Recent comments in /f/DIY

dsmaxwell t1_j6fr9vw wrote

Reply to Can I drill a hole in this door, and are there open/closable hole caps I can add to both sides? by rolliejoe

Yeah, so if this is a standard 12v wire you're running, try prying off the door trims. I'd bet good money there's at least a half inch of space somewhere in there you could run this wire through to the outside, possibly leaving a small connector inside the wall that you just plug the solar panel and battery into when in use. Something like https://www.harborfreight.com/solar-power-connection-cable-kit-59171.html one of these kinds of connectors. Then just carve out a tiny bit of drywall to allow the trim to sit flush, recaulk and you're in business.

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Mysterious-Ad7019 t1_j6fqgwb wrote

Reply to Hollow core door question by trash_recycle

  1. Yes you can.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Irlv772Pejk

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YyVkLa3P1gY

  1. Ideally, you'd know how the inside is constructed so you can get foam into all the nooks and such, but realistically, only way for sure is to remove one side's panel, spray, then reattach.

If you drill holes, and have an endoscope, you could peek in that way as well.

  1. Otherwise, I'd start with a 1'x1' section, drill the first hole, inject foam, let dry. Then drill the second hole inches away and see if foam has reached that far from the original hole.

Do this a few times and you'll get an idea what hole spacing will allow you to fill fully without gaps.

  1. Thankfully.... Craigslist - for sale - free stuff section often has free solid core doors given away that you can use should you want something "better" without wasting a ton of foam money.

    You'd want 3 hinges on solid cores to support the weight.

  2. Keep in mind - SOUND IS CARRIED BY AIR! If there's any air gaps around the door edges, noise will leak in no matter to how solid that door is.

You'd want to weatherstrip/seal all 4 edges to keep noise out.

  1. Sealing doors in a room that doesn't have a dedicated air return to the heater also means no air flow in or out of that room (air would normally flow under the door out as hot air is blown in from the heater vent).

I'll let you calculate how long three oxygen in a 100% sealed room (meaning it's really sealed well against noise entering) lasts before you die.

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Mysterious-Ad7019 t1_j6fp7en wrote

Reply to Is it okay to cut out a small section of a drywall stud? by Wolferesque

If the car isn't fat, I'd just install a slim door.

Otherwise, I'd open up the hole more on the side away from the stud to fit the door.

You could cut into studs, but without further reinforcement, you'll be weakening that section of the wall. Forces from the heavy roof sit on the vertical studs and are transmitted down to the foundation.

Now, houses are generally built "stronger" than they need to be for cases of earthquake, wind, unusually heavy loads, etc, so notching 1 stud is not likely to bring the whole wall down.... But you never know how unlucky you are - you might just happen to notch into that one stud that'll lead to sagging.

....

Strengthen that hole? Just like a dryer vent, you'd box it with metal plates, plywood, etc. secured to the drywall. That'll provide sufficient strength so a fat cat isn't going to fall into the wall, and prevent wall flex.

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g_st_lt t1_j6fos3b wrote

Reply to Best way to flatten concrete walls outside of my house? by Remy4409

This may not be permissible in your area, but it seems like it would be much easier to add something to the concrete than to grind the concrete flat. In some of those pictures, it's not just seams, there are significant depth differences.

This is an incredibly silly idea.

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AccomplishedEnergy24 t1_j6fopyf wrote

Reply to comment by unopened_textbooks in How to fix deep scratches in engineered wood floors? by _sugartits

Gouges depend a lot. You can try it - it won't hurt (assuming you don't burn the wood/finish, which is often pretty hard to do).

Dents usually just have bent fibers. They are pressed in half or whatever, but still together.

Steaming works because it straightens the fiber back up into the original shape. They want to be in their original shape.

Gouges usually have ripped fibers on the edge. Steaming will not work because it does not put the fibers back together :)

Now, it's never quite this distinct. Even gouges are usually a mix of bent/dented fibers, and ripped fibers.

So steaming is worth a shot, and can often make it better depending on how much was a dent vs a rip. Just don't expect miracles. Especially, if it's visibly torn. You can often see whether the fibers are ripped with the naked eye.

(and if your eyesight sucks, a 20x loupe from cvs or whatever will definitely show you)

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comslash t1_j6foojy wrote

Reply to Is it okay to cut out a small section of a drywall stud? by Wolferesque

Interior wall? If not I’d be more concerned there’s no insulation in there. It’s probably not a load bearing wall either but if it is then you should sister it on the other side. You could also frame it in like a window but that’s probably all over kill.

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Remem0 t1_j6foa1r wrote

Reply to Hot water tank malfunctioning by 18418871

Those Honeywell controllers are junk, and notorious for failing. They're also expensive.

If your water heater is under warranty, try to get a replacement for free, or at a steep discount.

I had three of them fail in five years on the same water heater. Pain in the butt.

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