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PAMELA BONDURANT FOR FAMILY HANDYMAN

The best welding helmet offers good features and a reasonable price tag, among other things. The Miller welding helmet checks all of those boxes. It arrives fully assembled and ready for use. It even includes a tote bag for storage and lots of interior (ADF) and exterior replacement lenses.

At just over $100, the Miller welding helmet is an economical choice. When compared to pricier helmets, our tester Pamela Bondurant found few noticeable differences. “The band material is not as beefy and the knobs are not as strong,” she explains. “Also, the lens replacement part was difficult to pull on and off.” She also found the buttons to be on the smaller side. “The buttons are small and maybe not great for large fingers and definitely not usable with gloves on,” she says.

However, there’s plenty to like about the Miller welding helmet. “The display was very easy to read and adjust and the automatic setting for grinding, cutting and welding were nice,” she raves. “It was easy to see while welding and had a good field of view. It also transitioned quickly and the vision was clear during welding.” Bondurant also liked the helmet’s memory feature, which allows you to store up to two settings.

All things considered, we think this is the best choice for metalworking hobbyists, as it provides the best balance between features and affordability.

Auto-darkening: Yes | Weld mode: Yes | Cut mode: Yes  | Grind mode: Yes

PAMELA BONDURANT FOR FAMILY HANDYMAN

Best Budget

Hobart Auto Darkening Welding Helmet

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$118.19 at Amazon

Bondurant calls the Hobart welding helmet the best entry-level helmet. It boasts all of the features you need to get the job done without spending a small fortune.

This helmet features a variety of settings and controls that are easy to adjust. “The delay, sensitivity and shade controls are dials, which is nice if you don’t like trying to press small buttons. It might be easier to move them with gloves on,” says Bondurant. “The weld and grind setting is an up/down toggle switch.”

While Bondurant found the screen difficult to read because of its extra-small font, she appreciated the helmet’s strength indicators. “All of the dials are low on the left and high on the right so once you know your settings, you can eyeball it,” she explains. “Also, a small light flashes when you have the helmet on grind mode. This serves as error reduction as well as a safety feature.”

Auto-darkening: Yes | Weld mode: Yes | Cut mode: No  | Grind mode: Yes

PAMELA BONDURANT FOR FAMILY HANDYMAN

Best Splurge

Lincoln Electric Viking 2450 ADV Series Black Helmet

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$426.66 at Amazon

A comfortable fit, sturdy construction and easy-to-reach controls are just a few features that make the Lincoln Viking helmet one of the best welding helmets on the market. “The headband is the beefiest of all the helmets and probably the most comfortable with the most padding,” raves Bondurant.

In addition to being comfortable, Bondurant also found the helmet to be one of the best looking. “The plastic is shiny and the black with red accents make it pop,” she says.

What really makes the Lincoln Viking helmet stand out, however, are the unusual settings. Bondurant points out that the grind button is on the outside of the helmet with an electrical connection to the ADF. “This seems to be an obvious afterthought but it works,” says Bondurant. She also found the shade setting unusual.

Auto-darkening: Yes | Weld mode: Uses shades | Cut mode: No  | Grind mode: Yes

How We Found the Best Welding Helmets

In order to find the best welding helmets, we began by researching the best-selling models and brands. We considered a wide range of factors, including settings, auto darkening and comfort. We also consulted with industry experts to better understand the key considerations for hobbyists and professionals alike. After narrowing down our list, we sent five welding helmets to our dedicated product tester, Pamela Bondurant. During testing, Bondurant paid careful attention to the comfort of each welding helmet as well as its overall performance, safety features and ease of use.

Other Welding Helmets We Tested

• Jackson HSL2 Welding Helmet: The Jackson welding helmet is the most basic helmet we tested. It doesn’t have any settings and is not auto-darkening. Bondurant described this helmet as old-school thanks to its flip-up lens and the need to tilt the entire helmet down when it’s time to start welding. “Flipping down the shield can be tricky. Timing and starting with the shield down can be tricky as well,” says Bondurant. “Of course, people did this before auto-darkening helmets, so it can be done.”
• 3M Speedglas Welding Helmet: While Bondurant initially liked the on/off button on this helmet, she ultimately found that it wasn’t helpful in determining whether or not the power was actually on. “The only way to confirm your settings is to press the buttons and see where they light up,” she says. And while the controls were easy to use, Bondurant did not feel that the quality matched the price tag.

What to Look for When Buying a Welding Helmet

According to Torrey Alexis, welding program director at Fortis College in Smyrna, Georgia, there are several things to consider when buying a welding helmet. Most importantly, you need a helmet that fits properly. Alexis recommends choosing a helmet that provides comfort and visibility under the shield. “Consider the size and weight of the shield on your head,” he says.

In addition to a comfortable fit, Matt Carfo, owner of Collector Car Services in Danbury, Connecticut, recommends choosing a helmet with auto-darkening capabilities. “The lens of a welding helmet has to be very dark to protect your eyes. It’s pretty much black under normal lights,” he explains. “Auto-darkening allows you to see as normal with your helmet on until you start welding. Then it automatically darkens. This makes setup so much easier and improves your weld quality.”

Carfo also recommends blue lenses over green. “For a long time, green lenses were the industry standard,” he says. “The newer blue lenses provide a much better view. I can easily see what I’m doing while still protecting my eyes.”

FAQ

How often do you need to replace a welding helmet?

With proper use and maintenance, the best welding helmets can last a long time. “If the user takes good care of the shield, no replacement would be needed,” says Alexis. “I have had one of my shields for over twenty years.”

How do I choose a good welding helmet?

“The main feature I look for is auto-darkening,” says Carfo. Alexis emphasizes the importance of choosing a helmet that feels good on your head. In addition to a comfortable fit, you should have good visibility under the shield.

Why You Should Trust Us

At Family Handyman, we have personally tested dozens of the best tools to help you through all of your projects. From budget-friendly picks to splurge-worthy tools, we’ve covered it all. And not just because testing products is an awesome gig (it is, by the way), but because our goal is to help you make the most informed shopping decisions based on real-life testing. We will never recommend a product that does not meet or exceed our expectations.

The post We Found the Best Welding Helmets After Weeks of Testing appeared first on Family Handyman.

Whether you have a skateboard or a longboard, storing it leaned up against the wall next to your front door isn’t ideal. Creating a skateboard wall mount is a fun DIY project you can knock out in a weekend. A skateboard mount not only provides a safe place to store your skateboard off the floor but also adds a cool visual element to your space.

You can customize your skateboard wall mount to hold either one or more skateboards. I chose to design a wall mount that accommodates two skateboards. However, if you prefer a mount for just one skateboard, you can simply shorten the wall mount and use only two arm supports instead of four.

I also spent a little extra money purchasing rosewood for an inlay, which is not necessary but adds a cool custom touch to the design. You can also make this project more budget-friendly by using a different type of sturdy wood, such as Baltic birch plywood instead of cherry wood.

Fig. A: Project Overview

Fig. B: Arm Support Overview

Cut the arm supports

Put on safety glasses and hearing protection. Sketch the arm support dimensions (from Fig. B above) on the 1×6 cherry board with a pencil and speed square, then use a miter saw to cut around the perimeter of the four arm supports.

To save time and ensure consistency, use the first arm support you create as a template for the remaining three.

Cut slots in the arm supports

Use a jigsaw to cut along the inside of the 7/8-in. slot in each of the four arm supports. This will be a rough cut, so don’t worry if it isn’t perfect. Then, smooth them out on the router table fitted with a 3/4-in. straight router bit. Make slow passes to prevent burning the wood.

Round the edges of the arm supports

Use a 1/4-in. round-over router bit to round the edges except the long, 7-1/2-in. edge along the back of the arm supports and 1-in. edges at the top and bottom.

Sand the four arm supports

Sand all sides and edges of the four arm supports using both a random orbit sander and sanding by hand. Start with 120-grit sandpaper and progress to 320-grit. Be sure to sand the inside of the 7/8-in. slot where the skateboard rests to remove any burn marks made at the router table.

Cut wall mount boards

Cut two cherry wall mount boards 3 inches wide x 24 inches long. Measure and mark down the center of each. Using a router table equipped with the same 3/4-in. straight bit, route a 1/8 inch deep channel down the center of both wall mount boards.

Cut the rosewood inlay

On the table saw, cut a 3/4-inch wide strip of the 1/8 inch thick rosewood. After cutting the width, use a miter saw to cut six pieces of rosewood, each measuring three inches long.

Dry-fit the pieces

Three rosewood inlay pieces will be placed between two support arms on each of the wall mounts. Before gluing, lay out the inlay pieces alongside the arm supports to confirm their positions.

Glue and clamp rosewood inlay pieces

Apply wood glue to each piece of rosewood and clamp them down. Allow the wood glue to dry for 24 hours.

Predrill holes for arm supports

After the wood glue has dried, remove the clamps and turn the wall mount boards over so the backside faces up. Pre-drill two pilot holes spaced roughly three inches apart in each of the openings between the inlayed rosewood where the arm supports will be attached. Use a drill and countersink drill bit to make sure the heads of the screws sit flush on the back of the wall mount boards.

Drill installation holes

With a countersink drill bit, drill countersink holes 1/2 inch below the bottom arm support and 1/2 inch above the top arm support. These holes are where the skateboard wall mounts will be secured to the wall.

Smooth the wall mount boards

Use a 1/4 in. round-over bit and a router to round the front edges of the two wall-mount boards. Then, using a combination of a random orbit sander and a sheet of sandpaper in your hand, sand all the surfaces of the wall-mounting boards smooth, beginning with 120 grit and progressing to 320 grit.

Secure the arm supports to the wall mount boards

From the backside of the wall mounts, secure the four arm supports to the wall mounts using 1-5/8 in. screws.

Apply polyurethane

Use a tack cloth to remove as much dust as possible from the two assembled skateboard wall mounts. After that, apply two coats of polyurethane, sanding between each coat. Follow the directions on the polyurethane label for drying time.

Hang the skateboard wall mount

Select the skateboard wall mount location. Once you’ve chosen the spot, level the first wall mount and secure it in place. This is done by fastening it through the two countersunk installation holes previously drilled above and below the top and bottom support arm. If possible, attach at least one skateboard wall mount side directly to the wall studs. If no studs are in the desired location, use appropriate drywall anchors to support both the mount and the skateboards hanging from it.

When installing the second skateboard wall mount, the distance between them depends on the width of your skateboard’s wheelbase, as the arm supports will be positioned between the wheelbase to hold the skateboard. The wheelbase measurement is the distance between skateboard trucks, typically between 13-1/2-and 14-1/2-in. for non-longboards.

I spaced the mounts out so there was an 8-1/2 inch gap between them (10-3/4 inch gap between the support arms). Use a tape measure and level to secure the second in place so that both are plumb and level to each other. Once the second wall mount is securely attached to the wall, slide your skateboard into the open slots and enjoy!

FAQ

What is the best wood to use for a skateboard wall mount?

A strong plywood such as Baltic birch or a hardwood like maple or cherry is best to use for a skateboard wall mount.

How long are skateboards?

The average adult skateboard is 32 inches long, and a kids’ skateboard is between 28 and 30 inches long.

Where should I keep my skateboard?

A dry place that is away from moisture and out of high-traffic areas is ideal for skateboard storage. Using a skateboard wall mount or rack indoors can keep it protected when not in use.

The post Create the Perfect Skateboard Display With This DIY Wall Mount appeared first on Family Handyman.

Rosemary by Sherwin Williams

Nature-inspired colors are in for 2025, and green hues fall right in step with this trend. Rosemary by Sherwin Williams is a great example as a medium to darkish green with subtle gray undertones. “It’s warm, not vibrant, and decidedly green but muted,” Woolf says. “As an exterior field color it works on cottage style, Victorian, Foursquare and Craftsman-style homes — and it looks gorgeous on brick.” This color also pairs nicely with warm neutrals and wood tones.

Vine Leaf by Behr

Vine Leaf by Behr is a brighter green but still keeps with the earthy color palette of 2025. Vibrant and fresh, this color offers a lively pop of color without being overwhelming. It’s a perfect choice for homeowners who want to make a statement without straying too far from earthy, grounded tones. Despite its brightness, Vine Leaf works well with neutral tones like warm grays, whites or wood accents and is effective as the main exterior color or as an accent on shutters and doors.

Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore

“We’re generally seeing a movement away from cool neutrals to warm neutrals,” Woolf says, including warm or muted whites. Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore is representative of this trend with creamy undertones and is a color Jenkins turns to all the time. Clients will want “a beautiful warm off-white with a light greige shutter,” she says, and Swiss Coffee on a home’s field area paired with Edgecomb Gray by Benjamin Moore on shutters creates a “quintessential combination.”

Oxide by Behr

A deep, rich, earthy reddish-brown with warm undertones, Oxide by Behr creates a bold look while staying on trend as a nature-based color. This striking hue can be used to add character and depth to your home’s exterior as a pop of color on the front door or shutters or as a main field paint. It pairs nicely with warm neutrals, wood tones and stone while complementing modern and contemporary homes.

Anonymous by Sherwin Williams

Sage gray/greens are one of the most popular exterior paint colors for 2025, with Anonymous by Sherwin Williams being a standout example. While technically a gray, the green undertones give it a sage-like appearance that pairs well with other muted neutrals like warm whites and beige. Complementing a variety of architectural styles, from coastal and modern farmhouse to traditional and colonial homes, Anonymous is an excellent option for homeowners who want a relaxed, natural aesthetic.

Flint by Benjamin Moore

“Another color family I get a lot of requests for are the deep, moody gray-greens,” Jenkins says, of which Flint by Benjamin Moore is a heavy favorite. “This color is just gorgeous outside,” she says. A deep, cool medium-dark gray, Flint offers a bold, modern look while adding depth and visual interest to any home’s exterior. “I call it a charcoal blue. It’s a mixture of blue-green and gray, but heavy on the blue side,” Jenkins says. “It’s great for shutters on a white house or paired with black gutters and windows.”

Whitall Brown by Benjamin Moore

A deep, dark brown with red undertones, Whitall Brown by Benjamin Moore is part of a larger trend toward dark brown exterior paint in 2025. “I think dark browns play into two trends that are popular: dark colors and earthier tones,” Woolf says. “It’s a way of doing dark blue or black without doing dark blue or black.” Dark brown paint colors are very versatile too. “It works in the Southwest, Pacific Northwest and on Garrison, Four-Square and Craftsman-style houses,” Woolf adds.

Needlepoint Navy by Sherwin Williams

While deep blues have been part of exterior color trends for a few years, they’re still one of the most popular paint colors for 2025. Warmer than black, a dark blue like Needlepoint Navy by Sherwin Williams can add depth to coastal, traditional and modern homes. Whether used as an accent on garage doors, trim, or shutters, or as a dominant field color, Needlepoint Navy offers flexibility, easily adapting to both modern and classic designs depending on the complementary colors around it.

Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore

If you’re after an earthy, neutral and versatile color for your home’s exterior, consider Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore. A soft, warm gray with subtle undertones of green and beige, this light to medium-toned color can complement architectural styles from traditional to contemporary. A great transitional color, it complements stone, brick or wood elements of your home’s exterior, while pairing well with crisp whites or charcoal trim and accents.

Tyler Gray by Benjamin Moore

A warm, sophisticated gray, Tyler Gray by Benjamin Moore is an understated color that will stand the test of time. “It’s a mid-tone neutral that sits between gray and beige,” Woolf says. “Colors like this seem to outlast trends, which is important if you’re painting your house every ten years or so.” She recommends trying Tyler Gray with brick or stone fixed materials on the exterior, like stone veneer. “You’re trying to avoid setting up a clash,” Woolf says, “Colors like those gray beiges can be much more flexible.”

About the Experts

• Amy Woolf is the owner of Amy Woolf Architectural Color and Design located in Northampton, Massachusetts, specializing in color selection and design services for both residential and commercial spaces. She is an award-winning architectural color consultant and interior designer.
• Lisa Jenkins is the owner of Lisa Jenkins Color, a design and color consulting firm based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Prior to this venture, she was a Color Marketing Manager at Benjamin Moore and an Architectural and Design Representative for Sherwin Williams.

The post The 10 Colors Everyone’s Painting Their Homes in 2025 appeared first on Family Handyman.

