ductit.softarchive.net_Best.Weekend.Projects.organize.your.closets.pdf

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WAEI<endPROJECTS

S E C T I O N 2

yard garden rojects44 Microrrigation

49 Simple alkwaydeas

50 7 simple tepso a lush,

greenawn

58 Small oothingountain

62 Plantmarkers

64 Stone ath

69 Concretelock etaining all72 Path n a wheelbarrow

f{

4 Practicalroductsor

weekendmprovements

B Tools safety quipment

S E C T I O N 1 :

storage rojects10 Foldingegboardabinet

13 Suspendedxtensionadder

14 Hang-it-alltorage all

20 Super-simpleti l i ty abinets

26 Heavy-bicycleif t

27 7 low-cost torage rojects

30 Maximizeour loset

38 Simple helves

42 Under-sinkhelf

Weekend rojectsspublishedy he Readers igestAssociation,nc. @ 2008 The Reader's igestAssociation,nc.,Pleasantville,Y 10570.All rightsreserved.his olume aynotbe eproducednwholeor in part without written permissionrom thePublisher.eader's igest nd he Pegasusogoareregistered rademarksof The Reader'sDigestAssociation,nc.The FamilyHandymannd HandyHints re egisteredademarks f RDPublications,nc.PRINTEDN THEUNITED TATES FAMERICA

s l F _ c T l o i ' . i l

furni turewoodworkingrojects74 Patio hair

78 Simplestenchn heworld

B0 Leaningowerof shelves

85 Finishingips

90 Stair-steplantdisplay

92 Fast urnitureixes

96 Coat mitten ack

S I C T I C N 4

kitchenbathroom rojects100 Cabinetacelift

I07 Swing-outwastebasket

108 Replace kitchenaucet

LL4 Space-savingabinet

118 0pen helves

I2O Warmbathroomloors

126 Door-mountedpice lid racks

I2B Hand-heldhower ead



HuI' \tE

I^,:

S E C T I O N 5 :

wa l , oor inginter ior rojects130 Rag-rolledalls

I34 Simple tencil ing

L37 Fix hat oose eamna vinyl loor

138 Wallpaperimplif ied

146 Urethanehair ai l

L4B Snap-togetherood loor

I54 Hang ceil ingan

160 Newwallpaperorder

184S E C T I O N 6 :

home are& repairp o ects162 Fast& easy amp ixes

166 Repair ashing achineeaks

I72 Trouble-freeutters

180 Renewourwood ence

184 Energy-savingip s

185 Stop aucet rips

I92 22 money- ndenergy-savingdeas

thatdon't osta dime

b e s t w e e k e n d p r o j e c t s

T H E F A M I L Y H A N D Y M A N

EditornGhief enCollier

Assistantditor ary Flanagan

SeniorEditorsravisLarson,GaryWentz

DesignirectoraraKoehler

Administntiveanagerl ce Garrett

PageayouteresaMarrone

Productionanagerudy Rodriguez

PublisherickStraface

Vice resident,onsumerarketingara Schlanger

Vice resident,etailsalesavidAlgire

T H E R E A D E R ' S I G E S TA S S O C I A T I O N ,N C .

PresidentndChief xecutivefficerMary G. Berner

President,ome Garden, ealth Wellness lyce C. Alston

President,DEurope ndGEO, irectHoldings orldwide ichael A. Brennan

President,D nspiration va Dillon

President,chool Educationalervices chael S. Geltzeiler

President,ood Entertaininguzanne M. Grimes

President,DAsiaPacificPaul Health

President,DAntenctive odi Kahn

President,DGanadaLatin merica ndrea C. Martin

President,orthAmerican onsumer arketing awn M. Z ier

Senior P,GlobalMarketing Publishingmma Lawson

Senior BGlobal uman esourcesodd C. McCarty

Senior BGlobal perationslbert L. Perruzza

Senior BGhiefnfomation fficerJeff rey S, SparVP,Global ommunicationsi am Adler

VB Editor-in-Chief ,nternationalditions Magazineevelopmentrank Lalli

VB GeneralCounselndrea Newborn

VB U.S. ditor-in-Gh ief,eader's igest eggy Northrop

Editorial ndProduction eam:

LucieB. Amundsen, onnaBierbach, teven harbonneau,om Fenenga, oxie

Fi l ipkowski ,effGorton, re t tMartin,PeggyMcDermott, ickMuscoplat, ecky

Pfluger, arySchwender,ricSmith,Bob Ungar, ruceWiebe,MarciaWrightRoepke

Photographynd llustrations:

MikeKriv i t ,DonMannes, amonMoreno, rankRohrbachl l , Eugene hompson,

B i l lZueh lke

Text,photography nd i l lustrations or BestWeekendrojectsre basedon articlespreviously run in lhe FamilyHandyman magazine 2915Commers Dr.,Suite 700,

Eagan,MN 55121,www.fami yhandyman.com )and BackyardLiving magazine

(5400 S. 60th St.,Greendale, l 53129, ww.backyardl iv ing.com).or nformation

on advertising n the abovepublications, al l (212)850-7226.

A NOTE TO OUR READERS: A l l do- i t -yours e l fc t i v i t i esnvo lve deg ree f

risk. Skil ls,materials,oolsand site conditions arywidely.Although he editorshave

madeeveryeffortto ensure ccuracy,he reader emains esponsibleor the selection

and useof tools,materials nd methods. lways bey ocalcodesand aws, ol low

manufacturer nstructions nd observe afetyprecautions.



Subscrie odayo

Inour companion -flewsletter

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thefam yha dyma .comenter oure-maiL ddress t he opofthe page ndcl ick he arrowbut ton.That 's [ [ here s o i t

You'[[ et:

O Links o greatDIY rtictes

O Lotsmorehints& tips

O Sneak reviews f upcomingssues

O Correctionsndclarifications

O Seasonaleminders ndmore



tsrlfl

foroductstrnprovel

PractlcalweekendAmazingoldingadderEveryonewho sees his ladder is impressed.Open, it's a

solid and stable stepladder.Folded, it's tiny enough to

tuck away n a corner of the hall closet.

The Super Fold 3-Step rom Cosco (model II-670

AGOl) is an engineeringmarvel with a 250-1b.oad

rating. Unfolding the ladder is simple. A gentle tug on

the handlesopens the frame. A light pull on the frame

and the Super Fold starts to look like a ladder. Down-ward pressureon the rungs snaps supports into place,

and you're ready to climb to new heights.The top rung

getsyou29-Il2 in.offthe floor.

Folding the ladder is just as easy.Tug on the release

straps o collapsehe rungsand supports.Squeezethe

frame closed.Wrap and hook the binding strap, and

tuck it away or another day.

The Super Fold costs 75. I t 's avai lableat

Costco and Meijers stores, hrough QVC and at

amazon.com.

CoscoHomeandOfficeProducts,888)818-5110.

4



Wrap-anythingepair olDrainpipedrippin'?Radiatorhosewrecked?

Gardenhosegushin'?X-Tieme Thpe,$6.50,

may be the solution for wrappingup your

problems. t 's a sil icone-basedepair ap e

that stretchesike crazy,conforms o almost

any shapeand fuseso itself. t remains lexi-

ble down to -60 degrees ,and doesn'tmelt

until it hits SOO egrees .Use t to fix any-thing from drainpipes o mufflers.

X-TiemeTape itemNo.96825)begins o

bond as soon as t's wrappedover tself. t

fusespermanently after24 hours. This is a

great product to keep n your toolbox for

those emergency epairs hat sneakup on

you when you least expect t. It's available

from Duluth TiadingCo.

Duluth radingCo., 800) 05-8888.www.duuthtradng.com

A tool basketoryour adderWhenyou're about to climb a stepladder,o you usually

stuff your pocketswith the tools du jour?A paintbrush

in this pocket,a rag n that one, a scraper n that one.

Unfortunately,he can of paint and he caulk gun won't

fit in apocket, oyou have o struggle p the adderwith

them n hand.Onceon the adder, ou're onstantly atting

down your pocketso find the oolof the moment.Argh

If this is a painful reminder of the last t ime yo u

worked on a stepladder, onsidergettinga LadderManc

caddy ($:01.This handy ittle basket s a greatway to

organizeyour stuff, get it to the worksite and keep t

organizedwhile you'reworking on the adder

The basket s 10x 16 n. Fill it with whatever ou'll

needon the ob and off you go.Onceyou'reon the

stepladder,ou can oop eitherbasket andleover he

top of the ladder,giving you a handy spot to store

materialsand tools. The LadderMaxxeven has a

built-in cord retainer. f you're working with a

power too l , t he ex tens ion ord can be looped

through the retainerso hat theLadderMaror arries he

weightof the dangling ord.

Finda retailernearyouby contacting he company.

BeeSafetyWise: 800) 55-6299.ww.laddermaxx.com

p r a c t i c a l p r o d u c t s f o r w e e k e n d m p r o v e m e n t s



Twoways o fix squea[y loors

1. From-down-underixIf you can get at the squeaky floor from underneath

(usually an unfinished basement or crawlspace),he

Squeak-Relief it isonewayto go.Have someonespring

up and down to activate the squeak while you prowl

around downstairs ready to home in on the rascal. t'll

most likely be a nail rubbing on a subfloor that wasn'tglued down to the joist. The gap s what allows the sub-

floor to move independently of the framing. Using the

specialnail that's included in the kit, tack the bracket to

the side of the joist with the top against he bottom of

the subfloor.Then run the long screw nto the joist and

the short screw nto the subfloor. Simple,elegant,effec-

tive and fast. Order apackageof four (item No. 105064)

for about 15.

lmprovementsMailOrderCatalog,800)642-2112.www.improvementscatalog.com

2. From-the-topixIf you can't get at a floor squeak rom underneath,

another good solution is the SqueeeeekNo More kit

(item No. 110189)designed o send a s nap-off screw

right through the carpet-without unraveling thefibers.

Thekit comeswith a screwdesigned o help you find the

joist under the squeak.Then you run a specially scored

screw through the middle of the depth-control jig,

which stops the screw at the right distance from the

floor. Usea recess n one of the wings on thejig to snap

off the screw ust below the floor surface.For 30,you

get the jig, the joist-finding screw and 50 of the scored

screws, nough o fix all the floors in ahaunted mansion.

lmprovementsMailOrderCatalog,800)642-2112.www. mprovementscatalog.com



lmagine having more than

650 do-it-yourself projects,

repairs nd echniquearticlesat yourfingertips.

At thefamilyhandyman.com ou can

search our rich archive of stories.

You'll find everything

from bookcaseplans

to appliance epair,

kitchen and bath

remodeling o

lawn and garden

projects. Each

article offers expert advice,

complete information and step-by-

step how-to photos.

BONUS ARTICLESDiscover n-depth coverageof

topics like

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" kitchen and bath remodeling

energy efficiency

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YourOnline ource or do-it-yourselfrojects,ips andmore

Editor 'sPicks:Retainingwall construslion, nsectsolutions and mowsrmalntgnance.

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Your online sourcefordo-it-yourself projects, ips and more

;*t::;;.,, , Thc FanrlhHendymanMartazlne r, '-.'#R

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24" LEVEL

16-oz.hammer.Nimbleenough o drivea small inishnailandstoutenough or a 16-penny inker, hesemidsize ammershavea curvedclaw or nailpullingor rip/straight aw for prying.

Pry bar. Great or dismantlingraming, ullingnails, emovingtrimand moldings, nd for demolition ork.

Multi-headscrewdriver. This self-contained it typically ea-tures#1 and#2 Phillipsips,plussmalland midsize tandardslotted r square-driveips.Non-contact voltage tester. Guesswork s not recommendedwhenworkingon electrical epairs r improvements. non-contactvoltage esterdetects ivecurrent n a wire or cable.25-ft. ape measure.A 25-ft. ape measure s light andcom-pact or small-scale orkand stillstretches nough o handlebigger hores, uch as framing.Cordlessdrill. A middleweight 2-voltmodelwillhandlemostdrillingand screwdrivingasks.Get a kit with two batterypacksanda one-hour harger; dd a goodset of drilland driverbits.

CIRCULARSAW

Angle square.Use his versatileool or ayout r cutlinemarking,o checkcorners or squareor to findand markangles rom zero to 90'. lt's great or rafter ayout.Circufarsaw. Get a modelwilhT-1/4-in.-bladeiameterwitha ball-bearing otor atedat 12 amps minimum. ubstitutingspecialtybladesallowsyou to cut plastics,a varietyof metalsand concrete.

Adjustablewrench.A 10-in. 25-cm)model s a goodall-aroundsize;buy a smallerone as a spareand because ou

oftenuse hem n pairs.

24-in.level.This midsize evel s compactenough or aligningpictures, et big enough o plumba fencepostor levela heftydeckbeam.

Utility knife. Use o cut vinyl looring, oofing hingles,builder'seltandotherbuildingmaterials.

Chalk line. Use a chalk ine o snapstraight uidelinesorcuttingplywood,nstalling hingles r establishingile ayouton a floor.Locking ersions oubleas plumbbobs.

The ndispensableozenTiue do-it-yourselfersknow you can

neverhave oo many ools,but if you

were stranded on the proverbial

deserted sland (with an electrical

ou t le t and a house tha t needs

remodeling ) and had to pick your

best 12, here'sa mix that would betough to beat. Opinions vary, but

these ools rank as must-have tems

in evena modest toolbox, and they'll

allow you to tackle a wide array of.

projects. f we had to add a 13th, t

would surelybe hebasicpliers.

Safety safety quipmentwhatever tools you might assemble motor skillsare mpaired by medica-

for a project, the list should start tion, alcoholor othersubstances.

with items that help keep you safe Equally important, don't think

and healthy. tem one?Your brain. only in terms of acute injuries or

Tiust its intuition when a taskseems accidents.Cumulative health risks

inherently dangerousor too difficult often pose greater hazards to your

to tackle alone. Don't work in sight,hearingand respiratory unc-

adverseconditions that can make a tions, so takepreventivemeasureso

routine job dangerous,and never protectyourself.

work with tools f your judgment or

Respiratory protection. Fine sawdust,drywalldust,insulationibersand vapors rom solventsor adhesivesall pose respiratory isks.To avoidbreathinghese andotherairborne ontaminants, eara dust maskor arespirator,epending n the task at hand.Moldable orm-

;' fittingmasksare better han the single-layer isposables.Use a respiratorwith cartridge ilters or fumes.

Hearing protection.

lrreversibleearingloss rom exposure oloud noise s decep-

tivelygradual,oftengoingundetected ntil 1 r \it'S OOate.You can FOAMARPLUGS

prevent his by takingsimpleprecautions

in the formof disposableoamearplugs,reusable ubberearplugs tethered airs

stay ntact onger)or earmutfs.

Eye protection. A ricochet-ing nailor a splashof harsh

solvent an permanently

damage an eye beforeyouI havetime to react.Safety

glasses r goggleshelppro-

tectyou fromtheseandother needless njuries. he best have mpact-resistantpolycarbonateensesand wraparoundside shields o prevent ndirect mpact.

w

8





Foldlngegboardcablnel

Organize our oolsandworkshopwith this clever abinet.

andback of each or tools.About 4 in. of space eparate

eachpanel,leaving 2-in. depth or toolsplaceddirectlyn egboard s a great way to organize ools. It dis-

- plays hem in clearview so they'reeasy o grabl ^I and, ust as mportant,easy o put away.This

cabinet as he hangingspace f almostan entire4 x 8 ft.

sheet f pegboard, et packs t into a compact24x32 in.

package. Wooverlapping oorsopen,utilizing he ront

across rom eachother. f you

place at tools across rom skinny

ones,you can ut i l izethe space

evenbetter.

project taglance

skill evel

intermediate

specialtools

clamps

dr i l l

circularaw

approximateost

ll0

. . . t , r . . :l7 r



f igurecabinet etai ls

Materials,ostand oolsThis cabinet costs$110to build.

The knot-free poplar boards drive

up theprice,but the straight,stable

wood allows the doors to fit well,

minimizes twisting, and keeps he

cabinet square. n addition to the

materials listed at right, we pur-

chased our eye screws and2 ft. of

small chain to hold the doorsopen.

All the supplies are available at a

home center or lumberyard.

You don't need any special ools

to build this cabinet, but apair of

1- f t . c lamps are helpfu l when

you're attaching the hinges.

Cutaccuratelyortight-fittingoorsCut the 4 x 8-ft. pegboardsheet

lengthwise into two pieces,one

24 in. wide and the other 23 in.

wide. Then cut the two pieces nto

3l-ll2-in lengths.You must cut

the pegboard panels accurately

for the doors to fit evenly. Care-

fully measure and use a straight-

edge to guide your circular saw

cuts. Some lumberyards will cut

the sheets o size oryou.Askthem

to beprecise.

Then assemble he pegboard

panels (Photo 1), following th e

pattern shown in Figure A. You

don't have to make fancy joints.

Cut and screw on the 1x2 side

spacers irst, then measureand cut

the 1x2 ends to fit between them.

You'll have one 23 in. pegboard

panel left over to hang on the wall

for items that wonit fit in the cabinet.

Substitute one half of the cleat

for the top 1x2 on the back panel

(Photo 3 and FigureA). Watch the

angle.Orient it so t hooks onto the

other half you screw to the wall

(Photo5).

fx6 cleat,and 1x6,1x8-measure

around panels.

hinge

srlonails

panels

l istof 114 egboard

1x2poplar

of 1x6poplar

Tx8poplar

H8{.1/2g1-112',

r

Tlp Punch star terole i thI na i l or the p ianoh inge

screws o keep them centered.

11

1x6 {

24 x31-112PEGBOARD

\

23 x31-112PEGBOARDANELS

(CENTEREDIN FRAME}

1x6 FMME

24 x31-112PEGBOARD

PANELS

f o l d i n g p e g b o a r d c a b i n e t



lCut the pegboard o the sizes

I shownon FigureA with a circularsawguidedby a straightedge. utthe 1x2s o lengthand asten hepegboard o themwith f -in. screwsspacedevery 8 in.

/l Cutthe pianohinge o lengthwith a hacksaw nd-t

screw t on with the screws n the hingepackage.

Supportand clamp he hingesides n position o simplifyhingeaftachment. lose he doorsand attach he hasp.

Wrap hepanelso form hecabinet nddoorsThe framesfor the three panelsareall slightly different.

The back panel frame consistsof three 1x6s and a 1x8;

the middle panel has four 1x2s;and the front has four

1x6s(Figure A). Thesedifferencesallow them to hinge

together.

Measure the lengths and nail on the frames. Make

sure to run a bead of carpenter sglue along the panel

edgesand at the corner oints to make hem stronger.

Clamp the piano hinge to a firm surface,and cut it to

length with a hacksaw about 32-518n.). Set the top,

bottom, and middle screws o align the hinge, then fill in

the remainingholes Photo4).

) Cutthe x6 mounting leat nL hall at a 5-degree ngle.For

safetybeforecutting, screw t to afirm work surfacewith one edgeoverhanging in. Useonehalf of themounting leat n placeof the top1x2on the backpegboard anel.

Q tteasureandcut the 1x6 rame

r.J boards o fit aroundeachpanel.

Glueandnailthe op and bottomfirst, hen he sides, o the 1x2spbc-erswith 2-in. 6d) inishnails spacedevery8 in. Fasten he frame boardcornerswith two nails andglue.

Predrillall holeswith a 3/32-in. rillbit to avoidsplitting he wood.

f, Position he otherhalf of the mounting leatabout\r, 40 n. above he work surfaceand asten t to the wall

studswith four 3-in.screws.Hang he cabinetanddrivetwo 3-in.screws hrough he bottom1x2 nto hewall

studs for extra strength.

A hasp will hold the doors closed.We used a chest-

style one that pulls the doors tight togetherand has a slot

for a ock.

Hangt on hewallThe mounting cleat is an easyway to hang this heavy

cabinet. If you re mounting it over a workbench, hang it

at east 16 n. above he work surfacesoyou can open the

doorswithout disturbing the project you reworking on.

To hold the doors open when working, we installed

eyehooks on the bottom of eachdoor and on the wall. A

short chain with small S-hooksholds the doors open.

12 weekends to ragep ro j ec ts



Suspenextenslladder

I t's alwaysmost convenient o hang an extension ad-T

Ider on brackets on a wall. But unfortunately that

I wipes out all other storagepotential for that wall. To

save hat valuable wall space,we designed a pair of 2x4

suspendedbracketso aladdercan ffi;

be stored lat along he ceiling.

Simply slide one end of the

ladder into one bracket, then lift

and slide the other end into the

other bracket. Most people will

need to s tand on someth ing

solid to reach he secondbracket.

The 2x4 bracket sides are 16 in.

long w i th 5 - in . corner b racescost

lag-screwed nto the top for

attachment to the ceil ing joist

f igU e a ladderupport etai l

{-2x4 x 16',

FLATLOCK WASHER

5 CORNERBRACE

112 x24THREADEDSTEELROD

Build two identical brackets,

then screw them both to ceiling

ioists with 1/4 x 2-in. lag screws.Space the brackets so the ladder

will extend at least 1 ft. beyond

the end of each one.

(FigureA) .

Thebracketbases a 1/2-in.x24-rn.threadedsteel od

($Z.ZS7hat extends hrough 5/8-in. drilled holes on the

bracketsides. t's held n placewith flat/lockwashersand a

nut on each ideof both 2x4 uprights.A 31 -tn.x 18-in. ong

pieceof PVC conduit pipe surrounds he rod for smooth

rolling action when you slide he adder n andout.

\sUT WASHER

t

glance

3/4 x 18PVCCONDUIT

PIPEFITSOVERROD

s u s o e n d e d e x t e n s i o n a d d e r 13



Hang-t-astoapwaOrganizeourgarage itha handsomeeasy-to-buildsto age ystemhat'l lholda l that garagelutter.

he wall space n your garages way too valuablejust o hang akes, ikesand garden oses t ran-

dom on nails,hooks or shelves. o makeevery

hard-to-hold tems ike bikes or wheelbarrows. estofa l l , everyth inghangs rom sturdy ra i ls ,so you can

rearrangehe wall in minuteswithout any tools.Some

store-boughtsystems rovide the sameversatility, ut

they can cost two or even hree times as much as this

squarench of t hat wallspacework f or you, wedesigned

this wall storage ystem.

Our system s madeentirely rom plywood and stan-

dardhardware.t'seasy o build and easy o custom ze o

suit your needs.You can nstall it to fill any sizewall or

coveronly part of a wall. You can hang shelves, ins or

hooks and arrange hem to makeefficient useof wall

space.With special tore-bought angers, oucan hang

homemade ystem.

The only power tools you' l l

needarea circularsawanda drill.

Other tools-a tablesaw, outer,

miter saw and brad nailer-will

save ou time, but aren'tneces-

proiect taglance

skill evel

intermediate

specialools

circularaw

dri l l

routeroptional)

approximateost

400or

8 x 20-ft.wall

system



sary.All the materialsyou'll need are availableat home

centers. he total materialsbill for our 8 x2}-ft.wall sys-

tem and accessoriesasabout $400. f you don't expect

to hang anything rom the ower half of thewall, you can

cut time and expensesy coveringonly the upper half.If

you completelycover a large wall aswe did, expect o

spendaweekend uilding the system nd another inish-

ing it and assembling helves nd hooks.

Cover hewallwithplywoodYoucould nail and glue herailsdirectly o barestudsor

drywall,but we chose o coverour wall with 1/4-in.ply-

wood, for three reasons:Fi rst , the b i rch plywood

matches he rails and gives he whole systema rich, fin-

ishedappearance.econd, lywoodwon't scratch, ouge

or dent as easilyas drywall, and third, you can quickly

clean t with a damp cloth.

The sheets f plywoodshouldmeet at studs, o start

by locat ing studs wi th a stud f inder. Chancesare,

you' l l have o

cut the f i rs t

shee t eng t h -

w i se so t he

edge a l i gns

w i t h a s t ud ' s

center . Then

you can use ull

sheets un t i lyou reach he

end of the wall

and cu t t he

f inal sheet o

fit. Yourcutsdon't have o beperfectand he sheets on't

have o fit tightly into corners becauseou'll cover he

edges ith trim later seePhoto2) .

If you're installing the plywood over drywall aswe

did, run a bead of construction adhesivearound the

edgesof eachsheetand cover he middle with a zigzag

Hooks and

shelves slip

onto plywood

rails,so you

can move them

anywhereinstantly.

materialsistAllthe toolsandmaterialsor thisproject reavail-ableat home centers.Here'swhat t took o build our8 x 20-ft . all system,ncluding 2shelves nd 16mountingplates.Theariousbrackets nd hooksaren't ncluded-choosehose o suityour needs.

ITEM

4'x 8' 1/4 plywood wallcovering, ails)

4' x 8' 3/4 plywood rails, helves,mountingplates)

Tubesof construction dhesive

(fastening /4 plywoodand rails)Woodglue assemblingails,mountingplates)

3/4 aluminum ngle, /8 hick(shelf leats)

2 aluminum lat stock,1/8 hick(mountingplatecleats)

1-5/8 anelingnails fastening1/4 plywood)

314 rad nails assemblingails)

16d inish nails fasteningailsto studs)

No. I x 3/4 aper-head crews

(fastening leats o shelves)

1-114 rywall screws fasteningcleats o mountingplates)

No. 8 x 3/4 pan-head crewstfasteningshelf brackets)

Water-based olyu etha e (coati gwall, rails,shelves nd mountingplates)

ofl

7

4

6

12 ozs.

8 '

8 '

1 t b .

4 ozs.

1 tb .

1 0 0

1 t b .

1 0 0

1 g a l .

h a n g - i t - a l l s t o r a g e w a l l 15



'lCover hewall with 1/4-in. lywood.Spread onstruc-

I tion adhesive n eachsheet, hen nail hem o studs.Markstud ocationswith masking ape.

pattern(Photo 1).Useat easthalf a tube of adhesive er

sheet. f you're fastening plywood to bare studs, apply a

heavy bead of adhesive o eachstud. Nail the sheet to

studs with 1-5l8 in.paneling nails to secure he plywooduntil the adhesivedries.

Frame the plywood-covered wall with strips of

314-in.plywood (Photo 2). Make the strips using the

same echniquesused o make he rails (seePhotos3 and

a). Rip 3|4-in.plywood into L-ll2 in. wide strips,cham-

fer one edgewith a router and nail them into placewith

16d inish nails.

) framethe wallwith 1-112n.widestrips of 3/4-in. ly-4- wood.At corners,nailthe strips lat againstadjoiningwalls.Then un strips across he top and bottom.

13 rails from a sheetof 314-in.plywood; 18strips from

a sheet of Il4-in plywood. We made twenty-three

8-ft. ong rails or our 8x 20-ft. wall.

The chamferson the railsare optional (Photoa). Thetwo on the faceof the rail arepurely decorative.The one

on the back lets the aluminum cleats slip over the rail

more easily. nstead of chamfering the edge,you can

simply round it slightlywith sandpaper.For appearance,

we also chamfered our shelvesand hook mounting

plates.A carbide chamferbit costs$20.

Fasten l|-in. strips to each rail (Photo 5). To save

time, finish the rails before you install them. We used

water-basedpolyurethane. But don t coat the back side;

construction adhesivewill grip bare wood better than

sealedwood.

Useglueandnails or rock-solidailsAttach rails with two beadsof construction adhesiveand

a 16d inish nail driven at eachstud (Photo6). Cut rails

so that the endsmeetat stud centers.For better appear-

ance and strength, avoid putting rail joints at plywood

seams.

Use a level to make sure the lowest course of rails is

straight and level. Then use apair of spacerblocks to

position the restof the ra ils. Youcan space he rails how-

ever you like. The closer you position them, the more

flexibilityyou'll havewhen hanging shelves r hooks. We

began with a 10-in. spacebetween he bottom strip of

trim and the lowest rail, then spaced he rest of the rails

6 in. apart.When all the rails are n place, inish the entire

wall with a coat of polyurethane.

, r,

I

Combinehickand hinplywoodto make ailsBegin rail construction

by cutting strips of ll4-

in. and 314-in.plywood.

If you don t have a table

saw,make a simple rip-

p ing guide to ensure

straightcuts.Cuta3-518n.

spacerblock to position

the ripping guide (Photo

3). If you makethe guide

from Ll2-in. plywood,

you can rip two sheetsof

314-in.plyrorood t once.

Cut a 2-518 n. block to

position the guide when

cutting the 1/4-in. ply-

wood strips. You'l l get

/ \314" 114"

PLYWOOD PLYWOOD

15 weekends to rage p ro je c ts



Q Positionyour ripping guide using a spacer block and

rJ cfamp it into place.Then cut the 3-112n. wide ply-

wood ra ils. Cut two shee ts at once to speed up the job.

Mass-produceanger leats romaluminum tockThe cleats hat hook onto therails aremade rom 1/8-in.

thick aluminum stock that's available n 2- to 8-ft.lengths.Use3/4-in.x3l4-in. angle or shelves nd 2-in.

wide flat stock for mounting plates(seePhotos 9 and

11). Cutting and drilling aluminum is fast and easy.Cut

the aluminumwith a metal-cuttingblade$10;Photo 7).

We cut all our cleats4 in. long, but you can vary the

length to suit your needs.Drill 3ll6-in. screwholes and

3/8-in. recesses ith standarddrill bits (Photo 8). Wear

eyeprotectionwhen cutting anddrilling aluminum.

1l Cutthree 4S-degreechamfers

- 118 n. deep on each rail using

a router and chamfer bit.

Plywood ountingplatesetyouhangjustabout nything

Mounting platesare ust piecesof plywood that hold

hooks, bins, drawers

or anything else hat

you'd want to mount on a

wal l . Cut 4-l l2 x 4-Ll2-in.

plates for small

hooks. Glue and

nail a l-ll2 in.

HANGERSTRIP

MOUNTINGPLATE

ALUMINUMCLEAT

Usesmallmountingplates o hold varioustypes of hooks.

3/4 PLYWOOD

Make plywood shelves of

any size using aluminumangle (cleats) and brackets.

-.,.*df

4 .--r*IIHangingptions

Trlrt*

Use argemountingplates osupportdrawersandbins.

h a n g - i t - a l l t o r a g ew a l l 1 7



f, elue 2-1t2ln.wide tripsof 1/4-in. tywoodo ther,f backof each rail,even with the non-chamfered dge.Tack he strip into placewith a pair of 3t4-in.bradsevery12 n.

fi SpreaOwo beadsof adhesive n each ailandnail .

\,f them o studswith16d inishnails.Startat thebottomandworkup.

JCutaluminum ngleand tat

I stock nto4-in. ongsections.Roundoff the razor-sharp dgesofeachcut witha file or sandpaper.

QOrittthree

3/16-in. crew holes\J in angled cleats and two in flatcleats.Then drill a shallow screw-head recess with a 3/8-in. bit.

Q Screwcleats o theshetfaboutJ 114n. rom he ends.Useastraightedgeo position he cleatsflushandparallelwith he backedgeof theshelf.

Make dozen turdy helvesinanhourThe shelvesare made from aluminum angle cleats,

3|4-in.plywood andbrackets hat areavailable n arange

of sizes $t to $2 each).We madeshelves ,12 and15 n.

deepand 24n.long. Youcould make yours onger than

that, but remember that long shelvesare lessversatile

than short ones.To keep shelves rom sagging,place

bracketsno more than 30 in. apart.We chamfered hree

sidesof eachshelf with a router and coated them with

water-basedpolyurethane before adding cleatsand

brackets Photos9 and 10).

wide plywood hangerstrip acrosshe back of eachplate.

Coat the plates with polyurethane. When the finish is

dry position the aluminum cleatsabout Il4in.from the

upper edgeof thehangerstrip and fasten t with L I I4 n.

drywall screws Photo 11). Finally,screwhooks to the

plates(Photo 12).We alsomade larger mounting plates

for bins, drawer units and abicycleholder.Don't hang platesor shelveson the rails until the

polyurethane hasdried for at \east2fhours. Otherwise,

the fresh polyurethanecan glue parts together.

18 weekends to rage p ro je c ts



1 n Position shelf brackets with a

I \,, 314-in. lywood spacer block.

Add a strip of duct tape to slightly

widen the space so the cleat slips

easily onto rails.

-l 'lClue a hanger strip to the

I I mounting plate.Thenadd a

strip of duct tape and screw on the

cleat 114 n. from the top edge.

1 A UseplywoodscrapsandyourI-T imaginationo buildcustomracks or hard-to-storetems.

1 a Predrill nd screwhooksnearLLthe top of theplatewhere heycan penetrate wo layersof plywood.

twhere hey would be out of the way.

That out-of-reach pace s the bestplace or stuff you don't use often

and a good spot for child hazards

l ike awnchemicals.

1 ? Slip he cleats ver he railsI\,, andpushdown o anchor heshelves nd mounting lates.

Customacks,oo ewhooksanda missedpportunityOne of the thingswe like most about his storagesystem s its adaptabil i ty.With a l i t t le ingenuity, ou can make

specialholders or all those oddball tems hat don't f i t conveniently n shelvesor store-bought ooks Photo14). But

beforeyou make a custom holder, isit a h ome center.We spent a coupleof hoursbuildinga bike rack only to f ind a

better one at a hardwarestore for 7.

We also wasted i me on the storage ystemproject becausewe made oo few mountingplates or hooks.Assembling

f ive or six extraswould have aken ust a few minutes. nstead,we had to drag out our tools and run through he whole

processa second ime.

But here'sour biggestmistake:Like most garages, his one has oo few electr icaloutlets.We could havehacked

holes n the drywall o easily un new electr ical ines.No need o patch up the wall, since t was about o be covered

with plywoodanyway.Unfortunately,his occurred o us ust as we nailed he last rail into place.

h a n g - i t - a l l s t o r a g e w a l l 19



Super-slrnpleutlllty ablnetsYoucan knockanyof thesecabinetsogethern acouple f hoursand have hat garage lutter uckedawayby dinnertime

uild'em and fill'em.

We designed hesesturdy

cabinets or simple assembly. ou ust glue and

screwplywood together to make the basic box,

then add apremadedoot actually an inexpensivebifold

door panel. Sincebifolds are readily available n several

styles, ncluding louvered and paneled,you can make a

wide range of practical yet handsome cabinets,withoutthe time and hassle f making the doors.

Webuilt a setof five cabinets n different sizes o show

you how versatile his design s.You can make them big

and deep to storeclothing and sportsgear;shallow and

tall for shovels, akes,skis or fishing rods;or shallow and

short to mount on walls for tools, paint cansand other

small items. You can even mount them on wheels and

roll your tools right to the job. The only limitation isthe

sizeof standard bifold doors.

In this article, we'lldemonstrate how to build one of

the smallerhangingwallcabinets.You anbuild the othersusing the same echniquesand the Cutting Listsonp.22.

You don't need advanced skills or special tools to

build this entire set of cabinets.However,you do have o

cut a lot of plywood accurately.A table saw helps here,

but a circular sawwith aguideworks fine too.Add a drill

or two, a couple of clamps and

some careful advanceplanning,

andyou'reset.

Buyinghe bifoldsandplywood

When planning your cabinets,begin by choosing he bifold door

and build the restof the cabinet o

match its dimensions. Standard

bifolds are 79 in. high and avail-

able in 24-in.,30-in., 32-in. and

36-in. widths. Keep in mind that

you get two doors for each of

these widths, each approximately

L2,15,16 r 18 n. wide.Your ab -

inet can be anyof the single-door

widths or any of the double-door widths. Youcan alsocut the doors down to make shorter cabinets, as we

demonstratehere.Make them any depthyou choose.

Bifolds come in severalsrylesand wood species.We

chose ouveredpine doors ($S0 or 30-in. wide) and

birch plywood ($40 per sheet) for a handsome, natural

look. All the materials for our cabinet, ncluding

hardware, cost about $70. The five cabinetscost

$320.You can cut that cost considerablyby using

lessexpensiveplywood, bifolds and hinges.

You can alsosaveby using plywood efficiently.

Onceyou decideon the door sizes,layout all the

cabinet pieceson a scaledrawing of a 4 x 8-ft.

sheet of plywood (graph paper helps). You can

evenadjust he cabinet depths a bit toachievebest

use.We built the five cabinets shown from four

sheetsof 314-in plywood and two sheetsof

Il4-in.plywood for the backs.

costper

20 we e ke n d s to r a g e p r o j e c ts



,. t

I t---'da fl

rt\

ffi$,rfi::: ' t

Je.;-- ,': l: '

rIWffiMilJWrffiWNtilrtilHruffiiffiruilil

w '',.Itffil- '''ttffi-.,::ffiui i'ft.au''r,q,fl,,,',ffiffii



€-F

FE

= STACKEDSHETVES

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FINISHWASHER

'lUarf the door lengthand clamp a straightedge o the

I door to guide your saw. Cut the other cabinet pieces

using the straightedgeas well.

The partial wrap-around hingeswe usedmay not

be availableat home centersor hardwarestores.How-

ever,woodworkingstorescarry hem; seep. 25.If you

don't mind exposedhinges,simply use bifold hinges,

whichcost ess han$1 eachat home centers.

Cutout all hepartsBeginby cutting hebifold doors o size Photo1).This

will determine heexactcabinetheight.Be sure o usea

guide and a sharpblade or a straight, risp cut. Center

the cut on the dividing rail. Be preparedor the saw o

bump up and down slightly as t crosses ach tile(Photo

1). Then trim eachnewly createddoor so that the top

andbottom railsare he samewidth.

Some bifold door manufacturersuse only a single

dowel to attach each rail to the stile. If this is the case

with your doors, you may find that one of your rails

(afterbeingcut n half) is no longerattachedo thedoor.

Don't panic.Dab a little glueon each ail and stile and

clamp them back ogether.After 20minutes or so,you'll

be back n business.

Then cut theplywoodto sizeusing a guide o keepall

the cuts straight and square. f the plywood splintersa

bit, score he cutting ine first with a utility knife.

tsheets f plywood. ora nominal ee,you can have hem

r ip a l l o f your plywood o properwidths, You ' l l u t the

pieces o length ater . )Youhave o p lanyour cab inet

dep t hs n advance , u t t ' squ i cke r han i pp ing he p ly -

woodyoursel f nd makeshaul ing t homea lot easier .

)Predrill screw holes through the sides 3/ 8 in. from the

(- ends. Drive 1-5/8 n. screws wlth finlsh washersthrough the sides into the top and b ottom. Stack extrashelves in the corners to keep he box square.

cuttingistsfor cabinet styles shown on p. 23

Storage locker

Door:One 11-314 79 (halfof a 24 bifold)*

Sides:Two 14 11-114 79

Top,bottom,shelf:Three 14 11-114 1Q-114

Cfeats:Two 14 3 x 10-1/4

Front cleat: 314 3 x 10-114

Back:One 114 11-314 79

Gloset on wheelsDoors:Two 5-314' 79 (32 bifold)*

Sides:Two 14 22-112 79

Top,bottom, shelf:Three314 22-112x 30-1/8

Gleats:Three 14 3 x 30-1/8

Back:One 114 31-518 79

Gasters:Four 3

Paneled wall cabinetDoors:Two 4-314 32- 114 30 bifold)*

Sides:Two314 11-114 32-114

Top.bottom, shelves:Four3/4 x 11-114 28-118

Cfeats:Two 14 3 x28-118

Back:One 114 29-518 32-114

Narrow floor cabinetDoor:One 11-314 79 (halfof a 24 bifold)x

$ides:Two314 11-114 79

Top,bottom, shelves:Nine3/4 x 11-114 10-114

Cfeats:Two 14 3 x 10-1/4

Back:One 114 11-3/4 79

*Exactdoor sizes ary.Measure our doors beforedeciding abinet imensions.

22 w e e k e n d s t o r a g e p r o j e c t s



Ventilatedallcabinet{

roP c)

' ' - T

I*--lI'tI

'a

\T

\

StorageockerCompact storage for

long items like skis, fish-

ing rods, ong-handled

tools; either on floor or

wall-hung;12-in.wide

door and one fixed shelf.

ClosetnwheelsLarge storage capacity(about32 in. wide an d22-112n. deep);fixed

shelf; closet rod; 3-in.

swivel casters ($6 eacn;.

cutt ing

PaneledallcabinetShorter version of cabi-net above; made from

the paneledportion ofpartial ouvered doors;

one adjustableshelf.

A - Two 14-31443-314 oors

(30 i fo ld) *B - Two 314 11-114

x 43-314 ides

G- Two 314 11-114x 28-1/8 op andbottom

D - Three314 11-114x 28-118 helves

E - T w o 3 / 4 x 3 ' x28-118'hangingcleats

F - One114 29-518x 43-314 ack

*Exactdoorsizesvary.Measure ou rdoorsbefore ecid-ing exact abinetdimensions.

