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This is a stupid question, but I want to hang bookshelves. They will be filled only with books, not lightweight knickknacks or anything, so they need to be able to handle serious weight. I found plain shelves at Ikea, but I have no idea how to hang them so they don't come out of the wall. I don't know what kind of walls I have. I live in a pre-war apartment building in New York. Is there a way to figure it out? I don't have super or landlord contact info, or a legal lease, so I can't ask anyone affiliated with the building. I borrowed my parents' stud finder, but it's old and may be crappy. It thinks pretty much everything is a stud. I think that's pretty unlikely. Ideally I'd like to hang two 6' bookshelves above my bed, so loving this up probably means dying in my sleep. I'd rather not.
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Mar 9, 2010 07:33
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i like nice words
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| # ¿ Apr 23, 2024 08:26 |
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kid sinister posted:If that plate has been painted over a few times, then use a utility knife to cut thru all the paint layers around the edge of the outlet so you don't peel the paint off the wall when you remove the paint.  The walls' paint is plain, stark white -- so the stuff inside is more brown than anything else. I'm guessing that counts as gray? It's kind of rough, but there is also white fragile-ish stuff around the edges. Mostly the wall seems, um, empty. I don't think that's supposed to be the case, right? I can borrow my parents' drill/bits and level -- that should work. The question is what kind of hangers I need for whatever my walls are made of. The thing is it sounded like as long as it wasn't mounted in studs, even with the serious stuff -- molly/toggle bolts -- at best it would rip giant chunks out of the wall, and that would fall on me on top of the books and the shelf. Anne Whateley fucked around with this message at 04:08 on Jan 16, 2017 |
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Mar 9, 2010 09:13
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grover posted:That's plastered drywall. If an ultrasonic studfinder isn't working due to variations in plaster thickness, the alternate is the magnetic kind. It's a pain in the rear end, but you take this little pivoting magnet and run it back and forth across the wall until you see the magnet react to a nail/screw beneath the surface. Mark it, that's a stud. The next studs are likely 16" on either side. Beware you may have some trial and error to find the studs once you start drilling, though- the nails aren't necessarily right in the middle of the stud.  Another question. I want to hang a couple shelves on different walls. One of these walls has the bathroom on the other side. What are the chances I'll find what I think is a stud, drill into it, and then discover the hard way that it's a water pipe? Should I stick to the other walls and not hang anything on that one? (Bonus complication: I don't know if my other walls abut a bathroom/kitchen in the apartment next door.) I don't know if this is any clearer than my explanation: (the wall is obviously not actually that thick -- I live in a New York apartment building, not a 13th-c. Scottish stone fortress) Thank you guys so much. Anne Whateley fucked around with this message at 04:09 on Jan 16, 2017 |
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Mar 10, 2010 17:00
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grover posted:Honestly, I'd be more worried about hitting wires- pipes will make a mess, but wires could kill you. Wires are supposed to be 1.25" back, too, but are in ALL the walls. I also did some math I had really been avoiding. These shelves are rated for 18-44 lbs depending on how they're mounted. I weighed a stack of books I had, and it worked out to 1.25 lbs per linear inch. So even if I just did one single row of books, without any laying on top or anything, I would want the shelf to hold 92 lbs, and that's with no safety margin. And since these will be mounted above my bed, a safety margin would be a good idea. This is looking way less possible. Any idea for wall shelves that can support Olsen twins?
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Mar 11, 2010 09:12
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I'm not seeing anything at Ikea rated anywhere near that amount. Is there anywhere else I should look for cheap finished-looking shelves (translation: not 2x4s nailed together)? Sadly nobody in my family is the DIY type at all. I didn't pick those shelves because they're pretty as much as because they're the right length -- I have about 76" to fill, and I'd like the shelf cover as much of that as possible. Appearance-wise, as long as they're white (or silver?), smooth, and plain, I'll be happy. I'm totally open to suggestions that don't involve a lumberyard or a lot of money! I really appreciate all this advice.
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Mar 11, 2010 19:39
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Not Memorable posted:Shelf brackets. Google it. Or Amazon. Or walk into any hardware store. It's an l-shaped piece of metal with several holes for attaching to your wall and several holes for attaching to your shelf. Put a piece of wood on top of a few brackets mounted into studs. Screw the shelf to the brackets. Ta-da. It's very complicated but I think you can handle it.
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Mar 12, 2010 18:40
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Hey, sorry if this is a dumbass question. I'm renting an apartment with builder-grade cabinets installed indifferently, so none of the cabinets are square enough to close 100%. There's always a sliver (or a couple of slivers) of a gap. Is there some kind of foam strip I could put on the insides of the doors that would seal it off? I'm tired of cooking grease/steam, etc., getting inside the cabinets and all over everything.
