Dimmer switches are rated to handle a specific maximum wattage. For example,

Q: Is there a right and wrong way to use wood shims? A: The best method for using wood shims is to insert them in

Q: When replacing a door and transom, do the replacements come as a single unit or separate pieces? A: You should consult with your door

Q: I have new stained wood kitchen cabinets. What’s the best way to care for them? A: Wood cabinets and furniture of all types require

Q: Should I use sanded or unsanded grout for bathroom tile? A: The sand in sanded grout makes it stronger than the unsanded variety so

Q: Why are nails designated in “penny” sizes? A: “Penny” sizes originally referred to the price for a hundred nails in England in the 15th

Q: My son broke a wooden spindle on the stair’s handrail. Since the spindle is trapped in the holes at the top and bottom, how

Q: How can I keep mice out of my dryer vent? A: Replace the dryer vent on the outside of your house with a two-part

Q: What’s the best way to keep new tile grout clean? A: Cementitious grout is subject to staining because it is a porous material. Most

Q: Can I use 2×8 treated lumber as deck boards? A: No, that’s a not a good idea. Lumber wider than 6 inches should not

Q: What is meant by “wire-feed” welding? A: Wire-feed welding (MIG welding) has become popular over the last few decades because you can pick up

Q: I’m starting a compost bin to use as fertilizer for a vegetable garden. I know to use plant matter, etc., but is there anything

Q: Should block retaining walls be angled backwards or built vertically plumb? A: A very short retaining wall built of only a couple of courses

Q: What’s a good method for cutting aluminum gutter material? A: One basic method is to clamp the gutter material firmly to a couple of