DOOR

{BfFOLDcuT oFF)

(Al

Other Cabinet optiOns (cutt insists nd imensionsnp.22)

-l-|

I il,ililil'ilil:ilil

il::JI

:I

l ltl

HINGEFl:F-

ti6'1I

*io=

Narrowloor rwall abinetShelf version of storage

locker left); topan d

bottom shelves ixed;

intermediateshelves

mounted on adjustable

shelf standards($2 each).

s r r n c r - s i m n l c r r t i l i t v c a b i n e t sv P e ' r ' 23



Q Predrill, ctamp and screw the

r-l fixed shelf to the sides. Useadjustable shelves as a guide tospace it and keep it square.

1l elue and clamp hanging cleats-Tto

the top and bottom. Predrilland drive screws through the top,bottom and sides into the cleats.

f, SpreaOa bead of gtue on alt back

rrf edges.Then align the plywood

back with t he top and nail with f -in.

brads. Align the other sides and nailin the order shown.

BRAD POINTDRILTBIT

AssembleheboxAssemble he box facedown on a flat surface.The garagefloor works well for this step.

Mark and predrill screwholes through the sides or

the top and bottom pieces Photo 2).If you'vegot two

drills, this is the time for them both. Use one for drilling

holesand the other for driving screws.

We added finish washers(80 each;available at full-

servicehardwarestores) or a more decorative ook.

Attach the fixed shelf next to stiffen and strengthen

thebox (Photo3).Use he extrashelves sguides o help

position and square he shelf. Predrill and drive three

screws hrough eachside nto the fixed shelf.

Attach cleatsat the top and bottom of the cabinet to

use for screwingthe cabinet to a wall (Photo 4). Use

threeor four screwsacross he top and bottom. Clamp

the cleat into place until you drive the screws.Because

the screwswon't be visible on the top and bottom, you

can skip the finish washers.Useyour finger to makesure

the cleatsits lushwith the side(Photo4).

The 1/4-in. plywood back stiffens the frame and

keeps t square,which is essential or the doors to fit

accurately.Spreadglue along the cabinet edges,

including the fixed shelf and the hanging cleats

(Photo 5). Carefully set the back onto the cabinet,

keepingthe top flush with the cabinet top. Nail in the

order and direction shown n Photo 5. Align the edges

carefully before nailing eachside to keep the cabinet

perfectly square. (You cut the plywood back perfectly

square, ight?)

Shelves, inges nd otherhardware

Use a scrapof pegboard o help lay out the holesevenlyfor the adjustableshelf support pins. Mark each hole

clearly redcircles,Photo 6) on the front and back of the

pegboard.Mark each hole position on one side of the

cabinet, hen slide the pegboardacross o the other side

for marking. Don t flip thepegboardover; t can hrow the

pattern offand theshelves ill rock rather han ie flat.

Most shelf support pins requirea ll4-in. hole,bu t

check he pins you buy to be sure. n addition, measure

how ar thepinsaresupposedo go ntofft{|l% ^tfr,e

the cabinet sides.Wrap a piece of

masking ape around your drill bit

at this depth (photo at right).

This ensures hat you won't

drill completely through the

side of your cabinet.Check

the bit afterevery ew holes

to make sure the tape

hasn'tslipped.

Install your door hinges6 in. from the top and bot-

tom of the doors(addathird hingeon taller doors).The

best ype is a partial wrap-around hinge (Photo7). Its

hinge leavesare hidden when the door is closed,and the

designallowsyou to avoid driving screws nto the weak

plywood edgegrain.

Beginby installing he hingeson the door (Photo 7).

Keep hem perfectly square o the door edgeand predrill

screwholesaspreciselyaspossible.An extraset of hands

will be helpful when attaching the doors to the cabinet.

24 weekends to ragep ro j ec ts



fi Uarf shelf pin locations on both

\,f front and back sides of a peg-

board template. Mark one side of the

cabinet, hen slide (not flip) the peg-

board to the opposite side and mark

matchingholes.Drillthe l4rin.pin holes.

I Screw the hinges to the cabinet

I doors. Align the door edges with

the cabinet op and bottom.Thenpredrill and screw the hinges to the

cabinet sides.

Q Attactr cabinet knobs to the

L,l doors and install a pair of mag-

netic latches to hold the doors closed.For full-length doors, install latches

at both the top and the bottom.

Haveyour partneralign the door exactlywith the top or

bottom of the cabinetwhile you mark,predrill and screwthe hinges o the cabinetside.Repeator the other door.

Ideally the doors will meet evenly in the center with

about a 1/8-in.gapbetween.Youmayhave o tweak the

hinge positionsslightly with paper shims, or planethe

doors a bit to make hemperfect.

Chooseanytypeof knob and magnetic atch you like.

However,bifold door stiles(the verticaledges)arenar-

row so make surethe neighboring door will clear the

knob whenopened Photo8).If you havea rail (thehor-

izontaldoor frame member),mount theknobs here.

Another problem: Bifold stilesare usually 1 to 1-118

in. thick and most knobsare designedor 314-in.doors.

Soyou may have o look f or longer knob screws t your

local hardwarestore.Or try this trick With a 3/8-in.bit,

drill a ll4-in. deep hole on the backsideof the stile to

recesshe screwhead.

To mount a magnetic atch, first mount the magnet

to the underside of the fixed shelf (Photo 8). Stick the

catchplate to the magnet with the mounting points

FinishingThat's about it. Now that you've built one cabinet andknow the ropes, ou canprobablybuild the second abi-

net in half the time. We finished our cabinets nside and

out w i th two coats o f c lear water -basedsat in

polyurethane.Itdriesquickly (half hour), has ittle or no

odor, and cleansup with soapand water.The first coat

raiseshe wood grain a bit, soyou have o sand t lightly

with fine sandpaper 150grit or finer).Whetheryou use

a clear finish, paint or stain, t's generally aster f you

remove hedoorsand hardware irst.

Partialwrap-aroundingesThe hinges shown are available at woodworking stores

such as RocklerWoodworking and Hardware (800)279-4141;

www.rockter.com; No. 31456; $7.50 per pair). Less expen-

sive styles are also available.

facing out (photo

t ight ly against

the la tch . The

po in ts on the

catch plate will

indent the door

slightlyand ndi-

ca te where t o

mount theplate.

below).Close he door and press t

MOUNTINGPOINTS

s u p e r - s i m p l e c a b i n e t s 25



Heary-blcyclellftMore pacewith

lesshassle.

www.racorinc.com). t can ift up

to 100 lbs . w i th i t s qua l i t y

mechanicalsystemof pulleysand

hooks, and its dual safetydesign

(lockingmechanismandrope ie-

down cleat)keepshe bike secure.

Attach the pulley brackets o a

ceil ing oist with wood screws.

Position the hooks the same dis-

tance apart as the distance rom

the handlebar o the seat rear.

Choosea location that's conven-

ient yet doesn't nterfere with vehiclesor people,since

the bike will hang down about 4 ft. from the ceiling. f

the oistsaren'tspacedust right,lag-screw x4s o them

and thenscrew he brackets o the 2x4s.

anging bikes by one or both wheelson bicycle'l

ettactr he lift

storageookss hequickestnd heapestay*ffi ?T?y,r

to get hem off the floor and out of the way.But centerof the

the hookswon't alwayswork if your bike is too heavy o ceiling oists

lift easily.hen hebest olutions a convenientulleyf,j:X,Hffi:ff,

system hat allowsyou to quicklyand easily aise hebike the safety ope

out of the way. cleat o a garage

Wecouldn't esign system uch heaperr better Xiilijf;J#t

than a purchasedsystem ike th is cei l ing-moun1 Wrap hecordbikehoist about$40 hroughAce,TrueValue,r lj ?lrtfi#*'

bike (photo at top of page).

proiect taglance

skilllevelbeginner

specialtoolsdrill

approximateost

$40

2 6 w e e k e n d t o r a g e r o J e c t s



7Storapprojctsldeas or every oomin the house.

low-cost

Shoe-bagtorageExpand he limited storagespacen

your garage y hanging clearplastic

shoebagson the wall. They take up

very little room and are great for

holding gardensprays, praypaints,

lubricants and other bottles and

cans.And, since he items are in

plain sight insteadof buried at the

back of a shelf, you alwaysknow

whatyou'vegot andwhere t is.

proiect t aglance

ddll levelbeginner

specialtoolscircularawigsawrill

il;l.appoximateost

Fij-gz5

each#i*

Stable able-<r{

Bui ld a speedy,wobble- f ree

workbenchor power ool baseup to

3 ft. wide and 6 ft. long by screwing

together welve x4 boards n three-

way overlapsat each corner.The screwsat each corner,pointing

in three directions, createa knotted joint that's as strong as any

mortise and enonyou'dspendhourscutting and fitting. Build this

basen ahalf hour and spend he restof Saturday sing t

7 l o w - c o s t t o r a g e r o j e c t s 2 7



Cookie heet torageIf yott'vestruggledonce oo oftenhauling cookiesheets nd other

flatobjects ut from underall the otherpms, rythis simplestor-age olution:Cut heverticaldividers rom either l2-n. or 314-rn.

plywood,about l4ua.shorter han he nsidecabinet eight.Cut

the existingshelfshorterand screwthedivider to it. Slide he unit

in place, ndsecuret asnecessarywithoenailed d inishnails.

Mobile tackingotesMakethesestacking otes rom Ll2-n. birch veneer

plywood.The dimensionswegiveallow each ote to

interlocksnuglywith the one aboveandbelow t. You

can cut four totes rom one full sheetof plywood-

five from about a sheetand a third. Cut all the ply-

wood partsto size,cut out the hand

grips,and sand all edges mooth.

Then glue and assemblehe-t- 1+118

totes with 4d finish-

ing nails. Leave hem

unfinished or apply /

paint or stain. Mount r

2-in. casterson the /

bottom tote to make

the stackmobile.

GARAGEcRossnE

CASTERS ONBOTTOMTOTE

28 weekend storage proiects





MaxlnlzeyourlosetDouble

ourcloset apacitywithsmartandeff cient

buil t- ins,helving ndrodspace.

I syour closet oo small and overstuffed?Do your clut-T

I tered shelves,packed and saggingclothes rods, andt 'I jumbled shoesall cry out for more space?Of course,

the coolest solution would be to expand the existing

closet, but that's usually impossible.Instead,you canorganizeyour existing closet to make every cubic inch

count andget more dresser paceo boot.

It's surprisingly easyand economical o squeezemore

storageout of limited space.In his story,we'll showyou

how to remodel a standard8-ft.long, 30-in. deepcloset,

a size that's found in millions of homes. Here'swhat

we've done to maximize storage.

o Cabinet moduls The 2-ft. wide, 23-in. deep, 78-in.

tall cabinet module is designed o provide extra drawer

and shelving space.The unit is mounted 6 in. above he

floor for easycleaning.The mounting height alsomakes

installation easier becauseyou don't have to fool with

removing and reinstalling carpetingor baseboards.

o Clothes rods: Rod capacity is

maximized because he rods are

double-stacked t one end of the

closet or shorter c lothes ike

shirts and skirts.The single od at

the other end of the closet s for

slacks nd dresses.

o Shoe shelves: To tame shoe

scatter,we've designed a two-tier

shoe shelf. Including the space

under the shelves, ou'll have 9

luxurious ft. of shoe storage-

enough for even hose beat-up,

knockabout shoesyou can't bear

to part with.

glance

tools

30 weekendstorage p ro j ec ts





LAMINATEROLLER

rIRON-ON

EDGEBANDING

SHETFBRACKET

%lCut the sides to length and width using a ripping ii g

I (p. 35).Rip the drawer dividers to width only. Cut the

angles on the front edge of each cabinet side.

EDGE-BANDINGTRIMMER

Q rrim the overhangingedges

r-.1of the edge bandingwith a

trimming ool, hen f i le and sandthe edges smooth and flush with

the edge.4usethe

Mark he shelf brackethole

locationson pegboardand

it as a dri l l ing emplate.Flippegboard o drill the other side.

) Clean off any sawdust on the edges and then iron the

f- edge banding onto the outside edges of the sides and

the two lengths of drawer divider stock.

materialsist

ITEM OTY.

3/4"plywood 3 sheets

1/2"plywood buya 4x4sheet f it 's available) 1 sheet

1/4"plywood 1 sheet

lron-on dgebanding 3 rolls

Construction dhesive 1 tube

Woodworking lue

8' chromecloset ods 1

6' chromecloset ods 1

Closet od end brackets 3 sets

No. 8 finish washers 50

No.8 2" ovalhead crews40

No.8 3" ovalhead crews 12

22" "Liberty" bottom-mount drawerslides 4 sets

Drawerpulls 4 (or8)

Shelfbrackets 12Custom-buildourowncloset ystemIt'seasy o upgrade he typical single od and shelf ound

in standard closets or more efficient"closetry."Home

centersoffer severalines of mix-and-match closetcabi-

nets and organizers o you can designand install a cus-

tom closetsystem.Those systemsook inexpensive-

until you start adding up all the parts A similar-size

Melamine cabinetmodule alone will cost about$300.

We offer amore handsome,lower-cost lternative-cus-

tom-building your own. For that same$300,you'll have

a closet ull of cabinetry hat'sso doggonegood-looking

that you'll want to leave he closetdoors open.

This project doesn't call for any fancywoodworking

joints. All the parts are end-cut and simply screwed

together.While

that makes or

easyconstruction, t meansyou'll have o useplywood-

core, veneeredplywood (any type) becauset'll hold

screwsand has a smooth, even surface eady or finish-

ing. If you want to useparticleboard-core heets, lanon

joining partswith biscuits,dowelsor any other fastening

systemyou're familiar with. We chosebirch plywood to

match the bedroom's existing woodwork. All of the

materialsshown are found at any well-stockedhome

center.See he ist above.

As for tools,you don't needmuch aside rom a good

circular saw a screwgun, a carpenter's quareand two

30-in. bar clamps.You'll alsohave o blow the dust off

3 2 w e e k e n d t o r a g e r o j e c t s



f igUfe a closet ssembly

11.1 /4 'WIDESHELF

112'DEEP OLES,(DrA. OMATCHSHELF RACKET)

80 (DRESSES)

74 (SLACKS)

TO FLOOR

IY

FINISHWASHERSANDSCREWS

8 TO FLOOR

15 WIDE SHELF

IRON-ONEDGE BANDING

42',

Y

22-112',WIDEDRAWERDIVIDERS

SE EFIGUREFORDRAWERDETAILS

BOTTOM.MOUNTDRAWERSLIDES

CLOTHESRODANDBRACKETS

{ /.( r ,A ' HANGING

d[.i[^lu' . srRrP

f igurebdrawer ssembly

2-1t4' ,(A)6 ( B )

7-314',(C\

22-114',WIDESHELVES(cuT 1SHORT FFRONT)

1/4 21-112 22 -r 'PLYWooDBorroM ----'/

3/4 PLYWOOD ACE(SEETEXT FOR DETERMINING EIGHTS)

m a x i m i z e y o u r c l o s e t l 33



f, Cut the five edge-banded drawerl-,f dividers to length with the cross-cutting jig, four from one length andone from the other.

the clothes ron and use it to apply the edge banding

(Photo2). But thereare a fewother optional toolsyou'llfind useful. While it is possible o hand-nail the parts

together, brad nailer (Photo9) will speedup construc-

tion. (Sinceyou can now buy a brad nailer for under

$100, his project is a good excuse o add it to the tool

collection.) Also pick up an edge-bandingrimmer for

quick,accurate dge rimming (lesshan $10;Photo3).

Buildinghecabinet oxStart he projectby cutting the cabinetbox sides Photo

1) and two 23-in. wide lengths or the drawer dividers;

seePhotos I and 5. Consult FigureA on p. 33 for all ofthe cutting dimensions.Before you cut the drawer

dividers to length, edge-bandone edge.That way the

exposededgeswill be finished before they're cut to

length Photo5) .

Beforeyou assemblehe cabinet,drill t he holes or the

adjustable helving.Weshow he old trick of using apeg-

board ig for consistenthole spacing Photo4). Because

the sides aper,you'll have o shift over a row or two of

holesto keepthe narrower top shelf bracketswithin a

few inches of the front. Tiy to keep the front and rear

holesabout 2 in. from the edge.Buy a drill bit that

fi Screw a scrap to the top of

\,f the cabinet, spacing the sides22-112n. apart, then clamp thebottom drawer divider be tween thesides. Predrilland fasten.

I StanO he cabinet upright and

f rip spacer blocks from scrap tospace and support the other drawerdividers as you screw them intoplace.

Beginassemblinghe cabineton its back by attaching

a spacerstrip at the top and then screwinghe bottomdrawer divider into place (Photo 6). Predrill using a

1/8-in.bit and drive 2-in. long No. 8 oval headscrews

with finish washersbelow).Then stand he cabinetand,

using spacerblocks ripped from scraps, osition and

hold the drawer dividers in placewhile you screw hem

to the sides.Keeping the dividers tight to the spacersas

you screw hem into place s important for the drawers

to work properly.

Edge-bandingasicsIf you'veneverused ron-on edgebanding, it'll only takeyou a couple of attempts o achieveproficiency.Don't

worry if you makea mistake; run the iron over it again

and the heat-sensitive luewill release o you can adjust

the piece and iron it back on again.Cut each strip of

banding about I in. extra long with a sharp scissors.

Leave bout ll2 in. or more of banding overhanging he

starting cornerbecauset tends o creepwhen you iron

it. Move the iron along (seton "cotton") at about I in.

per secondall the way to theother end,guiding it with

your otherhandasyou go.As you guide t, make

sure the banding edgeshang over each

sideof theplywood.Before t cools,push

a block or roller over it to embed the

banding. Then et thebanding cool

lR\for 30 seconds r so and check or

\#voids. Re-iron and embed any

loose pots.2 t r NO.8 _

OVAL HEAD SCREWrilling through the plywood.

matcheshe shafton the shelvingbrackets hatfR $p

you chose. t'sbest o usea"brad point" \ fh- ruo.

drill bit to keep from splintering the'K

rfltf:irill bit to keep rom splintering he \*- rfltfl-

veneer. itherusea depthstopor mark he R;1gdrill bit with a pieceof tape o keep rom v




1/4 PLYWOOD

1-114SHOBT OFOPENING

ias 1/2 PLYWOOD

+'ii..,,,

, + , . - l .

?#

1-'-

\ ,

Q Ctue and pin the cabinet back to the sides and

\J dividers to square he cabinet.Then glue and pin the

hanging strips to the back and sides.

Q Clue and pin the drawer sides together with 1-in.

J brads. Before the glue sets, square each drawer

by gluing and pinning the bottom in place.

\-4i

Cutting lywood ithsimpleigsanda circular awIf you havea full-size able saw,great-you'll be able o use t for most of the plywood cuts. f you have a portable

table saw,use t for the smaller ipping jobs ike making the shelvingand drawerparts.But you can alsodo a fine ob

with only a circular saw itted with a plywood blade and a coupleof simple,screw-togetherigs made from cheap

Melamine closetshelvingstock.

RIPPINGJIG: Use an 8-ft. length of

16-in.wide shelving o build the r ip-ping j ig. Draw a line 3 in. from the

edge and cut along it with the circular

saw. Screw this piece to the largerpieceabout 3 in. away from one edge

with the factory edge facing thewidest section of shelving, as shown.

Then use that edge as a guide to cut

off the Melamine. Now it's ust a mat-

ter of lining up that edge with marks

on plywood stock and clamping it to

make perfect cuts up to 8 ft. long on

any pieceof plywood (Photo 1) .

CROSSCUTTINGIG:You can use the ripping jig for crosscutting, oo, but this

crosscutting ig has the advantage of a stop on the bottom. Push the stop

against he plywood, align it with the cutting mark and clamp for quick, accu-

rate crosscuts.Make it from a 4-ft.length of 24-in.wide Melamine shelving (or

plywood if wide shelving isn't availablel. Gut a 4-in. wide strip for the stop

from one end and another 4-in.wide strip from one edge or the fence.Align the

factory edge of the short piece with the factory edge at the other end of theshelving o make he stop.Thenclamp and screwthe two pieces ogether while

checking alignment with a carpenter'ssquare. Flip the jig over and measure

from the long factory edge 6 in. to position and screw the long saw guide, as

shown.Thekey with both jigs is to use he straight factory edges or guiding the

saw'

m a x i m i z e y o u r c l o s e t l 35



MARKAND CUTATCENTEROF DIVIDERS

1 n Screw the drawer slides into

I \,, the cabinet and bottom edgesof the drawer boxes.Slide eachdrawer into place to check the fit.

l lSet drawer front panel (edge-

I I banded on three sides) on atemporary cleat screwed to cabinetbottom. Mark and cut lowest drawerfront. Edge-band the raw edges.

1 ) Space each paneltwo quarter

Lt- thicknesses apart, hen meas-

ure and cut the next. Edge-band thetwo raw edges that meet, hen repeatthe procedure for the next panel.

1 ?Placecrumpled newspaper

I\., behind each drawer andreplace the drawers.They should

stick out about 112 n. beyond thecabinet front.

1 A Apply four beads of construc-

I f tion adhesive o the drawerboxes and restack the drawer fronts,

spacing them with double quarters.

1 tr Laya board cross ach dgeI \,, of the fronts and clamp over-night.Then drive four f -in. screws

through each box into the fronts.

or thosepeskyshort drawer ront ends o dealwith. Pay

attention to the simple little clamping tip shown in

Photo2: Screwa shelfbracketdown andclamp he wood

to it. That llhold thepieces teady or edgebanding.

DraweronstructionThe prospectof building drawersmakesmost beginner

woodworkers knees attle,but don t worry-it s not all

that hard. The key s to build the cabinetand the drawer

boxes quare. f you reusingdrawer slidesother than the

ones we call for, be sure to read the directionsbefore

building the drawers.They ll tell you the necessary

heightandside-to-side learances.

Building a squaredrawer s easy f you pin together

the sidesand then square hem up with the plywood

Cut the endsasclose o the plywood aspossiblewith

the scissors nd then run the edge-bandrimmer down

both sides o trim off the overhang.You ll have o make

multiple passeso getall of the spots lush.The trimmer

works best if you trim with the grain. Sometimes hat

meansreversingdirection in the middle of trimming.

Usea file held at a 45-degree ngle o removeoozed-out

glueand banding that s still a little proud, then sandall

the oints smooth with a sandingblock

and 1OO-gritaper.

You ll save ot of time simplyby

edge-banding ll hepartsafter ipping

them to width and before cutting

them to length.Then you won t have

so many ndividual parts o edge-band,IRON-ON

36 w e e k e n d s t o r a g e p r o j e c t s



1 f,.Set cabinet on blocksand center t in closet.

I\,| Plumb t, shimming s needed, nddrill 1/8-in.pilot holes hrough he cleats nto studs or drywall.

1-7 Remove he cabinetandscrewdrywallanchors'

L I into he holeswithoutstud backing.Repositionhe

cabinetand screw t to the wall.

t)fl.Add the drawerpulls and

LW adjustable helves,hen ill itup. Still not enoughspace?Donate

whatever oesn't it

1 O Build he shoebox bout 1t2in.IO shortof the wall.Screwa cleatto the wall, hen screw he box o the

cabinetandnail t to the cleat.

bottom before the glue dries (Photo 9). Accurate side-

to-side dimensions arecrucial. You can alwaysshim out

the drawer slides f the drawersare a little narrow but if

they're too wide, you ll have o rebuild them.

Now is agood time to finish ripping and edge-band-

ing your adjustable and fixed shelves.Don't cut them to

final width until the cabinet is mounted so you can

measureand cut exactwidths to fit their selectedposi-

tions. Stainand finish everything at the same ime prior

to installation. We usedan oil-basedhoney maple stain

and top-coated t with two coatsof satinpolyurethane.

Makingt fit inyour losetThe cabinet unit is 78 in. tall, so it will fit in any closet

with 8-ft. walls, evenwith the 6-in. gapatthe floor. Alter

1 O Screw he closet rod bracketsL J to the cleatsand he cabinet,then nstall he clothes ods.Cut he

top shelvesand fasten hem to cleats(FigureA).

the height if you havea ower ceiling.

You l have o set he cabinetasidebeforemounting it

to install drywall anchors unless you're lucky enough

to have he cabinetfall in front of trvo studs.Position the

cabinet in the closet, hen plumb and mark the wall

(Photo 17) so the pilot holes ine up with the anchors

after you reset t. Then measure o the wall to determine

the final length for the top shelf-don't forget to

add I in. for the left-side overhang. Place cleats and

shelvesanywhere you wish. Build the cabinet taller,

wider or with more drawers. Drawer sizescan be

easily altered too-make deeperones for sweatersor

shallowerones or socks.The project how-to techniques

shown will work for any configuration that best suits

your needs.

m a x i m i z e o u r c l o s e t 3 7



. - L , l , x e i ; ,' .t('

. , "

\'.t '''z

fi@hh-*

HOLLOW.COREDOOR

hese floating" shelves re perfectfor displaying

your collectibles, hotos, ravelmementosor just

aboutanything.Without the bracketsand clunky

hardwareyou'd find with store-boughtshelves r kits,

theyseem o be suspendedn midair.

Theseshelvesare strong, too. While they're not

designedo hold your old setof Encyclopaedia ritanni-

cas, hey'recertainly capableof it. No one would believe

that they're made from plain,old lightweight and inex-

pensive ollow-coredoors.

In this article, we'll show you how to install these

shelves and shorter ones) securelywith basic tools.

Even f you think you have no DIY skills,you can ackle

thisproject.

Surprise-aow-costrojecthatrequiresnlybasrcoolsEachshelf is made from half of an 18-in. hollow-core

door, which costs$18.That'sonly about $9 a shelf,plus

the minimal cost of the lagscrews Photo 4) and cleat




that hold the shelf to the wall. Youcan buy

new hollow-core nterior doors at a home

centeror lumberyard just be sure he door

doesn'thave predrilled holes for locksets).

You may find only 24-in.wide doors,but the

door canbe any width; just try to minimizethe waste.And you might beable o getdoors

free rom yardsales r other sources.

As far as oolsgo,you cangetby with just

a circular sawand edgeguide (Photo2) to cut

the door. Use a table saw o cut the cleat

because clean, traightcut is mportant fo r

a good-looking shelf. (If you don't own a

table saw,use a friend'sor have he cleat cut

at a full-serviceumberyard.)You'llalsoneed

a stud finder, a chisel,a hammer,a wrench,

1-in.brads,3-Il2 n. lagscrews, arpenter's

glue and a level.Simply follow photos l-9fo r in fo rmat ion on bu i ld ine these

simpleshelves.

Wanta differentook?Wechose o paint our shelves, ut if you want

the beauty of real wood, you can buy the

proiect taglance

skill evel

beginner

specialtools

circularaw

drilllevel

edge uide

approximateost

10- 20pershelf

s r m p l e h e l v e s 3 9



ltrace the horizontat tocation for each shetf using a

I4-ft. level as your guide. Use a stud finder to mark the

locations of the studs and lightly press masking tape

over each one. lf you don t have a string line, use a long

straightedgeand mark the wallwith a pencil.Check your

marks with the 4-ft.level.

Q tvteasurehe spacebetween he outerveneersof ther,l door and cut cleats rom a 2x4 o this thickness.Ourmeasurement as 1-U32 n. Usestraight,dry lumber orthe cleats.

/) cut the door blank

l rcngtnwise after

clamping a straightedgeguide to the door. Be sure

to use a 4O-tooth carbide

blade for a smooth cut.

/l Predrill1t4-in. ia.holesat the stud ocationsaftert* youcut the cleats o length themeasurementbetween he end blocksof the door half).Hold he cleat oyour ineon the wallanddrill nto he studwith a 1/8-in.

bit. Usinga wrench, nstallone ag screw ntoeachstuduntif t s tight.Use1/4-in. 3-112 n.lag screws.Eachcleatmust be straightas an arrow.

to weaken he cantilever strength of the shelf.

Feel ree to make narrower or shorter shelves,

asshown in Photo 9.

Create rock-hardinishwithalow-glossnamel aintThe whole job will go a lot smoother if you

paint the shelvesbefore you install them. Iust

be sure o sandyour wood door with 150-grit

sandpaperbeforeyou paint. If the surface s

still rough and porous after sanding, ill the

pores by applying a pastewood filler (like

i,

l ? - -

Tln rrvour l -

- I intend

to paint he

room,do so be-

fore you install

the shelves

because t s a

drag to cut

around each

shelf with a

pa in tbrush.

door in wood veneersike oak or maple (ours

was auan). If you decide on a natural wood

finish, you ll need to cover the exposededges

with a matching wood trim. If you go this

route, first shaveoff 1/8 n. from the front and

side edgeswith a table saw to eliminate the

slight bevel on each edge, hen ap ply the

matching trim. You can also cover the entire

shelf with plastic aminate if you want a tough,

hard-surfaced helf.

You may want to change he depth of your

shelves swell. Don t exceed in. or you ll start

40 weekend s to rage p ro jec ts



f, Cut away the corrugated cardboard cores at least

\) 1-112n. from the cut edge. Scrapeaway the glue

carefullywithout gouging the wood surface.

-7AppV glue to the top of the cleat and the inside bot-

I tom edge of the door blank.Slide the shelf over the

wood cleat.

Elmer'swood filler) with a 3-in. drywall knife.Let t dry

and sand he surfaceagain.

These helves repermanent-they'reough o removeThe glue not only makes he shelves trong but also

impossible o removewithout ruining them.You'll have

to cut them in place2 in. away rom the wall with a cir-

cular saw o expose he ag screws nd then remove he

cleatswith a wrench. That's unfortunate, but you can

alwaysmake another setcheaplyand easily.

f, Dry-fit he shelf to make sure the blank fits over the

L/ cleat. Check he back side of the shelf and scribe it to

the wall if necessary.Use a block plane or sander to

remove material rom the back edge for a tight fit.

Q ttall the shelf to the cleat using a square as your(J guide.Start at the middle and work your way to each

end. Use f -in. brad nails spaced 8 in. apart.

Q AuilOshorter shelves by cutting the shelf to length.

J Glue a filler block flush with the end and nail each

side with small brad nails.

s i m p l e h e l v e s 4 l



Under-slnkhelfMake very quarenchcount.

ired of moving all that stuff under the sink every time you mop the floor? fust buy a

Melamine closetshelf( 5) from ahomecenterand a engthof suspended-ceiling all

angle(sorry, t only comes n 10-ft.lengths,but it's cheapand you canhave t cut for

transport).Also pick up four ll2-in No.8-24bolts,washers nd nuts. FollowPhotos - 3.

-lUsing an aviation snips, cut two

I lengths of suspendedceilingchannel o support the undersinkshelf.

) Clamp pieces of ceiling angle or(- aluminum angle to your sink legs(about 11 in. from the floor) and drillthrough with a 3/16-in . bit. lnser t112-in.long No. 8-24 bolts from theinside and thread on acorn nuts tocover sharp bolt edges.

i glance

toolssnips

'circularsaw

rypoximateost

s

Q Cut a shelf from 3/4-in. Melamine

r.f board and drop it onto the anglebraces.You may need to notch your

shelf if the sink trap is in your way.Paint the raw edges of the boa rd toprotect them from moisture.

42 weekends to rage p ro ie c ts





rrlgatlonReducehe imeyouspendwateringo practical lyero.

Mlcrohether you're growing roses o win prizes or

just trying to keep a few flowerbeds ookinggood, you know what a chorewatering is,

lugging hoses around the yard and moving them every

half hour or so. Micro irriga-

tion-a network of plastic tubing

and low-volume drippers and

sprinklers that reach everypart of

the garden you want fs vrafsl-

takes hehassleout of watering.

bols

shearstool

cost

The materials are nexpensive you cangetstarted for

less han 100) and easy o install using nothing morethan a pruning shearsand a specialhole punch tool.

Once you lay out the tubing and connect the drippers,

sprinklers or sprayers, ou'll be able o water your plants.

by simply turning on thewater and letting it run for an

hour or two. Add a battery-operated controller for about

40more and you won't evenhave o remember to turn

on thewater. t'll turn the wateron and offautomatically

at the timesyou select.

Micro irrigation savesmore than

time and energy; it saveswater by

distributing it more efficiently.Because ou use dozensof watering

devices o replaceone regular sprin-

kler, you have much greatercontrol

over where the water goesand how

much is supplied to each plant.

Instead of flooding theground all at

once,micro irrigation letsyou apply

a small amount over onger periods,

allowing it to soak into the plants'

root zone for maximum benefit.

And since runoff and evaporation

are kept to a minimum, micro irri-

gation usesesswater.

In this article, we'll introduce

you to the basicsof micro irrigation,

including planning tips and step-by-

step installation instructions. For

more details, especiallyn the plan-

ning phase,we recommend that you

also read through one of the manu-

facturers' free planning guides or

browse he Internet siteswe've isted

(seeBuyer'sGuide onp.47).



-lMount a Y with shutoff valves to your faucet. Then

J attach the optional timel backflow preventer, ilter,

pressureregulator and adapter.

Make sketch ndplan hesystemThe basicplanning strategy s to pick the bestwatering

device o serveeach ype of plant. Then determinea flow

rate that suppliesadequatewater to everyplant in the

wateringzone.Setup the system o run betweenone and

two hoursat a time, two or three imesa week.

Startby measuring our gardenand making a simple

sketch.Choose he type and flow rate of the watering

devices asedon your soil and the plants'waterneeds.

Mark theseon the plan and draw in the tubing route to

connect them. This will involve a little guesswork.See

Drippers, Bubblers,Sprinklersand Sprayers n p. 47

J Connect he 112-in. oly tubing to the faucet end.

4- Then lay the tubing through the gardenaccording to

your plan. Stake it down about every 5 or 6 ft .

for information that wil l help you choose the right

watering device. Tiy to cover all the root zones of your

plants. Don't worry about getting

everythingperfectat first.Add a few

extraof each ypeof wateringdevice

and buy thewateringdevices,ubing

and the basicpartsshown n Figure

B for the faucet hookup. Onceyou

seehow the systemworks, you'll

find it's easy o relocate r add emit-

ters to get a more balancedwater

flow or bettercoverage.

- 2

tI ' i ts-

-r r- .r I r I t t a t _ : ,I l l t t I t n t s

- - t -

f r s t venture nto

mic r o r r i ga t i on ,

s ta r ts ma l land

exper imento get

a feel or how he

sys temworks.

Choose ne or

two f lowerbeds r

a gardenand

ins ta l l s imp le

one-zone ystem.

n={-jJ

J&i*F - l \ \s . - { r -

.r i\ l;r

1/4 SOAKER

frgureplann ing

micro r r igat ion ystem

IFan|F;{d+* -----aJ ' t*- FTOWER

11 ^.i GARDEN

, t

/ - z{

5i 1t2

114TUBING

DRIP LINES

m i c r o i r r i g a t i o n



Planningules f humb:o Use Il2-gph (gallonsper hour) drippers n clay soil,

l-gph drippers n loamand 2-gphdrippers n sandysoil.a Add the gph rate of all drippers,bubblers, sprayers

and sprinklersyou plan to use. f you're using Il2-in.

tubing for the main line, limit the total to between

150and 220 gallonsper hour (checkwith the manu-

facturer).

f igurebstarting rom he faucet

Q Cut the tubing with a pruning

r.,l shears and installT-and 9Gdegreefittings where they're needed.Twist

and press the tubing firmly into the

fitting.

A

A. Battery-operated

controller urns the wateron and off at specified imes.This s optionalbut should bethe first component,f used.

B. Backflowpreventerprotectsyourhouseholdwater rom accidentalcontamination.

E. Adapterconnects he 1/2-in.plastic polyethylene)ubingto the hose hreadson thepressure egulator.

1l Punch holes in the tubing wher--T

ever you want to install a water-

ing device. Push and twist untilthe

tip of the punch creates a clean hole.

f, eress a barbed connector into

r-,f tne hole in the 1/2-in. ubing.

lf the 1/4-in. ubing isn't already

attached, add a length of 114-ln.

tubing to reach your dripper, sprayer

or sprinkler location.

Limit the length of Il2-in. tubing on one zone to a

maximum of about 200 t.

Limit the total gph on a length of ll4-in. tubing to25 o 30.

As you add to the system, t's best o divide your yard into

groups of plants that have similar watering require-

ments. With this strategy,you add a separatesystem

(zone),starting at the water source, or eachgroup of

plantsor areaof the yard.

For helpwith planninga arge,more complicatedsys-

tem (and for the bestprices),work with a retailer that

specializesn sell ingmicro irrigation products (see

Buyer'sGuide onp.47).

Begin t the outsideaucetFigureB and Photo I show he parts you'll needand the

order in which to install them. The Y-splitter with shut-

offs allows you to keep the drip systemon all the time

(and operatedby a controller) and still useyour regular

gardenhose Photo 1).You don't have o usea controller,

but you must use a backflowpreventer.Some of these

components are available with hose thread or pipe

thread, so make sure o match the thread tlpe when you

buy parts. oining hose hread to pipe thread will result

in leaks.

Lay heL/2-in.ubingNext, run the Ll2-in.tubing to the gardenbed (Photo2)

andposition t according o your plan.The tubing will be

more flexible and easier o work with if you let it sit in

the sun for a while to warm up. Remember,you can

O

o

G. Filterscreensoutparticles hatcould clog heholes n thedrip parts.

46 w e e k e n d y a r d g a r d e n p r o j e c t s



Drippers,ubblers,prinklersndsprayersOne of the first things you'll notice when you're browsing the brochures or

Websites s a wide variety of watering devices.Here are he basic ypes and a

few things you need o know about eachone. While the ones shownhere are

the most common, there aremany other,more specialized mitters.See he

micro irrigation catalogs or the other tFpesand their uses.

flow rates for less porous soil, like

clay, o allow more time for the water

to soak in. Buy pressure-compensat-

ing (PG)drippers o maintain a steady

flow despite the water pressure.

Drippers (20C o 709 each)Use these to water individual plants,

or buy inline drippers and use hem

in a series with a 114-in. tube.

Drippers work great for con-

tainer plants too. They're

color-coded for different

Bubblers 4Sg o 70d each}A cross between drippers and

sprayers, many bubblers are

adjustable or flows up to 35 gph and

diameters o 18 n. Since hey put ou t

more water than drippers, they're

good for larger plants like roses,

tomatoes and shrubs.

Soaker drip line {20S to 35Sper linear ootlAlso called emitter tubing, drip line

consists of 112-in. or 114-in. tubing

with built-in drippers. lt's available

with emitters spaced different dis-

tances apart for diffierent flow rates.

Drip line is great for vegetable gar-

dens or rows of plants. You can use it

to encircle shrubs and large plants, or

lay it out in a grid pattem as a substitute for sprinklers in a densely planted

flowerbed.Use 1/4-in. drip line for maximum flexibility.

Sprinklers {45C o $2 each}These are miniature versions of sprin-

klersyou might use in the yard. Most

have flow rates between 14 and 40

gph and cover a radius of 3 to 30 ft.

Since most sprinklers have a relative-

ly high flow rate, you can't use more

than about 15 or 20 in one zone of

112-in.ubing.

Sprayers(45C o $1.70each)These are like sprinklers without

moving parts.You can choose a spray

pattern from a quafter circle up to a

full circle, or buy sprayers with

adjustable spray patterns.They spray

from 4 to 34 gph and up to a radiusof

about 12 ft. Use sprayers to water

ground cover or densely planted

flowerbeds.

Buyer's uider DIG lrrigation Products: (800)322-9146.

www.digcorp.com.Freeplanning guide availablewhereDIG products are sold. Products available at retail andonline stores.

t D i pWorks: (800) 522-37 7 www.d ripworks u sa.co m.Free design service. Catalog and mail order sales.ExcellentWeb site and online sales.

o The Drip Store= 8771597-1669.wwwdripirrigation.com.

Step-by-step online tutorial, forum and shopping for allyour micro irrigation needs.

r Raindrip: 800)FOR-DRIP. ww.raindrip.com. Micro-Watering Handbook is free where RAINDRIPproducts

are sold. Free phone advice. Call and ask for Dr. Drip toanswer your micro irrigation questions.

m i c r o r r i g a t i o n 4 7



TUBING

f, eresspressure-compensatingPC)drippers, prin-\,f klersor sprayers nto heend of the 114-in.ubing.Usea stake o support hedripperandanchor t in theroot zoneof the plant.

cover the tubing with decoratiG mulch later to hide it.

