Archive for July, 2008

How To Properly Use a Sink Auger

A sink auger may be a tool that you don’t use on a regular basis, but when you need it, you’ll be glad there’s one in your tool box. A sink auger clears or breaks up clogs in the drainage pipes of both sinks and bath tubs, but it should not be used on toilets.

A sink auger has a flexible cable with a bit on one end of it. The cable is in a coil inside a drum like canister. As you turn the canister, the cable will turn twisting the bit down into the drain pipe, it twists inside the clog and breaks it up.

To unclog your sink or bath tub drain, you’ll first need to remove the strainer basket or stopper. Then loosen the screw on the sink auger and extend the cable down into the drain. Once you feel the cable stop against the clog, let about another foot of the cable out and tighten the screw back up.

Crank the handle on the canister drum using gentle, but firm pressure. Keep turning the auger until you can feel it take hold of the clog. As you feel the auger bit working itself into the clog, release a little more cable and continue to turn the handle until you feel it break free.

When the auger bit breaks through the clog, you will notice there’s less resistance when turning the handle. This process usually always works well on clogs that are inside the sink trap.

Remove the sink auger by rolling it back into the canister, you may need to wash it off, depending on what was clogging the drain. If it was grease, there will be grease all over the auger bit.

Flush the drain repeatedly with hot water to make sure that the clog is gone. If you extended the auger cable farther than what was need to reach the trap and the clog is still there, you will need to remove the trap to go farther into the pipe.

The sink trap holds water, so place a bucket underneath it before removing the trap. Loosen the large slip nuts that are at each end of the sink trap with a pipe wrench. Remove the trap and empty the water into the bucket.

Insert the auger cable into the drain pipe and repeat the same process that you did on the sinks trap. Once you feel the cable pushing against the clog, release another foot or so and continue to turn the handle. Remember to loosen and tighten the screw each time you release extra cable.

Keep releasing more cable until you feel the auger bit break through the drain clog. Once the clog has been broken up, turn the canister handle until you’ve rolled the full length of the cable back into the canister drum.

Reassemble all of the pipes and again, flush the drain out with hot water from the sink. Using hot water will not only help flush out any remaining debris, if the clog was caused by grease, it can also help to dissolve any that remains in the pipes.

To properly store your sink auger until the next time that you need it, clean all of the grease, hair or any other debris off of the cable and bit. If you have somewhere to lay the auger, let the cable air dry and then use a spray lubricant to protect the cable before rolling it up into the canister drum.

How To Light The Pilot Light In a Gas Water Heater

If you have a gas water heater, but don’t have any hot water, then the pilot light has probably just went out. The wind, drafts and even fluctuations in the gas supply can sometimes cause the pilot flame to go out.

To check the pilot light you’ll need to take the cover off of the bottom. Make sure that you turn the knob to Pilot before removing the cover, this will keep the water heater from kicking on while you’re looking inside the bottom of the water heater.

If there’s a small flame burning at the end of the gas supply tube, then the problem isn’t caused by the pilot light. But, if you don’t see a flame you’ll need to re-light the pilot.

If the pilot light is lit, but you still don’t have any hot water, check to see if the burner is igniting. Turn the hot water on and let it run for a few minutes. While it’s running watch inside the burning chamber to see if the flame lights.

Don’t get too close to the opening of the burning chamber, you won’t need to be up close to see the large flame that surrounds the top of the burner. If the burner don’t light, then the thermostat is probably bad and will need changed.

The instructions should be on the water heater itself, but if they’re not don’t worry. The steps to lighting a pilot light are basically the same for each model. You can use a fireplace match or if you have one, you can use one of the long lighters used for grills or fireplaces.

Turn the water heater control knob to off and wait at least five minutes for any gas to clear from the air. If you’ve waited awhile and can smell gas, don’t do anything else. This means that you have a gas leak and you will need to find and fix it immediately.

If you don’t smell any gas then you can proceed to re-light the pilot. If you can’t see the end of the gas supply tube, use a flashlight. The supply tube starts at the control valve and goes into the burning chamber of the water heater.

Once you’ve found the end of the supply tube and gotten into a good position to be able to see it, turn the knob to pilot. Place the lit match or lighter at the end of the tube and hold the reset button on the control valve down.

The gas will quickly light and you’ll see the small flame at the end of the tube. Don’t release the reset button yet, you’ll need to hold it down for about a minute or so to make sure that the flame stays lit.

If the pilot light keeps going out after you’ve lit it, then you may have a faulty, or loose thermocouple or there could even be a clog in the gas supply line. Check the connection of the thermocouple at the control valve and make sure that it’s tight.

To change a thermostat you will need to turn off the water and gas going to it and completely drain the water heater. After the gas is off, disconnect the pipes and thermocouples. Turn the old thermostat counter clockwise to disconnect it. Install the new one, hook all the lines back up and check for gas leaks.

The flame for a water heater pilot light should only be burning about half an inch high and the tips of the flames should be a blue color. If the flame is lower than that, it could be the reason that it’s going out so easy. If the flame is higher, you should adjust it down to half an inch.

