Active Construction & Repair Posts — Page 2 of 32 « Construction & Repair

How To: Build a terraced retaining wall

Terrace walls are an attractive option for steep grades. This video tutorial shows you how to build a terraced retaining wall system. This how-to video is a must-watch for everyone in the construction business.

How To: 5 Purdy Paint Tools Every DIY Painter Will Love

Brought to you by Purdy Paints The art of painting requires excellent tools. And with so many options on the market, it can be hard to find a brand that works for you and your DIY project. That's where Purdy comes in.

How To: Install new windows in a new construction project

Steve with Eikenhout Educational Video Series and Paul Griggs with PGriggs Construction demonstrate how to install new windows during a new construction application. You will need a level, a utility knife, a caulk gun and a hammer to install the windows. First, cut the house wrap away from the area where the window will be placed. Next, properly flash the opening to protect it from water by starting at the window sill. Next, verify that the sill is level. Next, caulk around the window opening...

How To: Remove Furniture Scratches with a Walnut

You’re munching away on walnuts and, oh no, you notice you have a scratch on your wood floor. You already have the solution in your hand. The oil in nuts will fill in and make scratches on a wood floor disappear.

How To: Surround your fireplace with natural stone products

Tim Carter, of Ask the Builder, shows a great way to fill in the space between a mantle and firebox using natural stone products that will make your fireplace in your house looking great!

How To: Tile large & natural stone tiles

To tile with large format and natural stone tiles onto walls you must first make sure the walls are flat, clean, dry, and free of any dust, dirt, oil, grease, and any other loose material. Ensure that surfaces are suitable and prepared as advised. Then use the Dunlop Universal Bonding Agent where you will be applying the tile. For gypsum plaster and gypsum plasterboard, apply two coats of Dunlop Universal Bonding Agent, diluted with one part bonding agent, two parts water. Then allow primer t...

How To: De-Ice Your Gutters (The Secrets of Ice Dam Removal)

I feel sorry for all of you homeowners stuck in snow right now. The snowy, blizzard conditions effecting most of the country is causing some serious headaches across our nation. And it's not just the cold weather I'm talking about. I'm talking about ice dams— something that more suitably should have been called ice damns, because they pretty much damn your roof to hell.

How To: Remove Drain Stopper to Better Unclog a Bathtub

Sit back grad some popcorn and learn how to remove the drain stopper, or plunger from your bathtub, so that you can replace it, or remove a hair clog.

How To: Build a storage rack for muddy shoes out of buckets

If you have a lot of spare buckets lying around your home, it's time to finally put them to use. Join Danny Lipford from dannylipford.com as he walks us through a useful storage method. Danny will be teaching us how to create a simple rack for storing muddy or dirty shoes, using only spare buckets. In his walk through, you will learn how to cut and shape your buckets, as well as the kind of tools you will need to build your shoe rack. You'll definitely save a lot of money on storage supplies ...

How To: Use a Window Insulation Kit

Winterizing your windows is a good idea. It helps you save energy and is cost effective. It can be pricey to hire a professional, but in this tutorial, you will learn how to insulate your windows yourself with a window insulation kit. Window insulation kits are easy and cheap alternatives to replacing your windows for the wintertime. So, in the colder months this year, try this method and stay a little bit warmer. You will be happy when you see your lower heating bills! Window Insulation Kit ...

How To: Insulate Electrical Outlets & Switches

Prepare all the materials and tools needed for the process. Prepare a circuit tester, an electrical tape, a flathead screwdriver, a pair of scissors, and an electric sealers kit. Then, make sure that you turn off the power at the main circuit box. Place a piece of electrical tape over the circuit breaker that goes to the circuit that you are going to work on. Unscrew the screws that are holding the plate cover of the outlets to the wall. Test the outlet using the circuit tester to make sure t...

How To: Repair vertical blinds

In this video, Bob Schmidt shows you a simple repair for this common problem with vertical blinds.

How To: Patch a door knob hole in a wall

Learn how to patch a door knob hole or other small hole in drywall. One way is by installing a bumper or of course just patch it! Patch a door knob hole in a wall.

How To: Apply Silicon Caulk to a Bathtub or Shower Surround

This tutorial will demonstrate how to apply silicon caulking to a bathtub or shower surround, so that it's waterproof, and will not leak.

How To: Build a Cool Fire Pit! Too Easy.

How to build an outdoor, homemade fire pit out of an old washing machine drum! It looks great and works fantastic. Fire pits are conventionally made from stone or bricks and as the name suggests, are made into a pit in the ground. The fire pit that l have just built is a little different to that.

How To: Make a Wooden iPhone Amplifier from Pallet Wood

This pallet wood project is a really cool pallet project as you can make it from just one pallet board, it's super easy to make, and it's virtually free. The extra sound that comes out is quite surprising. Having said that, don't expect it to sound like a fully fledged designated speaker or you'll be disappointed.

How To: Make an Awesome Set of Side Tables!

How to make a set of Rustic Bedside Tables from Pallet Wood! Pallets are a great source of recycled wood and are perfect for this project. I decided to make the bedside tables to replace the dodgy ones that l currently have and also to add to my ever expanding pallet wood furniture collection.

How To: Build a tipi

In this video, we learn how to build a tipi. First, measure poles to make sure they are the same size, around 23 feet long. After this you will use a rope to tie the poles together so they are flat. To build the tipi, use the middle wooden pole to prop up in the very center. Make sure the rope is woven through the poles tightly and they are spaced apart. After these are secured together, you can bring them up into the air and set them against other poles to stand up. From here, decorate and u...

