Author Topic: Home Improvement Projects  (Read 30160 times)

Offline Chris M

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #60 on: September 18, 2009, 08:57 AM »
Good looking stuff Jesse.  Cut and fit carpentry work is always fun to do.

For your uppershelves is it possible for you to use some sort of diagnal bracing utilzing the walls studs?  I only ask as they may be  space saver for you in the event the posts you were talking about were going to hang down to the desk surface.
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #61 on: September 19, 2009, 12:47 AM »
Thanks Chris, it's my first effort making a functional piece of furniture, actually.  I thought about it, but unfortunately the studs on the interior wall don't line up with the studs on the exterior wall.  The interior wall was an addition to separate a single bedroom into two smaller rooms, done some years ago.  I'd considered that idea though actually, to avoid the need for support planks or large rods.   :-\

I COULD use the back wall's studs, but I've not decided on that yet totally.  I'm thinking I'll likely avoid it all together and just do the removable shelving.
« Last Edit: September 19, 2009, 12:49 AM by Jesse James »
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Offline Matt_Fury

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #62 on: September 19, 2009, 01:19 AM »
I ike the use of action figures to show the scale!

Great work Jesse....it's looking really good.
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #63 on: September 19, 2009, 02:27 AM »
I ike the use of action figures to show the scale!

Great work Jesse....it's looking really good.

Heh, yeah...  I tend to have stuff sitting around a lot, while everything is in turmoil here...  I expect that won't change for a year or two, sadly.  I'm a slow worker when it comes to stuff like this.  :-[
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Offline Chris M

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #64 on: October 3, 2009, 02:57 PM »
I got some great work in today in the yard.  My dog has had some issues jumping our 4' chain link fence.  I'm not yet ready to up the fence to a 6' chain link, so I decided to put some plants up near the perimeter to keep her from clearing it.  I've been looking around for some southern way myrtles and found some at Home Depot this morning so I bought two of those, one willow tree, one Texas lilac, and one yucca.  I put the wax myrtles up against the fence, transplanted a Bufford holly in between them, and then put the willow where the holly had been.

The owners of the house before me put a wood fence up just inside of the chain link and it only ran about 30 feet down one fence.  So several months ago I pulled that fence out, but left the posts in place.  I finally hammered away at the posts with a sledge and busted up the concrete holding them down.  We've gotten a ton of rain lately, so it made it really easy to push/pull and finally pry the damn thing out of the ground.

I then spread some red cypress mulch around the entire flower bed and it added some great color.  The backyard is finally looking really nice.  Too bad the mesquitos are the size of horses right now so I won't be able to enjoy it too much before it gets too cool.
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Offline I Am Sith

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #65 on: October 19, 2009, 11:35 PM »
Yesterday I started framing the fireplace that we are putting in our family room.  My wife has been on my case since we moved into our house to put in a fireplace.  We finally saved up enough to put one in, so I started doing the work yesterday.  However, we are not putting in a traditional wood burning fireplace.  My wife has been researching 'contemporary' fireplaces for the last few months and we decided to get one from Regency Fireplace Products:

Regency Horizon HZ54

I have to admit that I wasn't sold on this when she first showed it to me.  Being the son of a bricklayer, I spent my entire life around, and sometimes in, wood burning fireplaces.  However, once we went to go see this in person, I was all in.  These fireplaces are really cool to watch and they throw off a TON of heat.

So I will end up doing all of the framing for the unit myself.  Then the company will come in and install the unit, vent it and run the gas line to it.  I'll then end up putting up the cement board and possibly doing the slate tile work myself.  I'm just not sure about doing the tile myself at this point.  We'll see how things go and how I'm feeling once I get to that point.

I'll post pictures once I'm done with the framing, when the unit is installed and then once the cement board and tile are done...
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Offline Matt_Fury

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #66 on: October 20, 2009, 01:32 AM »
Look forward to seeing the finished shots....hope some WIP poics show up here too.

I spent a good portion of this weekend replacing sprinkler system/drip system lines and reburying them in one of our gardens.  Our puppy thought it would be cool to dig them up and chew through them!

She's lucky she's cute!   :D
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Offline name

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #67 on: October 20, 2009, 10:27 PM »
sith - i just finished installing slate tile around my fireplace.  It's messy and tedious work, but no big deal.  If you can do the framing, you can do the tile no problemo.  Slate cuts like butter too, but I found on some of the delicate cuts it had a tendancy to sheer apart...nothing I know of to prevent that, just bad luck.  Put the last coat of sealer on mine today and it looks great. 
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Offline I Am Sith

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #68 on: October 20, 2009, 11:13 PM »
Thanks for the tips, name.  I'd really like to see how your tile looks before undertaking the project myself.  Just out of curiosity, how many coats of sealer/enhancer did you need to use.  We ended up going to a place that showed the difference between treated and untreated slate and it was a huge difference.  I definitely wouldn't install it without sealing it.

As far as the cuts are concerned, I worked out the dimensions on the face so that it would be full tiles both horizontally and vertically, so the only cuts I would need to do would be the sides, which wouldn't be seen anyway.  If I mess up a cut it wouldn't be obvious unless you look on the side.

Look forward to seeing the finished shots....hope some WIP pics show up here too.

I'll definitely post the WIPs as I go.  I should have all of the framing done by Halloween, so I'll make sure to post them soon afterward.  I just ordered the unit today and they will be installing it Nov 16.  I'm really hoping to have the entire thing done soon after that.
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Offline name

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #69 on: October 21, 2009, 10:17 PM »
three coats of sealer before the grout, one coat after.  And I couldn't believe the difference it made in to look of the tile.  Really  made the color variations pop.

You really don't have much choice on sealing with natural stone...if you don't the grout will really stain it.
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Offline I Am Sith

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #70 on: October 22, 2009, 12:23 AM »
Thanks again, name.  A buddy of mine who has worked with slate before convinced me that the two of us can do the slate work, so looks like I'll be doing it afterall...  Now I just have to go with my wife and pick it out and start sealing.
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Offline I Am Sith

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #71 on: October 29, 2009, 10:02 PM »
I'll definitely post the WIPs as I go.

First WIPs are ready.  The framing started.  I have the front and back of the frame completed and a few of the supports on.  Should have the rest done tomorrow.




In case you can't tell from the above, the front and back are about two feet apart.  There will be about three feet between the top of the unit and the ceiling so that my wife can put some kind of decorations/plants/lamps up there.



More to come soon.
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Offline I Am Sith

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #72 on: October 31, 2009, 01:55 PM »
Framing is finished.  Also started to put up the cement board on the top.





Now it's the two week wait until they install the unit...
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Offline BrentS

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #73 on: October 31, 2009, 04:23 PM »
Looks great.  It seems like you've been busy.

Offline name

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Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« Reply #74 on: November 2, 2009, 10:37 AM »
We bought our house in June.  Second project down...(first was the nursery remodel).

Living room:

Removed painted over wallpaper
Repaired plaster damage
Repainted room, trim, and ceiling medallion
Replaced ugly light fixture
Refinished baseboards
Retiled fireplace
Mounted TV, concealed wires, installed all components in closet in other room.

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This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.