Simple Repairs For Refrigerator Leaks

A leaking refrigerator doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to replace it. There are some things that you can check and repair yourself. The first step is to find out where the water is coming from, then you’ll have an idea of what is causing the leak.

Anywhere that you have water your bound to eventually have a water leak. If your refrigerator has an ice maker or ice and water on the door, it has a constant supply of water. And, even if you don’t have a ice maker, your refrigerator is almost constantly creating condensation!

If the leak is coming from the back of your refrigerator it’s probably the water lines that run to your ice maker. Pull the refrigerator out from the wall and check the water line all the way to the source of the water and check the fittings to make sure that they’re still tight.

There’s often washers inside each of the fittings that sometimes just get worn out and need to be replaced. If you find a hole or damaged place in the line it will need to be replaced. Turn the water off at the source, remove the line and replace it with a brand new one.

If the water line is good and the fittings are tight and you still have a leak, it is probably a bad component inside the ice maker. You may be able to order the component and replace it, but it might be cheaper to just get a new ice maker depending on how old the one you have is.

If you have water running out from under your refrigerator, it’s most likely the drain pan. You will need to remove the grill at the front bottom of your refrigerator to get access to the drain pan. The grill should just snap out of place, there aren’t any screws to remove.

All refrigerators have drain pans to catch condensation from your refrigerator. Under normal conditions the refrigerator fan, air or heat in your kitchen causes the water to evaporate and you rarely have to even bother with the drain pan.

Slide the drain pan out and carefully inspect it for any cracks or holes. If you can’t find anything wrong with the pan, clean it and slide it back into place. If the drain pan is damaged you will just need to replace it.

If you’re having a problem with water gathering in the bottom of your refrigerator, it’s most likely a clogged defrost drain that’s causing the problem. The defrost drain is usually under the bins in your refrigerator and allows the condensation from your refrigerator to drain into the drain pan.

Check the defrost drain to see if there’s anything blocking the tube. Sometimes a piece of food can fall into the bottom of your refrigerator and get caught in the defrost drain. Just simply remove anything that you find stuck in the drain.

Spills can also cause a blockage in the defrost drain, especially if they’re thick or sugary. Foods like syrup, ketchup, barbecue sauce can drain into the tube and plug it up.

If there’s something down inside the defrost drain that you can’t see you can usually wash it out, or dissolve it by pouring some hot water into the defrost drain. Make sure that your drain pan is empty before pouring water into the drain or it will end up all over your floor.

If you’ve noticed a lot of condensation around the edges of your refrigerator doors, it’s probably worn gaskets. Bad refrigerator door gaskets not only let condensation leak out, they also let your cold air leak out and can waste a lot of electricity.

You can replace the gaskets by yourself, but they normally have to be special ordered for your specific model at an appliance store. There’s an article on this site to tell you how to replace your refrigerator gaskets!

The Most Common Reasons Your Dryer Don’t Work

With today’s busy lifestyle there’s very few homes that don’t have a dryer. Washers and dryers are one set of appliances that get used a lot, but if you have kids it can seem like your washer and dryer never stops running.

Seems like when you’re in the biggest hurry to get clean clothes is right when you toss a load into the dryer and nothing happens. Maybe the dryer just won’t start, it’s been running for an hour and your clothes are still wet, or they’re way too hot!

Before you call a professional repairman, there are a few things that you can check yourself. Many of the causes of common problems are just simple things that you can do yourself.

If your dryer just won’t start when you push the button, check the power breaker first. Things can sometimes happen that the breaker is overloaded and it will throw without your knowledge. If you’re lucky you’ll just need to turn the breaker back on and your dryer will be ready to go.

There’s also the possibility that the thermostat, timer, start switch or terminal block is bad. About the only way to really check these parts is with a VOM meter. You will need to check them while the electricity is on to see if the parts are getting any power.

If you’ve never did anything like this yourself, you may want to call a professional or find someone that has done this type of repair before. Working with live electricity can be very dangerous and isn’t for the amateur do it yourself handy person.

Sometimes you might open your dryer door and realize that your clothes have gotten to hot to handle! This is a dangerous problem that should be taken care of immediately. A dryer that gets too hot could easily catch fire and the results could be devastating.

Probably the most common reason that your dryer overheats is a bad thermostat. The vent could also be clogged and the dryer isn’t getting the air circulation that it needs. Another problem could be that the  heating coils need replaced.

If you’ve thrown a load of clothes in the dryer and turned it on and nothing happens, then the dryer belt is most likely the culprit. After years of usage belts can just snap or become stretched and too loose to turn the drum.

The drum roller could also be bad and just need to be replaced. The roller is what turns the drum and can be found underneath it. If the roller is still good, it is probably the dryer pulley or even the motor.

You go to the dryer to get you nice clean, dry clothes out, but they’re still soaking wet! It could be as simple as a blown fuse, you can check the fuse by holding it up to the light and looking for a broken filament.

A bad heating coil is one of the most common reasons for a dryer with no heat! A bad temperature switch, timer or thermostat can also be the reason that your dryer doesn’t have any heat.

You will need to use a VOM meter to check the electrical parts of any appliance. The VOM meter has probes that you touch to electrical terminals to see if they’re getting the electricity they need to operate. You can follow the instructions that came with your VOM to properly check these parts.