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Dec 14, 2014 20:16
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Motronic posted:That's not going to be much fun to fit with a variable gap, but sure.....self adhesive weather stripping sounds like a possibility. I was envisioning a foam strip that's very squishable, so in smaller areas it would just be compacted more? Is that a thing? The goal is to be pretty airtight all around. slap me silly posted:Also, do you have a vent fan over the stove? Anne Whateley fucked around with this message at 04:10 on Jan 16, 2017 |
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Dec 15, 2014 06:41
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Unfortunately I live on the sixth floor and the stove is not against an exterior wall. Regardless, there's no way it would be okay for me to make a huge hole in plaster and brick. I'll mess around with the cabinet doors some more, thanks!
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Dec 15, 2014 18:27
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Doesn't pressure washing alone do enough? http://m.imgur.com/a/OndWd
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Jan 2, 2015 01:42
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I'm sorry for how dumb this question is. Nobody in my family is handy and I'm trying to get better at stupid little poo poo. My kitchen and bathroom sink are both leaking from underneath the escutcheon. I think this means I need to replace the washers (let me know if not!). I've watched some videos and it seems fairly straightforward. Will a small neighborhood hardware store have the right kind of washer? Or will I need to go to Home Depot to choose from a huge selection? I just don't want to start the project on a weeknight and then discover I need to take a 2-hour trip to Home Depot. I have no idea how much variation there is among washers, but the faucets don't seem terribly unusual or anything. Bonus points . . . if I can fix the sinks, is it at all realistic for me to try to fix ancient (1950s) shower hardware, which has a very robust leak from the handle that controls cold water to the showerhead? Or would I need to get under the tile and/or find some ancient specialty washer? (Please don't underestimate my cluelessness.) Anne Whateley fucked around with this message at 04:10 on Jan 16, 2017 |
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Jan 9, 2015 17:26
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It sounds like you might be looking for something like the Container Store's elfa shelving?
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Jan 19, 2015 22:32
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Someone painted the weatherstripping foam on my apartment's front door probably decades ago. Multiple colors of paint.  I put in some time last weekend scraping off tiny foam bits, getting off the ancient glue gunge, and then applying fat D-shaped silicone self-adhesive stripping. It seems to work perfectly -- you can't see a speck of light even when it's pitch-black in my apartment and fully lit in the hall. Since it's silicone, it's also supposed to be durable and resist compression. Now all I need is a door sweep -- I got one of those too, but it sucks.
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Jan 29, 2015 04:30
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kid sinister posted:Am I missing something? 40 pounds isn't that much. You'll have to mount your mirror to something, preferably the wall behind it,. Still, you could most likely do 40 pounds from the molding if you wish. The tensile strength on steel picture wire is incredible.
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Feb 25, 2015 18:10
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Older building makes it more likely it was a picture rail. That's how they used to hang all pictures back in the day -- do a quick google.
Anne Whateley fucked around with this message at 04:11 on Jan 16, 2017 |
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Feb 25, 2015 20:05
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I was literally coming here to post that. If you don't care about the dings, sand it just to rough it up, doesn't have to be a perfect job. Use a primer that's good on glossy surfaces, I like Zinsser oil-based (brown label). Then the paint. Both primer and chalkboard paint should be spraypaint for ease of use, quality of finish, and sanity.
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Apr 9, 2015 02:29
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me your dad posted:Thanks - this is very helpful.
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Apr 9, 2015 17:32
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There is definitely a market, but you have to get it to the same area as the people who are rich enough and fancy enough and don't care about cooking enough. If you live near New York, there's at least one shop in Manhattan (probably more) whose entire business is rehabbing old kitchen appliances. Yours is in gorgeous condition and you even have the instruction book. You could get a truly ridiculous amount of money. Here's a start: http://retrorenovation.com/2011/11/04/13-places-to-buy-restored-vintage-stoves/ http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sources-for-vintage-retro-appliances-167454 Make them bid on it. You seriously have a little golden ticket there.
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May 2, 2015 05:44
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I would rather handle a couple screws myself than have strangers in my apartment when I'm not there, but everyone's gonna be different on that. For $1.50 I would definitely do it myself, you can easily do it with no problem even if you're clueless (just remember to flip the breaker).
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Jun 12, 2015 20:01
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If it's a long-term rental you're willing to put some money/effort into, make it intentional, you can diy those sliding barn doors or put in French doors. If it's not serious and you just want to fit another bro in there to bring down the rent, a board will look like crap but it'll be fine.
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Jun 19, 2015 20:47
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They'll probably have a plan to manage mosquitos, but if not, you can always huck a couple mosquito dunks in there. And put up bat houses 
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Jun 30, 2015 15:40
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Move and then set it on fire. Second choice: drink heavily, preferably in a hotel room, until a professional exterminator arrives.
