How To Fix

How to Fix Pine that Won’t Shine

Fix Handyman — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 04:47:57 +0000

Shine Your Pine.

Furniture is often made from pine wood, which is a soft wood that can deteriorate over time. Even if the pine furniture you own was once shiny and new, it might not take very long for it to lose that luster. If you want that fresh pine look back, however, it may be as simple as following a few steps. Here's how you can fix the pine that won't shine in your house.

As is often the first step when attempting a repair, you're going to want to clean your pine out first. It may seem unnecessary, but dust and debris can often get in the way of cosmetic home repairs. After all, you won't want to paint over a pebble, would you? That's why you'll want to make sure that your pine is clean and hopefully clear of debris before you get started.

The key to restoring the "shine" to pine is in the solution you'll be applying next. This will probably require a trip to the store, so make sure you have your list ahead of time:

Soft soap (1/4 cup)
Mineral oil (1 cup)
Pine oil (1 tablespoon)

You're also going to want to make sure you have a cup of warm water handy. To mix up this solution, start with the mineral oil and pine oil first. Once they're mixed together, stir in the soft soap and the water. (By the way, if you're curious about what soft soap means, a liquid soap will do just fine).

Now that you have your solution ready, put some of it onto a cloth - you don't want to use it all up right away. Generously apply the mixture via the cloth onto the pine wood, but make sure that none of it drips or coalesces, as this is too much. In fact, once you're done, you can take a dry cloth and pick up extra solution that you applied.

It will be important to make sure that your solution doesn't only touch the surface of the wood, but seeps in as much as it can. You can't control this; you can only make sure to apply an even amount of the mixture onto your pine wood. Let it dry out and take a look at the pine later so that you can evaluate how well the solution worked.

It might be possible to fine pine solutions pre-made for you at a hardware store or other outlet. Before you go shopping, try to call around and see if a store has some stocked so that you can pick one up.

Photo Credits: Nature form furniture

Originally posted 2009-08-31 03:53:30.

How to Fix a Faucet in a Flash

Fix Handyman — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:30:47 +0000

First figure out what type of faucet you're working with.

One of the most common household repairs is the faucet-fix; it wouldn't be such a common repair if these devices worked all of the time! The bad news is you don't always feel like you have time to fix a faucet right away. That's why this article will help explain how to fix a faucet in a jiffy, even if you have a specific type of faucet that you aren't sure how to manage.

First, let's explore the faucet types.

The Ball Faucet: The ball faucet is your classic single-handle faucet on top of a large round base, allowing for a certain mix of hot and cold water with just one nozzle. Many homes today have ball faucets, but you might also want to be aware if your single-handle faucet is actually a disk faucet, a recent innovation.

The Disk Faucet: This faucet is also single-handled. The Disk faucet essentially works by operating with disks instead of a ball. These will also have a round base, so you won't always be able to discern a disk faucet from a ball faucet simply by looking at it. Be sure to find out what kind of faucet you're using before you try and fix it.

The Compression Faucet: Double-handled, the compression faucet works with two valves in each handle allowing for the basic blocking and allowing of flows.

The Cartridge Faucet: These can be a little tricky to discern as they can be single or double-handled. These operate using cartridges, and you might be able to recognize these by the motion they use: a double-handled cartridge faucet should require the faucet to be moved up and down for flow and twisting the knobs for temperature.

So how do you fix these individual faucets in a jiffy? You'll need to know the basics. The first rule with any of these faucets is to turn off the water supply leading to the faucet - either find a valve under the sink or turn off your house's water supply temporarily.

After you've turned off the water, turn the faucet on to let the rest of the remaining water flow out. To prevent dropping anything into the drain, try putting a towel over it. Begin to take apart the faucet and look for the problem - if you need to replace parts, bring that part with you to the hardware store so you can search for duplicates.

Find a guide or blueprint for how your faucet should look on the inside, and try to identify the problem. Online guides that show you how to fix each individual faucet can also help.