There are many different brands of appliances and it’s best to have a diagram of your particular model to replace any parts that have gone bad. But, having an idea of what the problem might be is a great place to start.

How To Do Simple Repairs On Your Dishwasher

A dishwasher is a very convenient time saving appliance that is a staple in most modern homes today. They’re generally very durable appliances that will give your years of usage, but from time to time simple things can go wrong with them.

There are some more serious problems that can occur with your dishwasher that may require a professional. But, you can fix a lot of the smaller things that can go wrong with them yourself.

Anytime anything goes wrong with your dishwasher, always check the most common causes first. But, no matter what the problem is, make sure that you always unplug the dishwasher before attempting any repairs.

If your dishwasher is leaking from the bottom it’s most likely a problem with one of the hoses, or it could be a connector that’s worked loose. You’ll need to pull the dishwasher out and tilt it over to check to make sure they’re tight.

If they are still tightly in place, check the dishwasher tub for any rusty spots or holes. If you find a small hole in the tub you can repair it with an epoxy that is especially made for dishwashers. You can find this epoxy at most appliance stores and you just mix it according to the directions.

Gaskets can be another cause for leakage from the bottom of your dishwasher. The heating element has a gasket that can become loose or can get bad overtime and need replaced. Unscrew the element and carefully unlock it from the brackets, replace the gasket and put the element back into place.

If the water has stopped draining from your dishwasher, it’s usually as simple as a clogged strainer. Refer to your owners manual and find the location of the strainer and check to see if it’s dirty. Some dishwashers have the strainer sitting in the bottom of the tub and on some it may be in one of the corners.

Another thing that you can check if the water isn’t draining out is the hoses. Look to make sure that they’ve not gotten a kink or have somehow became bent. Hoses can also become clogged sometimes, so take them loose to make sure that they’re clear.

When you dishwasher seems to be running fine, but there’s no water flowing into the tub, check the float switch. The float switch should be clear of obstructions and raise up easily. If you’re a little more experienced at home repair, you can check the switch with a VOM meter to make sure that it’s getting electricity.

The water inlet valve could also be stopped up with something. First turn the water off and disconnect all of the wires, the pipe and the hose. The valve can be pulled out by removing the screws, remove the inlet valve filter and make sure that it’s clean and reassemble.

If your dishwasher has quit getting your dishes as clean as they should be, often it’s just the fault of your dishwasher detergent. Old detergent can weaken and loose it’s ability to perform well. Another cause could also just be the way you’ve loaded the dishwasher.

Dishwashers perform best with really hot water, wait a while to use it if someone has just showered. If you use a water conditioner or softener, it could affect the efficiency of your dishwasher if it’s needs refilled.

If your dishwasher won’t turn on don’t panic, it could be as simple as a thrown breaker. You can also check the junction box at the rear bottom of your dishwasher. Open the box and check all of the wiring for breaks, loose connections or any corroded areas.

The control timer could also cause the dishwasher not to fill up with water. But, first you should check the door latch switch. If the switch just isn’t closing, you can adjust it by taking the switch loose and repositioning it.

The proper way to check the door latch switch and the control timer is with a VOM meter. If you’re not familiar with using a VOM meter, it’s a tool to check to see if the electrical part is getting electricity to it. A lack of electricity running through a switch or timer is a sign that the motor is part is probably bad and needs to be replaced.

How To Correctly Remove Wallpaper

Most wallpapers today are made to be almost as easily to remove as they were to apply. But, older wallpapers can prove to be a real head ache to remove from your walls. Aside from the paper being on the wall for years, the older paper and glues aren’t so easily removed.

There are several methods that you can use to try to remove the wallpaper off of your walls. But, any method that will loosen the glue from the backing will work when trying to remove the old paper.

You can purchase a commercial wallpaper remover. It’s a liquid that is applied to the walls and is specifically formulated to loosen wallpaper glue and release the paper from the walls.

Many types of wallpaper can be easily removed simply by spraying the paper with water until it is wet. Once wet let it set for a around 15-30 minutes to completely loosen the glue and then scrape the paper off the walls with a trowel or putty knife.

Warm water will work better when trying to loosen the old glue, but hot water will work even faster. You can apply it with a spray bottle, saturating one area at a time and then removing the paper.

If you’re trying to remove a vinyl wallpaper, the liquid isn’t going to be able to saturate through the vinyl to reach the glue. The vinyl top layer will need to be pulled off of the wall exposing the paper layer beneath. Then you can wet the paper layer with water to release the glue.

You can also purchase a tool called a paper tiger. It’s basically two wheels with very sharp teeth that you roll across the wallpaper to cut perforations in it. Then you can spray water on the paper and it can reach the glued side through the perforations.

Your wetting solution can be just plain warm or hot water. But, you can also try mixing water and vinegar together and if you’d prefer you can use a roller or a sponge instead of a spray bottle. Many people recommend using warm water with dish washing liquid or liquid fabric softner to remove the old paper.

