Home and garden projects
Jan 23rd 2016, 10:00 pm
#286
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Re: Home and garden projects
Ok Guys..... I am incredibly pleased with myself right now...
I have just added some kerfed weather sealing to the outside of my back door!!! No more cold draughts, yay!!
I had to figure out what I could do to seal the gaps up. I'd never heard of this procedure called weather stripping so I went and bought some new stick on insulation stuff. This wasn't wide enough for the gaps, so then I bought some of those sticky things you put on the corners but all that did was create gaps where they ended...
So then, I started googling and realised that my old door didn't have this stuff around the frame called kerfed weather stripping so I investigated that. Managed to buy some white aluminium strips to match the door. I've just spent 2 hours, measuring, cutting (needed to buy a hacksaw - do you have any idea how many different ones of those there are??) and then drilling (with an electric drill no less) the screw holes to get everything in place.
No more light shining through, no more draughts. This woman who has done very, very little diy is very proud of herself. .....
I have just added some kerfed weather sealing to the outside of my back door!!! No more cold draughts, yay!!
I had to figure out what I could do to seal the gaps up. I'd never heard of this procedure called weather stripping so I went and bought some new stick on insulation stuff. This wasn't wide enough for the gaps, so then I bought some of those sticky things you put on the corners but all that did was create gaps where they ended...
So then, I started googling and realised that my old door didn't have this stuff around the frame called kerfed weather stripping so I investigated that. Managed to buy some white aluminium strips to match the door. I've just spent 2 hours, measuring, cutting (needed to buy a hacksaw - do you have any idea how many different ones of those there are??) and then drilling (with an electric drill no less) the screw holes to get everything in place.
No more light shining through, no more draughts. This woman who has done very, very little diy is very proud of herself. .....
OK, so I know your "kerfed weather stripping" as a "z strip". All external doors should have it. .... But it is usually, round here at least, a foam strip, which slots into a narrow gap around the edge of the foor frame - so you just cut to length and then slide one edge into the slot - no tools or glue required. It comes in 7' lengths and you need three pieces for one door, but five pieces will do two doors. It is fairly easy to slide it out again when painting the door frame.
This is what it looks like:
This is what it looks like installed:
Last edited by Pulaski; Jan 23rd 2016 at 10:16 pm.
Jan 23rd 2016, 10:05 pm
#287
Austin. TX.
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 5,930
Jan 23rd 2016, 10:18 pm
#288
Austin. TX.
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 5,930
Re: Home and garden projects
My back door didn't have that stuff in the frame - it's old.
My front door does but it's not brilliant - still a few gaps so I'm thinking that I'll tackle that next. I can buy a wooden kit which I can then paint to match the door frame. I wanted to do the back door first for a bit of practice. Didn't want to do a crap job on the front door....
My front door does but it's not brilliant - still a few gaps so I'm thinking that I'll tackle that next. I can buy a wooden kit which I can then paint to match the door frame. I wanted to do the back door first for a bit of practice. Didn't want to do a crap job on the front door....
Jan 23rd 2016, 10:29 pm
#289
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Home and garden projects
Didn't you have something you should have been doing in the kitchen?
OK, so I know your "kerfed weather stripping" as a "z strip". All external doors should have it. .... But it is usually, round here at least, a foam strip, which slots into a narrow gap around the edge of the foor frame - so you just cut to length and then slide one edge into the slot - no tools or glue required. It comes in 7' lengths and you need three pieces for one door, but five pieces will do two doors. It is fairly easy to slide it out again when painting the door frame.
This is what it looks like: http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pro...c57da3_400.jpg
This is what it looks like installed: https://www.tmhardware.com/images/C/kerf.jpg
OK, so I know your "kerfed weather stripping" as a "z strip". All external doors should have it. .... But it is usually, round here at least, a foam strip, which slots into a narrow gap around the edge of the foor frame - so you just cut to length and then slide one edge into the slot - no tools or glue required. It comes in 7' lengths and you need three pieces for one door, but five pieces will do two doors. It is fairly easy to slide it out again when painting the door frame.
This is what it looks like: http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pro...c57da3_400.jpg
This is what it looks like installed: https://www.tmhardware.com/images/C/kerf.jpg
As we don't own I never get to do any fancy stuff around the house, stuck with whatever the landlord chooses, but with the new place as it will have a patio, I am going to make a small fountain for outside using pots, found a few plans online to make a simple one.
I like the sound of water, and with a patio in the summer, nice way to add some relaxing sounds to the place.
Won't be up til April though, have to wait until the risk of freeze is gone and weather nicer to be sitting outside...
Jan 24th 2016, 2:15 am
#290
BE Practitioner (Level 2)
Joined: Aug 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 1,403
Re: Home and garden projects
So tomorrow is the day of reckoning - I'm cutting a sink hole into the butchers block countertop.
