General Feedback/Getting Started Q&A Thread
This thread is for questions that are typically not permitted elsewhere on /r/DIY. Topics can include where you can purchase a product, what a product is called, how to get started on a project, a project recommendation, questions about the design or aesthetics of your project or miscellaneous questions in between.
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A new thread gets created every Sunday.
Wanting to mount a bathroom scale to the wall so that it folds up to the wall to so save space when not in use. Any suggestions?
https://www.perfectroseweddings.com/products/champagne-wall
I am wanting to make this today. What type of wood should I buy? Any other recommendations are greatly appreciate. If anyone is able to give more details that are helpful please message me. Willing to pay!
Any ideas for modifying an 8x8 shed so that I can move it 100ft to another corner of the property through some woods with soft ground? Would 8in wheels work? What about some 4x4s as skids? I'm worried if I pull too hard while it's on skids that it might break the whole structure.
Hi folks, can anyone get me started or give me feedback on the easiest cost/effort/skill ratio to give me more privacy in my backyard? https://imgur.com/a/Usg4KDq This fence and chain link gate is very sturdy , well built and very handy. If I need to back a pickup truck into my back yard the doors on either side can swing open and I love it. The issue is I get way too much noise and attention from the neighbors main door/driveway directly facing into my yard. I've seen plastic or even wood panels that can be semi-removable and attached with the equivalent of rope or heavy duty zip ties. Once the gate is covered I would love to still be able to swing it open Dutch door style but I'm willing to give up the gate functionality. I'm not crazy fussy about the appearance function over form all day. Am I on the right track buying some panels and affixing them the chain link? Any other ideas that don't involve removing the current fence? I'd be down to build the equivalent of a hedge there too but I don't know how long that takes it the maintenance involved. Just soliciting for some opinions and fully acknowledging that I'm lazy and just want to get my privacy the easy way
You could attach some poles to the gate/fence that stick maybe 8ft high, and then put a netting on it and plant/train ivy/vibes to grow up the mesh.
Yeah hadn't thought of that, easier than building something separate to support it I could just pop some PVC or similar onto the existing poles....
DIY Magazine Display Question (rack): I want to find online or make my own magazine display rack but I want it to look like this white rack with metal arm brackets. Anyone know what parts I could use to create it? https://ibb.co/zTZ0RSQg
Most magazine racks I find online are completely vertical but I want it to be slanted at an angle. Also most have a front guard or holder to prevent it from tipping or holding more in place but I want the open face the rack in the image has.
Thanks in advance for the help!
First off, I love the approach!
My question is basically about DIY Roofing. I am planning on doing a bit myself for the first time (a one-person show) on a detached garage, and I wanted to know if people have encountered any surprising challenges while doing it.
The roof in question is on a 22x22 detached garage with no insulation to worry about. Several of the shingles are shot and need more than a simple patch job, the manufacturer has already discontinued the current shingles, and I am not looking to break the bank on an unheated storage building, so I thought this may be a great learning opportunity, as long as I am not being massively overambitious.
I have done my research and understand the basics, checked local codes, and ensured everything is done correctly (only one layer of shingles on the roof now). My two possible approaches for a DIY project would be to cover it with three-tab shingles, which, as you know, requires a lot of hammering and connections, or to install furring strips and use run steel panels across the roof. Both approaches have challenges for a 1-person project,
For the Asphalt shingles, I think I would have to remove the current roof to avoid those existing pops creating future issues, right? And when it comes to Steel, it's a lot easier just to lay down furring strips and smack the panels on top, but the size is weird, so I would need to either custom-order the panels or trim them onsite, which is a whole other headache. So dear Reddit ... am I missing something or should I just get to swinging :)
I am trying to do the seemingly simple job of replacing the lower trim on the bottom of a frameless glass shower door.
I wasn’t sure of the width but it looks like 3/8” when I hold a tape measure to it.
I bought a 3/8” from HD. It slides on and seems to fit but it doesn’t grip and falls off after a day.
I bought a 1/4” from Amazon but that doesn’t fit at all, much too narrow.
Where can I go from here? I figure to try a different brand that is 3/8 from Amazon but I hate throwing more money at it and the guesswork.
The shower brand is Maax fwiw.
Thanks !
Also posted in r/Concrete and r/crafts
First time poster/ project goer!
Yesterday I decided to add concrete to a plastic flower pot and stuck a washing line support pole into the middle of it. Following the instructions that came with the concrete itself I left it overnight with cover and it's set into place but I'm aware that it will take time to cure.
My end goal is to be able to fill the remainder of the pot up with soil and add plants. How long should I wait before I start adding soil to the pot? I'm not sure if the moisture from the soil would help or hinder.
This is the stuff that I used - I'm not sure if that helps at all. I only used a single tub.
Thank you in advance :)
Hi! I have a vertical pipe with a diameter of 1cm. I would like to hang my backpack (without contents) from it. Is there some ‘clip-on’ thing that I can put on the tube and that (thus) also have something like a hook or similar? And what is it called? 🙏
Just purchased a house with a worn down concrete front porch. Am I correct in thinking I would need to strip the existing sealer, clean, and the use a self lever to refinish? Am I missing something?
Project: Building an interior wall
Problem: AC vent on one side of where the wall will go, right where it will be built.
I was thinking of buying an NCCER book on HVAC and trying to get a proper understanding of HVAC, but I've been trying to find one online for free because the book is not cheap.
Not sure what the solution should even be. I don't think the vent makes much difference to the AC because the room uses 2 window units to keep cool. The room is the attic so it is pretty spacious right now, and has an open stairwell to downstairs. I want to understand the airflow in the home and figure out what the right solution would be. The easiest thing to do might just be to cover it up, but I don't know.