Fire Ball Seedless® Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus)

Everyone loves the fiery red intensity of the foliage in fall, but burning bush is considered a pest in some areas. Enter Fire Ball Seedless, a new cultivar that is seedless, sterile and, most importantly, non-invasive. Developed by the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station in North Carolina, this burning bush cultivar is part of the Proven Winners® ColorChoice® collection. It has the durability and infernal-red autumnal foliage of burning bush without the risk of it spreading into wild areas and out-competing native plants.

Named 2025 Professional’s Choice Green Thumb award winner, Fireball grows 5 to 6 feet tall and wide and makes a fine screen or backdrop for a mixed border. USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8. Photo courtesy of Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs.

Paisley Pup® Doghobble (Leucothoe fontanesiana)

This underappreciated species goes by several names, including drooping leucothoe, fetterbush and mountain doghobble. Whatever you call it, you’ll appreciate this broadleaf evergreen for its handsome foliage and the array of green, cream, white, bronze and yellow hues. And as if that weren’t enough, it also features arching stems holding racemes of fragrant white flowers to delight both people and pollinators alike.

Paisley Pup is a low-growing cultivar, just 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, so it can be used as a midrange plant in a mixed bed. It is shade-tolerant and deer-resistant. USDA Hardiness Zones 5-8. Photo courtesy of Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs.

Oso Easy En Fuego® Rose (Rosa spp.)

Oso Easy landscape roses have a reputation for living up to their name, for they are oh-so-easy to grow! En Fuego keeps the proud lineage going with its beauty, plus its adaptability to cold and hot climates and built-in disease resistance to black spot and powdery mildew. The large, intensely colorful flowers, set off against glossy dark green foliage, start out yellow and red before opening fully to an electric orange.

Part of Proven Winners® ColorChoice® collection, En Fuego matures at 3 to 4 feet tall, 18 in. wide and makes an excellent addition to a perennial garden or dwarf conifer bed. USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9. Photo courtesy of Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs.

Kodiak® Jet Black™ Diervilla (Diervilla x ‘SMNDSN’)

The Kodiak Diervilla line of Proven Winners ColorChoice shrubs has gained fans for its easygoing nature and ability to accept different lighting conditions. Homeowners also like the fall foliage and the bright flower clusters, although the latter are sometimes hard to see against the summer foliage.

Enter Kodiak Jet Black Diervilla, which features contrasting burgundy-black foliage that remains strikingly dark all season long, helping the small yellow flowers stand out. Kodiak Jet Black Diervilla grows 3 to 4 feet tall and wide and makes an excellent addition to shrub borders or to surround a deck. USDA Hardiness Zones 4-7. Photo courtesy of Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs.

Autumn Moonstruck® Azalea (Rhododendron hybrid ‘Roblezf’)

A repeat bloomer is always appreciated, but one with eye-catching foliage as well. It seems Encore® Azalea has hit another home run with Autumn Moonstruck, the first in this popular series of reblooming azaleas to offer variegated foliage. The emerald and chartreuse variegation has enough charm to carry the show all season—with or without the double white blooms, which appear in spring and then sporadically after that in summer and fall.

This azalea likes the sun, too, so it can be massed as a colorful hedge. It grows to 5 feet tall, 4 feet wide or kept smaller and grown in a pot. USDA Hardiness Zones 7-10. Photo courtesy of Encore Azaleas.

Golden Child® Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Mirjam’)

This is one arborvitae that refuses to blend into the background. This Monrovia introduction not only grows in the garden, but it also glows in the garden with finely cut foliage in bright hues of yellow and yellow-green that resist scorching in the sun. In winter, the foliage takes on a light bronze cast for even more variety. With a slow growth rate and compact mature size of 18 to 24 in. tall and wide, this globe-shaped evergreen makes a well-behaved addition to the garden. USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8. Photo courtesy of Monrovia.

Chateau® de Saumur Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus ‘Minsyanlav02’)

Like its other rose of Sharon brethren, this shrub is fast-growing and full of colorful flowers in late summer. However, there is one major difference: this is the first in Monrovia’s popular Chateau series to feature fluffy, peony-like blooms with frilly center petals. The large violet-pink flowers cover stems from top to bottom for a long blooming season into fall.

Chateau de Saumur grows 5 to 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide and makes an excellent informal hedge or backdrop for shorter plants. USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9. Photo courtesy of Monrovia.

Seaside Serenade® Pebble Beach Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘SC-04-20’)

The newest member of Monrovia’s Seaside Serenade hydrangea collection, Pebble Beach boasts large mophead flowers—purple in acidic soil, raspberry pink in alkaline—spring through summer. Blooms, which have a hint of bright green color for an intriguing twist, are held on sturdy, dark red stems to resist weather.

Like others in the Seaside Serenade series, Pebble Beach has a compact, bushy growth habit, growing 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. It works well as a focal point in the garden, massed as an informal border or even grown in a container as an accent plant. Also, the blooms make excellent cut flowers in a vase. USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9. Photo courtesy of Monrovia.

Violet Mist® Chastetree (Vitex agnus-castus)

With a mature size of just 3 to 4 feet in height and width, Violet Mist from First Editions® is more compact than other varieties and can fit neatly into many smaller landscapes. It also reacts well to pruning and, since it blooms on new wood, can be trimmed back in spring to keep an even tighter habit—without jeopardizing the season’s floral show.

Speaking of which, the flowers on Violet Mist are a pollinator magnet, appearing in profusion in early summer and showing off their attractive blue-purple hues. Deadheading encourages reblooming. USDA Hardiness Zones 6-9. Photo courtesy of First Editions.

Bloombux® Blush Rhododendron (Rhododendron hybrid)

Here’s a colorful alternative to boring boxwood—and one less prone to winter damage, too. Growing just 18 to 24 in. tall, it’s a perfect option for an elegant low hedge. But rather than settling for a long season of greenery, Bloombux Blush offers something extra with a floral show worthy of rhododendrons.

The large, 3 to 4-in. wide blooms on this Bloomin’ Easy® introduction have a blush-pink hue when they appear in spring and are sure to please the eye while satisfying pollinators. USDA Hardiness Zone 5-9. Photo courtesy of Bloomin’ Easy.

Spice Cowboy™ Snowball Bush (Viburnum carlesii ‘SMNVCST’)

Spice Cowboy Snowball Bush combines visual appeal with fragrant blooms and seasonal color changes. This versatile shrub, available through Jackson & Perkins®, grows 6 to 10 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide, so it can be shaped into a small tree or grown as a dense hedge.

Large clusters of snowball-like flowers boast a spicy-sweet scent in spring, so consider placing the shrub near a patio, deck or other spot in the garden where you can appreciate this feature. Come fall, you can look forward to seeing the foliage turn fiery orange-red as a final act. Spice Cowboy is highly adaptable, thriving in most moist, well-drained soils. It is also deer-resistant. USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8. Photo courtesy of Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs.

Li’l Annie Oakleaf™ Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Oakann1588’)

Here’s a downsized version of the classic oakleaf hydrangea that’s a great fit for gardens of all sizes. While the North American native species grows 6 to 8 feet tall and wide, Li’l Annie oakleaf hydrangea has a more compact reach of 3 to 4 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide, making it more suitable for use as a foundation plant or midrange addition to a mixed bed.

Available from Star® Roses and Plants, the shrub has large, white flowers that age to pink and host many beneficial pollinators. As a bonus, the green foliage eventually turns burgundy for added drama in the fall garden. USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9.

Suntastic™ Pink Abelia (Abelia hybrid ‘Pink’)

This new and improved abelia from the Southern Living® Plant Collection is a compact shrub that adds oodles of color and texture without making a gardener raise a sweat. The brightly variegated foliage is a treat throughout the year, and the plant itself matures at just 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide, so it’s perfect for borders, foundations or even containers. Moreover, this water-wise beauty is heat tolerant and thrives in full sun. USDA Hardiness Zones 6-10. Photo courtesy of PlantHaven International, planthaven.com

Mop Top™ Butterfly Bush (Buddleia alternifolia)

With its weeping branches and compact growth habit, Mop Top brings a touch of elegance and grace to a garden. It’s not lacking in color, either, as this new shrub is full of fragrant lavender flowers from mid-spring to mid-summer, much to the delight of bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Mop Top stays manageable at 3 to 5 feet tall and wide, offering versatility for small garden spaces. This low-maintenance shrub, available through Jackson & Perkins®, has excellent drought tolerance and enhanced cold hardiness. It’s also sterile, so it won’t cause concern over self-seeding. USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8. Photo courtesy of Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs.

The post Take Your Lawn to the Next Level With the Coolest New Shrubs appeared first on Family Handyman.

Although smooth walls have been the trend for many years now, some homes still have popcorn or textured ceilings. As with all walls in your home, there will come a time when you may want to paint it. Since popcorn and textured ceilings capture and trap dust and grim, they can look dingy over time. Even when you try to clean them, they just don’t look fresh and crisp, and you come to the crossroads of deciding to paint them. Before moving forward with painting, carefully consider your long-term plans for the ceiling, as painting over popcorn texture will make it significantly more difficult and costly to remove in the future should you decide to do so.

Painting any textured or rough surface has its challenges and requires a bit more effort than painting a smooth surface. Most importantly, it requires the thickest nap roller you can find. If you have ever painted a rough or textured surface with a thin nap roller, you know how frustrating it can be. Here is the lay of the land when approaching a popcorn ceiling with paint.

Do popcorn ceilings have asbestos?

Popcorn ceilings or textured ceilings applied in the 1980s or earlier are likely to contain some amount of asbestos, which is known to cause cancer.  If you’re not sure when your popcorn ceiling was installed, you can send a sample off to home centers to check if it contains asbestos. If uncertain, wear protective gear, such as safety glasses and a mask, to avoid coming into contact with crumbling texture or dust particles. If left undisturbed, the popcorn ceiling may be painted over, which is not harmful.

Mask the ceiling before painting

Before painting, clean the surface well to eliminate dust and loose particles. Dust and loose particles prevent the paint from properly adhering to any surface.

Use two-inch wide painter’s tape to mask off the edges of the outer perimeter of your ceiling. Ensure good adhesive bonding of the tape to seal the edge and avoid paint bleeds under the tape line. This is particularly important if the color of the walls differs from the color of the ceiling.

Protect floors and furniture with drop cloths

When using thick nap paint rollers, a lot of paint splatter will be generated during the painting process. Protect your floors and furniture with drop cloths or tarps to avoid paint droplets from getting everywhere. Additionally, wear clothes you won’t mind getting paint on, and protect your eyes by wearing safety glasses.

Cut in around the edges

Cut in around the edges of the room using a 1-1/2-to-2 in. angled trim brush to get into the nooks and crannies of the texture. Be generous when loading the brush with paint. Be careful not to push the paint too deeply into the tape’s edge, as this may cause it to bleed underneath. Use light brush strokes to avoid disturbing or damaging the texture.

Tip: Textured painter’s tape will leak paint through the wrinkles and under the texture, resulting in paint bleed that requires touchups. Choose painter’s tape with the smoothest texture for a clean paint edge.

Painting popcorn ceiling

Ceilings are usually painted in a flat finish unless they are located in high-moisture areas, such as bathrooms. Using a generous amount of paint, roll the paint onto the ceiling in random directions. Crisscross the roller as you go to force paint into the crevices of the texture. Think of making X and W patterns with your roller movement. In areas where a paint roller is too cumbersome to operate, use the trim brush to force the paint into the deep pockets of the popcorn drywall texture.

If you splatter paint on something not protected by a dropcloth, try to clean it up before the paint has fully dried. The fresher the paint splatter droplets, the easier they will be to remove.

Allow the paint to dry and apply a second coat. In most cases, two coats are sufficient, but depending on the coarseness of your ceiling and the paint you choose, more coats may be required.

Tip: Ceilings are usually painted white or light colors to reflect light back into the room. A darker paint color will absorb the light – which may be a conscious choice for a space such as a home theater.

Remove the painter’s tape and clean up

Once the paint has dried, gently remove the painter’s tape used to mask off the edges. Be careful not to pull off the texture that has been bonded to the edge of the tape. Remove the drop cloths and clean your painting supplies.

FAQ

Can I use a paint sprayer on a popcorn ceiling?

You may consider using a paint sprayer to paint a popcorn ceiling.  This will save on actual paint time but will require a lot more prep time. Using a paint sprayer will require the whole room to be fully protected because of the large amount of overspray. It comes down to personal preference. Ask professional painters, and half will say, “Definitely use a brush and roller,” and the other half will say, “Definitely use a paint sprayer.” For me, it comes down to the configuration of the room: how much furniture is in there?  What is the surface of the floor?  How tall are the ceilings?  The right choice is the one you feel most comfortable with.

What if I don’t want to paint a ceiling white?

White is highly reflective of light and will help a room feel bigger. If you want a bit of color but not a stark white, some professionals will mix a ratio of white with the color being used on the walls, so the ceiling lends itself to a complementary color but isn’t stark white.  Be sure to do a test, focusing on the color when it is dry.  Wet paint is deceiving because it is usually a different color than when it is dry. Think of saving a small amount of the mixed paint or make a note of the ratio used in the mix should you need to touch it up in the future.

What type of paint should I use for the ceiling?

More often than not, especially in new construction, you will find a ceiling painted with primer and no additional topcoat. If you desire a specific color match, you may add a topcoat over the primer.

Paint manufacturers are now selling paint specifically designed for ceilings. The difference between ceiling paint and primer is that ceiling paint is thicker, which may make additional coats less necessary. Ceiling paint comes in flat or low-gloss sheen.

Both primers and ceiling paints are manufactured to be stain-resistant, which means they are less likely to absorb smoke, cooking vapors, and other substances. Both ceiling paint and primers are also mildew-resistant.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Painting a Popcorn Ceiling Like a Pro appeared first on Family Handyman.

Use a Stain-Blocking Primer to Cover Flaws

Roof leaks, overflowing sinks, tobacco smoke and big spills can all leave ugly ceiling stains or dinginess that is impossible to conceal with plain old paint. But cover the stain with a coat of stain-blocking primer and your troubles are over.

The traditional favorite is white pigmented shellac. You can buy spray cans of pigmented shellac, but usually it’s easier to brush it on. Just don’t forget to pick up some ammonia or denatured alcohol to clean your brush. If you’re painting over a ceiling that’s yellow from smoke, roll a coat of shellac over the entire ceiling before painting with latex.

Sand Before You Paint

Over time, and as the layers of paint build up, bumps and crud can get stuck to the ceiling. On untextured ceilings, it’s a good idea to start with a quick once-over sanding with 100-grit drywall sanding paper. This helps ensure a perfectly smooth paint job and increases paint bonding. The easiest way to do this is with a sanding pole. When you’re done sanding, wipe the ceiling with a damp sponge to remove the dust.

Cut in Before You Roll

Cutting in before you roll allows you to cover most of the brush marks with the roller. Carefully brush paint along the edge of the ceiling a section at a time. Cut in about 10 linear ft. and then roll that section. This method has a couple of advantages over cutting in the entire room at once. First, the cut-in section will remain wet until you roll, so it blends in better. Also, it’s simply less boring to alternate between cutting in and rolling.

Roll Both Directions

There are a few tricks to getting a smooth, consistent coat of paint on the ceiling. First, work in sections about 5 or 6 ft. square. Move quickly from one section to the next to make sure the paint along the edge doesn’t dry before you roll paint on the adjoining section. This is called “keeping a wet edge” and is the key to avoiding lap marks. You’ll get the best coverage by immediately re-rolling each section at a right angle to your first roller direction as you go.

Buy Special Ceiling Paint

While there are exceptions, in general you’ll get the best results with paint that’s formulated for a ceiling application. For a ceiling, you want paint that doesn’t spatter, has a long open time (dries slowly), and is flat instead of glossy. Most ceiling paints are formulated with these qualities. And of course you can have ceiling paint tinted if you want a color other than “ceiling white.”

Lap Your Cut-In Onto the Walls

If you’re planning to paint the walls too, lap the paint onto the walls a little bit. Then when you paint the walls, you can err on the side of leaving a little ceiling color showing when you cut in and it won’t be noticeable. Some painters like to skip this cutting-in step and save time by mashing the roller into the corner instead, but this method is sloppy, builds up excess paint in the corner and can leave runs or a thick paint line on the wall.

