Family Handyman Do-It-Yourself Basics Volume 2

A Note to Our Readers

All do-it-yourself activities involve a degree of risk. Skills, materials, tools and site conditions vary widely. Although the editors have made every effort to ensure accuracy, the reader remains responsible for the selection and use of tools, materials and methods. Always obey local codes and laws, follow manufacturer instructions and observe safety precautions.

Pricing

Professional services and supplies can vary widely depending on the market. Those listed are average costs and are just a guide to cost savings.

Safety first–always!

Tackling home improvement projects and repairs can be endlessly rewarding.

But as most of us know, with the rewards come risks.

The good news is, armed with the right knowledge, tools and procedures, homeowners can minimize risk. As you go about your projects and repairs, stay alert for these hazards:

Aluminum wiring

Aluminum wiring, installed in about 7 million homes between 1965 and 1973, requires special techniques and materials to make safe connections. This wiring is dull gray, not the dull orange characteristic of copper. Hire a licensed electrician certified to work with it. For more information go to cpsc.gov and search for aluminum wiring.

Spontaneous combustion

Rags saturated with oil finishes like Danish oil and linseed oil, and oil-based paints and stains can spontaneously combust if left bunched up. Always dry them outdoors, spread out loosely. When the oil has thoroughly dried, you can safely throw them in the trash.

Vision and hearing protection

Safety glasses or goggles should be worn when-ever you’re working on DIY projects that involve chemicals, dust and anything that could shatter or chip off and hit your eye. Sounds louder than 80 decibels (dB) are considered potentially dangerous. Sound levels from a lawn mower can be 90 dB, and shop tools and chain saws can be 90 to 100 dB.

Lead paint

If your home was built before 1979, it may contain lead paint, which is a serious health hazard, especially for children 6 and under. Take pre-cautions when you scrape or remove it. Contact your public health department for detailed safety information or call (800) 424-LEAD (5323) to receive an information pamphlet. Or visit epa.gov/lead.

Buried utilities

A few days before you dig in your yard, have your underground water, gas and electrical lines marked. Just call 811 or go to call811.com.

Smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms

The risk of dying in reported home structure fires is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms. Test your smoke alarms every month, replace batteries as necessary and replace units that are more than 10 years old. As you make your home more energy-efficient and airtight, existing ducts and chimneys can’t always successfully vent combustion gases, including potentially deadly carbon monoxide (CO). Install a UL-listed CO detector, and test your CO and smoke alarms at the same time.

Five-gallon buckets and window covering cords

From 1996 to 1999, 58 children under age 5 drowned in 5-gallon buckets. Always store them upside down and store ones containing liquid with the covers securely snapped.

According to Parents for Window Blind Safety, 599 children have been seriously injured or killed in the United States since 1986 after becoming entangled in looped window treatment cords. For more information, visit pfwbs.org or cpsc.gov.

Working up high

If you have to get up on your roof to do a repair or installation, always install roof brackets and wear a roof harness.

Asbestos

Texture sprayed on ceilings before 1978, adhesives and tiles for vinyl and asphalt floors before 1980, and vermiculite insulation (with gray granules) all may contain asbestos. Other building materials, made between 1940 and 1980, could also contain asbestos. If you suspect that materials you’re removing or working around contain asbestos, contact your health department or visit epa.gov/asbestos for information.

→ For additional information about home safety, visit mysafehome.org. This site offers helpful information about dozens of home safety issues.

Contents

Chapter 1

Using Tools

Jigsaws

Get the right jigsaw for you

Make relief cuts for sharp turns

Drill access holes

Make a metal sandwich

Cut with the good side down

Cut anything

Protect the work surface

Circular saws

Get the right saw for you

Easy depth adjustment

Accurate marks

Light up the cut

Shoulder the cord

Watch the blade, not the guides

Score a clean cut

Rotary tools

Cut stubborn parts

Vacuum-powered rotary tool

Fix a door that doesn’t latch

Cut holes in tile

Dishwasher rack repair

Dust-sucking rotary tool

Cut stainless steel with a grinding disc

Oscillating tools

From hospitals to job sites

How it works

Cut stubborn parts

Get into tight spots

Remove old caulk

The best way to remove grout

Special oscillating tool blades

Faster flooring prep

Brad nailers

The nails

The basics

Tool weight matters

Use a brad nailer for perfect mitered corners

Chapter 2

DIY Products and Materials

Plywood

Core options

Plywood grades

How veneer is cut

Plywood handling tips

Melamine

8 tips to make your next melamine project a success

Caulk (interior and exterior)

