The Home Improvement Thread

[fredr123]

I'm installing three closets in the basement we are renovating. They each have two large bifold doors. I would like to install a system that turns the light on automatically when the door(s) are opened partly because it would be a cool feature but also because for two of the closets there is no place to put a switch that wouldn't look super dumb.

I've been considering something like this: http://www.smarthome.com/functional-...ontroller.html or this: http://www.closetlightrelay.com/index.html

The latter claims to work on all door types, including folding doors. The SmartHome solution looks a little more professional and credible.

My concern is that with all the play in a bifold closet door, the distance between the switch and the magnet might not be consistent. I have no idea what kind of tolerances there are with these magnetic switches so I'm not sure it will work well for my particular application. The last thing I'd want is for the closet light to come on in the middle of the night in my daughter's room and scare the crap out of her (although if that happened in the guest room where my mother in law was staying... bonus).

Has anyone had experience with a project like this?

[Northendzone]

^ cool feature. do any of the local stores in town carry these things. if so you could go to the retailer and ask some questions.

may also want to approach a company in town that does closets - perhaps they can give you some insight.

[photon]

Friends don't let friends install bifold doors.

[kevman]

Originally Posted by photon

Friends don't let friends install bifold doors.

Seconded.

Call me old fashion but this is what I installed in my closets:
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/lamp...-switch/905874

[Canehdianman]

Wouldn't a motion detector light work easier?

[V]

I need to build some handrails for my stairs that go from the front landing to both upstairs and downstairs. The rail would have to be mounted directly to the wall, as there's no railing.

Just curious if I could get away with routing a 2"x2" piece of wood, or if I should upgrade to 3x3? I can save quite a bit of money at 2x2, but I'm worried the profile might be a bit small.

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by V

I need to build some handrails for my stairs that go from the front landing to both upstairs and downstairs. The rail would have to be mounted directly to the wall, as there's no railing.

Just curious if I could get away with routing a 2"x2" piece of wood, or if I should upgrade to 3x3? I can save quite a bit of money at 2x2, but I'm worried the profile might be a bit small.

It depends on the profile you're routing. A 2x2 is normally fine unless you're removing a lot of wood, in which case it might be a little narrow. For simpler profiles, it'd actually be preferable to a 3x3 unless you're routing in a finger recess, since a 3x3 is too big to be graspable for many people.

Generally the accepted standard for handrail size is either:

-a perimeter of between 4 to 6 1/4 inches (so a nominal 2x2 would be right near the high end of that at 6 inches), or

-if larger than that then the profile needs to be a shape that allows the the top part of the rail to be graspable.


So I wouldn't worry about a 2x2 being too narrow, as long as you're not taking off too much wood and it's mounted well.

[calgarygeologist]

Does anyone know if there is a way to have exterior pot lights hooked up to some sort of ambient light sensor so that I could leave the switch on all the time and only have the lights activate when it gets dark?

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Does anyone know if there is a way to have exterior pot lights hooked up to some sort of ambient light sensor so that I could leave the switch on all the time and only have the lights activate when it gets dark?

Those exist, but something like this might be a better option:

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/vizi...erwhite/942437

It's a timer, but you input your coordinates into it and it'll have the the sunrise and sunset times for every day of the year where you are already programmed into it. I use it for my landscape lights and have them come on at sunset and off around midnight, but if you want them on all night you could just set the off time to sunrise.

Installation is easy too because all you do is replace the existing light switch with it. And it functions as a normal switch so you can override the timer settings whenever you want.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by opendoor

Those exist, but something like this might be a better option:

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/vizi...erwhite/942437

It's a timer, but you input your coordinates into it and it'll have the the sunrise and sunset times for every day of the year where you are already programmed into it. I use it for my landscape lights and have them come on at sunset and off around midnight, but if you want them on all night you could just set the off time to sunrise.

Installation is easy too because all you do is replace the existing light switch with it. And it functions as a normal switch so you can override the timer settings whenever you want.

That might be a good solution and probably easier than hooking up some sort of sensor. I didn't want to go with a timer because of wide variance in dawn/dusk but if this automatically adjusts that is pretty cool.

[Viking Whale]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Does anyone know if there is a way to have exterior pot lights hooked up to some sort of ambient light sensor so that I could leave the switch on all the time and only have the lights activate when it gets dark?

Just get yourself a photocell, I have one wired in to the circuit for my exterior lights and leave them switched on 24/7.

[V]

We buy pretty high quality photocells commercially for 20 bucks a pop, although I don't know what they'd cost retail. Then you need the contactors as well, but it's not a huge deal. A timer that changes with the seasons is probably an easier solution.

[Bill Bumface]

I prefer these. A rebranded version is available at Lowe's I believe:

http://www.amazon.ca/Honeywell-Econo...ref=pd_cp_hi_0

[White Out 403]

Considering putting a TV room next to my utility room in my basement this winter. Does noise reducing paint work? Any recommendations? I want to really minimize the sound I may hear from my HVAC

[wooohooo]

How about buying some roxul insulation or are the walls in the utility room finished?

[White Out 403]

Basement is Virgin. Nothing done. Would you do just that roxul and no paint?

[photon]

There's actual drywall that's supposed to be sound insulating.

http://www.quietrock.com/
http://www.supressproducts.com/products/

And there's glues I've seen that go between sheets of regular plywood.

http://www.greengluecompany.com/

No personal experience.

[Azure]

I'm not so convinced that the safe and sound insulation is good enough. We have it in our house, and you can still easily hear through the walls. There needs to be something more.

[billybob123]

I put Safe N Sound between studs and in ceiling everywhere. It does some good work but will never kill all sound. You need to use sound deadening drywall screws, and the sound absorbing gyprock. I've seen where people glue double gyprock with the sound deadening glue and rubberized screws.

Sound vibrations go through studs and joists otherwise. Of course, that's all insanely expensive, so the SafeNSound at least does something., and I'm mostly happy with it. I think it cost me less than $1000 for basement and upstairs. Pick the right size of batts or you'll be cursing everything forever.

If it's a remodel, you'll be replacing most of the drywall and screws so you can maybe use the special drywall. Weigh out the cost...

There's also ventilation ductwork, especially cold air returns if you're doing this in a basement. All these things mostly prevent complete sound deadening.

Our "TV room" in basement can't hear much from outside room and can't hear stuff from room outside.

[Hugh Jahrmes]

Sound deadening paint is a thing? How effective is it? My family/home theatre room downstairs is an odd shape, about 14x40', with an under stairs storage room, a bedroom, and laundry/utility down the side of it with another bedroom at the North end by the walk out door. We are looking at renting out the two basement bedrooms as they are a decent size (both 14x16) and could really help with bills.. But I'm not sacrificing my sweet sweet high fidelity sound for anything. So I need a half ass solution; I'm sure noone wants to pay good money to hear me get home from work at 3am and watch movies.