Don’t Be Afraid of Color

You may not want to paint your ceiling yellow, but don’t be afraid to deviate from plain old white. Painting the ceiling a color can make a small room seem bigger, or a room with a high ceiling seem more intimate. Plus, it’s just more interesting. Ask at any full-service paint store for help in choosing complementary wall and ceiling colors, or search online for examples of rooms you like.

You Don’t Need an Expensive Pole

You can buy all kinds of fancy—and expensive—extendable paint poles, but a simple wooden broom handle usually works just as well. The reasons are simple. They’re cheap and light and do the job.

Use a Thick, Premium Cover

Here’s a tip that applies to most paint jobs but is even more important for ceilings. You want to get as much paint on the ceiling as you can in the shortest amount of time possible while minimizing spatters. To do this, you need the best roller cover you can buy. The best choice is a 1/2-in.-nap lambswool cover. If you’ve never tried a lambswool roller cover, you owe it to yourself to experience the difference. And if you’re worried about the cost, keep in mind that lambswool covers are easy to clean and can last a long time if you take good care of them.

Roll Gently on Textured Ceilings

Painting textured ceilings is a bit of a crapshoot. If the texture has been painted over already, it’s probably safe to paint again. If the texture has never been painted, there’s a risk the water in the paint could loosen the texture, causing it to fall off in sheets. A lot depends on the quality of the texturing job. If you have a closet or other inconspicuous area, do a test by rolling on some paint to see what happens. If the texture loosens, painting over the larger ceiling is risky.

If possible, spray on the paint—it’s less likely to loosen the texture than rolling. But spraying in an occupied house is usually impractical. The best tip for rolling on paint is to avoid overworking the paint. Just roll the paint on and leave it. Don’t go back and forth with the roller, as this is likely to pull the texture from the ceiling. If the ceiling needs another coat of paint, wait for the first coat to dry completely. Then roll another coat perpendicular to the first one using the same careful technique.

Feather Out the Paint Where You Can’t Keep a Wet Edge

When interior painting, you can’t cover large areas like ceilings, extra-tall walls or stairwells in single, continuous strokes, so the best way to minimize lap marks on these areas is to feather out the paint along the edges that you can’t keep wet. The thinner, feathered coat of paint will avoid the buildup that causes the lap mark. To paint a large section without leaving lap marks, roll the nearly dry roller in different directions along the dry edge, feathering out the paint as you go. After completing the entire length of the wall or ceiling, move to the next section and paint over the feathered edges. For the second coat, apply the paint in the opposite direction. This crisscrossing paint application sharply reduces (if not eliminates) lap marks.

Groove Textured Ceilings

It’s almost impossible to paint right next to rough-textured ceilings (a process called “cutting in”) without getting paint on the ceiling. Taping off the ceiling doesn’t work either. The solution? Knock off the texture at the edge with a putty knife. Hold the knife at a 45-degree angle to the wall and run the blade along the edge of the ceiling. The blade scrapes away the texture and leaves a small groove in the ceiling. Clean out the groove with a duster or a dry paintbrush. Now when you cut in along the top of the wall, the paintbrush bristles will slide into the groove, giving you a crisp paint line without getting paint on the ceiling. And you’ll never notice the thin line of missing texture.

Avoid Paint Freckles

Rolling paint on the ceiling showers you with a fine mist. A baseball cap is essential, and safety glasses let you watch your work without squinting. To make skin cleanup easier, rub lotion on your face, arms and hands. At the end of the day, your paint freckles will wash right off.

The post Painting a Ceiling? These Pro Tips Will Make It Easier appeared first on Family Handyman.

No More Splashy Paint Can Lids

Ever hammer down a paint can lid only to have paint splatter everywhere? You can prevent that by grabbing a 5-in-1 tool and using the pointy end to punch a few holes through the groove of the can’s rim (be sure to rotate the tool left and right a little to widen the holes). The holes allow excess paint to drain back into the can. The lid will cover the holes and make an airtight seal. If you don’t have a 5-in-1 tool handy, you can punch some holes with a hammer and nail. — Larry Gusman

Preserve a Brush With a Glove

I like to wear disposable nitrile gloves when I’m painting. They not only keep my hands clean but also keep my brush from drying out whenever I take a break. I simply grab the bristles with my gloved hand and then pull the glove over the wet bristles. A twist tie around the handle keeps the air out. — Ned Webb

A Push Broom Handle Reaches New Heights

You can spend $10 to $70 on an adjustable extension pole for rolling paint in high places. But if adjustability isn’t important or you just want to save a few bucks, try a push broom handle. Most fit perfectly on a paint roller. Long handles are also great for yard tools. — Dave Moran.

Slap It On, Then Smooth It Out

When painting trim or other woodwork with a brush, I’ve found it’s best to load my brush with paint and then lay it on heavily in small sections using short, quick strokes—just to get enough paint on the trim to work with. I then blend the paint into the section I painted before and smooth it all out using long finishing strokes in one direction. — Greg Scholl.

Brush Bristle Saver

Without something to hold them in place, paintbrush bristles will curl or splay as they dry. The best way to store them is in the cardboard wrappers that they came in. They’re not just packaging; they maintain the shape of the bristles as the brush dries after cleaning. If you’ve already thrown your brush wrappers away, use paper and a rubber band instead. — Andy Benke.

Cardboard Protects Floors Best

I don’t like drop cloths. They’re usually too big, slippery, clumsy and just downright messy—especially when I need to move them around while they’re still covered in wet paint. That’s why I prefer cardboard. I set it tight to the wall and slide it with my foot as I work my way around the room. — Beckie Boggs

No-Maintenance Paint Tray

Don’t bother cleaning or putting liners in your paint trays. Just pour any excess paint back into the can and let the paint in the tray dry completely before using it again. I have paint trays with a 1/8-in.-thick paint buildup in them. I like them better than clean trays because they’re a little heavier and don’t slide around when I’m loading the roller. — Mac Wentz

2/3 Prep, 1/3 Painting

A good prep job often takes more time than painting, but it pays off. The more time you spend prepping a room for new paint, the better your finished paint job will look. Washing, patching, sanding and vacuuming walls, ceilings, trim and doors before you pick up a brush or roller are time well spent. If you don’t take care of small imperfections now, they’ll stick out like a sore thumb once the paint goes on. — Arthur Barfield

Do the Ceiling, Then the Walls

Before painting any walls, take a good look at your ceiling. If you think it needs refreshing, paint it first. You don’t want to paint the walls and then—in a couple of weeks or years—do the ceiling. Rolling the ceiling drops a fine mist of paint onto everything below. Painting the ceiling first also allows you to be less fussy along walls. Any paint that gets slopped onto walls will get covered up later when you paint them. — Patrick Morrissey

Skip Brush Cleaning Between Coats

Whenever I take a break from painting or if I’m done for the day, I toss my brushes into a 5-gallon bucket of clean water to keep them from drying out (make sure all the brushes have the same color paint on them). Then, when I’m ready to start painting again, I swish the brushes around in the water and spin the excess out with a paintbrush-and-roller spinner. Do the spinning inside a second empty bucket to protect surrounding walls from flying water drops. — Ann Wisnoski

An Egg-Cellent Painting Tip

Whenever I need to paint something small like a picture frame and want to raise it off the table a bit to paint the edges, I break out these handy egg cartons. I just cut a couple in half and use them to support the frame’s edges. I can reuse them several times or just throw them away when I’m done. — Nancy Luptowski

The post 11 Painting Secrets from Our Expert Readers appeared first on Family Handyman.

Youthful Yellow

If you want to incorporate a bright color like yellow without committing to the whole house, front door paint is a great option. It’s easier to change your mind about a door than an entire exterior paint job.

Pretty Pink

Ready for Red

Outstanding Orange

Luscious Lime

Handsome Hunter

Tropical Aqua

Tranquil Teal Front Door

Breezy Blue

Nautical Navy

Playful Purple

Burnished Brown

Graceful Gray

Sophisticated Black

Welcoming White

The post 15 Front Door Colors That Will Give Your Home Instant Curb Appeal appeared first on Family Handyman.

What Is Aged Wood?

Wood takes on that rustic look over time through the process of oxidization. Exposure to oxygen and light cause the surface of the wood to either darken or lighten, depending on the species. Moisture and exposure to the elements add to the process. That’s one reason barn wood looks so cool.

Always Start With a Test Board

Different species of wood will “age” differently, so make a test board using the type of wood you’ll be staining. Shown above are pine (bottom) and cedar (top). Make sure the wood is clean and dry before you begin. Rough-sawn cedar has a smooth and a rough side. The rough side is shown here. If the final project is going to be sanded for a smooth finish, make sure to sand the test board the same as the project board.

Iron Vinegar On Cedar

Here’s how to cheaply (and quickly) age wood and make it look old and gray. Just apply iron vinegar to fresh cedar lumber:

• Soak some steel wool in white vinegar for a few hours or a few days – the longer it steeps, the darker the aged effect will be. Fill the jar with the steel wool and vinegar; the measurements don’t have to be precise.
• Use 0000 steel wool so it breaks down even faster in the vinegar. Use a brush to wipe on the iron vinegar. Let dry.

Experiment with how long the steel wool is left in the vinegar. If you want an even darker finish, brush on a black tea wash before applying the iron vinegar (see the next slide for iron vinegar on pine).

Before and after

Left: New cedar lumber.

Right: New cedar stained with iron vinegar after 30 minutes.

Tea Plus Iron Vinegar On Pine

Iron vinegar, by itself, doesn’t have much of an effect on pine. Use a black tea wash first to get a grayer and darker effect:

• Boil water and add 2 black tea bags for each cup of water. Let steep for 5 minutes.
• Brush the tea onto the board. Let dry.
• Now apply the iron vinegar and let it dry. You’re done!

Benjamin Moore Arborcoat Semi-Transparent Stain

Many manufacturers make gray stains without using a steel wool and vinegar stain. We tried out Benjamin Moore Arborcoat. It’s made for exterior use and stinks until it dries, but it gives a beautiful silvery sheen to both cedar and pine. The results are fast and predictable (unlike iron vinegar).

• Brush the stain onto the board.
• Let it dry.

Before and after

Left: New pine lumber.

Right: Benjamin Moore Arborcoat stain applied to pine.

Pioneer Wood

Pioneer Wood is a patina that gives wood a “barn-door” style. It works quickly, darkening and aging the wood. Still, part of the process requires the wood to sit outside in the weather after application. This is pine that was aged for two days, so if you want it darker, leave it outside longer.

• Dissolve powder in water. Let sit for 5 min.
• If you’re using cedar, that’s all you need to do. If you’re using pine, it will need to sit outside to mature the patina.

Before and after, cedar

Left: New cedar lumber.

Right: Cedar with Pioneer Wood stain.

Before and after, pine

Left: New pine lumber.

Right: Pine after application of Pioneer Wood stain – aged outdoors for two days.

Minwax Weathered Oak

Minwax Weathered Oak darkens the patina on pine slightly, but on cedar, it gives a soft gray overall tone with gold in the grain. You might have to apply it more than once to achieve the look you want. Results for this project can look very different than what is shown on the label, so be sure to test it first.

1. Brush the stain onto the board.
2. Let dry.

Before and after, cedar

Left: New cedar lumber.

Right: Cedar lumber with Minwax Weathered Oak stain.

The post How To Age Wood: 5 Easy Ways To Get That Weathered Look Without Waiting appeared first on Family Handyman.

Snap Lines on the Sand

You can stretch a string between stakes to create a layout line for setting bricks, but simply snapping a chalk line in the sand is quicker, plus you don’t have a string in the way. With layout lines snapped on the sand, laying bricks is faster and easier. The chalk won’t stick to dry sand, so you may have to mist the sand with water before snapping lines. Then, snap layout lines directly on the sand using a standard carpenter’s chalk line reel.

Simple Lawn Edging

To edge your lawn, garden, or flowerbed, lay down a 2×6. While holding the board with your foot, drive a flat spade along its edge. Move the board as needed to create a clean, straight line.

Save Your Back with Dollies

Roll Heavy Stones Over PVC Pipe

Move really heavy stones by rolling them over lengths of PVC pipe, much like the ancient Egyptians did.

Plant-in-a-Pot Landscaping Design

Ever wish you could reorganize your garden after seeing how the mature plants look? Here’s a clever way to do it. You’ll need a bunch of pots of the same size so they’ll nest in each other. Put your plants in doubled pots, and then bury them at ground level. Whenever you want a change, lift out the top pot and put in a different one. This method is also really slick for bringing plants indoors over the winter. This method is great for quickly changing out seasonal plants and allows for easy experimentation with the color and placement of plants and flowers.

Cover Your Grass With Plywood

Keep Sand in the Cracks

Dry sand tends to get washed away or swept out of paver brick and stone patio joints. One solution is to use special polymeric sand that binds together when wetted. You can buy the polymeric additive and mix it with dry sand yourself, or you can buy premixed bags of sand. Premixed sand is the most convenient solution. A bag covers about 120 sq. ft. on paver bricks. Check with landscape suppliers and home centers. Make sure there is no sand on the surface of the brick or stone before you wet it.

Easy Mulch Spreading

Getting mulch up close to flowers and bushes is easier if the mulch is in a small container. So, I place buckets and pails in my wheelbarrow and fill them up with mulch. It doesn’t matter much if the mulch misses the bucket and lands in the wheelbarrow. Once you’re done dumping the buckets, dump what’s left in the wheelbarrow in an open area and spread it out. — Eric Swartz

Apply a Stabilizing Sealant

Invest in a Heavy-Duty Tarp

Nothing is quite so useful in landscaping projects as a durable tarp. It’s excellent for moving leaves, weeds, soil, and small rocks (among other materials) quickly and safely when working in the yard. You can also use it to cover plants or landscaping materials on a truck bed when transporting them or to protect projects from a fierce storm. Just don’t leave a tarp lying out on the lawn for too long, or it will kill your grass.

Spray Water to Keep the Dust Down

Hardscape with Permeable Materials

Inexpensive patio pavers set in a grid and surrounded by trap rock make an elegant, simple and environmentally friendly courtyard. Patios, walkways, courtyards and other hardscape elements add a bit of magic to any yard and reduce landscaping chores. Choose materials and designs that allow rainwater to permeate the soil to irrigate plantings, minimize erosion and prevent runoff. These include organic mulches, gravel, stone and permeable pavers.

Save Your Fingertips with Athletic Tape

Use Polyurethane Adhesive

Mortar is traditionally used to secure the top courses of stone on a wall. However, polyurethane adhesive does the same thing without the hard work and mess of mixing mortar or the skill needed to trowel it on. Also, polyurethane stays flexible, so it doesn’t crack and fall out like mortar does. Combine stone chips with the adhesive to shim stones to keep them steady until the adhesive cures. Polyurethane adhesive is available at home centers and is at least as strong as dedicated landscape adhesives.

Pack Gravel in Layers

Depending on the type of soil, most paths, patios and walls require an 8- to 12-in.- deep compacted base of gravel. But if you just dump 8 in. of gravel into a trench and run a plate compactor over it, only the top few inches will be fully compacted. The uncompacted gravel will settle later, creating waves in the wall or path. For a fully compacted base that won’t settle, add the gravel in 2- or 3-inch-deep layers and run the plate compactor over each layer before adding the next one.
If you want to make your backyard even more exciting, you can add a basketball court to the gravel base!

Build in Drainage for Long-Lasting Walls

Water-soaked soil is the worst enemy of retaining walls because it exerts enormous pressure behind the wall. Adding good drainage behind block or stone walls is crucial for long-lasting, bulge-free walls. Start by laying perforated plastic drainage tubing along the base of the wall slightly above ground level so it can drain to daylight. Slope the tubing about 1/4 inch per foot.

Add Drainage Outlets Every 16 Feet

The post 17 Easy Landscaping Secrets To Transform Your Backyard appeared first on Family Handyman.

This technique for unclogging a toilet with hot water can be quite messy but proves surprisingly effective for tackling smaller clogs, particularly those caused by an overload of toilet paper. Reaching for a toilet plunger is undoubtedly the more straightforward solution. But you may find yourself in a situation where a plunger isn’t available or is proving ineffective against a mass of toilet paper. In such cases, if you have a bucket ready, you can attempt this more unconventional method. Just be prepared for a bit of splashing and cleanup afterward, as this approach can get a little chaotic.

