Innholdsfortegnelse for July - August 2016 i Family Handyman

THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGIN’ A lot of technology goes into our homes these days besides smart thermostats and those refrigerators that tell you when you’re out of eggs. From siding to plumbing, the amount of research and engineering invested in the new products and materials that surround us is astounding. They’re more efficient, lighter, more environmentally friendly, easier to work with and built to last lifetimes. Here is a glimpse into the new and expanding world of modern building products. Trim and siding, up from the ashes Boral TruExterior trim boards and siding are made from 70 percent recycled materials, mostly fly ash, which is a byproduct of burning coal. The product looks like wood, cuts like wood, mills like wood and installs like wood. The main difference…

The structure that you tile over should be allowed to move independently of the tile. When you’re looking for tile substrates, you may see products labeled as “crack-isolating” or “uncoupling” and wonder what that means and whether you should worry about it. The idea behind uncoupling or crack isolation is that in some cases, the structure that you tile over should be allowed to move independently of the tile. The most common example is a concrete floor with cracks in it. Concrete itself is a great base for tile. But if you were to adhere tile directly to cracked concrete, and the concrete moved a little at the crack, the tile would crack. But installing an uncoupling membrane or crackisolating product over the concrete allows the concrete to move a…

Lead paint is dangerous, especially for small children, who might eat crumbling paint chips or pick up lead dust on their hands, which they might stick in their mouth. Each year, thousands of children test positive for dangerous levels of lead. Lead in children—even small amounts—can cause behavioral issues, a lower IQ, ADD and physical problems. Homes built before 1978 are likely to contain at least some lead paint. If your home is that vintage, it’s important to reduce the risk of exposure to you and your family when doing paint prep, repairs or home renovation. MEET THE EXPERT Dan Locher, supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Health’s Asbestos and Lead Compliance Unit, contributed to this article. 1 Test for lead Most lead-paint poisoning results from exposure to lead dust.…

Decades ago, the standard base for most tile installations was a laborintensive mortar bed that only a skilled tile setter could get right. Today, new backer boards, waterproofing methods and other tiling products allow a dedicated DIYer to create a long-lasting, trouble-free tile installation. But choosing the right products can be confusing. In this article, we’ll tell you the uses and pros and cons of various tile substrate products, so the next time you visit your local home center or tile shop, you’ll have a better understanding of which products to pick for your project. BEDS, BOARDS & OTHER BACKERS DRY-PACK MORTAR This is the traditional tile backer. Felt paper is stapled to the floor and covered with expanded metal lath. Then cement, sand and water are mixed together to…

Has it been a while since you built your last deck? Did you fasten the wooden deck boards with nails or Phillips-head screws? Did you nail on joist hangers? Those days are over, my friend. We met with some deck pros, who gave us the lowdown on the new screws they’re using to hang ledgers, secure posts and fasten metal connectors. They also gave us terrific insight into which deck screws and fastening systems they preferred for wood and synthetic deck boards. We guarantee you’ll find something here that will help you build your next deck faster and stronger—and make it look like a million bucks. MEET THE EXPERTS Bob Januik and Matt Norden have built thousands of decks. The fastener shelf in their warehouse is stacked with dozens of…

This planter has a secret inside. It’s lined with an ordinary plastic planter box, the kind you can get at any home or garden center for about $10. That means you can lift out one plastic box and drop in another, instantly swapping plants. You might, for example, start the growing season with spring bloomers in your planter while the other plants grow elsewhere. When the spring plants are past their prime, you can drop in the next set of plants. The inner plastic box has practical advantages too. It separates damp soil from the wooden planter, which protects the wood from moisture problems like rot and peeling paint. And since this planter is really just a decorative container for the plastic pot, it’s much easier to build than a…

Installing tongue-and-groove (aka T&G) boards is a fast, inexpensive way to panel any ceiling or wall. You can install T&G over bare framing, drywall or plaster, so it’s a great cover-up for an ugly ceiling. Most of the T&G you’ll find at home centers and lumberyards is 1x6 or 1x8 spruce. But other wood options and sizes can be special-ordered. Some boards are rough on one face and smooth on the other. Others, like the 1x8 boards used here, have a groove down the middle of one face to give the impression of more, narrower boards. Most stores carry 1x4 beaded ceiling board as well. These tips apply to any of the styles. MEET THE EXPERT Travis Larson, the senior editor at TFH, has installed acres of tongue-and-groove during his…

WATERPROOF BOARD Waterproof backer board saves you the hassle of applying a separate waterproofing liquid or membrane, but you’ll still have to waterproof the seams and fasteners according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Using waterproof backer boards usually costs more than coating your installation with a liquid waterproofing membrane. But there may be other factors like light weight that tilt the balance in favor of waterproof board. LIQUID WATERPROOFING MEMBRANE Liquid waterproofing membranes like RedGard or AquaDefense can be applied by trowel, brush or roller. These products dry to form a flexible waterproof membrane that also functions as a crack-isolating membrane. Common uses include waterproofing cement or gypsum backer boards, seams and fasteners on backer board installations, and shower walls. Applying liquid waterproofing is a very easy way to create a…

NO-TRIM WALL BORDER If you’re building a fence or a retaining wall, set a course of protruding stones in the soil beneath it. That way, your mower can cut all the grass—no hand trimming needed. The stones should protrude about 4 in. from the wall and stand at least an inch above the soil so grass doesn’t creep over them. You’ll still have to pull out grass from between the stones occasionally. Gabriel Castillo GET $100 FOR YOUR HANDY HINT! SEE P. 4 FOR DE TA IL S . Simple sanding block Not happy with the selection of sanding blocks at the hardware store, I made a few of my own from hardwood scraps left over from a woodworking project. I cut each one to 3/4 in. x 1-1/2 in.…

WHAT IT TAKES Time: 1 day Cost: $125 to $200 Skills: Beginner Tools: Drill, 5/8-in. spade bit, miter saw, pipe cutter (or hacksaw), hammer, random orbital sander or belt sander. 1 DRILL THE HOLES Drill holes in the legs using a wood scrap cut at 10 degrees to guide you. With all four legs clamped together, it’s easy to get the holes to line up. Choosing materials One of the best things about this trellis is that it’s easy to build with just basic tools and off-the-shelf materials from your local home center. We used cedar for our trellis, but any rot-resistant wood will do. The scrollwork is made from No. 6 solid copper wire (the kind used for grounding electrical panels). It’s expensive, though—about $100 for enough to make…

Getting building materials home from the lumberyard or home center is easy if you own a pickup truck or a minivan. But you can also haul items on the roof of your car or SUV if you’ve got a roof rack, obey the rack’s weight limits and properly tie down the load. That last point is the most important, because improperly secured loads can fly off your vehicle and injure people when you’re driving down the highway, or even just turning or stopping. In fact, improperly secured loads cause more than 25,000 crashes annually, resulting in more than 90 deaths and many more injuries. If your load injures someone, you can count on hearing from one of the many hundreds of attorneys who specialize in just this type of case.…

Features available Most smart locks are easy to install and set up, even if you’re not very handy. And it’s pretty easy to find one with the exact features you want for $150 to $500. Features such as: ■ Keyless entry. This is basically what makes a smart door lock “smart.” Thanks to electronic keypads, key cards and fobs, fingerprint scanners and smartphone technology, frantically fishing in your pocket for a house key while holding an armload of groceries can be a thing of the past. Some smart locks will even allow you to open a door via a smartphone app when you’re away from home, so you can let in anyone who needs access. ■ Motorized throw bolts. Some smart dead bolts have a motor inside to move the…