Choose the right caulk

Interior painting

Kitchen and bath

Concrete and masonry

Roofing

Gutters

Concrete

Concrete recipe

Water makes concrete work

Too much water makes it weak

Don’t overwork it

Keep it wet longer to make it stronger

Simple safety

Allow for cracks

Speedy concrete

How to mix bagged concrete

How to estimate a concrete order

Lubricants

Lubrication shop chart

Lubrication tips

Chapter 3

Clean and Restore

Pressure washyour whole house

Selecting the best nozzle

Water-stained brick

Restoring dingy stucco

Bathroom exhaust fan

Car exterior detailing

Car interior detailing

Central air conditioner

Clean the outdoor unit

Clean the indoor unit

Restore wood floors

Chapter 4

How to Paint

How to paint a ceiling

Paint a panel door

Prep and paint trim like a pro

Painting windows

How to use spray paint

8 tips for a neater paint job

Chapter 5

Store and Organize

Tips for a tidy garage

Dustpan caddy

Storage tubes

Double-duty shelf brackets

Garage ceiling track storage

Easy lawn chair storage

Save your lawn products

Up-and-away storage

Ski and pole organizer

Upside-down shelves!

Under-joist shelf

Movable bike rack

Stay-put balls

Simple storage rack

Fishing rod holder

Inexpensive storage cylinders

Hang-it-all hooks

Tidy up your kitchen

Wine glass molding

Cutting board rack

Adjustable spice shelf

Cabinet door message board

Cookware organizer

Measuring cup hang-up

Plastic bag dispenser

Racks for canned goods

Spice drawer

Spice mini-shelf

Quick bathroom helpers

PVC curling iron holsters

Toilet paper shelf

Under-sink organizer

His-and-hers shower shelves

Magnetic toothbrush holder

Tips for tidy closets

Closet glove rack

S-hook hang-up

Two-story closet shelves

Temporary valet rod

Accessory clip-up

Belts & other hang-ups

Closet nook shelves

How to install shelves

Chapter 6

Projects Any DIYer Can Do

Get rid of mice

Prune for healthier bushes

Replace a toilet seat

Remove ceiling texture

Move furniture

Chapter 7

DIY Skills You Can Master

Multipurpose shelves

Super-simple workbench

Easy outdoor bench

Behind-the-door shelves

Knock-apart table

Light-duty table

Chapter 8

DIY Projects Beginners Can Master

A smooth, fast polyurethane finish

Zero cleanup

Refinish furniture without stripping

Iron-on edge banding

Leveling

Poor man’s laser level

Smartphone level

Extend your level

Fix crooked switches and outlets

Get your first row of tile perfectly level

Check old levels before you use them

Fishing wire

Staining wood

Bonus: Advice from the editors

Forget strings and stakes

Easy framing formula

Harness the power of a toenail

11 best quick tips

Throw together a miter saw bench

Memory (or lack thereof) trick

Mark, don’t measure

Take a nip now and then

Best all-purpose hammer

Nail safety

Best way to perfect miters

Buy a trim gun

Jigsaws

Get the right jigsaw for you

Make relief cuts for sharp turns

Drill access holes

Make a metal sandwich

Cut with the good side down

Cut anything

Protect the work surface

Circular saws

Get the right saw for you

Easy depth adjustment

Accurate marks

Light up the cut

Shoulder the cord

Watch the blade, not the guides

Score a clean cut

Rotary tools

Cut stubborn parts

Vacuum-powered rotary tool

Fix a door that doesn’t latch

Cut holes in tile

Dishwasher rack repair

Dust-sucking rotary tool

Cut stainless steel with a grinding disc

Oscillating tools

From hospitals to job sites

How it works

Cut stubborn parts

Get into tight spots

Remove old caulk

The best way to remove grout

Special oscillating tool blades

Faster flooring prep

Brad nailers

The nails

The basics

Tool weight matters

Use a brad nailer for perfect mitered corners

Jigsaws

A jigsaw is an essential power tool for beginning DIYers because it’s less intimidating than its cousin the circular saw and it’s very versatile. Lots of basic projects require nothing more than a drill and a jigsaw. But DIY veterans need a jigsaw too, no matter how many other tools they own.

