The Home Improvement Thread

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Torture

Why would I want to lie down in my utility room?

Enough space to lie down is what I meant. Plenty of space to store random stuff in there that typically overflows into other rooms is what I meant.

[surferguy]

Where else would you have your Air B&B?

[Fuzz]

Job done! Sean from Benner did a great job, would recommend. Really nice to have the giant tank gone, and now I can take the chimney out! Wooo! #### you chimney!

[psyang]

Does anyone know of a place that can produce custom rubber or silicone gaskets?

It's nothing complicated - something with 2" inner diameter, 3-3.5" outer diameter, and about 1-1.5mm thick.

The outer diameter has some wiggle room but the inner diameter needs to be 2". I found a gasket at Canadian Tire with a 2 1/8" inner diameter and it didn't work.

Just a small part, but if I can't get it, the only alternative is to buy a whole new dual flush assembly for our 3 toilets at around $60/ea.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by psyang

Does anyone know of a place that can produce custom rubber or silicone gaskets?

It's nothing complicated - something with 2" inner diameter, 3-3.5" outer diameter, and about 1-1.5mm thick.

The outer diameter has some wiggle room but the inner diameter needs to be 2". I found a gasket at Canadian Tire with a 2 1/8" inner diameter and it didn't work.

Just a small part, but if I can't get it, the only alternative is to buy a whole new dual flush assembly for our 3 toilets at around $60/ea.

Did you check at a proper plumbing supply store, like Benner?

[psyang]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Did you check at a proper plumbing supply store, like Benner?

You caught me. I've just been looking online - too easy to get trapped in the mindset that if it's not on google it doesn't exist. I'll give them a call, thanks.

[Fuzz]

I fall into that trap too sometimes.

[PaperBagger'14]

It's actually really easy to make your own rubber gaskets and doesn't require a ton of tools or material. Really a circular gasket cutting tool, a set of punches to fit any threaded studs, a hammer and a small sheet of rubber from Norwesco should do the trick (if you're in calgary).

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Renovating the basement, looking for something to put on the concrete floor for insulation.

Home Depot sells Dricore Subfloor:
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/dri...ft-/1001628334

However, there is also Underlayment:
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/m-d...8074?rrec=true

Is one better than the other? Much better?

[photon]

We used one like the underlayment, but it was quite a bit thicker (i.e. bigger air gap), similar to this: https://www.homedepot.ca/product/dmx...2-0/1001513953

Overall works well, the floor usually doesn't feel cold. We didn't level the floor first so if no one's walked on it for a while you will get a kind of rippling noise as some of the tiny feet of the stuff move a tiny bit to contact the concrete. Not a huge deal but may annoy some, and it might be better if we had leveled the floor first.

The Dricore one seems like it'd have a higher R value, and it's soft so I don't think there'd be the same noise if something does move a bit as it's foam not hard plastic like the DMX.

The DMX though uses tape on the joints to form a good vapor barrier, while I don't know how good a seal there is between the Dricore sections, and there's a lot more seams with the Dricore. Maybe you can use tape that's rated for vapor barriers on all the seams to make sure it's sealed well.

If those Dricore boards had existed when we did our basement they look a little more appealing vs the DMX

[CroFlames]

I have an unfinished basement and I'm looking for the best subfloor system out there. I don't plan on ever leaving this home so I want to do it right.

The dricor panels look to be the best bet, however what do I do if I want carpet? Do I need to lay down a layer of 3/8 ply? Or thicker?

[Madman]

I put these down in a previous basement development and it was the best money spent on the entire process.

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/dri...nch/1000788120

Underlay and carpet right on top of it and it didn't feel like a basement floor at all, warm, quiet and soft.

[photon]

You don't ever want carpet

Do something else and buy an area rug. I hate carpet.

[puckedoff]

I didn't do any dricore or anything, and my basement floors (LVP and carpet) do not feel cold in winter. Your weather may be different on the East coast but something to keep in mind.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Madman

I put these down in a previous basement development and it was the best money spent on the entire process.

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/dri...nch/1000788120

Underlay and carpet right on top of it and it didn't feel like a basement floor at all, warm, quiet and soft.

Yeah, mine was similar to these plywood squares with hard plastic on it, but the design allowed for more airflow than this. The basement hardwood floor was never really "cold" but it wasn't warm or inviting either. It was far better to jump onto the area rug, but I agree that hardwood floors for cleanup was way better than trying to clean carpet in the basement. The bare concrete of the undeveloped basement would be very cold prior to installing hardwood on top.

I can't imagine those plastic subfloor rolls being very useful on their own unless you're supposed to put plywood or something else on top of it prior to putting the floor down. But even then, I'd wonder if it'd compress over time and then you'd have no air gap underneath?

To do it proper for a high use area, it might be heated floors. But at bare minimum, a good subfloor makes a difference for the basement.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by Madman

I put these down in a previous basement development and it was the best money spent on the entire process.

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/dri...nch/1000788120

Underlay and carpet right on top of it and it didn't feel like a basement floor at all, warm, quiet and soft.

I saw those, and thought since I've got laminate flooring, that the other Dricore stuff would suffice. Seems to be more cost-effective.

[CroFlames]

I'm on team hard floor for the basement, but my wife thinks you have to have carpet there for warmth.

I just think its easier to clean and maintain (and install).

[photon]

We've had the DMX (plastic subfloor roll stuff) for over a decade with no compression, the flooring distributes the weight over a wide area so the force on each dimple is very low.

I don't think you could put carpet on the DMX stuff but laminate is fine (which is what we have). Not sure about some vinyl plank type of flooring.

[Sliver]

I'm a carpet-in-a-basement kind of guy. I don't want to think about what it looks like under a microscope, but it definitely makes things warmer and cozier.

[PaperBagger'14]

Basement carpet is the way to go, my place has a mix of carpet and tile. The carpet with a good underlay is pretty cozy