Cut the tubing with a pruning shears.Use T-fittings to

createbranchesand elbows to make 9O-degree ends

(Photo 3). Beaware hat there area few different sizesofwhat's called Il2-in. tubing, depending on which

brand you use.Buy fittings to match thebrand of tubing

you're using. If you need to join two different brands of

tubing or you're not sure which you have, you can buy

universal fittings that will work on all diametersof tub-

ing. Use specialplastic tubing clampsto nail the tubing

to the houseor deck.

You can bury ll2-in. poly tubing in a shallow trench

to conceal t as t crosses path or small section of lawn,

but for longer lengths,especially n high-traffic areas,we

recommend substituting 1/2-in. PVC pipe instead. Buyadapterso connectthe Il2-in. polytubing to theendsof

the PVCpipe. Check with your local plumbing inspector

beforeburying any pipe to seewhether specialbackflow

prevention is required.

ConnectheemittersNow add the various types of emit tersfor the particular

plants-drippers, sprayers,sprinklers or drip line. The

technique s simple.Usea holepunch tool to pokea hole

in the tubing whereveryou want to add a watering device

(Photo4). Youcan nserta dripper directly nto the holein the ll2-in. tubing or useabarbedconnectorand con-

nect a length of l/4-in. vinyl tubing. Then connect a

wateringdevice o theend of the ll4-in.tube (Photo6).

You can buy sprinklers and sprayers

as assembl ies hat include a 3.^

barbed connector,a short length .J$[=t %-'Q

I nusn thesystemby runningwater hrough t.ThenI use end cap ittings o close he openendsof the

112-in.ubing.

of ll4-in.tubing andaplastic take Photo6),orbuythe

parts separatelyand assemblehem yourself.Remember

to buy a selectionof 1/4-in. barbed fittings, including

T-fittings, elbows,connectorsand hole plugs.You canpressany of these ittings into a punched hole in the

Ll2-in.lineand connectLl4-in.tubes o feed he emitters.

T-fittings allow you to run 1/4-in. tubing in opposite

directions rom the main line or to branch off a Ll4-in.

tube.Useconnectors o extenda ll4-in. tube that's oo

short. If you punch a hole in the wrong spot or want to

removea fitting, push a hole plug into the hole to seal t.

When your installation is complete, run water

through the tubing to flush out any dirt. Then cap the

ends (Photo 7). Now you're ready o turn on the water

and see how your new micro irrigation system works.Let the water run for an hour. Then checkaround your

plants to make sure the root zone hasbeen thoroughly

wetted. Fine-tune the systemby adjusting the length of

time you water or by adding or relocatingwatering

devices.

Maintainour ystemo Clean he filter oncea month (more often if you have

well water with a ot of sediment).

o Inspect he drippersoccasionallyo makesure hey're

working.o In cold climates, preparefor winter by removing the

shutoff Y-splitte6backflow preventer,controllet filter

and pressure egulator and bringing them inside.

Removeend plugs and drain or blow the waterout of

the system.Replace he capsand plug the faucetend

of the tubing aswell.

4 8 weekendy a rd & garden p ro je c ts



Sinnplealkwaydeas-_-

SteppingstoneormDon ' t d iscard tha t par t ia l bag o f

concretemix Build your own step-

pingstone orm from a 5-gallonbucket.

Cut around a5-gal lon bucket

jus t above t he

hand le . Set the

cutout ring on a

sheetof plywood

and f i l l i t wi th

concrete.When

the concretehas

set , remove the

form-you now

have your f i rsthomemade step-

pingstone.

project taglance

skill evelbeginner

specialtoolsS-gallonuckettrowel

approximateost

$1persteppingstone

Edge concrete alkDressup a plain concretewalk with a border

of bricksplaced n a ine or a basketweaveat-

tern. Bluestoneor flagstonepieces, ut at the

quarry in pieces in. to I ft. wide and atleast

I ft. long,also ook handsomealong he edges

of a walk or a cement

.''?\

6:3 1

patio.Large elgianI project at

pavers ike thoseI a glanCe

shown in the photo

work well too: TheirI skill evel

extra width keepsI beginner

weedsaway rom the Iwalk; their weight I sPecialtools

holds hem firmly in Ishovel

t,

, - t ,* -

-

lace; nd heirwarm,I apprcximateost

golden color and I Stperpaver

rough texture make a

nice contrastwith plain concrete.

No matt er which type you choose,set

the pavers n about 2 in. of pea gravel.

It'Il keep he pavers rom settling or heaving

and le ts you eas i l y ad jus t the i r he igh t

during installation.

s i m p l e w a l k w a y d e a s 49



aving the best awn possibledoesn tmean you

have o sweatand fret all summer ong. Estab-

lishing and maintaining a nice yard are mostly

to mow and water). And several

mayaskyou to follow through on

simple tasksyou ve never done

(pH test,soi l moisture check).

The resultswill be worth i t.

projectt

just a matter of quenchingyour lawn s hirst with long

drinks of water, eeding t three or four times a year and

mowing it at the right height. If your lawn s been neg-

lected, t may take up to two yearsof extrawork to reju-

venate t. But onceyou get t going,a healthy,lush awn

largely akescareof itself.Weeds an tgeta foothold, the

soil retainsmoisture better,and insectsand disease ave

a harder ime gettingestablished.

In this article,we ll tell you the seven implesteps or

a healthy ow-maintenanceawn. Noneof thesearediffi-

cult, expensive r particularly ime-consuming.But sev-

eral equire iming (fertilizing) and a watchful eye when

Following our recommenda-

tions won t necessarily uarantee

you the best awn n the neighbor-

hood. Thereare simply too many

variables n soil quality,sun expo-

sure and grass ypes to say that.

But we can promise this: If you

follow our generaladvice,soon

your lawn will be n the bestshape

aglance

skill evel

beginner

specialools

broadcast

spreader

aerator

approximateost

varies

ittleeffort.verand t ll staythat waywith veryl



STEP ldentify ourgrassand tsgrowingycle

You need o knowwhat type of grass

you have o determine the best care

regimen for your lawn. Different

grasses avedifferent cutting heights

and watering and fertilizer needs,and

all canbeharmedby cerain herbicides.There are dozens of varieties of

grasses,butheybreak down into tr,rro

broad categories:warm and cool cli-

mate grasses.Warm climate grasses

are found mainly in the Southern

United Stateswhere hot (and some-

times humid) conditions predomi-

nate during the summer and the

winter is mild. They grow most rap-

idly before and after the hottest

summer period. Cool c l imategrassesare ound nearly everywhere

elsewith the exception of the desert

regions. They thrive just before and

afterthe hot summermonths and go

dormant in the

dead of winter. In

the transit ional

zone,both types can

be found.

It's easy o iden-tifr your grassype.

Simplypull a plug

of the most domi-

nant var iety (or var iet ies; most

lawns have a combinat ion of

species)and show it to experts at a

local garden center. They will be a

wellspring of regional advice and be

able to recommend the timing and

application of the lawn careprod-

ucts that work best with your grassand in your local climate and soil

conditions. They'll alsoknowhowto

deal with local garden pests,weeds

and soil conditions.

\ t

I Cool climate grasses

I Transitional zone

I Warm climate grasses

Can't f ind professional help?

Becomeyour own lawn expert. It's

easier han you think. In For More

Informationi'p. 57,we list a few of

our favorite resources or advice on

ident i fying and treat ing pestsand weeds. You can also figure

out what type of grass you have

and find mowing and special care

information.

Growth calendar for warm climate grasses

Warmclimategrassesgrowslowerduring he summermonthswhen he temperaturesre above95 degreesF.Whenthe weathercools down(below80 degrees),he growingratespeeds up. t slows down again when emperatures allbelow55 degrees.

Growth calendar for cool climate grasses

Cool climate grasses have two di stinct growing periods, the main one being in the spring and a shorter one in the fall.During the hot, stressful summer months, growth slows.

51 s i m p l es t e p s o a l u s h ,g r e e n a w n



STEP2 Feed our awn our imesa year

If you were fed only sporadically, have a label detailing the propor-

you probably wouldn't feel or look tions of N-P-K they contain. Most

too healthy.The samegoes or grass. lawns are content with a 4-l-2 mrx-

It hungers or four meals during ture. Somegrasses eedmore nitro-

specif ic periods throughout the genandsome oils eedmoreof one

growingseason.Feeding(ferti l izing) r more ingredients (or trace

means supplying your grasswith nutrients)at eastuntil they becomethree basicnutrients:nitrogen (N), balanced. soil test (p. 55) will let

phosphorus P) and potassium K). youknowof anydeficiencies.Advice

In general, the many other trace from thegarden enterwill helpyou

nutrientsyour grassmay needoccur tailor a mixture for your soil and

naturally in the soil. All fertilizers grassype.

Four lawn feedings each season are needed for healthy grass:

First feeding:

Fertilizeour awn n thespring fter t'sup,green,

growing and has been mowed at least twice. This

feeding picks up where the last feeding in the fallleavesoff. And the grass s vigorous enough to abso rb

the nutrients.If you fertilize before the grass s able o

use t, you're ust wasting time and money.

Second feeding:

Justbefore the hot weather starts, ertilize the grass o

keep i t nourished during the stressful summer

months. In most parts of the country, that's early

June,but in the Sunbelt states, t can even be early

May.

Third feeding:

Apply this treatment later in the fall when dew starts

forming on the grass n the morning. That's after the

hot weather subsides and the tempe rature generally

staysbelow 80 degreesF.This feeding replenishes he

nutrients used up during the summer and helps the

root structure begin regenerating.

Fourth eeding:Apply the fourth feeding (sometimes called a win-

terizer ) about three weeks before the last expected

mowing. This is the most important treatment of the

year because he roots are multiplying and storing

food for the winter. Then, when the grasscomes out

of dormancy in the spring, it'll have a bellyful of food

for that initial growth spurt.

tlps onferttlizingr Select fertilizers that are a

combination of slorlr and

fast release. They give the

grass both immediate and

longer-term nutrients.

o Never fertilize wet or damp

grass; wait until it's completely

dry. Otherwise, the fertilizer

will stick to the blades and

could damage them. An excep-

tion to this rule is combination

fertilizer/herbicides. They should

be applied to damp grass,when

no rain is forecast (and nowatering| for 48 hours. Water

after that.

o We prefer a broadcast

spreader to distribute the

fertilizer because it spews

out the granules, distributing

them faster and more evenly

than a drop spreader.

o Fill the spreader on a hard

surface like a driveway, patio

or sidewalk-never on the

grass. You'll be able to reclaim

any spills and keep them from

damaging he grass.Use a shop

vacuum to pick up spills. You'll

never be able to sweep up

fine granules.

o Water thoroughly after fertiliz-

ing to dissolve and drive the

fertilizer into the soil.

o lf you aerate (see p. 571 n the

fall, apply the fertilizer after-

ward so the fertilizer will drop

into the aeration holes for better

soil penetration.

o Never fertilize when the ground

is frozen because t won't pene-

trate the soil. Instead the fertil-

izer will run off and find its way

into streams and waterways.

52 w e e k e n d y a r d & g a r d e n p r o j e c t s



STEP Waterhoroughly ut onlywhen t'sneeded

The key to a good watering regimen

and a healthy lawn is to water not

only when thegrass eeds t but also

enough to penetrate he soil to a

depth of 3 to 4 in. That encourages

healthy, deep root growth and gives

the soil moisture reserves, o it ' l lneed less requent watering. Moist

soil also helps he roots absorb and

metabolizenutrients and keeps he

grass ooler n hot weather.But keep

in mind that different parts of your

yard needmore or lesswater.Sunny

and hilly areaswill need more water

than shadyor low areas.

To develop a sound water ing

strategy,perform this experiment

(after a dry spell) in any of theseareasyour lawn may have: f lat ,

sunny,shady,on a slope,and a cou-

ple of feet from the street/driveway

(or sidewalk) intersection.Shove a

spade nto the grassabout 6 in. and

pull the shovel back and forth until

Shove a spade into the ground about 6 in. and wiggle it back and forthto create a slit. You'll be able to see or feel the soil to determine soilmoisture depth.

Digging soil-moisture inspection slits

you can seea cross section of the

soil. Look for a level of moister,

darker soil at somepoint below the

surface. t indicates how deep the

soil moisture penetrates. our lawn

needswateringany time the top 3/4

to 1 n. of soil is dry. Water and keept rack of the water ing t ime unt i l

repeated ests ndi catea moisture

depth of about 3to 4 in.at eachoca-

tion. That'll tell you how long to

waterspecificareas ach ime.

Perform the shovel test once a

week for three to four weeks,keep-

ing track of watering duration. After

that testing period, you'l l have a

good feel for the water retentionof

your soil and intuitively know howmuch to water and when without

performing the digging test.Sounds

like a lot of work, right? The results

will save ou big on water and you'll

havea healthier awn to boot.

tlps onwaterrngo The morning hours are the

optimal watering time because

the grass blades will dry before

nighttime. Lawns that stay

moist at night encourage harm-

ful mold and fungal growth.

Ouit watering one to two hours

before sunset. You'll also lose

more water to evaporation if

you water during those hot

aftemoons.

O An impact (or impulse) sprin-

kler will lose 20 percent less of

its water to evaporation thanthe types of sprinklers that

send thin streams of water into

the ai r. But oscillating sprinklers

do work better on smaller,

rcctangular yards.

o Never give your yard just

a sip of water, thinking that's

better than nothing. That

encourages shallow rather than

healthier deep roots.

o Don't overwater, either. lf water

puddles or is streaming off the

yard, you're simply wasting

water.

o Attach a water timer ($20 to

$401 to your hose, and set it

each time you water. Once you

know how long to water, a

water timer will do the thinking

for you.You won't have to wotry

about shutting off the water at

the right time.

7 s i m p l e s t e p s o a l u s h ,g r e e n a w n 5 3



STEP Mowyourgrasso its dealheightanddon'twait oo ongbetweenuttings

Each ype o f g rasshas an idea l

height range or cutting, whereyou

leaveenoughblade ength to sustain

the health of the plant and keep he

grass hick enough to crowd ou t

weeds.TWo mistakesare to cut thegrass oo low and to let it grow too

long beforecutting. The chart below

shows he cutting range for each

grass ype.Pick a height within that

range hat'ssuitable or your terrain.

Then set your mowing height by

placing the mower on a flat, hard

surface,measuring o the bottom of

the mowing deck and adjust ing

the wheels accordingly.Your grass

needsmowing when t's 1-1l2 imes

the idealcutting height. That means

if the cutting height is 2 in., cut the

grasswhen t'sabout 3 n. high.Use a mulching blade instead of

a s tandard b lade in your lawn

mower. It chopsup the grassmore

finely so it can fall in between the

grassblades and decomposeeasier.

The clippings are a free source of

nitrogen for your la wn and help

retainsoilmoisture.

tlps onmowrngo Change mowing directions

each time you mow to lessen

soil compaction (from you with

a walk-behind mower or the

tires from a riding mowerl.

O Mow with a sharp cutting

blade. A dull blade r ips

off the blades rather than cut-

ting them. That stresses the

grass and leaves a brown

shredded end on each blade,

which detracts from a lush,

healthy look. lt's not a bad idea

to have two blades on handso you'll always have a sharp

one when the other's at the

sharpening shop.

o Rake or catch clippings if itb

necessary. Long grass should

be removed if it's so long that it

clumps when it's discharged.

Those clumps can smother or

even kill underlying grass and

encourage ungi and molds.

o In climates that receive snow,

reduce the first and last season-

al mowing to 1-112 o 1-3/4 in.

That will discourage snow

mold and reduce shrew and

vole damage during the winter,

especially with fescues and

bluegrass.

o lf you've neglected your lawn

and the grass is long, just cut

off the top one-third of it on the

first mowing. Let it recuperate

from the stress for a few days

before mowing again. This

time, too, cut off no more than

one-third until you reach the

right height.

ldealmowingheightCool climate grasses

Bentgrass

Chewing ardor red escue

Tall fescue

Kentuckybluegrass

Perennialyegrass

Warmclimategrasses

Bahia grass

Bermuda grass

Blue grama grass

Buffalo grass

Carpetgrass

Centipedegrass

St. Augustinegrass

Zoysia grass

ll4 to 314 n.

I- l12 o 2-l12 n.

l-ll2 to 3 in .

1-Il2 to 3 in.

l-ll2 to 3 in.

2 t o 3 i n .

1/2 o I in.

2 t o 3 i n .

2 t o 3 i n .

1 t o 2 i n .

1 t o 2 i n .

1 t o 3 i n .

ll2 to I in.

=g \ | :

3 =

54 w e e k e n d y a r d & g a r d e n p r o j e c t s



STEP TesthesoilpH

Soil pH is often overlookedbut is

one o f the key ingred ien ts o a

healthy lawn. If you've watered,

mowed and fertilized properly and

still have a sickly lawn, overly acidic

or alkaline soil could well be the

problem.Grass s most content n asoil that's slightly acidic.If you've

never checkedyour lawn's soil pH,

it's a great deato take soil samples

and have hem tested.Don't be in-

timidated; it's a simpleprocess oth

to test and o correctanyproblems.

Check your soil pH by calling a

andadjust f necessary

garden center or a universi ty or

county extensionservice hat tests

soil samples for 3 to 10).They'll

tell you how to collect and submit

samples.Different parts of the yard

can vary significantly.The best way

to collect samples s to follow thegrid shown.

Onceyou know the pH, the gar-

den centerwill help you determine

the best reatment o achieve more

grass-friendlypH. It's inexpensive

and just a matter of applying th e

specified mountswith a spreader.

tlpson H

Mix together samples rom the center of the yard near he house and at

spots at opposite sides of the yard.Use the same sampling pattern or the

back yard and have the two mixed samples tested separately.

o Once you adjust your lawn's

pH, test it again in four months

to see if it has maintained the

correst pH range. Treat it again

if necessary.Onceyou've estab-

lished a consistent level, retest

and adjust it (if necessaryl

every three years.

o Inexpensive, do-it-yourself test

kits for pH testing are available

at garden centers but arent

very accurate. For reliable

results, get a professional

analysis.o Dont mix the front and back

yard samples.The whole idea s

to tell which areas need treat-

ment. Pay to have them tested

separately.

o Pelletized limestone is the best

way to raise pH levels. lron sul-

phate or sulphur is generally

used to lower pH. Applied

incorrectly, however, this treat-

ment is potentially damaging

to your lawn, so be sure to

follow the directions.o Grasses in soils with high or

low pH values won't make the

best use of naturally occurring

or added fertilizers.

The acidity level s gauged on the pH scale. A pH of 7 is neutral.Below that is acidic and above it is alkaline.Soil thathas a pH of between 6 and 7.2 is best for grass. Above or below that range can be highly de trimental to root develop-ment and leavesgrass susceptible o heat stress and disease.

7 s i m p l e s t e p s t o a l u s h , g r e e n l a w n 55



STEP6 ldentifyhe weedbeforechoosing weedkiller

The realkey o aweed-free awn s to

nurture a healthyone.When the turf

is dense,weedseeds avea hard time

getting hrough to the soil.And once

there, hey can't get the sun they

need to germinateand grow. But ifyou already have weeds, t's easy o

eliminate them, provided you use

the correctweedkillerat the proper

time of yearand within the temper-

ature parameterscalled for in the

directions.

Lawn weeds fa l l i n to th ree

s imp le ca t ego r i es nd requ i re

different treatment strateg ies. fyou don't know the weed category,

take a sample o a gardencenter or

identification.

tipg onweed-

killinga Don't waste your money or

time applying herbicides {ex-

cept preemergence treatmentsl

when there aren't any weeds.

No weeds? Just fertilize.

I Use a pump-up type sprayer

to spot-treat weeds that are

limited to specific areas. Only

mix the amount of liquids you

need that day. They have a

very short shelf lih onee mixed

with water.r The soil should be moist and

the grass growing before you

apply any herbicides.

o Apply li quid herb icides only on

calm, windless momings. When

the wind's blowing, you'll not only

waste material but also possibly

kill nearby shrubs and flowers.

a Water your lawn thoroughly

before any weed treatment.

o Granular herbicides work

poorly on viney broadleafs like

clover or creeping Gharlie. Use

liquid herbicides on those.

Some work better on hard-to-

kill broadleaf weeds. Ask for

advice at the garden center.

o Buy concentrated liquid herbi-

cides; they're eheaper than

premixed solutions.

Broadleaf weeds

Dandelions, clover, creeping Charlie a nd plantain are all

examples of broadleaf we eds.They not only survive the

winter but also go to seed,propagating new generations

the following spring. Kill broadleaf weeds with either

liquid sprays or granular herbicides (weedkillers) dis-

tributed with a spreader while the weeds are growing

heartily. That's usually when the lawn is growing well too.Liquid herbicides should be applied to dry or sl ightly damp lawns, bu t

only apply granular herbicides when the weeds are wet, either after you water

or when they're still damp from dew or rain. When the leaves are wet, the

chemical sticks to th e leaves, where it will be absorbed and sent to the roots

to kill the plant. It's usually best to apply herbicides when the temperature

will remain below 80 degreesF (preferably even ower), and it's not expected to

rain for at least48 hours. Hot d ays cause iquid herbicides to vaporize before the

weed can absorb it. And if it rains too soon, the granules will wash off t he leaves

and be ineffective.

Perennialweedy grasses

Perennial weedy grassesare ones that, like your lawn

. itself, survive the winter and reappear every spring.

Quack grassand Dall is grass are common examples.

Perennial weedy grasseshave to be killed one by one

with carefully applied general weedkillers like Roundup

or Kills-All, either by spraying individual weeds or sim-

ply by wiping heconcentrated erbicide 10percent r higher)on the blades f

grass. ecarefulwhenspot-killing.General lantkillerskill your yardgrassustas

easilyas they kill weeds.Replace lumps of deadweedsby raking fresh seed

through hedead rassnto thesoilbelowafter heweedsurn brown.Thenwater

dailyuntil t he grasssestablished.

Annual weedy grasses

Annual weedy grasses ike crab grass or foxtail die at the end of every growing season after seedingthe yard for the following spring. While they too can be spot-killed, the best remedy is to apply a

pre-emergent herbicide in the early spring right after the first or second mowing. A pre-emergentworks

by preventing the weed seeds rom sprouting. Talk to a local expert to help nail down the timing; it's the

difference between successand failure.

Some types of weed grasses an be killed with specific herbicides without harming your grass.One

example is a post-emergent crab grassspray,which will kill some other annual weedy grasses s well. For more details on these,

bring a sample plant to the gardencenter for advic e or check out the books or Web siteswe recommend for help.

56 w e e k e n d y a r d g a r d e n p r o . l e c t s



Grass ootsneed friable (crumbly)

rather han dense, ompacted oil so

they can spread and have accesso

the water,nutrients and oxygen hey

need to thr ive. Soi l canbe com-

pactedbecauset has oo much clayor simply because f too much foot

or mower traffic. To test for com-

paction, shovea large screwdriver

into the soil after watering. If it

doesn't easilypenetratea couple of

inches, ou should aerate.

An engine-drivenmachine called

an aerator s the easiest ay o aerate

your yard. It pulls out thousands

of p lugs o f so i l and grass and

drops them on the yard,wherethey

eventually break down. Aerating

loosens he soil and helps oxygen

and water penetrateto augment

deeper oot development.

Aerate n the fall oncedewbegins

forming regularly but stop at leastthree weeks before f rost in the

Snowbelt. Plan to aerat eheavily

compactedsoi ls hree years n a

row and after that, whenever the

screwdriver est calls for it. Aerating

in the springwill encourageweedy

grassseedso sprout in the aeration

holes.Ifyou aeraten spring,applya

pre-emergent herbicide to reduce

germination.

STEP Aerateo eliminateompactedoilunder our awn

tipg onaeraugo Aerate only during cool

weather.The exposed roots sur-

rounding holes will dry out on

hot summer days.

o Wait traro yearc bEfore aerating

newly seeded yards and one

year before aerating newly

sodded yards.

o Make two passes at 90-degrce

angles. In heavily compacted

soils, make a third diagonal

pass for thorough aeration or

beforc seeding.

o Don't bother aerating lawnsgrowing in sand unless there is

a buildup of thatch.

I The soil should be moist

3 to 4 in. deep before aerating.

Otherwise the tines won't

penetrate and extract the nec-

essary 1to 1-112 n. plugs.

for more nformationo Lawns,Your Guide o a Beautiful

Yard, The Scotts Go. Available atbookstores, garden centers and

home centers.

o All About Lawns, Ortho Go.

Available at bookstores, garden

centers and home centers.

o www.scotts.com

r http:/lturf.ufl.edu

Rent an aerator at the rental shop or gardencenter for about $35 per half day.

It 's heavy,so you'll need a strong back o help you unload it.

Benefits of aeration

7 s i m p l e t e p s o a l u s h , r e e n a w n 57



SrnalloothlgfountalnInexpensive,imple o bu ld anda greatplace or theneighborhoodirds o freshen p-now that's fountain

his quaint fountain is proof that good things o Useany bowl, dish or plateyou want for the water to

come in small packages. ou can build it in an splash nto. Weused hree piecesso the water cascades

afternoon for under $80. It's a "disappearing from onepiece nto thenext.

fountain" so there'sno exposedstandingwater. This

means here's essmaintenance ince here's esschanc. Let'S Get Stafted

debris and critters will wind up in the water.

Yet t provides he soothing sight and sound

of runn ing water peop le ove. Anotherbonus-since bi rds love moving water,

there'sa chanceyou'll attract some of these

outdoor friends.

You can personalizeyoutr ountain in a

number of ways:

o Surround t with any ype of rock.We used

a natural wall stone,but you can usemodular

concrete etaining-wallblocks, boulders or

flagstone.

o Top it off with any type of small stone.

We used a decorative rock called "Western

You can usea whiskey arrel iner from a

pfOjeCt at localhomecenteror thecatch asin, ut any

a glanCe large lastic ontainer ill do (see hoto onp.60).Some arden entersell pecialond

liners ust for thispurpose.

Regardless f your soil conditions, nestle

your catch basin or liner into a bed of sand.

This helpsprotect he bottom of the tub from

sharp rocks and makes t easier o levelthe

tub and he first courseof rock.ceramic ile bit

we constructedour fountain so we could

approximateost gainaccesso thepump by removingahand-

$7s-$100 ful of rocks along with the hardwarecloth

trap door (Photo 5). This allowsus to easily

skill evelbeginner

specialtoolsshoveldrill

Sunset." ou canusepebbles,ava stone or special ocks remove the pump for maintenanceand for storing it

you'vecollected n your travels. indoorsover he winter.

multiple spray patternsAtt ourof hesenterchange-able fountainheads, which provide diflerent looks, came in

one package. Use just one or switch them around from

time to time for a new look and feel.

5 8 w e e k e n d a r d & g a r d e np r o j e c t s





'lSelect a tocation where you'tl

I enjoy your fountain, hollow out a

2-in.-deeparea, hen level in a bed of

sand large enough to accommodate

the plastic tub and the rock or block

that will surround it.

Use a bag of sand as a workbench when drilling the

holes n your bowls and dishes(Photo 6). It'll provide a

cushion and help preventbreakage.

Many large garden centers and home centers sell

watergardenpumps and accessories. ryou can contact:

o Little Giant Pump Co.,(888)956-0000,

www.littlegiant.com.

) Locate a sturdy ptastic flower

E- pot the same height as your

plastic tub, cut a hole in the side

near the bottom and feed the cord

for the electric pump through it.

Position this pot right side up in the

center of your tub.

Q Cut a hole in the wire hardware

r-,1cloth (availableat home centers)

large enough for the pump to fit

through, then position the cloth over

the tub and bend the edges over the

tub lip.

O MacArthur Water Gardens (954) 384-7431,

www.macarthurwatergardens. om.

OperatingipsKeepyour fountain liner full of water and check the level

every day or so,especially n hot weather.You canuse any

thin stick asa dipstick to check he waterlevel.

Plug your pump into a GFCI-

protected out let- ideal ly one

located next to the fountain. If you

use an extension cord, leave t

exposed so you know where it is,

and be careful with sharp garden

tools and mowers.

As a precaut ion, unplug the

fountain when you're not around to

watch it (or put it on a timer). If the

pump runs dry it'll burn out.

Most pumps will accepta variety

of fountainheads.Bear n mind that

with some spray patterns, all the

water may not drain back into the

tub. You'll have to refill your tub

much more often with this type

of fountain.

f igufe a how t allgoesogether

PUMPACCESSTRAP DOOR

HABDWAREGI'IOIH

PROTECTEDOUTLET

60 weekend a rd ga rden p ro j ec ts



/l Surround the tub with flagstone or concrete retaining-a*

wall blocks to match the rest of your landscape.The

upper course should be about 2 in. higher than the top of

the tub.

f, Cut a small piece of hardware cloth a few inches larger

.-,/ ttran the access hole to create a removable trap door,

then cut a small opening for the pump stem. Gover he

top of the hardware cloth with decorative stone.

I lnstallthe fountainheadof your choice. Most pumps

I can accommodate a range of heads including mush-

room-shaped,cup-shaped and fan-shaped patterns.Then

fill the tub, plug in the pump and relax.

; .+;,:r'

Ji..,{ ,a

nail (remember, ight ), hen boring a hole using a ceramic

tile bit. lf you need to enlarge he hole, use a larger bit or

smal l f i le .

tthose -never-use- 'em-but--can' t-bear- to- throw- 'em-out

bowls ,p la tesand even eapots .

s m a l l s o o t h i n g o u n t a i n 5 1



Plant̂ narkersSimple,unand unctional.

hat favoriteplant of yours deservesmore recog-ni t ion than a Popsic lest ick wi th black ink

spellingout its name.Tiy making theseunique

plant markers,which hold a abelor a seed acketwith

bent copperwire set n a decorative ase. hey'reeasy o

assemble,o etyour creativity low.Decoratehemwith

rocks,glassbeadsor even seashells.hey'realso great

gifts for friendsand relatives, nd at 2 apiece, ou can

makedozens f them.

You'veprobablygot all the tools you'llneedaround

the house to make these markers . A2-gallonbucket and a wooden spoon

are all you need for mixing the

mortar. We useda 4- x 8- x 2-in .

disposable lasticcontaineras a

form, but you could also ry a

cut-offmilk cartonor abread an.

Youshouldalso ound upapairof

pliers,wire cuttersand a utility

knife for working with the wire.project taglance

skill evel

beginner

specialools

wire utterpliers

hand pade

approximateost

2each



l AenO he copper wire. Hold a dowet 8 in. up from the

I end of a S-ft. piece of wire folded in half. Wrap the

wire around it as shown, forming a loop. Move the dowel

over 3-112 n. (or the width needed to fit your seed packet)

and wrap it again, making a second loop in the opposite

direction. Cut the wire off even with the first leg, andbend a 112-in.90-degree turn at the bottom of each leg

to.anchor it in the mortar.

For supplies, ou'l l need a bag of

premixed mortar (60 lbs. is plenty),

a dust mask, a can of nonstick cooking

spray,and I2-2 electrical cable with the

plastic sheathing stripped off the

wres.

For decoration, use rocks,

glassbeads or seashells-about

1/3 b. of rocks per holder. Craft

stores are loaded with materials.

We added a latex bonding agent to the mortar. It's not

absolutely necessary, ut it'll make the mortar stick bet-

ter to smooth rocks and glass.Buy it from a

masonry supplier and follow the directions

formixing.

) Aaathe mortar. Mix up the mortar to the consistency(- of cookie dough, slowly adding water to the dry mixas needed. Mix the mortar thoroughly, let it sit for about

3 minutes, then remix, adding a dash more water ifneeded. Goat the plastic form with cooking spray. After

filling the container, give it a few quick shakes to settle

the mortar.Then form a mound using a spoon or small

trowel so it resembles a loaf of baked banana bread.

Qeusn the copper marker into the mortar so the

s,f 9O-degreebends are about 1l2in. up from the

bottom and centered. lf the mortar is too wet tosupport the wire, have a cup of coffee and let it

stiffen up a little. Now arrange the rocks or beads toyour liking. Embed the decorations at least halfwayinto the mortar so they're held tight. lf you don't like

how a rock looks, remove it, rinse it off and reposi-tion. Once you're done with the arrangement, let

the markerset for at least 24 hoursbeforeremoving t fromthe form.

tat the edges and work toward the

center.

I,;p l a n t m a r k e r s 5 3



f l \ t\Tnf^t m,-J Ltjl til

Build his simplepathwithsand, toneandlotsof muscle.

ou don't have o be a skilledmason o laya natu-

ral stonepath like this one. f you havea strong

back and an eye or fitting jigsawpuzzles,yolr an

weave casual ardenpath ikethis ust about anywhere

in your yard.There's o thick base o install or difficr-rltcutt ing and fitt ing-yoLr just lay natural stoneover a

simple and ed.

You'l lbe moving a lot of dirt and stone, o a good

shoveland wheelbarrowwill pay off here.To sirnplifi'

thegrass emoval,we rentedapowersodcutter($45per

half day,and you'l l need a pickup truck to haul this

#r. *

- . . , { 1.

{ ; i

L** 4 l*

brute).For smallerpaths, kick-

type sod cutter would work fine

($20perday o rent).Buy aheary

rubber mallet or deadblowham-

mer ($10 at hardware tores) osettle he stone nto the sandbed.

If your project equires stepor

retainingwall ike the one shown,

you'll alsoneeda eveland a hand

tamper (Photo5). Buy a tamper

for $28or rent one or $8 per day.

F i na l l y , you ' l l need a ga rage

broom to sweephe soil mixture

into the cracks, nd a goocl airof

heavy eathergloves o protect

yourhands.

project taglan*e

skil l evel

beginnero

intermediate

specialo*is

tamperrubber alletwheelbarrow

ap$rrrxinrat'

$5-$10ersq. t.ofpath

6 4 w e e k e n d y a r d & g a r d e n p r o l e c t s

{b-:*

, (; t-{

i .

i , . l f .s . - j





-lUarf thepath'sedgewith specialupside-down pray

tr markingpaint.Sprayalong he path'sedgeoutlinedbythe stakes.

You'll rder onsof stoneFor our path, we chose a locally quarried limestone

calledChilton. The 1-ll2 to 2-Ll2 in. thick stepper

stones ostabout$300per ton (a on coversabout 90 sq.

ft.), but costs vary widely depending on what's locally

available.Measure he length of your path and multiply

this by its width to determine the square ootage. Then

add about 15percent.Our 3-ft. wideby 7}-ft.long path

required about 3 tons of stone.

Check the Yellow Pagesunder Stone, Natural

or call local landscapingsuppliers to find stone in your

area.Visit the stoneyard to select he stone,since t varies

in color, texture and cost. This is also agood time to dis-

cuss delivery options. Usually the stone will be stacked

on palletsand dropped offnear the street.

In addition to thesteppers,we neededabout a ton of

8-in. wide by 3- to 5-in. thick stone or the wall and a few-6-in.

thick stones o build the step

(Photos4 and 6). Your stone dealer

can help you figure the amount of

stoneyou ll need for specialprojects

like this.

Becausehis garden path is infor-

mal, we decided o set he stoneon a

2- to 3-in. thick sandbed rather than

tmore natural if you leave a few

irregular spaces and an occasionalstone utting out into the yard.

] nemove he sod in the area of thepathwith a sod(- cutter.Set he sod cutter o maximum epth o mini-mizeadditionaldigging.Dig out thepatharea o about5 in. deep o allow or3 in. of sandand 2-in. hick stone.

years,because he base sn't asstable.Landscapesuppliers, sand and gravel companies, or

your stone supplier will chargeabout $20per cubic yard

for the sand,plus delivery fees.Divide the square ootage

of your path by 108 o calculatehow many cubicyardsof

sandyou'llneed or a 3-in. deepbase.

Finally, youll need some potting soil and mulch or

compost to fill the spacesbetween stones.We mixed

equal amounts of soil and sifted compost in a wheelbar-

row and swept t into the cracks(Photo 10).

Use teps nd owwallsto manageloping itesYou can aya stonepath like this almost anywhere hat's

not too steepfor comfortable walking. If after luytng

out your path (Photo 1), you notice a section that

seems oo steep,plan on building in a step o break the

path into sections that are more

level (Photos 5 and 6). You l have

to buy a few stones about 6 in. thick

and the right length to form the

step. Then level them on a bed of

packed gravel and fill behind them

with sand before you continue lay-

ing path stones.

the 6-in. deep compactedgravelbase used under more' heavily traveled walks and patios.Although you ll spend

a ot less ime digging and moving dirt with our method,

you mayhave to reseta sunken or tipped stone every ew

If your path runs along the edge of a slope ike ours,

level it by digging it into the slope and building a low

retaining wall (Photos 3 and a). We simply stackedwall

stoneson a compactedgravelbed for our retaining wall,

66 weekendy a rd & g a rd e n p ro je c ts



Q eour and pack gravel into an 8-in. deep trench for the I Stackthe stone for the low retaining wall on the

l,l retaining wall footing only. Spread the gravel in 2-in.-'t

compacted gravel base. Stagger the joints in the

layers, packing each layer with a hand tamper before

adding the next. Use a level and straightedge to level the

final layer before you pack it down.

Tampgravel n 2-in. ayers o forman 8-in.deepbaseunder he step.

but if it's more than a foot tall, considerstronger con-

struction techniques.

A sandbedmakest easyto level hestonesLayrng the stone is like assemblinga big, heavy igsaw

puzzle Photo 8).Spreadhe stones ut on thegroundso

stones and set each row backll2 in. behind the face of

the stones below so the wall leans into the hill. Pack

soil behind the stones as you build the wall.

f, Set 6 x 8-in.walt stone nto a 3-in.bedof sand o\,f form the step.Settleand evelthe stoneswith arubbermallet r a hammer nd blockof wood.Thenil lbehind he step stoneswith packed andand set thepathstonesevenwith the top of the step.

you can pick shapesand colors that fit. Use a wheel-

barrow or a two-wheel dolly to move heavy stones,and

always ift with your legs,not your back.

Start laying stones againstwalls, stepsor other types

of establishedborders. Then work out and along the

path (Photo8). Looselyassemble half dozenstones nd

stand back to take a ook at the arrangement.Reposition

s tone oa th 67



I SpreaOa 3-in. ayer of sand. Use

I a rake to smooth the sand about

2 in. below the surface of the lawn.

Tie a guide string to stakes about an

inch above the finished height of thepath.The string should follow the

natural slope of the path; it doesn't

have to be level.

Q lrrange the stone on the sand,

\J mixing shapes and colors to

create a natural-looking path. Leave

about 2 in. between stones for

plants to fill in.

Q nO;ust the depth of the sand so

J the tops of the stones align

under the string.Wiggle the stones

into placeand settle them down into

the sand by pounding on the top with

a rubber mallet.

' l 'lelantcreepinghymeor another urable preading

I I plant n the arger paces.Digdown nto hesandbase o provide oom or the roots.Loosen he roots andspread hemout n thehole, hen efillaround he plantwithpottingmixandwater he plant.

with soil mix and planting a durable ground cover

(Photo 11). We planted creeping hyme in the larger

spaces.Eventually he thyme will spread and fill the

cracks or a ow-maintenance, ragrant path.

tyou 'd athernot grow plants, i l l the spaceswi th mulch

or f ine lyshredded ark.

1 n Fill the cracks between stones with a 50/50 mix of

I \,/ potting soil and sifted compost or bark mulch.

Spread the soil mix and sweep it into the cracks with a

broom.

the stones f you like, and then set thesestonesbefore

moving on.

The goal for placing he stones s to keep all the tops

even.Adjust the heightof eachstoneby scoopingout or

addingsand Photo9).As you gainexperience,ou'll be

able o look at the thicknessof the stone and udgehow

much sand o leave.We stakedup string asa rough guide

so that instead of waving up and down, our path dips

gradually over its length to follow the natural terrain

(Photo9) .

Complete hepathby filling the oints betweenstones

\

- ' q

68 w e e k e n d y a r d g a r d e n p r o j e c t s



proiectaglance

skill evelintermediate

specialtoolsleveltamperhand ledgechisel

apruximateost 8- 10ersq. t.ofverticalall

ntil concrete retaining wall

systemsmuscled their way

onto the scene25 yearsago,

there were few do- i t -yoursel f -

friendly materials o choose rom.

Rock and stonewere abor intensive

to gather (or expensiveo buy) and

tricky to install. Treated imbers,

despiteclaims o the contrary,often

rotted within 15 years.Railroad ies

looked like, well, railroad ties, and

other options, like poured concrete

or mortared brick, werebest eft to

the pros.But concrete etainingwall

systems-easy to insta l l , widely

available, easonablypriced, ong-

lastingand offered n a wide selec-

t ion of co lo rs and pat te rns-

changedall that.

