Watch out for those cracks!
Cracks in asphalt in concrete. Sometimes it feels like the way to distinguish between a great-looking home and an okay-looking home is the quality of the structures leading up to your house: your driveway, your walkway, and even your sidewalk. So if you have a cracked sidewalk that's causing cosmetic damage to the overall look of your property, it's time to get it fixed. This article will tell you how.
First, remember that we're dealing with cracks that are largely cosmetic - for larger cracks that pose bigger risks, you might want to contact someone who has jurisdiction over these sorts of repairs. You'll also want to protect people from that area by placing warning signs and even cones around it. Adults will be able to avoid it easily, but you never know when a kid might be riding by on a skateboard, oblivious to his environment.
For the cosmetic cracks, however, you should be able to take on the problem. You'll need some tools and equipment, including work gloves, safety glasses, a caulking gun (optional), sidewalk filler, and a trowel.
Remember that you're not just making a cosmetic update, but you're sealing off the sidewalk from leaking rainwater and debris. First, try to clean out the area as much as possible - the cleaner your work area, the more effective all of your repairs will be. Cleaning off with water has the added benefit of pre-soaking the concrete around the crack, giving it less moisture to pull out of the sidewalk filler you'll be applying.
Next, apply the sidewalk filler into the crack. Fill a little more than you think you need, because you can always use a trowel to flatten the surface out and remove superfluous sidewalk filler. Before you smooth out the surface, be sure that you use your trowel to push it down into the crack, making sure that it is completely filling the area into which it's been dispensed.
Once you've completed that, leave it alone for a few hours, allowing it to settle and dry out, and then cover the area with a plastic sheet. This sheet will help trap in any remaining moisture for a few days. Once those days have passed, remove the sheet. Voila! You've repaired a crack in your sidewalk. That wasn't so hard, was it?
Note: This cosmetic repair won't look perfect, but it will at least smoothen out your sidewalk.
Photo Credits: MightyBoyBrian
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Posted by Fix Handyman on August 21, 2009 in
How to Fix, sidewalk
If your keys are stuck...
Having a grand piano in one of the rooms of your house is great - not only can you practice on it, but you can use it to entertain guests. But if a few of the keys on your piano are stuck, it takes away from the whole "piano-as-decor" theory. It can also be frustrating every time you try to hit that natural G. But every time you try to fix it, you don't seem to get anywhere.
Causes of Stuck Keys
There are a number of reasons a key might get stuck. The first - and most obvious - is dirt and debris getting into the cracks between each ivory key, essentially sticking two keys together. In order to clean between the keys, you'll need something that can get in between them. Because something sharp can scratch your piano, you might want to use a liquid. Water and a few drops of dish soap can often handle the job; just make sure that you don't go overboard with the liquids.
You'll also want to watch for swelling in the piano. Since most pianos are made of wood, one cause of a stuck key might actually be that wood underneath has swollen. Even if you're not sure how this came about, you might want to get inside to see if this really is the case.
Fixing Stuck Keys
To begin fixing a stuck key, look around the area of the key in order to ensure a proper diagnosis. Is there debris in the way? Might there be wood swelling? Does the problem go deeper than that? The problem will drive the kind of repairs you need to make.
Sometimes, the fix is as easy as cleaning out the cracks in the method already described. But if there seems to be something deeper in the piano, you'll probably have to remove the keys. For some people, looking under the keys can be an awakening of sorts, similar to the mess you might find under your couch after a few months.
The best way to make sure keys aren't stuck is prevention. Keep your house dry and regularly dust your piano. You won't have to clean it much if you don't bring drinks or food nearby, but if you absolutely must, then be sure to be careful not to spill.
Remember the essential rule of fixing anything: to fix something, you need to get down to the level of the problem, possibly doing some destroying in the process. If you need to take somthing apart in order to build it back up, that can often be better than simply replacing the unit as a whole.
Photo Credits: melinnis
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Posted by Fix Handyman on August 20, 2009 in
Handyman, How to Fix, Musical Instruments
Clean out that debris!
