You've got a house full of guests, so the oven and stove are working overtime, the water heater is struggling to keep up with demand, the fireplace is burning and the furnace is fighting the cold. It's the perfect setting for carbon monoxide buildup. So if you don't already have a UL-listed carbon monoxide detector, put it at the top of your shopping list. Detectors cost about $25 at home centers.
How to find Studs in Walls
Studs are set at 12 inches, 16 inches or 24 inches on center. 16 inches is the number used most often.
Use a Stud Finder:
· An Electronic Stud Finder detects changes in density in the wall. An indication light or beep will let you know when you are directly over a stud.
· A Magnetic Stud Finder locates metal studs, as well as nails and screws
The Old Fashioned Way: Looking for stud location
· Looking for nails or nail holes in the wall or molding should help you locate studs. Once you have located a stud, you can measure from it to find others. There will be exceptions, but on average 16 inch or 24 inch will be found in most walls.
· Checking around an electrical outlet is usually a good place to start because most electrical outlets are attached to studs.
· Tap your hand or a rubber hammer on the wall, if the wall sounds hollow you are between studs when the sound becomes dull it may mean you are over a stud. This is a hard way to find studs in the newer homes because of all the insulation.
· Studs around window and doors are normally double on both sides, single at the bottom and double or better at the top. When hanging curtains you should have about four inches from the inside of the window box.
· The last thing you should do is just start putting nail holes in the wall looking for studs. If you feel this is the only way to find a stud, then remove part of the molding along the floor (the baseboard); the holes you make here, you can hide when you return the baseboard to the wall.
Hints for Laminate Flooring
· When you buy laminate flooring the boxes must be kept unopened on the intended floor for 48 hours, so that they can acclimatize to the humidity and temperature of your home. If the flooring is solid wood, it will need a week to acclimatize.
· The intended floor must be level.
· Sub floors must meet all manufacturer requirements, in particular for moisture content. For details, check out the manufacturers instruction sheet you’ll find in every package.
· Ground floor, basement, or cellars must have a Damp Proof Membrane, such as Pro Seal, that is found above the sub floor and directly below the underlay.
· You must use manufacturer approved underlay.
· All wood/laminate flooring calls for an expansion gap of usually 5-10mm for laminate and 15mm for wood. Check the manufacturers instruction sheet.
· Examine all boards carefully for defects before fitting.
· You can purchase a Fitting Kit for Laminate and Hardwood Floors. It is recommended that a professional install solid wood floors.
· Most warranties for wood and laminate flooring are void when installed in a bathroom.
· Keep a suitable doormat at all entrances to avoid scratches from dirt and grit.
· Use felt pads or caster wheel protectors under table and chair legs, and all heavy furniture to protect the floor from scratches.
Here's a tip that makes pouring and storing paint a breeze. Save all your liquid laundry detergent jugs. Wash them out and you won't find a better way to store paint. No more rusty, unopenable lids, paint splatters from tapping the lids closed, dried-out paint or runs down the side of the can when filling paint trays. The spout works great for dispensing paint. Just fill the jugs using a funnel and you're good to go. Label the leftover paint by dabbing a little paint on the side of the jug and using a marker to indicate the color, sheen and the room you used it in.
Those ragged edges and tiny beads of dried paint on your paint roller may seem harmless, but they'll leave ugly tracks in your paint job. Trim them off, leaving a slightly tapered edge, and your roller will be as good as new.
A dab of glow-in-the-dark paint means no more groping for the light switch at night. The paint dries clear and glows for about eight hours after exposure to light. Get it at a paint or craft store for about $5.
You don't have to wash out your paint roller if you'll be using it again tomorrow. Spread a 14-in. long strip of plastic wrap on a flat surface and push the roller over the plastic. Seal the ends with twist ties.
If you have a tight spot to paint, remove the pad from a paint edging tool (about $2 at home centers). Hot-glue the pad to a stir stick, and you've got a painting tool that will fit behind toilet tanks and radiators.
