- [skipto time=0:00][0:00][/skipto]: Welcome to this week’s Today’s Homeowner Podcast
- [skipto time=1:26][1:26][/skipto]: How to make sure the contractor building your deck is doing a good job
- [skipto time=7:32][7:32][/skipto]: Pro-tips for installing a brick or stone walkway.
- [skipto time=10:47][10:47][/skipto]: What you should know about paver patios, polymeric sand and weeds
- [skipto time=12:07:00][12:07][/skipto]: The Home Depot Best New Product: GE Front-Load Washing Machine with OdorBlock UltraFresh Vent System
- [skipto time=14:17][14:17][/skipto]: What to do about a poorly installed dryer vent pipe
- [skipto time=17:26][17:26][/skipto]: The ideal time to prime and paint cedar
- [skipto time=25:00][25:00][/skipto]: Simple Solution: how to re-screen a screen door and make it tight
- [skipto time=26:48][26:48][skipto]: Question of the Week: Are my existing porch posts tall enough for a metal roof?
Creating a pathway from your home’s front porch to the driveway can boost curb appeal. And, it can save your grass from a makeshift footpath.
But what material fits your home?
Here are some tips for choosing material and putting the walkway down!
First, dig out all of the grass and level the area. Next, put crushed stone down to get rid of weeds. Then, put the pavers on top of that and coat it with polymeric sand and water to lock it together.
Now, if you are looking for an option where weeds will not be a problem, concrete will be your best solution.
With concrete, you can dye or stain it before or after it’s poured. Another option could be to stamp it. This way, it resembles brick or individual stones so it won’t look like a sidewalk!
Listen to the Today’s Homeowner Podcast for more home improvement tips!
Simple Solutions
Screen Test — When re-screening a wooden screen door, the most challenging part is getting the replacement screen to fit really tight and flat.
Here’s a simple trick to ensure the screen fits tight: After removing the old screen and spline, lay down the door and slip a 1×2 under each end.
Then, clamp down the middle of the door, creating a bow in the doorframe.
Now, install the new screen and spline. When you unclamp the door it’ll straighten out and stretch the screen tight.
Rain Gutter Planters — I wanted to make flower boxes for the railings on my front porch and back deck, but rather than build the boxes out of wood, I took a shortcut and used plastic rain gutters.
I cut the gutter into 3-foot sections, and then drilled several 1/4-in.-dia. drainage holes through the bottom of the gutter.
Next, I slipped on two mounting brackets and two end caps.
Then I fastened the gutters directly to the railing with a couple of decking screws. I lined the bottom with landscaping fabric before adding soil and flowering plants.
Question of the Week
Q: I want to put a metal roof over my back porch, but the porch posts are too short. Do I have to replace them with longer ones? Or is there some way to add to the top of the posts?
A: The best thing to do would be to remove the posts and replace them. Use a reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade and nip all of the fasteners and nails holding it.
Note that you may have to put temporary support for the roof that it is currently supporting until the new post is installed.
Another way to do this is half lap cutting where you cut the half laps and put them together to provide extra support.
