Hour 1
Pocket Door Problems
Debbie has several pocket doors in her 1987 construction home and some of them are dragging. She’s concerned that the floor guides may be worn and need replacement because the margins between the door and the trim on either side vary. Debbie wants to know what that margin should be.
The quick answer is at least an eighth of an inch on either side but the solution to this problem may be at the top of the door. One side of the trim at the top of the door should be removable so you can access the “trucks” which are the wheels the door rides on. These can be manipulated to adjust the travel of the door to eliminate the drag
Budget Stone Countertops
Steven’s wife wants granite counters for their kitchen makeover, but they aren’t in the budget. He’s interested in the faux painting kits that look like granite but fears they don’t have the artistic skill to pull it off. He wants to know if there are better options.
Rather than mimic natural stone with painting techniques, the solution is to use real stone in a coating to update the existing counters. Daich Coatings makes a system called the LuxRock Solid Surface Granite Countertop Kit* that uses a blend of real stone in its coatings to produce the metallic highlights you see in slabs of granite.
After a primer coat, the area is covered with two coats of a stone coating. Then sanding brings out those metallic highlights before a clear coat of epoxy protects the finish. After a little wet sanding with 400 grit sandpaper the counter gets one last clear coat before it’s complete.
Hour 2
How and When to Waterproof
Waterproofing is scary to some people because they think the process will be complicated and difficult. Fortunately, Custom Building Products has made it easy with their RedGard Waterproofing and Crack Prevention Membrane*.
RedGard is a Styrene Butadiene Rubber which simply means it’s liquid rubber in a bucket. It’s a professional grade water proofer but it can be applied with ordinary painting tools. It can also stretch and shrink once dry so it will move as materials expand and contract.
The applications for RedGard are almost endless. It’s ideal for water proofing showers, the outside of buildings or outdoor concrete slabs before tile is applied. It can even be used to waterproof swimming pools.
Gutter Solution
Dianna from Alabama is having some issues with the wood windows on her home deteriorating because of rain run-off from the roof. She wants to know how hard it would be to install gutters on her house herself and what would be involved.
You can find gutters up to 16 feet in length at most home centers and installing them is relatively easy as long as you make sure they slope to one end for drainage. While this work is simple, it can be dangerous depending on the height of your home. Another great economical option is professionally installed seamless gutters which reduce the chances of leaks.
Best New Products
 | Easy Way to Clean Those DIY Messes Learn more>> |
Simple Solutions
Handy Extension Ladder Accessory—Here’s a simple way to keep your hands free and materials close by when working on an extension ladder. Cut a 1-inch wooden dowel about 32 in. long and cut a shallow V-shaped notch about 2 inches from each end of the dowel. Slide the dowel through one of the ladder’s hollow rungs, close to where you’ll be standing. Now you can use each end of the dowel to hang a bucket for holding tools and supplies. Setting the bucket handle into the V-notch will prevent it from sliding off
Six-Pack Storage—Reuse empty six-pack containers from soda or beer to store spray cans of paint and lubricants. Reinforce the thin cardboard containers with clear packing tape or duct tape.