A retaining wall can solve many

problems. It can convert steepor

-lExcavate and level the area

I where you'll be installing hewall. Use a transit or a 4-ft. leveltaped to a straight 2x4 to establish

a common stake height, ndicatingthe top of your sand leveling bed(see Figure A). Create a flat area atfeast 4 to 6 in. deep and 24 to 28in. wide for installing compactablebase material. Provide a clear areaof at least 12 in. behind the wall forinstalling he crushed rock asshown in Photo 7.

]lnstalt4 to 6 in. of base materi-

C- al level to the tops of thestakes, then compact it until it'sabout 1 in. below the tops. Rent a

hand tamper (about 5 a day) forsmall projects, or a gas-powered

tamper (about 50 for a half day)for walls more than 30 ft. long.

c o n c r e t e l o c k e t a i n i n g a l f 5 9



' T O N G

sl:q

Q Provide a flat-as-a'Pancake

r-J sand base for installing the first

course of blocks. With the toPs of

the stakes as guides, use a long,

straight screed board to level the

sand. A hand trowel is good for fine-

tuning small diPs and humPs.

ao fa

/l Install the first course of blocks,tt

using a taut string line to estab-

lish a straight row. Use a 4'ft. levelto

level blocks lengthwise and a torpe'

do tevel to level them front to back.

Packnative soilto grade level on

both sides of this base course to

anchor the wall in Place.Thebrick

tong makes Positioning he 80-lb.

blocks easier, aster and safer.

f Orive in the pins to lock courses

J to one another and helP establish

the 3/4-in. backset for each row. Use

an extra pin to set the installed pins

below the surface of the blocks so

they don't interfere with blocks on

the next row.To maintain wall

strength, offset the vertical ioints of

the row you're installing at least 4 in.

from those of the row below.

f gu eanatomy

RECOMPACTED

hard-to-mow hills into terraced,usableplantingbeds' t

can preventerosion,help level a patio area,create ree

borders,or simply addvisual nterest o a rollingyatd'

The Versa-Lokbrand retaining wall systemshown

here usesnylon pins to align and secure orizontal rows

of 80 1b. tocks. YoucanreachVersa-Lokat 800770 4525

or www.versa-lok. om.) Other block systemsuse ips,

gravity and filled cores o connect rows and increase

strength.Your systemmay differ, but most of the Prepa-

ration and installationsteps emain the same'Here's

how to install your wall.

Don't kimp n ime,ools rmaterialsThewall shownherewasaweekend-longproject,andan

exhaustingone at that. It took a day o rip out the old,

collapsing retaining wall, to dig farther into the hill to

provide room for the backfill graveland to help unload

materials. t took another dayto install the base,blocks

andbackfill.

Before aunching nto this project, contactyour local

building code official. Depending on the height and

location of your wall, there may be structural, drainage

and setback(the distance rom wall to property line)

considerations. permit maybe required.

r

t lO Forsafety's ake, allyouruti l i tycompanies

I andhave hemmark he ocation f under-

groundwiresandpipes;heservices usuallyree'Fo r

more nformation,a l l heCommon round l l iance

hotline t 811.

retaining all ffii#'S't

CAP BLOCK

CONCRETE DHESIVE

: l

A retainingwall is only as straight and solid as the base

it's built on. For a 4'tt. tall wall, excavate a trench deep

enough to accommodate 4 to 6 in. of compacted base,1 in'

of leveling sand and half the height of the first course of

blocks. Step succeeding courses back 3/4 in., overlap

vertical ioints at least 4 in. and secure one row to the

next with pins. Backfill with crushed rock, except for the

top, where you should install a 6-in. cap of native soil

to help keep surface water from entering the rock-filled

trench. Use concrete adhesive to secure the cap blocks'

4 TO

7O w e e k e n d a r d & g a r d e nP r o j e c t s



a block chisel, hen turning the blockon its side and finishing the task witha series of solid blows.

J Backtill behind the retaining wallI with crushed gravel.Crushed,

rather than smooth, gravel lockstogether and helps direct backfillpressure downward (rather than out-ward). The backfill also provides afast path for water drainage and actsas a tree root barrier.

Q tnstallthe cap blocks using '

1-l two 114-in. eads of concreteadhesive o secure them in place.

Cap blocks can be positioned witha slight overhang or backset, or setflush with the wall face.

Unless ou own a heavy-duty ruck (andback ),have

your blocks,compactable ase,sandand backfill gravel

delivered.Blocks may cost slightly more at specialty

landscaping toreshan at homecenters, ut landscaping

stores are often better equipped to deliver the small

batchesof base,sand and gravel hat you'll need for

installing he blocks.

The Versa-Lokblocks and cap blocks we used

cost about $4.50each.Pins are about 750 each.Plan

on spending$8 to $10per square oot of retainingwall

face (vertical surface)once you add in the base andbackfill materials.

We useda transit level (Photo 1) to establisha flat

base.But unlessyou own or rent one and know how to

use t properly, ust use a 4-ft.level taped to a long,

straight2x4,especiallyor shortwalls.The tamper,brick

tongsand block chiselareavailableat rental yards.

Build traight ndsolidfromstart o finishEvery manufacturer and consultant we contacted

stressedhe absolutenecessityof starting with a solid,level and well-compactedbase.Failure to do this will

result in a weak,wavywall. Bear n mind:

o If your wall is higher than 4 ft., most concreteblock

manufacturersrequire extra engineeringand installa-

tion stepsnot shown here.Thesesteps ange rom using

special reinforcement fabric to installing a seriesof

terraces ather than one tall wall. Most manufacturers

providegoodprinted installationguidelines.Ifyou pur-

chaseyour blocks from a specialty andscapecenter,

theremaybe an on-sitedesigner r engineer o helpyou.

o Beforegettingstarted, ontact ocalutility companies

to mark the location of underground wires and pipes.

Telephoneand cable TV wires are often buried iust

beneath he surface.

o In the Midwest, he compactable asematerialshown

in Photo 2 is often referred to as"ClassV" (as in theRoman numeral for five). n other regions, he rock may

vary and the materialmay go by a differentname. The

important quality of the material is its different-sized

rock and sand particles hat interlock and compact to

createa solid base. t's the same material used beneath

roadbedsand paverpatios.Make sureyou use he right

stuff. It's NOT the sameas the crushed gravelyou use

forbackfill.

o The 16-in.wide x l2-in. deepx 6-in. high blocks we

installed weigh 80 lbs. each.A brick tong (Photo 4)

doesn't make them lighter,but it does make them less

clumsy to handle, easier o position and less ikely to

crush ingers.

o If your wall bordersa sidewalkor deck,you may need

a code-compliant ail. Contactyour localbuilding code

department.

c o n c r e t e l o c k e t a i n i n g a l 7 l



?athnawheel-

barrowThere's o heavy ift ing,no fancy oolsand t'sreally,eally heap

of mulch and a coupleof hours areall

it takes o build it. You'll spend less

than $5 per foot of 3O-in.-wide ath.

To create he path edging, we cut

18-in.-long cedar shakes n half,

then pounded the 9-inch sections

about halfway into the ground.

Shakesare naturally rot-resistant

and should last 5 to 10vearsor

more. And since they're tapered, they're easy o install.

Bear in mind, shakeswill split and break if you try topound them into soil with lots of rocks, roots or heavy

clay; his path works best n loosegardensoil.

poundon that if you find you're

breakingshakesas you drive hem

in. The 2x6 wi l l help dist r ibute he

blow more evenlyacross he top of

the shake.

hisgardenpath s aseasytobuild as t is o look at

and walkon.A bundle or two of cedarshakes, roll

of landscape abric, a fewbags

The andscape abric helpspre-

vent weeds rom growing up into

the path and createsa barrier sothe dirt below

remainssepa-

rate from the

path materi-

als above.The

path material

i tse l f can be

wood ch ips ,

shreddedbark,

decorativestone-just about any-

thing you can hink of.

Here's how to do it in three

easy teps:

,aglance

level

toolssledge

knife

l,,ryFtoximateost

#l-$2 per

ft. ofpath

1 Pound the cedar shakes into theI soil using a small mallet. Staggerevery other shake, overlapping theprevious shake by about 1l2ln.

/) trim or fold the fabric so it followsL n"contour of the cedar shake

edging.On slo@ ground,useU-sha@sod staples to hold the fabric.

? fnstalla 2- o 3-in. ayerof woodr-,1 chips,shredded ark or stoneover he landscapeabric.

7 2 w e e k e n d a r d & g a r d e np r o j e c t s





Patlohalu timate asy har: easyto set up andstore.

Theeasy

to build,easy o tote,

hether you're staking out a curbsidespot forwatching aparade,heading to the woods for

a weekend or simply trying to catch a few

rays,you'll love the portability and comfort of this chair.

Interlocking legs and gravity keep the two sections

together when in use.Andth

when it's time to pull up

stakes, he seat section

tucks neatly inside

the back. A handle

cutout in the top

' slat makes for\ easycarrymg

and storing

too.

Whatt takesWe made our chair from cedar becauset's lightweight,

but you could use cn)ress, fir, treated or other decay-

resistantwoods.We didn't want knots weakening helegs

or seat,so we spentabout $75 for knot-free D-grade

cedar.You l need basic tools: ajigsaq drill, Phillips bit,

file, combination square,carpenter's square and screw-

drivet plus a table sawand belt sander. f you don't own

these ast two tools, borrow them (or use his project as

an excuse o add a few more tools toyour workshop).

Building one chair takesabout eight hours. But once

you're jigged up and have yourpatterns made, building addi-

tional ones only takes an hour or

two more each.


specialtoolsjigsaw

belt anderdrillsquare

apprcximateost

$50-$100per hair

proiect taglance

7 4 w e e k e n d u r n i t u r e& w o o d w o r k i n g r o j e c t s



Make hepatternsbyconnectinghe dotsor witha photocopier)The backrest and seatsupport struts must be the exact ength and shape or

the chair to set up and nest for storageproperly. You can ensure accuracy

two ways:You canplace he strut grid (below) on aphotocopier, hen enlarge

it until the squaresare exactly 1 in. On our office machine, that meant first

enlarging the grid 2x, taking that copy and enlarging it 2x, then taking that

copy and enlarging t 1.30x.We aped wo pieces f 8-Il2 x 11paper ogether

lengthwise o create he 18-in.long pattern. Every machine is slightly differ-ent,somake ure hefinal grid s18 n.,and 18squares,Iong.Thenut t out to

create our pattern or usecarbonpaper o transfer he shape o your wood.

A secondway s o use he transfergrid method (Photos - 4). The shapes

in FigureA below are drawn on a scaled-downgrid. Draw a full-sizegrid of

l-in. squares n hardboard(Photo 1) and ransfer he shapeso it; you ll have

atemplate you can useover and over.

f igureapatio hairdetai ls

qt0 --i

I

EACHSQ.=1

shoppingist

2 piecesof 2xG 8'D and better-gradeedar

2 piecesof 1x6x 8 'D and better-gradeedar

1 piece of 118 24 x 48hardboard for emplates)

Eighty2 galvanized eckscrews

1 pint ofThompson'sWaterSeal

finish

Glue

cutt ingist

KEY PGS. SIZE& DESCRIPTION

A 2 1-112 5-112 36 cedar(backrest truts)

B 2 1 - 112 x 4 - 15116 x 34cedar seat truts)

C 1 314 4 x 20 cedar(topslat)

D 2 314 2-112 20 cedar(seat upports)

E 11 314 2 x 20 cedar slats)

EACHSQ.=1

TOPSLATGRID

-T-TZ-t'tZ I

1 2-314'

I I

r3-314',

t-I2-112',

IL-

SEATASSEMBLY

BACKREST NDSEATSTRUTGRID

p a t i o c h a i r 75



Measure nd mark f - in. ncrementson both ends and

one side of the hardboard. hen draw grid lines using

a combinationsquare, traightedge nd fine-pointperma-

nent marker.Or, f you like,you can use the photocopy

methodexplainedon p.75.

Draw ines onnectinghe pointsmade n hegrid.Usea smooth, rcingarm movemento draw he

gradual urve.Usea quartero trace he 1/2-in.adiuses tthebottomof the eg.Usea igsaw o cut out he pattern.

We'vedrawn only half of the backrest nd seat truts

on our gridsbecausehe halvesare symmetrical.Make

one emplate or half of the shape,hen lip it to draw he

otherhalf.Since he shapes f the seat ndbackrest truts

are so similar,you can make only the backrest trut

template,hen use t to draw he seat trutpieces, aking

them Il4 in. narrowerand I in. shorter 2 in. shorter

overall).

To use he template, lign t to cen-

terlinesdrawn on the boards(Photo

4), tracearound t, then flip it over he

center l ineand t race he rest of the

shape.Remember,he seatstruts are

Il4 rn. skinnier and 2 in. shorter han

the backrest truts.

To develop he pattern, ransfer the points to your

hardboardgrid where he shape ntersects he grid

lines n the drawing.

IENTERLINE

{c )

BACKRESTTEMPLATE

Align the backreststrut template o the centerl ine nd

bottom edge of the cedar piece and trace the shape.

Flip he templatealong he centerl ine o draw he otherhalf.Cut out the pieceswith a jigsaw.

Cut a l l t he p ieces o the d imens ionsg iven n the

Cut t ing L is t , us ing he templa tes o r the legsand

the op slat.Cut out the shapes ith a igsaw,hen sand

the pieceswi th a belt sander Photo5). Lay out the

handgrip hole n the op slat C), hen cut t out usinga

jigsawand spade it (Photo 6). You'l l need o rip the

back and seatslats2 in. wide usinga

tablesaw.

Lay ou t , coun t e rs i nkand d r i l l

al l the screwholes or the slatsand

suppor ts . i n i sh-sand l l t he p ieces

with i20-grit, hen 150-grit andpaper.

Round over the sharp edgeswith the

sandpaper.

7 6 w e e k e n d u r n i t u r e w o o d w o r k i n g r o i e c t s



f, SanO he edges of the curved pieces with a belt

r-,f sander. lf you don't have a bench vise, you can sup-port the legs with a handscrew clamp while you sand.

I Usea carpenter's quare o align he seatsupports90I degrees o the backrest truts, henglueandscrew

them n place.Usebothglueandscrews o attach heslats, oo.

Screwthe wo seat upports D) and curved op slat o

the backreststruts (Photo 7) using the spacinggiven n

Figure A. Then attach the five slats o the backrest struts

and six slats o theseatstruts(Photo8).

FinishingouchesBeforeapplying he finish, unscrewthe wo seat upports

and apply weather-resistantglue (like Titebond II or

Gorilla Glue) o the oints, hen rescrewhe seat upports

to the backrest truts.The gluewill strengthen he oint.

The chair reliesprimarily on these seatsupports for

strength.

Brush on two liberal coatsof a penetrating exterior

wood sealer like Thompson'sWater Seal).Let the first

coat d1y for 24 hours, then apply the secondcoat.After

f, Ottl the ends of the hand grip holes with a 1-in.dia.

\,/ spade bit. Drill partway in from both sides so you

won't tear out the wood.

Q Attactr he stats o the seatstruts usinga 1/2-in.hick1-l spacer o align hem.Finishdriving he screwsby

hand o avoidsetting heir heads oo deep.

an hour,wipe offany excessinish. Let he finishdry for a

coupleof daysbeforeusing he chair.After ayearor two,

you'll want to recoat the chairs to keep them look ing

good.If you decide o paint the chairs nstead, sean oil-

basedprimer followed by a semiglossoil-basedpaint.

Don't usea clearvarnish; he sunwill eventuallybreak t

down and you'll be refinishingeverysummer nsteadof

relaxing.

Setup the chair by sliding the seatstruts hrough the

backrest s t ru ts and seat suppor ts as shown in

the photos on p. 74. Push the seat n all the way so

the rear seat slat is firmly against the backrest struts.

Then kickback and relax

p a t i oc h a i , 7 7



SlnTplestenchln hewoddBuiltwith wo boards nda handful f screws.

ne of the easiestways o make a good garden

even better is to set a comfortable benchin a

secluded orner.Justhavingaplace o sit trans-

means o live n harmonywith the and. f this benchwas

goodenough or him, it'sdefinitelygoodenough or us

forms an ordinary patchof flowers nto a quiet, contem-

plative refuge.

So when we were looking for a simple bench, we

mimicked a useful design once used by Aldo Leopold,

whom many consider the father of wildlife ecology.

Leopold's writings have led many to discoverwhat it

A little research ed us to this

s turdy des ignwe cou ld bu i ld

quickly with a few 2x8s, glue and

screws.Best of all, it's amazingly

comfortable, perfect for bird-

watching-even for two people.

Thanks,Aldo

projecttaglance

skill evel

beginner

specialools

dril l

circular aw

approximateost

$15-$25



-fn|arf one end of the 2x8 x 10 at a 22-1t2 angte with a

I speed square or protractor, then cut with a circular

saw. Makea mark 36 in. away and repeat the cut at the

same angle. Cut the remaining ront leg and two back

legs from the same piece. Cut the seat and the backrest

from the 2x8 x 8.

shoppingist

1 2xBx 8 cedar, edwoodor treated umber seatand backrest)

1 2x8 x 10cedar, edwoodor treated umber frontand rear egs)

Exterior onstruction dhesive

2-ll2 galvanized eckscrews

buildingipsTo make a simple project even simpler, remember these

tips:

a Be sure o assemble he legs (Photo2) so they're mirror

imagesof each other, and not facing he same direction.

I Use clamps or a helper to hold the legs upright when

securing he seat.

o Predrill all your screw holes to prevent splitting thewood.

J Fastenthe legs together. Stack and clamp the seat

f- and backrest to the edge of the worktable as guides,

and then align the legs against them. Spread adhesive on

the front leg, set the rear leg in place,and fasten the legs

together with three 2-112-in. crews.

Q ettactr the seat and backrest. Stand the two ends up,

\) 42 in. apart, spread glue on the tops of the rear legs,

and screw the seat in place. Lay the bench on the work-

table and attach the backrest with glue and screws.

s i m o l e s t e n c h n t h e w o r l d 7 9





-lCut 3/4-in. shelf plywood to width first, using a circular

J saw and a homemade jig for exact cuts. Use a sharpplywood blade and cut with the best side of the woodfacing down to minimize splintering.

Q Cut bothshelf uprights o lengthwith a mitersaw...-/ Clamp o sawhorses.Mark he 1O-degreengleat thetop (dimensionsn FigureB), hencutwitha circular aw.

Whetheryou chooseo make his piecemore functional,

as in this office setting, or place it in a family room

to showcasereasures,he basicconstruction s the same.

Youselect he type of wood and stainor paint to dress t

up or down to fit the ook of any room.

All the materialscanbe purchasedn home centers r

lumberyards.The only special ools you'll need are a

power miter box for crisp anglecutsand an air-powered

brad nailer for quick assemblyand almost invisible

joints. And you'll have o rustleup an old clothes ron for

applyingoak edge-bandingmaterial.Once you've gath-

ered all the material,you can build the shelf unit in one

afternoon.

Cut the individual shelves,beginning with the narrow-est, using the jig for perfectly straight cuts.

/ lron edge-banding veneer to the front edge of all five-t

shelves. Roll the entire surface o ensure a solidbond, and trim the edges.

BuyinghewoodWe built our unit with red oak andoak veneerplywood

and finished t with two coatsof redoak stain.

One notewhenbuying boards:Usea tape measure o

check he standard dimensionsof 1x3sand lx4s. They

sometimesvary in width and thickness.Also check he

two fuIl-length lx4s you plan to useas he uprights to be

sure hey're straight, without warps or twists. And always

examine the ends, edgesand surface or blemishesor

rough areashat won't easily andout.

Cutplywood helvesirstLay a coupleof 2x4sacrosssawhorsesPhoto 1) to cut

the half sheet of 314-in.plywood cleanly and without

2

l e a n i n g o w e r of s h e l v e s 81



E to maintainaccuracy,ock he miterbox at 10r-/ degrees,hen cut all angledpieces-uprights,cleatsandoneend of shelfsides-withoutchanginghe able.

pinching the saw blade. Since all f ive shelvesar e

30-Il2 in. wide, cut this width first, making sure the

grain will run the long way across he shelves.Remember

to wear safetyglasses, arplugs and a dust mask. Make

a homemade ig to fit your circular saw and clamp it to

the plywood.

Next, cut all

_ ,ttI

-rl-

- r t - .

r l l - T t , ,

- -l -

of this project

is tha t any

wood species

w i l l w o r k . f y ou

p lan o pa in t t ,

s e lec t l de ro r

aspen or the

s o l i dpa r tsand

birch or the

plywood.

Select he best ront of eachply-

wood shelf, clamp it to the bench on edgeand sand t

smooth with 150-gritpaperon a sandingblock. Then

preheata clothes ron to the cotton setting and run it

over the top of the edge-bandingveneer,making sure

the veneerextendsbeyond all edges Photo 4). Roll it

smooth immediately after heating. Let eachshelf edge

cool or a coupleof minutesbefore rimming andsand-

ing the edges.

five shelf depths, starting with th e

smallestshelf (3-318 n.) first. Cut

smallest o largest so you'l l have

enough wood to c lamp the j ig .

Make sureyou account for the width

of your saw blade when you cut

eachshelf.

Now mark and cut the top of all

four 1x4uprights (theend that rests

against he wall), according o Photo

3 and the two dimensionsprovided

in Figure B. Use a sharp blade in

your circular saw to prevent splin-

tering. Then stow he sawhorses nd

move o theworkbench.

Glue and nail the shelf cleats to the uprights using a1x3 spacer. Hold each cleat tight to the spacer.

Cut he uprights ndshelf ramenextNow enter he miter saw,which you use o make all the90-

degree traight cuts irst (fiveshelfbacksand l0 shelfsides;

seeCuttingList). Rememberthatone end of eachshelfside

hasa l0-degreecut, sowe recommendfirst cutting them

squareat their exact ength,then cutting the anglecarefirlly

so he ong edgeof eachpiece emains he same.

Next, rotate he miter sawtable o the l0-degreemark

and cut all the anglepieces. irst cut the bottom of both

uprights so eachupright rests lat against he floor and

wall (seeFigureA). Then trim the top of the upright to

match the bottom, being careful o maintain the 84-in.

total length. Next, cut the cleatsbasedon the Cutting List

d i m e n s i o n s ,

which aremeas-

ured edge to

edge Pho t o 5

and F igure A).

Leave the top

cleats ong and

cut them to

exact fit during

assembly.Then,

to speed inish-

ing , use an

orb i ta l sander

wi th 150-gr i t

sandpaper to

smooth a l l

p ieces before

assembly.

materialsistOne half sheet 4' x 4'l of 314oakplywood

Three ' oak1x3s

Four8' oak 1x4s

Onepackage25')of 7l8 oakiron-onveneer Band{tbrand,The Cloverdale o., 800) 82 -9731,www.band-itproducts.com,purchased t HomeDepot)

Veneer dge rimmer Band-ltbrand;seeaboveand click Retai ' RelatedProducts )

Woodglue

1-114 radnails

Foampads 1 pkg.ofAcebrand3/4 ound,self-adhe-sive non-skid ads rom AceHardware)

8 2 w e e k e n d u r n i t u r e& w o o d w o r k i n g r o l e c t s



f rgu emodu a

a

shel f assembly

1x4 x 84UPRIGHT

f igurebtop of upright

2-11321x4 x 14-112

CLEATF

10'ANGLE

5-314

6

CLEATG1x4 x 11-314

cutt ing ist

PCS.

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

2

2

2

5

2

I

2

SIZE& DESCRIPTION

314 3-3/8 30-1/2 akplywood shelfA base)

314 5-314 30-1/2 akplywood shelfB base)

314 8-3/16 30-112 akplywood shelfC base)

314 10-5/8 30-1/2 akplywood shelfD base)

314 13 x 30-1/2 akplywood shelfE base)

314 2-112 4-318 ak(shelf sides)*

314 2-112 x 6-3/4 ak(shelfB sides)*

314 2-112x 9-3/16 ak(shelfC sides)*

314 2-112x 11-5l8 ak(shelfD sides)*

314 2-112 14 oak(shelfE sides)*

314 2-112 30-1/2 akA - E ( s h e l f b a c k s )

314 3-112 x 14-112 akshelf leats (cutwith10-degreengles)

314 3-112 11-3/4 akshelfcleatsG (cutwith10-degreengles)

314 3-112x 10 oakshelf leatsH (cutwith10-degreengles)

ffi

ffiCUT CLEATENDSAT 10'

2 314 x3-112 x 84 oak

uprights J (cut with

10-degree ngles)

*Front part of side cut at

10 degrees

l e a n i n g o w e ro f s h e l v e s 8 3



I Clue and nail the shelf backs, then attach the sides to

I the plywood shelves. Position the sides to overlap the

shelf base as shown.

Assembleprightsirst,then heshelvesTobegin assembly,lay ut both uprights and all cleats o

ensure hat the anglesare correct so the shelveswill be

level when the unit is against he wall. Then glueand nail

the first cleat lushwith the baseof eachupright (using

fiveor six 1- l4 in. brads)on eachcleat.Work your way

upward using 1x3 spacers Photo 6). Make sure he

spacers the exactsamewidth as he shelfsides Set hese

aside o dry.

For shelf assembly, irst glue and nail on the shelf

backs.Next, apply hesideswith glueand nails(Photo7).

For final assembly,ay one upright on 2x4s, hen

clamp on the shelvesas shown in Photo 8. Apply the

glue, position the secondupright on top flush with the

front edgeof the shelves,hen sink four l-ll4 in. brads

into eachshelf rom the upright side.Carefully urn the

unit over and repeat he process o attach the second

upright. Work quicklyso he gluedoesn'tset.Lift the ad-

der shelf and place it upright against a straight wall.

Check t with a framing squareand flex it if necessaryo

square t up and to make sure that the uprights rest flat

against he floor andwall (assuming our floor is level).

Attach three bar clamps as shown in Photo 9 while the

gluedries.

The shelf s highly stableasdesigned, ut onceyou've

stained or painted it, you can add self-adhesiveoam

gripping pads o the bottom of the uprights.And if you

don't feel securehaving it on a slippery loor, the unit's

width is perfect or screwing he top of the uprights nto

wall studs.

Q Clamp the shelves nto one upright. Spreadglue in(J the shelf notches of the other upright, position it

flush with the front of the shelves and nail. Flip the unit

over and attach the other upright.

Q Set the shelf unit against a straight watl, check for

J squarenessand apply three bar clamps untiltheglue dries.

84 w e e k e n d f u r n i t u r e & w o o d w o r k i n g p r o j e c t s



FlnshlnglpsEhedeta,ifsou have o know

ct f n sh

fine finish is the crowning touch that brings out the beauty of wood, but finishing wood is tricky business.

Even masterwoodworkers get a little nervous when the time comes o finish their projects.That's why they

don't rush the ob. Bitter experiencehas aught them that extra attention to thekey steps n theprocesssaves

time andtrouble. Hereyou lllearn thosekeysteps, omecommon pitfallsandhelpfrrltips for a smooth,successfrrlinish.

progressromcoarseo finerProgress rom coarse o finer and finer sand-

paper. Whether you're sanding by hand or

using a power tool, start with 80-grit to sand

awayblemishes, hen use 120-grit and finally

180-grit.Using heseexactgrits sn t vital (100-

150-180works too), but i t 's important to

progress n steps, emoving deeper scratches

and leaving iner scratches ach ime.

rogres-

ru

hand-sandhecuruesSand curved 5u1fa6 -and other areasan electricsander can't

reach-by hand. Tieat all areasequally,using the samep

sion of sandpa-

per grits for both

hand and power

sanding.

f i n i s h i n g i p s 85



usea padonlargeareasApply water-basedpolyurethane to large surfaces ast

by using a paint pad. Water-based oly dries quickly

and may not allow enough wet time for brushing out

big areas.

.^r l+h ^ .^^. . |vvru r a Pc|uWhen sandingbetweencoats, moothcurveswith a steel

wool substitutesuchas3M'sScotchbrite ads.Steelwool

leavesibersbehind,which can cause tainsn the finish.

betterbrushesare hekeyUsual ly,a brush is the best tool for apply ing

polyurethane.For water-based oly, a synthetic

brush (such as nylon or polyester) s best.For oil-

based oly, usea natural-bristlebrush. n either case,

plan to spendat least$10 or a good-qualitybrush.

Qualitybrusheshold more finish, ay t on smoothly

and are ess ikely to leave ost bristles n your clear

coat. f you cleanyour brush immediatelyafter use,

it'll serve ouwell far into the future.

Dust settling on wet polyurethane will give your

finish the ook and feel of razorstubble.So clean he

areayou're working in and let the dust settle.Then

dust the workpiecewith a soft,lint-free cloth.Don't

use tack cloth-it can leave a residue hat interferes

with adhesion.

sandcurves get rid of dust




sandwithout eaving cratchesA random orbital sander

leavesscratches hat are

practically invisible, so

you can sand across

joints where grain

changesdirection. Bu t

move slowly (about1 inch per second) and

apply l ight pressure.

Otherwise, you l l get

swirly scratches below).

{

,4

inspect efore

don tsandthroughhestainWhen sanding between coats, t s easy o

rub right through the clear coat,removing

the stain below.So sandsuper ightly after

the first coat, ust enough to cut down any

dust whiskers on the surface. f there are

bigger problems-such as runs-deal

with them after the secondcoat when you

can sand a bit harder. To repair rubbed-

through spots, ust apply new stain.

Immediately wipe awayanystain that gets

on the surrounding polyurethane.

youstainTurn out the lights and shine ight at a ow angleacross he wood to

reveal mperfections. Flag he problem areaswith maskingtape and

sand hem out.

f i n i s h i n g i p s 8 7



leavemistakesalone usually)When you notice a run, missed spot or other problem in

the polyurethane you applied minutes earlier,you'll be

tempted to brush it out. Don't. The finish may look wet,

but chancesare t's already sticky,and brushing will only

make a mess. There are a couple of exceptionsto thisrule:Youcanpop tinyairbubbleswith apin, andyou can

pluck out a hair, a lost bristle or unfortunate fly using

sharp tweezersand a steadyhand.

Lightly sandbetweencoatswith a0O-gritwet/dry sandpaper,which won't

fall apart when it getswet.A little water provides lubrication and keeps

the finish from clogging the paper. Sanding after eachcoat (except he

last) rubs out imperfectionsand roughens he surface orbetter adhesion

of the next coat. In most cases, his is a quick job, more like wiping the

surface han sanding t. When the sanding sdone, *ip. awaythe residue

with a damp rag.

88 weekend u rn i tu re & wo o d wo rk in gp ro je c ts

watchorblotchywoodSome woods absorb stain unevenly, which causes

dark blotches to appear. Birch, maple, pine and

cherry can all play this ugly trick on you. It's hard to

eliminate this effect,but you can limit it by applyrng

a wood conditioner before staining. Conditioner

alsopreventswood's endgrain from absorbing more

stain than the facegrain. Get a quart at a home

center or about 8.

Wipe oil-based polyurethane onto

hard-to-brush surfacesusing a soft,

lint-free cloth. Wiping leavesa thin-

ner coat than brushing, so you'll

have to apply more coats. Water-

basedpoly becomes sticlcF oo fast

forwiping.

sandbetweenoats of brush



'OAh

teststai s, horoughlyYoucan't rely on those stainsampleson display n stores.Actual color variesa ot, depending on the tlpe of wood and

how you prepared t for finishing. Sosave craps rom your project, run them through the samesandingprocessand

use hem to test inishes. f you didn't build the item yodre finishing, run testson an nconspicususalsa-the under-

sideof a table, for example. Test stain on scraps o get the color you want. Leavingexcess tain on the wood for longer

or shorterperiodswon't affect he color much. If it's a custom color you'reafter,you can mix stainsof the samebrand.

san

testclearinishes,oo

with hegrain

Water-based polyurethane affects the color only slightly. Oil-

basedpoly has an amber tone that can dramatically change he

color of stainedor unstainedwood. The same stain was usedon

the samplesshown.

Sand with the grain when hand-sanding or

using abelt sander.Scratches re hard to see

when they run parallel to the grain. But even

the lightest scratchesacross he grain are

obvious,especiallyafter staining.

f r n i s n i n g i p s 8 9



e tend to buy plants first and worr

good spots or them later.So unfort

many of the prettiestplants get los

cornersof a deck and sunroom and don'tget the atten-

tion (or the ight) they deserve.

To helpsolve his problemand to spotlight

some favorite plants,we came up with this

simple display stand. It's made from cedar

1x2s hat arecut into just two lengths, tacked

into squaresand nailed together.We used

western ed cedarwith the rough-sawed ide

exposed.You may have o check several

suppliers o f ind a good selectionof lx2s.

Assembly s simple and fast,because here's

nothing to measureas you build-just keep

everything squareand use the wood pieces

themselvesor spacingand alignment.

yaboutHere'swhatVou'l l eedFor supplies,you'll need seven8-ft.-long cedar 1x2s,

some exter ior g lue, ike T i tebond I I , a few dozen

4d galvanized inish nails,and some 100- or 120-grit

sandpaper. ou'll also need a hammer, a tape

measure nd a framing square, lusa saw hat

can cut the 1x2s o a consistentength.A

power miter saw s greatfor his (you can rent

one) but you could also use a handsaw n a

miter box. An exterior finish for the wood is

attractive, ut not reallynecessary.

Begin by trimming any rough or out-of-

squareends from your 1x2s.Almost all the

endswill show, o hey need o look good.Cut

the 1x2s n to s ix teen20- in . p iecesand

twenty-seven0-3 4-in. pieces. t's mportant

that the two groupsof pieces re consistentn

length,so rather than measuringeach one,

unately,

t in the

projecttaglance

skill evel

beginner

specialoolspower r hand

miter aw

basic andools

approximateost

15- 20




'lAssemble he first two layerswithout nailsor glueto

I get the spacing right and to makesure everything ssquare.Use scrappiecesof |f,, as spacers.Once every-thing is square,glueandnail all the intersections.

clamp a "stop block" to your bench the appropriate dis-

tance from the blade of your saw,and push the 1x2 up

against t for eachcut.

How o build tBegin making your stand by arranging the lowest two

layerswithout nails or glue (Photo 1). Lay out the bot-

tom three20-in. piecesagainsta framing square, hen lay

three more 20-in. piecesand three l0-314-in. pieceson

top of them asshown n Photo 1.

Adjust the spacing, using scrap pieces o create the

gaps,and make sure everything is square.The.second

layer should have a plant platform in one corner and

nothing in the other three.When everything ooks good,

nail the pieces ogether,using one nail and a dab of glue

at every ntersection.Keep he nails 31 n. away rom the

ends of the boards to prevent splitting.

Add five more layers each consisting of tr,r'o ong and

one short piece,with glue and a nail at every overlap.

Check the sideswith the square asyou go to keep hem

straight. At the seventh ayer,add trvo more platforms,

with the 10-314-ua. ieces unning perpendicular to the

pieceson the first platform. Add another five layers,with

just two L0-314-:r;.. ieces per layer, hen fill in the top

layer o create he final displayplatform (Photo 2). When

you're done nailing, sand all the outside edgesof your

stand and apply an exterior stain or preservative.Wait

a few days for the finish to dry completely, then start

moving in the plants

) euila up the stand "log-cabin style" untit you get to

4- the seventh layer, which has two platforms. When

that's nailed down, continue untilthe 12th layer, which

has the final platform.

f igureaexplodedview

holesusinga bi t the s izeof the na i l o r the na i l tse l f

with the headsnippedoff. Yourboardsmay also differ n

thickness rom those shown,which were 13/16 n. thick.

lf so, simply adjust he spacingbetween he boards.

s t a i r - s t e p l a n t d i s p l a y 91



TasturnlturelxesMake hosenicksandscratcheswith usta fewminutes' ork.

urniture looking a little shabbywith all those

little scratchesand dings?You know, the

vacuum cleaner bumps here and

there,and heHotWheels hit-and-runs?Not

to worry. We'll show you simple touch-up

techniques that will make theseminor eye-

soresdisappearquickly and painlessly.

We're not talking about refinishing or even

proiect trepairing here, which are dif-

ferent gamesaltogether.This

is about hiding flaws so onlyyou will knowthey're there.

The procedures nd mate-

r ia ls shown in th is art ic le

won't damage he original

finish on your furniture if it

was made n the last 50years.

However, f the piece of

furniture you're touching up

is very old, or an antique, it

mav have a shellac f inish.

With shellac,you shouldn't attempt the scratch-

removal processshown on p. 94.And if the piece s

an antique, think twice about doing any touch-up,

which could actuallydevalue t.

You can test for a shellac inish with a few drops

of alcohol n an out-of-sight spot. Alcohol will dis-

solveshellac.

Think safety: Even though all the fluids and

sprayswe show here are everydayhardware-store

products, most are both flammable and toxic. Read

and follow the directionson the label. Don't use

them in a room where there'sa pilot light, or near

open flames or in an unventilated space. f you'll

be doing anything more than a few quick passes

with the sprays shown here, work outdoors and

wear a respirator mask with organic cartridges.

And if you're pregnant, stay away rom thesemateri-

als altogether.

go away

aglance

skill evelbeginner

specialtoolsfelt-tipmarkersputty ticks

approximateost 5- 10

touchupscratches'l

niOe scratches with

I permanent-ink felt-tipmarkers. You can either usethe furniture touch-up mark-

ers available at hardware

stores and home centers, or,to get an exact match, buymarkers at an art supply

store that carries an array of

colors (check the Yellow

Pages). For thorough cover-

age, you may need to dab

the ink onto the scratch, let it dry then even out the color by

stroking lightly across it with the tip. Keep in mind that colorstend to darken when they soak into wood fibers.

) foucn up thin scratches4- with a fine-tip perma-

nent marker.When filling in

scratches, steady your hand

against the furniture for

accuracy; as much as possi-

ble, flow the ink only ontothe scratch.




patch ougesFill in gougeswith colored putty

sticks, sold at most hardware stores

and home centers.This putty works

well for small holesand nicks but is

somewhat trickier to use as a fill

for larger damage, as shown here.Unlike hardening putties, it remains

soft and somewhat flexible, so you

have to shape t carefully.And it

won t hold up under heavywear. l eryI several

I eress putty tightly into the gouge

4- with a smallflat stick, then flatten

it and scrape away the excess with

the stick s long edge. Round the endof the stick with sandpaper.

Q Wipe away any putty adhering to

vl the wood around the gouge, andsmooth the surface of the putty with

a clean cloth. A thin, light-colored

line will usually appear around theperimeter of the patch. Use a match-ing marker o color this line, as

shown in Photo 2onp.92.

sticks of puttysimilar o thecolor of the stainyou want to match.

Scrape flakes from each,

then mix and knead them

with your fingertips until the

color is right. The heat from yourfingers also softens the putty for

easy application. Make the patch

slightly darker than the furniture;

lighter will be more obvious.

/ Spray the patch with two or three quick passes of shetlac, then after it--f

dries, a few quick passes of spray lacquer-either high gloss or satin,depending on your furniture s finish. Never apply lacquer or polyure-

thane/varnish directly over a putty patch; it will leave a permanently softmess. Shellac will harden; however, he patch will remain somewhat pliable

under the finish, so don t attempt this on a heavy-wear surface.

f a s t u r n i t u r e i x e s 93



wipeaway cratchesand ecoathesurfaceYou can buffout fine scratches singvery fine (0000)

steelwool saturatedwith clearDanishoil. (Youcan

also use ultra-fine automotive rubbing com-pound.) The processshown here only works for

scratchesn the finish itself,not scratcheshat are all

the way nto thestain or thewood.

-leour a generousamount of clear or neutral

J Danish oil onto a very fine steelwool pad.

Rub the surfacewith the oil-saturatedpad usingyour flat hand. Rub wifh the grain, never againstit or at an angle to it. Continuerubbing until you

removeenough of the clear surface inish toeliminate the scratches, buf be caretul not toremove any of the stain below the clear finish.

Rub not only the scratched area but also thearea around it in graduallydecreasingamounts.Be careful not to rub edges or corners exces-sively; they wear through quickly.

] Wipe away all the Danish oil with rags or paper ow-d- els, then thoroughly clean the entire surfacewithmineral spirits several imes to make sure all the oil isremoved. f any oil remains, he lacquer (Photo3) won'tadhere.Allow the surface to dry overnight before apply-

ing lacquer.

€-ry

'fflihl$'

@

Q Spray the entire surface wit h clear lacque r. Move the

u*J spray can in one continuous, straight stroke, allowingthe spray to extend beyond the edges in all directions.Wipe the nozzle with a rag after each stroke to prevent

drips. Move with the grain,and make sure the angle of the

spray remains he same all the way across. Keep hespray aimed away from other surfaces that you don'twant coated, or mask them with newspaper.