I can’t seem to figure out how to post, I’m new to actually posting on Reddit 😭 HELP - do I need to install a load bearing beam here? Everything I’ve researched said yes, but there’s already a support beam on the overhang so I wasn’t sure if it was necessary. I can’t seem to figure out how to post a photo
Want to hang a small shelf without drilling holes. The shelf + what I'm putting on it weigh 5.6lbs.
Is there something tacky and strong enough to hold it?
According to Amazon: , White Command Picture Hanging Strips (28 Strips total); 4 Pairs hold 7.2kg.
I'm pretty sure my partner has used command strips to hang a picture ledge and it seems to be holding well. Have you given them a go?
I ended up getting something similar. About a 1ft long, adhesive + velcro system. Rated for 10lbs and lasted all of 2-3 hours.
Oh no!
Gorilla Glue and No More Nails both do heavy duty adhesive tape, if you don't want to drill holes they might be worth considering :)
Design question. Sun shade for house. My house gets hammered by direct sun. I want to shade the front windows. An awning is not practical. Roll-down shades are expensive and can't be set up and forgotten: i.e. not left out in the wind.
I thought that using some shade fabric, I could mount it parallel to the windows as a taut shade. There's nowhere to anchor, so I have to mount it to the house. I would use lag eye bolts in the corners, attached to the fabric corner grommets, so the shade fabric "stands-off" the windows by a few inches, creating an air circulation gap.
Basically a fixed (but removable) external solar screen/window blind.
My question is: how to best attach the corners? Metal turnbuckles would be the soundest, but bungees would allow quicker install/remove and self-re-tightening. My concern is the bungees would quickly deteriorate in the sun while under tension, and fail during a windstorm while they are unattended.
I can't find anything like this on the web. So, it's either a brilliant innovation or a terrible idea. It would look something like this photo, except it is a fixed sun shade, floating a few inches off from the window itself, attached to eye bolts in the corners.
Image: Sun shade
struggle to learn discord but i'll try :) is it only me that it seems to me like alien?
I want to dig posts for a log storage wall with a small flower bed on top. Would be 6ft wide. 2ft deep. 4ft tall. Is concrete necessary? I live in Michigan.
More of a meta question, but I want to make sure it's not violating rules before making a post.
I did a DIY asbestos abatement back in January (65 sq ft room where the popcorn and drywall tape was hot; it was a full gut). I'd like to write about it since I conferred quite a bit with professionals, bought a professional grade air-scrubber, ensured PPE was working the correct way, did correct waste disposal, and even passed an air quality test. The draft writeup is over 3000 words, so no lack of detail and plenty of pictures.
Does this still run afoul of Rule 9? The purpose isn't necessarily to embolden someone to Leeroy-Jenkins a DIY abatement, but to get a realistic idea of what that DIY looks like and the risks they are accepting. Details on cost would be omitted, but it should be pretty clear from the narrative that it isn't cheap and is super labor-intensive.
I live in a cold, drafty house with very little insulation in San Francisco.
Sealing up the windows with clear "duck" insulating plastic wrap every winter helps tremendously but it takes a ton of time.
I'd like to DIY a more permanent solution using plexiglass cut in the shape of the windows I'd like to cover, with magnetic strips affixed to the face of and surrounding the perimeter of the plexiglass.
I'd like to be able to attach the magnetic plexiglass window coverings to the windows of my house.
I'd like to attach metal strips or magnetic strips precisely to the perimeter of the window frames that so that the magnetic plexiglass can seal and unseal the window frames easily.
What should I affix to the plexiglass window?
What should I affix to the window frame and how should I fix it to the window frame?
Any ideas? I imagine this is a project that has been undertaken many times before.
Just spitballing but I would try and embed he magnets into the moulding around the window and paint them to match so you can't easily see they're there then make a frame for your plexiglass and paint it to match the existing trim and have the corresponding magnets in that frame. This way when it's on the wall it looks a bit more presentable and when it's not you don't really see the magnets.
I’m wondering how to get started fixing this cabinetry stuff that’s come off. video here Not even sure what to google
I'll I'll phone o
For a DIY crawl space sagging joists repair job, does anyone know where I can purchase an EverJack for cheaper than the manufacturer's website www.ever-jack.com ? It's pretty expensive there. I only need a few.
Hi there. I'm a newish homeowner who has little experience with fixing things. I have concrete steps out the back of my house that are starting to erode away with the water drainage situation. My wife and father-in-law did some landscaping recently that looks nice, but it seems all the water is draining through the crack in the stairs. The crack has been there for at least a year since we've had the home, but I think the new landscaping has caused an acceleration to the erosion. Is there an easy fix to 1) water drainage in the area and 2) crack in the concrete? Please see included photos https://imgur.com/a/rQ2s7Mx
I would start chiseling at it to see how deep it goes. If it's mostly on the surface, I'm sure you can get away with patching it. If too much is eroded away, you will want to rebuild these.
However, you should also target the cause of the issue, the water. Maybe re-lay your landscaping to be at a minor slope so water will drain away from the stairs.
Also he could likely kill two birds with one stone if he knew where the exact source of the drainage is, during the rebuild he would inlay some PVP or another form of reinforced flow management and direct the water out a certain way while also protecting the new stairs.
Alright y'all, fixed the automations to allow the general questions thread. I'll update the post content.
In general, post here for if you're looking for feedback on a project, suggestions on how to move forward, how to get started, etc. Basically, if you got removed for the research rule, post here.
Thanks!