If there's one thing that separates the do-it-yourself professionals from the amateurs, it's the ability to conserve. Using old things in new ways is the hallmark of the savvy home improvement fanatic, and nothing is when it comes to gutters. If you have an old gutter and want to install a modern rain removal system, there's no reason you can't teach the old dog new tricks and make it work it better ways. It will save you money and time, so why not?
The first thing you'll want to do with an old gutter is to clean it off - cracked-on dirt, debris, and dust can hide some leaks and holes that you need to know about. Be generous with the house and scrub the thing so that it looks as new as it can. After you've let it dry a little, try running some water through it as a test. If there are any leaks or holes, it's time to make sure that those leaks are no more.
In order to repair a leak or a hole in your old gutter, you're going to need to re-seal it. Gutter sealer from your hardware store (if you have caulk-like substances around the house, you might be able to use those) will fill the cracks and trap the water like the gutter was originally meant to. Be sure to check the overlapping on these old gutters, as they are sometimes less efficient than modern ones and may need to be sealed themselves.
Small holes and leaks aren't the only ways you can salvage an old gutter - even the big gaping cracks can be fixed if you have the right materials. If you have two old gutters, for example, you can use the metal of one of them to replace the metal of the other; if you use some roof cement you should be able to press one piece of metal to the other, sealing it off and making the old gutter like new. It might not be the prettiest gutter in the world, but you don't exactly have to put it out front for everyone to see.
Remember that gutters are rarely used for decoration: their primary function is simply to move water in a way that keeps the house dry and interacts with the natural environment. When you come across an old gutter that you think might have some life in it, don't necessarily toss it away instantly. Instead, ask yourself more practical questions, like what you can do with the metal, whether you can salvage the gutter, and where it might belong if it can be salvaged. It's up to you to make the most of your possessions. Will you?
Photo Credits: Mitia dd
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Posted by Fix Handyman on August 13, 2009 in
Handyman, How to Fix, gutters
Three Reasons to Use Primer Before Starting a Paint Job
Any good painter will tell you that for a lot of surfaces and for a lot of different coats of paint, you're going to need to use a coat of primer before applying your paint. What exactly is primer, and why is it so popular? Here are three reasons you should consider making primer part of your standard painting practice.
Primer helps paint stick. One of primer's most basic functions is to help paint to adhere to the surface you're applying it to. Without primer, smoother surfaces can see paint drip down and lose its volume. Paint can unevenly adhere to different areas of rougher surfaces, making the paint job look unprofessional and sloppy.
A good coat of primer will cover a lot of the cracks and imperfections in a surface, helping to provide the foundation for a fresh, even coat of paint that actually sticks to the surface it's being applied to. Not only will paint stick better - ultimately looking better - but it will adhere to the surface for longer periods of time.
Primer helps even out a coat of paint. One of the most crucial aspects of a paint job is how evenly spread the paint is. Anyone who's painted a wall before knows that an uneven coat of paint will look downright unprofessional. You don't want to see clumps of heavier paint next to thinner, even transparent areas. That's why primer can be crucial for applying a coat of paint that evenly spreads throughout the surface.
You want your primer to do much of the work for the paint; let the paint simply look pretty. By setting your primer deeply and evenly into your material, you'll be able to lay on a healthy coat of paint that looks even and attractive.
You have to protect your surface and the paint, especially on wood. For wood surfaces, primer is considered mandatory practice - without it, paint's chemicals easily leak through and damage the wood. This also dries the paint, giving it less durability and a shorter shelf life.
Remember that wood doesn't always respond well to moisture over time - in fact, a poor paint job can contribute to problems like rotting and warping. The layer of primer applied ahead of the paint will protect both the wood and the paint.
Do you absolutely always want to use primer? It depends on the kind of surface you're using. Make sure that you do a little more studying on your paint surface before you begin a paint job to ensure that you'll be applying a healthy, consistent coat of paint that can last for a long time.
Photo Credits: danielle_blue
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Posted by Fix Handyman on July 27, 2009 in
Handyman, How to Fix
Cracked Driveway?
