Want a quick project that will make you breathe a sigh of relief when it’s done? Is that a loaded question? I’m talking about a sigh of relief because you’ve taken care of something that’s been bugging you, not because the job was so horrible!

Fix Those Holes in Your Walls

I had a question about drywall repairs over at the (now defunct!) Remodeling Guy Forums. In order to answer it I drew a little sketch and posted that. I thought I’d post it here too so you wouldn’t have to dig through the forums. (not that it’s too deep just yet!)

A Blowout Patch is Quick and Easy!

I gave some pointers in my answer to the question, but I’ll simplify by saying that you just stick the patch in there, install a little bit of sticky mesh tape, and “mud” it. No problem. Don’t know what you’re doing with mud? That’s why God made sandpaper, scrapers, and sponges.

Quick Tip: Need to sand some drywall without making a huge mess? Try sponging it instead. Un-painted drywall mud can be wiped smooth with a wet sponge in order to at least get it close to finish ready. Then you can very lightly sand it (after it dries) before painting. This really cuts down dust.

Getting Good At Drywall Pays

Drywall is an incredibly versatile material. You can do more with it than you think. Almost any shape can be created and it’s great for mantels, plant shelves, and columns. Check out this picture of a kitchen shelving unit with drywall sides:

Nice!

So, are you ready to break out your drywall tools? If you have any questions, ask me over in the forums and I’ll be happy to answer! Have a great day!

Check out this little storage niche I saw at BHG.com!

Can I Say Cute?

I know I’m supposed to be a big contractor man, but I might as well be honest… this made me say

“How cute is that!?”

Nobody tell my Dad.

But seriously! Isn’t this awesome? I totally thought about running out and getting my tools! I have all the materials right in the shop, even the bead-board.

You can build something like this in a few hours if you’re properly prepared.

You can either build the whole thing right in-place, or you can build it in the shop and just pop it in in one peice. The shop option would allow for cleaner attachment of the shelf, but building it in-place would be easier for someone with less experience.

There are 10 small pieces of wood in this little unit. It’s not rocket science!

To Build-It In Place:

1. Use a stud-finder to locate your wall studs.
2. Mark the opening you want to cut-out so you can build your unit between the existing studs.
3. Cut out the drywall or plaster (tools depend on what your wall type is)
4. Install a short piece of framing at the top and bottom of the opening, between the existing studs… you now have an opening with framing on four sides.
5. Cut a peice of bead-board paneling to fit the opening and just hold in place by cutting it tight, or use some glue…it just goes against the backside of the opposite side of the wall.
6. Cut the “sill” including the little “returns” that go out to the side. You can see more examples of this at my post on Windows, Casing, & Sills.
7. Install the sill and use small nails or screws to hold it in place. Put your nails near the edges where they will be covered-up by the side jambs.
8. Cut and install the top of the frame (jamb), you can nail this to the short framing peice you installed in step 4.
9. Install the side fames on either side of the opening, between the sill and the peice you just installed in step 8. All of the frame (jamb) peices should be cut (ripped) to be the correct depth so that the front edge is even with the wall face.
10. Install the casing and the apron as seen in the picture. It’s easier than it sounds.
11. A shelf can be added, but it will either need exposed support, such as a peice of quarter round, or you’ll have to toe-nail it or screw it using the same method.

I threw together a little 3-D model for you to get an idea of the parts involved. Both the model and the directions above are just to get you going… they’re not perfect at all and won’t cover every contingency…

In this view, you can see how the parts go together…

The computer shows the corners of the casing doubled up. You would want to cut a mitered joint in the top corners.

Have fun! And don’t worry if it’s not perfect! A little caulking or putty and some paint can work wonders!

~ RG

Do you like scavenger hunts? How about when there is a big payoff? Based on the comments to a post earlier this week about remodeling budgets, I think most of you LOVE to hunt for cheaper versions of the fancy look! I know I do. Gives me shivers just thinking about it!

Try this one on for size…

This is one pretty floor! I found it on the website that sells it, and I have to say, it is beautiful. Based on what I read, this is one finely done floor. But if I were to guess, I’d guess it’s close to $20.00 per sf (possibly much more). So what if there is no way you can pay that. Watchu gonna do?

What about this look from the same company…

Nice. Nice. Nice. In fact, this whole room is kinda cool.

Wood is Trees

It seems like people forget sometimes that wood is a pretty basic material. If you’re willing to accept some imperfections, you can get wood for very low cost.

