Hot Construction & Repair Posts
How To: Solder copper pipes
This informational video from YouTube user curlmarx takes us through the step by step process of how to take on the intimidating process of soldering, or "sweating" copper pipes for the do it yourselfer at home. He illustrates the materials and tools you will need to successfully complete this type of plumbing project. Those of you who have never taken on a task like this will much appreciate the effort of this author to illustrate the complete process in a detailed and easy to follow informa...
How To: Test electrical receptacles
This how to video shows you how to test electrical receptacles. The video covers 5 simple test rules. The first test is to simply attach an electrical device to the socket. The video also suggests the use of market product testers and even voltage testers. This video is perfect for people who are having electrical problems or are just beginning to learn how to take care and maintain their own home. The video is about a minuet and a half long.
How To: Make indoor garden basket & container arrangements
Take a common indoor hanging basket plant and use it to make a great water plant. You take a stem of tradescantia with the roots attached. Wash off all the soil. Put the stem into a vase with rocks and water in it. Anchor the plant stem down in the rocks. Add some charcoal pebbles to inhibit bacteria growth in the vase. The tradescantia will grow roots in the water. To keep it healthy also add some hydroculture fertilizer to the plant about once a month. Also you may want to change the water ...
How To: Multiply succulent Kalanchoe cuttings
Succulent Kalanchoe plants are very easy to multiply. The first thing that you need is a healthy mother plant. Take a small leaf section from the base of the plant. Clean the dirt up on the leaf. Set the leaf out to dry in a nice warm area where you don't get direct sunlight because you don't want the leaf to dry out. The area around the stem of the leaf will get calloused over. Once it is calloused over you are ready to plant the leaf. You need some well draining soil such as seed starting m...
How To: Clean a faucet aerator
Ron Hazelton describes how to clean a faucet aerator to get a sputtering faucet flowing freely again. First unscrew the aerator housing, then remove the black rubber gasket and the aerator underneath. Next remove the screen from the housing. Rinse out the screen from both sides to remove debris. Use a needle to clean particles from the aerator holes, then rinse the aerator. Reassemble the housing (screen, then aerator, then gasket). Lastly, screw the housing back onto the faucet for a smooth ...
How To: Remove backer board from a shower stall
Mark Donovan is remodeling a ceramic tile shower, and shows how to remove the old backer board. First remove the old screws, starting at the bottom of each board and working your way up (leave a few screws so the board doesn't fall). Sometimes screws may be hiding under old mortar. Score the joint between the top board and the ceiling with a utility knife to prevent ceiling damage. Use a pry bar to gently remove the old backer board, being watchful for pipes. Remove the last screws, then the ...
How To: Hang drywall
This video shows the viewer how to hang dry wall easily and efficiently. In the video the creator uses a utility knife to score the sheets he will be using to construct the wall. He then snaps the sheets and finishes the cut with his utility knife. He uses a dry wall lift to hold the sheet in place before he screws it to the wooden frame. He specifically fastens the screws working across the sheet - not fastening the corners first. This stops the sheet from buckling due to errors and allows i...
How To: Build stairs for decks and porches
In this five-part video, learn the art of stair-making. If your deck or porch needs a new set of steps, why not do it yourself?
How To: Renew your deck with composite materials with Lowe's
As your home ages, so does your deck in the backyard, but there are ways to resolve this issue. If that wooden deck is looking weathered or worn, you can simply replace the components with composite materials without a complete rebuild. Composite doesn't splinter or have knots, and it's low maintenance. This two-part video, brought to you by Lowe's, will show you exactly how to renew your deck with composite decking.
How To: Refresh your deck with Lowe's
Maybe you just bought a new home. Maybe you've lived in your house for years. But if your deck looks like it's seen better day and needs an update to whip it back in shape, that doesn't necessarily mean you have to tear down and replace it.
How To: Drywall partition with Fermacell
Think a project is too difficult? Think again! With Fermacell, you can tackle any fix-it job, and this handy how-to gives a great description.
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: Drill a hole in ceramic, porcelain, clay, or tile
This video will show you how to drill a clean hole in ceramic, porcelain, clay, glass or tile. Materials needed for this project are: carbide tile bit, normal variable speed drill (not a hammer drill), air tool oil, plumbers putty, MDF board or a scrap piece of wood.
How To: Countersink a wood screw
This video shows you how to countersink a wood screw. 1. Find appropriate pilot hole drill. This should match the shank size of the screw.
How To: Install a towel ring in the bathroom
Mark Donovan of HomeAdditionsPlus shows us how to install a towel ring in the bathroom. - Line the ring up on a wall stud.
How To: Tile & waterproof a shower
This video shows you how to tile and waterproof a shower. Stage 1
How To: Patch a hole in a hollow core door
Ron Hazelton shows you how to fix a hole in a hollow core door in less than an hour. 1) Make a bevel around the hole.
How To: Install electric underfloor heating cables
This is a simple video guide that shows you how to install electric underfloor heating cables. 1. Measure the area to order right heater for the room.
How To: Seam together two carpets
This video shows you how to seam together two carpets. The tools required are carpets, seaming knife, blade, iron for pressing, and seaming tape.
How To: Join two pieces of wood
This video tutorial shows you how to join two pieces of wood. What you'll need:
How To: Install a glass vessel sink or countertop
This video tutorial shows you how to install a glass vessel sink or countertop. First you need to make sure that the glass vessel sink or countertop has all of the pieces needed and that none of the pieces are scratched or broken. You then need to place the mouthing ring on the countertop where the sink is going to go. Make sure that the rubber side is facing down. Then carefully set the sink on the mouthing ring. You must then take off the tail piece of the pop up drain. Take off the ridge a...