No matter what solution you use, let the paper set long enough to loosen the glue. Then use a tool with a wide, flat blade to scrape the paper off. You will probably have to repeat the process several times to remove all of the wall paper.

Whatever method you decide to use to remove your old wallpaper, make sure that you protect the rest of the room. The water draining down on to the carpet or floors will contain glue and be a mess to clean up.

You can use sheets of plastic to help protect your floors and spraying the water more slowly will help prevent it draining down into puddles as quickly. You can also place sheets of plastic over furniture and other items in the room to protect them.

If you’re luck there will only be one layer of wallpaper on the wall. But, often there may be several layers that will all have to be removed one layer at a time.

Trying to remove several layers at once increases the risk of damaging the walls. Once all of the wallpaper has been removed, you’ll need to thoroughly clean the walls and remove any remaining glue or paper.

One other method to try is steaming the wall. You can usually rent a steaming machine at a local hardware store and the steam and heat will release the paper.

How To Hang Wallpaper The Correct Way

Installing wallpaper takes more than just placing the paper in water and hanging it on the wall. The first piece that you hang is the most important, because all of the rest of the pieces will line up with the first one that you hang.

If your first strip of wall paper isn’t straight, then none of the ones that you add after it will be straight. You can use a carpenters line to make sure that you get the paper straight.

If you’ve chosen a wall paper that needs to be matched up, you’ll want to consider where to put your first and last piece. The last piece that you hang isn’t going to match up with the first piece. You’ll want to have them meet in a area of your room where it won’t be as noticeable.

Since very few walls are actually plumb, you’ll need to establish a completely straight line as your starting point. You can do this with a carpenters plumb bob and a level.

Measure the width of the paper and mark it at the top at the ceiling. Use the plumb bob to get a straight line and mark it, use the level to make sure that the string is hanging straight before marking your lines. If your walls are really bad, you’ll need to do this for the first piece of paper that you hang on each wall.

If your wall paper has large even designs that are in rows, you’ll want to start the design at the ceiling. Cut the wall paper 2″ longer than you want it at the top to allow for fitting it into the corner around the ceiling.

A straight edged razor or a utility knife is the best tools to cut your wall paper. The more even the cutting line is, the better your finished project will look. Allow a little extra wall paper at the bottom as well to allow for uneven floors or base boards.

Prepasted wall papers only need to be soaked in water to activate the adhesive paste. If you’ve purchased wall paper that isn’t prepasted, you’ll need to purchase a high quality wall paper paste to apply to the paper yourself.

Wall paper trays are very inexpensive and will make the job much easier. They’re simply a long pot that resembles a window flower box, they’re made wide enough for the wall paper to fit into the water easily.

After you’ve got your strip of paper cut, roll it up loosely and immerse it into the water for around 15 seconds to activate the adhesive. If you need to apply paste to the paper, you’ll need a long narrow table to unroll the paper onto and apply the paste with a brush or roller.

Hang the first piece of wall paper lining it up with the straight line that you marked on the wall. You can purchase a wall paper brush to smooth the paper out or you can use a soft, damp cloth.

Start at the top of the wall paper and smooth it out all the way to the bottom. You’ll need to take extra care to make sure that you smooth out all of the air bubbles and get the paper completely against the wall so that it will adhere properly.

Once you’ve got the wall paper all smooth and there’s no air bubbles visible, it’s time to cut the edges. You should only use a really sharp blade to cut the edges, a dull blade will result in unsightly jagged edges.

Wallpaper Comes In Many Different Materials

Decorating your home with wallpaper can be either inexpensive or really extravagant and very expensive. It’s the multi-purpose wall covering that can fit into any budget.

Wallpaper is a great alternative to just using plain paint on your walls. You can add so many designs to your walls to enhance the decor of the room. It’s often over looked, but wallpaper can also help make your room cooler or warmer by covering the tiny holes in your walls.

Wallpaper not only comes in an unlimited amount of colors and designs, it also comes in numerous types of materials. Choosing the right design can be a hard enough job, without having to guess at what type you want.

Embossed wallpaper is great for walls that have small imperfections. Because it’s usually thicker than most wallpapers, it can easily cover the small flaws on your walls. And, the raised textures will also help in covering up little dips, cracks or holes.

If you want a really formal look try flocked wallpaper. It not only has raised textures and designs, but they will have a velvety feel to them. Flocked wallpaper is great to use anywhere, but it’s really nice in rooms that have a formal design. Flocked wallpapers require a lot of care when cleaning and won’t last long with abuse.

If you like bright and shiny, try foiled wallpaper. It adds light to a room with it’s reflective material, but will show all the flaws on your walls. For the best look, it should only be used on walls that are really smooth and flat.

Most of the wallpaper that you’ll find in stock at your favorite store will be vinyl wallpaper. Vinyl paper is really good for bathrooms or any room where there is lot’s of moisture.

There are several types of vinyl wallpaper, there’s paper backed vinyl, solid sheet vinyl, fabric backed vinyl and vinyl coated. Vinyl coated paper if wallpaper that is treated with vinyl to make it more durable.

It’s easy to clean and can stand up to humidity, making it a good choice for kitchens and bathrooms. It can even be used in a basement and it’s even scrubbable and easily removed.