How does it work?

How does hot water dislodge a clog in the toilet? The steady force of hot water acts like a plunger when poured from waist height.  I was honestly surprised at how well this method worked for a clogged toilet caused by too much toilet paper.

A professional plumber isn’t always necessary when you have a clog. However, if this method doesn’t clear the blockage and other attempts, like using a plunger or an auger, also fail, it’s best to call a plumber to remove the clog and restore your toilet’s functionality.

Fill a bucket

Get a clean, empty bucket and fill it with hot water in the sink or bathtub. Avoid boiling water, as it may crack the porcelain the toilet is made of.

Pour a steady stream of water

Pour water into the toilet bowl in a steady stream from about waist height. The force of the water can help dislodge the clog. Using hot water may break down certain materials and loosen some blockages. The falling water’s added force mimics a plunger’s action, creating a miniature waterfall effect. After waiting, try flushing the toilet to see if the clog has cleared. If it hasn’t, you may need to repeat the process.

Tip: Be sure to have towels ready in case of a mess!

FAQ

Is it okay to pour hot water in the toilet?

Warm or hot water can be poured into the toilet, but boiling water should be avoided as it may crack the porcelain.

Can you use hot water to unclog a toilet?

Yes, you can use hot water to unclog a toilet by filling a bucket with hot water (not boiling) and pouring it into the toilet from waist level. The force of the water may help dislodge the clog.

How do you unblock a badly blocked toilet fast?

Use a toilet auger or plunger; alternatively, mix baking soda and vinegar in the toilet bowl or pour hot water into the bowl at waist height.

What do you do if your toilet is clogged but you can’t see anything?

Try plunging it or unclogging the toilet with dish soap. To do this, pour approximately half a cup of dish soap into the toilet. Allow the soap to sit undisturbed for 15 to 30 minutes to penetrate the clog. As the soap sits, it will create a slippery solution that helps lubricate the pipes. After 15 to 30 minutes, flush the toilet.

The post How to Unclog a Toilet with Hot Water When You’re In a Bind appeared first on Family Handyman.

Gary Wentz, an editor for The Family Handyman, will show you how to glue PVC joints to get a fast, leak-free seal.

The post How to Glue and Join PVC Plastic Pipe appeared first on Family Handyman.

MDF (medium-density fiberboard) is inexpensive, durable, and a good choice for many woodworking and carpentry projects. Learn how to use it to make full frame cabinet doors.

The post How to Build a Full Frame Cabinet Door with MDF appeared first on Family Handyman.

Woods like cherry, pine and birch can become blotchy and unattractive when stained, unless you use a sealer before staining. For the best results, test the possible finishes on scrap pieces before you start.

The post How to Stain Wood Evenly Without Getting Blotches and Dark Spots appeared first on Family Handyman.

Learn how to create a decorative edge to a piece of wood with a router.

The post How to Create a Decorative Edge with a Router appeared first on Family Handyman.

Pouring a concrete slab yourself can be a big money-saver or a big mistake. We show you the best techniques and tools so you get it right the first time.

Learn more tips, here.

The post How to Pour a Concrete Slab appeared first on Family Handyman.

Whitewashing is a great way to add a little farmhouse style to any project. Check out these three simple ways to whitewash wood.

Read more about this project, here.

The post 3 Simple Ways to Whitewash Wood appeared first on Family Handyman.

Learn how to make beautifully flat and perfectly true wood from rough-sawn lumber. This video is referred to in The Family Handyman magazine, May 2011, Shop Rat, Flattening rough-sawn wood, on page 78.

The post Planing rough-sawn lumber with a jointer and planer appeared first on Family Handyman.

One-Inch Stop Block for Multiple Cutoffs

To get furniture-grade crosscuts, you must use a table saw. When woodworking enthusiast Travis Larson crosscuts a whole pile of short pieces to the same length, he clamps a specially dedicated block of wood to the table saw fence. It’s an old standard carpentry measuring trick, but the difference is that his block is laminated for easy sliding. More important, it’s exactly one inch thick.

He clamps the block on the fence and adjusts the table saw fence gauge to the desired length, plus one inch, and saws the pieces. The one-inch thickness eliminates any head-scratching and mistakes from using any old scrap block. For safety, he positions the block so the work piece he’s cutting loses contact with the block before the cut begins. That all but eliminates any chance of kickback.

Add Fractions Fast

Math is integral to carpentry measuring, but sometimes handling fractions correctly feels daunting. However, adding 1-13/16-in. to 3-3/8-in. (or any other fractions) doesn’t have to hurt. Just line up two rulers or tape measures side by side and read the answer instantly, with complete accuracy. It works for subtraction, too — just read the numbers in the other direction.

Circle Gets the Square

Here’s a magical way to trace arcs and circles for project parts. Tap two finish nails at the ends of a desired diameter, then rotate a framing square against the nails while holding a pencil in the square’s corner. Spray the underside of the square with silicone or rub on some paraffin so it’ll glide smoother. Then practice a little to get the feel of the three-point contact technique.

Copy Center Project Patterns

Enlarging scaled-down woodworking patterns to full scale is a lot of work, and the results are rarely accurate. But you don’t have to go through that exercise anymore. Just about any full-service copy center will do it for you in a couple of minutes for just a few dollars.

Cut the pattern to the actual length of the drawing. Ask to have it enlarged to the size called for in the dimensions. The copy center magician will spin a circular gauge to determine the expansion percentage and punch that info into the copier. In less than a minute, the full-size pattern will roll out. Stick the pattern directly to the wood with spray adhesive, double-faced tape or masking tape and cut out the part. That’s it!

Dead-Center Drawer Handles

Here’s a quick and easy way to perfectly center drawer handles and pulls and mark them for drilling. Use a straightedge and light pencil lines to mark diagonals from the corners of the drawer face to pinpoint the center. That’s all you’ll need for a single screw handle.

For handles with two holes, adjust a try square to the center point and scribe the horizontal handle line. Divide the handle hole spacing (usually three or four inches) by two and mark the drill holes on the line on either side of the center.

Improved Marking Gauge

Marking gauges come with a little metal pin that scratches a line on the wood, but it’s hard to see the fine line when you’re working. So woodworker Ken Collier drilled out the pinhole and stuck in a pencil. Now it works great for tracing cutting lines on rough boards and laying out screw hole positions along cabinet edges.

Mark, Don’t Measure

This carpentry measuring tip might seem counterintuitive, but give it a shot. Holding trim in place and marking it is always more accurate than measuring, often faster and eliminates mistakes. This is good advice for other types of carpentry work too, like siding, laying shingles and sometimes even framing.

Marking Gauge

Here’s a nifty way to trace cutting or drilling lines on work pieces: First drill a 1/8-in. pencil hole one inch in from the ruler end of a combination square and adjust the square to the desired dimension. Then stick in the pencil and pull the square along the board edge to trace the line. Be careful to drill a hole that’s only a smidgen larger than the pencil point. You’ll be able to speedily produce straight, crisp lines for all kinds of jobs.

Carpentry Measuring Memory (or Lack Thereof) Trick

Stick masking tape to your tape measure for jotting down shapes and numbers. That way you won’t forget the length on the way to the saw.

Perfect Keyhole Template

When you’re installing a wall hanging that has keyhole slots on the back, create a template to help you position the wall screws. Lay a piece of paper over the slots and do a pencil rubbing a la Sherlock Holmes. Level and tape the guide to the wall. Mark the top of the keyholes with a nail and your screws will be in perfect position.

Slant-Ruler Board Divider

Want to divide a board or sheet of plywood perfectly in half, into thirds or any other equal fractions? Here’s a great old carpentry measuring tip that’s worth revisiting. To halve the board, line up the end of a ruler or tape measure on one side. Slant the tape to read 8-in. on the right edge and make your mark at 4-in. To divide it into thirds, slant the ruler to read 9-in. and mark the board at 3-in. and 6-in.

The key is to select a measurement that’s easily divisible by the number of spaces you want. For example, if you want to cut a sheet of plywood into six sections, use the 60-in. mark on your tape measure. Measure at a 90 degree angle from one side to each mark to get the real numbers to transfer them wherever you need them.

Testing Table Saw Miter Cuts

An easy way to test whether your table saw is set to 45 degrees is to cut off a short length of your trim, then hold it to a square. A gap means your angle is off.

Set the Blade Depth Before Cutting

Determine the blade depth by unplugging the saw and holding it alongside your board with the blade guard retracted. Then loosen the depth-adjusting lever or knob and pivot the saw’s base until the blade extends about 1/4-in. to 1/2-in. below the board. Tighten the lever or knob and you’re ready to saw.

Easy Framing Formula for Carpentry Measuring

You don’t need a math degree to estimate framing materials for walls. Here’s a formula that works every time, no matter how many doors, windows or corners your walls have:

• One stud per linear foot of wall;
• Five linear feet of plate material (bottoms, tops and ties) per linear foot of wall.

It will look like too much lumber when it arrives, but you’ll need the extra stuff for corners, window and door frames, blocking and braces. Set aside the crooked stuff for short pieces.

The post 14 Handy Hints That Will Make Measuring Easier and More Accurate appeared first on Family Handyman.

Plan Your Route

Before you lift anything, plan your route, advises Nick Valentino of Bellhop, a company that operates in 27 states. “Especially when moving large furniture items, it’s essential to figure out the route from its starting point before you start,” Valentino sats. “This will give you the chance to clear any obstacles, measure any tight doorways or corners, and get people out of the way.”

Your measurements may reveal that it’s easier to go through a back door — or even a window — than it is to try to muscle a large, heavy item through an undersized front door, especially one that opens onto a stairway. Thinking out of the box can save your back for another day.

Plan Where It Lands

If you’re moving to a new house or apartment, decide beforehand which furniture will go where. Before you move, sketch a floor plan with the correct measurements of each room, measure your furniture and create your layout. Then, as you move things in, you (or your helpers, if you’re not there) can place your furniture in the correct spot and not have to touch it again.

To make it easy on the movers, tape a copy of the plan to the wall of each room so people can tell at a glance where things go.

Carry Tall Items High and Low

Forget about handling a tall dresser, filing cabinet or shelving unit by yourself. It’s a two-person job.

Tip the item backward at an angle and have one person carry the top while the other carries the bottom. This centers the weight and keeps the item from swinging out of control. Transporting the item up or down stairs is easier too, since the carrying angle will roughly match the slope of the stairs.

‘Hook’ Chairs Around Corners

Rachel Long from The Moving Site calls this technique the “Hook Around.” When moving a large easy chair, turn the chair on its side, so it looks like an “L” and move it back-first through the doorway. Then curl it (hook it) around the door frame and slip it through. “This works with large tables that cannot be taken apart as well!” says Long.

If you’re moving into an earthquake zone, it’s a good idea to use furniture anchors after placement of the moved furniture to make sure it stays put.

Stand Couches on End

When you have to maneuver a couch down a hallway and through a door, you may find it almost impossible to carry it horizontally and turn it into the room. Here’s what to do: Stand the couch on its end before you enter the hallway and slide it to the doorway. You’ll almost always be able to use the Hook Around method to get it through the door. If it’s a bit taller than the door opening, tilt the top away from the door. That should gain you several inches of clearance.

Use Furniture Carrying Straps

Moving and lifting straps (aka shoulder dollies) take the weight off your back by relying on leverage and large muscle groups. They also leave your hands free to maneuver awkward items. Look for lifting straps that can be adjusted for different-length objects as well as for different-size movers.

Shoulder dollies can be tricky to use on stairs because the weight shifts completely to the downhill mover, but they’ll definitely help you conserve energy on straightaways.

Don’t Carry or Drag—Slide

You can buy furniture slides in many shapes and sizes at home centers or online. It’s also easy to make your own sliders from plastic container covers, Frisbees, bedspreads, moving blankets, towels and carpet remnants. Use hard plastic sliders for carpeting and soft, padded sliders for hard flooring.

“It’s important to plan for transitions,” advises Valentino. “Combining sliders with moving straps will make it much easier to switch sliders when you transition to a different type of flooring, or to get things out the door and into the truck.”

Protect Furniture With Blankets and Plastic

Moving blankets are invaluable for protecting the items you’re moving and the walls. They are cheap to rent, but for just a few dollars more, you can buy several at a home center or your local U-Haul rental outlet. (You’ll find many other uses for them.)

To prevent damaging the finish and fragile edges of dressers, tables and other furniture, wrap the items completely with moving blankets and secure the blanket with stretch film. A 20-in. x 1,500-ft. roll of stretch film costs about $20 at home centers and moving outfitters.

Make a Mattress Sling

Mattresses are floppy, heavy and difficult to carry. Many have handles, but their actual purpose is to help you position the mattress, so they’re not very strong. “Flimsy or foam mattresses can be rolled or folded (taco-ed) and taped or stretch-wrapped in place to make carrying quite easy,” says Long. But you need a different solution for full-size, heavy mattresses, and here it is:

Make a simple rope sling that will give you and your helper a lot more control. Thread the rope through the mattress handles, slip a five-inch piece of one-inch PVC pipe over the rope ends and then loop and tie each end to create a comfortable sling grip. Flip the mattress over so the sling is on the bottom, and you’re on your way.

Cut and Fold a Box Spring

Is your box spring too big to fit in your stairway or around a tight corner? Use this simple technique to fold it without wrecking it:

1. Remove the fabric covering (the most tedious part of this whole process is removing the staples) and place the box spring face down.
2. Pull back the mattress cover along each side and cut through the frame just to the left or right of the middle crosspiece (don’t cut through the crosspiece itself). Do this on both sides and in the center.
3. You can now fold the box spring like a book as shown and move it. Secure it with a strap to prevent it from springing open.
4. Put it back together by screwing a 1×2 along the center crosspiece cuts and against the inside of the outer frame to reinforce them.
5. Staple the fabric covering back in place.

Take Apart What You Can

When you’re lugging a sofa through a doorway, remember: You can always make it a few inches smaller by removing the feet. The same principle applies to any piece of furniture you need to make sleeker or lighter: Take off any and all knobs, drawers, shelves, racks and legs.

“Taking furniture apart is a good idea,” says professional mover Elliot Helm, “but a step people often forget is labeling the hardware or snapping a quick photo before disassembly. It’s a small thing that can save a lot of frustration when it’s time to reassemble everything.”

Take the Back Off a Recliner

A recliner can be of the most problematic pieces of furniture to move, but not if you disassemble it first. Here’s how:

1. Find the back brackets on the outside or inside of the back frame.
2. Lift the locking levers on both sides (you may need to use long-nose pliers) and slide the back straight up to remove it from the recliner.
3. Tie the footrest in place, so it doesn’t spring open.

Always lift a recliner from the sides, not by the back or footrest.

Remove Doors

Sometimes, an extra half inch is all it takes to get through a doorway, and you can get that and more by taking the door off its hinges. If you think this is a big job, relax. Here’s all you need to do:

1. Close the door so it will be supported inside the jamb when you remove the hinges.
2. Remove each hinge pin by poking a 16d nail into the bottom of the hinge and tapping the nail with a hammer to dislodge the pin. You can also wedge a flat-head screwdriver under the head of each pin and tap on the screwdriver to dislodge the pin.
3. Grab the door on both sides and pull gently. It should fall into your hands. Set it aside.
4. Replace the door by setting it back on the hinges and tapping in the hinge pins with a hammer. I’m used to doing this by myself, but heavy doors are lot easier to hang if you have a helper.

Remove Door Stop Molding

If removing the door doesn’t open up enough space, pry off the door stop molding using a small pry bar. That will give you another three-quarters of an inch.

If you’re worried about replacing the door stop trim after the move, don’t be. The section of the jamb from which you removed it will probably be unpainted. Just position the trim on the unpainted area and nail it back into place. If you’re careful when removing the trim, you should even be able to reuse the nails.

Get a Dolly

“One essential tool for any move is a dolly or hand truck,” says Valentino. “These are great for stacks of boxes and items like filing cabinets, dressers, and appliances.”

Long adds: “We love appliance dollies. They are bulkier and taller than a standard dolly to accommodate larger pieces. They also come equipped with guard rails and moving straps to keep the piece secured.” If you don’t have an appliance dolly, there’s no need to buy one. You can rent one from any tool renal outlet or from your local U-Haul.

