Home-owners...What are your current projects? (1 Viewer)

[matttyl]

Might need some advice with a little project I have going. I found an older butcher block kitchen cart, which looks a lot like this one (though very used). It doesn't have an outlet strip, but that's something I might do myself.

Anyway, I'd like to "re-purpose it" for some outdoor use, for use as a small bar. It actually has a sink bay cut out of it, and I hope to find a "dry sink" to put in there. I'm going to sand it down, starting with 100 grit paper and going down to 220 or so. After sanding, though, I'm unsure of what to do to "seal it". What can be used to keep water/beer/wine from penetrating the wood? Is this a situation for polyurethane? Stain? Thanks!

You don't need to go to 220 - especially on something intended for outdoor use. 150 would probably be plenty, 180 if you want to go to an indoor level of sanding. Is it already stripped? If not, you might start with 80 grit if you plan on sanding off all the old finish. Citristrip is messy as hell but can make it a bit easier.

As mentioned, de-waxed shellac, stain or dye and then a bunch of outdoor use Poly.

I would still recommend lightly sanding after each coat of shellac though. If you're sanding off the old wood, down to the new, as soon as you get that wet, you're going to get some grain raising up. You'll want to knock that off after each coat of shellac until you don't get it anymore, otherwise it'll feel like your face after a day of shaving.

I've never used Citristrip to strip old paint or finish...Does stuff like that leave behind any sort of residue that causes issues with the next coat of stain? I haven't done much RE finishing, but I've done a few furniture builds and am pretty good with finishing new wood.

Matty, you have good advice here for re-purposing it as a backyard bar, but it might be an awesome find for it's intended use. There's a reason the Boos block you linked to is nearly a grand. Jmo, but I'd hate to see one treated like anything but a proper chopping block especially if it has an end grain pattern.

All wood finishes sold in the US are non toxic once cured. That means they're safe to put food on them. Cutting boards are different because they get sliced and tapped with very sharp knives and most finishes are not safe for them. There's a couple ways to properly finish them. Food grade mineral oil with or without wax and salad bowl finish. If you plan on using it for food prep, and maybe you should because it sounds like a really cool find to me, then look into these finishes.

It's most definitely not that Boos block that I linked, it just looks like it in size and pattern. As I mentioned above, it did come with an extra butcher block top, this one totally solid without a sink bowl cutout. I think I'll follow the original advice for the one with the sink bowl cutout (for use as a backyard bar), and will "refinish" the second, slightly larger solid top the way you describe here. I can then store the second top inside and out of the weather when needed.

I would love to use it inside, but there is literally no room for it in my kitchen. Thanks for the advice.

 

[RUSF18]

Strike plate isn't lining up with the latch bolt. When the plate is on it restricts the size of the hole (he he).

If you want the strike plate back on you'll have to move its position in relation to the jamb (up, down, in or out he he). Problem is the existing screw holes make it hard to reposition the strike plate (they will default to the old worn holes he he).

Thanks. I read something similar but couldn't figure out why it would start failing to line up correctly out of nowhere.

Wood expands and contracts. If it was "just right" during the winter, expanding could expand just enough to misalign during the spring/summer. We have a door that does that. It doesn't latch during the summer/spring. I just haven't adjusted it.

Makes sense, thanks.

 

[wilked]

For the door latch issue, there is a very simple fix

Open door and coat the door latch in chalk or lipstick

Close door a couple times, and observe where it is hitting on the strike plate. Likely hitting at one of the edges.

Remove strike plate, and with a metal file, file down that edge

Replace, grab a beer

 

[RUSF18]

For the door latch issue, there is a very simple fix

Open door and coat the door latch in chalk or lipstick

Close door a couple times, and observe where it is hitting on the strike plate. Likely hitting at one of the edges.

Remove strike plate, and with a metal file, file down that edge

Replace, grab a beer

Is there a chance that doing this could cause it to then fit too loosely once it gets colder and the wood contracts as Commish mentioned? As GoT tells me, winter is coming...

 

[wilked]

For the door latch issue, there is a very simple fix

Open door and coat the door latch in chalk or lipstick

Close door a couple times, and observe where it is hitting on the strike plate. Likely hitting at one of the edges.

Remove strike plate, and with a metal file, file down that edge

Replace, grab a beer

Is there a chance that doing this could cause it to then fit too loosely once it gets colder and the wood contracts as Commish mentioned? As GoT tells me, winter is coming...

nope

I am talking about filing off 1/16". If it needs more than that you are better off moving the plate. That said, if it fit recently (within the last couple of years) and you haven't had a flood / water damage, chances are 1/16" is all you will need.

The wood will not expand / contract with seasons, your house typically stays at 65-75 degrees. It will expand with moisture over time, but once it expands it will stay there

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Hot/cold contraction are a possibility. It's also possible the door is just sagging.

First check to make sure the screws securing the hinge both at the door and the frame are secure.

If they're tight , sometime You can simply lift on the bottom of the door and push at the top to barely twist/bend the hinges.

 

[Quez]

pricing out a ground floor, full bath addition. Though unless the 1st estimate is the high bid, looks like we'll be searching for another project. $30k just for a 6x9' bathroom? anyone know of good ways to trim costs from additions?

2 major things that can blow a budget in any project are plumbing & electric. If you don't have room in the existing panel, and can't tie into anywhere else your screwed.

Same with plumbing. If you can back it up to an existing bathroom, its not so bad, but if you want the new bathroom on a side of the house without any plumbing your gonna pay for it.