CAUTION: RAGSAND STEELWOOL ATURATEDWITHANISHOIL CAN SPONTANEOUSLYOMBUSTF LEFTBUNCHEDUP DRYTHEMOUTDOORS,PREADOUTLOOSELY.WHENTHEIL HAS DRIED,YOU AN SAFELYTHROWTHEAGSANDSTEELWOOLNTHETRASH.

94 w e e k e n d u r n i t u r e & w o o d w o r k i n g p r o j e c t s



clean irty, reasy,ummy urfacesThe results of a simple surfacecleaningwith

mineral spirits may amaze yorr. Polish

buildup and the dirt embeddedn it muddy

the finish but will wipe away.Don't use

stronger solvents; hey might dissolve he

finish itself.

'lSoat< coarse, bsorbent, leancloth

I with mineral piritsandwipe he inish.Keepapplying ndwipinguntilthe cloth

no longer picks up dirt.

Then do a final wipe with

a fresh, clean rag.

) clean crevices, grooves and carved

4- areas with cotton swabs dipped in

mineral spirits.

50 sponge rushesNeed a quick touch-up brush? lf you have any leftover

self-adhering foam weatherstripping, you can save yourcelf a

trip to the store. A short piece-112 in. thick x 314 n. wide-wrapped around the end of a thin strip of wood or a tongue

depressor will work as well as storc-bought foam brushes for

small jobs. Foam weatherstdpping is made from extra-

porous foam, which holds a lot of paint and smoothly applies

it to flat surf;aces.h also smooshes down nicely when you're

coating molding contours or painting in tight comers.

f a s t u r n i t u r e i x e s 95



Coat rnlttenackBuild his handsomerojectn usta fewhours-youwon'tbelieveougotalongwithout t

his simple coat rack is

designed o be easy o

bu i ld w i th bu t t io in ts

connected y screwshat get hidden

by wooden screw-holebuttons and wood plugs.

The rack mounts easily o the wall with screws

driven through the hidden hangingstrip on the

back. The five large Shakerpegsare great for

holding hats,umbrellasand coats,and the

hinged-hatchdoor at the top keeps he clutter

of glovesand scarves rom view.

You canbuild this project in a few hours,

with an additional hour to apply a finish.

Maple is an ideal wood for Shaker-style

pieces, ut any hardwoodwill do.

tTpBe sure h r s io ; ec t s sc rewedo

the wai ls tuds,D i ' i l i w, : holes nto

t he hang ing i r i p a i s t ud oca t ronsnd use2 -1 / 2 n

or longerwoodscrews.

$"

project taglance

skill evel

beginner

specialoolsjigsaw

drillclamps

approximateost

$50-$100

96 w e e k e n d u r n i t u r e & w o o d w o r k i n g p r o j e c t s



frgureshakerackdetai ls

1 FRONT

AND SIDES

E

r;^,^- ,

SHAKERPE G

2-114 AD.

SIDE A-PATTERN

CuttinghepiecesUsing a compass, ransfer he pat-

tern measurements n F igure A,

above,and then cut the sides (A)

with a igsaw(Photo 1).Next cut the

top (D) to length and rip the shelf

(B) to thewidth given n the Cutting

List, at right. Cut the hanging strip

(F) and he pegstrip (C) to thesame

length as the shelf (B). Now, using

your spadeb i t , d r i l l t he 3 /8- in .

counterbore holes for the screw-

hole buttons 3/16 in. deep nto the

outside of parts A (Figure A an d

Photo 2).Also drill the 3/8-in.coun-

terbore holes n the top. Theseholes

mustbe 3/8 n. deep.

Mark and drill the 1/2-in. holes

for the Shakerpegs n the pegstrip.

Drill the holes for the Shakerpegs

perfectly perpendicular o the peg

strip to ensure hey allprojectevenly

when glued n place.

shoppingist

ITEM OTY.

1x8 12'maple A,B, D, E) 1

1x4x 6' maple C,E G) 1

1-112 o-moftise inges* 1 pair

1-114 eech nob* 1

Narrowmagnetic atch* 2

3-3/8 ongShakerpegs* 5

3/8 screw-hole uttons* 10

3/8 plugs* 5

3/8 spade bit 1

1/2 spadebit 1

1-5/8 ood screws 15

Carpenter'slue 1 pint

Danish oi l 1 pint

150- and 220-grit sandpaper

* Available from home centersor RocklerWoodworking an dHardware, (800l 279-4441,

www.rockler.com.

'l

qoj/'

cuttingist

SIZE& DESCRIPTION

314 x6-114 x14maple ides

314 6-114 32-112maple helf

314 3-112x32-'112maplepegstr ip

314 7-114 36maple op

314 5-13/1632-5116 aple hatch

314 1-114 32-112maplehanging tr ip

314 112 6 maplehatch tops

KEY PCS.

A 2

>-112',

DETAIL 1

c o a t & m i t t e n r a c k 97



lt-I _

- r r - .

I l t , J l H , i l l .f r E

- u u w t l

the edge o f the

p e g s t r i p t o

pe r fec t l y a l ign

each peg as the

g lue se ts .

'lCut the side pieces (A) using a jigsaw or band saw.

I Sand the curved edges smooth with a 1-112n. drum

sander attached o your drill.

AssemblyLay he pieces n your workbench,asshown n Photo 3.

Align the hanging strip (F), the shelf (B), and the peg

strip (C) asshownand clamp he sides A) to theseparts.

Predrill the holes with a combination pilot hole/coun-

tersink bit using the center of the

counterboreholes as a guide.Next,

screw he sides o B, C and F. Mark

and drill hinge mounting holes n

the top (D), then fasten he top to

the sidesn the samemanner.

Glue and clamp the hatch stops

to the inside of parts A, asshown n

FigureA,p.97. To finish the assem-

bly, cut the hatch (E) to size and

install he hingeson the undersideof part D and the top

of the hatch. Now glue the buttons and plugs nto their

correspondingholes.Use only a small drop of glue for

the buttonsbut be sure o apply a thin layerof gluecom-

pletely around the plugs.This will swell the plugs for a

tight fit. After the glue s dry, trim the wood plugs lush

with the top.

FinshngAfter assembly, ightly sand the entire piece with

220-gritsandpaper. pply two coatsof clear Danish oil

or polyurethane o all the surfaces remove he hinges

and knobs). Once he finish is dry, add magneticcatches

to thehatchstops G).

) Onll the 1/2-in. holes 5/8 in. deep for the 3-3/8 n.

4- Shaker pegs and the 3/8-in. counterbore holes

3/16 in. deep for the screw-hole buttons in parts A.

Q Rssemble he shelf by clamping parts C, F and B.:.1 to the sides. Drill pilot holes and screw the pieces

together. The screws will be covered by the buttonsand plugs.

9 8 w e e k e n du r n i t u r e w o o d w o r k i n g r o j e c t s





I

$

Simple, ttractiveupgradesoucanyou sef w ithoutyourcabinets.

kitchendoreplacing

ake a look, a reallyclose ook. At first glance t

maybe hard o recognize, ut thekitchenon the

right is the sameas he one n the photo below.

The cabinet boxes, he countertop, he layout, he

flooring, he sink and he windowhaven'tchangeda whit. Betteryet,

once he materialswere n hand,

this transformation ook place n

just a few days-without putting

the kitchen out of commission.

The f rost ing on the cake?The

total cost or upgrading he cabi-

netswas $2,200 not including

the wall t i le). With the average

fu l l -sca lek i t chen remode l ing

p ro j ec t cos t i ng m ore t han$30,000 and about one-thirdof

that amount spenton cabinetry),

you can seewe got a big mpact or

asmallcost.

Whetheryou tackleone or all ofthese cabinetupgrades,

you'll increasethe visual

appealof your

kitchenquickly,

inexpensively

and with

minimumhassle.

( $(

intermediate

powermiter aw

dri l l

basic andools

$2,200or

projecthown

(not ncl.i le)

*.s--f

tI

1 0 0 w e e k e n d i t c h e n b a t h r o o m r o J e c t s





If you re pleasedwith the basic layout

and function of your kitchen but want

to update the look-and add a few new

features-read on. We'll show you how

paint, new cabinet doors and drawer

fronts, moldings and a few accessories

can. ransform your kitchen.

Most of the projects require only a

drill, basic hand tools and intermediateDIY savry, although a power miter saw

and pneumatic finish nailer allow you

to cut and install the crown molding

faster.

Bear in mind, these upgrades wont

fix cabinets that are falling apart, create

more storage space or make your

kitchen easier to navigate. But if you

want to give your kitchen an inexpen-

siveyet dramatic facelift, here'show.

Raisenupper abinet

To break up the monotony of a row

of cabinets,change he height of one

or more upper cabinets.This pro-

vides more headroom for working

and more space or lighting and

appliances, while creating a more

interestingand varied look.

trn order to raise a cabinet, your

cabinets must be the modular kind

such that each cabinet is an inde-

pendent box screwed to adjacent

ones.Earlier builder cabinets, with

the entire row of cabinetsbuilt and

installed as one unit, can't be easily

separated.We elevated our corner

cabinet 3 in., temporarilypropped it

up with scrap lumber, drilled pilot

holes for new screws, hen reat-

tached it. A cabinet that's been in

place a long time may need a sharp

rap with a hammer to free it from

paint and grime that have glued it

in place.

To raisea cabinet, emove he shelvesand doors and then the screwssecur-

ing it to the wall andcabinetson eitherside.Raise he cabinet, emporarilyprop t in place,drill newpilot holes, hen reinstall he screws.

lO2 weekendk i tchen & bathroompro jec ts



l%intyourabinetaceramesmore vulnerable to dust. Cleanup is

also more of a hassle.Latex paints

dry quickly and may show brush

strokes more, but addit ives l ike

Floetrol (The Flood Co., 800-321-3444) mprove brushability.

After priming, paint the cabinets

with aglossor semigloss aint.Apply

a thin first coat,let it dry then lightly

sand with 120-or 180-grit sandpa-

per. Wipe the surface, hen apply a

second coat. Two or three thin coats

arebetter than one or two thick ones.

If you have a gas stove, urn off

the gas for safety while using min-

eral spirits, shellacor oil paints, andprovide plenty of ventilation.

Proper preparation and sanding

between coats are the keys to a

smooth, durable paint job on your

cabinet face rames.

Oil paints arguably create the

smoothest surface,since they dry

slowly and self-level as brush

stroke marks fill in. However, thisslow drying time means they're

Glean he cabinet face frames withmineral spirits, then scrub them with

householdammonia and rinse. Fill

holes with spackling compound, then

sand with 120-gritsandpaper.Vacuum the cabinets, then prime

them with a pigmented shellac.Lightly sand the dried primer.

Addnewdoors nddrawerrontsWe had a ocal cabinetshop makeour new doors and drawer fronts the exact samedimen-

sionsas he old ones.We used he samehingesand mounting holes n the face rames to

ensure he right fit. You can haveyour components made ocally or by one of the compa-

nies isted in the Buyer'sGuide,p. 106.

Existing drawer fronts can be attached in a number of different ways.We were able to

simply pry offthe old and screwon the new. f yours can't be removed,you'll need o use a

circular saw o cut all four edges f the drawer front evenwith the edges f the drawerbox, then apply the new drawer

front directly over the old. This will make your drawers 314 n. longer; make certain your drawer hardwareand cabi-

nets canaccommodate he extra ength. If not, you may need o install new drawer hardwareor new drawer boxes.

Mount the hinges to the doors, then mount the doors tothe face frames using the existing screw holes. Mosthinges allow for some up-and-down movement and tilt sothe doors can be adjusted evenly.

Replace the old drawer fronts. We pried off the old frontusing a chisel and a flat bar, marked the position of thedrawer box on the back of the new drawer front, thenjoined the two using carpenter's glue and screws.

cab inet ace l i f t 103



If you have a short cabinet flanked

by two taller cabinets,you can add

this combination shelf/wine rack

We cut the shelf to length, then

addedmounting strips on each end.

We cut four 9-in. sections of wine

glassmolding from a 3-ft.length

(seeBuyer's Guide, p. 106), hen

gluedand nailed them to the bottom

of the pine shelf.We also cut curved

brackets from each end of a 1x6

maple board and cut the center1 n.

wide to serve as shelf edging.Finally,

we installed the unit by driving

screws hrough the mounting strips

and into the cabinetson eachside.

To display your plates and keep

them accessible nd chip-free, build

and install this plate rack. The total

costof materials?Under $10.

To create he two plate rack lad-

ders, measure the cabinet, then

build each ladder so the finished

height equals he height of the inside

of the cabinet. The finished width

should be equal to the width of the

face rame opening. Drill 3/8-.in.

holes,3/8 n. deep n 314-n.x3l4-n.

square dowels and space hem every

l-ll2 in. Cut the dowels to length,

add a drop of glue in each hole,

insert the dowels, then use elastic

cords or c lamps to hold th ings

Addanopen helf, ineglassackandplateack

Build a shelf to fit snugly between the cabinets on each side. We used a jig-

saw to create curved brackets, nailed wine glass brackets to the bottom of the

shelf, then i nstalled the entire unit as one piece.

Gut, assemble and install the two plate rack ladders,S Use short screws to

seeure the ladders in the cabinet opening. We set the rear ladder 4 in. away

from the back of the cabinet and the front ladder snug against the back of

the face frame.

together nti l thegluedries. drill, a steadyhand nda 3/8-in.drill

A drill press omesn handy, ut bit with masking tape wrapped

you cangetexcellent esultsusing around t as a depthguide for the

the same ools we did: a cordless holesn the ails.

104 weekendk i tchen & b a th ro o m p ro je c ts



lnstallrownmoldingCrown molding comes n many profiles and sizes;we installed rope molding

(seeBuyer's Guide,p. 106). f your face rames arenit wide enough on top to

nail the molding to, nail strips of wood to the top edge o provide a nailing

surface.

Raising the corner cabinet created a challengewhere the moldings oneachsidebutted into it. Weheld the upper part of the crown molding back a

few inches,but extended the thin rope molding portion so it butted into the

corner cabinet.

Positionand mark eachpieceof ctpwn molding as you workyour way aroundthe kitchen.Makesmall notches n the top corners of the face ramesso themoldings ie flat against he sides of the cabinetswhen nstalled.

Cut cpwn moldingby placing t upsidedown and securing t at the correctangle with a clamp andwood scrap.

lnstall pen asket nitsThe Base8 basketswe nstalled seeBuyertGuide, . 106)camewith two

side racks hat couldbe cut narrower o accommodate abinetsanging n

width from 15-718n. to 17-718n. Base15 basketsit cabinetswith an

inside width of 12-718n. to t5-718 n. Measure arefullp cut the basket

tracks o width, then nstall hem asshown.

Remove abinet haldware, hen the rails whereyou want to createan opencabinet.A fine-toothpull sawworks wellior removingdividens, ince t lies flatagainst he cabinet rame as it cuts. Sand he area o createa smooth surface.

Cut the tracks to the proper width,

then level them in both dircctions

and screw them to the sides of the

cabinet.

cab inet ace l i f t 105



Buyer's uideor Cabinet acel i f tAll the products used in this project are readily available hrough catalogs, he Internetand specialty woodworking

stores. Here are a few sources:

Cabinet doors and drawer ronts

A local cabinetmakermadeour 13 maple doors and six

drawer fronts for $1,500.Expect to pay about $20 per

square foot for custom doors, slightly less for the drawerfronts. You could also have a company specializing n

cabinet refacing measureand order the doors for you.

There are a variety of mail order sources you can explore:

o Custom Kitchen Cabinet and RefacingCo.:(888)407-3322,www.reface.com

o Kitchen Door Depot: (877)399-5677,www.kitchendoordepot.com

o RocklerCustom Door and Drawer Front Program:(800)279-4441,www.rockler.com

Thyme averDoes your stew boil over every

time you're distracted or five

minutes looking for the right

spice? Of ten spices are

jammed into a drawer with

onlythe tops visible.If you have

this problem, take an hour to

make this nifty rack that slips

neatly into the drawer. Make it with

leftoverscrapsof Il4-in. and 1/2-in.

plywood from your shop.

Now spend less ime

cleaning the burn-

ers and more time

stirring thepot

Crown molding,bun feet,baskets,wine glass

mo ld ing

We ordered our maple rope crown molding (No.53639,

$89 per 8-ft. ength),wicker baskets(No.47527,$73each),wine glass molding No.22210, 15 per 36-in.

piece)and bun feet (No.70410,$11each) rom Rockler(800-279-4441, ww. ockler.com).

Outwater Hardware: (800-6312443,

www.outwaterhardware.com) and Woodworker's Supply:(800-645-9292, ww.woodworker.com) sell similar items.

Miscel laneous

The porcelain pulls, dowels for the plate rack,primer andpaint were bought at a home center.

We ordered the wall tile (Newport, Sage Green by WalkerZanger Geram cs, 732-697 7700,www.wa Ikerzanger. co mfrom a l ocal tile shop.

1 0 6 w e e k e n d i t c h e n& b a t h r o o mp r o i e c t s



Swlng-outastebaskur hang-on- the-door swing-out

wastebasketmounts on the inside of a

vani ty door wi th

two plastic mirror clips. Youcan use any small wastebas-

ket with a lipped edge,but

the one we used is made by

Rubbermaid. It's 10 n. wide,

and will work on any vamty

door more than 11 n. wide.

This setup will work under

your kitchen sink as well,

using a larger wastebasket

that will hold a grocery bag

asa iner.

'lMount wo ptasticmirrorclips o the backof your

I vanitydoor.Makesure hey're evelwitheachother,and ow enoughso the wastebasket'sop edgewill justclear he door opening.Also,space heclips ar enoughapart o prevent he wastebasketrom sliding from sideto side.You'llprobablyneed o useshorterscrews han

those n the clip package o theywon't come hroughthe other sideof the door.

) Clearout space nside he cabinet o altow room or(- the basketwhendoors are closed,hen hang hewastebasket n the clips.

aglance

tlfft€sbhan 5

swing-out wastebaski: lO7



epacetchenaucet

RklJustgettingo it is the hardpart.

nstalling a new kitchen faucet sn't tough at all. Actu- o Shutoff valves: Before you shop for your new faucet

ally, the directions that come with your new faucet (see Selectinga Faucet, . lI2), take a look under the

areprobablyall you'll need o do that part of the ob. sink and makesure hat there are shutoffvalves eeding

Barring unforeseenproblems,you could be

washing up under the new faucet n an hour

or so.

But what the directions don't mention are

the bugaboos hat can pop up while you're

trying to get the old faucet out. You may befacedwith bushwhacking your way through a

dark, dank jungle of drainpipes,water lines,

a garbagedisposerand maybe more, just

to accesshe faucet. Then, you'll be called

on to perform pretzel-likecontortions nside

the sink cabinet to pull an old faucet with

connections hat may be so badly corroded

you'll swear hey're welded together. Here's

what you need to know to get through the

toughparts.

project taglance

skill evel

beginnero

intermediate

specialools

boxendand

specialty

wrenches

tubing utter

approximateost

$50andup

the faucet. f you don't haveshutoff valves,

add them. If you have them, confirm that

they're in working order by turning on the

hot and cold waterat the faucetand shutting

off the valves. f the faucetstill drips, install

newones.Most likelyyou have l}-in. copper

supplypipes. f so,add easy-to-install older-

less compression itt ing valves(Photos

9 and 10) to your shopping list. But if not,

buy whichever valve type is compatible with

your pipes.

o Supply tubes: Next, measure he existing

supp ly tubes and bry new sta in less

stee l -s leeved nes (Photo 9) . They ' re

designed o give rupture-free service or years

and can easilybe routed around obstacles

The ightstuffChances re,you'll need o makemore than one trip to

the hardwarestore for parts,but to giveyourself a fight-

ing shot at completingthe ob with one-stopshopping,

consult his ist.

r

tl P ffffi :: #;:l:,ffi:ii::i:'iakeske t ch f t he ayou t o he lpyou pu t t a l l back oge t he r .

without kinking.

o Basinwrench: Also buy a basinwrench ($15;Photo

a). This weird little wrench is made specifically or

removing and installing thosehard-to-reachfasteners

that clamp older faucetassemblieso the sink. (Newer

faucetshave plastic wing nuts that can usually be

loosenedand tightenedby hand.) A basin wrench's

spring-loaded aws pivot so you can either loosenor

tighten nuts in tight spaces.f you need o removedrain

lines o accesshe faucet,g€tapipewrenchor aslip-joint

pliers(Photo 1).For cutting copper ubes,buy a conven-

tional tubing cutter. But if your copper supply ines are

within a few inches of the back of the cabinet, buy a

1 0 8 w e e k e n d i t c h e n& b a t h r o o mo r o i e c t s



. f

i z,.w

F

t

t



'lOisconnect the drain lines and P-traps f they block

I your access to the faucet and water supply pipes.

(Place a bucket or coffee can under the P-trap to dump

residual water after you pull it free.)

specialmini tube cutter (Photo 3).You'll alsoneeda set

of open-end wrenches or disconnectingand hooking

up thewater ines.

Getting t it

After you pull out all of the cleansers, ucketsand oldvases rom under the sink, go aheadand lie under there

and see f you can easilyaccesshe faucet. f so,go right

to Photo 3.If not, it's ime to start dismantling he things

blockingyour path.

Most likely, he main obstacleswill be the pipesand

P-traps hat drain the sinks.Don't be afraid to pull them

out, but more importantly, don't be afraid to replace

them with new ones. f you haveolder, chrome-plated

drain lines, hepipewalls maybe so corroded hat they'll

muchmore omfor tab ley ing nderhes ink .Otherw ise ,

theedge f hecab ine t ou ld ed igg ingnto our ack

(see ho to , .109) .

service panel if the disposer is directly wired. Disconnect

the dishwasher discharge ine and place a 1-gal.paint

can under the garbagedisposer with some rags on top

to cushion the disposer when it drops free. Release he

disposer by tapping the retaining ring with a hammer n

a countercloclauise direction.

crush in the jaws of a pipe wrench or slip-joint pliers.

After you remove them, throw all the parts in a box for

matching them exactly at the store

later. f you haveplasticdrain parts,

be careful during removal-you'll

probablybeable o reuse hem.Somet imes a garbage disposer

replac ing our

can be a 20-lb. roadblock. Don't befaucet during

storehours.

discouraged-it 's easier than you Chances re

think to remove it and then reinstall better than

it after the faucet is in (Photo 2). 50/50 vou'l l

Unplug it and pull it out of the cab- need at least

inet to get it out of the way. If it'sone more part'

hard-wired, shut of f the circ uit

breaker hat controls the disposer,

disconnect he disposer rom the sink and set it aside

inside he cabinetwith the electricalcablestill attached.

Disconnectinghe old aucetThe first step n removing he old faucet s to disconnect

the water supply ines (Photo 3). If there are no shutoff

valvesand the waterpipesare hooked up directly to the

tTp:r

1 1 0 w e e k e n d i t c h e n b a t h r o o mp r o i e c t s



Q Sfrut off the water below he sink if you havevatves,r-,f or shut off the mainwatersupplyvalve f youroldfaucet s plumbeddirectlywithoutvalves.Open hekitchen aucetand another ower aucet o bleed off any

pressure nd o drain he water. f you re nstallingorreplacing alves, ut the water inesdirectlybelow hefiftings with a tubecutteror hacksaw.

f, fOnw any manufactur er s preassembly instructionsr.,, and place the optional flange (see Photo 8) over thefaucet opening. Finger-tightenthe flange nuts underneaththe sink and check the alignment of the flange, faucet andsink hole from above.

1l Aeacnup behindT the sink, it thebasinwrench awsontothe tailpiecenuts and

turn counterclockwiseto loosen.Then iscon-nect the spray nozlehose, emove he aucetand clean he sink areaunder he old faucet lange.

fi Cnecf the operation f the faucetand handte o con-\,, firm you renot putting t in backward, nd hread hefeeder ines hrough he flangeandsink holes.Thenslipon the faucetwasher, nd hreadon and ighten hefaucet-mounting ut from below, entlyspreading hefaucetsupply ubes f necessaryo gain ool clearance(sometimesmanufacturersrovidea special ool for this).

r e o l a c e k i t c h e n a u c e t 1 1 1



-,2t'

I Hand-tighten, hen snug up the flange nuts with anI open-end wrench. You can only turn the wrench about

a one-sixth revolution at a time.

faucetsupply ines,or if you're replacingdefective alves,

turn offthe main watersupplyvalve o thehouseandcut

off the pipes (Photo 3) below the connectionswith a

hacksawor tube cutter.Make surenew valvesare closed

before urning the water back on to the house.Once he

water lines are disconnected,use the basin wrench to

loosen he old faucetandremove t (Photo4).

When l le lseai ls . .Sometimes,n spite of all your best efforts, t 's simply

impossible to loosen the old faucet nuts. Calm down

Try soaking he threads with penetratingoil and try

again. f that doesn't do it, it's time to pull out all the

stopsand pull the sink so you cangetat the nuts.It's not

that tough to do.Loosen he screws n thebottom of the

sink rim for a clamp-down sink, or cut the caulk

between a drop-in sink and countertop with a utility

knife and ift out the sink. Thenyou'lIbe able o go after

thosenutswith a ocking pliersor a pipe wrench to free

the old faucet.

Follow the manufacturer'sdirections to mount the

new faucet, hen remount the sink (with thenew faucet)

and hook up the water inesaswe show.

Q fnreaO the spray nozzle tine through the faucet body,

\J then thread the spray hose fitting onto the faucet

supply tube and tighten it. Pullthe nozzleout of the

faucet to make sure the hose under the sink operates

freely, hen attach the counteruveight ollowing the manu-facturer's instructions.

SelectingfaucetWhen you're buying a f;aucet as with most other things),

you get what you pay for. Faucets hat cost less than $100

may be made of chrome-plated plastic parts with seals and

valves that wear. They're OK for light-duty use but won't

stand up long in a frequently used kitchen sink. Faucets

that cost more than $100generallyhavesolid brass bodieswith durable plating and washerless controls that'll give

leak-free service for many, many years. Some even come

with a lifetime warranty. Ouality continues to improve up

to about $200.Spend more than $200 and you're mostly

paying for style and finish. Stick with brand name products

so replacementparts will be easier o find-in the unlikely

event you'll ever need hem.

rrr r^Ll lJ With most aucets, n ly hreeof the four

Iho les r ecove red , o you ' l le i t he rneed o

ge t a b lank nse r t r use he ex t r aho le o r a l i qu id oap

o r i ns t an t o t wa t e rd i soense r . l an o do t he ns t a l l a t i on

wh i l e ou ' r e nde r he s inkw i t h eve ry t h ingo rn apa r t .

l l 2 w e e k e n d i t c h e n& b a t h r o o mo r o i e c t s



Q fighten the new valves onto the supply tubes andJ mark the feeder lines just above the compressionnuts on the valves for cut-off.

1 n Clean he copper tubing with fine sandpaper, henI \-/ slip the nut, compression ring and valve body overthe pipe and tighten. Close he valve, urn on the mainwater valve and check for l eaks. Place a bucket under thefaucet and turn the faucet on to check for leaks. Re-assemble he garbagedisposer, P-trapsand drain lines.

Unclog kitchenaucet entor./'If you getweak water flow whenyou turn on your faucet-whether it's

brand new or ten years old-don t assumeyour water pressurehas

suddenly gone bad. You could simply havea filter screen,or aerator,

that's clogged.Remove he aeratoras shown in the photo, rinse it out

and reinstall it. If it's corroded or worn, take it to a home center and

pick up a new one ($3 to $5). Most storeshavea slick gaugeyou can

screwyour old aeratoronto to determinewhich replacement o buy. If

you can't find a replacement or your aerator,soak he parts in vinegar

overnight, scrub them with an old toothbrush and reinsert into the

faucet (make sure to reassemblehe parts in the sameorder you

removedthem).

wAs

4** RESTRICTOR

%=€F-

r"vEa

n---*ra€

Wrap he jawsof a plierswithtape o keepthem romscratching heaerator.Unscrew heaeratorbodyfrom the faucetand removeallthe nternalcomponents.Cleanandreassemble.

.ffin'-tt*

W*,-

a-')ssr-l AERAToRllq-zA BODY

- t

Note: Dirt usually collectson the mixer and screen.

r e p l a c e k i t c h e n a u c e t 1 1 3





.FE',gi;iffi o:,r*er

i[

{H-

-n" : - : i l'. -

:- ry..

d'4 l l

,Fd€il

.r-_*,-

P p:ffi'tb f r ' l i

L 'E, ,ts rl'-.-l

'TI

." ', 1:,r,*-tq



14-112"

Markand cut an opening n the drywall between he

two studs. Holda small saw flat against he inneredgesof the studs, hen cut across he top and bottom.Cut carefullyso you won't have o makedrywall repairslater.Beforeyou begin he main cuts, makea smallerpeekhole, ust largeenough o see hat thereare noobstructionswithin the two stud cavities. f the locationisn't usable, ou can easilypatch he small hole.After hefull opening s cut, check he studs to see f they are

unevenly paced,bowed or out of plumb; f so, you'l l

have o slightly educe he width of the two cabinetcasesand use shims when placing hem so they'reexactlyver-tical.Onceyou'vedetermined he exactwidth of your

cabinetcases,cut your 1x6 pieces o length.

so ca l l around. A lr -nostany home center w i l l special-

order it i f they don't stock it. We don't recontntend ply-

wood or particleboard for doors this lor-rg; oth are ess

stable han MDF, and coulclwarp.

The step-by-step photos and descriptior-rs, nd the

detailcclclran'ing,provide all thc infbrmation you need

to build trnd r-rstallhe cabir-ret. nd or-r . 114 you'l l f ind

a l ist of all thc necessarymirteritr ls.Wc painted our cabi-

net white, both inside ancl out. Ycrucoulcl paint i t the

sllme color a s the walls, so tl-rat t's -rarc'l lyoticeable n

the roorn.

t7.a

PEGBOARD.

.-.

Dril l holes or the plug-inshelf supports n the inner1x6 sides of t he case.Use pegboard, lamped n

placeand aligned with the front edge, o position theholes accurately we dril ledevery other hole).Space heholesexactly he sameon all four of the sides,so your

shelveswil l be level. ip:The dril l ingguideblock,cut froma pieceof 2x4,keeps he dril l bit exactlyvertical dri l l heguide hole n the block as straightas possible, l igning tcarefullyby eye). he block also servesas a stop to pre-

vent the bit from coming hrough he other side.

"Y*a-ew'€s'*

Assemble the two cases wi th 2- in. No. 6 Phi l l ips

head screws. Dr i l l p i l o t ho les , and counters ink the

screwheads to keep the wood f rom spl i t t i ng . No g lue

is needed.

I

,//.{

,j

1 1 6 w e e k e r r d i t c h e n & b a t h r o o m p r o t e c t s



. . -g

CLEATS IBEHIND i

DRYWALL

i .

:1

INSTALLN,J' '

1x2 STRIP rBETWEEN -_-+

CASES

Hang he doors usingl-112in.

wide x 72- in. l ongp ianohinges.

Getting he doors alignedcan be

frustrating,but here'sa trouble-free

method:First,mount both hinges

on the case edges lush with the

insideedgesof the case,using only

three screws. Next,set the doors inplace,against he closed hinges.

Prop he doors to exactly h e r ight

heightwith a stack of books under

each door.Get a unifo rm1/16-in.

spacing between he two doors.

Next,using a fine-tipmarker,mark

the positionof th e outside door

edge on the exposedbarrelof the

h inge.Openone door , l id ing he

supporting books along under t;

l ine up the door edge with the mark

on the hinge barrel, hen mark wo

screw hole ocationson the inside

of the door,as shown.Predril l mallpilot holes,and install he two

screws.Do the same with the other

door, hen check he alignment.

Fine-tune he screw positionson

the doors if necessary, hen install

the rest of the screwswith a smallPhil l ipshead bit in your dri l l /dr iver.

\ ,

1x2 BACKERCLEATSBEHIND

DRYWALL

Mount he two cases n the openingsbetween he studs.Use shims if

necessary o get them leveland plumb.Thenslide a 1x2 str ip (the samewidth as the thicknessof the centerstud) between he two cases, lush with

the leading dge,as shown n F igureA, p. 114.C lamp he s t ripand cases

together, hen screw hem togetherwith 1-5/8 n. No.6 Phil l ipsheadscrews.

Next,press he back edgesof th e cases securelyagainst he reardrywall,an d

secure h em to the studs with 1-5/8 n.screws.Note he 1x2 backercleats,

shown hereand in FigureA; they help support he cut drywall edges at the

top and bottom of the openings.Clamp hese our cleats n place o the back

side of the drywallwith constructionadhesiveand allow he adhesive o dry

before nstall ing he cases n the openings.

Rout inishededges on the

doors,after cutting hem to size(cut hem on a table saw or with a

circularsaw using a clamped-in-placestraight-edge uide).We used a

1/4-in.-radiusove bit in a router o

form the edges,but you could use a

simple round-over it. Sand he

edges after routing.

Caulk he joint where he drywall

and case adjoin using a paintable

caulk,and smooth t with your finger

or a small putty knife.After priming

and painting he cabinetparts an d

the back wall, mount he shelf sup-ports and shelves, nd installdoorpulls and magneticdoor catches.

k

MARKSCREWHOLE

INTWOPLACES

1-112PIANOHINGE

PROPDOORS

EXACTHEIGHTWITH

STACKEDBOOKS

s p a c e - s a v i n ga b i n e t l L 7



OpenshelvesA :irple way osprce p yourkitchen.

onverting a few of your wall

cabinets o open shelving s

agreat wayto createdisplay

space or dishes or to keep cook-

books and cooking supplieswithin

easyreach. Anyone handy with a

paint brush can complete his proj-

ect n a eisurelyweekend.Don't for-

get o order theglass helves bout a

weekbeforeyou need hem.

You'll need a screwdriver,ham-

mer and tape measureas well as

basic paint ing equipment l ike a

paint brush, putty k nife, masking

tape, and sandpaperor sanding

sponge.Usea drill with a9132-in.bit

to drill holes for the metal sleeves

(Photo3) .

Somecabinets,ike those shown

here,are easy o convert by simply

removing the doors and ordering

glassshelves.Others may require a

little carpentrywork, like removing

a fixedshelf.Thkea close ook inside

project taglance

skill evel

beginner

specialools

dril l

basic ainting

tools ndhandools

approximateost

$40-$100 er

cabinet

the cabinet o seewhether herearehidden challenges.f

it looks good, remove he doors andcarefully measure

for shelves.Measure rom one side of the cabinet o the

other and from front to back.Deduct 1/8 n. from these

measurementso arrive at the glass ize.Look in theYel-

low Pages nder Glass o find a company hat will cut

the glassand polish all of the edges. sk the glass ales-

personwhat thickness ou need or strength and safety.

Longerspans equire hickerglass.

While you're waiting for the glasso arrive,paint the

cabinet nteriors. Choosea color that matchesor com-

plementsa floor or wall color.Preparations the key o a

long-lasting,perfectlysmoothpaint job. Photos 1 and 2

show the pa in t ing steps. f you ' re pa in t ing over

Melamine or anotherhard, shiny surface,make sure o

thoroughly roughen the surfacewith 8O-gritsandpaper

and prime with shellacbefore brushing or sprayingon

the coatsof paint.

1 1 8 w e e k e n d i t c h e n& b a t h r o o mp r o i e c t s



-lnemove the cabinet doors and hinges. Fill all extra

I shelf bracket or hinge holes with a hardening-typewood filler. Allow this to harden, sand it smooth, andapply a coat of lightweight surfacing compound to fill lowspots left after the wood filler shrinks. Let the secondcoat dry.Then sand the entire cabinet interior with 80-gritpaper to provide a rough surface for the paint to grab.

)

eaintthe cabinet interior. Use masking tape to protect

4- unpainted areas. Prime the interior with white pig-mented shellac (BlN is one brand) to keep the filler fromshowing through and to provide a binder for the finalcoats of paint. Sand the primer lighily with a fine sandingsponge atter it dries. Remove the dust with a vacuumcleaner and brush on the final coats of latex or oil paint.

r

t l p t f y ou ' r e pp ty ing c r y t i c a in t , dd aI cond i t ioner uchas Floetrol o your paint

f i r s t . t w i l l he lpe l im ina teo l l e r nd b r us hmar k sand

g iveyour cabinets smoother in ish .Youcan useupto one quart o f F loe t ro l er ga l lonof pa in t ,Formore

in format ion o to www.f lood.com.

Photo 3 shows he hardware we usedto support the

glassshelves. f you don't haveholes for the shelf pins,

usea tapemeasure nd squareo mark the hole ocations

and bore 9132-in.holes o accept he metal reinforcing

sleeves. he shelf pins and sleeves re available rom

RocklerWoodworking and Hardware,www.rockler.com.Q Support gtass shelves with metalshelf pins insertedr-l into holes drilled in the cabinet sides.To prevent thepins from enlarging the holes, drill 9/32-in. holes and tapin metal sleeves.Then insert the metal shelf support pinsin the sleeves and apply a self-adhesive round rubber padto each pin to keep the glass shelves from sliding off.

o p e n s h e l v e r 11 9



WarrnathroornloorsUnder-ti leeat s easy o instal l ndcheapo operate,andyour eetwil l ove t

ou finished hat long, hot shower.You'resqueaky o It takes up zero space.Got a big, clunky radiator?

clean and cozy warm-until you step onto the Remove it and gain valuable square footage by

tile floor. Then you get another sensation-ice- installing this stuff.

cold feet. The solution isn't to banish tile from bath- o It'sversatile.Ifyourexistingfurnaceorboilerdoesn't

rooms-it'stoodurable,waterresistantandeasytoclean have enough oomph to heat a newly remodeledor

to do that. The answer s to warm up that tile from below added space,loor heat can do the ob.

with electric esistance eat. o It's really, really comfortable. When your feet are

warm, your entire body feelswarm. You 11 ind your-

Lotsof pros, ewconsThis in-the-floor heating system consistsof

one thin continuous cableheating element

woven into a mat that you install under the

tile. This makes it a project best done when

overhauling or changing the floor covering

of an existing room or when adding a new

room. It can be installed assupplementalheat

to take the chi l l out of the f loor or as

spaceheat to warm the entire bathroom in

moderateclimates. t's also a great project for

warming entryway and kitchen floors.

The benefits?

o It'seasyo install.You embeda cable-laced

mat in the mortar when you lay the tile. If

you're not comfortable with the wiring

portion, hire an electrician.

selfreading and playing gameswith your kids

on the bathroom floor.

The downside? t can't be retrof i t ted

under existing tile floors, the total initial cost

of materials s about $15 to $25 per square

foot, and you 11most likely need to run new

wiring from the main circuit panel to the

bathroom.

Whereo findelectricalowerFor a heated loor areaess han 20 sq. t.,you

could (in most cases)draw power from an

adjacentGFCI-protectedout let wi thout

overloadinghe circuit. (If the thermostatyou

purchase s already GFCI protected ike ours,

you can use any out let . In any case, he

mat must be GFCI protected.)But a larger

an existing circuit-a circuit that might also

project taglance

skill evel

intermediateo

advanced

specialools

electricalester

trowel

hot-meltlue un

approximateost

$10-$12 er

sq. t. plus ost

of ilematerials

mat on

o

It's safe.Once the heating system s installed, t's

nearly impossible to damage.The GFCl-protected

thermostat instantly cuts power in the event of a

short or otherproblem.

It's inexpensive o operate.At 12 watts per square

foot, our 30-sq.-ft. mat drew 360 watts of power-

about the equivalent of an electric blanket or large

TV. If you operate t only during the high-traffic

morning and eveninghours, this translatesnto 250

to $1 per day,dependingon your location, electrical

costsand he season.

accommodatea 2,000-watthair dryer-can causeover-

loadsand nuisancecircuit breaker rips. For our larger

mat, we elected o install a dedicatedcircuit with its own

wiring and circuit breaker.Both 120-voltand 240-volt

matsare available.

A programmable thermostat that turns the mat on

during busy times, then off when you're sleepingor

away,costsmore initiallybut will saveenergyand money

in the ong run.

l 2 O w e e k e n d i t c h e n& b a t h r o o mo r o i e c t s





-lfest the heating cable for manufacturing or shipping

I damage with a volt-ohm meter.The resistance reading

on the mat label (in our case,31-35) and the resistance

registered by the meter (in our case, 33.2) should be with-

in 10 percent of each other. lf not, see the manufacturer's

instructions. Digital volt-ohm meters like the one shown

cost less than $30 and are easy to operate.

