Projects/Home Improvement Thread

[IrishSteelhead]

About to lay some pavers too. I've never done it but it looks fairly simple. Hopefully I don't dick it up. Any advice is more than welcome.

The only advice I have is TAKE YOUR TIME. Did some last summer, got in a hurry towards the end, and it showed. Had to do it again later.

 

[koonja]

Don't think I posted a pic of my finished deck. 10' by 16', stairs 10' wide. Total Job cost me $1,800 for everything from labor to stain. I did the rails and steps myself.

 

[dshans]

Don't think I posted a pic of my finished deck. 10' by 16', stairs 10' wide. Total Job cost me $1,800 for everything from labor to stain. I did the rails and steps myself.

Now you just need to get out a grinder or sander to bevel the edges of the deck boards to meet seamlessly with the steps ...

Don't want no drunken Irish fans tripping after watching a game on your 8 foot TV screen.

 

[calvegas04]

Don't think I posted a pic of my finished deck. 10' by 16', stairs 10' wide. Total Job cost me $1,800 for everything from labor to stain. I did the rails and steps myself.

you already stained it?

 

[Irish Insanity]

Vinyl siding, sofit, and facia. Anyone on here ever do it themselves. The biggest question I have is quality to pay for. We plan in selling in about 5 years. The difference between 2 of my options are .04 thickness and not much else. Anyone have any input? Places to purchase besides the big box stores?

 

[phgreek]

Vinyl siding, sofit, and facia. Anyone on here ever do it themselves. The biggest question I have is quality to pay for. We plan in selling in about 5 years. The difference between 2 of my options are .04 thickness and not much else. Anyone have any input? Places to purchase besides the big box stores?

sun exposure? Overall exposure? Proximity to flying debris from weed whackers etc? I did one area that does not get a ton of direct sunlight / weather, and it is 20 feet from grass. I felt ok using less expensive material for that area because it did not join another run of siding anywhere (asthetics), and was not "exposed".

I purchased mine from a supplier...Alside. You might have a facility near by...don't know.

I looked at sofit and facia, and contracted it. Maybe you can get the DIY cost down enough to make sense. I contracted it because I had two out buildings and a 20 X 60 area off the back of my house to do. Because of the volume, the total cost of the contracted work started to make sense...the cost differential for a contractor vs. me was 30%. Running scaffold all over and running up and down, tool rental, material costs...just made sense to punt on sofit and facia for me.

Good luck.

 

[Irish Insanity]

sun exposure? Overall exposure? Proximity to flying debris from weed whackers etc? I did one area that does not get a ton of direct sunlight / weather, and it is 20 feet from grass. I felt ok using less expensive material for that area because it did not join another run of siding anywhere (asthetics), and was not "exposed".

I purchased mine from a supplier...Alside. You might have a facility near by...don't know.

I looked at sofit and facia, and contracted it. Maybe you can get the DIY cost down enough to make sense. I contracted it because I had two out buildings and a 20 X 60 area off the back of my house to do. Because of the volume, the total cost of the contracted work started to make sense...the cost differential for a contractor vs. me was 30%. Running scaffold all over and running up and down, tool rental, material costs...just made sense to punt on sofit and facia for me.

Good luck.

Thanks for the input.

Sun exposure will be about 6 hours a day in any given spot. The house is a single story ranch. The concrete walls stick up about 9" along the bottom and the exterior itself is only about 8'6" tall. So no issues with a wacker (also 90% of the house has some sort of landscape around it).

The difference in the 2 I'm looking at is only .04 thickness and a bump from a 20 year fade warranty to 25. But the cost goes up nearly double. I'm just not sure I can justify double the expense on a house we'll only be in for 5 more years.

 

[NDRock]

Now you just need to get out a grinder or sander to bevel the edges of the deck boards to meet seamlessly with the steps ...

Don't want no drunken Irish fans tripping after watching a game on your 8 foot TV screen.

Hard to tell if that's a shadow or not but it looks like a huge lip. May be easier to shim the board flush with the decking.

 

[phgreek]

Thanks for the input.

Sun exposure will be about 6 hours a day in any given spot. The house is a single story ranch. The concrete walls stick up about 9" along the bottom and the exterior itself is only about 8'6" tall. So no issues with a wacker (also 90% of the house has some sort of landscape around it).

The difference in the 2 I'm looking at is only .04 thickness and a bump from a 20 year fade warranty to 25. But the cost goes up nearly double. I'm just not sure I can justify double the expense on a house we'll only be in for 5 more years.

sounds like I'd go the 20 year product myself based on what you are saying.