Use a Furniture Lifter for Heavy Pieces

A furniture lifter is like a jack for furniture. It has a flat blade that you can slide under the piece you’re lifting and a long handle that operates a hydraulic pump to lift it.

Long is definitely in favor of these back-saving tools. “Furniture lifters are a fairly new product for moving. They help make deadlifting furniture to place sliders or moving dollies underneath way easier.”

If you have to move something really heavy, use the lifter to elevate one end, then slide a length of heavy-duty pipe underneath it. Do the same at the other end, then insert a pipe in the middle. Now you can roll the piece along the floor, transferring the pipe that emerges from the rear to the front as you go.

Protect Furniture with Corner Guards and Foam

When you’re lugging large or heavy pieces of furniture, it’s almost impossible to avoid bumping into things. “When it comes to protecting walls and door frames, adding corner guards or foam padding could make a big difference,” says Helm. They are a great alternative to blankets, which can be bulky and add weight.

Fit corner guards onto the corners of square or rectangular items and tape foam onto the edges. Foam pipe insulation is perfect for this — you can even use it on round table tops. If you don’t have to worry about damaging the furniture you’re moving — or the walls — you’ll find carrying it much easier.

Use Ramps

For anyone who knows how to move furniture, ramps are essential equipment, whether you rent them or build your own out of plywood and 2x4s. Set one up on the porch stairway, and you can wheel heavy items down the stairs instead of having to carry it. When you rent a moving truck, a ramp usually comes with it, but when you’re using your own pick-up, you’ll save a lot of heavy lifting with a ramp that extends from the tailgate to the ground.

Transport Mirrors and Plate Glass with Suction Cups

Pros use suction cups to carry glass, and so should you. They provide a handle, so you can avoid holding the glass from the bottom edge, which can potentially cause injury if you bump into something and the glass breaks. Plus, I just find it a whole lot easier on my back to use a handle set at a convenient location than it is to bend down, slip my hand under a heavy piece of glass, then hoist it to carrying height.

Zip Tie Plastic Moving Bins

Once you’ve got the heavy furniture handled, there’s still the small items like electrical cords, small appliances and, of course, your personal belongings. If you use plastic bins to move these, you’ll probably encounter the pesky problem of having the lids pop open mid-move.

Prevent this with inexpensive zip ties. Just drill holes in the handles, slip a zip tie through the holes in each handle and pull it tight. When you get to your destination, and you’re ready to unpack, just cut the ties with a utility knife.

About the Experts

• • Nick Valentino is the Vice President of Marketing Operations at Bellhop.
  • Rachel Long has been in the moving business for seven years. She is the founder of The Moving Site, a dynamic moving-related website.
  • Elliot Helm is the owner of Sterling Interstate, a locally-owned small moving company based in Phoenix, Arizona.

The post 20 Tips for Moving Furniture appeared first on Family Handyman.

This loft bed design maximizes the area between the mattress and floor, offering customizable bedroom storage solutions like drawers, shelves, and, in our case, a retractable desk.

Built in collaboration with cabinet maker Ethan O’Donnell, the headboard, footboard, mattress frame, dresser, and cubbies were all constructed separately and then assembled at the end to form the final product. Here is a step-by-step explanation of the process.

Before we begin

There are a few common themes throughout this build. Instead of reviewing them every time, I laid them out beforehand.

• Everything was finished beforehand. You may have noticed that I always pre-finish my materials to make touch-ups and finishing touches easier. The components were all primed, painted, and polyurethaned prior to assembly.
• The plywood edges were edge banded with iron-on edgebanding. We cleaned up the edges of the edge-banded plywood with a file, chisel, and sandpaper and painted them throughout the process.
• Filling nail and screw holes and touching up paint are also procedures that were completed throughout the building process rather than waiting until the end.
• The joining method was the same. Except where otherwise noted, all parts were set using wood glue and 1-1/2-in. brad nails and secured with pre-drilled and countersunk 1-1/2-in. screws.

Mattress Frame

Cutting List

* – 45° angled cuts at each end. Cut to fit.

Build the mattress frame

The exact size of your mattress will determine the width of your mattress frame, which will, in turn, determine the width of the footboard and headboard. Make this measurement with a tape measure. Don’t go by what is stated on the box mattress website or packaging, as you’ll quickly learn that those aren’t exact.

Make the inside dimensions of the mattress frame 1-1/2-in. wider and longer than the actual mattress dimensions. Join the long sides(A) with the short sides (B) using wood glue, nails and screws.

When the glue has dried, install angled gussets (C) in the four corners and a center slat (B) that runs down the middle of the frame, flush to the bottom edge of the sides (A and B).  These pieces will keep the mattress frame square and sturdy.

Cut the plywood bottom pieces to fit into the mattress frame. Because of their size, you will need to cut them out of two separate sheets of plywood.  Nail and screw the bottom (D) into place, securing them to the gussets (C) and the center slat (B).

Dresser

Cutting List

Build the cabinet

This loft bed project features a straightforward dresser build with a unique design. In addition to the pull-out desk, the dresser has two bottom drawers on casters that can be completely rolled out from the cabinet.

Cut all of your parts for your dresser. Take the dresser sides (A) over to the table saw to cut dados.

With your dado blades set to the plywood thickness, cut the dados and rabbets at the dimensions in the image above on the dresser sides (A). I prefer 1/8-in. deep dados to ensure perfect alignment yet not compromise the integrity of the side pieces. After all your dados have been cut, cut a 3/4-in. wide x 3/8-in. deep rabbet along the back edge of the shelf (B) and two sides (A).

Install the dresser stretchers (C) and shelf (B) flush to the front edge of the sides. Secure the back stretchers (C) flush to the shoulder of the 3/8-in. rabbit along the back edge.

Slide in the dividers (D, E, F), and secure them so they are square and centered along the shelf (B) and stretchers (C).

Install the back (G) into the rabbet along the back edge of the shelf (B) and two sides (A), making sure it is a tight fit and that the back is cut square. Glue, screw, and nail it into the rabbet on the sides (A) and shelf (B), and into the back edges of the stretchers (C) and dividers (D, E, F).

Make the drawers

Cut a 1/2-in. wide x 1/4-in. deep dado, a 1/2-in. up from the bottom edge of the drawer sides (J) and drawer box fronts (K) for top four drawers. For the bottom two drawers that are going to be on casters, cut the same 1/2-in. wide by 1/4-in. deep dado, except make it 2-in. from the bottom edge of the drawer sides (J) and fronts (K).

Using thick CA glue and brad nails, nail together the drawer box fronts (K), sides (J), and backs (L, M). Be sure the edges of the drawer backs are flush to both the top edge of the sides and top shoulder of the dado cut into the sides.

Once the glue has cured, slide the drawer bottoms (N) into the dados (with a little wood glue in them) and put a couple of nails through the bottom side of the drawer bottom into the bottom edge of the drawer backs (L, M).

Install the drawer slides and casters

When choosing drawer slides, I look for three things: durability, affordability, and foolproof installation. Hence, I chose to use bottom-mount drawer slides.

Install the drawer box side of the slide so that the end is flush with the front edge of the drawer box. On the cabinet side of the slide, install it so it it sitting on the stretchers and there’s a 1/16-in. gap between the front edge of the slide and the cabinet’s front. Since the dadoes run along the entire length of the dresser sides (A), we can ensure that the stretchers (C) are aligned, which will, in turn, align the slides. For these slides, it is crucial that the drawer box is one inch smaller than the opening in the casework and that the divider (D, E, F) and dresser sides (A) are parallel.

Rigid rubber casters support the bottom two drawers so they can be completely rolled out of the cabinet. Considering the drawer bottoms (N) on the bottom drawers are recessed two inches, and the casters are 2-1/2-in. tall, the casters will hold the drawer box a half inch off the ground. It is important that these casters are rigid non swiveling casters. Nail small guide strips along the lower cabinet divider and bottom openings of the cabinet sides to ensure the drawers stay aligned.

Once you are sure that the drawers slide smoothly, take them out and round over the top edges of the sides (J), front (K), and back (L, M) with a 1/4-in. round-over bit in the router, fill nail holes, and touch up polyurethane on all six drawer boxes.

Build the desk

The desk is constructed from a large piece of plywood (P) and a single leg comprised of two uprights (Q) and three stretchers(R), all glued and pocket screwed together. The leg is attached to the underside of the plywood desktop (P) with a piano hinge, which allows the desk to be folded up and inserted into the opening at the top of the dresser.

In the dresser opening, two 1×2 runners (H) have been screwed into the shelf (B) along the sides, and drawer slide friction tape has been applied to all surfaces that come into contact with the underside or legs of the desk.

The desk simply folds up and slides in and out of the opening. There is a 1×4 stop block (S) that was screwed to the plywood desktop’s (P) back edge at installation, so it can’t slide all the way out. The most important aspect of this desk is the friction hinge attached to the bottom and the inside of the leg of the desk in order to prevent the leg from slamming down during setup and pinching the user’s fingers.

Install the drawer fronts

The drawer fronts are laid out with a 3/8-in. gap along the floor to ensure the bottom drawers won’t get caught up on the rug and 1/4-in. gaps between all the other surrounding drawer fronts and the cabinet sides. This means that the drawer fronts (U, T) and upper opening faces (V) will overhang the center dividers (D, E, F) and stretchers (C) by 1/4-in. and the dresser sides (A) and top stretcher by 1/2-in.

Prepare the drawer box fronts (K) by predrilling holes inside all of them. Using strong two-sided tape, adhere the drawer fronts (U, T) to the drawer box fronts (K) and screw them in place through the drawer interiors using one-inch screws.

Start with the grey bottom drawer fronts (U) and work your way up to the upper yellow fronts (T) and upper opening faces (V). Cut 1/4-in. spacers to create the gaps on the sides of the cabinet and between the drawer fronts and upper openings.

Attach the upper opening face (V) on the right side of the dresser with glue and Brad nails. The face (V) on the left, to the front edge of the desktop (P) with glue, nails and screws. A plush carpet or rug may require a larger gap between the bottom drawer fronts (U) and the floor for the bottom drawers with casters to operate.

Cubbies

Cutting List

Assemble the cubbies

The dado joints cut into the cubby sides (A) are identical to those cut into the dresser sides, except that an additional rabbet along the bottom edge (of the same depth and width as the rest) is present. To align the dividers (B, C), I also cut a 3/4-in. wide by 1/8-in. deep dado down the center of both sides of the middle two cubby shelves and down one side of the top and bottom shelves (D).

Assemble the cubbies by attaching the four shelves (D) to the bottom rabbet and three dados in the cubby sides (A).  In the top dado, attach the stretcher (E) so that you’ll have something to nail the false cubby opening face (F) to after everything is edgebanded.

Next, add the dividers (B) between the shelves (D) with the short divider (C) on the bottom. Attach the top (B) and bottom (C) dividers first so you can nail through the shelves (D) into the divider above or below it, and toenail the center divider in place. The cubby back (G) is just butted against the back of the case and secured to the sides (A), dividers (B, C), and shelves (D).

Footboard

Cutting List

Assemble the footboard panel

On a large work surface layout the footboard (A) and ladder (B) plywood panels and the panel stiles (C) and outer ladder rail (D). Lay them face down and mark the locations for biscuits. Separate the pieces and cut your biscuit slots using a biscuit joiner so that the back edge of the stiles (C) and rail (D) are flush with the back edge of the plywood panels (A, B).

Once the biscuits have been cut, glue the footboard panel (A) and two stiles (C), as well as the ladder panel (B) and outer ladder rail (D) using wood glue and clamps.

Build the ladder rungs

Make the three ladder rungs out of the treads (E) and front (F) and rear supports (G). Attach the rear support (G) flush with the tread’s (E) back edge and the front support (F) so that the tread (E) overhangs it by 1/4-in.

Build the ladder

Glue the assembled rung through its rear support (G) into the plywood ladder panel (B). Space them apart so the tops of each rung are 12-in. apart. Attach the ladder rails (D) so that they align with the front ladder supports (F) on the rungs of the ladder with glue and three-inch screws. When securing these, ensure the top of the tread (E) is perpendicular to the back ladder panel (B). Then, glue the ladder panel (B) with attached ladder and rails to the headboard panel using wood glue, biscuits, and clamps.

Trim out the footboard and ladder

Attach the ladder bases(H) and ladder caps (J, K) so that they align with the ladder rails (D). For proper spacing, attach the ladder cap spacer (L) to the top of the ladder panel(B) between the center panel stile (C) and the left ladder cap (K). Connect these components with glue and three-inch screws, ensuring the top of the tread is perpendicular to the back ladder panel.

Complete the footboard by installing the top and bottom trim on the ladder (M) and footboard panel (N) . Next, attach the top caps to the ladder (P) and footboard panels (Q). Place them so that they overhang the backside of each panel by 3/4-in. and the ladder side by 1/2-in.

Headboard

Cutting List

* – 45° angled cuts at each end. Cut to fit.
** – Mitered top edge.

Build the headboard case

Build the headboard box out of the top cap (A), sides (B), and base (C). The top cap overhangs each side by 1/2-in.

Next, inset the headboard back (D) flush with the back edge of the top cap (A), sides (B), and base (C) and secure it to these components.

In the headboard shelf (E), cut a dado slightly wider than 3/4-in. x 3/8-in. deep. Position it 3/4-in. from the front edge to accommodate the sliding doors (F). After the dado is cut, install the headboard shelf (E) with the dado facing up 8-9/16-in. below the bottom of the top cap (A).

To prevent the headboard shelf (E) from bowing over time, attach the vertical support (G) centered on the bottom of the shelf (E). Connect this piece to the shelf (E), back (D), and the base (C).

Next, install the gussets (H) with mitered ends at the bottom corners of the headboard between the sides (B) and the base (C). These will provide strength and serve as a place to secure the bed pieces together during assembly.

Install the sliding door and partitions

Rather than run a stop-dado on the bottom side of the headboard top cap (A), I chose to build the upper guide for my sliding door out of two 1×2 guides (J). The front guide will be secured on its edge to the headboard cap (A) and the back guide on its face.  There should be a gap between the two guides (J) that is the same width (a little over 3/4-in.) and aligned directly above the dado you cut in the headboard shelf (E). This alignment is crucial for your doors (F) and dividers (K) to fit in and operate correctly.

Following the installation of the upper door guides, notch the two dividers (K) around the back guide rail (J) and install them in the headboard shelf (E) to create three evenly spaced openings (roughly 18-in. wide).  Secure these to the top cap (A), headboard shelf (E), and back (D) for strength.

To install the doors (F), rip a 45-degree miter along its top edge. Next, slide the doors into position by sliding the mitered point into the gap between the upper guides (J) and pivoting the bottom into the headboard shelf (E) dado from inside the headboard cabinet.

Assemble the loft bed

Cutting List

* – 45° angled cuts at each end. Cut to fit.

Make angle brackets

Make five angle brackets for the loft bed assembly. Connect two angle bracket sides (A) together to create an “L.” Then, attach the angle bracket gusset (B) to stiffen the “L” and hold the two legs exactly 90-degrees from one another.

Piece the bed together

Remove the drawers from the dresser and join it to the cubby unit by lining up the front edges and screwing the cubby (cubbies part A) and dresser sides (dresser part A) together using clamps to hold them in place. Pre-drill the holes using a counter sink bit and secure it with 1-1/4-in. screws, being careful not to poke the screw through the other side. Screws should be placed on every shelf level, one towards the front and one further back.

Align the front edge of the dresser side (dresser part A) with the left side of the headboard (headboard part B). Pre-drill 1-1/4-in. screws from inside the dresser side (dresser part A) into the side of the headboard (headboard part B) and the gusset (headboard part H) that is mounted there.

Using 1-1/4-in. screws, attach the cubby unit to the footboard by screwing through the inside of the cubby side (cubbies part A) into the back of the ladder panel (footboard part B). Drive these in at an angle or use a right-angle drill or attachment to seat these screws. We also attached the back of the cubbies (cubbies part G) to the back of the footboard panel (footboard part A) using the angle brackets we built in the last step at the top and bottom of the cubby unit.