Special-orderourcustom-sizeatA number of companies offer electric resistance

floor warming systems.We orderedour electricmat,

thermostat and installation materials from Watts

Radiant (888-432 8932;www.suntouch.net ) .We

sent hem the required detailed drawing of the bath-

room floor plan and location of f ixtures. In two

days, hey faxedback a proposedmat layout and bid.

The mats come in 12-, 24- a nd 30-in. widths and

increments of 5 ft. in length (10 sq. ft. minimum).

When in doubt, the company will specify a ma t

smaller than you need since the mat cable can't be

cut . A good inst ruct ional v ideo comes wi th the

materials.A few common mat sizesare beginning to

be availableat some home centers.

When you receive he mat, use a volt-ohm meter

(Photo 1) to obtain a resistance eading to make

sure it wasn't damaged during manufacturing or

shipping.

Prep your f loor asyou would for any tiling job. Install

Ilz-n. cement backer board, securing it to the existing

subfloor with mortar and cement board screws(Photo

Z).Tapeandmortar the seamso createa solid, continu-

ous surface.Snap tile layout lines on the floor once the

mortar has dried.

J tnstatt cement board over the existing subfloor.Trowel(- on a layer of thin-set mortar, then secure the cement

board with cement board screws. Gover the seams with

mesh fiberglass tape and thin-set to create a "unibody"

floor. Snap chalk lines on the floor to mark the tile layout.

Test-fitthemat -rtJ-toavoidlitches tlp H:.Before proceedingwith the actual

installation, do a test ayout (Photono screw- or

3).Followheseasicuidelines' i,iJ:":*jJ:;"o Install the mat up to the area cement oard.

where the vani ty cabinet or A sharp dge

pedestal sink will sit, but not candamagehe

under iU that can causeexcessive cable'

heatbuildup.

o Keep the mat 4 in. away rom

walls, showersand tubs.

o Keep the mat at least 4 in. awayfrom the toilet wax

ring.

o Keepthe blue heating cable at least2 in. away rom

itself (Photo 5). Never overlap he cable.

o Don t leaveargegapsbetween he mats.Your feet will

be able o tell

o If your mat is undersized,give priority to the areas

where you ll be standing barefootmost often

Following your preliminary layout, mark the path of

the thick "power lead" betweenthe mat and wall cavity

(Photo 4) and chisel a shallowtrench into the floor.

Notch the bottom plate to accommodate he two con-

duits that will contain the power lead and the wires for

the thermostat-sensingulb.

122 weekendk i t c h e n & b a th ro o mp ro je c ts



ru

Test-fit he mat, keeping he cable 4 in. from fixtures

and walls and 2 in. from one another.Give priority to

those areaswhereyou'll stand barefootedmost.YouMUSTNOT cut or cross the cable. so make sure the mat fits.

Install he mat,securing t l ightly o the floor withdouble-face ape.Cut the mat (NEVER HE CABLE),

then reversedirection at walls.

Install he mat, securing t lightly to the cementboard

with double-faceape(Photo5).To make urns,cut the

matbetween wo oops n the cable,hen lip the mat and

Chisel a groove n the cement board for the enlargedportion of the power lead to nestle nto. Notch th e

bottom plate of the wall to providea pathway or thepower lead, hermostat wires and conduit.

Secure ndividual ables o the floor using smallblobs of hot-meltglue. Carefullycut and remove he

orange mesh to free the cable. Do this to work around

angles,obstacles and sections where full-width matswon't fit. Do not overlap he cable.When the entire mat isfitted and installed,press it firmly into the tape and hot-melt glue any loose ends or humps in the mat. Performa

resistance est (shown in Photo 1) to check for damage.

run it the opposite direction. Never, ever cut, nick or

stress he cable tself.Where the full-width mat won't fit,

or where you encounter angles or jogs, carefully cut the

mat from around the cable, and hot-melt elue the cable

SEPARATION J,l't .t

't 3}d

w a r m b a t h r o o m l o o r s I 2 3



I

fisn the power ead and thermostatwires through wo

I 58-in.engthsof conduitand connect he ops of theconduit o a 4 x 4-in.elestricalbox.Position he lower endof the conduits in the notchesand secure he electricalbox to the studs.Weave he thermostatwire through themesh so the sensing bulb is an equal distancebetweenwiresand12 n. nto he warmingarea.Usehot-meltglue

to secure he thermostatwires to the floor and the power

lead n the groove.Gover he notches n the bottomplate

with protectivemetalplates.Do anotherresistance est.

to the floor (Photo 6). Continue usingthe full mat again

whenyou can.

Install the entire mat complete with cuts, flips and

turns to make sure it fits the space ight, make any final

adjustments, then press he mat firmly into the tape. Use

hot-melt glue to additionally secure he mat. Don t leave

any humps or loose edges;you'll snag them with your

notched trowel when yodre applyrng the thin-set mortar.

If you're not going to tile right away,lay thick

corrugated cardboard over the mat to protect the cable.

Youll be glad you did when your kid walks in wearing

baseballcleats.

Wiring etupInstall conduit connectors o both ends of two piecesof

58-in. long 1/2-in. electricalmetal tubing (EMT). Fish

the power lead cable through one length of conduit.

Hot-melt glue the power lead into the groove. Fish the

thermostat wires through a secondpiece of conduit,

Q Appry he mortar, irst pressing t firmly nto he mesh

L,l and loor with the flat side of the trowel, hen comb-ing it with the notched ide.Try o float he rowel ust

above he cable. Usecare not to snag he mesh or nickthe cable.

then weave t 12 n. into the mat, keeping t equidistant

from the cableon eachside (Photo 7).

Secure he two lengths of conduit to a4x 4-in. metal

electrical box. Secure his box to the studs so the lower

ends of the conduits nestle nto the notchesyou made n

the bottom plate (Photo 7). Securemetal protective

platesover the notches n the bottom plate to protect the

wires and cablewhere they pass hrough.

Install the wiring from the area of the main circuit

breaker panel (or near\ outlet) to the areaof the wall

cavitywhere the thermostat will be ocated.Don't do any

actualwiring in the main panelyet.

f loor o knock xcesshin-setoose. hiscan esult n

cut t ing r n icking f hecable.

L24 weekendk i tchen & bat hroom pro jec ts



O*V the tile using he chalked inesas yourguide.

J Wiggleand ap he tiles irmly nto place o createalevel surface.Readjustpreviously aid tiles so theyremain n lineandproperly paced; he thick mortarbedused o cover he cable and mesh allows or more move-ment han a standard ile installation.Grout he tile oncethe thin-sethasproperly et.

Installhe i leSelect ile that's at least 6 in. square so each tile will

span two or more sections of cable. Smaller ti lesaremore likely to conform to the minor hills and valleys

of the cable when you tamp them in place, creating a

wavysurface.

Spread he mortar overa 5- to lO-sq.-ft.areaof floor.

Use he flat side of the trowel to press he mortar firmly

through the mat and into contact with the cement

board. You can establish a flat, uniform layer by lightly

floating the trowel across he tops of the cable.Then use

the notched side to comb the mortar to createridges

(Photo8); a 3/8 xIl4-in.trowe l worl<swell for most tiles.

Again, lightly skim your trowel over the cable. Thesheathing on the cable is tough, but you still need to

avoid any sawing tfpe action or jabswith the trowel. It

takesa ittle trial and error to get aflatlayer.

Place he tile, then tap it firmly into placewith a rub-

ber mallet. Do two resistance ests (Photo 1) while

1 nWire he thermostat ccording o the manufactur-

I L, er's nstructions.Our hermostat ad ndividualpigtails or securing he wires rom he power eadandthe cable unning rom themainpanel.Have ourelectri-cianmake he finalconnectionsn the maincircuitpanel.Powerup the system or 10 or 15 minutes o ensure hatthe floor heat unctions, hen turn it off and keep t off fortwo to four weekswhile he masticandgroutcure andharden.

installing the tile to ensure you haven't damaged the

cable.(If the resistance est fails, see he manufacturer's

instructions to find the problem.) Once the mortar hasdried, grout the oints.

Final tepsThe instructions that came with the mat and thermo-

stat were so darn good we felt comfortable completing

the wiring of the thermostat and mat. We left installing

the new circuit breaker and final connections in the

main circuit panel to a licensedelectrician.We suggest

you do the same.Once the wiring is complete, energize

the system or a few minutes to make certain the con-

trols work and the resistance ableheats.Don't put thesystem nto full operation until the thin-set and grout

have had time to properly cure and harden-usually

two to four weeks.

Then call the family together and play a game of

Scrabbleon your cory, warmbathroom floor.

warm bathroom loors 125



Door-rnountedp&lld acksAn easyproject rovidingeasyaccess.

hesesimple racks will help transform those

chaoticgangsof spicebottles and pan lids into

orderly regiments.We show you how to build

only the spice ack; he lid rack uses he samestepsbut

without the shelves.Each

spicerack can hold 20 to

30 bot t les,and each id

rack two to six lids, de -

pendingon the heightand

wid th o f your cab ine t

doors. Before bui ld ing,

measure our spicebottles

and lids to determine the

spacing of your shelves

and dowels.Here are other

key measurementsand

clearanceso keepan eyeon:

Existing shelf depth. If the existing cabinet shelves

are full depth, narrow them by about2 in. to accommo-

date each door-mounted rack. Shelves hat areperma-

nently affixed in grooves n the cabinet sideswill need o

be cut in placewith a jigsaw.Adjustable shelvescan be

removed,cut along the back sidewith a circular saw or

table saw, hen replaced.You may need o move brackets

or addholes o remount narrowedshelves.

Spice rack depth and positioning. Make certain the

new rack won't hit the cabinet frame when the door

swings.We found that fitting the rack between the two

2-in. wide verticalstiles Photo1) gave s adequateoom.

tThese in i shes re m ore sc rubbab le .

tce

project t

aglanceIf your doors are solid wood or

laminate,hold in placea scrapof

wood the samedepth as he spice

rack (2-Il2 in. was the depth we

used)and swing he door. Move it

away from the door edgeuntil it

no longer makescontact with the

cabinet f rame, then mark the

door. This wi l l determine the

overall width of your spice ack.

We used soft, easy-to-nailpine and basswood orboth the spiceand the lid racks. f you'reusing a harder

wood, like maple or oak, posit ion the pieces, he n

predrill holes hrough the sidepiecesand into the shelf

ends.This will prevent splitting and make nailing easier.

Install your shelvesone at a time so you don't have to

balanceand jugglemultiple piecesasyou work. Always

nail on aflal,solid surface.

skill evel

beginner

specialoolsjigsaw

dril l

approximateost

Lesshan$20

t 2 6 w e e k e n d i t c h e n& b a t h r o o mo r o i e c t s



5/16

'lUeasure the distance between the two vertical stiles

I and the two horizontal rails to determine the outside

dimensions of your spice rack. Cut existing shelves

back 2 in. so they don't interfere with the rack when the

door is closed.

f io r r re 2 r b \ - , . r r v L - . {

swing-out pice ackDimensionswill vary according o the

size of your cabinet doors

CABINET

STILE CABTNETRAIL

)transter the dimensions from Figure A onto 1/2 x

(- 2-112 n. side boards. Cut out the sides of the spice

rack.Drill f -in. holes to create he circular shape, hen

finish the cutout with a jigsaw.Drill 5/16-in.holes for the

dowels. Sand the edges and surfaces smooth.

Q Ctue and nailthe shelves in place one at a time,r-/ using 3d finish nails.Then use 3/4-in.brads to pin the

dowels in place.Sink all nailheads using a nail set. Apply

polyurethaneor other finish to match the cabinets.

1] Clamp he finished rack to the door, then drill angled-t

pilot holes through the rack and into the door every8 in. Secure with brad nails (remove the door for this stepif you find you need a more solid surface for hammering).Use carpenter's glue for a more permanent installation.

d o o r - m o u n t e d p i c e& l i d r a c k s 1 2 7



Hand-held

showerheadFunctionalnd uxurious.

detachable hand-held

shower head with an

adjustable, pulsating

spray gives you the luxury of all-

over-the-body water massage,

plus it's great orwashingthe kids,

the dog and the tub and shower

walls. The newhead simplyscrews

on in placeof the old.

) Uount the shower attachment clip to the shower arm(- alter cleaning off the old threads and wrapping them(clocltwlse) with Teflon plumber's tape.Tighten with apliers using a folded cloth to protect the finish.

128 weekend i tchen bathroom ro jec ts

'lnemoveyour old shower headwith a pliers.Use a

I small wrench or anotherpliers o keep he showerarm

from turning. Pad he wrench eethwith a foldedpieceofcloth so they won't mar he shower arm.

Q Screw he showerhose o the attachmentclip andr.J tigntenwith a plierc. n most cases,you wonlt needTeflon ape on these hreads,but check he instructlonsthat camewith your newshowerhead.





t

ah

a touchof classical rt istry ofavorite oom.

gd

(- '

Jeltv.rAddyou

r e yo r - r o rec i bv t hc p r ros l ' r c c t f

j r - r s t o l l i ng i r no t hc r o r c l i na r v coa t

o f p a i t ' t t o t . t) / o L l r y a l l s ?l ' r v

t h e

s p o n g e - a p p l i e d , a r c h n r e n ic i a z c h a t r v e

show here.' fhc

subcluccl . r i loranci subt lc

texturc r.nark he roortr as sontethit-re pccial,

atndsl-ror,vcaseollr furniturc, lvirll hanerngs

and floor coverings.

Cal led Lrvvar ious nanles-rag rol l i r - rg,

glazing, farux i r - r is l - r ing,ponge pain t ing-

1 3 0 r v e e k e n d , v a , l o o r i n g & i n t e r i o r p r o l e c t s

the applicirt ior-r ccl-rr-r iquesary. The tech-

n i c l r , r e vc sho rv hc r c invo l ves app iy ing

thinned-dorvnpaints (glazes) i t l i a sponge,

thcrr patterning this r,r,et lazcwith a cheese-

clot l-r ncldry brush.

You don't ncecl o be ir pro to get grcat

resul ts , bt r t l ,on clo ncecl o pract ice a b i t

befbrc ,vou start. Do this on large sheetsof

inexpensivcdralving parpcr, crapdrpvall, or

t l 're valls r-r ,or.r.aundry roonr.

beginnero

intermediate

paintol ler

brushsp0nges

cheesecloth

75- 100or

12x12-ft.oom

?lJ-'a'O J



4)-

'lAppty self-adhesivemasking paper o trim, pressing it

I tightly in place o avoid paint seepage.Also cover win-dows and large woodwork with plastic or dropcloth, asshown in Photo 6. Mask off the ceiling if it's smooth; if it'stextured, you'll just have to work carefully.

)Aon on a base color of eggshell (semigloss) atex

4- paint.The semigloss finish will allow you to wipe theglaze off a section and start over if you don't like the wayit turns out. Allow the base color to dry overnight beforeapplying the glaze.

. ' l '

*l lrl' f f+:

Q mlx the three glazecolors in three mixing containers.\,, All the glazecolors are oil-based,so they dry slowly,allowing time to manipulate he wet glazeon the wall.Note he sample board in the background.We made thisbefore applying the base coat (Photo 2) to be sure we hadthe colors we wanted,and also to test our three glazemixes against.

1] eour each glaze mixture into a tray, and begin by-T

brushing the two darker colors onto the corners ofone wall. Makealternatedashes+ach about 6 to 10 in .long-in the corner with these two colors.Start in theleast conspicuous corner of the room. As you can see inPhoto 6, you'll want the corners a bit darker than the restof the wall for the proper effect. Brush about 4 ft. up and4 ft. across,since you're going to want to complete anarea of about this size before moving on to the next area.That's about as much as you can comfortably reach withjust arm movement.

CAUTION:OIL-BASED AINTSAND MINERAL SPIRITSARE BOTH FLAMMABLEAND TOXIC. USE THEM IN AWELL-VENTILATED OOM AND FOLLOWALL THE SAFETYPRECAUTIONSON THE LABEL.TAKE CARETO PREVENTSPONTANEOUSOMBUSTION F SATURATEDAGS.WHENYOU'REONE,DON'TBALLTHEMUP INSTEAD, ANGTHEMOUT NTHEOPENUNTILCOMPLETELYRYTHENDISPOSE FTHEM.

I

MIXING

r a g - r o l l e d a l l s 1 3 1



f, neret where some artistry begins.Using a differentr.rl sponge or eachcolor, dip the sponges nto the glaze

and dab eachof themrandomlyon thewall within yourirregularlyshaped,4 x 4-ft.working area.Coveraboutone-thirdof the areawith eachcolor. Someoverlappingof colors, and an occasionaldrlp, run or drag ie OK butavoid a patternof geometricshapes.However,hroughoutthe work, ry to maintain he samearm movements, othat the roomwill havea consistentdirectionalpattern o

it. Don't be shyaboutapplylng he glaze.lf youdon't lkewhatyou'vedone,you can wipe thewholemessoff andstartover again.

As a general rule, you can expect the sponged

glazehagrolling technique to costyou two or three times

asmuch as ordinary painting, and take you about twice

as ong.

Asyou move from area o area,dort't allowthe adjoin-

ing areaedges o drybefore you getback to them-keep

a wet edge, or you 11have a visible seam,which will

destroy he effect. The oil-basedglazewill giveyou about

30 minutes of wo*ing time. So, rom this point on, you

need to work quicHy without stopping, andhave all your

materials athand to complete the whole room, including

strips of cheesecloth ut about 5 ft.long for Step6.If the

phone rings, ignore it. If you must stop, finish the wall

and stop at a corner.

o Spongesand supplies: Youll need three sponges.By

far the bestsponges o use are he large-sizenatural kind

shown in Photos 4 and 5, but they can cost more than

20each. If that stuns you, large artificial spongeswill

also work, but you'll have to be a bit more clever about

how you hold them when applylng the glaze.

o Other supplies: You'll alsoneed mineral spirits, three

mixing containers, four brushes, a roller, three paint

trays, and about l0 sq. yds. of tight-weave (9O-grade)

cheesecloth.

t 3 2 weekendwa l l , f l o o r in g & in te r io r p ro ie c ts

L,l alternatingmethods:Flrst,as shownabove, ollas-ft. strip of cheeseclothnto a looselygatheredhotdogshapeabouta foot long.Usingbothhands, ollthecheesecloth iagonally p thewallto spreadand exturethe glaze.Be carefulnot to dragthe cloth.

Second,afterevery wo or threepasseswith the roll,loosely wad up the cheeseclothand dab at the glaze ovary the pattern,as shown n inset photo,above.Avoid

geometricpatterns,andthink clouds.Avoid rolling or dabbing all theway to the edgesof the

sectionyou'reworking on;you want the edges o remainwet to link up with your next work section.Whenhecheesecloth tarts gettingsaturated, tart a newpiece.

] Witn a dry soft brush, dabat the cornerswhereyou

I can't get at the wet glazewith the cheesecloth.Blendthe corner extures smoothly ogetheG eeping hemslightly darker han thewalls. Also dab any areasof thewall that need attention,altering he glaze o suit yourfancy and disguiseobvious sponge or cheeseclothmarks.Wipe he brush bristlescleanwith a dry rag afterevery8 or 10 dabs.

r

t lp Thinkof cloud hapes svoudabon her glaze. he esults ouwant ooksomething

likewhat's hown n Photo6. Wear ubbergloves;his

cangeta bit sloppy.



Quick ndeasy ouch-upsNeed a handy container for small touch-up

jobs?Use he plasticmeasuringcup that comes

with powdered laundry detergent.The handle

makes or easyholding while you dip and swipe

your brush, and he cup s disposableo boot.

Handy

Belt-mountedtapedispenser

Usingswatches

When you choose

room colors, ou can

selecthem all from the

familiesof colorson a

single paint swatch; select

one for the trim, one for the

walls and one for the ceiling.

As a rule of thumb, if your ceilings are ess

that 9 ft. tall, paint them two shadesighter

than the walls. If they re taller,paint them

two shadesdarker. For the trim, selecta

color within the same amily.

Use your belt as a close-at-hand tape

dispenser.Slide a roll of tape onto the

* belt and looselyrefasten t. pull tapeoff

handy i n ts f33



Beautifulwalls rom an ancientart.

' ' ' itencil ing is a tradit ional decorat ive tecl-rnique

n that perfect ly complements a Craftsman-style.J ,oo-. And it 's perfect ly easy o learn, oo. I f you

can handle a paint brush and a tape measure,yoll ca n

quickly master he techniques or applying an attract ive,

simple border. And with a l i t t le pract ice,yoLl can tackle

complex patterns using mult iple stencilsancl colors-

and even createyour own designs.

The key t oo l s a r c a spec ia ls t e r - r c i l i ngrush ($10 ;

Photo 2) and the stcnciland parint. rvidc varietv of cachtrre rvailable ertcraft and art sr.rpply tores.You catt trlso

f- indstencilpatterns at bookstores

or on the Interr-ret,or even btty

stenci l b lanks and cut yol l r owr l

with an X-Acto knif-e.We boLrgl-rt

o u r s t e n c i l , a p a t t e r r - r a l l c d

beginner

stenci l ingrush

maskingape

$50-$100dependingn

cost fstencil

tsf\,

.t

\.\

\T

qr- ''fuil,#

r : l : . . ' , i .

, '1 '^t

' ' i ' :

. . .,1,'. ,i-tti'

tr:* .1.'r:,,."' i , . ' 1

" ' ' t ' . i ' , l ' 'i : i "

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Ginkgo Frieze, from www.fairoak.com for 42. Match

the brush size o the areabeing filled within the stencil.We used a ll2-in.,medium-size brush, which is a good,

all-purpose size. You can use almost any paint-artist

acrylics,wall paints or the specialstenciling paints sold

at craft and art supply stores.We usedartist acrylicpaint

for our stencil.

'lSnap ineson the walt o align withthe alignment

I markson yourstencil.Tapehe stencil n placealongthe top edgewith removablemaskingape.

Plan he layoutPosition your stencil on the wall at the desired height

and mark the alignment holes or top edge.Then snap a

light, horizontal chalk line around the room at that

height. We usedblue chalk for photo clarity, but makesure that whatevercolor you use wipes off easily.Or use

faint pencil marks,which can be easily removedor cov-

ered ater.

The key to a good layout is to avoid awla,rrard attern

breala at doors, windows and corners.To work out the

best spacing, measure he stencil pattern and mark the

actual repetitionson the wall. Varythe spacingslightly as

needed o make the pattern fall in a pleasingway.Or if

your stencil hasmultiple figures, you can alter the spac-

ing between hem,aswe did here.Start your layout at the

most prominent part of the room and make compro-mises n lessvisible areas.Draw vertical lines at the pat-

tern centerpoints to makepositioning easier.

Dabon hepaintTape the stencil pattern up on the alignment marks

(Photo 1) and put a small quantity of paint on a paper

plate. Push the stenciling brush into the paint just

enough to coat the tips of the bristles, then pat off the

excesson a dry cloth or newspaper,making sure the

paint spreads o all the bristles as you do so (Photo 2).

The brush should be almost dry- remember, t's easier

to addpaint than it is to take t away.

Lightly dab on the paint (Photo 3). Hold the stencil

pattern with your free hand to keep t still and flat. Don't

worry about getting paint on the stencil,but avoidwip-

ing or stabbing oo hard around the edges. ou can cover

the cutout completelyor work for shadingeffects.Cover

, l

) OaOhe specialstencilingbrush nto he paint, henC- patoff the bristleson a dry cloth. Leave he brush

almostdry.

? Appry he paint o thestencitwith ightdabbingandr,f swirlingmotionsuntilthe stencilarea s covered.Work n from he edges,brushing oward he center.

STENCIUNG

s i m p l es t e n c i l i n g 1 3 5



. .r \ r, ,

r irh -S,''f.q

$

I

t

\

1] tinthe stencilup on the apehingesandcheck or-T paintdripsand or clear, harpedges. ay he stencilbackdownand ouchup f necessary.

nearbycutoutswith masking ape soyou don't acciden-

tallygetpaint n them (Photo5) .Mistakes are easy o correct.You can lift the stencil

(Photo4) and wipe off anypaint that'ssmeared nder

the edgewith a damp paper towel, or touch it up later

with wall paint. If you wipe some of the stenciledarea

away,justay he stencildown againand touch up.

f, nllow he irst color o dry, hen ape he stencilup on.-,f ttresamemarksand apply he second olor.Covernearby reasof thestencil o avoidgettingpaint n them.

Our stencildesigncalled or two colors,sowe masked

off the cutoutwhere he second olorwould go,stenciledon the first color all theway around the room, then went

back and added he second olor, ollowing our original

alignmentmarks (Photo5). Additionalcolorsand even

additionalstencil atterns anbe added n this manner.

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Flxhatoose earnnavlny oorTwosure-fre methods.

I f you have an open seam in your vinyl floor, don'tI

I procrastinate. Foot traffic can wreck the vinyl'sl ^I exposed dges,making agood-lookingrepair mpos-

sible.Worse,watercan seep nto the opening,leading o

subfloor damage.Start by inspecting he seam.Presshe

looseedgesdown to make sure hey'll still join to form a

tight seam.

If the seamclosesneatly,you can make a nearly invis-

ible repairusing multipurpose vinyl adhesive $5) anda seamsealing it ($tZ). Vacuum out anygrit under the

vinyl-even a tiny grain of sand can create a pimple on

the vinyl's surface.Curl the vinyl back asyou vacuum,

but be careful not to kink or crack it. If the vinyl is too

stiff to bend, soften it with heat from a hair dryer. You

can eavemost of the old adhesivealone,but scrape away

loose spots. A putty knife bent in a vise makesa

good scraper. t's also a handy

adhesive pplicator(Photo 1).After

you spread the adhesive, ub down the

seamwith a block of wood. Use a wetrag to wipe away

any adhesive hat squeezes ut of the oint. Then lay wax

paper over the seam, ollowed by a scrap of plywood.

Weigh down the plywood withff

t.

stacks f booksor buckets fFpruigCt at

water. eaveheweightsn place [u qlanCgfor at least10hours.Then apply

F.Y

the seamsealant Photo 2) .F l l n . l

Sealants availablen glossand fa ,baginna,sat invers ionso matchyour tfloor'ssheen. [,''.5Pecial

ools

If the edgesredamaged r the['

nuW tnite

seamwon't closeneatly,he best[j, apprcximateost

repair s a metal ransitionstrip[' $eO

^-. (belowight) hatcom- I

BENTPUTTY KNIFE

pletelyhides he seam.Tiansition strips($S o

$15)are available t home centers

and hardware stores n various

styles,engthsand finishes.

Use a metaltransition strip tocover a seam that has damagededges. Gut the strip to length with

a hacksaw, hen nail or screw itinto place.

'lProtect the floor with masking

I tape and apply an even coat ofadhesive.Then lay wax paper overthe seam and press it down with aboard and weights overnight.

) OOrr, a bead of seam sealant4- over the seam. Hold astraightedge about 1/4 n. awayfrom the seam to guide the appli-cator nozzle,but don't get sealanton the straightedge.

f x t h a t l o o s es e a m n a v i n v l o o r 1 3 7



WallpaperlrnplfledA proshows ouhow o handle ommon roblems ithease.

I f you want to change he entirecharacterof a roomI

I fast,hang wallpaper.Youcanchangea dull room intoI a dramaticpersonal tatementn less hana weekend,

and you don't need a bunch of expensiveools to do the

job. In fact,you can buy all the toolsyou'll need or less

than$40.

This kind of transformation doesrequire patience,

carefulplanning and familiaritywith key echniques.We

askeda professionalhanger o demonstrateevery ech-

nique you'll need,start o finish, and to showyou how to

save ime and avoid aheapof frustration.

Thetechniqueswe showupply o 90percentof papers

project tyou'll find at wallpaperstores.Wewon't cover he specialtypapers

(such as grasscloth, foil, fabric

and ones hat require pretrim-

ming). We recommendyou mas-

ter the basicsbefore taking on

thesepapers.Nor will we address

removing old paper.

aglance

special ools with our instructions,you anlevel . ,r

seam oilersuccessfullywallpaper a room

razorknifeeven f you haven'tdone t before.

broadknife Start with a simple bedroom or

dining room, a space hat doesn't

approximateost require a lot of fitting andtrim-

$40 for tools ming. with experience, ou canpluswal lpaper rackle tougher rooms l ike

kitchensand baths.

SelectingallpaperFor your first time papering, we recommend that you

buy from a paint and wallcoveringstore.The staff can

adviseyou on the bestprimers, pasteand tools for the

particular paperyou select. hey'll answeranyquestions

unique to your situation. Tell the salesperson here

you'll be using the paper,and askwhat featuresyou'll

need to meet the demandsof the room. Pricesaverage

$20 o $50per roll, but somespecialty apers ancostas

much as$100a roll.

skill evelbeginnerointermediate

Our paper(see tylenumbers,p. 1a3)cost$40a roll

and took three weeks o arrive.We used1l rolls for our12x l2-ft . room.

Selectionips:

o If your room hascrookedwalls (check hem with a

level and a long, straightboard), considera paper

with a random pattern so the crookedcornersaren't

so noticeable.

o Big prints and dark colorswill make aroom feelcozy,

but make sure he room is large enough to view the

pattern rom a comfortabledistance.

o Smallprints and ight colorsmakea room feel arger.

o Onceyou getyour papet unroll it and inspect t forflaws.Savehe run and dye ot numbers or ordering

matching paper n the future.

o Readand ollowthe hanging nstructionsof thepaper

you'veselected. rosalwaysdo. Fail o follow instruc-

tions and you could void the paper'swarranty. Or

worseyet, t could fall offthe wall. See .143 for more

buying details.

PreparehewallsIt's ar easier o paperaroom if it's empty.If it isn'tpossi-

ble o removeall the furniture in the room, move t to the

center and cover t with plastic.Turn off the electrical

power o the switches

and out le ts a t the r

serviceaneri: 1 tlP [i:ffilllx' ::,emove the cover

plates. lace canvaspainting' o t before ouhang

dropcloth over thethewal lPaPer '

f l oor to c a tch anv

dr ipping pr imer or

paste plasticdropclothsare oo slippery).

Scan he wall with a utility light to highlight any

imperfections,and fill or sand hem down. Don't cheat

on this step;somepaperscan actuallyaccentuate racks

and bumps n awall. If awall is n really oughshape, sk

the salesperson bout liner paper. Hang it like wall-

paper over the wall to smooth it out. Then apply your

1 3 8 w e e k e n d a l l , l o o r i n g i n t e r i o r r o j e c t s



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GatherouroolsandsetupyourworkstationPros use a special table made of basswood because it's a

good surface to cut on and easy on razor blades. Rent one

from a wallpaper store ( 20per day), or substitute a 36-in.

holfow-core door or a 3 x 6-ft. piece of 314-in. plywood

resting on a pair of sawhorses. Soften the plywood edges

with sandpaperso you dont accidentally ear your paper.

You can buy all the specialty ools you need at a wall-

covering store or home center. Purchase a vinyl smoother

( 2;Photo 8), a snap-olf razor with an extra pack of blades

( 7; Photo 9), a seam roller ( 2; Photo 11) and two 6-in.

broad knives ( 5 each; Photo 91. You may already have

the other items you need: a 6-ft. step-ladder, a S-gallon

bucket, a paint roller and 3/8-in. nap roller cover, a sharp

scissors, a 4-ft. level, a 1O-ft.or longer tape measure and

a sponge.

wallpaper over it. Consider a heavyweightvinyl- or

fabric-backed ommercialpaperwith a dull background

if your walls are ightly textured. Otherwise,skim-coat or

sand hem smooth.

Wash the walls down with TSP (trisodium phos-

phate),or a TSP substitute, o dissolvegrease, ils and

other dirt, then rinse with cleanwater.Next apply a 100

percentacrylic prewallcoveringprimer/ sizer,which is

available at wallpaper stores or about 20 a gallon

(Photo 1). This gives ou more working time to slide he

paper into posit ion. The primer also helps control

1 4 0 w e e k e n dw a l l , o o r i n g& i n t e r i o rp r o j e c t s

'lnepair any dings or cracks in the walls with ioint corir-

I pound and drywalltape. Sand the repairssmooth.

Mask off trim and apply an acrylic undercoat (sizing) over

all surfaces to be wallpapered. Cut in the edges and cor-

ners with a brush. Allow it to dry overnight or the time

specified on the label before applying the wallcovering.

) Uark,the position of each sheet with a pencil, using

Z- the roll of wallpaper as a guide. Start your first sheet

in the most visible corner and work around the room in

both directions to the least noticeable corner. Adjust your

starting point to avoid narrow strips (less than 2 in.) along

windows, doors or corners.

shrinking, which could result in seams opening up, and

allows you to remove the paper more easily when it's

time for a change. Prewall primer dries fast and is diffi-

cult to remove, so wash your brushes quickly and don't

get it on your hands.

color of the paper o disguise apsat the edgesor seams.



Q Orawa light plumb line with a pencil from ceiting

r.,f to floor at your starting point, using a 4-tt.level as

a guide. Measure he height of the wall and add a total

of 4 in. for trimming the paper at the top and bottom.

Cut strips from the roll to your measurement lengthwith scissors.

I h-|-- "Book" the bottom half of the paper by folding ther-,f pasted faces together. Align the edges to keep thepaste from drying out.

Plan arefullyo avoidwrestling itht . | .

unystnpsPlanning the sheet ayout will let you v isualize all your

cutsandallowyou to makeadjustments o thebeginning

and end points. Ideally,you would hang your first sheet,

come fulI circle and the pattern would match perfectly.

That'snot going o happen.Put that final oint where t's

leastvisible.Your goalsare o have he patternsmatch at

cornerswherethey're most noticeableand avoid hang-

ing strips ess han a few incheswide. Narrow strips can

be ricky (andfrustrating) to hang.

1l ence the cut strips face down on the worktable.-T

Paste the bottom half of a sheet evenly with a 3/8-in.nap roller, dipping it in a S-gallon bucket with paste in it.

Cover the edges by laying the upcoming strips under the

one you're pasting; excess paste will be rolled onto the

upcoming sheets.This will keep your worktableclean.

finoll up the bottom half loosely, slide the top half onto

\,f the table and spread more paste. Book the top half

over so it overlaps the bottom edge by 1l2in. Roll it up

and allow the entire sheet to rest for the time specified bythe manufacturer, bout 10 minutes.

Startyour trial layoutat the mostvisible cornerof the

room-across from a door in our case-and work

around the room in both direc-

tions, meeting at the leastvisible

spot . Use a ro l l o f paper to

roughly spacehow the sheetswill

a l ign on the wal l (Photo2). I f

your layout leaves trips less han

2 in. wide againsta door or into a

corner,adjustyour startingpoint

by about 6 in. Our first ayout eft

l -

t lp AparternI mismatch

wi l l a lways ccur

somewhere n the

room, so plan t

where t's least

v is ib le.

w a l l p a p e r s i m p l i f i e d l 4 l



J llign the top halfof the paper'sedge o the plumbI line,overlappinghe ceilingmoldingby a few nches.Let he otheredge hang oose o makepositioningeasier.

a tiny strip along a door, so we shifted it over to over lap

the rim. Thesheets ow meet n an nconspicuous or-

ner behind the door.

A good evel etsyoustarted traightMore often than not, the corners of the room and the

door and window molding will be a little crooked or

out of plumb. Thking he time to setaplumb line with a

level to start your first sheet and near each corner will

provideconsistent eference oints to align the wallpaper

on each wall. This makes hanging a whole lot easier

(Photo3) .

Pros will cut all the full-length

strips needed for a room before

they start pasting.For your first

time, we recommend cutting only

two or three sheetsahead.Measure

the height of the wall and add a few

inches to the top and bottom,

enough extra to shift the pattern up

and down for the bestposition.

Aneven asteobandproper ookingensureightseamsIf your paper requirespaste,use he type that's recom-

mended in the instructions or by your supplier. Pre-

mixed iseasiest.We'reusing clearhang premixed adhe-

sive. t took 2 gallonsof paste or our 12 x l2-ft. room

with 9-ft. high walls. Many paperscome prepasted.Roll

these nto a tray of water to activate he paste.Your sup-


Qeutl a vinyl smoother across the paper.Move up and

\J down along the plumbed edge, then diagonally awayfrom it, to work out bubbles and wrinkles. Align and flat-

ten the bottom half the same way.

Q frim the overhanging aperwith a sharp razorknife,J usinga 6-in.broadknifeas a guide.Slide he broadknifeacrosswhile eaving he tip of the razor n the paperuntilthe cut s complete. ressust hardenough o cutthrough he wallcovering, ot the drywallbehind t.

plier may recommend a special activator for certain

prepastedpapers o guarantee hey'll stick to the wall.

Pastehe backevenly Photo4). Roll it perpendicular

to the long edge o move paste o the edges, hen back

and forth the long way again till the paste is evenly

spread.

The strips of paper need time to relax, that is ,

expand slightly becauseof the moisture in the paste.

Booking he paper(Photos5 and 6) keepshe paste rom

Itl ? - -

r-r r-,

r r l r t v t t t t g_-I _ up

sheets, ocus

your eyeson a

dominant lement

and the rest of

the patternwil l

l i neup .



Crucial etailsfor buyingwallpaperThe back of the wallpapersample

tells about ordering, durability andthe essentialhanging details you

needto know. If thesampledoesn't

have th is in fo rmat ion , ask the

salesperson bout each of the fol-

lowing categories.

Vertical repeatThe repeat s the length of the image before t shows itself

again. Repeatscan range from none, for a covering with-

out a pattern, to more than 36 in. Order extra paper fo r

repeats more than 24 in.;you'llwaste a lot when matchingthe pattern.

MatchThe match is how the patterns align sheet to sheet. Our

straight match requiresshifting the pattern to have all the

birds at the same distance rom the ceiling.

With a random match, you dont have to fuss with lin-

ing up patterns rom sheet o sheet.This s the easiestpat-

tern to hang.

You align the pattern of a drop match halfway down the

repeat.With drop matches,plan the dominant elementsso

you don't slice hem off at the ceiling.

S ing le ro l l / doub le ro l l

Look for the square oot coverage o calculate how many

rolls you'll need to cover a room. In double-roll bolts, the

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paper s twice as long as on a single roll. Gomparedwith a

single roll, this provides more usable square footage of

paper.Add up the area of the walls (minus doors and win-

dowsl and divide by the number of square feet listed on

the roll. Round up your calculation to the nearest roll.Order at least one extra roll, two if you've got a lot of tricky

cuts or angles, The worst thing that can happen when

wallpapering is to run out of paper

WashableWashability is the degree of cleaning a paper can take

before showing wear. lf a paper isn't washable, use it only

in areas hat arent subject o a lot of abuse.

Pretr immedMost wallpapers are pretrimmed, which means he edges

are perfectly cut and all ready for hanging. Don't store or

drop pretrimmed papers on the ends becauseyou'll mar

the edges. Untrimmed papersrequirea good straightedge

and experience o cut. Stick with a pretrimmed paper for

your first hanging experience.

II

drying out while the paperadjusts.This is a critical step:

If the paperdoesn'tsit long enough, t could shrink on

thewall, resulting n openseams, listersor curling.Seta

timer to remind youwhen a sheet s ready.You can et a

sheetsit for a little longer than the booking time but

never ess.

Planahead.Pastewo or threesheetsn a row if you're

working on a blank wall that requires ull sheets.Paste

only one f you'recomingup on a trickywindow or cor-

ner that'll takesome ime to fit.

You'll ee hepayoffwhenyouhangthe irstsheetAfter thebooking time isup, unroll your sheetand carry

it to t he wall.Gently unfold the top half.Standingon a

stepladder, lign the sheet o your plumb line (Photo7).

Leave he bottom half booked to keepthe paste rom

drying out whileyou'repositioning he top. Even hough

it might seemeasiero butt the paper ightup to theceil-

ing, don't try it. You'll geta much better fit and profes-

sional ook by leaving t long and then trimming it off

w a l l p a p e r s i m p l i f i e d 4 3



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1 n Looselyset one edgeof the secondsheetonI \., the wall and align he pattern o the first.Precisely butt the second sheet to the first, leaving

the other edge loose.

later (Photo 9). Once the paper is aligned,work out

wrinkles with a vinyl smoother (Photo 8). If you havea

wrinkle that's not smoothing out, pull one edgeof the

paper away rom the wall, keeping the plumbed edge n

place,and reset.Finish the top half while you're on the

ladder, then come down and unfold, align, smooth and

trim the bottom half.

Trim hepapernplaceo ensureperfectitFor straight, clean cuts, trim off the overlap by guiding

the blade against a broad knife (Photo 9). Keepyour

blade sharp. The most common novice mistake s to try

to economize on razor blades.A dull blade will tear the

paper.Advance a new blade after every few cuts (after

everyone f you re usingheavyweight aper).

