Home Improvement Projects this summer

[JD]

We moved into a 1912 house in January. We done a good bit, but are still living in the downstairs. Did a new bathroom upstairs, got the stairway, master bedroom drywalled, the wife did a built-in in the closet, and we are trimming in there now. Outside I rebuilt some slate stairs, we are widening the drive so we can park side by side, building some retaining walls with rail road ties, and the wife did lots of flower gardening. Clapboard replacement is gonna wait until next year. Master plan is to add a Master suite in the back 3 room upstairs, including a second full bath up there, and a half bath down here. Turn the current kitchen (circa 1947) into a laundry/mudroom, and turn what was a nice 22 by 14 studio in the back, complete with it's own fireplace, into the new eat-in kitchen. Hopefully by then our kid, who isn't even concieved yet, will be outta college and we can move into a smaller place with some land. Projects, oh yea, I got projects....maybe not on Marc's scale....but plenty to keep me busy......

 

[Greg]

The only other items I want to do this summer are seal the driveway and stain my deck. Haven't gotten around to either yet.

OK maybe I am explaining it wrong. When you seal it your are doing exactly that. The original black top can not breath. It bakes because the sealent does it job and lets nothing in. It becomes brittle over time. Hope that helps

It's my understanding that UV light breaks down the asphalt and the sealer helps there. It's my opinion that if a driveway is destined to crack, it's just gonna crack. I'm in a relatively new neighborhood with several asphalt driveways installed in the last five years. Some are cracked with no sealer. Some are cracked with sealer. Some with sealer are not cracking, and some that have never been sealed are also fine.

My driveway is three years old and I don't have a single crack. I know for certain that the prep work on the driveway was done well. Anyway, this afternoon I finally sealed the thing. Looks great again and being nice and black again should help with snow/ice melt. Anyway, if it starts to crack now, I'll buy the sealer being the culprit argument, but again, I think the prep work will be what determines if a driveway is going to crack or not.

 

[ctenidae]

 

[o3jeff]

Just went to the Home Depot and bought all new door knobs for the house. I got one real bad one in the back bedroom,if you close it behind you, you aren't getting out unless you have a screw driver or you climb out the window(I had to do the window method yesterday).

 

[Glenn]

I spent Saturday fixing a problem someone else created. I can't stand that. Just do it right the first time. Friggin' previous owner had a bunch of hacks build the addition. And I'm no contractor...just a weekend warrior. :smash:

 

[severine]

Just went to the Home Depot and bought all new door knobs for the house. I got one real bad one in the back bedroom,if you close it behind you, you aren't getting out unless you have a screw driver or you climb out the window(I had to do the window method yesterday).

Sounds like a good call replacing that door knob. :lol:

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

We moved into a 1912 house in January. We done a good bit, but are still living in the downstairs. Did a new bathroom upstairs, got the stairway, master bedroom drywalled, the wife did a built-in in the closet, and we are trimming in there now. Outside I rebuilt some slate stairs, we are widening the drive so we can park side by side, building some retaining walls with rail road ties, and the wife did lots of flower gardening. Clapboard replacement is gonna wait until next year. Master plan is to add a Master suite in the back 3 room upstairs, including a second full bath up there, and a half bath down here. Turn the current kitchen (circa 1947) into a laundry/mudroom, and turn what was a nice 22 by 14 studio in the back, complete with it's own fireplace, into the new eat-in kitchen. Hopefully by then our kid, who isn't even concieved yet, will be outta college and we can move into a smaller place with some land. Projects, oh yea, I got projects....maybe not on Marc's scale....but plenty to keep me busy......

Cool house..