For level installation of the mattress box, secure support legs (C) at the far ends of the headboard and footboard. Attach these with glue and three-inch screws flush to the back outside edge of the headboard side (headboard part B) and footboard stile (footboard part C). Between the support legs (A), attach the cross brace (B) along the floor and secure it to the back of the footboard panel (footboard part A), as well as the gusset (headboard part H) and base of the headboard  (headboard part C), using a couple more of those homemade angle brackets. Last but not least, install a vertical support (C) in the center of the cross brace (B). Screw it directly into the cross brace (B) at the bottom and use a final homemade angle bracket at the top to tie it into the mattress frame’s bottom center slat (mattress frame part B).

Once the bed is completely assembled, jump up into the mattress frame and sink a few screws through the short sides of the mattress frame (mattress frame part B) into the headboard and footboard in locations that will be hidden once the mattress is installed. Before installing the mattress, the last thing to do is to lock the entire bed into place by attaching the back, long side of the mattress frame (mattress frame part A) into a wall stud or two at its final location.

Finishing touches

For a striking contrast, paint the lower section of the loft bed in a different color (in this case grey) at the line of the lowest drawers. Tape off the line using a level and delicate surface painter’s tape.

For the best seal at the tape line and to prevent paint bleed, secure the tape and paint the tape edge with the base color. Allow it to dry, and then paint the lower section in the desired color. This will prevent the other paint color from finding its way under the tape and causing the need for detailed touch-ups.

Finally, install the pulls to the drawer fronts (dresser parts T and U), faces (dresser part V), and headboard doors (headboard part F).

FAQ

What is the difference between a captain’s bed and a loft bed?

A key difference between the two is the height and the type of space utilization. Traditionally, a captain’s bed (or storage bed) is a standard bed frame that is designed to maximize space in smaller rooms by incorporating storage directly into the frame. Loft beds, on the other hand, are usually raised much higher and create an entirely new usable area beneath the sleeping surface, which makes this bed the a mix of both worlds.

How tall are loft beds?

The height of a loft bed ranges from 36 to 75-in. The key dimension with loft bed height isn’t how high the sleeping surface is off the floor but rather how high the sleeping surface is from the ceiling. For an adult, this should be at least 33-in.

The post Elevate Your Space: Building the Perfect DIY Loft Bed appeared first on Family Handyman.

I was an electrical apprentice at the time, and I learned a lot that year: hauling pipe, digging trenches, and even using a flame torch to bend plastic pipe. The job was on the site of an old bottling company, and while digging, I found an antique beer bottle from a brewery operating around 1910! Anyway, I also learned that you can use PVC at home, and I’ll give tips about this versatile, durable electrical conduit.

Types of PVC Conduit

The main designations of PVC electrical conduit are Schedule 40 and Schedule 80. (There’s also PVC plumbing pipe, but that’s an entirely different thing.) Here are the specifications for each:

• Schedule 40: A thinner-walled conduit, Schedule 40 is used when there’s no chance of physical damage. It can be used above ground and underground in both indoor and outdoor locations.
• Schedule 80: A heavier-walled, thicker conduit, Schedule 80 is used where physical damage is possible, such as emerging from grade. It can also be installed anywhere Schedule 40 is used, but it’s more expensive.

When to Use PVC Conduit

Use PVC conduit any place you need a weather-resistant, sturdy conduit that withstands corrosive environments. It’s lightweight, easy to handle, and cheaper than metal conduit. PVC is acceptable for underground use and in exposed locations. One caveat: It’s uglier than metal conduit, but if that’s not a dealbreaker, PVC is a versatile, durable wiring method.

Tips for Installing PVC Conduit

Ready to get started? Here are some key points to remember when installing PVC conduit.

Use Primer

Electricians often debate whether to use a primer before applying PVC cement. I’ve always done it, and many inspectors want to see the tell-tale purple residue on the pipe. In addition, many PVC cement brands say to use primer, so that’s what I do. (Following product labeling is an NEC requirement.) To use, liberally apply the primer to the end of the pipe, then apply glue. Push the pipe ends together and give the free pipe a quick quarter turn.

Debur PVC Conduit

Cutting PVC conduit with a hacksaw, circular saw, or PVC cutter leaves a rough edge that must be smoothed down or deburred before pulling wire through the conduit. Use a utility knife, metal file, pair of pliers or reamer to remove burs from both the inside and outside of the pipe edge. Run your fingers along the reamed edges to remove little bits of plastic.

Follow fill requirements

Conductors heat up as they carry electricity, so the NEC limits the number of wires you can install in PVC and all other conduit. This depends on the conduit size, the type (Schedule 80 or 40), the number of wires you’re pulling and their dimensions. Sometimes, it takes a bit of math to figure out, but the requirements are laid out in the NEC’s Chapter 9, Table 1, and Informative Annex C.

As a general rule, if you’re pulling a single circuit with a hot, neutral and EGC, the fill can’t be more than 40% of the conduit diameter. If the wires are all the same size, the NEC helpfully lists the maximum number of wires by wire type and conduit size.

Use plastic bushings and metal locknuts

Secure the PVC and male adapters coming into boxes with a metal locknut, then add a plastic bushing. The plastic bushing will protect the conductors from the friction of pulling them through the conduit, and metal locknuts are sturdier than plastic.

Bury PVC deep enough

The NEC has very specific depth requirements, outlined in Table 300.5, for all conduit runs underground. If you’re running a circuit out to a shed or detached garage, make sure you follow these rules to avoid damaging the circuit. The default depth for PVC is 18 inches unless the wiring meets certain qualifications. For example, if you are using PVC to run a 120-volt, GFCI-protected circuit that’s 20 amps or less, you can reduce that depth to 12 inches.

Keep bends to 360 degrees

Pulling wire through conduit gets harder with every bend, so the NEC limits the number of bends to 360 degrees before you have to put it in a junction box. This goes for all conduit runs, not just PVC. That’s four 90-degree turns before you need a box. Elbows also come in 45-degree bends and 22.5-degree bends, so add them up and keep the bends to 360 degrees or less.

Use metal elbows underground

The friction caused by pulling wire through underground PVC elbows will slice right through them, damaging the wire and leaving the pipe open to water intrusion. Instead, use metal elbows. Normally, all metal parts of a wiring system must be bonded (connected) to the grounding electrode system, but if you bury the run at least 18 inches deep, you do not need this bonding step.

Support at correct intervals

Like all conduit, PVC must be supported at various intervals to prevent sagging. The distance between supports depends on the size of the conduit, with smaller sizes requiring closer supports than larger ones. You’ll likely be using 1/2-in. or 3/4-in. PVC for home wiring and the supports for both must be no more than 3 feet apart. You can use plastic PVC straps or metal straps.

You also must support PVC within 3 feet of any conduit termination, such as an outlet box or junction box.

Use expansion fittings for long runs

You won’t believe how much PVC expands and contracts in the heat and cold, respectively. Let’s take a place like Minnesota, my old home state, where you can easily see a yearly temperature swing of 100 degrees, say from 90 degrees in the summer to minus 10 degrees in the winter (and that’s a good winter!). On a 100-foot run, the PVC will expand and contract about four inches.

If you don’t use an expansion fitting in the middle of the run, the PVC will likely crack or pull itself out of the fittings, leaving you with a potentially dangerous situation and an annoying repair job. The NEC’s table 352.44(A) outlines expected thermal expansion for various temperature swings and run lengths. You do not have to use expansion fittings underground, where temperatures are more stable.

Pull an equipment ground

Because PVC is plastic, you must pull an equipment grounding conductor (EGC) with your circuit conductors. An EGC provides a path back to the electrical panel so that any unintended current from a short circuit or ground fault can quickly trigger the breaker. Metal conduit can often serve as the EGC as long as every single connection point is bonded together. You don’t have that luxury with PVC because it’s not a conductive material.

The post Tips for Installing and Working With PVC Conduit appeared first on Family Handyman.

Required Tools for these Walkway Ideas

Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration.

• Bucket
• Drywall saw
• Garden rake
• Spade
• Wheelbarrow/Dolly
• Tamper
• Garden trowel

Mulch and Gravel Garden Paths

This winding gravel path reflects the informality and ease of maintenance of the garden. Mulch and gravel are the cheapest pathway materials you can buy for rock walkways, and they make construction simple, too, making them two of our favorite walkway ideas. All you have to do is remove the sod, roll out landscape fabric and spread the mulch or gravel.

Mulch and gravel paths can be meandering, wood chip–covered trails or carefully planned designs, and they range from casual to formal depending on the design and edging material. You can choose from a wide variety of loose materials including coarse bark, decorative mulch, washed stones and crushed gravel or shells.

Mulch garden path

As stated above, the three common types of mulch suitable for garden paths are wood chips, cocoa bean and cypress bark. Since these path materials are lighter than stone, they’re easier to haul and spread. Mulch is also a bit cheaper than gravel or stone pebbles. Remember, though, that organic paths decompose over time, so you’ll have to rejuvenate them every two to five years with new material. Also, don’t use bark, wood chips or mulch for paths that run through areas with poor drainage or that are wet. It’ll lead to a soggy path.

You’ll find bags of mulch at home centers, but for the best selection of organic materials for a path, check your local nursery or landscape supplier. Depending on how big your path is, it may be cheaper to have bulk material delivered than to buy bags. Plan on a 3-in.-deep layer of mulch about 3 ft. wide as an alternative to grass. Call the public works department at your city hall or check with local tree trimming services. They often have piles of wood chips or mulch that are free for the hauling.

Gravel walkways

Several types of inexpensive landscaping gravel are available for paths. Common types are: crushed gravel, crushed limestone and pea rock. For a path that’s more formal or longer lasting than a mulch path, consider washed gravel, crushed stone or crushed shells. These materials last indefinitely and only need occasional weeding to look their best. If you want to run a wheelbarrow or lawn mower along the path, choose crushed stone rather than smooth pebbles. The jagged edges of crushed stone lock together to form a firm surface. Crushed stone is also less likely to get kicked out into the yard.

Gravel for paths is sold by type and size. Smaller stones, averaging under 1/2 in., are best for paths because they offer more comfort underfoot and pack together better. Visit your local nursery or landscape supply specialist to see what’s available in your area. Gravel is usually sold by the ton. Measure the length and width of the path. Take these measurements to the supplier and ask for help to figure out the quantity of gravel you need. Unless your path is very short, it usually makes sense to have the material delivered. Gravel for a path 3 in. deep and 3 ft. wide will cost about the same as mulch.

Gravel paths do have a few limitations, though. The stones can get tracked into the house, so don’t use them near entries. And gravel paths are a bad choice in areas where you have to shovel snow off them. The gravel can end up in your lawn or flower beds.

Tips for making mulch and gravel garden paths

• Rent a gas-powered sod cutter to remove grass if the path is long. For short paths, use a garden spade to slice off the sod.
• Set edging so it ends up about an inch above the fill material.
• Use a spacer stick cut to the width of the garden path as a guide when you set the edging or border. You won’t have to keep pulling out the tape measure to make sure the edges run parallel.
• Cover the soil with landscape fabric to deter weeds and prevent the fill material from mixing with the soil. Don’t use plastic. It’ll catch water and create a soggy path.
• Have gravel delivered, especially if you need more than a half ton.
• If you want a path that’s firm enough to roll a wheelbarrow on, use crushed stone and tamp it after leveling it. (Pea rock or other rounded stone won’t compact.) Use a hand tamper for short paths. Rent a vibrating-plate tamper for long paths.

Garden Path Borders and Edging Ideas

Gravel or mulch paths require some type of edging to keep the material from spreading out onto your lawn or flower bed. You can also add a border or an edge as a design element. Here are some common types of edging you can use for walkway landscaping:

• Plastic landscape edging is cheap. And it’s fast and easy to install. If you object to the look of the rounded top edge, hide it with a border of plants.
• Steel or aluminum edging forms a crisp edge that gives the path a neat appearance. It costs more than plastic, though, and is less forgiving on sloped terrain. It also keeps gravel or mulch from overflowing into the yard or garden.
• Brick, stone or paver borders are attractive and versatile, but they’re more expensive and a lot more work to install.
• Concrete edging is less expensive than brick or stone but has the same advantages. Newer types that look like random pieces of tumbled stone are a great lower-cost alternative to a real stone border.
• Landscape timbers are an economical alternative to stone or brick borders. They’re especially useful for building shallow steps on gradually sloping terrain.

Stone Paths

Stepping-stones are the fastest, easiest way to build a path, and another one of our favorite walkway ideas. There’s very little digging involved. And although the stone is heavy, a little goes a long way. Since there’s distance between the stones, you don’t have to worry about leveling them with one another. Stepping-stone paths also cost less because you’ll cover more distance with less stone. Stones that are flat and about 18 in. across and 2 in. thick are ideal. Check your local landscape supplier or quarry to see what’s available. If you’re building a short stepping-stone path, you can usually pick the stones you want from the pallet or pile of stones on hand at the supplier. For longer paths, ask for help to figure out the quantity and have the stone delivered. If you’re lucky enough to live in an area with naturally occurring outcroppings of stone, you may find stepping-stones free for the hauling.

You can also make attractive stepping-stone paths using 12-in. square or round concrete patio blocks. These are available in a wide selection of colors and textures from home centers, landscape suppliers and masonry dealers. Search online for “patio blocks” to see the variety.

How to build a stone path

• Arrange stones so the distance from the center of one to the center of the next one is 20 to 24 in.
• Set the stones in place and cut around them with a spade or rock saw. Then lift the stone and dig out the grass and a little soil.
• Spread a 1/2- to 1-in.-thick layer of sand under the stone if you want to make leveling the stones easier. Sand is easier to work with than soil. A 60-lb. bag of sand is enough for about four to six stones.
• Set the top of the stepping-stones about 1 in. above the soil level. This will give you a dry place to step while still allowing you to run a lawn mower over the path.

Using Ground Cover Plants with Stone Paths

Ground cover attractively fills the space around and between pieces of yard stones such as flagstone. Including ground cover plants in your garden path makes a stone walkway easier in two ways: First, you can skip the thick, compacted gravel base underneath. That eliminates the backbreaking digging, plus the hauling and compacting of gravel. Without the solid base, the stones will shift and become uneven, but the plants will hide that. The second advantage is that you don’t have to spend extra time laying the stones perfectly. The plants will hide wide gaps.

There are quite a few perennial plants that can withstand foot traffic and will grow between stones. Check with your local nursery to see what’s available that will grow in your area. Here are some ground cover plants that can tolerate some foot traffic: Creeping Thyme, Blue Star Creeper, Brass Buttons, Creeping Mazus and Sedum.

The post Garden Path Ideas That Are Easy, Cheap and Low-Maintenance appeared first on Family Handyman.

What Is ‘Brown Friday’?

Brown Friday is the day after Turkey Day, but it’s really an entire week of heightened activity for plumbers. And while the name sounds like a euphemism for clogged toilets, that’s only part of the story. Houses full of guests and a day of cooking and eating put a hefty strain on your pipes, leading to clogged sinks, broken disposals and, of course, clogged toilets.

According to data compiled by Yelp, searches for “emergency plumbing” skyrocketed by 65 percent in 2023. Searches for “24-hour plumbers” were higher on Thanksgiving Day than any other day during November 2023.

Most Common Causes of Plumbing Problems On Brown Friday

Fat and grease

You should never, ever dump any kinds of fats, oils or grease down the drain because it will lead to major clogs in your pipes. That’s Plumbing 101. When warmed grease hits a cold pipe, it solidifies and sticks. Over time, the grease builds up, plugs up the works and becomes incredibly difficult to remove. Some people aren’t aware of this, so unclogging the resulting mess tends to be a common problem plumbers encounter the day after.

Potato peels

Thanksgiving is certainly the day for mashed potatoes, but don’t be tempted to stuff the potato peels into your garbage disposal while you’re making everyone’s favorite side dish. It’s easy to assume that the blades of a garbage disposal will shred everything to ribbons to be safely washed down the drain. But the starchy skins tend to get clumpy in your pipes, which can cause further blockages.

Though carrots aren’t quite as popular for Thanksgiving cooking as potatoes, you shouldn’t flush carrot peelings down the disposal either. Trust me on that one; I’m speaking from personal experience. Rice and pasta can also gum up your drains.

