DIY when fixing a house?

[We R Final Four]

Ok—here’s one.

1. Don’t have your buddy use a sander to remove asbestos mastic from your house. It could come back to bite you on the ass.

[muwarrior69]

Abestos was the wonder material that would fireproof buildings and homes, and lead in paint was ubiquitous until the latter half of the 20th century. Today we know how toxic these substances are and should be mitigated if not entirely removed from older structures. Now we are at the beginning of a solar panel boom. About a third of the homes in my development here in New Jersey have solar panels. I myself have nothing against them as they do reduce energy costs but they are still far too expensive and are not aesthetically pleasing for my taste. Perhaps in the near future they will have solar siding and shingles at affordable prices. They are sold as one way to protect the environment and fight climate change just as asbestos was sold as a way to fireproof your home or business. In 25 to 30 years those panels will need to be replaced and disposed. Most panels today are made with toxic heavy metals and I can see homeowners who were saving money on energy costs spend some of that that on disposal costs. Green energy is not really that green if you are really interested protecting the environment. Just be aware that what is sold today as improving and protecting ones home and environment could be tomorrow's asbestos.

[Galway Eagle]

Abestos was the wonder material that would fireproof buildings and homes, and lead in paint was ubiquitous until the latter half of the 20th century. Today we know how toxic these substances are and should be mitigated if not entirely removed from older structures. Now we are at the beginning of a solar panel boom. About a third of the homes in my development here in New Jersey have solar panels. I myself have nothing against them as they do reduce energy costs but they are still far too expensive and are not aesthetically pleasing for my taste. Perhaps in the near future they will have solar siding and shingles at affordable prices. They are sold as one way to protect the environment and fight climate change just as asbestos was sold as a way to fireproof your home or business. In 25 to 30 years those panels will need to be replaced and disposed. Most panels today are made with toxic heavy metals and I can see homeowners who were saving money on energy costs spend some of that that on disposal costs. Green energy is not really that green if you are really interested protecting the environment. Just be aware that what is sold today as improving and protecting ones home and environment could be tomorrow's asbestos.

What's your point? Soapbox against green energy? This is a DIY construction thread, nobody brought up solar panels and your point didnt have anything to do with the potential of Installation or removal of them. Environmental testing is far more advanced today than it was years ago, it will be better in years to come, new products won't always be "it's going to be another asbestos"

[Hards Alumni]

Abestos was the wonder material that would fireproof buildings and homes, and lead in paint was ubiquitous until the latter half of the 20th century. Today we know how toxic these substances are and should be mitigated if not entirely removed from older structures. Now we are at the beginning of a solar panel boom. About a third of the homes in my development here in New Jersey have solar panels. I myself have nothing against them as they do reduce energy costs but they are still far too expensive and are not aesthetically pleasing for my taste. Perhaps in the near future they will have solar siding and shingles at affordable prices. They are sold as one way to protect the environment and fight climate change just as asbestos was sold as a way to fireproof your home or business. In 25 to 30 years those panels will need to be replaced and disposed. Most panels today are made with toxic heavy metals and I can see homeowners who were saving money on energy costs spend some of that that on disposal costs. Green energy is not really that green if you are really interested protecting the environment. Just be aware that what is sold today as improving and protecting ones home and environment could be tomorrow's asbestos.

Cool story, bro.  All of those solar panels don't go in the trash, they get taken apart and the important stuff is reclaimed.  Just like we do with electronics.

Green energy is much better than the alternative.  Anyone telling you otherwise should be asked where they get their cash from.  Batteries and solar panels being dirty... as well as "windmills kill birds" are all lies propagated by folks who are financially invested in the fossil fuel industry.

As always, follow the money.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

OK I have a question.

In our new house (built in the mid-90s), every room was painted except a small bathroom which had wallpaper.  We were going to remove the wallpaper and paint instead.  First layer came off easy.  Underneath the first layer was the original wallpaper.  It took some work, but that layer came off as well.

But now it looks like we have a layer of lining to deal with, and underneath is drywall but without the paper???  IDK, but it wasn't what we were expecting.

