DIY Network

Construction and Cleaning From "Talk2DIY Home Improvement" episode TTD-423F

Hosts Brad Staggs and Lynda Lyday get right into the questions --

Anchoring a Covered Patio

Problem: What is the best way to anchor a covered patio to my brick house?

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Figure A

Solution:

• To tie into a brick house, drill through a mortar into the studs. Use a sealer to fill in the holes that attach the ledger board to the brick wall (figure A).

• If it is vinyl, remove the vinyl and find the studs on the wall. Drill a ledger board into a stud. Once attached, you don't want water going behind the lumber, so try to have some kind of cap of metal over the ledger to protect it from water.

• Look for a deep scan finder to find the studs from the exterior.

Figure B

Rotting Floor Joists

Problem: Could you tell me if there is a way to prevent floor joists from rotting?

Solution:

• Check your ventilation and look for any moisture -- find out what is making it rot away and fix that problem.

• Find a way to strengthen the joists.

• Pressure-treated wood (figure B) is good to rebuild with -- you must use new fasteners designed to be used with pressure treated wood.

Framing a Basement

Problem: I am going to be framing a basement and need to know if it would be better to use nails or screws.

Solution:

• It actually depends on the job. Nail guns are good for trim work and drills are good for framing.

• If you make a mistake, screws are "undoable."

• Nails aren't as easy to remove.

Building a Second-Story Addition

Problem: What do I need to do in order to build an addition onto the second story of my house?

Solution:

• Get an engineer to take a look at it to make sure the house and ceiling can hold the weight.

• Keep in mind that a truss system is designed to put the weight on the walls of the home and that is why it is important to bring in a structural engineer.

Subflooring

Problem: What is needed to lay a subfloor?

Solution:

• You need to put construction adhesive under the subfloor before screwing it on.

• Stagger the joints so that they are not all lined up.

• Use screws so you will have fewer squeaks.

Removing Kitchen Sink Rust Stains

Problem: How can I remove rust stains from my kitchen sink?

Solution:

• Try lemon juice if you can get the sink in the sunlight. The juice from the lemon, combined with the sun, will bleach out the rust.

• Or try Calcium Lime and Rust remover. Let is sit and then scrub it off.

Figure C

Cleaning Shingles

Problem: We have stains on our roof from raw eggs and want to know how to clean the shingles.

Solution:

• There's not anything you can use to soften it up; the only thing you can do is scrape it with a plastic scraper.

• Scraping it will leave some residue there (figure C), but it will help get most of it off the shingles.

• Do not use a metal tool because it will remove the material on the shingles.

• It will eventually come off with time if just left alone.

Cleaning Sandstone Fireplace

Problem: Can you tell me how to clean a sandstone fireplace?

Solution:

• If the sandstone has not gotten wet, you can try vacuuming.

• After trying the vacuuming, make a cleaning solution with clear ammonia and water and scrub with a brush and then wipe the area dry.

Removing Glue from Concrete Flooring

Problem: How can I remove glue that is on my concrete floor?

Solution:

• You can try cleaning it with TSP and then scrub it real well.

• Once the adhesive is off the floor, try a concrete etcher and rust remover to remove the stain left behind.

Cleaning Linoleum Flooring

Problem: What is the best way to clean a linoleum floor?