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Step ladder to the pros

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, August 7, 2009.

There is probably no single piece of equipment that is more common in home shops and garages than the trusty old step ladder. For chores ranging from painting and framing to cleaning windows and changing light bulbs, step ladders are the ideal choice.

So what do you have in your garage? If you're still lugging around a splintery wood behemoth you inherited from grandpa or are trying to make do with a wobbly aluminum misfit that you picked up one day because it was the cheapest one available, maybe it's time to start thinking upgrade. All ladders are not created equal, and Werner's new Contractor's Jobstation certainly proves that point. more...

Rodents do number on home's insulation

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, July 31, 2009.

Q: I have some kind of rodent digging up small mounds of dirt in my yard, but now they are under my house pulling the insulation off from over their little heads and urinating in the soil (after having come up under the plastic tarp and tearing holes in that). I can smell an odor coming up through the bathroom heater vent. Orkin says they don't do that kind of pest. What can I do? Thanks again for all you do to help us!

A: What you need is an exterminator that works with small rodents, so I would suggest you call someone other than Orkin. There are a number of different approaches ranging from poisons to live traps that any good exterminator should be able to help you out with. more...

Not all woods absorb stain the same

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, July 24, 2009.

Q: First-time homeowner and first-time stainer here! I had a small porch made out of untreated wood built last summer that I would now like to stain. I like the redwood look I see throughout the neighborhood, what I think of as the most common color of stain around!

I purchased two sample packets of stain, both by Olympic. One was a toner and one was a semi-transparent version of the same redwood color. I applied them both to a piece of wood leftover from my porch and they both went on like a watercolor paint -- very thin, very clear and not deep colors at all. I feel it colored it maybe only a shade darker than what the natural wood is. more...

Pros' guide to window screen replacement

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, July 17, 2009.

It's getting to be that time again. The windows are open, and the bugs are clamoring at the window screens, trying to come in and join the party. If a few too many of these uninvited guests are getting in, it's probably time to get that damaged screening replaced. Luckily, this is a great do-it-yourself project that you can take care of in no time.

To do your own window screen replacement, all you'll need is some new screening material and a simple re-screening tool, both of which are available at home centers and hardware stores. Screening is available in both fiberglass and aluminum, but the fiberglass is much easier to work with and is the preferred choice for most applications. It's available in different widths, so purchase one that's a minimum of 2 inches wider than the screen frame itself. more...

Hybrid circular saw makes cuts easier

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, July 10, 2009.

There are certain tools that you think you may never need, and then when you try one, you start wondering how you ever got along without it. The new Heavy-Duty TrackSaw from DeWalt is one of those tools. And like all of DeWalt's tools, it's designed and built with the professional user in mind, but it's certainly right at home in the hands of any serious do-it-yourselfer!

As the name implies, the TrackSaw is a portable circular saw that rides on a track. The saw has a broad, aluminum base with a wide groove machined into the bottom. The precision-extruded track has a raised ridge running the length of it that mates with the groove in the saw's base. The track is clamped onto the material you want to cut, and the saw runs along the track to create perfectly straight, splinter-free cuts. more...

Finding right 'square' for the job

By Paul Bianchina, Thursday, July 2, 2009.

"Square." It's a term you hear often in construction, and it simply means to have two adjacent surfaces that are at an exact 90-degree angle to one another. Sounds simple, but having something square is crucial for everything from wall framing and door installation to cabinets and tile.

Checking that something is square is done with a tool called, not surprisingly, a square. There are all types of squares available, some with a dedicated purpose and some that will do more than one task around the home or shop. So when shopping for a new square, it pays to have some understanding of the function of some of the more common types. more...

Decking choices abound

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, June 26, 2009.

If you're thinking of a new deck or perhaps rehabbing your old one by replacing those worn deck boards, you have no doubt noticed that you have a whole lot of choices these days. Natural wood, treated wood and synthetics abound, with some pros and cons to each choice. So here's a basic rundown on some of things you might want to consider when making your selection.

Also, remember to ask about fasteners when you make your decking choice. Some types of both natural and synthetic decking materials require specific fasteners to prevent staining, "mushrooming" around the screw head, and other possible problems, so be sure to select the right fastener for the job. more...