Pick a leaf,branch or other element to help align the

secondsheet Photo 10). Gently slide t into position to

align hepatternand seam, ut don't stretch hepaperor

it could shrink later. With somepapers, he pattern may

not perfectlyalign the full length of the sheet.Align these

at eye evel where t's most noticeable.

Go over the seamwith the smoother, roll it with a

Toavoid mismatchedorner, e heldup a second

sheet,oundwherehepattern l igned ndcuta str ip

lengthwise.f yourpaper oesn' t l low his,hang ful l

sheet -only oureyeswil lnot icehe mismatch.

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'l 'leress the edge to the wall with a seam rotler, hen'

I I work out the wrinkles with the smoother. Set the top

half first, then unfold and set the bottom half. Wipe off

any paste from the surface with a clean, damp sponge.

seam oller (Photo l1), then smooth out the res t of the

sheet.Wipe down the paperat the edgeswith a sponge

dampenedwith cleanwater after completing eachsheet.

CornersCorners are never perfectly straight. Always end the

paper at an inside corner and start the next strip along a

new plumb line (Photos 12 and 13). A perfectlycon-

cealed eamat the corner nvolvesa three-step rocess:

1. Wrap the first sheetaround the corner and rim it off,

leaving l4in.

2. Set he next strip to a new plumb line so t completely

overlaps he 1/4-in.wrap.

3. Trim off the paper that wrapped over at the corner.

(Cut through the top pieceonly.)

There will alwaysbe a pattern mismatch at the cor-

ners. Keep t slight by starting out of the corner with the

cut-off pieceyou came nto it with. Photo 12 shows a

way to cut this pieceby guiding the razor with a broad

knife with cardboard taped to one side o create he ll4-

in. wrap. If the strip you cut offis less han2 in., discard

it and start the wall with a new strip.

If you're using a vinyl or vinyl-coatedpaper,use a

vinyl-to-vinyl adhesiveon the overlap. Regularpaste

won't hold. Use this adhesiveany time you're putting a

paper over a vinyl or vinyl-coatedpaper-on borders,

for instance.

If an outside corner is perfectly plumb and straight

(check t with your leveland a ong, straightboard),you

can wrap the paperaround it and keep hanging. f not,




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Wrap he paperaround he corner, eaving hewrappedside looseand smoothingout the other.

Trim off the paperwith a sharp razor knife, eaving114 n.wrappedaround he corner.Guide he cut with a broadknife built up on one side with 1/4-in. hick cardboardtaped to the knife. Book the cut-off piece for later use.

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Wrap he paperaround an outsidecorner and tr imit off , eaving112 n. wrapped.Set a new plumb ine

if you'recontinuingon a long wall.Overlap he next piece,holding t 118 n. away rom the corner.

f r t i t l ike an insic le orncr (Photo l4) . I f the corner is

p r o n e t o a l o t o f a b u s e , n s t a l l c o r n e r p r o t e c t o r s

($2 o $3) f rom a home ccnter .

Don't try to cut an opening for a wir-rdowor door with

thc wallpaper on your worktablc. Instead,align the sealm

ancl smooth out as much of the sheet as possibleup to

the molding. Relief cuts (Photo l5) wil l allow the paper

, : .1 , THE POWER MUST BE OFF WHEN YOU ARE

TRIMMING AROUND ELECTRICAL OXES.

,{ff

'I Ueasure he width of the cut-off piece at its nar-

r .-."lrowest spot and draw a plumb line with your levelat that distance rom the corner. Careful,he cornerwon't be perfect lyplumb or straight.)Hang he cut-offpiecealong he plumb ine,wrapping he excessaroundthe corner.Smooth t out.Trim hrough he overlappingsheet at the cornerso the seam ollows he corner.

.#'

.. Trim he paperaroundwindow and door moldingsby pressing t to the edge of the moldingand mak-

ing reliefcuts with scissorsand a razorunti i i t l ies lat tothe wall. Using he razor, r im off the excesspaper ollow-ing the contour of the moldings.Guideyour cuts with th ebroad knifeon straightsect ions.

to l ie f lat on thc wall. Make thesegradr-rally o yoll don't

overcut. Trin-r ight against tl-re nolding with the razor.

Cut f ieehtrnd along the contours and guide the razor

with a broad knife or-r traight areas. l it an "X" over elec-

tr ical boxesand tr irn off the excess aDer.

w a l l p a o e r i m o l i f i e d L 4 5



rethane moldings are both lightweight and easy

to apply, making them a greatalternative to

wood molding. In this story,we used hem for

chairrail and window trim.

One manufacturer ecommends utting the molding

about I I4 in. overlong or long runs (12 o 16 t.) to help

make up for seasonalwall expansion. t'll compress

slightly and snap into place.Shorter lengths to 8 ft .

should be cut about 1/8 in. overlong and anythingless

than 4 ft. should becut to fit. The company alsorecom-

mendsbutting crosscut nds ogetherwhen splicing ong

lengths insteadof bevel-cutting moldings at mid-wall

joints. The molding is applied ust like wood molding

r

t lp

Towiden ourmi terboxasshownn Photo

r on p. I47,usea hammero tap hesides ree

of heor ig inal ase. r i l lp i lo tholes ndscrewhesides

to thenewbase.With hewider ase, ou' l l eable o

crosscutndbevel -cuthemoldings. owever,heother

miteroperat ionson' tbepossib le,ince heprecut lots

wi l lno ongerineup,Thiswon' tbea problemor cut t ing

themoldings eshow ere.

proiect taglance

except hat it cutsand nails easier.

Set the mold ing in to your

miter box (screw he miter box

down to your sawhorseor work-

table) and cut it on your mark

with slow, steady strokesas you

hold themolding firmlywith your

other hand. Support long ends

with additional sawhorses. on't

bother coping joints in corners;

jus t lay the mold ing on i t s back s ide and cut a t

45 degreesor insideand outsidecorners.Nails alonewon't

do-you must use the polyurethane adhesivecaulk to

bond it to the wall surface omake up for its low density.

Fill nail holes with spacklingcompound and then

wipe the surfacecleanwith a damp rag (Photo a). This

processwill take two coats.Sand urethanemolding as

little aspossiblebecause nlike wood, the factoryfinish

on the urethanemolding is thin. Becauseou'll be paint-

ing the molding, you can touch up joints with acrylic

caulk andwipe the excess waywith a damp rag.You can

saveyourself a lot of time by prepainting the molding

and then touching t up afteryou'vecut and nstalled t.

skillevelbeginnerointermediate

specialtoolshandmiter oxand aw

basicandoolsapproximateost

3- 8per

linealft.

1 4 6 w e e k e n dw a l l , l o o r i n g& i n t e r i o rp r o j e c t s



-lnana miter boxes and fine-tooth hand saws are best

I for cutting urethane moldings.The moldings, however,are often wider than the miter box bed. Widen the bed byremoving the screws on the side of the box and adding

a wider base.

Q CIue and nail the moldings to the wall. Makesmatlr-,1 reference marks along the wall with your level to

make sure you keep the molding straight as you nail. Setthe nails with a nail set.

)neasure the length, then cut the moldings with

{- 4S-degreebevel cuts in the corners and glue the backsides and joints with polyurethanemolding adhesive.

/l ftn the nail holes with spacklingcompound and theT loints with acrylic caulk, hen wipe with a slightlydamp cloth.You ll need a second applicationonce thespackling compound and caulk are dry.Wipe smooth orlightly sand, hen paint.

Buyi gurethanemoldi gsHome centersand lumberyardscarry a limited selection

of urethane moldings. They come in a wide variety of

preprimed profiles and sizes or windows, doors, crown

moldings and decorativepanels.They re expensivebu t

cost less han decorative wood moldings with the same

profiles.To see all your options, go to the help desk.

There you can order moldings to suit your taste. The

moldings shown here are only a small sample.

For more information on urethane molding options,

caff (80014416-3040,r go to www.fypon.com. Also, visit

wwwfocalpointap.com or call (8001662-5550 o find a

dealer n your area.

ltliJ)

/

u r e t h a n e h a i r r a i l 1 4 7



Snapgetherwcodloonng

glue,no nai ls,andyou canit in a weekend.Nodo

'-.((

ere'sa wood floor that's so

easy o install you can com-

plete an average-size oom

in a weekend. he joints just snap

together. implecarpentry killsand

a few basic oolsare all you need o

cut the floorboardsand notch them

aroundcorners.

In thisarticle,we'll showyou how

to prepare our room and lay the

snap-togetherlooring.The flooring

we ' re us i ng i s s im i l a r t o snap -

together aminate loors except hat

it has a surface ayer of realwood.

The 5i16-in. hick flooringhasspe-

cially shaped onguesand grooves

at your local f looring retailer.

can also buy flooring online.

Beforeyou go shopping,

draw a sketchof your room

with dimensions.Makenote

of transitions o other ypes

of f looring and other fea-

tures ike stair andingsand

ex t e r i o rdoo rs .Ask you r

salespersonor help choos-

i ng t he r i gh t t rans i t i on

moldings or these reas.

You'll needa few special

tools in addi t ion to basic

hand t oo l s l i ke a t ape

measllre, quareand utility

kn i fe . We pr- r rchasedn

ins ta l la t ionk i t f rom the

m anu f ac t u re r $40 ) ha t

You

projecttaglance


specialools

circularawjigsaw

installationit

basic andools

approximateost

$6-$15 er

sq.ft.bi::* :

f , ' . _, T.=

;u':t

that interlock o form a strong ight

jo in t w i thout g lue or na i l s .Once

assembled.he entire loor "floats" n

one largesheet . ou eavea small

expansion pace ll around he edges

so he loor canexpand nd contract

with humidity changes.

Woodveneer loorscost$6 o $15

per sq. t., depending n the species

and hickness f thetop wood layer.

Mosthomecenters ella ew ypesof

snap-togetherloors,but you'll find

a betterselection nd expert advice

inc ludedp las t i c h ims,a tapp ing

blockand a last-board uller,but if

you' rehandy you could fabr icate

these ools.Yoti l alsoneeda circular

sawand a igsaw o cut the flooring,

and a m i t e r box t o c u t t h e shoe

mold ing .A tab le sawand power

m i t e r sawwou ld m akeyou r j ob

easier ut aren'tnecessary.

ta n d c a s i n g P h o i o : ) i t ' s C i f f i c L r l tc

p e i c l o s e e n o r t p ' h 1 o : . h c l : q g r ' a 7 i ir 1

s t a n d a r o h l r t d s a w .

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CONCRETEFTOOR

\>

Test or excess moisture n concrete loors by sealing, the edges of a 3-ft.square of plastic sheeting o the

floor with duct tape.Wait 24 hours beforeyou peel back

the plastic o check or moisture.Waterdropletson th e

plasticor darkened oncrete ndicatea possibleproblem

with excessmoisture.Ask your flooring supplier or

advicebefore nstall inga wood floor.

%.

. Undercutdoorjambsand casings door moldings) o

make space or the flooring o slip underneath.Guide

the saw with a scrap of flooring stacked on a piece of

underlayment.

Don't lay this type of floor ovcr dar-r-rponcreteor damp

crawlspaces.Check al l cotrcrc tc for cxcess -uois turc.

As a starting point, t- tse he plastic rnat test shown in

Photo l. Even hough sor-nenanufactnrersallow it, pro-

fessional nstallers wc spoke to advised against nstallir-rg

floating floors in kitcher-rs,ir l l or three-quarterbaths,or

entrpvays, all areaswhere they might be subjected to

standing water.

1 5 0 w e e k e n dw a l l , l o o r i n g & i n t e r i o r p r o l e c l s

Fh

.,i Check for low spots in the floor with an 8-ft. straight-, . . . . . dge and mark heir perimeterwith a pencil.Fil l

depressions ess han 1/4 n. deepwith layersof building

paper.Fil l deeperdepressionswith a hardening-typeloor

fi l ler available rom flooring stores.

WOOD CHISEL

Breakand pry out the cutoff chunks of iamb and cas-

ing with a screwdriver. se a sharp chiselor uti l i ty

knife o complete he cut in areas he saw couldn't reach.

You have to make sure the existing floor is smooth ar-rd

flat before nstall ing a floating floor on top. Clear the old

floor, hen smooth it by scrapingoff lumps and sweeping

it. Check the floor with an S-ft. straightedgeand mark

high spots and depressiot-ts.ar-rd r grind down ridges

and fi l l low spots (Photo 2). Most manufacturers ecom-

mend no more than 1/B-in.variation in flatnessover an

8- f t . leneth .

),/

,*,

n..DOOR

CASING

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rN

3/8 THTCKSHIMS

UNDERLAYMENT

\\ t { I

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IIT

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CUT.OFF IECEFROMFIRSTRO W

II 'i

I'. 1

UNDERTAYMENT.

II

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TONGUEOU T

] r I

Unro l l he under layment nd ap t up the baseboardsor wal ls2 in .Temporar i ly ecure he edgeswith

masking ape. Butt the sheets ogetherand seal heseamswith the tape recommended y the manufacturer.Cut the f irst row of boardsnarrower f necessary oensure hat the last row of f looring wil l be at least2 in.wide.Then start he installat ion y locking he ends of thef irst row of f looring ogether.Measure nd cut the last

piece o f it , allowing he 3/8-in. xpansionspace.

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Leavea'l l4-in.space between he next ull pieceoff loor ingand he previous iece.Snap his piece nto

the f irst row.Snapa scrap of f looringacross he endsbeing oined o hold hem n al ignmentwhi leyou tapthem together.Place he tappingblock against he end ofthe f loor pieceand tap it with a hammer o close he gap.

J '

.\

':'+tlllrfrrtt-.

Closea gap at the end of the row by hooking helast-board uller ool over he end of the plankan d

tapping t with a hammer o pul l he end oints ogether.

\ J

FLOORING

SCRAP

/

PULLER

Ii

Yr-It

Start the second row with the leftovercutoff piece

from the f irst row,makingsure he end oints are off-set at least 12 n. rom the end oints in the f irst row.Withthe board held at about a 5-degree ngle,engage hetongue n the groove.Push n while you rotate he starterpiecedown toward he floor.The click ndicates hepieceshave ocked ogether. he oint betweenboardsshoulddraw ight .

@*ft--'

s n a p t o g c t h e r w o o c i o o r i r g 1 5 1



Q enn aheadwhenyou get neara dooriamb.UsuallyJ you have o slide thenext pieceof flooring under hejambrather han ilt and snap t into place.To ccomplishthis, you must slice off the lockingsectionof the tonguefrom the preceding ow with a sharp utility knife befioreinstalling t.

1 n Cut he plank o be notched o length,altowingaI \r, f -in. space or the future transitionpiece.Align theendwith the end of the last plank aid and mark 3/8 n.inside he amb o makesure he flooringextendsunderthe door rim.

lf youhavewood loors, ix squeaks nd

tighten ooseboards y screwinghem o the

deckscrews efore ou nstall ournew looring.

Allowing the floor to expand and contract freely is

critical. Leaveatleast a 3/8-in. expansionspacealongthe

edges.You can hide the gap under the baseboards or

leave he baseboards n placeand cover the gap with shoe

molding or quarter round as we did. Cover the expan-

sion spaceat openings or transitions to other types of

flooring with special transition moldings (Photo 13).

Buythese from the dealer.

Finally, sawoff the bottoms of doorj ambs and trim to

allow for the flooring to slide underneath (Photo 3).

Leaving an expansion gap at exterior doors presentsa

unique challenge. n older houses,you could carefully

remove the threshold and notch it to dlow the flooring

to slide underneath. For most newer exterior doors,you

can butt a square-nosed ransition piece against the

threshold.

Floating floors must be installed over a thin cushion-

ing pad called underlayment (Photo 5). Underlayment is

usually sold in rolls and costs 25t to 500 per sq. ft. Ask

your flooring dealer o suggesthe best one for your situ-

ation. Some ypes combine avapor barrier and padding.

Install this type over concrete or other floors where

moisture might be a problem. Others reduce sound

transmission.

Take extra care when installing underlayment that

includes a vapor barrier. Lap the edgesup the wall and

carefullyseal all the seamsas ecommendedbythe man-

ufacturer. Keep a roll of tape handy to patch accidental

rips and tears asyou install the floor.

After he irst ewrows,installinghe loor s a snapYou may have to cut your first row of flooring narrower

to make sure the last row is at least 2 in. wide. To figure

this, measure across he room and divide by the width of

the exposed aceon the flooring. The number remaining

is the width of the last row. If the remainder is less han 2,

cut the first row narrower to make this last row wider.

Then continue the installation asshown in Photos 6 - 8.

tiB-joistswith

152 weekendwal l , f l oor ing in ter io r pro jec ts



l -lAign the flooring lengthwise and mark for the

I I notches in the other direction, allowing for the floorto slide under the dooriamb about 3/8 in. Connect themarks with a square and cut out the notch with a jigsaw.

1 ? Cut a transitionmotding,n this casea square

I\., nose ransitionno fit between he doorstopsorjambs.Spread beadof construction dhesive nlyon theareaof the floor that will be n contactwith thetransitionpiece.Set he transition n placeand weight tdownovernight.

Youcan t use he same ilt-and-snap installation tech-

nique where the flooring fits under doorjambs.You have

to slide he flooring together nstead.Photos9 - L2show

how. If the opening requiresa.thensition molding, cut

the flooring short to leave paefonit (Photo 13).

Complete the floor by cutting the last row to the cor-

rect width to fit against he wall. Make sure to leave he

required expansion space.Finally, reinstall the base-

boards if you removed them, or install new quarter-

round or shoe molding to cover the expansionspace

(Photo14).

1 ) Apply a thin bead of the manufacturer s recom-J-t- mended glue along the edge where the portion ofthe tongue was removed.Slide the notched piece of floor-ing into place and tighten the glued edge by pounding onthe special tapping block.

1 A Complete the flooring project by trimming off the

I-T protruding underlayment with a utility knife andinstalling shoe molding. Predrill 1/16-in.holes through theshoe.Then nailthe shoe molding to the baseboardwith4d finish nails.Set and fillthe nails. Do not nailthe shoemolding down into the flooring.

Buyer s uide

Here are some of the manufacturers that currently offersnap-together wood veneer floors. Many others are in theprocess of converting their glue-together floating floorsto the snap-together system. Check with your local floor-

ing supplier for current offerings.

o Alloc: (877) 362-5562,www.alloc.com

o Award: (888) 862-9273, www.awardfloors.como BHK: (800) 663-4176,www.BHKuniclic.comI Kahrs: (800) 800-5247,www.l<ahrs.com

o wicanders: (410) 553-6062,www.wicanders.com

s n a p - t o g e t h e r o o d o o r i n g 1 5 3



f-r-l

Lf-Y

: -q,k . ': * **ir

ft

Hang

cellldgan i 4

ou don't have o be a Casablanca ficionado o

appreciatehe elegance ceiling an canbring to

your home.And you can enjoy afan all year ong

as t creates welcomebreezen the summer and circu-

lateswarm air in the winter.

Ceiling fans (technicallycalledpaddle fans) used o

be frustrating o install, o say he east.Most of the time

you had to wing it because pecialtyhanging systems

werepoorly developed r nonexistent.Now most manu-

facturershavedesigned ersatilemounting systemshat

take he hassleout of installation.When you add in the

improved, stronger ceilingboxes,you'll find that just

about any ceiling fan can go up quick and easyon any

ceiling,slopedor flat.

In this article,we'll llustratecrystal-clearnstructions

that go beyond he basicset ncludedwith the fan. We'll

alsoshowyou how to avoid commonpitfalls ikeputting

on parts in the wrong order and forgetting to slip

shroudson aheadof time. Somemistakesaremore seri-

ous than these.Standardelectricalboxesor bladeshung

I 5 4 w e e k e n d a l l , o o r i n g& i n t e r r o r r o j e c t s

It 'seasierhanyou hink,evenon an angled etl ing.

too low canbe downright dangerous.

Expect o spendat least$150 or

(see Buying a Ceiling Fan, p. 157)

accessoriesike electroniccon-

trols, fancy light packages nd

fu niture-grade addles.

{tu

f-

Putup a new anin a leisure ly aturdayafternoonIf everythinggoeswell, you can

put up a ceiling an in a coupleof

hours, ncluding cleanup.n most

cases,he whole ob will take only

a hammer, a screwdriver, 3/8-in.

nut driverand a wire stripper.

Most of the time, thewires hat fedapreviousceiling

light fixture are adequateor hooking up a new fan. If

you havea wiring arrangementhat'sdifferent rom ours

and you are unfamiliar with wiring techniques, onsult

a high-quality fan

and a bit more for

project taglance

skillevelintermediate

specialoolswire tripperbasic andools

approximateost

$100-$300



'lOetermlne he ceiling slope by holding a 2-ft. evel

I against he ceiling and measuring he vertical distancefrom the level o the ceiling. Divide hat number by 2 toget the drop over 12in. of horizontal un,3/12 slope in

ourcase.See he chart on p. 158 o determine he minimumdownrod length for the blade diameteryouU like.

] Sfiut off the power at the main panet and remove the(- light fixture. Knock the existing electrical box free ofthe framing with a hammerand a block of wood, then pull

the electrical cable free of the old box and through theceiling hole. Leave he old box in the ceiling cavity unlessyou can easily remove t through the hole.

i't.

a r

E r* r

n i

4 i

E , [

Q feeO the fan brace up into the hole, rest the flat edger-,f of the feet against the ceiling and center the shaftover the hole. f your ceiling is more than 112n. thick, as

ours was, rotate the feet and position the rod the depth ofthe box from the ceiling. Rotate the shaft to secure thebrace to the framing. Snap the metal saddle over the shaftso it's centered over the hole.

1] feea the existing wire through the cable clamp in the-T

top of the new metal box, slip the box over the saddlescrews, and tighten the nuts to clamp the box to the shaft

with a nut driver or a deep-well socket. Crimp a loop ofgrounding wire three-quartersaround the grounding

screw and tighten the screw.

h a n ga c e i l i n g a n 1 5 5





I Sllp the downrod pin through the collar and tube, lock

I it into placewith the cotter pin, and tighten the

screws and locknuts.

SET SCREW

Q Stip the collar cover, then the canopy over the down-

\J rod. Slide the ball over the downrod and push the pin

through both sets of holes, hen lift the ball over the pin

and tighten the set screw.

\,r'\:_

Buyinga ceilinganlf you haven't walked under a large fan display yet, hold

onto your hat. You'll be overwhelmed by the selection of

colors, styles and accessories, specially f you visit a ceil-

ing fan store. lf you intend to use your fan regularly, nvest

in a model in the $150-pluscategory.You'll get a quieter,

more efficient,more durable unit. lf you spend beyond hat

amount, you're usually paying for

l ight packages, radio-actuatedremote and wall controls, style,

and design (fancier motor cast-

ings, inlays, blade adomments or

glasswork). lf you spend less,you're likely to get

a less efficient, less durable, noisier unit with fewer

color, blade and electronic choices.

Choose the blade diameter that best suits the room

Buyer's uideo Hampton Bay Fan and Lighting Go.

Fanssold exclusivelyatThe Home Depot,

www.homedepot.com,and

Expo Design Centers, vwr/w.expo.com

O Hunter FanCo.; 8881 30-1326, ww.hunterfan.com

I RegencyCeiling Fans,wwwregencyfan.com.

FLAT FOOT FOR

visually and make sure the unit will f it under the ceiling

without jeopardizing beehive hairdos. (See p. 159 for

height requirements.lBiggerrooms call or wider fan blade

diameters.Thebigger un will not only look better but also

move more air.

Most ceiling fans are designed for heated, enclosed

spaces. f you're putting a fan in a screen room, a gazebo or

1llIIl9K other damp area, he building code requiresyou to use aCEILING damp-rated fan. These fans have corrosion-resistant

stainless steel or plastic parts that can stand up to high

humidity and condensation. f you live in a coastal area'\

with corrosive sea air, or if you're putting a fan in a par-

L'., ticularly wet environment like a greenhouseor an

enclosed pool area, you should choose a

wet-rated fan.

FAN BRACESHAFTUSED N PHOTO

SCREWENDS DRIVE NTO JOISTSWHENYOU ROTATETHE HAFT

\--l

h a n g a c e i l i n g a n 1 5 7



\

R)'t

\ ,

Q t-itt the assembly over the open side of the bracket

J and lower it into place.Rotate he motor until the ball

slot locks into place over the tab on the bracket.

Newelectronicontrols ave ou romrunning ddi t ionali r ingSincemost fan installationsare retrofits into existing

electrical oxes, here'susuallya single electrical able

connecting he fixture to a single

wall switch.You can eave he switch

and use t to turn the fan on and

off, then use he pull chains on the

fan o control an speed nd ights.A

second ption is to installelectronic

controls.Higher-quality ans give

you the option of adding a radio

rece i ve r i t f o r abou t 75 . T he

rece iveracceptss igna ls rom a

spec ia l wa l l sw i t ch

(included n the kit) to control he fan and

light separately ithout additionalwiring.

The receiveralso accepts ignals rom a

handheld emote, oyou can operatemul-

tiple fansand ine-tune an speed nd ight

intensity from your La-Z-Boy.Electronic

switchesare matched o fans by flipping

code oggles n the controls and the fan,

just l ike with your garage oor opener.

Installing n electronic witch Photo12) s

1 5 8 w e e k e n d a l l , l o o r i n g& i n t e r i o r r o 1 e c r s

1 n Connecthe baregroundwire rom he box o theI \-/ greengroundwireon the bracketwith a wirecon-nector.Connect he white neutralwire from the motor

to theneutralwire rom he box.Connecthe bluean dblackwire rom he motor o the blackhot wire rom heboxandneatly old hem nto he box.

a snap. he receiver rops ight into the an housingand

plugs nto thebottom of the motor.

I f the old light is fed by two three- wayswitches

instead f a singleswitch, he controloptionsarea ittle

more complicated.You have hreechoices:

l. Leave he existingswitchesn placeand turn one of

them on. Then use a remote o control the fan and

lights.

2. Use he existingswitches nd controlthe fan and ights

independently ith pull chains.

3. Disable one of the three-wayswitchesand rewire the

other one to receive wall-mounted electronic on-

trol. Sortingout all hewires scomplex. ou'llneedan

electrician'selp or this.

Minimum downrod length( in inches) for angled cei l ings

Ceil ing lope

3112 4112 5112 6/12 8112* 10/12* 12112x

6 6 6 1 2 1 8 2 4 3 6

6 6 6 1 2 1 8 2 4 3 6

6 6 1 2 1 2 2 4 3 0 4 2

6 1 2 1 8 1 8 2 4 3 0 4 2

12 12 18 24 30 36 48

r l(-

upT igh t en he

locknu t si rm ly .

Loose uts are

the most com-

mon causeof

wobb ly ans .

BladeDia.

27 in.

36 n.

44 in.

52 n.

56 n.

* Also requires lopeadapting i t.



-l 'lScrew the fan blades to their brackets and screw

I I the brackets to the bottom of the motor. lt's easiestto hold the screw in the bracket with the screwdriver

while you lift the blade assembly nto position.Thendrivein the screw.

Fanheight equirementsManufacturersgenerally equire that fan bladesbe at

least7 ft. above he floor. Sincemost fan and motor

assemblies re ess han 12 n. high, they'll fit under a

standard8-ft. ceilingwith the properclearance.

Angled ceilingsrequire that you install downrods

(alsocalled extension ubes or downtubes) hat will

lower the motor and fanbladesso they'll cleara sloped

ceilingsurface. he more space etween he ceilingand

the fan, the better.The fan will havemore air to draw

from, and you'll feelmore air movementbecausehe

bladesarecloser o you.

Most fanscomewith a short downrod designed or

.mounting on 8-f t . ceil ings. f your

1 ) Ptace he radio receiver into the switch housing/J-(- light pod assemblyand connect the light pod wiresaccording to the manufacturer's instructions. Note the

settings on the receiver's code toggles so you can dial inthe same settings on the electronic controls at the wallswitch. Now loosen the screws in the switch-housinghubhalfway. Plug the motor wiring into the receptacle on thereceiverand twist the switch housing into place on thehub. Retighten the screws.

1 ? Check and reset (if necessary) the code toggtesI\,, on the wall-mounted electronic switch to matchthe ones on the receiver. Remove the existing wall switchand connect the two black wires on the new switch tothe ones that were connected to the old switch with wireconnectors. Screw the switch into the box and install thecover plate.

ceiling's ess han 8 ft., you'll need^F-O to remove he rod provided andg

-.3p flush-mount the fan. But if

ry-you have a higher or

i

J

I,f l

.r, Yi:; '

slopedceiling,purchase

a ongerdownrod.

OPTIONALREMOTECONTROL

h a n ga c e i l i n g a n 1 5 9



NewwallpaperordqA sffirpleway o add spark o a room.

ost wallpaper borders

are inexpensive,go up

fast and offer instantproject t

transformation;now that'sa proj-

ect hard to beat.Home centers

and paint storesstock dozensof

stylesand can specialorder hun-

dredsmore.Whatever ou choose,

remember hese ey hings:

o Apply sizing o the wall where

you'll be installing your border.

(Photo 1).Theborder will stick

better and be easier o remove

lateron.

o If you'regoing o paint,do it beforehand,hen wait at

least3 days or the paint to cure before nstalling your

border.

o Someborders ook best snug o the ceilingor crown

molding, others a few inches down. To get a senseof

r

t lp l f vou ' rensta l l i ngour orderigh t o ar popcornextured ei l ing,una f latb lade

screwdr iverroundheedge i rst o remove ny oosetexture ndcreate smal l la t rough.

) Reroll the pre-pasted border sticky-side-out, immerse(- the roll in the water tray, then book it sticky side to

sticky side as you remove it. Set the border aside for a

few minutes while the paste activates.

1 5 0 w e e k e n da l l , l o o r i n g i n t e r i o r r o j e c t s

aglance

skill evel

beginner

specialtools

sponge

razor nife

approximateost

$20-$30 or a

lZxl?-ft, room

what looks best ,p in up a

small sectionat variousheightsand akea ook.o Startand end nstallingyour border n an nconspicu-

ous spot; usuallyan out of the way corner.Chancesare

thepattern won't match by thetime you circle he room.

o Cut sectionsof border the length of eachwall plus

l/4-inch. Overlap he borders his l/4-inch at the corners.

o Four hands are better than two when installing ong

borders.Cut a dealwith the neighbors:You'llhelp with

theirs f they help withyours.

'lmeasure down from the ceiling the height of the border,

I then use a chalkboxwith white chalk to snap linesaround the room (white chalk brushes away the easiest).

Apply sizing above his line.Watch out for runs and drips;

some sizings dry to a glossy sheen.

? Install the border, pressing it flat with a smoother.

r-,f Start by creasing one end sharply into an inside

corner with 1/4-inch apping onto the adiacentwall. Use a

sponge to remove excess paste from the border and wall.





Tast easyarnplxesYoucan ix almostany amp-andmake t safeaswell.

162 weekendhome care repai r pro jects



Replacefaulty ocketA lamp socket tself can go bad, but more often it's the

switch insidethe socket.Eitherway, the solution is replace-

ment. A new socketcostsabout $5.Regardlessf the exist-

ing switch type, you canchoose a push-through switch, a

pull chain, a turn knob or a three-way turn knob that pro-vides trvo brightness levels.You can also choose a socket

without a switch and install a switchedcord instead.

The old socketshell s supposed o pop out of itsbase

with a squeeze nd a tug, but you might have o pry it out

with a screwdriver Photo 1). Thesocketbasecan bestub-

born too. It's screwed nto a hreaded ube that runs down

through the lamp'sbody. When you try to unscrew t, you

might unscrewthenut at the otherend of the tube nstead.

This will allow the parts of the lamp body to come apart,

but that isnt a big problem. Justuse a pliers to twist the

baseoffthe tube (Photo2), reassemblehe amp bodyand

t..t * on the newsocketbase o hold it all together.

When you connect the new socket,don't reuse the

bare ends of the wires.Someof the tiny strandsof wire

areprobably broken. Cut them off and strip away Il2 in.

of insulation with awire stripper (Photo 3). Using a wire

stripper is almost foolproof, as long asyou choose thecorrect pair of notches o bite through the wire's insula-

tion. Most wire strippers aresized or solid wire, rather

than the slightlylarger stranded wire used n lamp cords.

Youcangetaround this problem by usingthe next larger

pair of notches.Sincemost lamp wires are 18 gauge, tart

with the notchesabeled16.If the stripper won't remove

the insulation, use smaller notches. If the stripper

removesstrandsof wire, cut offan inchof cord and start

over using argernotches.

When you connect the wires to the new socket, he

neutral wire must connectto the silver screw(Photo 4).

To identifr the neutral wire, start at the plug. The wider

1pry the socketshellout of its base.Cut he wires o

I removehe socket.Thenoosen he setscrew o youcan unscrew he socket base.

Q Strip ott 1t2 n. of insutationwith a wirestripperandr-,1twist he wirestrands ogether.f you pull off any wirestrandswhilestripping, ut back he cordand startover.

J Unscrew the socket base from the threaded tube. lf4- the base won't spin off by hand, grab the tube andthe base with a pliers to spin it free.Then screw on thenew base and tighten the setscrew.

ffi*'* 1='t 1tii: r*H'i'iiiING ON A IAMP

The neutralwire connects to the wideplug blade and isdistinguishedfrom he hotwireby ribs,color,print-ingor in-dentationsin theplasticinsulation.

f a s t & e a s y a m p f x e s 163



1l tie an underwriter's knot in the cord.Then connect-T

the wires by wrapping them clockwise around the

screws and tightening. Connect the neutral wire to thesilver screw.

plug blade is connected o the

neutral wire, and you ll find that

the neutral wire is distinguished

f rom the hot wi re (photo ,

p. 163).The two wiresmay be differ-

ent colors, heremay be printing on one

f, eultthe excess orddown hrough he amp.Slip her-,f insulation leeveand socketshell over he socket

and snap he shell nto he base.

or the other, or there may be tiny ribs or indenta-

tions in the plasticcovering he neutral wire. If your old

plug bladesare of equalwidth, replace he plug and cord

alongwith the socket.

An undenarriter's not prevents the wires from pulling

out of the screw terminals when the cord is tugged.

Replacecrackedord

-lCut the old cord at the socket and pull it out. Push a

I grommet into the cord ho le and screw a bushing onto

the tube, if they're missing.

The nsulationon cordsbecomes tiffand

brittle as it ages.Eventually, t cracks

and might even lakeoffthe wire, cre-

ating a shock and fire hazard.Don't

tryto solve hisproblemwith electri-

cal tape. Replace he cord. Cord

replacement s also he best ix for a bad cord-mounted

switch.Youcan buy a cord thathas a switch attached.

Saveyourself some time by buying a cord that's

already connected o a plug ($3). Lamp cord sold at

home centersand hardwarestores s usually 18 gauge.

That's arge enough to handle 840 watts of lighting. If

you haveone of those are amps hat uses ulbs otaling

more than 840watts, have t fixedat a lamp repair shop.

1 6 4 w e e k e n d o m e c a r e & r e p a i rp r o j e c t s

GROMMETS

) feea thenewcord hrough he threaded ube and(- socketbase.Connect he cord o thesocketasshown n p.163.

Make sure the cord is protectedby a screw-onbushing

where t enters hethreaded ube and by aplasticor rub-

ber grommet through the amp body(Photo 1).Without

a bushing or grommet, sharp edgescan cut into the

cord's nsulation.If you can't ind abushingor grommet

the right size at a home center or hardware store,see

Lamp Part Sources, . 165.

To replace he cord, you'll take most of the socket

replacement stepsshown in the first part of this article.

Remove the socket from its base, cut the old cord and

pull it out. Feed he cord up through the threaded ubein

the amp'sbody (Photo2). Thenconnect he new cord to

the socket.Most cords come with the ends already

stripped,so you won't evenneeda wire stripper.



Replaceproblem lug

'lCut he cord a coupleof inches rom he plug.Then

I split aboutan inchof cordwitha pocketknife nd

strip off 3/4 n. of insulation.

Q Stip he blades nto he housingandpush he blader.-f holder nto place.

Plugson lamp cords often havea weak point where the

cord enters the plug. Pulling and flexing can break the

wires at this point,leaving you with a lamp that flickers

when you jiggle the cord. The cure is to replace he plug.

To do this safely,choosea polarized plug ($S).e polar-

ized plug has one blade that's wider than the other so it

fits into an outlet only one way (photo, p. 163). Before

you buy a plug, take a close ook at the cord. Along with

other abeling,you should find*SPT-l

or SPT-2. This

refersto the thickness of the cord's sheathing,and the

plug you buy must have he same isting so t will fit over

) Wrapthewires ctoct<wiseround he terminalscrewsC- of the newplugand ighten.The neutralwire must

connect o the widerprong.

Lamp artsourcesHome centers and hardware stores carry basic lamp parts

like sockets, cords and plugs. For hard-to-find parts and a

wider selection of basic parts, visit a lamp repair shop (in

the Yellow Pages under Lamps & Shades, Repair f or

theseWeb sites:

o www.grandbrass.com. Shop online and order

online or by phone: 12121226-2567

a www.paxtonhardware.com. Shop online and order

by phone: (800) 241-9741

the sheathing. If you can't find the SPT listing, replace

the entire cord asshown on p. 164.

The plug you buy may not look exactly ike the one

shown here, but installing it will be similar. Be sure to

read he manufacturer's nstructions. When you split the

two halvesof the cord (Photo 1),be carefi.rl ot to expose

anywire.If you do,cutbackthe cordand start over.Strip

the wire ends(seePhoto 3,p. 163) and makeconnections

(Photo 2). The neutral wire must connect o the wider

blade.Seep. 163 or help in identifring the neutral wire.

If you re not able o identifr it, replace he entire cord.

f a s t & e a s y a mp f i x e s 1 65



l-\ ,

Kenaff \\-/Y

WASleaks

1 6 6 w e e k e n d o m ec a r e& r e p a i rp r o i e c t s

u

'#i

&k +%

13

project taglance

skill evel

beginnero

intermediate

specialtools

basic andools

slipoint

ndhose lamp

pliers

spannerrench

approximateost

$10-$50

dependingn

repairFix he mostcommon eaks ourself ndavoid hat$ZSserviCeall.

Ji

hen the washingmachine starts eakingwater

all over the floor, you face a tough choice.

Either call a serviceechnician o fix theprob-

Most service echnicianscharge$50 to $100 ust

in the door and diagnose he problem, and

expenses anquickly accumulate.After receiving he

bill,you may evenwish you'd replaced hemachine

slve.

walk

lemor purchase newmachine.Both decisions reexpen-



This article will help you avoid the

service call by showing you how to

diagnoseand fix the most common

washing machine leaks.We cover

hose,pump and tub leaks,but there

maybe additionalproblem areas pe-

cific to yourbrand of machine.

There are two types of washing

machines:belt drive and direct drive.If you open up the cabinet anddont

find anybelts,thenyodvegota direct-

drive machine.Repairsare similar for

both machines, ut generally asier n

the direct-drive unit. The following

photos are from a belt-drive washing

machine. If you havea direct drive,

refer to your owner's manual or dia-

grams see BuyingPartsl'p. 168) or

brand-specifi details.

TIP il:T#'i,:T#:1il[of a plugged loor drain. t happens

f igurea common eak ocat ions

(BELT-DRTVEASHTNGMACHTNEHOWN)

HOSECONNECTORS

First,eplaceeaky upply osesF Turn off the water main or shutoff

valve and unscrew the supply hosesfrom the back of the mach ine withan adjustablepliers.Pry out the oldhose washers with a flat-bladescrewdriver. lnstall new gaskets inboth hoses and reconnect the sup-ply lines.

The first step is to loc ate the

sourceof the leak.Empty the wash-

ing machine, move it away rom the

wall and start the fill cycle.Look for

drips around the water supply hose

connect ion at the back of the

machine while it fills with water.

Shut off the water and replaceany

old,heavilycorrodedor rustedhoses

with new ones (photo, left). If the

hosesare n good shape, eplace he

internal washersonly. Special

no-burst hoses $tO;, regu-

lar hoses $6) and newhose

washers $2 per lO-pack)

areavailableat home centers

and hardwarestores.

r e p a i rw a s h i n gm a c h i n e e a k s 1 6 7



Second,eplaceeakynternalosesII

T /

l/I t . l

-lUnscrew the access panel from the back of the

I machine or open the cabinet. Look for leaks while themachine fills with water. f you don't see any, advance the

machine o the agitatecycle and check again.