Just make sure you pay attention to expansion allowance and make sure your shit is not nailed in too aggressively...talk to rep or find it in the literature on expansion allowance as rule of thumb is usually ok, but materials vary a bit. For cutting I used a die grinder w a metal cutoof wheel, and a metal chop saw. You can sometimes use a wood chop saw if you spin the blade backwards and get a high tooth count blade (small teeth). For finish cuts/fine-tunig I used tin sheers like HVAC guys use. Have fun...post pics....don't fall.

 

[BobbyMac]

Hard to tell if that's a shadow or not but it looks like a huge lip. May be easier to shim the board flush with the decking.

Was just going to post the same thing. Looks like the tread doesn't overlap the riser either. (To the left of the dogs butt) You definitely want there to be some overhand for water/ice issues.

 

[dshans]

Just a couple things:

Looking at Koon's decking project I noticed that he/they adhered to the conventional wisdom and went with the "obligatory" gap between boards.

It was my experience, over many years, that that was a fool's game unless the lumber was fully dried over five or so years. "Wet" lumber, which is what you'll get damn near anywhere, will shrink in short order and natural spacing will occur.

I replaced the wood lap siding on my house some years ago with vinyl. It was a heart wrenching decision. I dearly wanted to honor the integrity of the house, but the cost of simply having it painted or re-sided was a trade-off.

By removing the wood siding I was able to have the walls wrapped in Tyvek and add (relatively) maintenance free vinyl with styrofoam backing. In Minnesota insulation and "tightening" a house is a big deal.

On a side note, I'm beginning to question my move to Jacksonville. I'm sweating my balls off!

 

[BobbyMac]

On a side note, I'm beginning to question my move to Jacksonville. I'm sweating my balls off!

Minnesota: Stay inside October - May, enjoy Jun - Sept.

Florida: Stay inside Jun - Sept, enjoy Oct - May.

Same schedule but as the kids on your lawn would say... Just flip the script.

Jacksonville winters are about as good as it gets. When you factor in major city amenities, cost of living and length of 65-75 degree season, it has to be #1 place to live in the country

 

[woolybug25]

Jacksonville is for the poors. That's a fact.

 

[koonja]

Now you just need to get out a grinder or sander to bevel the edges of the deck boards to meet seamlessly with the steps ...

Don't want no drunken Irish fans tripping after watching a game on your 8 foot TV screen.

Just a couple things:

Looking at Koon's decking project I noticed that he/they adhered to the conventional wisdom and went with the "obligatory" gap between boards.

It was my experience, over many years, that that was a fool's game unless the lumber was fully dried over five or so years. "Wet" lumber, which is what you'll get damn near anywhere, will shrink in short order and natural spacing will occur.

I replaced the wood lap siding on my house some years ago with vinyl. It was a heart wrenching decision. I dearly wanted to honor the integrity of the house, but the cost of simply having it painted or re-sided was a trade-off.

By removing the wood siding I was able to have the walls wrapped in Tyvek and add (relatively) maintenance vinyl with styrofoam backing. In Minnesota insulation and "tightening" a house is a big deal.

On a side note, I'm beginning to question my move to Jacksonville. I'm sweating my balls off!

I asked a lot of people (google, IE, Home Depot) how long to wait to stain, and the longest anyone ever reported was 1 year. Some said a month, some said a summer, some said 6 months.

FYI, I'm planning to sell in 2020.

 

[Irish Insanity]

sounds like I'd go the 20 year product myself based on what you are saying.

Just make sure you pay attention to expansion allowance and make sure your shit is not nailed in too aggressively...talk to rep or find it in the literature on expansion allowance as rule of thumb is usually ok, but materials vary a bit. For cutting I used a die grinder w a metal cutoof wheel, and a metal chop saw. You can sometimes use a wood chop saw if you spin the blade backwards and get a high tooth count blade (small teeth). For finish cuts/fine-tunig I used tin sheers like HVAC guys use. Have fun...post pics....don't fall.

I won't be doing it for a bit. Fall is usually the vinyl siding time here in Michigan as the siding is the least expanded or contracted. Hell, if the Miss and I can't agree on a color it may never happen. I sided my parents house with my dad when I was in my lower teens. We placed the nail strip of another piece of siding under the head. Then only snagged the nail down to it. The siding has lasted well for 20 years so that should work.

 

[Irish Insanity]

I asked a lot of people (google, IE, Home Depot) how long to wait to stain, and the longest anyone ever reported was 1 year. Some said a month, some said a summer, some said 6 months.

FYI, I'm planning to sell in 2020.

#ClearEyeView

 

[phgreek]

I won't be doing it for a bit. Fall is usually the vinyl siding time here in Michigan as the siding is the least expanded or contracted. Hell, if the Miss and I can't agree on a color it may never happen. I siding my parents house with my dad when I was in my lower teens. We placed the nail strip of another piece of siding under the head. Then only snagged the nail down to it. The siding has lasted well for 20 years so that should work.