Photo Credits: Joe Shlabotnik

Originally posted 2009-09-10 03:41:27.

How to Fix Small Problems In Your Decking

Fix Handyman — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:20:22 +0000

Got a problem with your decking?

Building a deck for your house is no small feat - that's why many people choose to outsource the labor and time to contractors who have experience doing it. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to maintain your own deck with your own wits, tools, and supplies. So how exactly do you make minor repairs in your decking, and where should you start? Well, I can answer one question right away: you should start by reading the rest of this article.

First, understand that there are some common problems that come up when fixing your deck, and if you understand these problems, you already have a head start in your at-home repair. Here are the solutions to some of these common problems.

Repairing Broken Floor Boards

The floor boards in your deck are the most visible and probably the most common problem you'll encounter. It's hard to have guests over for a Sunday evening meal when your floorboards are loose and ready to pop out at any moment. That's why you'll want to know how to handle your floor board problems right away.

This can be very easy - usually, floor boards that aren't working well enough either need to be re-tightened or attached to the beams in your deck, or simply need to be replaced. It will be up to you to make the diagnosis, but err on the side of caution and safety. You might even have some old beams laying around from the initial deck construction that will allow you to seamlessly integrate some new beams.

How to Stop Peeling Paint

If you absolutely have to have your wood be a copper color but used paint, you might want to think again about your choice. Paint sits on top of the wood and doesn't soak in, meaning that it's both exposed to the elements and can be lifted up from the wood, allowing it to peel. If you use a wood stain, however, you can change the color of your deck without having to worry about the paint peeling off.

Remove your paint from the deck, wash it down, and once it's dry, have the deck stained. You won't have to worry about the elements "getting to" your deck's color because the color will be stained in to the wood itself.

There are a number of ways to remove paint from your deck. You can rent a vibrating sander or apply a chemical paint stripper (be careful and make sure to follow warning signs!). Try to consult someone who knows about decks to see what might be the most effective way for you.

Photo Credits: carljoseph

Originally posted 2009-08-14 03:53:03.

How to Fix a Wet Basement

Fix Handyman — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:09:41 +0000

Water in the Basement?

One of the first things new homeowners realize about their home is that nothing happens automatically. That is to say, nothing will get cleaned unless you clean it up, and nothing will get maintained or repaired unless you take actions toward those ends. One of the frequent problem that pops up? A wet or exceedingly moist basement that smells stuffy. If you want a clean, dry basement that any guest would love to visit, here are a few tips.

First, if you don't have a dehumidifier, you'll need to get one. You'd be amazed at how much water a dehumidifier can remove from the air in your basement - you might find yourself emptying gallons and gallons of water that essentially came from "thin air." When you have a dehumidifier, you realize how things like air quality can really effect the rest of your home, not to mention the general mustiness of a moist basement. Make sure you have a dehumidifer up and running before you try some other solutions for a musty basement.

A dehumidifier can also solve other problems with a wet basement. For example, condensation appearing on your basement walls or on windows can mean that there's a lot of moisture in the air in your basement. A dehumidifier will also work to help solve this problem. If that's not enough, try using a vapor barrier. Remember that temperature differences also can make for humidity and condensation, so make sure that your basement walls are insulated.

For water seepage, there can be more problems with your basement that a simple dehumidifier can't fix. For example, rain water might be able to seap through the ground and enter your basement. If you have water seepage like this, you'll want to identify the source and then do further research to find out how you can remedy this kind of problem. If you're in doubt, try asking a professional for their advice.

Water damage can be among the most serious threats to your property, especially if you've got a basement full of sentimental items and useful trinkets and supplies. Make sure to guard your basement effectively by understanding insulation, air humidity, and how you can seal your basement off from potential water harm. The more you know about a wet basement, the better you'll be able to fix it.

Photo Credits: Loozrboy

Originally posted 2009-10-16 03:37:48.