If I wanted this floor and couldn’t afford it, here is what I’d do:

• Take a picture to a local wood expert such as a specialty hardwood supplier. Hopefully, they’ll give you some respect, but if not get as much information as possible. What you really need to know is what species available locally would have similar grain and color.
• I’d try and get some samples to play with if I could and once I had one or two species narrowed down, I can just call around on the phone and get prices for the material. Unless I’m looking for a very rustic look (which is very popular), then I’ll want T&G (tounge and groove) wood. This interlocks together.
• If you really feel like a dope, call some places further away first so you can get the lingo down before calling the local places Just be careful about wasting someone’s time if you have no interest at all in buying from them…when I’m in that situation (just fishing for info) I come right out and tell them. Some help, some won’t.
• Once you know the lingo, you can get some great prices. Renting the tools to install the floor isn’t expensive and the job isn’t that hard to figure out. There are hundreds of refrences on-line. You can check some of the links at my Mr. How-To post for a place to start looking.
• I’d use some scraps to try out different finish methods until I got it right. Then go for it. If you’re going for a high-gloss finish you might want a professional. It’s not easy to get a clean high-gloss on a large area.
• You could start in a small home-office or powder room for practice if you don’t want to tackle a whole big floor at once.

Okay, I’ll admit, I’m over-simplifying the job a little. But it is just wood. You can do it if you want to. Even if you hire it out, you can get major savings by shopping around and being willing to look at a number of species. You’ll hear a whole lot about hardness…but it’s not that complex. You can take a sample and decide for yourself if it’s hard enough.

Anyway, just an idea along the lines of finding high-dollar inspiration and a low-dollar solution!

Any questions or comments are welcome!

Hey! Big announcement! I’ve talked for at least two months about setting up a Forum for all of the great discussions we have here at Remodeling Guy!

Well… I did it! It’s a technical work-in-progress, so please come back and let me know if you can’t register or see anything on your screen!

The point is this… I have over twenty years of knowledge as a general remodeling contractor and I know that all of you have a combined knowledge many times greater than mine! We need a place to ask questions, get answers, and discuss ideas, amongst friends where we feel comfortable!

The Forums have been up and running for almost 24 hours now and it seems like everything works!  I’ve answered a number of questions already and I think I’m going to wonder why I didn’t do this long ago!  I can’t really promise you that I’ll be able to answer every question, or that the ones I can answer will get answered immediately. But I’ll do my best, and I hope you know by now that I really do care about your project, your home, and your life! So I’ll help if I can.

We’ll see how it goes… here is the link Remodeling Guy Forums

Many categories have no threads yet…start ‘em up!

Please offer feedback, both in the forums, and the comments!

Mr. How-To, I’m not.  I wish I could just snap my fingers and I’d have a perfectly done video or pictorial showing exactly how to do all the things I suggest and talk about.  But since I can’t, the only way for me to get that out there for you is to produce it.  I would rather write about the things that really inspire!

I’m Your Guy

If you want great advice on bigger scope issues. Such as:

• Should I hire an architect?
• Should I hire a contractor?
• If I should, how do I do it?
• If I shouldn’t, what do I do?
• Can I add on to my house?
• How do I make it look like it was “always there”?
• How can I improve my use of space?

That list could go down to the floor.

Or maybe, if you want some inspiration and creative energy. Things like:

• awesome pictures and comments about why they’re awesome
• advice on how that picture can be done in your house
• great and innovative new products and methods
• creative ideas for anything and everything, indoors and out

That list could go through the floor!

Resources

If you want to know exactly how to replace a toilet , I’m afraid I’m not your guy. But wait! There are thousands of great resources on the web that can tell you what you need. So don’t lose heart!

Here is my suggestion: Come to Remodeling Guy, get inspired, get ideas, figure out your game plan, work out some logistics. Then, when you’re ready, head to one of the sites below and get detailed step-by-step instructions for anything and everything you might want to do!

wikiHow – A great user-updated resource full of awesome articles!

HGTV – Hundreds of great videos and tips

HomeTips.com – expert advice for home improvement & repair

DoItYourself.com – Home repair projects and how-to articles

This Old House – Every category under the sun! Great videos and tips!

eHow.com – How to do just about everything!

Lowes – learn on-line, then place your order!

There you go, a starter list for how to find all the Mr. How-To’s out there.

To read more about what this blog is all about, check out The Promise !