 

[wilked]

I am planning to convert a 3 season porch into finished space, including a bathroom. I roughed out materials at close to $10K. I have a contact that will do electric for free, but plumbing will be pricey (maybe $5K?). From there it is a matter of how much I plan to do myself - so far I am planning to do the bulk of it

Here's a materials list, as a reference

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JXTZU07VcZc69TybFjjc8NQhrucLsCsfeId1XSmlZrA/pubhtml

edit to add: big one missing is spray foam insulation, but I don't have a good idea of what that will cost yet

 

[Chadstroma]

Gotta repaint the siding. Should have done it last summer but right when I was about to I got in a car accident and I couldn't pretty much do anything.

 

[Tackling Dummies]

OK, I'm in the process of installing kitchen cabinets and need some advice. The walls are not 100% square, so there are some small gaps between the cabinets and the walls.

Put up some 1/4 round trim?

 

[matttyl]

OK, I'm in the process of installing kitchen cabinets and need some advice. The walls are not 100% square, so there are some small gaps between the cabinets and the walls.

Put up some 1/4 round trim?

You can do that. If it's on the bottom maybe a backspash will hide any gaps as well. You can also shim the cabinets from the top and backs when you hang them, but it sounds like you've already hung them.

 

[Gamma1210]

OK, I'm in the process of installing kitchen cabinets and need some advice. The walls are not 100% square, so there are some small gaps between the cabinets and the walls.

Put up some 1/4 round trim?

You can do that. If it's on the bottom maybe a backspash will hide any gaps as well. You can also shim the cabinets from the top and backs when you hang them, but it sounds like you've already hung them.

Caulk if the cabinets are white or a color you can match, otherwise 1/4 round especially if there are large gaps.

 

[Chaos Commish]

How much would/should you pay to have yard waste and construction trash hauled to the dump? Say an open 20 foot trailer fully loaded.

 

[lumpy19]

OK, I'm in the process of installing kitchen cabinets and need some advice. The walls are not 100% square, so there are some small gaps between the cabinets and the walls.

Put up some 1/4 round trim?

You can do that. If it's on the bottom maybe a backspash will hide any gaps as well. You can also shim the cabinets from the top and backs when you hang them, but it sounds like you've already hung them.

Caulk if the cabinets are white or a color you can match, otherwise 1/4 round especially if there are large gaps.

I was going to suggest caulk as well. Once it's painted the same color as the wall it's really hard to tell there's caulk there.

 

[Tackling Dummies]

OK, I'm in the process of installing kitchen cabinets and need some advice. The walls are not 100% square, so there are some small gaps between the cabinets and the walls.

Put up some 1/4 round trim?

You can do that. If it's on the bottom maybe a backspash will hide any gaps as well. You can also shim the cabinets from the top and backs when you hang them, but it sounds like you've already hung them.

Caulk if the cabinets are white or a color you can match, otherwise 1/4 round especially if there are large gaps.

Thanks, I'm going to go the caulk route. The cabinets are bright white Shaker style, so there will be no problem matching the color. The cabinets are up and I'll be touching up the drywall tonight and removing some glue residue from the old backsplash and then caulking around the cabinets.

 

[The Commish]

OK, I'm in the process of installing kitchen cabinets and need some advice. The walls are not 100% square, so there are some small gaps between the cabinets and the walls.

Put up some 1/4 round trim?

Depends how big the gaps are....they make trim for this very purpose that's way less bulky than quarter round. Scribe Molding

 

[Nick Vermeil]

How much would/should you pay to have yard waste and construction trash hauled to the dump? Say an open 20 foot trailer fully loaded.

In NY it's blood money. $850 for a 15 yard dumpster which you can't really leave unattended because every a hole in a 20 block radius will dump their garbage in it. And no subs want to remove their own trash. It's irritating.

 

[Tackling Dummies]

OK, I'm in the process of installing kitchen cabinets and need some advice. The walls are not 100% square, so there are some small gaps between the cabinets and the walls.

Put up some 1/4 round trim?

Depends how big the gaps are....they make trim for this very purpose that's way less bulky than quarter round. Scribe Molding

 

[hotdogcollars]

It's an addition? So new foundations, walls, window, roof, etc? What kind of fixtures? What kind of finishes?

Yep, will tie in to a previous mudroom addition so there are 2 walls already up. we'll be buying and installing fixtures but finishes are what i would consider mid grade. certainly not luxury but not builder grade either

pricing out a ground floor, full bath addition. Though unless the 1st estimate is the high bid, looks like we'll be searching for another project. $30k just for a 6x9' bathroom? anyone know of good ways to trim costs from additions?

2 major things that can blow a budget in any project are plumbing & electric. If you don't have room in the existing panel, and can't tie into anywhere else your screwed.

Same with plumbing. If you can back it up to an existing bathroom, its not so bad, but if you want the new bathroom on a side of the house without any plumbing your gonna pay for it.

There is a 1/2 bath on the main floor that is right next to where this one would go in. We'll turn that small room into a pantry, but all of the electric and plumbing is <5 feet from where the addition is going. Don't even need HVAC as we'll just put in a baseboard heater or similar.

I figured it would be in the 18-20 range if I did most of grunt work and we installed fixtures. $30k? oof.

 

[SWC]

update time brohans i cleaned the hell out of the dishes used a little soap and took it to the clean bank take that to the bank bromigos

 

[Aerial Assault]

Next up: new exhaust fans in the bathrooms. Ours are the "OEM" from the house's construction about 14-15 years back.

On tap: security system with cameras with night vision.

 

[The Commish]

Next up: new exhaust fans in the bathrooms. Ours are the "OEM" from the house's construction about 14-15 years back.

On tap: security system with cameras with night vision.

I have to do this too. House built in 1992 and they are slowly dying.

 

[Aerial Assault]

Next up: new exhaust fans in the bathrooms. Ours are the "OEM" from the house's construction about 14-15 years back.

On tap: security system with cameras with night vision.

