Home Improvement

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BrutulTM

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
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You have almost a year to read up on it. Plenty of stuff on YouTube about building decks. Good reason to buy tools and maybe even rent a skid steer or something!
 
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Lanx

Oye Ve
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Don't hold your breath. I really agonize over home improvement decisions. The deck falling apart will likely force my hand before deciding to replace it. I sometimes wonder if I should just go back to renting.
yea... fucking home ownership means, owning more shit.

when i bought the house i only had a few containers and 2 cars in my garage.

now i'm trying to figure out the best way to maneuver and store my new powerwasher so the doors don't hit it... the only washer i worried about when i was renting was dawn or palmolive.
 
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chaos

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Yeah, the yard work does that for me. I'm all about doing small projects around the house, but yardwork is just objectively the worst. I might feel better about it if my backyard got enough sun to make a decent garden, but it doesn't. My new plan is to just pare it all back until I have like 2 bushes, 3-4 trees, and nothing else but grass. Going to get rid of an old shed soon, once that is done I might have a decent plot for a garden, we will see. Right now it's just a mass of old wood that is somehow still standing, weeds, and black widows.
 

The_Black_Log Foler

Stock Pals Senior Vice President
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Got my weardeck samples in. Did a scratch test by dragging to pliers tip of my leatherman across. Did not do well. Now i notice that's literally the one thing they dont advertise in marketing this stuff so maybe they know that. It definitely shows more on the grey.

Gonna order samples of lumberock, azec, moistureshield, trex, timbertech.. 🤷‍♂️

20200630_072652-01.jpeg
 

BrutulTM

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
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Good choice in leathermans. I've had a dozen of them and the surge is the best one.
 
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chaos

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What do you guys think about this? Handrail post for porch steps, the post was originally set into the concrete but rotted away, I think due to termite damage. We've been inspected and treated since then so I don't think it's a recurring problem. But what to do about this? After looking at it and searching around it sounds like trying to set the new post in concrete isn't a great idea, sounds like the better idea is to clean these cavities out then fill them in with concrete them use concrete anchors to secure the new post. I took the steps apart yesterday and put them back together with deck screws so the stairs are fine for a while, even though the stringers are cracked.

I think I can probably get away with no handrail, the rise is only about 22 inches, but the current steps are weird and have 4 risers. If I rebuild the steps to only have 3 risers I think that meets code and I don't need a handeail, but worry about resale and inspections etc.

20200630_100057.jpg
 

BrutulTM

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
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Filling the hole with concrete and bolting the post to it seems like a pretty good plan to me.
 

Dandai

Lesco Brandon
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What do you guys think about this? Handrail post for porch steps, the post was originally set into the concrete but rotted away, I think due to termite damage. We've been inspected and treated since then so I don't think it's a recurring problem. But what to do about this? After looking at it and searching around it sounds like trying to set the new post in concrete isn't a great idea, sounds like the better idea is to clean these cavities out then fill them in with concrete them use concrete anchors to secure the new post. I took the steps apart yesterday and put them back together with deck screws so the stairs are fine for a while, even though the stringers are cracked.

I think I can probably get away with no handrail, the rise is only about 22 inches, but the current steps are weird and have 4 risers. If I rebuild the steps to only have 3 risers I think that meets code and I don't need a handeail, but worry about resale and inspections etc.

View attachment 282129
I think you answered your own question. Do you want a permanent fix or band aid? I don’t think pouring concrete into the hole and driving an anchor will work (I think the new concrete will split and crumble with the percussion and force). If you want to go that route I’d suggest setting the anchor in the concrete when you pour it. For short stairs like that I’d just fill the hole with concrete and replace the post with a treated post and let it sit directly on the concrete. It’s not ideal but you’ll get twenty years out of it.
 

chaos

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I think you answered your own question. Do you want a permanent fix or band aid? I don’t think pouring concrete into the hole and driving an anchor will work (I think the new concrete will split and crumble with the percussion and force). If you want to go that route I’d suggest setting the anchor in the concrete when you pour it. For short stairs like that I’d just fill the hole with concrete and replace the post with a treated post and let it sit directly on the concrete. It’s not ideal but you’ll get twenty years out of it.
lol yeah, I didn't think of the new concrete not being able to handle that, but sounds like just setting the anchor in the concrete will be easier anyway and one less tool I have to buy.

I will have to take pictures of this old shed on the property once I get around to demolishing it, it's rotted to shit but somehow still standing.
 

Dandai

Lesco Brandon
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lol yeah, I didn't think of the new concrete not being able to handle that, but sounds like just setting the anchor in the concrete will be easier anyway and one less tool I have to buy.

I will have to take pictures of this old shed on the property once I get around to demolishing it, it's rotted to shit but somehow still standing.
I’ve never done it before but I assume it’s not too hard to keep the anchor plum while the concrete sets. With a post I use two 2x4s to wedge into the ground but with an anchor being much shorter there’s probably a different and better technique.
 

BrutulTM

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
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If you're pouring it in the concrete don't use an anchor. Just use a piece of all thread and wire a chunk or two of rebar to hold it in place.
 
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The_Black_Log Foler

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Repipe wrapped up. Electrical starts this week. Shopping for a washer/dryer/wall oven. Utility company should start burying electrical on property in about a month, just in time for hurricane season.. Meeting our mower out there this week. We have him mow/clear the property once a year. Still picking out material for decking.. Azek and trex samples incoming.
 
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The_Black_Log Foler

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Car port in Florida.. Any way I could make it happen where it wouldn't be a terrible idea?

Maybe anchor it into cement and if a hurricane comes around take the roof off?
 

Dandai

Lesco Brandon
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Car port in Florida.. Any way I could make it happen where it wouldn't be a terrible idea?

Maybe anchor it into cement and if a hurricane comes around take the roof off?
I’ve seen plenty of car ports and airport hangers around me in north central Florida.
 

chaos

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Whats the process for ensuring a partial wall isn't load bearing so you can remove it? I've done all the DIY stuff like using a nail to make sure there's no header, etc. And just kind of common sense, there's no way these partial walls could be load bearing. But what do you do, call out a structural engineer to look at the house? Have plans sent to one? Just cut that motherfucker down and rely on the grace of god?
 

Dandai

Lesco Brandon
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Whats the process for ensuring a partial wall isn't load bearing so you can remove it? I've done all the DIY stuff like using a nail to make sure there's no header, etc. And just kind of common sense, there's no way these partial walls could be load bearing. But what do you do, call out a structural engineer to look at the house? Have plans sent to one? Just cut that motherfucker down and rely on the grace of god?
If the wall runs parallel to the joists it’s pretty safe to assume it’s not load bearing.
 
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The_Black_Log Foler

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Plumbing done!

Well kinda... When you flush the toilet worked fine 2-3 times then overflowed. They think it could be an issue with the drain field on the septic.. Hopefully gonna have it looked into today.

Anyone here have experience with terrazzo? Just curious if anyone has restored it or if they've performed maintenance/maintained it..

House has original terrazzo from 1960. Hasnt really been maintained. Has stains that i imagine a diamond grinder could get out. Not sure I want to drop money on full restoration right now BUT i would like to prevent it from getting worse so that i can restore it later. I'm not sure what that would look like - resealing? Wax? Etc