The Home Improvement Thread

[GoinAllTheWay]

Anyone able recommend a good arborist for a small job? Have some shrubs in the backyard that really need to be cut back and my current trimmers aren't up to the task.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by jwslam

DIY or kit?

No kit, bought the swing hangers and swings from Rona, where they sell them individually to go with their kits, but I built the A frame completely from thoughts on my mind. I didn’t even know exactly how the bracing was going to be, I figured it out as I went along.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Spoilered the photos due to their size but has anyone worked much with concrete? Had a new window installed and it required some concrete removal. How hard do you think it would be to do myself and would I just need to flatten out the dirt surface and fill it in? 4 ft by 2.5 feet at the widest.

Spoiler!

You should be able to do it, but pack the dirt down as much as you can first, and clean up all the loose dirt and gravel beside before you start, or else it could get into your finishing work.

[Tyler]

Anyone hire a landscape designer they'd recommend?

Moved into a new community and basically just have a big square backyard.

[TheIronMaiden]

I am refinishing hardwood floors. Whats the consensus on buffing them after adding the last coat?

[speede5]

I've never done anything after last coat. I sand in between, 3 coats and it's usually smooth after that.

Sand is very light, just a quick knockdown really.

[YYC in LAX]

Can anyone recommend a good waste bin supply company? Demo'd our deck and need to get the old wood out of the way. Thanks.

[Nufy]

I rented a uhaul trailer and hauled it to the dump myself.

Turned out to be the cheapest option.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by YYC in LAX

Can anyone recommend a good waste bin supply company? Demo'd our deck and need to get the old wood out of the way. Thanks.

You could have a small bonfire and throw the ashes into a black bin...

[Mass_nerder]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Anyone hire a landscape designer they'd recommend?

Moved into a new community and basically just have a big square backyard.

Pixie Gardens, or Chinook Gardener

[KTrain]

We're looking to put a basketball hoop on the rear garage roof. No room to put it between the garages (Shaw box) and want something a little more stable. It's an angled roof. Any recommendations for a place to pick one up? Are there local installers for something like this? I'd prefer it done right.

[Aleks]

Originally Posted by wwkayaker

I want to upgrade the lighting in a garage to something more efficient. The garage isn’t heated and can get pretty chilly. Currently, there are two 48” fluorescent fixtures with two bulbs each. I’ve read that I can bypass the ballast and go with led tubes or replace with newer fixtures. Any advice? Thanks.

I have done both, replacement tubes from Costco, and then a strip of this (https://www.homedepot.ca/product/lit...ar-/1001041580) and I would not hesitate to convert all to this homedepot option. It's brighter, had a better color temp and its lower profile. If I didn't already have my regular units in and spent the $$ ) on the tubes I would just do it all again

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Aleks

I have done both, replacement tubes from Costco, and then a strip of this (https://www.homedepot.ca/product/lit...ar-/1001041580) and I would not hesitate to convert all to this homedepot option. It's brighter, had a better color temp and its lower profile. If I didn't already have my regular units in and spent the $$ ) on the tubes I would just do it all again

Did my garage in these:

https://www.costco.ca/luminus-led-sh...100486427.html

They're bright as heck and $90 for 2 shipped (occasionally go on sale too).

I just converted my existing single bulb light fixtures into outlets (ie installed the outlet in the existing junction box) that these lights plug into (basically I now have 2 or 4 of the LED units where I would have had each single bulb (2 previously in a 2 car garage). Now my garage is basically an operating room is so bright. I love it. Same can be done if you have flourescent tubes since they're generally wired up to a junction box as well.

[timun]

Originally Posted by Ducay

I just converted my existing single bulb light fixtures into outlets (ie installed the outlet in the existing junction box) that these lights plug into (basically I now have 2 or 4 of the LED units where I would have had each single bulb (2 previously in a 2 car garage). Now my garage is basically an operating room is so bright. I love it. Same can be done if you have flourescent tubes since they're generally wired up to a junction box as well.

Note for those who are contemplating this, and find that the fluorescent lights you want to replace are are NOT wired to a junction box (either separate or integrated into the back of the fixture): your @#$%'s £&®¿ed, you might as well make the switch to LED in order to fix your current installation. Don't cheap out on this: janky wiring is a fire hazard.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by timun

Note for those who are contemplating this, and find that the fluorescent lights you want to replace are are NOT wired to a junction box (either separate or integrated into the back of the fixture): your @#$%'s £&®¿ed, you might as well make the switch to LED in order to fix your current installation. Don't cheap out on this: janky wiring is a fire hazard.

I do not follow, or disagree....either way:

1. If the flouro tube is hardwired, you can simply install a device box (I'd go with 2 gang) and install your outlets there (assuming the cable is appropriately wired & grounded). Switched outlets are permitted in CSA code, so not sure what the issue is here.

2. What does "switch to LED" as the solution mean? LED units can be hardwired or plugged - just like flouro or incandescent tubes. Just depends on the fixture and LED has nothing to do with this. The suggested product is LED and a great option.

[timun]

What I'm saying is the wiring (if hardwired) to the existing fixture should be terminated at a separate JB or properly affixed at the fixture itself. If it's not—if it's just some ****ty pigtail in your ceiling space, which I have seen done—then you might as well replace the fluorescent fixture because you ought to fix the crap wiring in the first place.

[stang]

I have the same as Ducay (on his recommendation. Thanks) and can back up his analysis. Great lights

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Anyone able recommend a good arborist for a small job? Have some shrubs in the backyard that really need to be cut back and my current trimmers aren't up to the task.

Trying to make the house look bigger?

[DoubleF]

In the home I purchased, there is a hole that is something like 5 inches x 5 inches and about 6-8 feet deep with rocks at the bottom.

Does anyone have any idea what this hole might be for? It seems exceptionally dangerous as a small child could probably fall into this hole. The cover is a rotting piece of wood I have to replace anyways. I'm just trying to figure out whether I should try to block the hole in a more temporary method or permanent method.

Since I have no idea what the hole is for, I was leaning towards for a temporary method such as putting a 4 x 4 x 8' fence post into the hole before replacing the top cover. This so that if someone were to remove that cover, at least a small kid couldn't fall inside. I'm also leaning towards covering the hole with something heavier and more durable against the elements like a concrete stepping stone slab.

Thoughts?

[Fuzz]

Is it right next to the house? Does it look like a downspout may have gone into it at one point? Could be the french drain, with rocks at the bottom like that. Is it lined with PVC or something or just a dirt hole?