Pros and cons of linoleum flooring

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, June 19, 2009.

Q: Thank you for the column on kitchen floor options in the recent weekend paper. It was a helpful summary. Could you please tell me how linoleum scores in the same categories: virtues, detractions and resale?

A: You ask a great question, and one that is very relevant to the current trends of environmental responsibility.

Linoleum has been around since about the time of the Civil War. It was very popular for flooring in this country up until the 1950s, when it began to be replaced by other hard-surface flooring such as sheet vinyl (made from PVC). It has seen a resurgence of popularity in recent years, due in large part to the renewable materials used in its manufacture. more...

Great Father's Day gift ideas

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, June 12, 2009.

It's that time of year again. Father's Day is right around the corner, so here's a roundup of some interesting new tools that any handy Dad ought to love. They're listed mostly in order of price, with something for every budget.

Magnetic LED Light (Striker Tools, www.strikerhandtools.com, $7.99): About the size of a golf ball and looking like a miniature naval mine, this little light really is clever. It has a bright, LED light in the center of a tough plastic sphere. The outside of the sphere is studded with 12 powerful rare earth magnets, so you can stick it to anything steel, or you can just set it down on any flat surface. Its design allows you to easily position the light to shine right where you need it, making it ideal for under the sink or under the hood of the car. more...

Deck repair on a budget

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, June 5, 2009.

There comes a time in the life of some decks where cleaning and refinishing the deck boards simply isn't enough. Splintering, cracking, missing fasteners and other structural problems have taken their toll, and nothing is going to solve the problems and refurbish the deck except complete replacement of those worn-out boards. more...

Rules strict on window replacement

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, May 29, 2009.

Q: We recently replaced windows that were less than 20 years old, and were told that by law they had to put tempered glass in any window above the front door and above the bathtub. So I assume that glass costs more. We also learned that the windows had to be a certain "size" to open for fire reasons so a fireman could come in through the window with his full gear on. So we have one window that is quite "fancy," which both slides and opens out. more...

Mystery of the 'mud-jacked' driveway

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, May 22, 2009.

Q: My cement driveway is about 25 years old and certain spots became "mud-jacked" about nine years ago due to "settling." It is settling again in some areas and I'm wondering whether I should spot fix it again or redo the whole driveway and while at it make sure the foundation (adequate rebar, gravel etc.) is set up right. What's your advice?

A: Whenever I hear about the same problem occurring twice, I'm almost always in favor of doing some additional investigation, and that would be my thoughts in your case as well. It sounds like there might be some groundwater problems, poor compaction or other issues that are going on under the slab, and I'd want to get those looked at before proceeding with another repair. more...

Going 'green' in the backyard

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, May 15, 2009.

Everyone loves the oasis of calm and beauty that's created by a nice green yard. But what about a yard that's "green" at the same time? There are a number of steps you can take to reduce noise, pollution, waste and water usage in your backyard, and save yourself some time and money at the same time. Simple changes all add up, and the following are a few tips to get you started.

Reduce your lawn area: The easiest way to reduce the impact of lawn mowing is to simply reduce the lawn in the first place. Instead, consider planting all or part of your lawn area with lush, green, low-growing ground covers -- you'll get much the same look with a lot less water and a big reduction in maintenance. more...

Do-it-yourself roof repairs

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, May 8, 2009.

Now that the weather is nicer, it's the ideal time to take care of any roofing problems that may have come up, and certainly the most obvious place to start is with the shingles themselves. From ground level, examine your roof as a whole. Are a substantial number of shingles either missing or damaged? Are composition shingles curling up at the ends, or missing a lot of the mineral granules that cover them? Are wood shakes or shingles cracked, brittle, or no longer laying flat on the shakes below? more...

Spring into home maintenance

By Paul Bianchina, Friday, May 1, 2009.

Spring is always an ideal time to be checking the exterior of your home and catching up on any maintenance items that have come to light since last summer. As always, maintenance begins with a stroll around the house and a careful examination of its condition. Take a tablet with you, make some notes as you go, and then sit down and work up a list of things to take care of -- sort the list in order of the most pressing items first -- and then list the tools and materials you'll need for each task. more...

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