How to Fix Antique Furniture

Fix Handyman — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:55:22 +0000

How to Refinish Wood on an Antique

It's easy to look at a wooden antique and dismiss it as an old chunk of junk that looks bad because it hasn't been used for over fifty years. But if you're a real do it yourself-er who enjoys restoring old items to near-modern quality, you might look at that "chunk of junk" as an opportunity for a total restoration. At the very least, you can look at that antique as a challenge: it's up to you to put new life into that antique. Even if you aren't able to restore the entire antique, refinishing the wood can help the antique to look much like it did when it was new. Here are some tips to learn how to refinishing wood in an antique.

First, consider the antique's value. If it's a valuable item, you won't want to do much to it at all - the more you keep it in its original condition, the more value you'll be able to keep in it. This doesn't mean that you can refurbish the wood, however, and help restore it to its original finish and gloss. But, in general, the more valuable an antique, the less you'll want to do to it. If you believe that you might have a truly valuable antique on your hands, then a good way to approach your restoration would simply be to consult someone first.

Once you've decided that you're going to refinish the wood, you'll have to take on some common problems, like wood cracks. Wood fillers are available for filling up wood cracks, as they might also include instructions for the first-time wood restorer. You'll probably want to fill a crack with a healthy amount of filler - so much that you actually have a little bit of overflow. This overflow can be wiped away or patted down so that the filler can be stronger and more solid.

Water stains are also a frequent problem with old wood. Depending on the severity of the stain, this is a problem that can have a variety of difficulties. For simpler stains, simply spraying furniture polish and leaving it overnight can help remove the stain and help the wood look new again in the morning.

For more set-in stains, you'll have to look up more intense solvents and see which will work best with your wood - these can include alcohol and lacquer thinners. Again, be sure that you know what wood you're restoring before you try these solvents, as they can actually do damage to the finish.

Photo Credits: firepile

Originally posted 2009-07-29 08:00:58.

How to Fix a Roof

Fix Handyman — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 03:40:55 +0000

The Secrets to Maintaining a Great Roof On Your House

If you've ever looked at your roof and wondered how it got into the condition that it's in, this article is probably for you. It's easy to look at a neighbor's roof and admire the condition that which they've maintained it, but it's harder to take responsibility for your own roof. What kinds of actions can you take on a regular basis to either restore your roof or prevent it from looking poor or even cluttered? How can you repair roof damage? What kind of habits will help you maintain a great roof? Let's look at a few of them.

First, make sure your roof is properly sealed and laid out.
The first key to maintaining a great roof is actually making sure that you have a great roof to maintain in the first place. If your roof is old and in serious need of repair, it might be time to hire some contractors to totally re-do it. If you don't have the money for that, you can at least ask a contractor for a little bit of work and even some tips for making some key improvements. For new homeowners, this is not usually a consideration, as the home will probably have a modernized roof that will be in great condition for a few years to come. At the very least, check your starting point and work your way towards a great roof from there.
Second, make sure that your drainage is flawless.
If a roof is capturing water and not removing it from the environment, you've definitely got a problem. Captured water can lead to wood rot and even make repairs extremely difficult. You'll want to not only make sure that your roof is totally waterproof, but that the rain falling on your roof is totally removed and directed where it needs to go. This means installing or maintaining a good gutter system that puts water in the right places. Don't only make sure that your gutters can handle a sturdy rainstorm, but that the water ends up harmlessly flowing out somewhere on your property. Use a rainstorm as an opportunity to inspect this system and show where you might need some changes.
Third, install a leaf guard on your roof if you have trees nearby.
One of the most annoying things to maintain on a great roof is clear gutters. Many gutters will collect not only rain, but the debris that falls onto your roof, clogging them and backing up your drainage system. That's why a leaf guard on your gutters will collect only water and leave debris somewhere else, making your roof easier to maintain.

Photo Credits: vm2827

Originally posted 2009-08-11 05:16:25.

How to Fix a Dent in Aluminum

Fix Handyman — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:05:37 +0000

Get those dents out!

