DIY Home Improvement Thread..

[DButz65]

As long as all your doing is resurfacing you're fine. You can even change out all of the desk surface boards, as long as you don't change any of the stringers, and or joists that are structural.

Cool i dont plan on doing the joists or anything, just the top surface boards/wood. thanks

[Blighty Skins]

This is a great thread! DIY is such a manly-bonding process...the thread should have "(no women allowed)" added to it.

[Major Harris]

here is my weekend.....actually, the excavation took place the weekend before this past one. then last friday, we laid 3 tons of crusher gravel and one ton of sand, then 700 some odd pavers. here ya' go:

here's the excavation, w/ lil' dude helpin' out:





after the crusher run:





and the finished product: (still got some things to touch up/ clean up)

[Fergasun]

I just moved into an apartment. Any ideas on how to put shelving onto the walls? I understand the first thing I'd need to do is get approval from management. I just want to put a few nails into the wall, and set up a bracket with some shelves... probably need a stud finder...

We're limited on space and I want to put my computer up on a shelf instead of on the desk.

Yes I am a home improvement rookie. There's probably some $20 kit from home depot I can buy.

[Blighty Skins]

I just moved into an apartment. Any ideas on how to put shelving onto the walls? I understand the first thing I'd need to do is get approval from management. I just want to put a few nails into the wall, and set up a bracket with some shelves... probably need a stud finder...

We're limited on space and I want to put my computer up on a shelf instead of on the desk.

Yes I am a home improvement rookie. There's probably some $20 kit from home depot I can buy.

hint: use screws, not nails to put up shelves.

[zoony]

here is my weekend.....actually, the excavation took place the weekend before this past one. then last friday, we laid 3 tons of crusher gravel and one ton of sand, then 700 some odd pavers. here ya' go:

here's the excavation, w/ lil' dude helpin' out:

Outstanding job Major. Really turned out great.


I worked as a landscaper in college... I've done dozens of those patios... I know how much work they are, and how much of a ***** they are to get level Good showing

....

[rincewind]

here is my weekend.....actually, the excavation took place the weekend before this past one. then last friday, we laid 3 tons of crusher gravel and one ton of sand, then 700 some odd pavers. here ya' go:

Nice.



Wife wants to put a patio in our backyard sometime this summer. We'll see how that goes.

[zoony]

Major, you reminded me... I forgot to post a picture of the guy that helped me with my project.

[DButz65]

probably need a stud finder...

Save your money on the stud finder, most of them work for crap! (i have to find studs alot for my job) The best device to use is your knuckles, and your ears, its easy to find them, if it sound hollow, no stud

Also some places use 12 inch studs, some use 16, rarely you'll run into 24 inch studs

[Diggs]

I just moved into an apartment. Any ideas on how to put shelving onto the walls? I understand the first thing I'd need to do is get approval from management. I just want to put a few nails into the wall, and set up a bracket with some shelves... probably need a stud finder...

We're limited on space and I want to put my computer up on a shelf instead of on the desk.

Yes I am a home improvement rookie. There's probably some $20 kit from home depot I can buy.

I would look into hercules hooks if you want something easy. No lie, I got them and they are a breeze--takes about 3 seconds. They hold up pictures, mirrors, shelves, whatever. If you watch the goofy video with the informercial freak on their site you can see how it's done. I bought them cheap online, you just have to search around.

[Fergasun]

Those thing look good... I'll probably end up putting my speakers on them.

I still prefer to use a long screw and nice shelf to put the computer up....

[RLeVan]

For shelf brackets that carry a heavy load, these work like a champ. You can use 2-1/2 inch screws into pre-drilled holes in the studs and you can practically sit on them. For the shelving you can either go for MDF or dimensional glued pine (looks like a butchers block) shelving found near the specialty lumber. Personally I like the natural look of the pine although it's a bit more expensive, but not by much.

[PleaseBlitz]

Major, you reminded me... I forgot to post a picture of the guy that helped me with my project.

Awesome, Charlie already has more drills than I do.


Here is a pic of the guy that helps me with my projects:

[HOF44]

Major, you reminded me... I forgot to post a picture of the guy that helped me with my project.

What is that red drill??? You don't have a Black and Decker do you????

[Switchgear]

Great Thread!


Since I've done a little rehab work the past year: 3 houses, 1 - total rehab, 1 light remodel and 1 sugar coat. Oh yeah and now that I am finally back in NOVA the wife and I bought...you guessed it a fixer upper

Anyway here is a little of my handy work...

That is some great work, DoubleB. The tile I put down in the kitchen is just the "stick-on" variety. I didn't want to deal with the hassle of real tile, but I'll probably wind up putting it in at some point.

Zoony, thanks for the kind comments. We tried to sell our house last year (bad timing, I know), the number one complaint we got was that the kitchen was out of date. Hopefully whenver we put it back on the market the work that was done will take care of that noise.