How to Fix Almost Anything with Duct Tape

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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

Originally posted 2009-07-22 08:00:19.

This post involves:

camping tent, car window, duct tape, hardware store, how to fix anything, shower curtains, vacuum bag, vacuum cleaner

... and focuses on:

Car, Handyman, How to Fix

Posted by Fix Handyman on May 8, 2010 in Car, Handyman, How to Fix

How to Fix a Broken Tile in Your Kitchen

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Whether your kitchen floor is new or old, there's nothing that disturbs the balance of a room quite like a broken tile. After all, tiles were installed with a pattern in mind: break one link in the chain and the whole thing falls apart. That's why it's important to know how to fix a broken tile - like learning how to change a tire, sometime it pays to know how before you have to do it.

First, we can assume that the conjoining material between each tile is already hard, which means that you'll have to do a little work that might include dust and debris. Make sure to wear protective eye goggles - you might even want to cover your mouth to prevent inhaling too much dust into your lungs.

Next, you'll have to destroy and remove any leftover spots from the previous tile. Most likely your tile is still in place, unless the whole tile itself came out already. In order to remove tile chips, you're going to want to follow a precise pattern: break the tile in the center using a hammer and nailset, and then cut the tile into an X pattern using a glass cutter. Then you can use the hammer to chip away the rest of the tile - beginning in the center - and pry up the pieces using a metal tool.

Once the area is cleared of the main tile bits, it's time for you to dry it out - suck out the remaining debris with a vacuum cleaner. It might not hurt to sand down any protruding areas that might get in the way for the new tile, so be sure to vacuum after you've done the sanding, as well.

Now that you have a clear area where your tile used to be, it's time to replace the tile. First you're going to want to fill the area with latex primer and allow it to dry - you should probably make sure to protect this area so that no one steps in it, particularly small children if you have them. After the primer has dried, you can apply tile adhesive, making sure to move it left and right to make sure it settles in properly. It's important to keep the tile level, so use a mallet to make sure that it gets in far enough. Any extra tile adhesive that comes out of the sides can be scooped up with a stick or screwdriver.

Give the tile some time to dry and you should be all finished. You've covered up the spot in your kitchen that detracted from all the rest. Now if you could just get a new set of cupboards.

Photo Credits: wakingphotolife

Originally posted 2009-08-04 13:55:27.

This post involves:

chips, debris, eye goggles, glass cutter, hammer, how to change a tire, kitchen floor, latex, lungs, mallet, metal tool, nailset, precise pattern, protective eye, tile adhesive, tiles, vacuum cleaner

... and focuses on:

Floors, Handyman, How to Fix, kitchen

Posted by Fix Handyman on March 31, 2010 in Floors, Handyman, How to Fix, kitchen