Hour 1
In Hour 1 of the Today’s Homeowner Radio Podcast, Today’s Homeowner TV heads to L.A.! Plus, an exciting announcement about our new podcast. Also, drainage options for container pots and how to attach wood railing to brick.
Listen to Hour 2 to learn how to paint dark wood paneling, remove wax from laminate flooring and more.
Today’s Homeowner Heads to LA
Two weeks ago, I traveled to Pasadena, Calif., to attend the 49th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards’ Creative Arts and Lifestyle Emmy ceremony.
Today’s Homeowner was nominated in the Outstanding Multiple Camera Editing Category. While we didn’t win the Emmy, I had a great time with Chelsea and my longtime friends and employees Brad Rodgers and Scott Gardner.
Our friends at “This Old House” were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, and I ran into Richard Trethewey and Tom Silva on the red carpet.
Even though we came home empty-handed, we did make some fantastic memories.
New Podcast!
We just launched a new podcast called “Ask Danny.”
Each week, I invite an expert guest to answer frequently asked questions in their niche, give suggestions, and swap humorous, scary or unusual stories that will help you tackle your next project.
Think of it as me sitting on the tailgate on a job site talking to another home improvement expert.
Listen to the first episode now and follow for upcoming episodes.
Drainage Options for Container Pots
I just read your article about putting gravel in planting pots. What do you put in the bottom of a pot that has drainage holes to keep the potting soil from sifting out?
Line the bottom of the pot with a small piece of landscape fabric. Use some glue to keep the fabric in place. This will allow water to drain through and still keep the soil in place. You can also use coffee filters, a piece of screen, or a shard of pottery over the holes before adding dirt.
How to Attach Wood Railing to Brick
Frances in Georgia wants to know, “In the Today’s Homeowner TV episode “Insuring an Easy Future,” how was the new railing attached to the brick?”
The key to attaching this wood railing to brick is Tapcon screws. Here’s how we did it:
- First, we measured the height and lineup of the 2×2 spindles.
- Then, drilled a countersink hole into the brick with a pilot drill bit.
- Before we attached the spindles to the brick, we applied construction adhesive to them for extra support and waterproofing.
- Next, we drilled the Tapcon screws through the 2×2 spindles, deep into the brick and about a quarter-inch into the spindle.
- After drilling the spindles into the brick, we patched over the screws with wood putty and painted the railing.
Hour 2
In Hour 2 of the Today’s Homeowner Radio Podcast, learn how to paint dark wood paneling, remove wax from laminate flooring and more.
Painting Dark Wood Paneling
Betty Leach in Bettendorf, Iowa, wants to know: “Is it possible to paint dark wood paneling?”
The answer is yes! It’s a five-step process:
- Clean: Clean the paneling to remove any dirt or grease.
- Patch: Putty any nail holes and caulk any cracks, then allow to dry.
- Sand: Lightly sand the surface of the paneling with 100 grit sandpaper to allow the primer to adhere.
- Prime: Paint the paneling using a stain-blocking 100-percent latex primer tinted to match the wall color. Oil-based primer can also be used if desired.
- Paint: Finally, roll the walls with two topcoats of latex wall paint.
Here’s a video on how to paint wood paneling.
How to Remove Wax from Laminate Flooring
Michelle Brown in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, has a plastic laminate kitchen floor. Recently, her husband waxed the floor, but now she learned that laminate floors shouldn’t be waxed.
What’s the best way to remove the wax?
Laminate floors have a factory finish that does not absorb wax. If you wax this kind of floor, it will give it a cloudy appearance.
To remove the wax without damaging the laminate flooring, mix a 50-50 solution of water and vinegar. Use cooking vinegar, because garden vinegar is too acidic and could damage the finish.
Start on a small spot in an inconspicuous area to see how it reacts. If it doesn’t do much, increase the vinegar by 25 percent.
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Simple Solutions
Roof Shingle Repair — When you have an asphalt roof shingle that’s been punctured or ripped by the wind, you don’t need to replace it.
More often than not you can repair it in just a couple of minutes.
- First, cut a piece of galvanized metal flashing a half-inch narrower and four inches longer than the damaged shingle tab.
- Then, use a flat bar to pry up the entire damaged shingle and pry up about three inches of the shingles on either side.
- Next, apply a thick bead of roofing cement along the top edge of the flashing, and a narrower one along the bottom edge.
- Slip the flashing under the damaged shingle — with the roofing cement beads facing down.
- Position it all the way up beyond the course above and on either side, covering the entire tab.
- Press down, then lift up the damaged shingle and apply two more beads of roof cement to the top surface of the flashing.
- Press the shingle down and the repair is done.
Watch: Metal Flashing Asphalt Roof Shingle Repair
Making Large Holes in Tile — There are many situations when it’s necessary to drill a large diameter hole into an existing ceramic wall, such as to accommodate a protruding water-supply line, drainpipe, or shower valve.
You can buy a carbide-tipped hole saw, but they’re really expensive, so try this Simple Solution instead:
- Start by marking the outline of the hole on the tile, and then use a nail set to punch a series of pivots along the outline.
- Next, take a quarter-inch-diameter masonry drill bit and drill a hole through the tile at each divot created by the nail set.
- Now use a hammer and cold chisel to chip out the glazing between each hole.
- Then use your hammer to tap around the hole’s perimeter and knock out the plug of tile.
Watch: How to Drill a Large Hole in Tile
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