I have to do this too. House built in 1992 and they are slowly dying.

Yeah. Half of the problem is that they all have Motel 6-redolent lights that are now reluctant to come on for 30-45 seconds, and then two or three of the fans make a loud buzzing noise. So they need to go. Good luck with yours! We're looking at some sort of "whisper quiet" NuTone model, I think.

 

[The Commish]

Next up: new exhaust fans in the bathrooms. Ours are the "OEM" from the house's construction about 14-15 years back.

On tap: security system with cameras with night vision.

I have to do this too. House built in 1992 and they are slowly dying.

Yeah. Half of the problem is that they all have Motel 6-redolent lights that are now reluctant to come on for 30-45 seconds, and then two or three of the fans make a loud buzzing noise. So they need to go. Good luck with yours! We're looking at some sort of "whisper quiet" NuTone model, I think.

Yeah, I haven't even started researching yet. I was under the impression that you need to do some sort of calculation to make sure that the fan is big enough for the room etc. In our bathroom we have a vaulted ceiling with NO FAN in the main part of that room. The only fan is in the toilet closet. We'll need a new one in there as it gets really humid during the summer just from taking showers etc. It's annoying. I'm really hoping that most fans fit the same sized hole in the ceiling. Really don't want to have to drywall because the fan I buy is too small for the hole that already exists.

 

[Aerial Assault]

Right, I'm familiar with that issue. There's some variation in size but there are pretty standard sizes so it's likely you can find one that fits the opening you already have. I'm going to have a contractor do it so if they do have to drywall, I'm not involved.

 

[Drifter]

Going to climb up in the attic tonight and mount an antenna. Crawling around in a 100 degree attic with fiberglass insulation is quite possibly my least favorite home project related thing. I've got everything set to go to try and make it as short a trip as possible.

 

[Chaos Commish]

How much would/should you pay to have yard waste and construction trash hauled to the dump? Say an open 20 foot trailer fully loaded.

In NY it's blood money. $850 for a 15 yard dumpster which you can't really leave unattended because every a hole in a 20 block radius will dump their garbage in it. And no subs want to remove their own trash. It's irritating.

Okay, guess I can't complain about this guy wanting $300 bucks even though I said no thanks. The middle of the desert is hardly NY for this kind of job. I considered the hourly rate. He'd have loaded and dumped in an hour if he worked hard. I have a truck, it's just five loads with it. So I'm renting a similar trailer to $300guy's from Uhaul for 19.99 tomorrow.

No clever pantry ideas from you mooks, eh? I have to work on this tonight. My current pantry is the dining room.

 

[Annyong]

Check Pinterest for pantry ideas

 

[jwb]

How much would/should you pay to have yard waste and construction trash hauled to the dump? Say an open 20 foot trailer fully loaded.

In NY it's blood money. $850 for a 15 yard dumpster which you can't really leave unattended because every a hole in a 20 block radius will dump their garbage in it. And no subs want to remove their own trash. It's irritating.

Okay, guess I can't complain about this guy wanting $300 bucks even though I said no thanks. The middle of the desert is hardly NY for this kind of job. I considered the hourly rate. He'd have loaded and dumped in an hour if he worked hard. I have a truck, it's just five loads with it. So I'm renting a similar trailer to $300guy's from Uhaul for 19.99 tomorrow.

No clever pantry ideas from you mooks, eh? I have to work on this tonight. My current pantry is the dining room.

While it might be a bit on the high side, I don't think $300 is out of the realm for what you describe. Especially if the dump fee (if any) is included.

It sounds like you are doing it yourself, so when you are done and the trailer is returned/etc, tell us honestly how much you would do the same job for (not saying this to be snarky - I'm actually interested. There have been times I did something myself, and found I'd rather just pay to have it done, even if it seemed high. For example, cleaning gutters... I'll pay the $150 rather than get up there, unscrew all the gutter guards, and do it myself.)

 

[Chaos Commish]

How much would/should you pay to have yard waste and construction trash hauled to the dump? Say an open 20 foot trailer fully loaded.

In NY it's blood money. $850 for a 15 yard dumpster which you can't really leave unattended because every a hole in a 20 block radius will dump their garbage in it. And no subs want to remove their own trash. It's irritating.

Okay, guess I can't complain about this guy wanting $300 bucks even though I said no thanks. The middle of the desert is hardly NY for this kind of job. I considered the hourly rate. He'd have loaded and dumped in an hour if he worked hard. I have a truck, it's just five loads with it. So I'm renting a similar trailer to $300guy's from Uhaul for 19.99 tomorrow.

No clever pantry ideas from you mooks, eh? I have to work on this tonight. My current pantry is the dining room.

While it might be a bit on the high side, I don't think $300 is out of the realm for what you describe. Especially if the dump fee (if any) is included.

It sounds like you are doing it yourself, so when you are done and the trailer is returned/etc, tell us honestly how much you would do the same job for (not saying this to be snarky - I'm actually interested. There have been times I did something myself, and found I'd rather just pay to have it done, even if it seemed high. For example, cleaning gutters... I'll pay the $150 rather than get up there, unscrew all the gutter guards, and do it myself.)

I get that. No dump fee included, and probably no dump fee. It's a little mysterious what they do and don't charge for with loads like this. The question isn't so much what I'd do it for (I'm injured and old), but how much I'm willing to pay to have it done or how much can I have it done for. I considered the convenience of $300 guy and agree it was not unreasonable, just right on the edge of making me say no. $200? I'd have it done by now. $250? Maybe. As it worked out, I have a couple teens coming over to load and unload it for $25 bucks a piece. I told them it would take an hour and they jumped at it. I'll be out $100 in the end, I'd guess.

