General Home Improvement Questions:

Carpet Transition Strips:

Question:

When laying tile that is to meet a carpet floor, at one end of the carpet the tile almost perfectly stops at the carpet. On the other end however there is a gap of about 1/2 to 1/4 inch between the tile and the carpet. How should I make up for this gap? I have already laid all of the center tiles and they have dried.  

Answer:

Well besides cheating your joints slightly at each joint to make up the difference, they make a variety of metal and wood transition strips that accomplish a good split between the tile and carpet. Home Depot or Lowes have a good selection but you can also locate them at tile stores as well.  Gordon

Measuring Door Jam:

Question:

How can I measure the width of my existing exterior front door jamb? The standard is 4 9/16". Another common measurement for a door jam is 6 9/16'. Where is the door jam located? Diagrams in door brochures show how to measure the existing rough opening -- for example, 38" X 82 1/4" for a door which is 36" wide. However, to purchase a replacement door, I need to provide the measurement of the existing door jam.

Answer:

As per common practice most interior walls have 4 9/16 jambs and exterior jambs are 6 9/16. The only exception is that in the more temperate climates 2 x 4 exterior walls are acceptable. So look at your jambs from room to room and then the front door if they are the same then its 4 9/16 if not then the front door is 6 9/16. Gordon

Pocket Door Repair:

Question:

My pocket door railings are out of the track. I have had this problem twice in the past. It just got repositioned into place the first time, but the second time, the door railings and tracks were all changed, all through a big cut into my drywall. My pocket door has mirrors on both sides, so it's quite heavy. I believe it needs two wheels on each side of the track to be able to handle the weight. How much is it going to cost me to have this repaired again?

Answer:

Without knowing what the going wage scale is for your area, it is hard to guess a price but it sounds like with demo, replacement and patching is should be probably a 6 to eight hour job total. Before you invest in another repair, I would check into the possibility that the frame is not ever going to support the extra weight of the mirrors and perhaps search the internet for a more heavy duty model. Gordon

Cleaning Glass Wall Tile:

Question:

What is the best and safest way to clean glass wall tiles in the tub and shower area?

Answer:

Soundproofing against excess stair noise:

Question:

I live in one side of a duplex. Each unit\'s stairways are up against the common wall. When the people next door, walk up and down the stairs with shoes it is extremely loud. Is there a product that will decrease the sound . I am willing to remove the common wall on our side and put some soundproof material in if it will be effective. Do you have any recommendations?

Answer:

Depending on the age of the house there is a possibility that there is not a lot of insulation in that common wall. You could do a peak a boo hole some where out of sight to determine the thickness if any. If the there is some insulation it might have settled, keep in mind you’re not concerned about compressing a new batch, it's for sound not R rating. If you strip the walls then I would re- install 5/8 sheet rock instead of the possible 1/2 present? On the other hand a minimum fix might be attaching a sound board to the surface. I am assuming that you own your side? The long term would be the removal and replace if you do own. Probably help with the resale as well. I hope this helps, Gordon

Screen door repair:

Question:

My dog ran into the screen door for our sliding patio door and bent the frame, where can I either get the frame repaired or get a new screen frame door for my patio?

Answer:

Good Morning, Unfortunately screen door frames often fall prey to such mishaps and regrettably are not repaired with great success. I would suggest that if you can find the brand name on the main door that you contact them for a replacement screen door and or if the is a Lowes or Home depot or similar building supply house near them ask them. One last option would be to call a window and glass expert in your area and order one through them. I hope this helps, Gordon

Installing True-vents in a new garage:

Question:

Can you cut the True-vent in two pieces for installing in a new garage construction and make them two feet long instead of four feet long?

Answer:

Good Morning, True-vents are designed to span the compressed area of your insulation near the eaves of the building allowing for circulation of air to the inter roof structure beyond. If the vent doesn't extend far enough it doesn't work properly, you would be better off using a less expensive block vent in that case. Thanks for your question, Gordon

Can I put stucco over my asphalt shingles?:

Question:

Can I put stucco over my asphalt shingles instead of removing the shingles first? If so, what kind of stucco would you recommend putting over wood?

Answer:

Good Morning, Absolutely NOT! For proper application you need a smooth even surface. Stucco needs to breathe uniformly as it expands and contracts with the seasons. Strip the walls and do the job right, you will be much happier with the job. Thanks, Gordon

Covering Existing Concrete Step with Wood :

Question:

I have a concrete front and back step. The concrete has broken off in several different areas making it very ragged and hard to stay balanced on. Is there an easy way to cover the whole entire step with treated wood or do I need to replace all of the concrete with new concrete?

Answer:

Good Morning. If there is a way to secure treated boards to the old obviously brittle concrete, then that would be a solution. I would hesitate in advising this fix because you may be throwing good money after bad. Once concrete starts breaking down it is on its way out unfortunately. If you want to mess with trying to put a band aide on it go for it. On the other hand some new safe steps might be a good investment. Good luck, Gordon