) Squeeze he hose clamp together, slide it down the

4- hose and pull off the hose. Keep a bucket or panhandy so you can catch any residualwater left in the

hoses. Replacethe hose with an identical part and new

worm-drive clamps (bottom of page).

ff

BuyingartsWashingmachinepartsare availableat appliancepartsdis-

tributors. (Look in the Yellow Pages under'Appliance

Parts. lTry to find a parts supplier with a well-informed

staff, ideally ex-repair technicians, who can provide

diagrams and help diagnose any problems specific to

your brand of machine. A great Internet source is

wvwv.searspartsdirect.com. Enter your model number to

accessexploded-viewdiagrams and a thorough parts list

31A 5tj:

{\ \

\204

e f . 5 \

0 0 w

for easy online ordering.

You'll need he brand and model number for proper part

identification. Model numbers are usually stamped on a

small metal plate (photo above) ocatedunder he tub lid or

on the side or back of the machine.Gopydown all the plate

information and take it along to the parts distributor.

If the supply hosesaren't leaking,

open the cabinet and inspect he inter-

nal components.Belt-drive machines

typically have a rear access anel that unscrews.Access

direct-drive machines by removing the two screwson

the outside of the controlpanel and flipping up the lid.

Then pry up the cabinetclips andpull offthe entire cab-

inet. With the cabinetopen, estart he fill cycle o check

for internal leaks(Photo 1). Look for additional clues

like rust and calcium deposits.Most often you'llfind the

leaks n the spotswe show n FigureA.

Hoses end to leakaround a worn-out spring clamp.

First try to remove he spring clampwith an adjustable

f 6 8 w e e k e n d o m e c a r e & r e p a i rp r o j e c t s

pliers. If you can't get it, you'll need a

special 15 hoseclamppliers(Photo 2)

available rom your local partssupplier.

Replace he old spring clamp with a new worm-drive

clamp (photo below). If

t he hose i t se l f i s

cracked and leak-

ing, remove t and

take i t t o the

app l iance par ts

suppl ier for a

replacement.

CAUTION: UNPLUG HEMACHINE BEFOREPER.FORMINGANY EPAIRS.



Third,eplace leaky ump

'l Loosen the two motor mounting bolts to relieve ten-I sion on the belt. One will be at the rear of the cabinetand the other is nearby.

Q lnstall he newpumpby sliding hepump ever nt or.,f the agitator lotandaligninghe beltwith he pumppulley. ineup hebolt holesand irmly ighten hemounting olts.Reconnect ll hosesandclamps.

The pump usually eaksaroundthepulleyseal. f you

spotwater eaking rom this spot, he pump is shot and

will have o be replaced. newpump costs 35 o 45.

To replace he pump, work from underneath the

machine.Unplug the machineand tip it up against he

] Oisconnect he pump hoses.Thenunscrew he pump(- mounting bolts, tip the pump pulley away from thebelt and wiggle the pump loose. Direct-drivepumps willsimply unscrew or unclip.

/l eullagainst he motor o tension he bettand henT tigtrtenhe rearmotormountingbott.Thebelt should

deflect bout l2in.when you pushagainst t.Then ightenthe mountingbolt ocatedon the oppositesideof the motor.

wall. Block up the front with a car ack or 2x4sso t can't

tip over while you reachunderneath. Replace he pump

as shown in Photos I - 4.If the belt is darkened rom

burning or is worn down to thethreads, eplace t, too.

r e p a i rw a s h i n gm a c h i n e e a k s 1 6 9



Fourth,eplace orn-outub ittings

.lSiae a small putty knife betweenhe washer id and

I tne cabinet.Push he puttyknifeagainst hespringcatchwhile ifting up on thelid. Release othcatchesand old the lid back.

O pop off the tub ring clips, lift the tub ring out of the

L cablnaand set it aside.

Q fwist or pry the cap off the agitator.Thenunscrew

:,1tne attachment ut andpullthe agitatorup and offthe driveshaft.

Lift the inner tub up and off the drive shaft.You might

have to wiggle it back and forth to help work it loose.

/l nold the inner ub tight to the outerub.Rap he't specialspannerwrench o break he spannernutfree.Remove he spannernut.

The most challenging repair is fixing a eaking tub fit-

ting, whether it's the air dome seal( 5), the centerpost

gasket S) or the tub seals 15 to 20). (SeeFigureA

and photos for locations.)Beforeproceeding,makesure

that telltaledrips are coming from around the tub. The

details of this repair vary by brand and model. The

details we show are for most Whirlpool and Kenmore

belt drives.Studya schematicdrawing or consult aparts

specialist f your machine is different from what we show.

You l need a special 15 spannerwrench (Photo 4)

to remove the tub and replace he tub fittings on this

type of machine. It's available at your local appliance

partssupplier.Follow Photos 1- 5 to accesshetub fittings.

l7O weekendh o me c a re & re p a i r p ro je c ts



metalwasher is on top ofthe rubber washer.

C Unscrewhe old leaky ub seals\,f fromtheouter ub. Later,nstallthe new ub seals,makingsure he

-7t^p up on the drive block with a hammer to break it

I loose from the drive shaft. Pull off the drive block andset it aside. Lift the outer tub from the cabinet, twisting itback and forth to work it loose.

QSqueeze he center post gasket

J together and pull it from thebottom of the outer tub. Install anew center post gasket andreassemble the machine.

-z,/

NEW CENTERPOSTGASKET

seals,causing a tub leak. A new tub

sealkit will comewith four newbolts and oversized ub-

ber and metal washers hat will sealsmall leaks (Photo

6). But if the tub is completelyrusted through around

the bolt, it's time to buy a new washingmachine.Replace

all four tub sealsas shown n Photo 6.

If the leaking occurs onlywhen the machine is agitat-

ing, a bad centerpostgasket doughnut ) is the culprit.

Remove he outer tub to replace he center post gasket

(Photos8 and 9). While you're at it, replace he air dome

sealaswell (Photo 8). Reassemblehe washing machine

and run a testrycle.

NEWTUBSEAL

Qfwist the air dome a quarter turn and

\J pull it free from the outer tub. Pry

off the old air dome seal and replace itwith a new one.

NEWAIR DOME SEAI

You can open the top of many machinesby releasing he

spring catches Photo 1).However,on othersyou have o

unscrew several screwsand lift off the entire cabinet.

Look in your owner'smanual or at a parts diagram. (See

the manufacturer'sWeb site or the site isted in Buying

Parts on p. 168.)You'll have o unscrew he water inlet

and the tub snubber (Photo 1) before unclipping the

ring (Photo 2). Fasteningsystems or these vary by

brand,asdo attachmentmethods or the agitator(Photo

3) and nner tub (Photo4).

There are four tub seals hat secure he outer tub to

the cabinet, eachconsisting of a bolt with a rubber and

metal washer.Rustoften developsaround one of the tub

r e p a i rw a s h i n gm a c h i n e e a k s l 7 l



TOuble-In erslnstall trong, ledklooking utterswithoff-the-shelfarts.

,&,

project taglance

skill evel

intermediate

specialtools

duckbillndoffsetin snips

crimperpop ivet un

approximateost

3- 5per

lineart.

lmost all home centers nd ull-service ardware

stores ell gutter systemshat aredesigned ri-

marily for easynstallation.But with iust a ittle

bit more work, you can use hesesameparts to put

togetherguttersand downspouts hat are strongerand

better ooking too. We'll show you ho w to minimize

joints; assemble trong, sleek-looking eams; nd add

roof f lashing o k eep water f lowing into the gutters

L 7 2 w e e k e n d o m ec a r e& r e p a i rp r o r e c t s

where t belongs, llwith off-the-shelfmetalgutterparts.

If you'recomfortablewith basichand t ools, assem-

bling and installingguttersshouldn'tpresentany great

challenge, ut the job isn't for everyone.t requires hat

you know how to safelywork from ladders(good bal-

anceand stayingwithin your reach)and arecomfortable

doing it. Rent scaffolding or second-floorgutter work

becauset's much more stablehan a adder.



f iguregutterparts

FROITITELBOW

FRONTELBOW

DOWNSPOUTBRACKET

DOWNSFOUTEXTENSION

Evaluatendplan heprojectInstalling your own gutters can saveyou as much as 5

per linear foot over professionally nstalled gutters,but

there are a fewpitfdls to watch out for.Inspect the fascia

and soffit (FrgureB) for srgnsof rotted wood, which will

needto be replacedbeforeyou put up the gutters.Many

houseshavea trim board or crown'molding nailed to the

fascia ust under the shingles.You'll have to either

remove his aswe did or add a continuous strip of wood

under it to createa flat plane for the gutters. In either case,

prime and paint bare wood beforeyou hangthe gutters.

Draw sketch ndmeasure

yourhouseFigureA shows an exampleof agutter slntem

for a typical house.Record he length of the

gutter runs and mark the downspout loca-

. tions. Then count up the inside and out-

side corners and end caps (note whether

they are right or left ends). Measure he height

of downspouts and add 4ft. to each or the exten-

sion away from the house at the bottom. Each

downspout requiresthree elbows. Thereare two types

of elbows that turn either to the front or side of the

downspout. Most installations require only front

elbows, but occasionallyyou may need a sideelbow, usu-

ally to turn the downspout extension sideways.

Here are a fewplanningtips:

o Locate downspouts in unobstructed areaswhere

water can be directed away from the house. Avoid

locations with obstaclesike electric meters,hosebibs

or sidewalks.

o Place your downspouts in inconspicuous locations

if possible.

O Install oversized3 x 4-in. downspouts on gutters that

drain large roof areasor if you live in an areawith tor-

rential rains.

o Slope long gutter runs (40 ft. or more) down both

directions from the middle and put a downspout on

eachend.

o Buy special roof hanger mounting straps for houses

without fasciaboardsor for fasciashat aren'tvertical.

ICEANDWATER

GHALKtINE

t rouble-free utters 17 3



'lCut the front and back sides with a tin snips. Bend the

I gutter and cut the bottom.

? t- y a bead of gutter sealant along the corner

t) t-ttZ in. back from the edge. Hook the front lip of

the corner over the notched section of gutter and snap

it over the gutter.

PreassembleuttersIt's much easier o join sectionson the ground than to

work from the top of a ladder. Photos I - 8 show how.

Insteadof butting parts togetherand covering he oints

with a seamcoveras ecommendedbythemanufacturer,

lap all seams rom 2 to 4 in. Then caulk and rivet them

together (Photos3 - 5).We've shown joining a gutter

section o a corner.Use he sameprocess o join two sec-

tions of gutter, except overlap the piecesat least4 in.


J Cut a2-in.long notch in the front lip of the gutter with(- atin snips to join a gutter section with an inside or

outside corner piece. (Cut a 4-in.-long notch to overlap

and splice together gutter sections.)

/l ,loin he gutter o the cornerwith six rivets n the't locationsshown.Start by drillinga 1/8-in. ole(for

1/8-in. ivets)at the front of the gutterand nstalling he

first rivetwith he rivetgun.Nowdrillthe remaining oles

and nstallthe ivets.

When you're splicing gutter sections,plan ahead o leave

the best-looking actory-cutend on the outside f possi-

ble. Also lap the gutters so the inside section is facing

downhill to preventwater rom being orced out the seam.

Where a gutter ends,cut it to extend about an inch

past the end of the fasciaboard to catchwater from the

overhangingshingles.Then attach an end capwith rivets

and seal he oint from the insidewith gutter sealant.



f,Caulk the seam on the inside of the gutter with gutter

r;f sealant. Put a dab of sealant over each rivet.

OUTSIDE NE

J Cutout the outlet hole with an offset tin snips. Red tinf snips cut countercloclarise. Green snips cut clock-

wise. Either one will work. Gut 1/16 n. outside the line.

fi Uart<he centerof the downspoutoutleton the bottom\,f of thegutter.Center he outlet, lange side down,over he markand racearound he nside.Cut a V-shapednotch withan old chisel as a starting hole ior he tin snips.

Q Sip the outlet into the hole and predrilt 1/8-in. hotes

\J for the rivets. Remove the outlet and run a bead ofgutter sealant around the opening. Press the outlet in to

the caulked opening and installthe rivets.

a few minutes longer than using one of the short gutter

sectionswith a preinstalledoutlet, but

it eliminates two seams and looks

much neater.Youcan make his cutout

with a duckbill tin snips, but a special

offset snips ike we're using ( tS at

hardware stores and home centers) s

much easier or beginners.

.t

Cut n downspoutubesat eachdownspoutocationFirst measure from the corner of

the house to the center of your

chosendownspout ocation. Dou-

ble-check for obstructions. Tians-

fer this dimension to the gutter

and cut in a downspout outlet

(Photos6 - 8).This method takes

tunder hegutter o support t while

youchisel he notch Photo ).

t r o u b l e - f r e e g u t t e r s 1 7 5



Set a slope by driving a nail 1l2in. below the shingles

on the high side of the gutter run. Measure and

record he distance rom the bottomof the fasciaboard o

this nail.Subtract114n.for every10 t. of gufter rom his

measurementnd mark his distanceat the low endof the

gutter un.Drivea nailat this markandstretcha chalk

line betweenhe two nails.Aligna levelwith the string o

check he slope.Thebubbleshould be off-center owald

the highside. f it's not,adiust he string.Finally' nap he

string o marka line on the fascia.

A little lopes allyouneedThe number and size of downspouts determines how

fast your gutters will empty. Sloping the gutters helps

eliminate standing water that can causecorrosion and

leak through the seams.Slope each gutter run down

toward the downspout about Il4 n. for every 10 ft. of

gutter. f your fasciaboardsare evel,you canuse hem as

a reference or sloping the gutters.Check his by holding

a evel against he bottom edge. f they aren't evel,adjust

the string line until a evel alignedwith the fasciaboards

showsa slight slope (Photo 9). Snapa chalk line to indi-

cate he top of the gutter. Then straightengutter sections

asyou screw hem to the fasciaby aligning the top edge

with the chalkline (Photo 10).

Flashingrotectsour ascia ndsoffit romwaterdamagePrevent water from running behind your gutters by

instatling a metal gutter apron flashing under the shin-

L76 weekendhome ca re repa i r pro lec ts

1 n Drive 1-1t4in.stainlesssteel hexheadsheetmetal

IW screws hrough he backof the gutter nto the

fascia. nstallone screwevery2 ft.

glesand over the back edgeof the gutter (Photo 11). ff

your home centeror hardwarestoredoesn sellpre-bent

flashing, ask an aluminum siding contractor or local

sheetmetal fabricator to bend some or you.

Ideally the flashing should be slid under both the

shinglesand the roofing paperor ice andwaterbarrier. If

this isn't possible because he ice and water barrier is

stuck to the sheathing,or there are too many nails and

staplesalong the edgeof the roofing paper, hen just slip

the flashingunder the shingles Photo 11). f the flashing

you're using is too short to reach down over the back

edgeof the gutter, slip an additional strip of sheetmetal

flashingunder the bent flashingand over he gutters.

Install idden angersWith the gutters screwed o the fascia, t's a simple job

to install the hidden gutter hangers (Photo 12). Install

hangers every 2 f t . to suPport the gutters and

strengthen the front edge.The hangersare designed o



' l 'lSiOe gutter flashing under the

I I shingles and secure with f -in.

roofing nails every 2 ft. Lap sections

about 2 in.

1 ) Hooka hanger nderJ- C- the front ip of thegutter and screw it

through the flash-

ing into the fascia.(The gutter apron

will prevent you

from slipping the

hangers over the

slip over the back edge of the gutter, but since we've

coveredthis edge with flashing, just hold them level

and drive the screws hrough the flashing and gutter

back nto the fascia.The largescrews ncluded with the

hangerswe used area little tricky to get started,espe-

cially through steelgutters and flashing. Spin them at

high speedwithout applying much pressureuntil the

screw ip bites nto the metal.Then leanon the drill and

drive them into the fascia.

A special rimperooleliminatesdownspoutrustrationPhotos 13 - 16 show how to install the downspouts.

We'reusing standard2 x3-in. downspouts,but the pro-

cedure or oversized x 4-in. ones s the same.Assemble

the elbowsand downspout tube with the crimped ends

facing down to prevent water from leaking out of

the joints. Use sheet metal screws ather than rivets so

you can disassemblehe downspouts to clean them if

necessary. rospreferprepainted1/4-in.hex headscrews

with very sharppoints, called zippers because hey're

easy o install. We found thesescrews n the aluminum

siding section of a home center,but a gutter supplier

would be anothergoodsource.

You can cut downspout tubing with a32-tooth hack-

saw blade, but the pro we talked to usesa circular saw

with a standard 24-tooth carbide blade. A power miter

box also works great for cutting both guttersand down-

spouts.Use an old blade, hough. Protectyourselffrom

flyingbits of metal with goggles,lea ther loves,eansand

a ong-sleeve hirt.

Each ength of gutter and every elbow is squeezed, r

crimped, on one end to allow the pieces o fit together,

one inside the other.Since 10-ft. engthsof downspout

are only crimped on one end, you'll have o crimp one

end of any cutoff piece to make it fit inside the next

elbow or downspout section. f you only haveone or two

downspouts o install, you can use a needle-nose liers

back edge of the gutter as intended.) Install hangers every 2 ft .

t r o u b l e - f r e e g u t t e r s 17 7



1 ? Screwan elbow o the downspoutoutlet.HoldI\., anotherelbowagainst he wall andmeasurebetweenhem.Allow or a1-112n. overlapat eachend.Usea hacksawo cut this length rom heuncrimped ndof a downspoutube.

to twist crimps nto the end.But a$15crimpingtoolwill

saveyou ons of time and frustration (Photo 14).

Finish the gutter job by attachingthe downspouts to

the wall. If you can find U-shapedbrackets,make them

from sections of downspout (Photo 15). They look bet-

ter than the bands that wrap around the outside and

make t easiero hang the downspouts.

r

tlp .clean eavesromvourgutters wicea year,I or hirea companyhatspecializesn gutter

cleaning nd maintenance.ou'l l xtendhe ifeof your

guttersandeliminate roblemsike backed-up utters

andplugged

ownspouts.

1 A Crimp one end of the short length of downspout

I'Twith a special sheet metal crimper.With the three

blades on the inside of the tube, hold the crimper against

the inside corner of the tube and squeeze. Grimp three

times across both long edges and twice on the narnow

sides. Aftach this short section of downspout to the two

elbows with two 114-in.hex head sheet metal screws into

each joint.

BuyinguttersTen-foot lengths of metal gutters, downspouts and acees-

sories are available at home centers, lumberyards and full-

service hardware storcs. Standard colors arc brown and

white. Matching inside and outside comers, downspout

elbows and accessories are also available. Buy special

gutter sealant to seal the seams. hb available in small

toothpaste-Upe tubes or 12-oz.caulk gun tubes. Complete

gutter systems cost about $2 per linear foot.

Using many of the same basic techniques we show in

this story, you can install your own seamless gutters.

Listed under Gutters in theYellow Pages,many seamless

gufter companies will come to your house, measure andform continuous lengths of aluminum gutter to fit, and sell

you all the installation accessoriesyou'll need. At about

$3.50per linear foot, it costs a little more , but you'll be able

to choose from dozens of colors and eliminate seams in

the gutter runs. You'll also save the hassle of measuring,

shopping and hauling he parts home.

178 weekendhome care & re p a i r p ro je c ts



1 tr Cut strips about 1-1t4 n.wide from the end of aI \,, downspout with a tin snips. Cut out a U-shaped

bracket and snip off the corners. Measure from the cornerof the building and mark the locations of each bracket,spacing them about 6 ft. apart. Attach the brackets to thehouse with stainless steel screws. Drill a clearance holethrough stucco siding with a masonry bit. Use plastic

anchors for brick. Use 1/4-in. ong hex head screws forvinyl siding.) Cut and screw downspout sections to anelbow at the bottom.The bottom of the elbow should beabout 6 in. above the ground. Slip this assembled down-spout section over the crimped end of the top elbow andsecure it with two screws.

1 RDrive screws through the brackets into the assem-I L, bled downspout. Complete the assembly by adding

a length of downspout tube to the bottom elbow to directwater away from the foundation.

HandyHintd

Gutter traightenerlce coming off your roof can bendthe spikes that secure your gutters

to the fascia board. One simple wayto straighten them without removingthem is to use a 2-ft.length of angleiron and a link of heavy metal chain.The angle iron and chain link pro-

vide sufficient leverageto straightenthe spike and pullthe gutter backinto alignment.

Gutter ucketSnip the wire handle of a S-gallonbucket in half and bendthe free ends into small hooks. Hang the bucket on theedge of your gutter, then slide it along and fill it as youclean out the gutter.

t r o u b l e - f r e e g u t t e r s 1 7 9





-lGonnecta gardenhoseand the powerwasherhose o

I the machine.Snapa 2S-degreeip onto he endof thewand.Turn n the water o thegardenhoseand putl hetriggeron the spraywanduntil watersquirtsout. Nowstart up thepowerwasher's ngine.

Powerwashingmakeshe hugecleaningaskeasyPower washersare aggressive. hey'll strip the wood as

well as clean off the dirt and grime, but you

can also erode the wood too deeply and

ruin it. The key is to use he right sprayer

tip and technique. In any case, he power

washer's spray will slightly raise and

roughen the grain on smooth wood. That's

actuallygood-it allowsmore sealer o soak n

and improvesthe finish.

) noBthe tip of the wandabout18 n. rom he fencef- and move t the engthof the boards.Pult he triggerand keep he sprayer ip moving o avoidgouging hewood.Usea varietyof attackangles o strip insidecorners.

Start sprayingwith thewand tip 18 n. from the wood

surface.Move in closerasyou swing the tip slowly along

the length of the board (Photo 2). Keep he width of the

fan spray aligned across he boards. The

wood's color will brighten as he surface s

stripped away.Watch loselyand stopstrip-

ping when no more color change occurs.

You don't have o removetoo much surface o

e)tposeresh wood, and continuing to spraywon't

improve the color.SPRAYERTIP

Powerwasherscost about 40 to rent for four hours.

Rent one that operatesat 1,500or 2,000 psi and avoid

more powerfrrl 3,000 or 3,500psi units. Be sure to get

both 15-and 25-degree praytips.Have he rental people

demonstrate he washer'suse. t'san easymachine o run.

To avoid damaging the pump, don't run the power

washerwithout first filling the pump and hoseswith

water.To do this, attachboth hoses Photo 1), snap n a

25-degree ip, turn on the garden hosespigot and hold

down the trigger on the wand until water squirts out.

Releasehe wand trigger and start the engine. f it'shard

to pull the start cord, pull the wand trigger to releasehe

water pressure.

It takesa ittle practice o arriveat the proper

tip distanceand speedof movement,but you ll catch on

fast. It's better to make two or three passeshan to risk

gouging the surfacetrying to accomplish this job in

one pass.As you gain experience,you can switch to a

15-degree ip. This tip cuts more aggressively nd works

faster han the 25-degreeip.

.L

tlp clear heareaalong he ence y yingbackr plants hataregrowing longsidet. Wear

water-repellentlothing-youwill getwet rom he spray.

r e n e wy o u r wo o d fe n c e 1 8 1



Q Ctuesplit and brokenpieceswhen he wood has

:J drieO or at least 24 hours.Apply waterproofglue and

clampor tape he pieces irmly together.

1l Otiveweather-resistant r stainlesssteel screws o

Ttigtrten looseboards.Recess he head1l4in. and ill

with a light-colored aulk.

f, Realign agginggateswith a turnbuckle.We

r./ spray-paintedhe shiny turnbuckleblack o makeit less conspicuous.

Simpleepairs ddyearso thelifeof your enceWith the fence clean, it's time to fix or replace dam-

aged boards, refasten oose boards and countersink

anyprotruding nails. Usewaterproof glue (Photo 3) to

repair any split and broken boards. Drive corrosion-

182 weekendhome ca re repa i r pro jec ts

Brush a wood preservativento the posts around hebase o help prevent ot at this vulnerablearea.

resistantscrews Photo 4) instead of nails to pull loose

pieces ightly together. If a gate s sagging,straighten it

with a turnbuckle support (Photo 5). Also coat the

posts(Photo 6) where they emerge rom the ground or

concrete with a wood preservative. This is the area hat

rots first.



J Aoll into the dry wooda soaking coat of semitrans-f parentstain.Coatabout3 ft. of fence, henproceedo

the stepshown n Photo8.

Stainmakeshe encelookbrand ewTo preserve he natural color of the

wood, usean exterior semitranspar-

ent oil stain. It seals he wood while

allowing the grain and color varia-

tions to show through. And its pig-

ments add an overall color tone.

Make sure the stain contains ultra-

violet inhibitors, which will slow

down bleaching by sunlight, and a

mildewcide to slow fungal growth.

Look for samplesapplied to cedar

at the paint store,or bring in your

own pieceof wood to test. A test

sample is the best way to ensurea

satisfactoryresult.

QWork the stain into smalt and

J tight areas with a trim roller anda2-in. brush. One generous coatshould be enough.

Brush he stain(backbrush)nto he woodgrainandall cornersandgaps.Brushout any runsor drips.

of fence and then brush (Photo 8)

the sealer nto thewood. If the wood

still appearsdry, roll on additional

sealer .Work the sealer nto al l

recesses nd corners. The roller

applies the stain, but you need the

brush to work i t wel l into the

wood's surface.Coat detailed areas

with a trim roller and smallerbrush

(Photo 9). Keep wet edges o pre-

vent lap marks.

Most semitransparent oil stains

are guaranteed to last two to five

years. Solid-colorstains ast onger

but are more difficult to renew.)

Fencesusually face severeweather-

ing, so expect the finish to last no

Before applytng the stain, be sure the fence is dry.

Allow at least 24 hours. If it's cool and humid, allow

another 24hours.

Use a paint roller with a medium nap cover (Photo

7) to apply a soaking coat to the wood. Let the wood

absorb.asmuch sealer s t can.Roll about a 3-ft. section

more than three years.Plan on recoating the fence

within this time frame to keep your fence looking

fresh. Before recoating, wash the fence with a garden

hose sprayer and use a bristle brush on stubborn dirt

depositsand stains. Let the fencedry and stain it using

the samemethod.

renew you r wood fence 183



Enerry-savlnglpsLow-cost ays o save uel,electricity ndcoldhardcash.

ir.\ENERGY-SAVING

COMPACT- FTUORESCENT

J BULB

o Change furnace filters every

month, or more often if needed.

o Have a furnace tuneup to clean

and adjust burners and improve

f uel-bu rn ng eff ciency.

o Replaceightbulbs used morethan two hours perday with compactfluorescent ulbs.Fluorescent ulbslast ongerand use only one-third smuchenergyas standardbulbs.

,,zi .

o Insulate pipes, especially if theypass through an area you don't

want heated or cooled. Have your air

conditioner serviced to clean hard-to-reach evaporator coils and adjust

coolant pressure to achieve maxi-

mum efficiency.

o Wrap the tank of your gas-burning

water heater in a special fiberglass

blanket to decrease heat loss.

Check your owner's manual to make

sure a blanket is recommended for

your model.

. Install light controls like motion

sensors, photocell switches andtimers to shut off lights automaticallywhen they're not needed.

o lnstall and use an automatic set-

back thermostat. You can reduceyour heating and cooling costs by

5 to 15 percent.

o Replace worn-out thresho lds and

weatherstripping around windows

and doors.

1 8 4 w e e k e n d o m e c a r e & r e p a i rp r o l e c t s



proiect taglance

skill evelbeginnerointermediate

specialtoolsAllen renchesslipoint liers

screwdrivers

approximateost

15- 50erreplacementparts it



Rotary all aucets

-lt-ft the handle and pry off the decorative cover to expose

I the Allen screw.Turn the screw counterclockwise until

it's loose enough to lift the handle up from the stem.

J Unscrew the cap by turning it counterclockwise with(- a slip-ioint pliers.

Q Utt off theplasticcam andpacking. ift out the ball

r,land inspect t. Replacehe ball f it's scratched,crackedor visiblyworn.

Water flow and temperature in a rotary ball faucet are

controlled by a hollow ball that rotates n a socket(Fig-

ure A). Delta and Peerless re two of the major brands.

Your faucet may havea brassor plasticball. Both work

well, although the long-lasting stainlesssteelball comes

with most repair kits. We recommend that you buy a

repair kit that includesthe ball, springs, seatsand O-

rings for the spout, as well as a smallrepair tool, for

about $15.With this kit, you'll be prepared or almost

any repair.

If water s leaking out around the baseof the handle,

you may be able to fix the leak by removing the handle

(Photo 1) and simply t ig htening the adjusting ring

slightly (Figure A). Turn it clockwise with the spanner

tool included in the repair kit. I f the faucetdrips from the


1l Unout the two rubberseatsand springswith a-T

screwdriver.Makenote of the orientation f thetapered pring and nstall he new springsand seats hesameway.Reassemblehe faucet.

end of the spout, eplace he seats nd springs Photo4).

To stop leaks rom the base of the spout, seeSpout

Leaks, . 191.

Reassemblys straightforward.Drop the springs in

the recesses nd press he rubber seatsover the top with

your fingertip. Then align thegroove n the ball with the

pin in the socketand drop theball in. Align the lug on the

plastic cam with the notch in the valve body and set it

over the ball. Thread on the cap with the adjustingring

and tighten it with the slip-joint pliers. Now

you can turn on the water to check for

leaks. f water leaks rom around the ball ,'

stem,use he spanner ool to tighten the

adjust ing r ing unt i l the leak stops.

Replacehe handleandyou're done.



f igureabal l aucetparts

Followhese asicsorallfaucetepairsBefore you start, examine the faucet closely to determine where the

water is coming from. Leaksaround he baseof the spout requirea dif-

ferent repair han a drip from the end of the spout. Then tum off the

water supply o the faucet.You'llprobably ind shutoff valvesunder he

sink. lf those valves don't work or if you don't have any,you'll have to

close the main water valve to your entire home. After you tum off the

water, open the fuucet in the center position to relieve water pressure

and make sure he water is shut off. Finally, over he sink drain holes

with strainer baskets or rags to avoid losing small parts down the

drain.

Pay close attention to the order and orientation of parts as you

remove hem. A digital cameraor video camera s handy for recording

each step in case you forget. For easier reassembly,set the parts aside

in the order they were removed.When all the parts are out, inspect the

interior of the valve for bits of deterioratedgaskets or mineral deposits.

Usea cloth or fine nylon abrasivepad to clean he surhce. Loosenmin-

eral deposits by soaking them in vinegar. Slow water flow can becaused by plugged holes in the faucet body. Use a small screwdriver or

penknife to clean them out. Before you replace wom parts and

reassemble he f;aucet,hold a rag over the faucet and open the water

shutoff valve slightly to flush out debris that may have been loosened

during the cleaningand inspection.

After the faucet is reassembled,open the faucet to the middle posi-

tion and gradually open the shutoff valves to turn on the water. Leave

the faucet open until water flows freely and all the air is out of the

pipes. lf the water flow through the faucet is slow, the aerator (Figure

A) may be plugged.Unscrew he aerator and clean t out.

+ HANDLE

CAPwlTHA[UUSTING

G RING

SCREWaout*\,

ff i4\o o.,

{- cAM

PACKING

STAINLESSSTEEL BALI

Of*-'*S @*spRrNGs

s top fauce t dr ips 187



Catridge-stylfaucetsMany faucetbrands usea cartridgeof some ype (Figure

B). We show how to replacea Moen cartridge,but the

processs similar for other brands.To stop drips at the

spout or correct problems with hot and cold mixing,

remove he cartridge and either replace he O-rings on

the cartridge if they're worn or replace he entire car-

tridge. Thke he cartridge to the home centeror hardware

store o find a replacement tO o 15).

Photos I - 6 show how to remove the cartridge.

Replacement artridges or Moen faucets ncludeaplastic

-ltrt off the handle cap (gently)

I with a knife.Turn he Allen screwcounterclockwise to remove it andlift off the handle.

JUnscrew the dome assembly

(- under the handle.Then unscrewthe metal handle adapter and lift it

off. Lift off the plastic pivot stop.

Q nemove he retainernut by turn-vt ing it counterclockwise ith alarge lip-joint liers.

A ,rV out the brass retainer ctap-T

with the tip of a screwdriver.Grabthe clip with a pliers and pull it therest of the way out to avoid losing it.

f, loosen the cartridge by slippingr.f the plastic spanner cap (included

with the new cartridge) over the car-tridge and twisting it back and forth.

f, CraO he cartridge stem with a\,f pliers and pull it straight up andout. Replaceworn parts and reassem-ble the faucet in the reverse order.

PHILLIPS

1 8 8 w e e k e n d o m e c a r e & r e p a i r p r o j e c t s



spanner cap that allowsyou to twist and loosen the

cartridge o make t easier o pull out (Photo 5). It may

take considerableorce to pull out the cartridge.Really

stubborn cartridgesmay require a special cartridge-

pull ing tool. Moen's version costsabout $15 and is

availableat most home centers.

Reassemblehe faucet in the reverseorder. Pull the

stem up before inserting the cartridge.You may have o

twist the cartridge slightly to line it up for the brass

retainerclip. Use he plasticspannercap or the tips of a

needle-nose liers o rotate he cartridge.Slide he brass

clip into the slots n the valve body to hold the cartridge

in place.Look for the small notch on top ofthestemand

rotate the stem until the notch facesyou (Photo 4) .

Install the remaining parts and reattach he handle. The

directions hat come with the stemwill help orient you

here.Then test he faucet. f the hot and coldwater are

reversed, imply remove he handle,dome assembly nd

handleadapterand rotate he stem 180degrees.

Takehe oldpartsothestoreofindreplacementsYou'll often find the brand name stamped on the faucet.

And this information will help when it comes time to find

repair parts. But in most cases, he safest bet is to take the

worn parts to the store with you.

lf you have a Delta or other rotary ball faucet (FigureA),

you're in luck becauseyou'll f ind repair kits in most hard-

ware stores and home centers. Cartridges and repair kits

for Moen cartridge-type (FigureB) faucets are also read-

ily available. But if you have another brand or a disc-type

faucet, you may have to order parts, since there are too

many variations for most stores to keep in stock. lt helps

to know the faucet's model name or number when search-

ing for a replacement cartridge. Otherwise, take the car-

tridge with you to the store so you can match it to a photo

in the parts catalog. Plumbing supply specialistsare also a

good sourceof repairparts. f you're having rouble findingparts, call the manufacturer of your faucet for help.

\pqrrrqdr \xnruorle

f igureb =B

cartridge$*it|Bitfaucetparts

TEMPERATURE .INDICAToR1

scREw-?^

.1._J

HANDLE>

DOMEASSEMBLY

PrvoT ToP +

RETAINERNUT

CARTRIDGE*

-'FrWASHER -)> t )

--**J

IRETAINER LIP

s to p fa u c e t d r ip s 1 8 9



Ceramiciscaucets

'l pry off the decorative screw cover with your fingernail

I or the tip of a knife. Unscrew he handle screw by turn-

ing it counterclockwise with an Allen wrench. Lift off the

handle. Unscrew or uncliP he caP.

CERAMICDtsc

Q tnspect he cartridge or mineral buildup and carefully

J clean it out.Then replace he rubber seals on the

underside.

Ceramicdiscvalves re simplyanother ype of cartridge.

Discs inside the cartridge control the water flow. This

type of valve s sturdy and reliable and rarely needs ix-

ing. In fact,many manufacturers ffer a ifetime guaran-

tee on thecartridge. f yours s damaged, heckwith the

manufacturer o see f it's coveredby a warranty.Leaks

can result from faulty rubber sealsor a crackeddisc

inside he cartridge.Since t's difficult to spot a cracked

disc, and disccartridgereplacements revery expensive

( 20 to SO;,t's best o start by replacing he sealsand

reassemblinghe faucet.Then if the faucetstill leaks,

remove he disc cartridgeandtake t to thestore o order

f 9 0 w e e k e n d o m e c a r e & r e p a i rp r o j e c t s

') Remoue he screws that hold the disc cartridge to the

L fuucetbody and lift out the cartridge.

Lift out the plastic disc (on some faucets) and replace

the O-rings under it. Inspect he holes in the faucet

body and clean

them out if they're

clogged.

a replacement.

Ea r l y ve rs ions o f

ceramicdisc faucetsmay be more fragile and

can crack if subjected o a blast of pressurized air.

That'swhy it's mportant to leave he faucetopen asyou

turn the water back on. This allowsair trapped in the

lines o escape.When thewaterruns smoothly, t's safe o

turn the faucet off. Manufacturershave mproved the

strengthof ceramicdiscson newer aucets o withstand

air blasts,as well as abrasivedebris that may get dis-

lodged rom the nside of pipes.



f igurecceramcd scparts

fcrA\l \

SCREW ALLEN

COVER SCREW

SpouteaksLeaks around the base of the spout are caused by wom O-rings locat-

ed under the spout. All that's usually required to access these

O-rings for replacement is to wiggle and pull up on the spout toremove it (Photo 11. Depending on the faucet, you'll also have to

remove the handle and other parts to access he spout. Be persistent.

The spout may be a little stubbom. Spout O-ring kits are available for

many f,aucets, r you can take the old O-rings to the hardware store or

plumbing supply store and match them up with new ones. Remember

to pick up a small toothpaste-type tube of plumber's grease while

you're there.

In Photo 1, you can see the diverte r valve, which controls water to

the sprayer.Their appearance varies considerably among brands, but

you'll usually find them under the spout. lf your sprayer isn't working

properly, first clean it in vinegar or simply replace it ($5 - $221.lf this

doesn't work, the diverter valve may be clogged. lf it doesn't simply

pull out, contact the manufacturer or ask a knowledgeable salesperson

for help with cleaning t.

-lnemove he handleand cartridge.Twist ndpull up on the spout

Ito removet andexpose he O-ringseals.

) Slipthe tip of a screwdriver under the O-rings to stide them outI- of the groove. Install the new O-rings, lubricate them withplumber'sgreaseand reinstallthe spout.

.s*i'is=-T

I I

CAP €

CERAMICDISCCARTRIDGE+

CARTRIDGESEALS +

O-RINGS--}

CAP CLIPS

PLASTICPTATE *

-+.Po- l

\

s t o p a u c e td r i p s 1 9 1



22money- ndenergy-savingideashatdon't ostadime

1. Lower the indoor temperature a few

degrees in winter (you'll save about 2

percent per degree). Set it even lower

at night and a full 10 degrees lower

when you're on vacation.

2. Close the fireplace damper when

the fireplace isn't in use. lf it's never

used, seal the flue with a plastic bag

stuffed with insulation.

3. Open shades and blinds to let in

sunlight during the day and close

them to reduce heat loss at night. For

cooling,close hem during the day.

8. Clean he air conditioner condenser

coils and fins when you see grassand

airbome debris collectedon them.

9. Srlp the dishwasher'sdrying cycle

(andcut the energyuse by about half 1.

10. Wastr clothes in coot rather than

hot water.

11, Fill clothes washers and dish-

washers for more efficient energy use,

rather han cleaningpartial oads.

12. Clean clothes washer and dryer

lint screensafter every use.

13. Run major appliances ate in the

eveningor early n the moming when

electric loads are less (off peak).

14. Recycle. Reuse. Take your bike

instead of your car.

15. Cook more eff icient ly using

microwaves, Grock-Potsand pressure

cookers.

16. fum off room air conditioners

when you leave for an hour or more.

You can quickly coolthe room later.

17. nusn your garbagedisposerwith

cold water rather than hot. Greasesolid-

ifies in cold water and willwash away.

18. ln warm weather, set the thermo-

stat higher (75 to 78 degrees Fl and

rely more on ceiling and table fans for

cooling, evenwhen the air conditioneris running.

19, neauce humidity in bathrooms

and kitchens with exhaust f;ans.When

dehumidifying a basement, keeP

basementdoors and windows closed.

20. Consider higher-efficiencyappli-

anceswhen purchasing new refrigera-

tors, freezers and dishwashers. The

energy savings usually pays back the

extra costs within a few years. The

same goes for fumaces and water

heaters.

21. tower your water heater setting

to 120 degrees F for both energY

savings and safety. (Measure hot

water temperature at a f,aucetwith a

cooking thermometer if the water

heater setting isn't calibrated in

degrees.l

'.**-.*-.*--r*-*. . .T.---

22. Cteanrefrigerator coils with a soft

brush annually, or more often if you

have pets that shed.

4. Close off unused rooms and lower

the temperatures by adjusting the reg'

isters and dampers. You'll save up to

$50 per year.

5. Clean your fumace's blower fan

with a soft brush and vacuum cleaner.

6. Tum off lights not in use. Reduce

bulb wattage and use dimmers when

you can.

7. Ventilate and cool your home with

window or whole-house f,ansduring

the cooler hours of the day.

/ r4






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