This is a bunch of tree branches (the main job), the shelving from my pantry, and 43 39 gal bags of my torn out spring veggie garden. $1000 fine for watering it during the summer in this drought.

 

[Chemical X]

spent Saturday building a doggy ramp with small landing to attach to my existing deck.

How small is your dog that it can't do stairs? (asking b/c I have a 4.5 lb Chihuahua who flies up stairs like it's nothing...)

14 yr old beagle with arthritic rear legs, so climbing stairs has become a bit laborsome for him......he had to climb 36 inches by 6 steps. now he ramps up 24 inches over an 8 foot rise.

I had to knock some spindles out of my existing deck, build a small 2'x2' landing with railing, then attach a pair of 8 foot long 2x4s and top with decking.

 

[bucksoh]

So just poured my concrete countertop (yesterday)for built in grill and plan on staining and epoxying it. Just wondering if anyone as done this and if it will hold up outside? Or am I just wasting my time. TIA

 

[Chaos Commish]

So just poured my concrete countertop (yesterday)for built in grill and plan on staining and epoxying it. Just wondering if anyone as done this and if it will hold up outside? Or am I just wasting my time. TIA

I stained a lot of concrete last fall. I learned to appreciate the industrial look of untreated concrete .

We were told epoxy's kryptonite is UV radiation and never used it outdoors. If you're countertop is going to be exposed to sun look into that issue. We mostly used Quikrete's UV resistant acrylic sealer in a several very thin coats (they dry very fast). We also used a product called Lastiseal that both stained and sealed in one shot and had a great sales pitch. The house was flipped so I can't say how it's held up, but I'd use Lastiseal again in a heartbeat. Wish we'd discovered it sooner. Let that slab cure for a month minimum before staining.

 

[The Commish]

Right, I'm familiar with that issue. There's some variation in size but there are pretty standard sizes so it's likely you can find one that fits the opening you already have. I'm going to have a contractor do it so if they do have to drywall, I'm not involved.

Have you done any research on the ones that have the automatic turn off based on humidity in the room? I think it's a sensor at the switch or something, but not real sure.

 

[Fat Nick]

For the door latch issue, there is a very simple fix

Open door and coat the door latch in chalk or lipstick

Close door a couple times, and observe where it is hitting on the strike plate. Likely hitting at one of the edges.

Remove strike plate, and with a metal file, file down that edge

Replace, grab a beer

Is there a chance that doing this could cause it to then fit too loosely once it gets colder and the wood contracts as Commish mentioned? As GoT tells me, winter is coming...

nope

I am talking about filing off 1/16". If it needs more than that you are better off moving the plate. That said, if it fit recently (within the last couple of years) and you haven't had a flood / water damage, chances are 1/16" is all you will need.

The wood will not expand / contract with seasons, your house typically stays at 65-75 degrees. It will expand with moisture over time, but once it expands it will stay there

This. For most slight misalignments, filing is all you need.

Another trick I learned when I replaced every set of hinges in our house (went from brass to ORB) is that if your strike-plate is too HIGH (i.e. latch is low), take off the bottom hinge where it attaches to the door jamb, fold an index card in half, put it in where the hinge goes, and reattach the hinge. Keep adding thickness till it goes back on. A lot of times, it's just the door sagging. When the door is closed, this puts more pressure on the bottom part of the door, leveraging the latch up.

Also, GREAT fix if you strip out a screw hole doing this or other door things is to jam 2-3 toothpicks in the hole and reinsert the screw. Works every time.

 

[Fat Nick]

Next up: new exhaust fans in the bathrooms. Ours are the "OEM" from the house's construction about 14-15 years back.

On tap: security system with cameras with night vision.

I have to do this too. House built in 1992 and they are slowly dying.

Yeah. Half of the problem is that they all have Motel 6-redolent lights that are now reluctant to come on for 30-45 seconds, and then two or three of the fans make a loud buzzing noise. So they need to go. Good luck with yours! We're looking at some sort of "whisper quiet" NuTone model, I think.

Yeah, I haven't even started researching yet. I was under the impression that you need to do some sort of calculation to make sure that the fan is big enough for the room etc. In our bathroom we have a vaulted ceiling with NO FAN in the main part of that room. The only fan is in the toilet closet. We'll need a new one in there as it gets really humid during the summer just from taking showers etc. It's annoying. I'm really hoping that most fans fit the same sized hole in the ceiling. Really don't want to have to drywall because the fan I buy is too small for the hole that already exists.

So for standard replace-an-existing-fan jobs, I got one of THESE for our powder room. It moves a ton of air and is super quiet. If you shut the door, you can feel the air flowing in under the door. Really well made, and a lot of install options.

We had the same issue in our master bath when we had it re-done. lots of humidity, and no fan in the main part. We had a separate toilet room with a fan, but none for the shower. Our builder installed a remote-mount fan. The motor installs up in the attic, and vents out the soffit. The only thing you see is a small 6" diameter grate. If you get one, I'd highly recommend a timed switch, as you can barely hear it when it's on. It'll suck all the HVAC air out and kill your electric bill if you forget it's on. We got a little timed switch that lets you hit a button for 5-15-30-60 minutes run times. It solves the problem of having an unsightly fan in the middle of a vaulted ceiling, and also helps as you can put the electrical in a more convenient place.

 

[Fat Nick]

How much would/should you pay to have yard waste and construction trash hauled to the dump? Say an open 20 foot trailer fully loaded.

In NY it's blood money. $850 for a 15 yard dumpster which you can't really leave unattended because every a hole in a 20 block radius will dump their garbage in it. And no subs want to remove their own trash. It's irritating.