Cool so not your first Rodeo....

 

[koonja]

#ClearEyeView

Word up.

 

[wizards8507]

Minnesota: Stay inside October - May, enjoy Jun - Sept.

Florida: Stay inside Jun - Sept, enjoy Oct - May.

No way! Minnesota isn't Hoth.

Florida: Enjoy November, December, January, February, March

North: Enjoy April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, more if you ski

Five good months versus nine good months. April through October are hot in Florida. October is the worst of all, since it's the greatest month known to any north-dweller.

Jacksonville is for the poors. That's a fact.

No doubt. I was driving from Orlando to Hilton Head one time and my wife had to pee so we stopped at a Wendy's in Jacksonville. Never again.

 

[dshans]

Jacksonville is for the poors. That's a fact.

Not gonna argue with ya on that.

 

[BobbyMac]

Jacksonville is for the poors. That's a fact.

Says the man who buys his flat front Haggar's in Benton Harlem or do you run down to Michigan Sh!ty for some Sansabelts? Come on man!

 

[woolybug25]

Says the man who buys his flat front Haggar's in Benton Harlem or do you run down to Michigan Sh!ty for some Sansabelts? Come on man!

That's racist.

 

[BobbyMac]

No way! Minnesota isn't Hoth.

Florida: Enjoy November, December, January, February, March

North: Enjoy April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, more if you ski

Five good months versus nine good months. April through October are hot in Florida. October is the worst of all, since it's the greatest month known to any north-dweller.

....and you're so logical in your political posts.

 

[dshans]

Minnesota: Stay inside October - May, enjoy Jun - Sept.

Florida: Stay inside Jun - Sept, enjoy Oct - May.

Same schedule but as the kids on your lawn would say... Just flip the script.

Jacksonville winters are about as good as it gets. When you factor in major city amenities, cost of living and length of 65-75 degree season, it has to be #1 place to live in the country

Nope, nope, nope.

October through December are delightful in MN. January through early March can be a challenge if you don't like skiing (whether downhill or cross country), snow shoe tromps or evenings spent around a fire drinking.

Jax has been abominable, occasionally, since March. It's been full-on miserable for the last month, with no end in sight.

Hot water radiators are a cost and environmental savings when compared to electric A/C.

However, I'm fairly certain that I will survive:

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8YSTeJOxiaw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[wizards8507]

....and you're so logical in your political posts.

Florida is unfit for human life. It is known.

 

[BobbyMac]

Nope, nope, nope.

October through December are delightful in MN. January through early March can be a challenge if you don't like skiing (whether downhill or cross country), snow shoe tromps or evenings spent around a fire drinking.

Jax has been abominable, occasionally, since March. It's been full-on miserable for the last month, with no end in sight.

If October through December are delightful in MN and you think March in Jacksonville was occasionally abominable. Why did you move???

Do you feel the weather in your part of Minnesota is better, worse, same than South Bend?

 

[koonja]

I'm in Minneapolis. Currently working from home with my shades on on my new deck, watching the stain peel back because I did it too quickly.

Weather couldn't be better, mosquitoes have oddly not been out this year, hasn't been too humid other than a few days so far. But winter was rough, won't lie. Significantly colder than OH.

 

[wizards8507]

If October through December are delightful in MN and you think March in Jacksonville was occasionally abominable. Why did you move???

Do you feel the weather in your part of Minnesota is better, worse, same than South Bend?

Have you ever been in a tropical climate for Thanksgiving or Christmas? It's depressing AF.

 

[dshans]

Florida is unfit for human life. It is known.

Floridian Lives Matter!

My brother has the right idea. He and his wife have a camp (cabin/house) in upstate New York – Big Moose Lake in the Adirondacks – and are having a place built in Deland, FL.

The Snowbird Special. Winter warmth and Sweat-Free Summer.

 

[dshans]

If October through December are delightful in MN and you think March in Jacksonville was occasionally abominable. Why did you move???

Do you feel the weather in your part of Minnesota is better, worse, same than South Bend?

The motivation for my move was, shall I say, complicated. I lived in FL from '59 through '77 (or maybe '78 – my memory is cloudy.)

South Bend was more temperate than Minneapolis. More annual snowfall but a good bit warmer. The summer (I stayed through the summer after I graduated in '74) was at times Florida hot and humid. So was Minnesota, but for much shorter stretches.

I have an older sister and her husband and a twin sister and her husband living in Jacksonville. My brother and his wife are slated to move to the area.



Family Lives Matter.



Not that it's achievable, but I'd love to live somewhere that requires neither heating nor cooling.