There’s a reason potato peels are one of these 15 things that you should never put down your garbage disposal, so be aware of that when you start cooking.

Another easy solution is to compost your food waste. Composting is an environmentally-friendly way to dispose of those food scraps, and it’s easy to do. It’s great for the garden or your flower beds. And if you don’t have a garden or flowers, you can likely find a composting service in your community that works with local farmers.

Turkey

The skin and bones from Ben Franklin’s favorite bird do not mix well with your drains and garbage disposals either. They can cause blockages.

Clogged toilets

Remember, don’t try to flush anything down the toilet other than toilet paper and the natural waste it was made for.  Don’t assume your guests are wise to that, either. You can find ways to gently remind visitors that things like paper towels, hygiene products, etc., should not be flushed.

How To Prevent Plumbing Problems

The good news is that you can take a few simple preventative steps to avoid having to frantically search for an emergency plumber at 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

1. Use the disposal correctly. These things are handy, but they’re not made for bones, potato peels, cornhusks, carrots, onion skins, coffee grounds, pasta, etc.
2. Run cold water. Whenever you do use the disposal, make sure to run cold water while you feed stuff into it.
3. Avoid using the dishwasher. If your garbage disposal is clogged, avoid using the dishwasher.
4. Properly dispose of grease and oils. Use a container instead of pouring them down the drain, and throw them in the trash once they have solidified.
5. Wipe off dirty dishes and greasy pans before putting them into the dishwasher or washing them by hand in the sink.
6. Get a mesh strainer for your showers, tubs and bathroom sinks, especially if you’re hosting guests this year. That will help catch hair before it turns into a clog.
7. Think before you flush! Avoid flushing wipes, feminine products and other non-dissolvable products down the toilet.
8. Have a plunger on hand. Plunging a toilet is the easiest way to unclog it. If the clog is too stubborn for a plunger, you may need to snake the toilet or dial up a plumber to take of the problem.

The post Why the Day After Thanksgiving Is an Annual Plumbing Crisis appeared first on Family Handyman.

Account for Wood Movement

Sure, wood’s a pretty tough material all around, but it’s still highly susceptible to temperature and moisture fluctuations from the surrounding environment. This phenomenon, known as wood movement, can result in contraction and expansion across the grain. When humidity is high, wood absorbs moisture and swells. When humidity drops, wood shrinks.

The movement is gradual, but it can cause big problems in your woodworking projects, so you have to account for it in your woodworking projects. There are several ways to do that, some of them depending on the type of project and where it will sit once finished. The most important tactic for dealing with wood movement is to let it sit and acclimate in your shop. The time can vary depending on the size and thickness of the lumber and whether or not its kiln dried.

Learn to Sharpen Tools

You can have the best tools in the world — but if you don’t sharpen them regularly, they’re useless. Different tools require different methods for sharpening them.

Learning how to sharpen chisels is a good place to start for beginner woodworkers.

How to Use a Hand Plane

A hand plane is a great tool for woodworking projects, large and small, and its definitely a skill you should have learned how to handle in shop class.

Here’s a quick refresher: hold the plane at a slight angle to the wood and plane along the same direction as the wood grain whenever possible. Planing against the grain will cause the blade to catch and tear or splinter the wood.

Understand Nominal Dimensions

For many of us, the moment we learned that a 2×4 board is actually 1.5-in. x 3.5-in. was simply mind-blowing. The reason for the contradicting measurements is that the board has been planed down to eliminate irregularities. At one point, many years ago, 2x4s actually were 2-in. x 4-in., but their rough surfaces made them difficult to stock and handle. The old terms, such as 2×4 or 4×4, are still used, and are known as the “nominal” size of the board.

Nominal sizes are still used simply because they’re easier to say and they stick to tradition. Now, most big box stores list the nominal size, as well as the actual sizes of lumber. Here’s a quick guide to help you keep track of nominal vs. actual lumber sizes.

Fix Miter Joints

In shop class, many learn the satisfying skill of cutting a miter joint that closes up perfectly and maintains a true 90 degree angle. If your miter skills are rusty, here’s a quick fix for a slightly open miter joint: rub the shank of a screwdriver along the miter at a steep angle, from both sides of the joint. Chances are, you’ll be the only one that knows it wasn’t perfect to begin with.

Easy Nail Pilot Holes

Often when you’re nailing small finishing nails into moldings or other projects, the nail will split the wood unless you drill a pilot hole first. However, tiny drill bits have a habit of breaking after just a couple of uses.

So rather than using a drill bit, drill the perfect-sized pilot hole using the nail itself. Simply clip the head off the nail with lineman’s pliers for thicker nails or wire cutters for thinner nails; then place the headless nail into the drill. Drill the hole with this nail pilot hole hack, and then drive in a nail. Voila.

Make Table Saw-Quality Rips With a Circular Saw

Even if you own a table saw, sometimes it’s easier to rip large sheets of plywood with a circular saw. The trick to a perfectly straight cut is to clamp a straightedge to the plywood and use it as a guide for your saw. On most circular saws, the distance between the edge of the saw’s base and the blade is 1-1/2 in., so you can simply position the straightedge 1-1/2 in. from your cutting line. But measure this distance on your saw to be sure.

You can buy a straightedge or use the factory edge of a plywood sheet. If your straightedge only has one straight edge, be sure to mark it to avoid using the crooked side.

Choose the Right Circular Saw Blade

As long as they’re sharp, any of these four 7-1/4-in. circular saw blades will make smooth rip cuts in plywood and reasonably good crosscuts. In general, the more teeth, the smoother the cut. The disadvantage of the 140-tooth plywood blade is that the teeth will dull much faster than the teeth on the three carbide blades. This is especially true if you cut particleboard. The 40-tooth carbide blade is a good all-around blade. However, if you have a project that calls for a lot of fine cuts in expensive plywood, don’t hesitate to buy the special 56-tooth laminate-cutting blade.

How to Glue Wood

Gluing wood is a basic woodworking task that you should’ve learned in shop class, but mastering it can be a little different. Check out our tips on how to glue to wood so you don’t get stuck with a mess.

How to Clamp

Gluing goes hand-in-hand with clamping, so your shop class should’ve taught you how to clamp as well. But to ensure your gluing goes well, consult our tips on how to clamp with ease.

The post 10 Basic Woodworking Lessons You Should’ve Learned In Shop Class appeared first on Family Handyman.

I grew up with parents who love music.  Dancing was a favorite pastime in my household, and my mother still has an extensive album collection to this day.  If you haven’t noticed, those old-school vinyl records are back in vogue. Now that they’re considered cool again, there’s been some huge growth in LP record player sales.  As I looked over my mom’s old albums, I thought it would be cool to figure out a nice way to display them. With that goal in mind, I began to tinker around with how to make a wooden crate with a vinyl record display.

If you’ll allow me to get on my DIY soapbox: I truly believe that once you know how to make a box, you can make a million things. Let’s make it a million and one with this hip and a bit retro wood record crate.

Project Overview

Cutting List

Overall dimensions: 16-1/2″w x 16-1/2″h x 17-1/4″d

Cut the wood

For this project, I found some 5/8-inch thick walnut wood boards at the lumber yard. If you cannot find any similar boards, you may wish to run 3/4-in. boards through a thickness planner or drum sander to get to 5/8-inch, or simply construct the project using 3/4-inch thick material. Keep in mind the latter will alter some dimensions on the cutting list.

Cut wood slats (A, D), trim pieces (B, C), and album ledger (E) out of the walnut lumber using the table saw and miter saw.

Build the front and back panels

Assemble the front and back panels using clamps to hold the five slats (A) tightly together while you nail trim pieces (B) at the top and bottom using wood glue and 18ga. brad nails. The trim pieces are essentially holding the panel together, so make sure both ends of all the slats are flush for a tight seam against the trim pieces.

Repeat this process twice to create two panels: one for the front and another panel for the back of the record crate.

Build the side panels

Mirror the process in step two to create side panels by tightly squeezing six slats (A) and securing them with the side trim pieces (C).

Again, repeat this process twice to create the two side panels.

Run the panels through the drum sander

Run the completed panels through a drum sander to ensure they are flat and the same thickness. I didn’t take much off, maybe 1/32-inch or so. Make sure the last pass on each panel is set at the same thickness. All nails be sunk below the surface of the wood to prevent damaging the sandpaper roll on the drum sander.

Join the panels to create a square

Use 18ga. brad nails and wood glue to join the four sanded panels together to make the sides of the wooden crate. Flush the bottom edges of all four panels as you put them together. The front and back panels will have slats horizontally oriented, and the slats on the side panels will be vertically oriented, making them taller to accommodate space for a handle.

Nail on the bottom

Using wood glue and 18ga. brad nails, install the bottom slats (D) one at a time on the inside along the bottom edge of the crate. Use clamps to help squeeze the slats tightly together as you go.

Rout the handles

Route a handle opening on each of the vertically oriented side panels using a router with a pattern bit (a straight-cut bit with a top bearing) and an acrylic template.

Position the handle placement centered on the acrylic on the panel with the top of your handle 1-1/2-inches down from the top edge. Use a pencil to trace the outline of the handle in the desired position before you start routing.  If the template moves while using the router, you can put it back in the exact location. Always use clamps to secure the acrylic template while working with the router. Three points of contact with the clamps will ensure the acrylic template stays put with the router’s vibrations.

Introduce the router bit to the wood through a pre-drilled 5/8-in. hole in the center of the template opening. Slide the bit through the hole and set its depth to ensure the bearing will ride along the template without the cutting blade damaging the template and the cutting edge. It is crucial for safety that the router bit is not in contact with wood when turning the tool on.

After the handle material has been removed, go back and soften the edges using a 1/4-in. round-over bit followed by some 220-grit sandpaper.

Install album ledger

Install the album ledger (E) at the bottom of the front panel with wood glue and 18ga. brad nails. Its purpose is to catch and hold the album when you slide it in behind the vinyl record display plexiglass.

Cut and drill the plexiglass

Cut the plexiglass (F) to the exact outer width of the front panel and the height from the top of the ledger (E) to the top edge of the front panel.  Cut it to size on the table saw.

Once it is cut, lay the plexiglass on the front panel and determine where the stand-offs will be positioned.  Place the bottom stand-offs one inch up from the bottom of the crate and 3/8 inches in towards the center.

Place the top stand-offs one inch down from the top of the front panels and 3/8 inches in toward the center of the crate. Make sure the screw for the stand-off will go into the side panel and not protrude out the back of the front panel.

To ensure the exact placement of the stand-offs through the plexiglass and into the wood, pre-drill holes in both materials at the same time. Use a small 1/8-inch tapered or plastic drill bit to pierce both. Then, using a 5/16-in. tapered or plastic drill bit, enlarge those pre-drilled holes in the plexiglass to accommodate the top portion of the stand-off.

Fill and oil

Touch up all the nail holes and imperfect seams with wood filler. Allow it to dry, and sand it back with 320-grit paper.

Apply two coats of walnut oil to the entire record crate, rubbing each coat with a cotton rag. Allow the oil to soak in overnight. Sand back any raised grain or fuzz from the rag with 320-grit sandpaper and repeat the process, applying two more coats.

Install the stand-offs and acrylic glass

Unscrew the top portion of the stand-offs and set them aside with their plastic gaskets. Secure the bottom portion of the stand-offs by screwing them into the wood at the previously pre-drilled locations.

Position the plexiglass over the holes of stand-offs. Place plastic gasket under and above the plexiglass – sandwiching the plexiglass between the gaskets and the metal pieces of the stand-offs. Thread the upper portion of the stand-off through the holes in the plexiglass and secure it to the bottom portion.

Install rubber feet

Install rubber feet or cabinet bumpers on the underside of the record crate so it won’t slide or scratch any surfaces it is set on.

FAQ

What is the difference between acrylic glass and plexiglass?

Acrylic glass and plexiglass are one in the same— two names for the same material, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Think of it this way:  Plexiglass is a trademarked name, just like Kleenex is to tissue.  PMMA is a synthetic resin known for being transparent, lightweight, and durable. Often used as an alternative to glass for lower costs and higher durability. Acrylic Glass is different than polycarbonate.

Does storing records flat-warp them?

The uneven distribution of the weight of the records can cause them to warp. In addition to causing them to warp, flat-storing your records also makes it more difficult to find and access the records you wish to listen to.

The post Show Off Your Records with This DIY Wooden Crate Display appeared first on Family Handyman.

Circles are difficult to create. Whether you draw them by hand or try to achieve that perfect circle with a tool, they are not always easy, especially when it comes to wood. I tell all my clients that curves and circles always cost more—time and money—until your world opens up to a router circle jig, also known as a trammel arm.

A router circle jig basically sets the center point and allows you to make a circle with whatever you put at the other end of it, sort of like a compass. A pencil, a jigsaw, a router can all work well to make a circle with a trammel arm jig.  I used to dread making circles until I found out I could attach my wood router to a jig. Let me make your woodworking life easier and certainly much more pleasant by sharing the steps to making this simple woodworking jig.  You may not need it often, but when you do, you will be happy to know how to make it!

Remove the router base plate

Unscrew the plastic base plate (also called a shoe, running plate, or sub-base) to remove it from the wood router.

Rip the plywood

Rip a long strip of plywood the same width as the baseplate. Then use the router base plate as a template to lay out the bit location and screw placement on one end of the plywood strip.

Determine length

Decide how long you want to make your jig. This is the step that takes a little thought and foresight. A 24-in. jig can rout a 48-in. diameter circle and any diameter smaller by moving the pivot location. Make your jig length half of the largest diameter circle you envision yourself cutting plus three inches measured from the center of the bit location mark to the far end.

Cut the jig shape

If your base plate has a radius, cutting out the shape with a band saw or a jigsaw is a nice touch, though not required. I suggest tapering the length of the jig slightly, as it seems to make it easier to maneuver and reduces the area where sawdust can build up under it. It doesn’t have to be much, just an inch or so along each side from the base plate to the far end.

Drill all the holes

Drill the holes for the four router screws. Mark the hole placement with a nail set for the exact location. With a counter sink bit, drill the holes from the bottom side of the jig, ensuring they are drilled deep enough so that the screw head is countersunk below the surface of the plywood.

On the opposite end of the jig, still on the bottom side and 1-1/2-in. from the end, drill a 1/4-in. hole to accommodate your 1/4- 20 x 1-in. bolt for the knob.  With the 1/4-in. hole drilled, use a 5/8-in. bit to drill part way through the plywood to counter-sink the head of the bolt below the plywood surface.

Finally, drill out the bit location hole to match the hole in the router base plate. This hole diameter can change depending on the router you have. I used a 1-3/8-in. Forstner bit to drill the hole marked from my router base. This hole allows the router bit to come through once the router is secured to the jig. 

Soften the edges

Using a random orbital sander, sand back any kerf marks and tearout along the jig’s edge made while drilling and cutting. Then, round over all of the edges, both top and bottom of the jig, using a round-over bit with a bearing installed in your router.

Wax the circle cutting jig

Use furniture wax to lubricate the bottom side of the plywood jig. This promotes a smooth glide as it rides along the work surface when routing your circles.

Assemble the circle cutting jig

Set the router base plate aside in a safe location. Attach the router to the jig via the base plate screw holes. You may have to purchase longer screws depending on how thick the plywood is that you used for your jig. Attach the knob via the 1/4-in. bolt hole to the other end of the jig. Ensure the screw and bolt heads are tightened so that they are below the surface of the jig as not to scratch your projects as you rout.

How to cut circles with a router circle jig

You are now ready to cut a circle using your jig. Here is how to proceed:

1. Determine the radius and center point of the circle you would like to cut on your workpiece.
2. Insert a straight-cut bit into the router.
3. Measure the distance between the innermost part of the straight-cut router bit up the length of the jig, the same distance as the radius of your circle, and mark the position.
4. Drill a hole in the jig at the mark and insert a nail or screw that is the same diameter as the hole. Your jig’s pivot point has now been established.
5. Nail or screw the pivot point fastener into the circle centerpoint on your workpiece.
6. If possible, start and adjust the router in a location away from the workpiece. Use the depth adjustment on the router to lower the bit and make passes of 1/8-to 1/4-in. at a time. Change the bit’s depth with every pass until your circle is routed.If the layout of your circle will not allow you to start and adjust the router in a location where it is not touching the workpiece, you’ll need to do a plunge cut. Plunge cuts are where you start the tool and introduce the spinning bit to the workpiece by plunging it in. To avoid damaging the workpiece or creating a potentially dangerous situation, the router should be started with the bit clear of the material.