Okay, guess I can't complain about this guy wanting $300 bucks even though I said no thanks. The middle of the desert is hardly NY for this kind of job. I considered the hourly rate. He'd have loaded and dumped in an hour if he worked hard. I have a truck, it's just five loads with it. So I'm renting a similar trailer to $300guy's from Uhaul for 19.99 tomorrow.

No clever pantry ideas from you mooks, eh? I have to work on this tonight. My current pantry is the dining room.

While it might be a bit on the high side, I don't think $300 is out of the realm for what you describe. Especially if the dump fee (if any) is included.

It sounds like you are doing it yourself, so when you are done and the trailer is returned/etc, tell us honestly how much you would do the same job for (not saying this to be snarky - I'm actually interested. There have been times I did something myself, and found I'd rather just pay to have it done, even if it seemed high. For example, cleaning gutters... I'll pay the $150 rather than get up there, unscrew all the gutter guards, and do it myself.)

I live in NJ...I don't know why yard waste is SO expensive to get rid of. We've got 2.5 acres, but no woods, so I have nowhere to dump leaves, hedge clippings, old tree branches, etc. I usually cut anything substantial down to firewood size, and pile the rest behind my shed. I have a chipper now, but before I did, I paid 1-800-Junk like $350 to come take that pile away. Nowhere near a 20-ft trailer size, but I was shocked at how expensive it is.

The chipper is awesome as it'll grind up most anything I can't turn into fire wood, but it's LOUD and a pain to get out all the time.

To put it in perspective, I filled one of those Bagster bags with scrap and old decking and they came and took it away for $180. That bag was FULL and WAY heavier than yard waste.

 

[Fat Nick]

No clever pantry ideas from you mooks, eh? I have to work on this tonight. My current pantry is the dining room.

I get why the wire shelves were veto-ed. I'm a huge fan of wire shelves, but they'd be annoying in a pantry. Small things could fall though. Our current set-up (and size) is basically what you tore out. If I was re-doing it, I'd put in the same hardware/tracks as the wire shelving, but put in solid shelves instead. You get the benefit of the adjustable shelves, very sturdy install, shelf depth, etc, but with solid shelves.

 

[The Commish]

Next up: new exhaust fans in the bathrooms. Ours are the "OEM" from the house's construction about 14-15 years back.

On tap: security system with cameras with night vision.

I have to do this too. House built in 1992 and they are slowly dying.

Yeah. Half of the problem is that they all have Motel 6-redolent lights that are now reluctant to come on for 30-45 seconds, and then two or three of the fans make a loud buzzing noise. So they need to go. Good luck with yours! We're looking at some sort of "whisper quiet" NuTone model, I think.

Yeah, I haven't even started researching yet. I was under the impression that you need to do some sort of calculation to make sure that the fan is big enough for the room etc. In our bathroom we have a vaulted ceiling with NO FAN in the main part of that room. The only fan is in the toilet closet. We'll need a new one in there as it gets really humid during the summer just from taking showers etc. It's annoying. I'm really hoping that most fans fit the same sized hole in the ceiling. Really don't want to have to drywall because the fan I buy is too small for the hole that already exists.

So for standard replace-an-existing-fan jobs, I got one of THESE for our powder room. It moves a ton of air and is super quiet. If you shut the door, you can feel the air flowing in under the door. Really well made, and a lot of install options.

We had the same issue in our master bath when we had it re-done. lots of humidity, and no fan in the main part. We had a separate toilet room with a fan, but none for the shower. Our builder installed a remote-mount fan. The motor installs up in the attic, and vents out the soffit. The only thing you see is a small 6" diameter grate. If you get one, I'd highly recommend a timed switch, as you can barely hear it when it's on. It'll suck all the HVAC air out and kill your electric bill if you forget it's on. We got a little timed switch that lets you hit a button for 5-15-30-60 minutes run times. It solves the problem of having an unsightly fan in the middle of a vaulted ceiling, and also helps as you can put the electrical in a more convenient place.

 

[matttyl]

Might need some advice with a little project I have going. I found an older butcher block kitchen cart, which looks a lot like this one (though very used). It doesn't have an outlet strip, but that's something I might do myself.

Anyway, I'd like to "re-purpose it" for some outdoor use, for use as a small bar. It actually has a sink bay cut out of it, and I hope to find a "dry sink" to put in there. I'm going to sand it down, starting with 100 grit paper and going down to 220 or so. After sanding, though, I'm unsure of what to do to "seal it". What can be used to keep water/beer/wine from penetrating the wood? Is this a situation for polyurethane? Stain? Thanks!

That sounds cool. If you want it to keep the wood finish, I'd do a few coats of Dewaxed Shellac then cover with a Spar Polyurethane.

The Dewaxed Shellac is sort of a universal sealer. It brings out some of the natural color (more of an amber) of the wood, and seals it up. Since it was used as a butcher block, who knows what kinds of things seeped into the wood over the years. The shellac will keep them locked in, as well as give a nice even finish. Put a few coats on, and knock down any raised grain with 400+ grit sand paper after each coat. Once that's done, you should have a really smooth finish.

Then, apply a nice Spar Polyurethane. Use as many coats as you can. Go one with the grain of the wood, then scuff-sand, then do the next against the grain, scuff sand, etc. If you want a really good finish, use an HPLV sprayer or something for the last coat. It'd take forever to do every coat with a sprayer b/c they don't offer as much build-up, and you want a nice thick finish, but for the last coat, a sprayed on finish will really look good.

Thanks for this! I have some spar poly already, didn't consider a dewaxed shellac before it, though. I'll see if I can get some.

It came with an extra, larger, removable top as well as the top that was original (which has the sink bay cut out). The larger top is just a solid butcher block. My first step is to get the original top set up as a bar. Once that's up and running, I might attempt to get the second top sanded down and able to be used as a "food prep" station for my BBQ grill. What would I need to do with that top to make it "food safe" if anything, aside from what you described above?