My thought is that we could prime the wall with the lining and then paint.  Can I do this with a latex primer?  Would I need to get an oil based one?

[🏀]

OK I have a question.

In our new house (built in the mid-90s), every room was painted except a small bathroom which had wallpaper.  We were going to remove the wallpaper and paint instead.  First layer came off easy.  Underneath the first layer was the original wallpaper.  It took some work, but that layer came off as well.

But now it looks like we have a layer of lining to deal with, and underneath is drywall but without the paper???  IDK, but it wasn't what we were expecting.

My thought is that we could prime the wall with the lining and then paint.  Can I do this with a latex primer?  Would I need to get an oil based one?

Oil based would be best, but I’ve tried Zinzzer Gardz with moderate success. It’s worth a shot before going oil based with the smell.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Thank you.  But painting over the lining paper can be done right?  Just as long as it is primed.

[🏀]

Thank you.  But painting over the lining paper can be done right?  Just as long as it is primed.

Oh yeah, you can paint over wallpaper now as well, haven’t tried it, but yeah.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

OK thanks.  We decided not to paint over this due to the texture but that may have been easiest.

[Sir Lawrence]

Stop by a paint store.  Not a big box paint department.  They will set you up with what you need.

[Galway Eagle]

Benjamin Moore go Superpaint or enamel 👍🏻

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Oil based would be best, but I’ve tried Zinzzer Gardz with moderate success. It’s worth a shot before going oil based with the smell.

Retire, just want to give you a shout out about this advice.  Used the Zinzzer Gardz and then painted over it a week later.  It worked real well and looks great.  I am not very good at this stuff and frankly I am amazed I did this and looks as good as it does!

So thank you!

[🏀]

Retire, just want to give you a shout out about this advice.  Used the Zinzzer Gardz and then painted over it a week later.  It worked real well and looks great.  I am not very good at this stuff and frankly I am amazed I did this and looks as good as it does!

So thank you!

Awesome to hear!

Most DIY stuff you just gotta try. I was not handy leaving MU, at all. I drunkenly put a golf club through our senior year apartment with and robmufan‘s dad had to come fix it.

Since then I’ve been able to completely remodel bathrooms, laundry rooms and my basement.

Thank you YouTube.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Anybody ever build a bar?  It doesn’t seem that hard to do…

I’m talking an 8’ straight front bar with no plumbing.  The sink and appliances will be in the back bar which will just be regular base cabinets.

I just finished renovating basement where I did all the demo (removed a wall) and framing myself so that has my confidence up. Waiting for drywall so starting to think about the fun stuff now.

Any tips/advice appreciated. 

[Galway Eagle]

Just took off old bathroom wall tile that's embedded in roughly 3+ inches of concrete not to mention that razor sharp mesh they use to hold it all together. Who is the idiot that came up with that being a thing? I mean 4 hours with an angle grinder, two chisels, and a small sledge hammer but I got a tiny section done.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Just took off old bathroom wall tile that's embedded in roughly 3+ inches of concrete not to mention that razor sharp mesh they use to hold it all together. Who is the idiot that came up with that being a thing? I mean 4 hours with an angle grinder, two chisels, and a small sledge hammer but I got a tiny section done.

I've done that before - it was rough.  I recommend you add a bunch of real good PPE, a real sledge, a crowbar and a couple pry bars to the mix.  Secret is to find the stud, pop the nails that are holding the wire mesh to the stud and let gravity take the wall down (tile and substrate still attached to the wire mesh).  And if your house is constructed in the same era as mine (late 20s) - just wait until you get to the floor....thats a whole other learning session.

After doing it once, I would never do it again.  Definitely a job I would pay for.

[Galway Eagle]

I've done that before - it was rough.  I recommend you add a bunch of real good PPE, a real sledge, a crowbar and a couple pry bars to the mix.  Secret is to find the stud, pop the nails that are holding the wire mesh to the stud and let gravity take the wall down (tile and substrate still attached to the wire mesh).  And if your house is constructed in the same era as mine (late 20s) - just wait until you get to the floor....thats a whole other learning session.