How To: Fix a squeaky door

Stop a door from squeaking with these simple steps.

How To: Offset a Door in a Door Frame

This video will show you how to move or offset door in a door frame.

How To: Learn How to Cut Outlet or Light Switch Hole in Sheetrock

Learn How To Cut Outlet or Light Switch Hole in Sheetrock

How To: Make a Floating Shelf (Awesome Pallet Wood Project)

This rustic floating shelf project is one of the easiest pallet jobs that l have ever done. Floating shelves look great as there aren't any shelving brackets visible, which makes the whole look very streamlined. My floating bookshelf also has the added feature of movable bookends with a handmade wooden nut!

How To: Remove a Broken Light Bulb Safely from a Lamp.

This is a how to video on how to remove a light that broke from a lamp. This is also easier than destroying a potato. Just be sure to please unplug the lamp before attempting this. Failure to do so can result in serious injury or death. Never allow children to perform this operation.

How To: Make a Stool from Recycled Wood.

How to make a stool from recycled wood. The rustic wooden stool l'm making in this video is dual purposed. Initially it's for a child but it can also be used as a step stool. I made this stool from hardwood fence palings but you could also use pallet wood. It's a very simple stool to build and should only take a couple of hours or so to make.

How To: Build a Coffee Table

How to make a rustic coffee table from reclaimed pallet wood. My coffee table is a combination of pallet wood for the legs and frame, and an old painters plank for the top. The coffee table has a drawer which is perfect for the remote controls or the TV Guide. You could even use this coffee table as a TV Stand. I tried it and it looks really good.

How To: Build a PVC greenhouse

In this tutorial, we learn how to build a PVC greenhouse. The dimensions of this will be 12' x 18'. First, you will use 1/2" PVC pipe that is 12' long that crosses in the middle to make a "t" shape. The frame can be made of treated 2'x 4's. Once you have the frame up, you can use thick plastic to securely cover the pipe and wood and clamp it into place. Once you have this done, you can place your tables inside of the greenhouse and start growing your plants! If you notice the plastic not hold...

How To: Build an Awesome Hall Table!

How to build a Hall Table from recycled wood pallets. I love pallet furniture and this wooden pallet project is no exception. It's easy to build and costs very little money. The hall stand is made entirely from old pallets and hardwood fence palings. Hall tables are very practical and are suited for those narrow areas where a normal table would be to big. My hall table, or hall stand also includes drawers which makes it a handy spot to put your car keys or mail.

How To: Install glass blocks in your home

You can install glass block yourself with these simple tips from Ask the Builder host, Tim Carter. You can make glass block windows, showers, walls, and much more once you learn the basics of glass block installation.

How To: Build an Awesome Grind Box!

How to build a really easy, but AWESOME Grind Box.! A grind box, or a skate box is a must for any skater. The grind box in this video is not only very easy to build but it can be made in under a day and with minimal tools. This grind box also has wheels that makes it incredibly easy for the kids to move around. The coping is galvanized steel with a slightly rounded formed edge. This makes for an ultra smooth grind! The skate surface is thick plywood, which makes for a very solid and tough gri...

How To: Use a Tape Measure. Very Handy Tip!

How to use a tape measure so that you can write on it clearly. Tape measures are one of the most useful tools in your tool kit. Unfortunately it's difficult to write on them clearly because of its glossy surface. In this video l show you how to modify your tape measure to turn it into a really handy note pad.

How To: Clean & Protect the Plastic Fenders on an ATV or Dirt Bike

This video will show you how to protect and clean the plastic fenders on your ATV or dirt bike. This is very easy to do and only takes a few minutes.

How To: How to Install an AC Air Conditioner in a Window

This video will show you how to install an air conditioner into a window.

How To: Make an Awesome $7.50 Planter Box

How to build a simple planter box from reclaimed pallet wood and hardwood fence palings. Planter boxes come in all shapes and sizes and mine is a little different than most. It's taller and narrower than many of the ones you see.

How To: Remove Damaged Stripped Rusty Bolt with Vise Grip Pliers

This video will show you how to remove a stubborn,stripped,damaged or rusty bolt using a set of alligator Vise Grip pliers. Usually this will do the trick and get a bolt with a stripped head out for you.

How To: Install a garage door opener for your car

Having a garage door opener installed makes life much easier for you and your family members. With so many garage doors out there, opening it by hand can be difficult and result in serious injury. Having an opener installed, helps prevent any injuries from taking place and won't be a burden on your body. So check out this tutorial to find out more. Enjoy!

How To: Install your garage door safely

This video is from FusionNW and discusses Garage Door safety. First, the presenter disconnects the garage door from the lifting mechanism. He then moves the door up and down to check for balance and any rough areas. Next, the presenter moves on to test the reversing mechanism. Place a 2x4 underneath the door and lower the garage door. If the mechanism is working correctly, the door will reverse and raise up after it hits the board. You will then want to test the sensitivity of the reversing m...

How To: Insulate garage doors with foam board insulation for a warmer winter

When it comes to winter weather, the garage should not be neglected, especially if you have a room directly above it. Neglecting to properly insulate and seal your garage doors will create a constant rush of cold air inside, making the garage really cold, in turn making the floor upstairs really cold. This will drive up your gas or electric bill in no time during the winter months. But you can fight higher heating costs with some DIY ingenuity, and Dave Mars will show you how!