Thanks again!

Zinsser makes a pretty good pre-mixed de-waxed shellac that you can find in the box hardware stores. Rockler also has a ton of different kinds, including flakes in different hues.

I think the Spar Poly would be enough to make it food safe. You just want something that's non-porous. The same thing that makes it good for weather resistance would make it fine for food as far as food tainting the surface goes. As far as the other way around, I think most all new finishes have to be "food safe" when fully cured, i.e. they can't taint the food.

Went to my local HD yesterday and the only shellacs they had were the waxed kind, which says on the back not to use underneath spar poly. I do, though, have a buddy who thinks he had some of the non-waxed stuff in his shop and will lend me what I need. Just curious, what's the difference, and why use one under spar poly and not the other?

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[matttyl]

Next up: new exhaust fans in the bathrooms. Ours are the "OEM" from the house's construction about 14-15 years back.

On tap: security system with cameras with night vision.

I have to do this too. House built in 1992 and they are slowly dying.

Yeah. Half of the problem is that they all have Motel 6-redolent lights that are now reluctant to come on for 30-45 seconds, and then two or three of the fans make a loud buzzing noise. So they need to go. Good luck with yours! We're looking at some sort of "whisper quiet" NuTone model, I think.

Yeah, I haven't even started researching yet. I was under the impression that you need to do some sort of calculation to make sure that the fan is big enough for the room etc. In our bathroom we have a vaulted ceiling with NO FAN in the main part of that room. The only fan is in the toilet closet. We'll need a new one in there as it gets really humid during the summer just from taking showers etc. It's annoying. I'm really hoping that most fans fit the same sized hole in the ceiling. Really don't want to have to drywall because the fan I buy is too small for the hole that already exists.

So for standard replace-an-existing-fan jobs, I got one of THESE for our powder room. It moves a ton of air and is super quiet. If you shut the door, you can feel the air flowing in under the door. Really well made, and a lot of install options.

We had the same issue in our master bath when we had it re-done. lots of humidity, and no fan in the main part. We had a separate toilet room with a fan, but none for the shower. Our builder installed a remote-mount fan. The motor installs up in the attic, and vents out the soffit. The only thing you see is a small 6" diameter grate. If you get one, I'd highly recommend a timed switch, as you can barely hear it when it's on. It'll suck all the HVAC air out and kill your electric bill if you forget it's on. We got a little timed switch that lets you hit a button for 5-15-30-60 minutes run times. It solves the problem of having an unsightly fan in the middle of a vaulted ceiling, and also helps as you can put the electrical in a more convenient place.

I also highly recommend the Panasonic "whisper quiet" line. I got one for my master bathroom (maybe 10x10 with vaulted ceiling) and you can barely hear it when it's on.

A few tips from a guy who just installed one, and who installed a few in my last house:

1 - DO NOT just run it into the attic. You MUST vent it completely outside.

2 - when running that vent to the outside, do so in an "insulated duct". In my last house I ran just a regular old dryer type duct (no insulation) and condensation built up on it during the winter months, and it froze. The frozen part created a blockage in the duct where more and more water collected. When I finally discovered what had happened, the fan wasn't powerful enough to "blow" the water out, and I tried to get the water out manually (in a very cramped attic) when the cheap vent busted open and all the water gushed out all over my newly laid out insulation. I wasn't happy.

3 - don't have any tight turns in the vent, either. I run mine parallel to the attic floor with no turns directly to a gable vent.

4 - I'd recommend not running it to the soffit if you have soffit venting. If you do, the warm moist air will gt sucked right back into the attic via the vents. I think a gable vent is the best option.

 

[Chemical X]

How much would/should you pay to have yard waste and construction trash hauled to the dump? Say an open 20 foot trailer fully loaded.

In NY it's blood money. $850 for a 15 yard dumpster which you can't really leave unattended because every a hole in a 20 block radius will dump their garbage in it. And no subs want to remove their own trash. It's irritating.

Okay, guess I can't complain about this guy wanting $300 bucks even though I said no thanks. The middle of the desert is hardly NY for this kind of job. I considered the hourly rate. He'd have loaded and dumped in an hour if he worked hard. I have a truck, it's just five loads with it. So I'm renting a similar trailer to $300guy's from Uhaul for 19.99 tomorrow.

No clever pantry ideas from you mooks, eh? I have to work on this tonight. My current pantry is the dining room.

While it might be a bit on the high side, I don't think $300 is out of the realm for what you describe. Especially if the dump fee (if any) is included.

It sounds like you are doing it yourself, so when you are done and the trailer is returned/etc, tell us honestly how much you would do the same job for (not saying this to be snarky - I'm actually interested. There have been times I did something myself, and found I'd rather just pay to have it done, even if it seemed high. For example, cleaning gutters... I'll pay the $150 rather than get up there, unscrew all the gutter guards, and do it myself.)

I live in NJ...I don't know why yard waste is SO expensive to get rid of. We've got 2.5 acres, but no woods, so I have nowhere to dump leaves, hedge clippings, old tree branches, etc. I usually cut anything substantial down to firewood size, and pile the rest behind my shed. I have a chipper now, but before I did, I paid 1-800-Junk like $350 to come take that pile away. Nowhere near a 20-ft trailer size, but I was shocked at how expensive it is.

The chipper is awesome as it'll grind up most anything I can't turn into fire wood, but it's LOUD and a pain to get out all the time.

To put it in perspective, I filled one of those Bagster bags with scrap and old decking and they came and took it away for $180. That bag was FULL and WAY heavier than yard waste.

Mob down?

 

[The Commish]

Next up: new exhaust fans in the bathrooms. Ours are the "OEM" from the house's construction about 14-15 years back.

