89 replies to this topic

[Mike in STL]

Well, I went ahead and decided to refinish my hardwood floors myself. The estimate came in at $2600, way way way over our budget, and the other two companies were booked for the next three weeks, which is about when I need to be out of my current place so that doesn't jive. 

 

I rented the drum sander and did the majority of the sanding yesterday. Not too hard. Just tedious. Have to go very slow, but the 20 grit sand paper chewed right through the old finish, and paint, and old glue in some spots with no problem. A lot of things I've read mentioned using a combination of 40, 80, and 100 grit paper, or 60, 80, 120. But the guy at the shop recommended 20, 36, 80, and only going up to 120 if I wasn't going to polyurethane.  Worked like a charm.

 

I rented the edging sander today and that thing kicked my ass. Bent over or on my hands and knees all day. The thing is constantly trying to get away from you, like a floor buffer, it's tough to keep in under control. It took longer to do the edging than the rest of the floors. 

 

I had to buy a separate sander (a Mouse) specifically for getting in the corners and around door jambs, and parts of the steps the edger wouldn't reach. Also bought the stain and poly today. 

 

Drum sander and paper - $120

Edge sander and paper - $65

Mouse sander and paper - $45

Pre-stain conditioner - $60

Stain - $60

Polyurethane - $75

Misc. Items (brushes, rags etc...) - $50

 

Total - $475. Throw in enough Advil for a football team to cure my back ache, call it about $500. Saving $2100 doing it myself. It'll probably take all together a couple extra days than what the pros said it would take them (three days). Well see what the finished product looks like in few days. I'll post some before and after pics. 

[DuffMan]

Looking for some DIY advice.  Anybody have experience getting lose change out of your car's CD player?  A few weeks ago I had to take the car seats out so I could adjust the straps and the girls wanted to play in the car while I was doing that.  What the harm in that,  I figured they are in a contained area and couldn't get into trouble.  As usual I was wrong as I realized the little one put several coins in the CD player.  I was able to get one penny out with a flat head screw driver, but I know there's at least 2 or 3 more coins floating around in there.  Any ideas on how to get em out?

[Pedro Cerrano]

Looking for some DIY advice.  Anybody have experience getting lose change out of your car's CD player?  A few weeks ago I had to take the car seats out so I could adjust the straps and the girls wanted to play in the car while I was doing that.  What the harm in that,  I figured they are in a contained area and couldn't get into trouble.  As usual I was wrong as I realized the little one put several coins in the CD play.  I was able to get one penny out with a flat head screw driver, but I know there's at least 2 or 3 more coins floating around in there.  Any ideas on how to get em out?

 

You should be able to take the CD player out with a screwdriver -- at that point you'll probably have to take whatever the player is housed in off and remove whatever cover is on -- should be all screwed in.  Then take the coins out.  I'd be careful jamming a screwdriver in there -- if you scratch or crack the laser lens you're done.

[You Play to Win the Game]

What's a CD?

[SammyBirdland]

Getting there...

 

 

 

 

[SportsGuy]

What's a CD?

McNulty's favorite kind of "chick".

[Mike in STL]

Six weeks of home renovation. Here are the floors I mentioned earlier in the thread. 

 

Before

 

During

 

 

After

 

 

Living room/Kitchen

 

Before

 

After

 

 

Hallway/Bathroom. In the first picture, the bathroom door is on the left of the closet. so the other side of the closet is the bathroom. 

 

So here you can see the wall on the right is the closet, and the little space between the toilet and sink. 

 

To make more room in the bathroom we knocked out that closet and moved the sink over next to the toilet. 

 

No more closet

 

I'm spent...still have so much left to do. But the living spaces are up to par so I'm taking a break for a couple weeks. Wouldn't let me post more pictures than this, I'll put more up later.

[McNulty]

How do you guys do things like this?  I'm such an idiot when it comes to carpentry type things.  Where would you recommend I start to increase my skillz?

[Mike in STL]

How do you guys do things like this?  I'm such an idiot when it comes to carpentry type things.  Where would you recommend I start to increase my skillz?

YouTube. Seriously.

My fiances dad is also handy and gave us a hand with the bathroom. Once someone shows you it really isnt that hard to repeat.

[Mark Carver]

YouTube. Seriously.

My fiances dad is also handy and gave us a hand with the bathroom. Once someone shows you it really isnt that hard to repeat.

 

Seriously! YouTube, I seconded it. I had an issue with my LG front load washer. I checked the code on the internet and checked some YouTube videos on LG front load washers. No more code and all is good. Now. how much would that had cost me if I brought in an appliance repair man.

[KWebz]

How do you guys do things like this?  I'm such an idiot when it comes to carpentry type things.  Where would you recommend I start to increase my skillz?

YouTube. Seriously. My fiances dad is also handy and gave us a hand with the bathroom. Once someone shows you it really isnt that hard to repeat.

And Pinterest!

[DJ MC]

And Pinterest!

 

Nah, that's for girls.

[glenn__davis]

Yeah, I've made so many home repairs and improvements just from youtube.  

 

Some very impressive work done in this thread, BTW!

 

Anyone watch the show Rehab Addict on DIY?  Huge fan of that show.  The girl who hosts it is a little annoying, but the things she's able to do are amazing, and the show seems pretty legit (as in, not totally misrepresenting what's actually going on).

[Mackus]

How do you guys do things like this?  I'm such an idiot when it comes to carpentry type things.  Where would you recommend I start to increase my skillz?

 

Youtube and google can show you how to get started with just about anything. 

 

I've also found very helpful forums for some jobs where you can actually talk with pros and get advice.  If you're doing a bathroom project, John Bridge Tile Forum is a great resource.  Tons of pictures and examples, articles on how to do things the right way and wrong way, and once you've learned a little bit and have a plan, you can post and ask if your plan will work and people give you helpful tips or tell you where you may have trouble.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Two of my cousins have just started a company that makes 3-D metal sports logos.  If anybody is looking for some unique wall art for their basement or sports room, check them out - I'd appreciate it.

 

Here's a link to an article about them from the Maryland website (there's a link to their website in that article).

 

http://terp.umd.edu/...r/#.VHOm05I4v8c

[Mark Carver]

Not home but car, Imagine how much Toyota dealer would charge to replace a window regulator? But thanks to a You Tube video and ordering from the company that made the video. My repair was $55 for parts and $0 for my labor.

 

[NewMarketSean]

I'm about to install, sand, stain and poly red oak in our bedroom...not looking forward to moving all our shit out of the room to get started but once you get into a project it's not so bad. I just love that my wife waited until baseball season started to decide she wanted it done.

[Mike in STL]

Here is a look at our new patio.

 

Before

 

 

During. With a stencil for making concrete pavers. Ideal for a walkway of 6 -10 feet. Not a 250 square foot patio.

 

 

After. A fresh coat of paint on the little deck, some flowers, and benches I built.

 

[NewMarketSean]

Good job!

 

I will have to post photos of our wood floors.

[Mike in STL]

Good job!

 

I will have to post photos of our wood floors.

Thanks. 

 

How was it doing your floors? Did you have a lot? I could see myself tackling one room If i had too. But doing two bed rooms, a living room, and a hallway, I'll never do again.