c/diy-home-projects

Unpopular opinion: I was wrong about using a paint sprayer for kitchen cabinets

I used to tell everyone a sprayer was the only way to get a smooth finish on cabinets. Last year, a painter I respect in Austin told me my work looked 'dusty' and pointed out tiny dry spots I missed. He said my prep was rushed and a good brush with the right paint would beat a rushed spray job any day. I tried it on my next project, taking a full day just to sand and clean, and the brush gave me a much more even coat. Has anyone else switched back to brushes after thinking sprayers were the best?

Finally fixed a squeaky floorboard that's been bugging me for 2 years

I was at a hardware store demo in Springfield and saw them use a special screw called a 'Squeeeeek No More' kit. Drove home and fixed it in 15 minutes, felt like a wizard. Anyone know other tricks for old house noises?

My rain gutter pulled away from the house in a storm last week

It happened after three days of heavy rain here in Portland. I found a big gap between the gutter and the roof edge, and water was just pouring down the siding. I tried to fix it with some new hangers, but the fascia board behind it was pretty rotten. Has anyone else had to replace a whole section of fascia, or is there a better patch job I could try?

I finally stopped using a regular paintbrush to cut in my ceilings

After watching a YouTube video from a painter in Austin, I switched to a 2-inch angled sash brush last weekend and the lines are so much cleaner now, has anyone else found a simple tool swap that made a huge difference?

I used to think you needed a pro to install a tile backsplash

For years in my old house, I paid a guy from Springfield over $500 to do my kitchen tile. Last month, I finally tried it myself with a simple tile saw from Harbor Freight and a bag of premixed thinset. The key was watching a few videos on getting the first row perfectly level, which took me about an hour to set up. Has anyone else made the switch from hiring out to doing their own tile work?

My neighbor in Springfield said to always use a primer before painting laminate cabinets, and he was spot on.

Finally got my bathroom tile grout clean after 3 failed attempts with a weird trick

My old way of painting trim was a total mess

I used to just tape everything off and hope for the best, which always left me with messy lines and paint on the carpet. After watching a video from a painter in Boise, I switched to using a 2-inch angled brush and cutting in by hand. The difference after three rooms is huge, and I don't waste time on tape anymore. Has anyone else found that a simple tool change made a job way easier?

My bathroom shelf project turned into a full wall demo last month

I went to replace a wobbly bracket and found the entire stud behind the drywall was soft and rotten. Has anyone else had a simple fix uncover a much bigger problem?

Serious question, my deck stain bubbled up after two days of rain

I stained my pressure treated pine deck in Cincinnati last Tuesday, and the weather report said clear for a week. A surprise storm rolled through Friday and now the finish is all cloudy and peeling in spots. Has anyone fixed this without having to strip the whole thing back to bare wood?

Trying to fix a squeaky floorboard turned into a three hour hunt

I had one noisy board in my hallway that drove me nuts every morning. I thought it was a simple nail pop, but after pulling up the trim I found a cracked joist hanger from when the house was built. Has anyone else had a tiny noise lead to a much bigger structural find?

Remembering the week I tried to rewire my old house without a permit

It was about 8 years ago, my first house in Akron. I thought I could save a grand by doing the kitchen wiring myself. Got the old cloth wire out, new Romex in, and felt pretty good. Then the inspector showed up for something else and saw my work. He shut the whole project down, said I needed a licensed electrician to sign off. Ended up costing me double what a pro would have charged from the start. You ever bite off more than you could chew on a project like that?

I see so many folks skip the primer step when painting kitchen cabinets

I just redid my own cabinets in my Portland kitchen and learned the hard way. I tried to paint over the old finish with just a good paint, and it started peeling after about 6 months. My painter friend told me I needed a proper bonding primer, like Stix, to make the paint stick. Now I'm two years in with no chips. What's your go-to primer for a project like this, or have you found a paint that really doesn't need it?

PSA: My deck's ledger board was fine last fall, but after the winter it's pulling away from the house. Check yours before grilling season.

Showerthought: I used to paint my whole house with a cheap brush from the hardware store

For years, I'd grab a $5 brush and just go for it, but the finish always looked a bit rough. After a project in my Denver kitchen last spring, I finally switched to a Purdy 2.5 inch angled brush. The difference in how smooth the paint goes on is crazy, and I don't have to touch up nearly as much. Anyone have a favorite brush brand they swear by for trim work?

I thought peel and stick backsplash tiles were a total gimmick

Used them in my kitchen reno last month and they've held up perfectly, even right behind the stove. Anyone have a brand they swear by for a bathroom project?

Rant: My bathroom vanity faucet started leaking at the base last Tuesday and I discovered the shutoff valves underneath were completely seized.

After spraying them with PB Blaster for two days, I finally got them to turn, but now I'm wondering if I should just replace the whole valve assembly while I have the cabinet open.

Rant: My 'simple' bathroom tile job in my 1920s house turned into a full wall rebuild when I found a 3 foot section of rotted stud.

I learned the hard way that a $50 tile project can turn into a $400 nightmare if you don't check for moisture damage behind old walls first, so has anyone else in an old home dealt with this and have tips for spotting hidden rot before you start demo?

My uncle, a retired contractor, saw my deck ledger board and told me 'you're trusting those nails too much' and made me switch to 1/2 inch lag screws.

Has anyone else had a simple piece of advice completely change how you approach a structural part of a build?

Pro tip: I used a $12 can of spray foam insulation versus the $5 fiberglass stuff in my attic last month. The difference in drafts is insane.

My kitchen went from dark to bright after I painted the cabinets white last weekend.

Vent: Had to pick between a new door or fixing the old one for my back porch

The frame was rotten and the door wouldn't close right. I could buy a new pre-hung unit for about $350 or try to rebuild the frame and rehang the old door. I went with the rebuild, thinking I'd save cash. It took me two full weekends and I had to buy a router bit I didn't own. In the end, it still sticks a little when it rains. Should I have just bought the new door? Anyone fix an old door and have it work perfectly?

My uncle told me to use a whole tube of caulk on a bathroom window and now I'm dealing with a silicone monster.

My bathroom tile job went from perfect to cracked in one weekend

I was laying subway tile in my guest bathroom last month, and everything looked great until Monday morning. I came back after letting the thin-set dry for two days and found three tiles with hairline cracks right down the middle. My guess is the wall wasn't perfectly flat, and the pressure from leveling clips caused it. Has anyone else had tiles crack from leveling systems, and what did you do to fix it?

My neighbor in Denver said my deck stain job looked 'amateur' and I'm still thinking about it.

We were having a beer on my back porch last week and he pointed at a spot where the stain was uneven near the railing. He told me, 'You brushed it on too thick in the sun, that's why it's patchy.' I'd followed the can directions but never thought about the heat. Now I'm redoing the whole thing with a roller and checking the weather. Anyone have a better method for a large deck without these streaks?