On tap: security system with cameras with night vision.

I have to do this too. House built in 1992 and they are slowly dying.

Yeah. Half of the problem is that they all have Motel 6-redolent lights that are now reluctant to come on for 30-45 seconds, and then two or three of the fans make a loud buzzing noise. So they need to go. Good luck with yours! We're looking at some sort of "whisper quiet" NuTone model, I think.

Yeah, I haven't even started researching yet. I was under the impression that you need to do some sort of calculation to make sure that the fan is big enough for the room etc. In our bathroom we have a vaulted ceiling with NO FAN in the main part of that room. The only fan is in the toilet closet. We'll need a new one in there as it gets really humid during the summer just from taking showers etc. It's annoying. I'm really hoping that most fans fit the same sized hole in the ceiling. Really don't want to have to drywall because the fan I buy is too small for the hole that already exists.

So for standard replace-an-existing-fan jobs, I got one of THESE for our powder room. It moves a ton of air and is super quiet. If you shut the door, you can feel the air flowing in under the door. Really well made, and a lot of install options.

We had the same issue in our master bath when we had it re-done. lots of humidity, and no fan in the main part. We had a separate toilet room with a fan, but none for the shower. Our builder installed a remote-mount fan. The motor installs up in the attic, and vents out the soffit. The only thing you see is a small 6" diameter grate. If you get one, I'd highly recommend a timed switch, as you can barely hear it when it's on. It'll suck all the HVAC air out and kill your electric bill if you forget it's on. We got a little timed switch that lets you hit a button for 5-15-30-60 minutes run times. It solves the problem of having an unsightly fan in the middle of a vaulted ceiling, and also helps as you can put the electrical in a more convenient place.

I also highly recommend the Panasonic "whisper quiet" line. I got one for my master bathroom (maybe 10x10 with vaulted ceiling) and you can barely hear it when it's on.

A few tips from a guy who just installed one, and who installed a few in my last house:

1 - DO NOT just run it into the attic. You MUST vent it completely outside.

2 - when running that vent to the outside, do so in an "insulated duct". In my last house I ran just a regular old dryer type duct (no insulation) and condensation built up on it during the winter months, and it froze. The frozen part created a blockage in the duct where more and more water collected. When I finally discovered what had happened, the fan wasn't powerful enough to "blow" the water out, and I tried to get the water out manually (in a very cramped attic) when the cheap vent busted open and all the water gushed out all over my newly laid out insulation. I wasn't happy.

3 - don't have any tight turns in the vent, either. I run mine parallel to the attic floor with no turns directly to a gable vent.

4 - I'd recommend not running it to the soffit if you have soffit venting. If you do, the warm moist air will gt sucked right back into the attic via the vents. I think a gable vent is the best option.

Fortunately for me, I'll use the existing duct work that was permitted with the house, so I'm good there. I'll look at something like this for my master bath, but it seems too big for my half bath. It's only a 5 x 7 room. Not sure I need that sort of horsepower in such a tiny space

 

[Drifter]

Crawled around in the attic yesterday, swimming in blown insulation to install the OTA antenna. Bellying up under the lowest portion to fish the cable was especially fun. Ran the cable down into the MBR directly below and put a plate in the ceiling and conduit down the corner. I could have fished it down the wall but it would have been a major PITA. Plugged into the MBR's wall plate and then took that feed off the splitter and plugged it into the input down at the ground level junction box. Running a pre-amp as well so everything seems to be good on the TV front. On a side note, I had previously taken off the cable run to where the cable modem was so that it ran direct from the input from the street. Improved my Internet speeds from 60% of advertised to 110% of advertised. If you're not getting good cable internet speeds make sure the line you are on is either run separately (not split) or amplified.

 

[Fat Nick]

Might need some advice with a little project I have going. I found an older butcher block kitchen cart, which looks a lot like this one (though very used). It doesn't have an outlet strip, but that's something I might do myself.

Anyway, I'd like to "re-purpose it" for some outdoor use, for use as a small bar. It actually has a sink bay cut out of it, and I hope to find a "dry sink" to put in there. I'm going to sand it down, starting with 100 grit paper and going down to 220 or so. After sanding, though, I'm unsure of what to do to "seal it". What can be used to keep water/beer/wine from penetrating the wood? Is this a situation for polyurethane? Stain? Thanks!

That sounds cool. If you want it to keep the wood finish, I'd do a few coats of Dewaxed Shellac then cover with a Spar Polyurethane.

The Dewaxed Shellac is sort of a universal sealer. It brings out some of the natural color (more of an amber) of the wood, and seals it up. Since it was used as a butcher block, who knows what kinds of things seeped into the wood over the years. The shellac will keep them locked in, as well as give a nice even finish. Put a few coats on, and knock down any raised grain with 400+ grit sand paper after each coat. Once that's done, you should have a really smooth finish.

Then, apply a nice Spar Polyurethane. Use as many coats as you can. Go one with the grain of the wood, then scuff-sand, then do the next against the grain, scuff sand, etc. If you want a really good finish, use an HPLV sprayer or something for the last coat. It'd take forever to do every coat with a sprayer b/c they don't offer as much build-up, and you want a nice thick finish, but for the last coat, a sprayed on finish will really look good.

Thanks for this! I have some spar poly already, didn't consider a dewaxed shellac before it, though. I'll see if I can get some.

It came with an extra, larger, removable top as well as the top that was original (which has the sink bay cut out). The larger top is just a solid butcher block. My first step is to get the original top set up as a bar. Once that's up and running, I might attempt to get the second top sanded down and able to be used as a "food prep" station for my BBQ grill. What would I need to do with that top to make it "food safe" if anything, aside from what you described above?

Thanks again!