Paper backed vinyl has a decorative vinyl top layer with a pulp or paper backing. It’s moisture resistant and can be used in almost any room and holds up well to high humidity areas. It’s very easy to clean, can be scrubbed and easy to remove when you want to redecorate.

Like paper backed vinyl, fabric backed is wallpaper that has a fabric back layer with a vinyl covering. Vinyl wallpapers are more durable, easier to clean and normally last a lot longer than regular wallpapers.

For a retro look check out the different styles of string effect wallpaper available. This wall covering has very fine threads that run vertically and are laminated onto the wallpaper. This type of paper is harder to clean, it’s not very durable and can’t stand up to abuse.

For a more natural look for your home, wallpapers made from natural fibers are the best choice. These can be made from cork, hemp, cotton, grass, wool, seagrass and other natural materials. Due to their natural fibers, they will have a wide variety of textures and colors.

To make a really drastic, dramatic change in your rooms decor, consider using murals. Murals are wall size portraits that are made in sections and hung like wallpaper. The designs are almost unlimited, from a sea shore scene to a snowy mountain.

How To Properly Clean Wallpaper

Just like any other surface in your home wallpaper gets dirty and needs an occasional cleaning. But, you have to be really careful when cleaning your paper, it’s not as durable as most other surfaces.

When cleaning wallpaper you need to be really careful not to let the paper get too wet. If you soak the paper with cleaning solutions it will come loose from the wall and it could even leave stains that are worse than the dirt was.

Normally all you’ll need to do is to dust the walls. You can do that with a soft brush attachment on a vacuum, a clean dry mop or tie or tape a clean rag on the end of your broom handle and wipe the walls working from the top of the walls down to the bottom.

If you’ve got kids chances are you’ll eventually have pencil or crayon marks on your walls. To remove pencil marks you can try a art gum eraser and gently erase the mark away.

For crayon marks, food stains or other greasy spots, apply a past made from a gentle cleaning fluid and corn starch. Let it completely dry then brush it off with a soft brush. Keep repeating the same step until the spot is gone.

Most people save the left over wallpaper just in case they need to patch a hole. But, the left over wallpaper will look new on an old wall. Hang it on a wall in the attic so that it will age just like your walls and not be so noticeable if you need to replace a small area.

Vinyl coated wallpaper is washable, but you still won’t want to use strong, abrasive cleaners. The best way to clean it is with a solution of warm water and a mild soap.

Never use any type of cleaners that have colors or dyes to clean your wallpaper. The paper will absorb the dye in the cleaning solution and it may permanently stain your walls.

Always use two separate buckets when cleaning wallpaper, one with a mild soap solution and one with clean water to rinse the residue out of the cleaning rag.

Just clean small sections of the wall at a time and start at the main bottom and work your way up to the top. If you start at the top, there may be drips that will leave streaks on the walls and will be almost impossible to remove later.

If there’s not a lot of stains on the wallpaper, just use a clean, lightly damp sponge to remove any surface dirt. The sponge should be squeezed out and not be dripping wet.

If your wallpaper has gotten damp and started to mildew, there’s usually very little that you can do except replace it. If the mildew is on the outside of the paper, it’s probably soaked through to the other side.

Mildew is a growing fungus and unless killed will spread to the rest of the wall. Since you’ll probably have to replace the paper anyway, you might want to try cleaning it with a diluted bleach solution.

Wallpaper stores usually always carry a cleaner. It will be like a pliable clay that you can rub on the wall to absorb the stains. This doesn’t always work and will depend on the type of stain and the type of wallpaper that you have.

Pay close attention when cleaning at the wallpaper seams, any liquid that soaks into the seam will loosen the glue. And, you should always clean the seams with an almost dry sponge.

You can test any cleaning solutions on the wallpaper in a hidden spot of the room. Down at the bottom of the wall is a good place to check, that way if it does stain it won’t be as noticeable.

How To Apply A Crackle Finish To Furniture or Frames

If you’ve got a piece of furniture or a home accessory that doesn’t have a perfect surface, you might want to consider adding a crackle finish. Crackle refers to the aged, weathered, cracked look that paint gets with age and it can help hide flaws.

A crackle finish can also make any of your pieces of furniture or items such as picture or mirror frames look antique. It’s a great finish for anything that’s in a country style home or even a summer cabin and will even look great in a modern home.

You should always make sure that any surface that you’re going to paint is clean. You can use a mild soap and water to clean real dirty surfaces and just wipe dusty surfaces with a dry or damp rag.

Let the item dry completely, if you have to use a lot of soap and water to clean it let it dry over night. Remove and nails or tacks that sticking up out of the piece before painting.

To apply a crackle finish you’ll need some ready mixed spackle, tack cloth and sandpaper. The crackling medium can be purchased at almost any craft store or you can even use Elmer’s white glue, which is really inexpensive.

You’ll need to purchase a light paint for the top coat and a darker paint for the base coat. Then, of course you’ll need paint brushes and some acrylic wood stain if you want to age the crackle finish.

Repair any dents or cracks with the spackle and let it dry, then sand it until it’s nice and smooth. Apply the darker color of paint first, you can apply as many coats as is needed, but make sure it’s completely dry between coats.