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Jul 3, 2015 01:15
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ephori posted:I'm not completely sure, I haven't opened up that switch yet. I'm imagining an angry swarm pouring out of it if I do, Looney Tunes style. Pest control guy is coming tomorrow morning to see what we're dealing with.
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Jul 3, 2015 17:34
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ephori posted:I'm not completely sure, I haven't opened up that switch yet. I'm imagining an angry swarm pouring out of it if I do, Looney Tunes style. Pest control guy is coming tomorrow morning to see what we're dealing with. 
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Jul 5, 2015 20:47
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Especially since you're already putting in a new system, why not go LED?
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Jul 11, 2015 05:31
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Mosquito larvicide won't gently caress up anything else in the pond. Whatever eats larva will obviously be hungry, but not poisoned. It's super effective in everything from birdbaths to ponds.
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Jul 24, 2015 16:15
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I need to stop borrowing my dad's bad old drill and get one of my own. What would you guys recommend? It will mostly be used in plaster and wood, but it needs to be able to get through metal. Corded is fine if it's more affordable/higher-powered. It won't get a ton of use, I'm just doing occasional DIY stuff. I don't need it to be cordless but how does this package look?
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Jul 30, 2015 07:44
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OSU_Matthew posted:I've got an older B&D 18V Ni-Cad drill from my dad, and it's ok for most stuff, but pretty underpowered. You won't, for instance, be able to use a hole saw. It's ok as a free tool, but I wouldn't buy one new.
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Jul 30, 2015 13:42
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I don't need or want anything cordless. I live in a small apartment so I'm never 5' from an outlet, and if I only need to use a tool a few times a year, I don't want to gently caress with charging it in advance, losing battery capacity because it sits at zero for months, you name it. But I do definitely get you guys' points about the benefits of buying into one system with a unified power source. I think I'm going to go with the Black & Decker Matrix corded. The concept sounds kind of iffy, but the reviews are surprisingly fantastic. And I could certainly use a jigsaw and circular saw too for $30 a pop.
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Jul 31, 2015 05:56
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I would use Rustoleum high heat + floetrol or penetrol. However, you couldn't pay me to do it indoors.
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Aug 3, 2015 13:36
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I'm planning to build a bookcase with big clear glass doors. It'll be along a fairly high-traffic hallway. It just occurred to me it would be bad to trip, put my hand through the glass, and die. Glass alternatives? The goals are cheapness, obtainability, and looking good . . . I feel like plexiglass usually scratches immediately and looks like poo poo, is there a better option?
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Aug 5, 2015 15:55
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Antifreeze Head posted:If you are really that concerned, get tempered glass. AFewBricksShy posted:What is the glass for? Just for decoration or are you actively trying to keep the stuff in the bookcase behind glass?  I want the case to have doors that close, and are mostly transparent.
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Aug 5, 2015 20:51
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Elem7 posted:$3k? Does it come with platinum trim and encrusted diamonds? AFewBricksShy posted:I was thinking something like this:  Safety Dance posted:Polycarbonate is an option.
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Aug 5, 2015 21:57
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You wouldn't need glass.
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Check with Alternative Apparel.
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Aug 13, 2015 03:50
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What programs do you guys use to draw plans? Preferably free, preferably ~in the cloud~? I'm planning a bookcase that's getting increasingly more elaborate, and I don't want to forget something dumb and gently caress it all up. Here are two cool utilities you all probably know about already http://www.optimalon.com/online_cut_optimizer.htm - free online cut optimizer http://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator/ - free online bookshelf sag calculator with a ton of options
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Aug 26, 2015 02:05
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If anyone comes to your door wanting to be your energy provider, the answer is no, get the hell out (and don't show them an old bill, either). If you want to look into solar, do it yourself and not through a scammer.
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Sep 4, 2015 15:42
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Why not just a long fluorescent bar with command strips? Example. Wouldn't be my choice if I owned, but fluorescents really don't suck like they used to.
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Mar 14, 2016 02:21
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Chipping/flaking paint is probably your landlord's responsibility anyway. How many years have you lived there? Do you know the last time they repainted the place?
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May 12, 2016 03:18
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I agree I wouldn't make a stink and try to legally force them to, but I would at least tell the super it's flaking (and you're having a baby) and see how he responds. He might be like "cool, I'll bring my sweet equipment over on Friday."
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May 12, 2016 04:08
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| # ¿ Apr 23, 2024 08:26 |
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If you have to do this, I think an ikea dining room table is going to be better than a DIY door on legs.
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May 26, 2016 23:23
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