Do It Yourself (DIY)
Do it yourself tips, projects and fails.
Do it yourself is often born out of necessity. Finding a trustworthy person to do certain tasks at a reasonable price is often difficult.
In some cases, finances dictate that you need to take on a major project by yourself. One example is patching and sealing an deteriorating asphalt driveway. To have it resurfaced by a contractor would cost upwards of 15 thousand dollars which exceeded the available funds. The alternative was to patch and seal it to stabilize it for now.
Filled and unfilled driveway cracks
Other projects are small such as adding a spinner handle on a water shut off valve to speed things up. This is something that requires a bit of ingenuity to conceive and execute.
There are also things you do out of expediency such as using a pipe wrench to straighten bent metal.
A hack for hanging a garage door opener
Hanging the opener of a garage door can be a little tricky, especially if you are doing the job alone. Here is a quick hack.
Continue readingDriveway Sealing in cooler weather.
Ideally, you should be working in the warmer months. However, if you find yourself in a position where you need to work in cooler temperatures, here are some tricks you can try
Continue readingSealing a worn asphalt driveway – Part 5 – Sealing
The final step in the process is to apply sealer to the driveway. This will help stabilize a badly deteriorated driveway.
Continue readingSealing a worn asphalt driveway – Part 4 – Crack and Pothole Filling
Cracks and Potholes in the driveway need to be filled. This part of the project requires a variety of materials and techniques.
Continue readingSealing a worn asphalt driveway – Part 3 – Cleaning
One of the most critical aspects of sealing your driveway is to get it as clean as possible. This will require a pressure washer and cleaners as well as patience and time.
Continue readingSealing a worn asphalt driveway – Part 2 – Materials and Tools
Once you decide to go ahead with the resealing project, it’s time to gather materials and tools. This includes a pressure washer and cleaners, an intial supply of filler and sealer and more.
Continue readingSealing a worn asphalt driveway – Part 1 – Feasability
I was faced with a well worn asphalt driveway. It had not been sealed in a number of years. Was it worth trying to crack fill and seal?
Continue readingHarbor Freight 10 x 17 Portable Garage (tent)
I needed some additional temporary storage so I purchased a ‘portable garage’/tent from Harbor Freight. It required three of us to build but the construction was straightforward.
Continue readingA quick fix for a sticking Fluidmaster toilet valve.
I don’t have the time to replace the valve right now but this quick hack worked.
Continue readingFixing a broken dolly
The weld failed that connected the small wheels used when the dolly was in a flat, horizontal position. The fix was relatively easy.
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