How to cut an arch with a router circle jig

A circle-cutting jig can also be useful when cutting arches. Arches are cut in the same manner as circles, with the exception of where the router bit lands during the process of cutting. When cutting circles, you should place the router bit groove around the outer edge of the circle. An arch, however, should have the groove inside of it. That said, when routing an arch, instead of measuring the distance between the innermost point of your router bit and the pivot point, measure from the outermost point of the bit to ensure it lands inside the arch.

FAQ

How big can I make a circle with a Router Circle jig?

A circle cut using a router jig can be as big as you make the jig. You will need to ensure you can run the length freely. I have seen eight-foot circle cutting jigs to make huge circles.

Can I make a Router Circle jig out of something other than wood?

Yes! Many make their router jigs out of acrylic or polycarbonate. The longer you get with acrylic or polycarbonate, the thicker you will want your materials to avoid it from sagging or snapping in half.

The post Cut Perfect Circles Every Time With This Easy DIY Router Circle Jig appeared first on Family Handyman.

Enter electrical tape. I was given a stack of brown, orange, yellow, and gray tape and told to get busy. (On a 277-volt service, the colors are different than in your home’s 120-volt service). One problem? There’s a bit of a learned technique to taping- a technique I definitely didn’t have yet. My foreman saw me awkwardly handling the tape and came over to give me a lesson.

I know it sounds ridiculous. (Who doesn’t know how to use tape?) But electrical tape differs from Scotch tape, painter’s tape and duct tape. Below, I’ll walk you through some helpful tips and tricks. You’ll be surprised at what electrical tape can do.

Uses for Electrical Tape

Here are the most common official uses (and one non-official use) for electrical tape.

• Identification. Electrical tape is fantastic for wrapping around wires to identify them by color (called “phasing”) or for making flags to write on with a permanent marker. You can also ID your breakers and label electrical boxes.
• Wire pulling. Wrap electrical tape around bundles of wire to organize them, then tape the head of your bundle and fish tape to effortlessly (well, sometimes) slide the wires through walls and conduit.
• Protecting terminal screws. This is slightly controversial, but a lot of electricians (including me) were taught to wrap electrical tape around the terminal screws of receptacles and switches before shoving them into the box. The idea is to prevent shock if the device is handled while energized, but it’s not required by either the National Electrical Code (NEC) or manufacturers. (Ironically, following manufacturer labeling is required by the NEC, hence the controversy.)
• Splice insulation. Electrical tape comes in various materials and insulation ratings to protect splices in high—and medium-voltage connections (such as utility transmission lines). This usage requires extensive training to ensure the splice is secure and protected. Never use electrical tape instead of wire nuts or other connectors.
• Connecting motor leads to feeders. Motors often run 24 hours a day in dirty, greasy environments. Electrical tape protects the electrical connections against chemicals, corrosion, temperature fluctuations and moisture. Kits are sold for this purpose nowadays, but using tape this way is a time-tested skill that many electricians learn.
• Minor or temporary repairs. We’ve all wrapped electrical tape around small scrapes and nicks in wire insulation, but if you can see the wire itself, do not use electrical tape to fix it.
• Keeping paint scuff-free. This is my favorite non-standard use. Using a metal torpedo level on a painted wall (to level a device or faceplate, for example) leaves marks that do not come off. Wrap the edges of your level with electrical tape to keep your paint scuff-free.

How to Use Electrical Tape

To wrap electrical tape around a cable, a bundle of wires, a pipe, a fish tape or another cylindrical object, hold the tape loosely in your dominant hand, with your thumb on top of the tape. Unstick the flap on the tape. Hold the object in your opposite hand. Stick the flap to the object, hold it down and begin your wrap.

Grip the tape between your index finger and thumb, stretching it as you pull the tape toward you and down. Don’t pull off too much tape, or the roll will flop around and get twisted. You want just enough free tape to encircle the object once. Keep pressure on the tape so that it’s taut as you stick it to the object at a slight angle.

When you get underneath and to the backside of the object, flip the roll over the top with your fingers. Grab it, pull it taut and start another wrap, overlapping by half the width of the tape as you move down the length of the object. (Play around with your technique. You might like wrapping away from you and behind the object first, for example.)

When you reach the end of your taping job, grip the tape with your thumb and finger right next to the object and give it a quick jerk. This will rip the tape roll cleanly away, leaving a short flap. Fold or twist into a “buddy flag,” which makes it easy for the next guy or gal to unwrap the tape.

The post An Electrician Teaches You How To Use Electrical Tape appeared first on Family Handyman.

One of the most satisfying things I have learned is how to refinish wood furniture. I can’t begin to tell you how many pieces of furniture that were once someone else’s garbage have landed in my hands. With the right attention, approach and dedication, another man’s garbage can become your treasure.

The hardest part about restoring a piece of wood furniture is developing the patience to see all the steps through.  This is one DIY project you don’t want to rush, and it is highly unlikely you will get it done in one afternoon. Restoring old furniture is hardly ever straight forward, and a technique that worked for one piece might not work for another.  The trick is to know your options and then have enough knowledge to do the detective work and make an effective plan.

The steps are basic and easy.  Be patient and thorough, and people will think your refinished wood furniture is new!

Assess the condition

Take a good look at your piece of wood furniture from as many angles as possible. Use painter’s tape to pinpoint areas that will need extra attention, such as putty build-up or deep dings that will require extra sanding to even out. It is easy to overlook areas when the dust starts flying. Then, you will need to answer some questions to determine how you go about refinishing your piece of furniture:

Is the piece made out of solid wood, laminate, or veneered plywood?

A solid wood piece of furniture is one of the most forgiving and most suitable candidates for refinishing. With veneered plywood furniture, you need to be cautious when sanding, not to sand through the wood veneer. Laminate furniture is the worst candidate for refinishing because the plastic laminate won’t take sanding, stain, or paint well.

Are the joints solid, or do they need reinforcement?

If nails or screws are loose, secure them so no further damage is done while you are refinishing it. You want to work on a solid piece and avoid having a leg fall off while you are sanding. If it requires gluing, use clamps to get a tight fit and a paintbrush or screwdriver to push it down into any deep voids.

Is there a stain under the topcoat that you may have to match?

If you have stained wood under a topcoat or sealer, you will have difficulty doing a perfect color match. Stain and sealer colors change with age, making them yellow or even deepen in tone.  Therefore, it is very difficult to get an exact match. This would be the time to consider painting the furniture a solid paint color. If you choose to paint it a solid paint color, you may use all the following steps, but add a good coat of primer before proceeding with paint instead of clear sealer.

Is the current finish water-based or oil-based?

This is the most important piece of detective work you must uncover.  If the finish has a yellowing appearance, it is probably an oil-based finish. Also, if a piece of wood furniture was made before the 1980s, it is even more likely to be oil-based, as water-based clear sealers didn’t take off until then. The importance of this question lies in what paint, stain, or finish you plan to refinish it with. Water-based finishes can only go over water-based finishes, but oil-based finishes can cover everything.

Clean the surface

Remove all of the hardware and clean the surface using a solution made up of three parts water and one part vinegar. This will help break down grease and grime. Be sure not to use a heavily saturated wet rag; you want to wipe off the dirt and grime and not leave a lot of excess moisture on the wood. Allow it to dry well before moving on.

Focus on the extra attention areas

Start with deeper dings and scuffs and sand them smooth with 180-grit sandpaper. The goal is to sand back and even out chipped areas to achieve a smooth, even-looking surface.

Fill large dings and holes

If you have deep dents, dings, holes, or voids that can’t easily be sanded back (or are through the veneer on plywood pieces), fill these areas with wood putty.

Color match the putty to the species of wood you are refinishing. Pine, walnut and oak colors are available on the shelves at large home centers. Most experienced refinishers mix colors of putty to achieve the tone they desire. You won’t know the exact color until it’s dry, so give yourself the time to do a test sample when the color matches.

Once you have the color ready, build it up so there is excess putty in the ding. Putty often shrinks as it dries. Allow it to dry, and sand it back to create an even surface.

Add teeth to the surface

Use 220-grit sandpaper to lightly scuff the entire surface of your furniture.  Sand the flat parts of the furniture with the flat side of a scrap block of wood wrapped in sandpaper, and go over any profiles with a rubber profile sanding block or sanding sponge.

The purpose of this step is to ensure your new finish has what is called “teeth.” This is the place where the new finish can bond with, hang on to, and blend with your old finish. Without adding “teeth” to the surface, the new finish may peel over time. The goal is not to remove the entire finish, so use a light touch when sanding.

Remove the dust

Before applying the first coat of finish, you will want to remove all dust from the surface. Start with an air nozzle attached to an air compressor to get the bulk of the dust off the surface. Then, to remove the fine particles, use a tack cloth.  Tack cloths can be found in the paint department at hardware stores or home centers.

Apply new finish

Apply the new finish with a quality brush.  You will be applying at least two to three coats.  Allow each coat to dry completely before moving on to the next. Between the first and second coats, sand the entire surface with 320-grit sandpaper, concentrating on any raised grain. After the second coat, use 000 steel wool in between additional coats of sealer.

Before applying each coat of finish, make sure the furniture piece is dust-free at every stage. Don’t be surprised if you want to add a fourth or fifth coat of finish before it looks and feels good. A build-up of oil-based finish will also help conceal some of the areas you had to sand deeper.

Install new hardware

To complete a full makeover on a wood refinishing project, install new cabinet hardware, including knobs, handles, pulls, or hinges.

FAQ

Can you refinish furniture without stripping or sanding?

You can absolutely refinish furniture without stripping it.  You will always have to do some bit of sanding when refinishing furniture.

What’s the difference between stripping and sanding wood furniture?

Stripping removes all finishes, leaving the wood in close to a natural state where pores and grain are no longer clogged with a sealer. You will be able to apply a new stain color if you strip the wood. Sanding will most likely leave sealer or paint in the pores or grain or the wood, meaning you will build up on the finish that is already there. You wont’ have a successful new stain application if some of the sealer is left behind.

Is it better to sand or strip wood furniture?

The decision to sand or strip wood furniture is determined by the condition of the wood and what you wish the finish to be. If you wish to restain it a different color all together, then you must strip it. If you wish to revive the surface and it doesn’t have a previous stain under the sealer, then you can sand a reapply a sealer.

What kind of furniture cannot be refinished?

A plastic or manmade laminate will not be a good candidate for refinishing because the sealer or paints floats on the surface as opposed to penetrating into the wood.  Making it easily scratched and chipped.

Is it cheaper to refinish or replace wood furniture?

It is less expensive to refinish wood furniture than to replace it.

The post How To Refinish Wood Furniture appeared first on Family Handyman.

Use Quality Grout

The phrase “you get what you pay for” definitely applies to grout. While pre-mixed grout from a home center seems simple and inexpensive, plan to pay at least $30 to $45 for high-quality grout.

I always buy grout as a dry product from a tile store, then mix it carefully in small batches using a margin trowel. However, if you want to avoid mixing, Yodice recommends using a single-component grout like Laticrete Spectralock. “The single component grouts are a bit stronger, and this is why it is our go-to for most tile installation projects,” she says.

Use the Right Grout for the Job

The tile material and size of the grout joints will determine which grout is best. For example, if you install glass or honed marble tile, consider avoiding sanded grout.

“If you’re not careful, you can scratch the tile surface,” Ricalde says. For these tile types, use a narrower joint size, or use a single component grout like Spectralock. Yodice recommends to always consult the manufacturer’s safety data sheet for grout recommendations. A typical rule of thumb is to use unsanded grout for joints less than 1/8 inch and sanded grout for joints larger than 1/8 inch.

Follow Mixing Directions Carefully

If you followed the tip above to buy a dry grout that requires mixing, you’ll need to follow the manufacturer’s mixing directions exactly as they’re written. Grout is typically mixed in two stages. During the initial mix, you add dry grout slowly to measured water and combine it for a specified length of time. This is then followed by a length of time you let the mix sit, aka slake, undisturbed. A final, second mixing is then conducted for another specific, usually shorter, length of time.

Follow Dry Times

Grouting is done in stages, with different wait times in between. Times will vary based on the product, so follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Typically, after applying grout and scraping excess away with the float there’s a wait time of 15 to 45 minutes before you can use a damp sponge to wipe tile clean. Then you wait again for the haze to dry before buffing with a microfiber cloth. Waiting for enough time to pass before completing the next step is crucial to a professional-looking, long-lasting result.

Break the Project into Sections

Grout starts to set up quickly, so work in small sections. If you apply grout to too large of an area, you may end up rushing to clean off excess or have dried grout stuck to the tile face.

For a backsplash, work in a 3 x 1-1/2 foot area at a time. Apply the grout, then remove any excess before adding new grout. Keep track of the time so you return to earlier sections to wipe the tile down with a sponge before too much time has passed.

Use Caulk Where Tile Meets Counter

“Using 100 percent silicone caulking is an absolute must where the tile meets your countertops,” Yodice says. “This allows your tile assembly to have the proper room for expansion.” Also, apply caulk in corners where tile meets tile and along cabinet undersides.

For professional-looking results, use painter’s tape for a clean edge. “It may look good at first,” Ricalde says, “but grout along these joints will always crack eventually.” Most manufacturers sell caulk in corresponding colors to their grout products.

Press Grout Firmly Into Joints

For grout to effectively hold tile in place, the joints need to be fully filled.

Use a rubber float for this process. Take a scoop of grout onto the edge of the float. While applying firm pressure, push and scrape the grout into the joint with the float. Hold the float at a 45-degree angle to the tile and repeat this motion from different angles to force the grout into the full joint depth. Use a small rubber margin trowel to reach tighter spaces.

Clean Your Sponge Often

After scraping away excess grout with the float and waiting for the recommended time, clean the tile and joints with a damp tiling sponge. You’ll need clean water and a frequently cleaned sponge to do this successfully.

Ricalde likes to work with two 5-gallon buckets of clean water and a couple of sponges. “This way I can keep the sponges really clean,” he says. I only do one swipe per side with a sponge before dunking it and wringing it out. While tedious, I’ve found this puts less water into the joints.

Don’t Overwork Grout Lines

When cleaning the tile face and joints with the sponge, avoid the temptation to scrub the tile face clean, or get grout lines perfect. “Go lightly over the grout lines,” Ricalde says. “Don’t push the sponge into the joints, or you’ll remove too much grout.”

Use a clean, well-wrung sponge and avoid pressing down, which squeezes water out of the sponge. Too much water in the grout can lead to cracking and subpar performance when it dries.

Maintain a Clean Work Area

Grouting can get messy. Cover your counters with butcher paper, work slowly and clean as you go to make this project a smooth project. Apply grout in an upward motion to minimize the amount that drops from the float. Also take care to keep grout off of neighboring surfaces, walls and cabinets. This drastically reduces clean-up time and reduces waste. I also wear latex gloves when grouting and change them frequently as I work to keep my tools clean.

FAQ

Can you use sanded grout on a backsplash?

You can use sanded grout on a backsplash, but it’s usually not necessary unless you’re working with large joints over 1/8-inch. Also, avoid using sanded grout with glass and honed marble tile if possible, as it can leave scratches if you’re not careful.

Do I need to seal the backsplash grout?

“You don’t have to use a sealer [on the backsplash grout], but it won’t hurt if you do,” Ricalde says. This is true for most sanded and unsanded grout. Epoxy grout does not need a separate sealer application.

Do you grout or caulk between backsplash and countertop?

You should apply caulk between the backsplash and countertop. Caulk will flex with the movement between the two surfaces, unlike grout, which will crack in this application.

About the Experts

• Paul Ricalde creates home improvement videos on his YouTube channel, Paul’s Toolbox with over 360,000 subscribers. He has over thirty years of experience in construction.
• Schannon Yodice is a contractor and host of YouTube’s ThatTIleChick, offering detailed how-to videos for homeowners and DIYers. She also created the Online Tile Academy, an online school to help students learn how to install waterproof showers and set tile.

The post 11 Tips on How to Grout a Backsplash appeared first on Family Handyman.