After doing it once, I would never do it again.  Definitely a job I would pay for.

my pry bar broke last time I used it but probably gonna need one. Mine is 1922, I took off the top layer of floor tile, saw the original stuff underneath, and could see how deep the concrete was from where the tub was, said "f*ck that we're tiling over it" and my fiancé thankfully agreed.

[🏀]

my pry bar broke last time I used it but probably gonna need one. Mine is 1922, I took off the top layer of floor tile, saw the original stuff underneath, and could see how deep the concrete was from where the tub was, said "f*ck that we're tiling over it" and my fiancé thankfully agreed.

Get yourself a 20# demo hammer from the Home Depot, you'll be done in hours instead of days.

[dgies9156]

Thank you.  But painting over the lining paper can be done right?  Just as long as it is primed.

Brother Fluff:

When we bought our home in 1994, the entryway was covered with wallpaper. It was hideous. The estimate to remove it, since it was glued on, was $10,000 to remove it and then repair the drywall. So our painter painted over it and it looks great. Could never tell it was wallpaper unless you really fingered the wall in a way few people do.

Latex was used on our walls to paint them.

[robmufan]

Awesome to hear!

Most DIY stuff you just gotta try. I was not handy leaving MU, at all. I drunkenly put a golf club through our senior year apartment with and robmufan‘s dad had to come fix it.

Since then I’ve been able to completely remodel bathrooms, laundry rooms and my basement.

Thank you YouTube.

I would like to put it out there that I got the first layer of spackle in there, the old man just cleaned it up a bit...

[StillAWarrior]

Most DIY stuff you just gotta try. I was not handy leaving MU, at all. I drunkenly put a golf club through our senior year apartment with and robmufan‘s dad had to come fix it.

Since then I’ve been able to completely remodel bathrooms, laundry rooms and my basement.

Thank you YouTube.

Thanks to YouTube and generally being game to try things out, I'm passable at most home improvement stuff. As I think I mentioned previously in this thread I avoid major electrical work because the cost of a mistake (i.e., death) is high enough that I'm not willing to risk it. But, I absolutely suck at patching drywall. I'm terrible. No matter how hard I try, I can't make it look smooth. It's unbelievably frustrating.

[Galway Eagle]

Thanks to YouTube and generally being game to try things out, I'm passable at most home improvement stuff. As I think I mentioned previously in this thread I avoid major electrical work because the cost of a mistake (i.e., death) is high enough that I'm not willing to risk it. But, I absolutely suck at patching drywall. I'm terrible. No matter how hard I try, I can't make it look smooth. It's unbelievably frustrating.

I'm solid when it's fresh, like actually going over drywall. But skim coating a popcorn ceiling and some old walls that must have either had tile or been scored for something else has been much harder to get smooth. Decent at patch work, not a pro but get the job done.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Brother Fluff:

When we bought our home in 1994, the entryway was covered with wallpaper. It was hideous. The estimate to remove it, since it was glued on, was $10,000 to remove it and then repair the drywall. So our painter painted over it and it looks great. Could never tell it was wallpaper unless you really fingered the wall in a way few people do.

Latex was used on our walls to paint them.

Thank you.  My question was from over nine months ago and the project has long been successfully completed though!   

[dgies9156]

Thank you.  My question was from over nine months ago and the project has long been successfully completed though!   

Brother Fluff:

Your welcome. Sometimes it takes awhile for the word to get down here in Florida. And, then, sometimes we miss things!

Glad your project went well and I trust your house looks great!!!!

[JustinLewisFanClubPres]

Anybody ever build a bar?  It doesn’t seem that hard to do…

I’m talking an 8’ straight front bar with no plumbing.  The sink and appliances will be in the back bar which will just be regular base cabinets.

I just finished renovating basement where I did all the demo (removed a wall) and framing myself so that has my confidence up. Waiting for drywall so starting to think about the fun stuff now.

Any tips/advice appreciated.

I just built an outdoor bar for my patio. As with other suggestions noted in this thread, youtube was key. I'm sure an indoor bar would be more difficult to get the finishes right. However, the basic construction should be similar and completely doable for myself as a novice.