Aluminum is one of the most valuable metals we have for use around the house: light, strong, cheap, and durable. It's useful enough that many people use aluminum siding as the exoskeleton of their house, using it to protect them from the elements and seal off as much of the environment as possible. But there is one disadvantage to aluminum: it can dent. When it does dent, especially in your home siding, what exactly can you do?

You're about to find out some of the best dent removal tricks out there. What will you need? Start with a drill, a sheet metal screw, a flat washer, a pair of pliers, metal filler, sand paper, and metal primer.

It's a tall order, but you should be able to retrieve many of these items at a relatively low price at a local hardware store. Once you have your tools and supplies ready, it's time to get down to business.

The process of removing a dent in aluminum siding is essentially to drill a hole, use that hole to pull back the dent, and then cover up the hole so that it looks like nothing was ever there. You can begin by drilling a couple of small holes (one-eight of an inch in diameter) and screwing in the sheet metal screw you have with a sheet metal washer partially into the hole. This will give you some leverage with which to pull the aluminum dent out. Pull on the screw with the pliers, protecting your hands. The washer will protect the rest of the aluminum on your siding from the pliers.

Once you've pulled out the dent, remove everything and take a look at the holes you drilled. It's time to fill them up with metal or body filler, also making sure to fill up any of the residual dent so that everything is relatively smooth. It will probably take a couple of coats of body filler in order to make sure that everything is smooth.

After those coats have dried, sand everything even. Clean out the scrapings so that the area is dry, and then apply a metal primer. After this primer has dried, apply some metal paint to the area - everything should look properly covered, as if the dent and the holes were never there.

Voila! You've fixed your own aluminum siding. Now you'll have a couple of extra supplies and tools around the house if you need to make similar repairs somewhere else.

Photo Credits: D. Bjorn

Originally posted 2009-08-05 06:00:34.

How to Fix Household Scratches with a Paint Brush

Fix Handyman — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 02:34:55 +0000

Grab your paintbrush!

Let's face it: using paint to cover up dings and scratches around the house doesn't exactly sound like advanced home improvement work. But the fact remains that you probably didn't learn how to use a paint brush properly in school, unless you were making watercolors! Using a paint brush around the house can be a very useful skill, particularly if you notice that there are areas of your home that can be fixed with a little "cosmetic surgery." So how do you become an ace surgeon? Simple. Keep reading.

When it comes to using a paint brush around the home, you might hear that it's "instinctive." Don't believe it. It might seem instinctive to people with a lot of home improvement experience, but unless you learn the proper techniques, you could end up wondering why your paint jobs look so different from everyone else's. With that in mind, here are some crucial tips and techniques to remember:

"Load" the brush effectively. When you start painting (by the way, you made sure to cover surrounding areas, right?), you'll first have to "load" the brush with paint, which simply refers to dipping the paint brush into a bucket or puddle of paint so that you can apply it to the surface you want. There are some things to keep in mind here: first, only load the paint on the brush up to about a third on the bristles. Don't "scrape" the brushes on the side of the paint can, instead tapping it out to get rid of some of the dripping. Scraping the brush will lead to less paint being used on each application.
As you apply the paint, try to work from side to side, starting on the left if you're right-handed, and vice versa for lefties. Try to cover the corners first so that you don't have to worry about them; one handy trick to remember is to have the dark edges cover the lighter-colored edges. This is because covering a dark edge with a light edge can mean that the dark coat of paint underneath shows, and it won't look very attractive.

Now that you've got a better understanding of how household paint works, you should find it easier to do the right job the first time. This means you won't have to worry about a poor paint job after your most recent coat dries. Remember that home improvement starts with self-improvement!

Originally posted 2009-10-05 03:59:58.