Zinsser makes a pretty good pre-mixed de-waxed shellac that you can find in the box hardware stores. Rockler also has a ton of different kinds, including flakes in different hues.

I think the Spar Poly would be enough to make it food safe. You just want something that's non-porous. The same thing that makes it good for weather resistance would make it fine for food as far as food tainting the surface goes. As far as the other way around, I think most all new finishes have to be "food safe" when fully cured, i.e. they can't taint the food.

Went to my local HD yesterday and the only shellacs they had were the waxed kind, which says on the back not to use underneath spar poly. I do, though, have a buddy who thinks he had some of the non-waxed stuff in his shop and will lend me what I need. Just curious, what's the difference, and why use one under spar poly and not the other?

Thanks again for all the help!

One has wax, one doesn't. j/k

I think in general, the dewaxed shellac has superior adhesion, both what it sticks to, and what sticks to it. I know you shouldn't put water-based stuff over regular shellac (non-dewaxed) because it won't adhere well and can orange-peel or crackle as it dries. I'm not 100% sure why this is, but I've experienced it as I tried to paint over some regular shellac and it crackled the sprayed latex finish. I'm not sure if it's due to hardness issues or what.

I pretty much just use dewaxed and won't even buy the other stuff because dewaxed does everything waxed does and obviously is compatible with everything. It's kind of a miracle product for wood finishing.

If you find Zinsser Bulls Eye brand "Seal Coat," read the label for ingredients. I've found some cans of dewaxed that don't even say "shellac" on them. I've also had luck at Ace Hardware if you have one nearby. It is in general not easy to find. It also has a limited shelf life. I actually bought some of the flakes and just dissolve it as-needed a lot of times so I can always have some on hand.

 

[SayWhat?]

.

 

[Chaos Commish]

How much would/should you pay to have yard waste and construction trash hauled to the dump? Say an open 20 foot trailer fully loaded.

In NY it's blood money. $850 for a 15 yard dumpster which you can't really leave unattended because every a hole in a 20 block radius will dump their garbage in it. And no subs want to remove their own trash. It's irritating.

Okay, guess I can't complain about this guy wanting $300 bucks even though I said no thanks. The middle of the desert is hardly NY for this kind of job. I considered the hourly rate. He'd have loaded and dumped in an hour if he worked hard. I have a truck, it's just five loads with it. So I'm renting a similar trailer to $300guy's from Uhaul for 19.99 tomorrow.

No clever pantry ideas from you mooks, eh? I have to work on this tonight. My current pantry is the dining room.

While it might be a bit on the high side, I don't think $300 is out of the realm for what you describe. Especially if the dump fee (if any) is included.

It sounds like you are doing it yourself, so when you are done and the trailer is returned/etc, tell us honestly how much you would do the same job for (not saying this to be snarky - I'm actually interested. There have been times I did something myself, and found I'd rather just pay to have it done, even if it seemed high. For example, cleaning gutters... I'll pay the $150 rather than get up there, unscrew all the gutter guards, and do it myself.)

I live in NJ...I don't know why yard waste is SO expensive to get rid of. We've got 2.5 acres, but no woods, so I have nowhere to dump leaves, hedge clippings, old tree branches, etc. I usually cut anything substantial down to firewood size, and pile the rest behind my shed. I have a chipper now, but before I did, I paid 1-800-Junk like $350 to come take that pile away. Nowhere near a 20-ft trailer size, but I was shocked at how expensive it is.

The chipper is awesome as it'll grind up most anything I can't turn into fire wood, but it's LOUD and a pain to get out all the time.

To put it in perspective, I filled one of those Bagster bags with scrap and old decking and they came and took it away for $180. That bag was FULL and WAY heavier than yard waste.

Well here's another benefit to my low cost of living desert lifestyle. There was no fee at the dump. Including three breakfast burritos and a couple gallons of gas, I got this done for $100.

 

[Chaos Commish]

Crawled around in the attic yesterday, swimming in blown insulation to install the OTA antenna. Bellying up under the lowest portion to fish the cable was especially fun. Ran the cable down into the MBR directly below and put a plate in the ceiling and conduit down the corner. I could have fished it down the wall but it would have been a major PITA. Plugged into the MBR's wall plate and then took that feed off the splitter and plugged it into the input down at the ground level junction box. Running a pre-amp as well so everything seems to be good on the TV front. On a side note, I had previously taken off the cable run to where the cable modem was so that it ran direct from the input from the street. Improved my Internet speeds from 60% of advertised to 110% of advertised. If you're not getting good cable internet speeds make sure the line you are on is either run separately (not split) or amplified.

Ugh. I agree that has to be my least favorite thing to do around a house. It's scary up there.

 

[Fat Nick]

Crawled around in the attic yesterday, swimming in blown insulation to install the OTA antenna. Bellying up under the lowest portion to fish the cable was especially fun. Ran the cable down into the MBR directly below and put a plate in the ceiling and conduit down the corner. I could have fished it down the wall but it would have been a major PITA. Plugged into the MBR's wall plate and then took that feed off the splitter and plugged it into the input down at the ground level junction box. Running a pre-amp as well so everything seems to be good on the TV front. On a side note, I had previously taken off the cable run to where the cable modem was so that it ran direct from the input from the street. Improved my Internet speeds from 60% of advertised to 110% of advertised. If you're not getting good cable internet speeds make sure the line you are on is either run separately (not split) or amplified.

Ugh. I agree that has to be my least favorite thing to do around a house. It's scary up there.

I refuse to do work in the attic in the summer. Nope. Sorry. Not happening. Too hot, too many critters.

 

[matttyl]

One has wax, one doesn't. j/k

Turns out the spray can varieties don't have wax.....and i wont need another brush. Thanks again.