The darker paint will be what shows inside the cracks of the crackling finish. You can either choose a light and dark shade of the same color or for more contrast, use white and a vibrant color or black.

Once the paint has dried, apply the crackling medium with long, smooth strokes. If you’re using the glue instead of a crackling medium, mix the glue with about 10% water and mix it really well.

Make sure that you don’t brush the glue too much, just paint it on and leave it to dry. Once you’ve gotten the crackling medium on the piece and it’s dried, apply the lighter paint.

The paint will crackle in the same direction that the crackling medium is applied. So, you may want to decide which way you’d like the crackle to go before you apply it.

You can add even more age to the piece that you’ve done by adding the acrylic paint. Make sure that the top coat is completely dry and then apply a mixture of 50% water and 50% acrylic stain.

Generously coat the surface with the acrylic paint and water mixture. Use a lint free cloth to remove the excess paint and let it dry before moving on to the next step.

It’s a really good idea to coat your finished piece with a polyurethane paint. The polyurethane will seal the tiny cracks or spots on the piece and help make it moisture proof. If the item is used near water or moisture, the polyurethane is even more important.

How To Build Brick Planters In Your Yard

Unlike regular planters, brick planters can literally last for years. They will also compliment your landscaping and will add to the decor of the exterior of your home, especially if it’s brick!

You don’t have to be an expert mason to build your own planters from brick. In fact some slight imperfections can even add to the character of your brick planters!

Bricks need a solid foundation for support. Rain, melting snow and other elements will loosen the soil and cause the bricks to sink down into the dirt. Aside from looking bad, this can cause them to crack and even fall.

Anything built with brick will turn out better and last longer if it’s built on top of a concrete slab. The concrete will give the brick support and keep them from sinking into the dirt.

Decide how big you want the planter to be and where you want it to be. Then dig a hole in the shape and size that the planter is going to be. If you want the bottom of the planter flush with the ground, dig down about 4 inches.

Using 2X4’s make a frame that will fit inside the hole and fit up against the walls of the dirt. Fill the hole with ready mix cement and allow it to dry approximately 48 hours. You should cover the hole with a piece of plastic to keep rain and other debris from falling into the cement.

After the cement has dried thoroughly, you can now begin to build your walls. You’ll need to mix the mortar by following the manufacturers directions on the specific type of mortar that you purchased.

Place about an inch of mortar underneath the first row of bricks. As you lay each brick onto the foundation, use the end of your trowel handle to tap the brick down into the mortar.

You’ll need to leave enough space between each brick to apply about a half of an inch of mortar to hole them into place. Once you’ve gotten your first row done, keep laying rows of bricks until you get the planter to the height that you want it to be.

Another way to protect your brick planter from rain and other elements is to add weep holes. Weep holes are just areas between the bricks that will allow water to drain and they’re very important with planters.

The planter will be secured to the cement foundation, then they will be secured to each other with the mortar. The planter will be fairly tightly sealed and there won’t be anyway for excess water to drain.

A really good thunderstorm could fill the planter with water and wash your flowers and dirt out! Installing weep holes will prevent this from happening and your soil and flowers will stay where they’re suppose to be!

It’s really easy to add weep holes to the planter walls. You can either use nylon rope or purchase some small plastic tubes. You will want to add them on top of the first layer of bricks that you lay.

Just cut the pieces of rope or plastic pipe and lay them across the bricks before laying the second row. You can use your best judgment on how many to use depending on the size of your planter.

After you’ve gotten your brick planter finished, let it dry for at least 48 hours. Then fill it full of soil, plant your flowers and stand back and enjoy you handy work!

How to Build A Backyard Barbecue Grill Out of Brick

A brick barbecue grill will give you years of enjoyment and delicious meals! It will be a favorite place for friends and family to gather for a casual event or a special occasion. You can build your own barbecue and save money on hiring a mason.

Draw out a rough draft of how you want the barbecue grill to look and decide on a size. A sales person at the brick yard or home improvement store will be able to help you with how many bricks you’ll need. You can also make sure that you could return any that you don’t need.

A project like this made from brick is going to be very heavy, it will need a good solid foundation to keep it from sinking into the dirt. Dig a hole the same size that you want your grill to be that is about 4 inches deep.

If the ground isn’t completely level and it’s most likely that it’s not, you’ll need to dig the hole deeper on one side to level it. Just dig out a little at a time and check it until you get a level area.

Use some 2X6 boards to build a frame that will fit around the inside edge of the hole. Rebar is pieces of metal rods that is used to give the concrete extra support, it’s better if you use this in your foundation.

Once you’ve gotten the wooden frame around the hole, use a level to make sure that the boards are even. Mix your concrete according to the directions on the bag. Using pre-mixed concrete will make the job a lot easier, you won’t need sand or gravel, you’ll just need water!

Pour the concrete into the hole until it’s about half full. Then place the pieces of rebar on top of the cement and cover them the rest of the way up to the top of the wooden frame.

You will need a trowel to smooth the concrete out so that you have a nice flat, level finish. Once you’ve gotten the cement in the hole, let it dry for 48 hours before you start building the grill.

