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  1. M

    advice on textured walls

    Hello, I have a finished third floor which I use as a home office and it's time to repaint. The problem is that it was textured heavily in random wavy style (sometimes a 1/4 deep in places), partly to mask some defects in the underlying plaster. The home is vintage 1920's, so lath and...
  2. M

    fitting thread question

    Hello! Here's my question: I was helping a friend with a leaky shut-off valve in their basement (cold supply to upper floors). The house has a lot of age and my suspicion was that the packing was shot/gone. I took the valve out at the bonnet (couldn't get the handle off) and worked on it like...
  3. M

    Dry return question

    Hi everyone, ...not sure if this is HVAC or plumbing (I'll post there as well), but: I have a two-pipe steam boiler furnace and would like to alter about 3 feet of the upper (dry) return in the basement. It runs right across a window and we'd like to go to glass block with a clear view, etc. Do...
  4. M

    will this work?

    Hey all, I'm mapping out a basement renovation, and want to expand what used to be a toilet-only stall into a small 1/2 bath with new toilet and lavatory sink. I'll need to bust up some of the slab and tie into old clay pipe with 4" pvc, but I have a venting question. If my new toilet is...
  5. M

    basement bathroom ideas

    Hi everyone, I'm hoping to renovate an old basement bathroom (flange in the floor, filled with concrete some years ago), expanding and moving it a little. Before I rent a jackhammer, can anyone help with a few questions: 1) I'd like to locate the new toilet within 3 or so feet of the soil...
  6. M

    This spring's mega-project

    Hi everyone,...I'm not certain this is the exact forum for my question, but I'll start here. I'm planning a basement re-do this spring. 86-ing the knotty pine, carpet tiles and ratty drop-ceiling for insulated drywall, can lights, a bathroom and leveled floor. Unfortunately, this house is...
  7. M

    basement floor question

    (Hoping this is the best forum for this question): I am planning a basement re-model (old knotty pine and drop ceiling gone...new drywall, can lights, etc.) but it's an older home with a concrete floor sloping gradually to a quasi-central drain I only intend to finish 2/3 of the space, so...
  8. M

    shower drain question

    Hi everyone, I'm re-doing a small shower stall....down to the floor joists and it's time to rough in the drain for a Kerdi shower pan. My space is 36x32, roughly, and I'm trying to get the drain as close to center as possible, tapping in to existing 2" drain line. My question is: Can I reverse...
  9. M

    etiquette and strategy question

    Hi everyone, I'm rehabbing and old bathroom (subway tile...one pull-chain light) and I need some electrical advice. While I do all my own plumbing, carpentry, plaster, etc. I know I will need a pro for the electrical. The question is: how much can I do by myself before I hire? I had one guy...
  10. M

    plumbing metal

    Hi everyone. I'm re-habbing an old (1920's) shower stall and I'm down to the absolute nubbin: floor joists and plumbing. What I'm wondering is, does anyone recycle or reclaim old metal? I have a 4x4 lead sheet (about 1/8th inch thick) and a big solid brass drum-type shower drain that weighs...
  11. M

    Kitchen puck lights: two questions

    Hi everyone, I'm helping my sister with a kitchen "up-do" and her wish-list includes some sort of under cabinet puck lights for the countertop. I would like to get something decent...hardwired and switched. First: any recommendations for brand/product? Second: she has multiple, newly wired (the...
  12. M

    unnecessary shut-off valves

    Hey everyone, (Happy new year, BTW). I am looking to clean up my basement ceiling of dead pipes, disconnected wires, etc. I've noticed a lot of extra/unnecessary shut-off valves in my supply lines. Most are frozen open, some are corroding, one is weeping slowly. My first thought was to replace...
  13. M

    1/6th inch drill bit

    Hi all...I was drilling pilot holes in door casing mouldings for #3 finish nails, but the chuck on my new Ryobi battery power drill won't bite down on the 16/th drill bit. I had to jimmy-rig it with some electrical tape on the shank. What gives!?
  14. M

    Follow-up to bathroom fan question

    Hi everyone, I wanted to ask a follow up question to a thread I posted about a week ago, now that I know more. I'm helping install a Home NetWerks fan/light/bluetooth combo bath fan. The wiring where it will be installed is too busy to make it something I want to tackle (not my strong suit), but...
  15. M

    bathroom ceiling fan question

    Hi all, here's the situation: I am going to install a bathroom fan/light unit for a friend. Currently there is a ceiling light (which is where the new unit goes) and farther downstream a simple soffit-light over the sink. Both of these are on/off from one wall switch. The owner wants a "remote...
  16. M

    speed vs. quality

    Hi all, looking for advice/opinions: Since my regular profession is still in quarantine, I'm doing side gigs, mostly painting. I like to think I'm efficient and thorough. I don't take short-cuts or hide stuff, but I move along from task to task. So.... My plan for a 15x30 living room paint job...
  17. M

    refinishing stair treads

    Hi everyone, I'm hoping for some input on how long to expect a staircase to out of commission for refinishing. 1920's home, probably chestnut treads, badly in need of sanding and refinishing (probably just urethane...no stain). How do you do this right when the home is occupied and people need...
  18. M

    Knob & Tube question

    Hi all, I'm working on a couple older homes ('20s...1920's:)) and both have K & T wiring. I'm replacing light fixtures, and up in the old junction boxes are the two identical wires (no white or black), but one has an overhand knot it it. I expect this was the old-timer's way of indicating which...
  19. M

    crisp ceiling lines, 2.0

    Hey everyone, I watched a Youtuber say one way pros get crisp lines between wall color and ceiling paint is to 'run a bead of clear caulk" in the joint as you prep. What gives? How does this result in a neat line? Do you paint only to the caulk on both sides? Help me understand! Thanks, Mike M
  20. M

    ceiling advice needed

    Greetings, I'm painting a bathroom and the owner has picked a DARK grey for the walls. Normally I would free-hand the cutting-in at the ceiling, but this color is unforgiving, and any "contour" is gonna look like a$$. So, I primed everything, painted the ceiling, put tape on the ceiling, cut in...
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