After you've gone through the trouble of either purchasing or building a concrete driveway to call your own, seeing a crack develop can be quite the disappointment. No landscaper in their right mind wants to have anything but a smooth finish on their asphalt, which is why you'll want to do your best to repair your driveway crack and ensure that the surface still offers a high degree of consistency. If you're sick of feeling the cracks under your car tires every time you pull in from work, this article is for you. Here is a brief summary of driveway crack repair.
Before you begin, you'll have to make sure that your driveway is clear and clean. This will usually require a relatively calm day - it doesn't have to be sunny out but winds should be low so that nothing from your lawn or trees makes life more difficult for you. Sweep out the cracks as best you can and make sure that the driveway is about as clear as you can get it. Cleaning the driveway now will help make sure you don't have to do it later when you've already started repairing it.
You're going to need to acquire a driveway crack filler that fits your needs. If you have access to a caulking gun, you can try one of the harder driveway fillers; otherwise, you can find some softer, more liquid fillers at your local hardware store. Before you begin to fill the crack, do your best to manipulate it so that most of the opening is occurring below the surface: this will help to keep the filler in place.
When you fill the crack, make sure that you overfill it rather than under fill it - you can correct the overfill by simply smoothing out the surface with a trowel or piece of wood. For deeper cracks, be sure to fill the deepest parts with a different material like sand and then place your driveway crack filler over that surface.
Next, you'll need to seal the crack - it will be important, again, that the weather is relatively clear, as rain can put a damper in your plans. You can buy driveway sealant from the hardware store and apply it with a simple paint roller. You'll apply the sealant much like you would apply a new coat of paint - try to get it as consistent and leak-free as possible.
Once you get the hang of it, repairing your driveway cracks is one of the easiest chores to tackle around the house - and it sure beats cleaning out the gutters!
Photo Credits: chego101
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Posted by Fix Handyman on July 25, 2009 in
Handyman, How to Fix
How to Fix Almost Anything with Duct Tape
If you're an aspiring handyman but you don't know about the value of duct tape, you probably have a lot to learn. Anyone who's ever been interested in modern home repair soon learned the value of duct tape and its various uses around the house. Not only does it apply a durable adhesive to problematic areas, but it can also make a strong cover or repair when no other material seems to work. Let's take a look at five strong uses for duct tape - hopefully you'll learn why you should buy a roll or two at your next trip to the hardware store.
- Use #1: Repairing tears on difficult materials.
If you have a camping tent, for example, that has a tear in it and allows to much moisture from the outside in - or, worse yet, bugs - then duct tape can make an excellent substitute material. Because of its strong adhesive, it will cling to the material you're repairing while providing a very small amount of change in flexibility. This can also apply as short-term solutions for shower curtains and other materials that you don't want to leak.
- Use #2: Repairing vacuum cleaners.
If you've ever used a vacuum cleaner hose or a vacuum that has a vacuum bag, then you know how difficult it can be to work with them if there's a tear. That's why duct tape can help a lot, extending the life of your vacuum cleaner. A bonus here is that many people simply don't care about how their vacuum cleaner looks - most of the time, it will be sitting in a closet anyway.
- Use #3: Temporarily repairing glass.
Cracks in glass - such as in a car window - can mean some danger if you don't do something to repair it temporarily. That's why using duct tape can be extremely beneficial in these situations, covering up the glass and making sure that it doesn't shatter all over the place. Just make sure that this is a temporary solution, as nothing looks worse than duct tape on a car. Sure, it can work, but that doesn't mean you'll want to keep it as a permanent fixture.
- Use #4: Covering tools.
Sometimes, a tool can do just as much damage as it does repair - at least to the aesthetics of something you're trying to fix. If you cover up a tool with duct tape, you can prevent scratches and other problems that you'll usually face with using metal tools.
- Use #5: Fixing outdoor chairs.
If your chair is broken or cracked, duct tape can help keep it together - this is especially effective if you have a beach chair or similar item that doesn't need to look good in order to work well.
Photo Credits: sneakums
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Posted by Fix Handyman on July 22, 2009 in
Car, Handyman, How to Fix
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