News: The World's Biggest Machine
Introducing the Bagger 288, built by Krupps in Germany. Weighing in at 45,000 tons, this bad boy is the biggest moving machine on the planet.
How To: Install embossed acoustic ceiling tiles
Create some texture for your ceiling, by installing embossed acoustic ceiling tiles. Learn from DIY home guru how to install embossed acoustic ceiling panels over an existing ceiling using a track and clip system.
How To: Adjust & repair sliding patio doors
Do you have a stubborn sliding door? Does it stick or get off track often? Learn how to fix your sliding door problem with help from this video which teaches how to repair and adjust a sliding patio door for smooth operation.
How To: Install a ceiling medallion
Bring some detail to your living room ceiling not only with crown molding, but a ceiling medallion! In this video, Ron Hazelton goes over how to install a ceiling madallion and tips and tricks to get it done quickly and efficiently.
How To: Convert a refridgerator compressor into a vacuum pump
Looking to make a vacuum pump or air compressor? Why not make one in the comfort of your own home? In this video, learn how to convert a domestic refrigerator compressor into a vacuum pump or air compressor.
How To: Bleed a heating radiator
Is you radiator acting up and making impossibly loud noises? Does banging in the pipes sound like someone's running a sledge hammer? Try this easy do-it-yourself fix with this video on how to bleed your radiator.
How To: Remove water stains from walls and ceilings
Are you sick and tired of staring at that water damage on your ceiling? There’s no need to sleep staring at that annoying water spot on the ceiling when it's so easy to get rid of! Loose the spots with the easy steps listed in this video.
How To: Find a stud inside a wall with a magnet
Buying expensive stud finders maybe the easiest route for most handymen to take, but it is costly. There are easier and cheaper ways to find a stud inside a wall, but you need patience. This handy video tutorial will show you how to find a stud with a magnet in a studded wall partition. But what if your stud aren't aluminum or steel? That's okay, the magnet searches for the metal screws inside the wood studs. You find a spot that sticks, then go up or down in a vertical direction to see if th...
How To: Restore rusty ceiling grid systems
Update your nasty, ugly ceiling grid in your home or office. With this video tutorial, see how to restore rusty ceiling grid systems. Ceiling Armor Grid Cover will update rusty and discolored ceiling grid systems for a fraction of the cost of replacement. This unique cover snaps on to a standard grid system without any special preparation. This washable solid vinyl cover is suitable for standard ceiling grids in kitchens, restaurants, bakeries, pools, rest rooms and outdoor ceiling locations.
How To: Restore water stained ceiling tiles
Are there dastardly, ugly chilling tiles in your home or business that have been rind by water damage? It happens sometimes, and the ceiling tiles will look awful, either needing replaced or fixed. Well, this video will show you how to restore water stained ceiling tiles. Hide those ugly stains instead of buying a whole new tile! Save a trip to the home repair shop.
How To: Polish and repair scratched plastic
Plastic has a lot going for it, but it's not known for looking great in the long-term. It scratches and smudges easily, and ages a lot faster than glass and other materials. But in this video from Tap Plastics, you'll learn how to polish your plastic and keep it looking good for a long time to come.
How To: Repair and glue polyethylene and seaboard
Polyethylene is a widely-used plastic that is impervious to water. But that very imperviousness also makes it impossible to repair using most glues. In this video the folks at Tap Plastics walk you through the use of TAP Poly-Weld Adhesive to repair polyethylene and seaboard.
How To: Build a box with plastic
Knowing how to build a box out of plastic is a highly useful skill. In this video, the folks at Tap Plastics show us how to do it. The example they use is how to make an organizer for your cutlery drawer, when organizers from the store won't fit. But there are many other possible applications for plastic boxes.
How To: Caulk a shower stall
If you're planning to re-caulk a shower stall, there are things you shield know before you dive into the project. For one thing, it's essential to remove all of the old caulk, since caulk will stick to almost everything except itself. Mark Donovan of HomeAdditionPlus.com talks you through somber info you'll have to know before you caulk your shower.
How To: Adjust sliding glass doors
Glass doors are both stylish and practical… Until they jam up and stop sliding, at which point they become a big pain in the neck. But getting them sliding in their tracks again isn't a really complicated process. In this video, Mark Donovan of HomeAdditionPlus.com shows us how to keep our sliding glass doors sliding.
How To: Stain wood
Staining wood can give it a really dazzling effect. In this video, Mark Donovan of HomeAdditionPlus.com shows us how to revitalize old wood and make new wood look better with staining. Before you stain, it's important to know what you're doing. After all, if you stain something badly, it can be tricky to clean it up.
How To: Install foam sealant insulation
Need to install some foam sealant insulation? In this tutorial, Mark Donovan of HomeAdditionPlus.com shows you how to install foam sealant installation between window and door jams. Traditionally most contractors would stuff batting insulation into jams by hand, a process that takes a lot of time. Here, we learn a better way.
How To: Install baseboard trim
In this video tutorial, Mark Donovan of HomeAdditionPlus.com walks us through how to install baseboard trim. Baseboard trim can make a big difference in a room, if you do it right. Of course, if you do it wrong, it can make the wrong kind of difference!
How To: Install crown molding for your home
Some good crown molding can make any room really pop. In this video, Mark Donovan of HomeAdditionPlus.com takes us through the basics of crown molding. He shows us a few examples, and walks us through installing it.