A jigsaw excels at cutting curves in lumber and sheet goods of every type, but can also be used to make straight cuts. Compared to a circular saw, it’s quieter, lighter and—because the blade moves in a more relaxed up-anddown motion—safer and more user friendly. With the right blade, it can be used to cut metal, plastic pipe and tile.

Things to know:

→ The narrower the blade, the tighter the curve it can cut. The more teeth per inch (TPI), the smoother the cut.

→ When making a cut in the center of a board or panel, drill a 3/4-in. starter hole, insert the blade, and then proceed.

→ For best results, cut slightly outside your cut line. Then you can use a power or hand sander for final shaping.

Get the right jigsaw for you

Some jigsaws have handles; some don’t. Many pros like the no-handle barrel-grip style, because feel they have better control with their hands closer to the action. Folks with smaller hands often complain about the barrel being too large to grab.

pro tips!

→ Pushing as hard as you can on the jigsaw doesn’t necessarily make it cut faster; sometimes the exact opposite is true. And pushing too hard into a curve can cause you to veer off your line, burn the material or break a blade. Ease off on the pressure until the jigsaw cuts smoothly with little vibration.

A blade for every occasion

There are a couple of basic things to know about jigsaw blades: The larger the teeth, the more aggressive and rougher the cut. And the narrower the blade, the tighter the turns it can make.

Match the type of blade with the material you’re cutting—don’t use a wood blade to cut metal. Most manufacturers have taken the guesswork out of blade selection—the description of the blade and what it does is usually written on the blade itself. Buy a combo pack and you’ll be ready for most jobs.

FIBER CEMENT

DOUBLE-SIDED

CERAMIC

FLUSH-CUT

Make relief cuts for sharp turns

There’s a limit on how sharp a curve a jigsaw can cut, and that depends on the blade—the narrower the blade, the sharper the turns it can make. If you try to force the blade into a turn tighter than it’s capable of, you’ll either veer off your line or break the blade.

If you’re not sure about a particular shape, mark it out on a scrap and practice on that. If you have a curve you know is too tight, make relief cuts. The sharper the curve, the more relief cuts you’ll need. And be sure you don’t cut past your line. Play it safe and leave at least a blade’s width of material between the relief cut and your pencil mark.

Drill access holes

If you need to cut out a hole in the center of the work surface, drill a hole slightly bigger than your jigsaw blade in two opposite corners. That way, you can make four neat cuts starting from the two holes.

Make a metal sandwich

Jigsaws are great at cutting sheet metal, but it’s difficult to clamp the material down so the saw blade doesn’t rattle the material up and down instead of cutting through it. One way to solve this problem is to sandwich the metal between two sheets of 1/4-in. plywood. Once the plywood is clamped down, the metal has nowhere to go, so you get a fast, easy, clean cut.

Cut with the good side down

Most jigsaw blades cut on the upstroke, so chips and splinters occur mostly on the top of the wood. If you value one side of a board more than the other, make sure you keep the good side face down, and mark and cut the less important side. You can buy reverse cut or down cut blades that do cut on the downstroke. These blades are used when you want as little tear-out on the top surface as possible. Cutting out a sink hole in a laminate countertop is one common use for reverse-cut blades.

pro tips!

→ Typically, there’s an SPM (strokes per minute) sweet spot where the jigsaw cuts the fastest and cleanest and with the least vibration. Try different speeds by changing pressure on the trigger. Once you find the best speed, set the adjustable speed dial so you can pull the trigger all the way while maintaining the desired SPM.

Cut anything

The main mission of a jigsaw is to cut curves in wood, and it’s easy to overlook its other abilities. Instead of slaving