Do I need to put silicone caulking between the sink and the counter?
It always seems to go mouldy and gross, from what I've seen. Is there a better product for this that anyone's come across?
Do I need to put silicone caulking between the sink and the counter?
It always seems to go mouldy and gross, from what I've seen. Is there a better product for this that anyone's come across?
Jan 24th 2016, 2:56 am
#291
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Re: Home and garden projects
So tomorrow is the day of reckoning - I'm cutting a sink hole into the butchers block countertop.
Do I need to put silicone caulking between the sink and the counter?
It always seems to go mouldy and gross, from what I've seen. Is there a better product for this that anyone's come across?
Do I need to put silicone caulking between the sink and the counter?
It always seems to go mouldy and gross, from what I've seen. Is there a better product for this that anyone's come across?
I suppose you could use a plumber's putty instead of caulk, but I have never seen that done, so I can't vouch for how well it would work.
Jan 24th 2016, 3:07 am
#292
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: CT
Posts: 33,509
Jan 24th 2016, 3:12 am
#293
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Re: Home and garden projects
That makes sense as I have used it around the base of taps mounted to the sink and taps mounted directly into holes in the counter. In both situations it works very well when the taps are screwed down - so just be sure to screw the sink securely into place from underneath.
Jan 24th 2016, 4:45 am
#294
BE Practitioner (Level 2)
Joined: Aug 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 1,403
Re: Home and garden projects
That makes sense as I have used it around the base of taps mounted to the sink and taps mounted directly into holes in the counter. In both situations it works very well when the taps are screwed down - so just be sure to screw the sink securely into place from underneath.
Jan 24th 2016, 5:30 am
#295
`
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 38,613
Re: Home and garden projects
The trick is to ensure that your fingers are totally clean when applying this. Because contamination is in the application.
Plumbers putty is only really used for waste connections and similar.
Jan 24th 2016, 1:39 pm
#296
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: CT
Posts: 33,509
Re: Home and garden projects
MrBEVS - plumber and gasfitter - says do not go the way of plumbers putty. You will get a better and smoother finish with the anti-fungal silicone.
The trick is to ensure that your fingers are totally clean when applying this. Because contamination is in the application.
Plumbers putty is only really used for waste connections and similar.
The trick is to ensure that your fingers are totally clean when applying this. Because contamination is in the application.
Plumbers putty is only really used for waste connections and similar.
Jan 24th 2016, 1:48 pm
#297
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Re: Home and garden projects
In both cases, after installation all the exposed material should be wiped away, and it is easier with putty, because it is visible and you just very gently run a utility knife around the edge, cutting away the surplus putty.
Jan 24th 2016, 5:25 pm
#298
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: CT
Posts: 33,509
Re: Home and garden projects
Right, like installing a tap - tightened down so tight that the layer of putty is of negligible thickness. .... Which is also how it is done with caulk too. Either way it it just a film of flexible material to stop water being drawn in by capillary action.
In both cases, after installation all the exposed material should be wiped away, and it is easier with putty, because it is visible and you just very gently run a utility knife around the edge, cutting away the surplus putty.
In both cases, after installation all the exposed material should be wiped away, and it is easier with putty, because it is visible and you just very gently run a utility knife around the edge, cutting away the surplus putty.
Jan 26th 2016, 1:31 am
#299
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Home and garden projects
My back door didn't have that stuff in the frame - it's old.
My front door does but it's not brilliant - still a few gaps so I'm thinking that I'll tackle that next. I can buy a wooden kit which I can then paint to match the door frame. I wanted to do the back door first for a bit of practice. Didn't want to do a crap job on the front door....
My front door does but it's not brilliant - still a few gaps so I'm thinking that I'll tackle that next. I can buy a wooden kit which I can then paint to match the door frame. I wanted to do the back door first for a bit of practice. Didn't want to do a crap job on the front door....
They've done it in Maine and they do it here in MA. Ring up, they come around and give you a bunch of energy efficient bulbs, stick a digital thermostat on the wall, offer a energy efficient shower head and weather strip the doors and then try and sell you on cheap rate of insulating the walls/roofs and putting in new windows.
It's not technically free, it comes from one of those taxes that's about 50c a month on your electric/gas bill.
Jan 28th 2016, 3:28 am
#300
BE Practitioner (Level 2)
Joined: Aug 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 1,403
Re: Home and garden projects
Anyone have a recommendation for an alternative to the handheld tile cutters?
I score the tile with them, but as soon as I crimp the tile splits unevenly (unpredictably too).
I'm running out of practice tiles!
I score the tile with them, but as soon as I crimp the tile splits unevenly (unpredictably too).
I'm running out of practice tiles!