You will need to buy all of the accessories for your grill before you start building. Purchase your fire pan and the grills ahead of time so that you’ll have them to use for measurements.

The best height for the grills is around 30 inches from the ground, of course this will depend on how tall you are. The ideal place for the firebox is approximately 5 inches below the cooking grills.

After your foundation is completely set up, place one or two rows of  bricks around it to see how you’ll need to lay the brick out. Move them around until you get the right design and then mark them with a pencil so you’ll have a guide to go by.

Hot, dry bricks will actually draw the water out of the cement and make it dry before it’s had time to properly set. You should spray them with a water hose to make sure that they’re all wet. You can do this the day before you plan to start, or you can do this an hour or so before you start building.

Mix the mortar according to the directions on the specific brand that you purchased. The first row of bricks should sit on a layer of mortar approximately an inch thick. You can use a trowel to spread the mortar out onto the concrete following the guide that you drew, keep the mortar inside the line.

You will also need to apply 1/2 inch of mortar in between the bricks. Check the bricks often to make sure that they’re level and continue all the way around the guide until you have the first layer completed.

Continue building the walls, applying 1/2 inches of mortar between each layer. Each time you place a brick onto the mortar, tap it with the end of your trowel to set it into the mortar.

After you’ve completed a couple of rows, you will need to smooth the mortar at the joints. You can use a small piece of metal pipe to run over the joints to remove any excess mortar.

Make sure to also check the height of your wall ever so often. You don’t want to get several rows of brick laid and find out that you’ve went past the height where you need to insert your fire box and grills.

When you get the grill built up to the height that you want your fire box and cooking grills, place three rebars from the front to the back of the grill. Place them close together, just covering the width that you need to insert them.

Try to choose a design that won’t need a lot of cuts in the bricks. But, no matter what design you choose there will be some bricks that need to be cut. You can use a broad bladed chisel and a hammer to cut the bricks.

Measure where you need the brick cut and score all the way around it, the give it a sharp hit with the hammer and it should snap apart. You can rent a brick splitter and you can even purchase a saw blade for cutting bricks if you’d prefer.

Keep adding the layers of bricks until you get it to the correct height that you desire. Then let the mortar completely dry and set before firing it up and making a delicious grilled meal!

How To Install a Bathroom Medicine Cabinet

A medicine cabinet can be one of the most important items in a bathroom. Everyone wants to have a mirror in the bath, but medicine cabinets go way beyond just providing a mirror!

They also provide quite a bit of storage for anything from medicines to razors. And, depending on the size of course, you can store lots more than just the smaller toiletries!

Medicine cabinets use to be just basically a square metal box with a mirrored door on the front of it. But, with all of the designs and styles available today medicine cabinets have became an important part of the bathrooms decor!

There are basically two styles of medicine cabinets, there’s surface mounted cabinets and recessed cabinets. And, both can be purchased in a wide variety of sizes, materials and colors.

The surface mounted medicine cabinets are the easiest to install. With a measuring tape, some screws and about 20 minutes of your time, you can have the medicine cabinet on the wall and ready to use!

Installing a recessed style medicine cabinet takes a lot more time and experience with remodeling. It can turn into quite a job and should only be done if you’ve done some carpentry and dry walling before.

A surface mounted medicine cabinet is exactly that, it’s mounted on the surface of the wall. You will first need to determine how high you want the cabinet, the height will mainly depend on your height and the height of other family members that will be using it on a regular basis.

Once you’ve determined the height, you can measure and mark it with a pencil on the wall. Most medicine cabinets are centered with the sink, just measure the length of the sink and divide that by half to get the center and mark it on the wall.

Then you can measure the cabinet and divide it by half and make a small mark on the bottom of the cabinet. Line the two center marks up and use a level to ensure that the cabinet is straight. Secure the cabinet into place with screws, using longer screws will give you a more stable hold.

The main problem that you may run into with a recessed cabinet is that there will be wall joists that are probably going to be exactly where you want the cabinet.

This means that you will need to cut the drywall away, cut the wall boards and build a square frame to fit the medicine cabinet into. The wall will then be supported by the frame that you make.

Just measure the back of the cabinet that fits into the wall. Then make a frame that will fit correctly around the back. Measure on the wall where you need to cut and use a utility knife to cut away the drywall.

You may have to cut the hole larger than needed to be able to cut the wall joists. You will then need to replace the sheetrock around the hole before installing the medicine cabinet.

Once you’ve gotten the hole cut out and the new frame installed, it’s time to screw the medicine cabinet to the frame. A recessed cabinet is more trouble to install, but it also looks much nicer than surface mounted cabinets.

Create A Dora Bedroom For That Special Little Girl

Almost every little girl just loves Dora and her trusty side-kick Boots. It’s a craze that created so many things that you can use to decorate a bedroom for that special little girl.

You can easily find everything from the bed set and curtains, to clocks and artwork. But, you can also easily create one of a kind items to decorate a Dora dream room.

The biggest purchase you’ll have to make will be a Dora bedding set and they’re really not that expensive. You can find them at about any discount store and they’ll usually include the sheets to. You may even be able to find several designs, so that you can get the look that you want.

