The Home Improvement Thread

[Geraldsh]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I’m once again asking for CP help.

I acquired a bunch of hefty 4x4s, 4x6s and 6x6s from some heavy duty pallets that came from Europe. They are rough sawn.

Is it possible to add product or oil to these and use them in the same way you’d use landscaping ties? In other words, DIY pressure treatment?

There are some really long lengths and it would be really useful if I could use em for some landscaping.

You can brush or spray on a commercial or diy product but it won’t last as long as pressure treated timber. Are they softwood or hardwood?

[Ahuch]

Has anyone ever replaced a glass block window with casement? Trying to figure out what I need to rip out in order to measure the opening but this "style" of window is a mystery to me.

[Nufy]

I'm having a guy do that for me right now.

Pretty sure he will have to add some framing to get the window to install properly.

Then clad the exterior and add trim n the inside.

[d00little]

I have this one spot at the corner of my bed where my hardwood floor creaks. Is there any easy way to fix it? The house was re-done in 2011.

I tried the WD-40 trick, it didn't work. I think the sound is coming from beneath the wooden floor.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Geraldsh

You can brush or spray on a commercial or diy product but it won’t last as long as pressure treated timber. Are they softwood or hardwood?

From what I can tell, it's soft. But it's 100% from Europe so I can't tell what species.

I might just be crazy, but I it's appears pretty hard for a softwood.

Also, I've burned some of it in a bonfire, and it burns waaaay hotter than pine wood from Alberta.

[Fuzz]

If I had to guess, I'd suggest it douglas-fir. I've got some similar large pallets that were made from that.

[surferguy]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

From what I can tell, it's soft. But it's 100% from Europe so I can't tell what species.

I might just be crazy, but I it's appears pretty hard for a softwood.

Also, I've burned some of it in a bonfire, and it burns waaaay hotter than pine wood from Alberta.

Pictures? Perhaps we can have a good ole fashion CP species ID party.

[Geraldsh]

The other factor affecting longevity is the type of landscape you’re building; black dirt lawn/garden will rot the timber faster than a sandy rock garden scene. A nice desert scene wouldn’t require any treatment to the wood.

Maybe plantation grown oak?

[81MC]

I’m betting on birch. Fir and oak would be very recognizable.

[Calgary14]

Is there an easy way to add a battery backup to a 2012 gas fireplace? It already has a switch but I’m thinking of a potential power outage in the winter

[Old Yeller]

Anybody remove textured/popcorn ceilings before? We're in a 4 level split and I was thinking about doing it myself but have heard it's just an awful job.

[timun]

It's not terribly difficult, it's just horrendously messy.

(And I've never tackled it on a whole-house scale.)

[Fuzz]

My biggest fear of doing it is wondering if there is a horrendous mudding/taping job that is being hidden by it.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Old Yeller

Anybody remove textured/popcorn ceilings before? We're in a 4 level split and I was thinking about doing it myself but have heard it's just an awful job.

Never done it but I've seen it done a few times, if you have a shop vac with a long hose, tape a paint scraper to the hose end and turn the vac on and go to town. Also you should have a good mask (N95 or better) while you're doing it.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Old Yeller

Anybody remove textured/popcorn ceilings before? We're in a 4 level split and I was thinking about doing it myself but have heard it's just an awful job.

If you have an older home, 50s-60s and maybe 70s, you might have to worry about asbestos in the popcorn ceiling. My neighbors did an extensive renovation on their mid 60s home and they had to do asbestos remediation on their ceilings.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

If you have the room, you're better off drywalling over the ceiling. It'll be quicker, even, and save you a ton of headaches.

That's what we did. Turns out really well.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Old Yeller

Anybody remove textured/popcorn ceilings before? We're in a 4 level split and I was thinking about doing it myself but have heard it's just an awful job.

Did it in a few rooms. It wasn’t bad. Wetted it first and used a small scraper. There was no furniture in the room so no problems. I just think you’ll need to figure out what to do after you remove it. We tried painting, and I don’t think it looks great. We’ll need to hire somebody to do the rest of the house cause of vaulted ceilings that are too high for us to deal with.

We actually have a bunch of stuff to do, starting to think it might be simpler / faster to hire somebody to fix the drywall around the new windows, paint the trim, retexture the ceiling.

[jwslam]

Originally Posted by d00little

I have this one spot at the corner of my bed where my hardwood floor creaks. Is there any easy way to fix it? The house was re-done in 2011.

I tried the WD-40 trick, it didn't work. I think the sound is coming from beneath the wooden floor.

What is downstairs?
Is your floor carpet? Laminate?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfXuuDFNP5U

I can't find any Canadian retailers though...

[photon]

Any recommendations for a carpet cleaning company in Calgary? I got one but they haven't returned my call.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by photon

Any recommendations for a carpet cleaning company in Calgary? I got one but they haven't returned my call.

We used Ram Services for some area rugs and they did a good job. From their website it looks like they also do carpet cleaning.