DIY Archives

Home » DIY » Page 26

Vinyl tile expansion gap — do you need one?

Dave Farquhar DIY February 27, 2017March 13, 2021baseboards

When you install laminate and other types of snap-together floating floors, you need to leave an expansion gap between the floor and the wall. Most people know this. So it stands to reason that you need a vinyl tile expansion gap too. But do you?

It depends on the type of vinyl floor.

Dave Farquhar

David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He has written professionally about computers since 1991, so he was writing about retro computers when they were still new. He has been working in IT professionally since 1994 and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He holds Security+ and CISSP certifications. Today he blogs five times a week, mostly about retro computers and retro gaming covering the time period from 1975 to 2000.

dfarq.homeip.net

Remove paint from plastic

Dave Farquhar DIY February 23, 2017August 30, 2017plastic models, Purple Power

It’s easier to remove paint from plastic than it may seem. The trick is knowing the right chemical to use. The method to apply it will vary, depending on whether the item is too big to soak.

This method works for toys and virtually anything else made of plastic. I learned the trick from a hobbyist who restores vintage plastic models. It works on every type of paint I’ve tried: oil and water-based? Check. Enamel, acrylic, and latex? Check. Both brush-on and spray paint? Check.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Is peel and stick tile any good?

Dave Farquhar DIY February 7, 2017March 13, 2021baseboards, cheap stuff

Is peel and stick tile any good? That’s a fair question, considering its low cost. And if you just buy the cheapest peel and stick you can find and slap it down without any preparation or thought, you probably won’t be very happy with it.

That said, if you do good prep work and think about it, you may find peel and stick vinyl tile more durable than costlier floor types.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Fix a screw hole that is too big

Dave Farquhar DIY January 20, 2017March 13, 2021

If you need to fix a screw hole that is too big, I have good news for you. Depending on the material you’re using, it’s usually pretty easy.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Wire a bathroom fan and light on one switch

Dave Farquhar DIY, Landlording January 17, 2017May 14, 2023

Sometimes you need to wire a bathroom fan and light on one switch. Code often requires a fan in bathrooms these days, but you may only have one switch. Or maybe you have two switches but just want one switch to run both. Fortunately it’s easy to do. Here’s how.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Fix gaps in vinyl tile or planks

Dave Farquhar DIY January 9, 2017June 4, 2023

Sometimes, no matter how careful you are in cutting, measuring, and placing peel and stick vinyl floor tile, you end up with a gap somewhere. Fortunately, there is a pretty easy way to fix gaps in vinyl tile or planks.

This trick also works to disguise the edges if your floor turned out not to be perfectly flat and a little bit of a vinyl floor tile’s edge shows.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Bathroom lighting ideas: bar vs fixture

Dave Farquhar DIY, Saving money December 15, 2016March 13, 2021led bulbs, lumen

When you’re looking for bathroom lighting ideas, there’s more to consider when looking at bar lights vs fixtures than just the up front cost. A fixture may look nicer, and it’s likely it can save you money in the long run. New light fixtures can solve flickering issues too.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Repair a large hole in drywall

Dave Farquhar DIY, Landlording December 6, 2016February 3, 2022red wire

When I changed the cheap bar-style light fixture in my bathroom to something a little nicer, I found something weird other than a red wire. I also found a 5-inch by 2 1/2-inch hole in the wall behind the old fixture a few inches from the electrical box. It’s a good thing I know how to repair a large hole in drywall.

All it takes to fix a big hole in the wall is a scrap of drywall larger than the hole, a ruler, a utility knife, a pencil, some wood glue or regular white glue, and some Gorilla Glue.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

A farmhouse-style laptop desk

Dave Farquhar DIY November 28, 2016February 10, 2019Stain

I needed a small laptop desk but wanted something that wouldn’t clash with my other furniture. So I built a farmhouse-style laptop desk and stained it oak. I used scrap wood, but if I’d had to buy the lumber, it would have cost less than $20.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Replace a ceiling light fixture

Dave Farquhar DIY, Landlording November 25, 2016October 11, 2019red wire

It’s not hard to replace a ceiling light fixture once you know how everything goes together. Even if you’ve never installed one before, you can do this.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net