Another great place to find Dora items is at thrift stores and yard sales. This is a great way to get a lot of stuff really cheap and allow you to have more to decorate with if you’re on a budget.

Since my grand daughter loved Dora so much, I’d always watch for deals on Dora items. I gathered up a lot of stuff from the thrift store and found some stuff at the flea market.

I’d found several dolls in different sizes, a couple of monkeys and a sheet that was in really good shape. I also found an alarm clock that featured Dora and Boots!

I used the sheet to make some extra pillows to add to the bed and made a large Dora pillow for her to sit on in the floor when she was playing. To make the fabric stretch farther and make more pillows, I choose a matching solid fabric for the back of the pillow covers.

I also cut some of the Dora, Boots and other items out of the sheet. I ironed them onto some wonder under bonding material and used them to create a small wall hanging to go over the head of her bed.

Using wonder under is great way to create crafts. It’s a fusible material that has a peel off backing. You can cut out any design and then iron it onto the fabric, peel off the backing and iron it into place on another background fabric.

To keep the edges from fraying you can go around them with a thin line of matching fabric paints. It’s washable and you can design your own scenery, just don’t leave it in a hot dryer or it may peel off.

I used a sky blue background material and then just cut some green grass out free hand style. I cut a tree trunk out of some brown material and just made tiny scallops around the edge of a green circle for the tree top.

You can add almost anything you want to the wall hanging. Some small silk daisies will really stand out in the grass! Just remove the stems and sew or glue them into place.

My end result was a rectangle wall hanging that was the same width as her bed. It featured Dora and Boots walking among some trees, with butterflies and flowers.

We then hung some small brown rope from the ceiling in various parts of the room and hung the stuffed monkeys from them. We found a perfect color that almost looked like vines in a jungle.

I had a small wooden shelf in the closet that I didn’t use anymore and we painted it a pretty bright pink to match the comforter set. We used it to hold her clock and set some Dora figures on it to add to the theme.

We made our own Dora framed art, by cutting some Dora themed place mats and placing the pieces into some picture frames. One of the placemats was also used for the table beside her bed instead of a table cloth.
Wal-Mart had a selection of several Dora placemats and they made nice looking pictures.

There’s so many Dora items that you can purchase if you don’t have the crafing knowledge or the time to make things from scratch. The crafting things that you can do with any theme are almost limitless. You’d be surprised at how cheap you can do a whole room with just a little creativity!

Different Types of Wall Tiles For Your Home

If you’re planning on redecorating your home with tiles it’s important to know which tiles you should buy. There are several different materials that are used to make tiles.

Choosing the right one for the right area will help in making them last much longer. The material and the way that the tiles are manufactured will go a long ways in determining the durability and the amount of liquids and stains that the tiles will absorb.

Tiles are a great way to borders to a plain wall to make it stand out. They’re also great for protecting walls from water behind and around sinks in both the kitchen and the bathroom.

The most popular size of tile is 4 1/4″ square, these are used mostly on walls in bathrooms and kitchens. The next larger sizes are 8X8, 10X10 and 12X12, these sizes are growing more popular for home use.

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tiles are made of a mixture of different clays and baked in high temperature kilns. A glazing is applied to the tiles before they’re baked to give them their shine and add durability.

The glaze is only applied to the top surface of the tile and can be easily chipped if it is hit with something hard, or if something is dropped onto the tiles. They are also very easily scratched and are better suited for walls than counter tops or floors.

Quarry Tile

Just like ceramic tiles, quarry tiles are made from mixing clays and baking the tiles. However, quarry tiles are normally used for interior floors. They’re almost always a deep red color and glaze isn’t applied to quarry tiles.

Quarry tiles have irregular shapes and are generally fairly porous. If you decide to use them on a floor, you should seal them to prevent them from soaking up stains. You can use a clear sealer or find a colored tinted sealer that will match.

Mosaic Tile

Mosaic tiles are also made from different types of clays, mixed together and then baked. However, mosaic’s have color pigments added to the clays that are blended in and go all the way through the tiles.

Mosaic’s are harder than most regular tiles and are well suited for floors or walls. They’re not as easily chipped as ceramic tiles, will resist moisture and are also highly stain resistant.

These tiles are actually only one inch square, but usually come pre-joined on sheets that are at least 12X12 to make installing them easier and faster.

Crafters and hobbyists have used mosaic tiles to make pictures, decorate picture frames and other crafts for years. They’re even used to cover table tops for a unique, durable and colorful design. They can easily be used to just edge any item that you’d like to add a colorful border to.

Natural Tile

Natural tiles are becoming one of the most popular. They’re made from materials such as marble, granite, limestone and slate. The materials are sliced at the correct thickness and then cut into pieces.

This type of tile is probably the most expensive that you can buy. But, you can find many look-a-like tiles that closely resemble the real materials. They are durable like real stone and are as much as 80% cheaper!

Almost every tile manufacturer will also stock trimming tiles. These are pieces needed to add the finished touch to your project. Trimming tiles will give a professional look to the corners and edges of your walls or counter tops.