How to Fix the Moisture Problem in Your Basement

Fix Handyman — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:27:30 +0000

How to Fix the Moisture Problem in Your Basement

For many people - especially those with certain allergies - the basement is the least appealing place in the house. Even if you've got carpeting and have remodeled your basement to look like another great room, it won't necessarily be pleasant if you've got too much moisture built up. Moisture build-up in basements is a common problem, and with some common sense tips, you'll be able to make a lot of progress against moisture in your basement.

A dehumidifier is one of the most popular ways to reduce moisture. Even by its own name, the role of a dehumidifier is simply to take water out of the air and concentrate it back into liquid form: many people are surprised when they see just how much moisture was in their air. It's not uncommon for people to see gallons of water gathered in their dehumidifier after just a short time of running it. If you aren't running a dehumidifier - especially in the summer - it is a great addition to your basement. But remember that even though a dehumidifier removes moisture, it doesn't necessarily take the dampness out of your entire basement.

You can take a very natural approach to reducing basement moisture by employing a rain barrel to collect the rain that hits your roof and comes down through your gutter system. If you don't have a need to let all of that rain collect on your lawn or other places around the house, you can simply collect that water. This will avoid letting the water seep into the ground, where it can then find its way via moisture into your basement. Instead, you can use the rain barrel for practical applications such as watering plants on dryer days. You'd be surprised at how much rain you can collect if you really can find a way to put all of the rain from your roof into one source.

You can also look into waterproofing your walls - either by a waterproofing material installed along your walls or by choosing waterproofing paint when you paint your basement. Waterproofing your walls might seem like it traps moisture in your basement, but it's also keeping moisture out of the basement. When you have a dehumidifier running in your basement, it will then be simple to remove the rest of the moisture that's been trapped in your basement, keeping moisture levels stable and dry.

Knowing how to keep your basement dry means you also know how to keep it comfortable. If you plan on getting a lot of use out of your basement, make sure that you understand how to maintain clean, dry air.

Photo Credits: Photos by Mavis

Originally posted 2009-07-23 03:30:59.

How to Fix Chipped, Broken Plaster in 5 Steps

Fix Handyman — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:16:06 +0000

How to Fix Chipped, Broken Plaster

Plaster can be a great material to use in construction because of its flexibility, but it also has some downsides. One downside? It can easily become chipped or cracked, which is why the do-it-yourselfer in your home will want to make sure to understand some quick, easy ways to fix and smoothen out that plaster. If that's what you want to learn today, you've come to the right place: let's explore some quick steps to restoring a plaster finish.

First, get your tools ready.
What will you need when you're fixing up some plaster? A good utility knife, a plaster compound (such as plaster of paris), brushes, a scraper, a wood block, sandpaper, primer, and paint are some general items you'll either find in your tool shed or at the local hardware store. Once you have these items ready, you're ready to take a better look at the chip in your plaster.
Treat the chip first.
This usually includes cutting away loose chunks of plaster with your knife while making sure that you don't do anything to cause further damage to the surrounding plaster. Once you've cleared the debris, shake off smaller particles with a towel and use your vacuum cleaner to get the hard-to-reach dust and plaster bits.
Next, get out your plaster compound.
Mix it up into a hearty paste - try to make it less flexible rather than erring on the side of making it too thin. Before you apply the plaster, moisten the area by using your brush - this will help when applying the plaster of paris. Next, apply your plaster compound, making sure that it is well-set into the chip. Smoothen out the surface with your scraper and then take 24 hours off while your plaster compound hardens.
Sand down the area after 24 hours.
Once your 24 hours have passed, it's time to take another look at your chip repair. Chances are that it doesn't look that good yet - but that's why you're going to want to sand down the area and smoothen it out. You can also re-plaster any areas that haven't been fixed yet, but remember that you'll want to give it 24 hours to dry.
After sanding, apply primer and then your paint.
After you've sanded out the area smooth, it's time to apply your primer. Your primer is crucial for creating a smooth, durable coat of paint. Once your primer has dried (this might take a considerable amount of time), you can then apply your paint and let it try. Voila!

Photo Credits: amarette.

Originally posted 2009-07-23 08:00:37.