The Home Improvement Thread

[annasuave]

How do you hang window treatments in vinyl clad windows?

I'd like to install roman shades inside the window frame. But there's no way I want to drill holes in my bright shiny new window frames.
Give up the "inside window frame" option and go outside the frame? Tension fit? 3M Command Strips?

Anyone else found a satisfactory solution for inside mount treatments in vinyl clad windows?

[Ducay]

Just drill through the vinyl. Either through the sides to the jack studs or above into the header. You'll have blinds covering up the screws anyways.

[Table 5]

It would be silly to try to mount something like that without drilling. Otherwise sooner or later it will come crashing down when you yank on the cord.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Any good sites if you wanted to build from scratch and be your own general?

Building your own house? If so, I'd reccomend taking a "Prime Contractor" course from the Alberta Consutruction Safety Association.

[llwhiteoutll]

So I'm going to be finishing my basement in the new year wanted a bit of clarification on something.

I'll be using Dri-Core for the subfloor and was told that since it's bare concrete I should paint the floor before I install anything. Any reason why I should do this? Is it even needed?

[REDVAN]

Originally Posted by llwhiteoutll

So I'm going to be finishing my basement in the new year wanted a bit of clarification on something.

I'll be using Dri-Core for the subfloor and was told that since it's bare concrete I should paint the floor before I install anything. Any reason why I should do this? Is it even needed?

Who told you to paint it?

I just installed dri-core in my basement on raw concrete, it has been cured for one year since it's a brand new house.

The only issues I am having is where the floor is slightly uneven, otherwise I am happy with the product and my install job.

What type of flooring will you put on top?

FYI, we have noticed a significantly warmer basement already, and I haven't put any finishings in- just dri-core and framing.

[photon]

I used the Delta FL and I didn't paint, and I would also say my only issue is where the floor is slightly uneven, basically depending on temperatures and stuff sometimes when I walk I can hear some clicking as that part of the floor moves down an imperceptible amount to contact the concrete.

In hindsight I should have had floor leveling compound put down as was recommended.

Dri-Core seems expensive.

[blueski]

Originally Posted by photon

I used the Delta FL and I didn't paint, and I would also say my only issue is where the floor is slightly uneven, basically depending on temperatures and stuff sometimes when I walk I can hear some clicking as that part of the floor moves down an imperceptible amount to contact the concrete.

In hindsight I should have had floor leveling compound put down as was recommended.

Dri-Core seems expensive.

I would think some settlement is to be expected in the first few years, even if you did the leveling, future shifting may negate it.

We are itching to redo our basement floors but I'm insisting that we do a couple more years to see if our drainage work we did has fixed our issues. We live in an area with expansive clay and others, especially those in Calgary, may not have to worry about this as much.

[llwhiteoutll]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

Who told you to paint it?

I just installed dri-core in my basement on raw concrete, it has been cured for one year since it's a brand new house.

The only issues I am having is where the floor is slightly uneven, otherwise I am happy with the product and my install job.

What type of flooring will you put on top?

FYI, we have noticed a significantly warmer basement already, and I haven't put any finishings in- just dri-core and framing.

Guy at work (civil eng). I was always sure you didn't need to, but it has been a while since I've actually worked with it.

I'm planning on putting engineered hardwood over top of it.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by surferguy

If you want professional stuff spend the money on the festool tracksaw and never look back

Are you on the Festool bandwagon too? I only have a Festool drill, but man is it well built stuff. I keep trying to find excuses to buy more of their product lineup, but with their prices and without really needing anything, it's hard to justify, ha.

[Wormius]

Do any stores in Calgary rent a snake camera? I see the HD I the US does. Hit a road block in my cat6 wiring between the floor joists.

[photon]

I need to have some carpet kicked, it's gotten all wrinkly since it was installed years ago. Can I just call up end of the roll where I got it from and have them send a guy or get someone of kijiji, or is that something I should try and find someone a bit more skilled?

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Do any stores in Calgary rent a snake camera? I see the HD I the US does. Hit a road block in my cat6 wiring between the floor joists.

I told you that unexpected obstacles pop up 100% of the time

[Wormius]

Fortunately this is the run I was expecting to cause me pain. Unfortunately, it is the second run and taking a while to finish so my wife is giving me mucho grief about the house being messy. At least my coworkers backed me up during our Xmas party saying wiring for Cat6 is a worthwhile endeavor.

I am making my own camera with 20 ft sub extension cable and my sons digital microscope! My pictures that I took from far away don't show anything that could be in the way. Just a sink drain that I should have been able to wiggle around. If I can get through this without drilling another useless hole, I will happy.

[V]

Originally Posted by photon

I need to have some carpet kicked, it's gotten all wrinkly since it was installed years ago. Can I just call up end of the roll where I got it from and have them send a guy or get someone of kijiji, or is that something I should try and find someone a bit more skilled?

I would actually do it yourself, as all you really need is a kicker that you can rent for cheap at HD. Watch a youtube video and you're set. All you really need to worry about is to not twist the carpet, but there are videos that show you how to do it. It's just hard work, but it's far from technical.

Barring that I would just get a guy off kijiji. This is easy work that's hard to screw up.

[Fuzz]

Depends how your knees are. Those things are brutal. I'd never want to be a carpet installer. I did one room in my basement, I called it "the crippler".

[V]

It's a tough job, I don't know how people do it their whole working life. That said, kicking in one room shouldn't kill you.

I did it for seven summers with my dad, and it was a great motivator to go to university.

[photon]

Originally Posted by V

Barring that I would just get a guy off kijiji. This is easy work that's hard to screw up.

Thanks for the suggestion, too busy to do it myself unfortunately, plus it's like 3 bedrooms, a bonus room, a huge hallway, and a living room. And the carpet has a grid-like pattern in the texture so I'd probably go insane trying to keep it square.

I did watch some videos with power stretchers though and if I wasn't busy or under a bit of a deadline I might consider it.

I contacted a couple of guys on Kijiji, got wildly different pricing, asked one guy to come check it out to see if he can do it.

[V]

a) that's way too much to do on your own, imo. I thought you were talking one room.

b) i don't think someone should use a power stretcher if they don't know what they're doing. You can screw things up pretty bad with a power stretcher, way more than with a kicker.

[V]

I think I'm in the market for a garage heater. Heavily leaning toward natural gas infrared. I've got a 28'x24' garage with an 8' ceiling. I'll probably be redo-ing all the insulation, so that will probably be good by the time I'm ready for the heater. Any suggestions as to what product would be best for me? Also, is there any chance this is a project that could be handled by someone who's never played with gas before?