Home Improvement Thread

[count2infinity]

Anyone have any recommendations on where to buy a bookcase/bookshelf? We'd like one that's pretty tall (70+ inches), and all we can find readily available are the ones made from particle board rather than wood.

I don't mind some assembly, but I'd rather not have to go to the lumber store and build it from scratch.

[Ad@m]

Is Remm Supply still in business back home?

[count2infinity]

Oh yeah... they probably don't deliver. I should ask my dad to pick one up and bring it up to Bellefonte.

[Ad@m]

Deliver it for Easter and visit with his granddaughter.

[Shyster]

I bought this bookcase a couple years ago. Brand is "Concepts In Wood." I believe it's still veneered wood of some sort, but it's much sturdier and made of thicker materials of notably higher quality than all of the stuff I looked at from Ikea and local department stores and the like. I think they also have single and double width cases at the 72" height. I've been quite happy with it. It basically spans a whole wall in my home office/computer room.

https://www.amazon.com/Shelf-Triple-Wid ... 07S45Y319/

[Kane]

Could try building some shelves if you have the tools. It'll be tailored to your liking that way, too.

[tifosi77]

What sort of stylistic look are you going for? Just a wood box with shelves? Metal frame? "Dark Academia"?

[tifosi77]

Today is Demo Day 1 on our bathroom project.

First World mini-rant (I'm very aware of how silly and petty and inconsequential this all sounds)

Ahead of the project, I said I wanted two things (well, one of the things was sort of predicated on a third thing being true). Since this is the bathroom that guests use and is accessible from 'common' spaces, I wanted it to reflect the overall look and feel of the rest of the house, thinking we'd go full hog fancy-butt on the primary bathroom and make that a more bespoke sort of space when the time came. We have a stackstone fire place with granite kitchen counters, with Shaker/beadboard cabinets, all of which is visible from next to the door to this bathroom. So we both sort of agreed that this was the aesthetic look we wanted. And as such, I really wanted a certain style of floor tile. The space is also a Jack-and-Jill entry, and since the bedroom it was connected to is now a dedicated office space I want to close off that second door. And also because I really dislike Jack-and-Jill entries, and said as much the day we found this house five years ago when it first hit the market. "We'll have to lose the J&J eventually, " I said. "Indeed," said Mrs Tif.

NOPE!

The day we went to the first supplier to talk design and materials I learned Mrs Tif had decided we were doing a 'Japandi' style space - which is outstanding! But - based on numerous conversations and weekend mornings spent watching interior design videos on YouTube over the last very many years - that is what I thought we'd be pursuing with the primary bath later down the line. In that style of space, the floor tile I really wanted will look pretty stupid, so away with that. Oh, and Mrs Tif is insistent on keeping the Jack-and-Jill despite being the only human being who will ever make use of that second door. So we're going to have this ultra sleek and cool minimalist space with a big honkin' beadboard door staring at you when you enter. Take away every single thing I have said up to this point, and ask me to distill my hopes and dreams down to one single ask, it would be to lose the J&J.

This is already going great.

[count2infinity]

I ended up buying a couple of unfinished ones from a local place. Going to paint them ourselves. Got some wallpaper today to put on the back of them and then painting the rest of the wood white.

[tifosi77]

Today was 'hot mop' day in the bathroom reno. This is a good news/bad news thing.

Good news: It only took about 90 mins worth of work, and if we pass inspection tomorrow AM we will be a day ahead of schedule!

Bad news: Fresh tar smell inside

[NTP66]

I know it’s cheaper and easier, but I would never go that route. Kerdi or nothing.

[NTP66]

We had a discussion about this a week or so ago:

US home insurers are using drones and satellites to spy on customers

Some U.S. home insurance companies are using drone surveillance to decide whether to insure people’s homes, according to a report. In some cases, this has led to insurers refusing to insure homes due to perceived issues with the condition of roofs.

This new tactic, seen as a way to drop high-risk policies, has riled customers and some company employees. According to reports, many buildings in the United States have been photographed and cataloged for reference.

…

Consumer groups express concern that inspections driving nonrenewals infringe on limited customer rights to challenge images or privacy intrusion. “The technology is way ahead of any consumer protections,” Douglas Heller, director of insurance at the Consumer Federation of America, explained to WSJ.

[Nuge]

I'm getting to the point that I can't take my Samsung refrigerator anymore. The water/ice maker freezes up more than it's working. I'm ready to dump it for a new fridge. Any reccommendations for a french door model? At this point, I don't want anything in the door. Ice in the freezer and water inside.

Thoughts on this model? Anyone have a GE?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-27-cu-ft ... /320243591

[mac5155]

I have a GE French door. Like it a lot. No issues. The water filters have a stupid chip in them and are expensive. We don't bother to change them for this reason

[tifosi77]

Our initial tile vendor has been maddening. They were incommunicado, took a combination of around 10 or 11 calls/VMs and emails before the sales person actually returned our contact. They scheduled delivery, and to their credit they brought very nearly all of things we had ordered. There are four tile surfaces in the new space: A-main floor, B-shower pan floor, C-shower wall, D-two 12x14 niches. They decided we'd be better off without tile D, so they just didn't bring it to us. And once (most of) the tile was delivered, they went radio silence on us again, and we haven't spoken to anyone from the store (other than a receptionist) since I think Monday. So we quit calling them and went someplace else for that niche tile, which means we'll be going to that other place for all of our tile needs when we redo our primary bathroom in a year or two, and for our kitchen counters when we refresh those a year or two after that.

The plumbing place sent us the floating/wall-mount variant of the vanity we ordered instead of the freestanding one we paid for. It's like a free $200 upgrade that we would've paid for at the outset if we wanted it, but okay. I'd rather have the freestanding, but at this stage I don't want to force any delays.

Other than that, been pretty hiccup-free.

Tile setting was more or less finished Friday, so now it's grout and then order the shower glass. Once that's done, I think we're on to finishes and the final stretch.

[NTP66]

These last few days have been terrific for solar generation.

[mac5155]

Started using Odoban in my laundry because I hang dry most of my stuff. Not sure how I haven't known about this stuff before. My laundry finally doesn't smell damp and musty

[NTP66]

Do you clean your washer? I use Whirlout once every month or so as part of my washer maintenance/tub clean cycle: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Whirlout-1- ... /205036656

[mac5155]

Never have done that. Maybe I'll try it. For the record the clothes smell fine when dry but if it rains or I sweat heavy and they get wet again the smell amplifies.

[dodint]

Meat sweats of days gone by.

[tifosi77]

We use Downey scent beads (I think they're called) with every load of wash, either Unstoppables or one of their other kinds. I think we run the clean cycle with Affresh tablets once every two months or so.

[skullman80]

Our LG frontloader tells us when its time to run a "clean" cycle... I think it's every 30 washes or so. So far we have done that (as well as making sure to wipe out the door and leave it open on the washer) and no problems.

[NTP66]

Looking at my reminder, I have it set for every 7 weeks.

[mac5155]

We use Downey scent beads (I think they're called) with every load of wash, either Unstoppables or one of their other kinds. I think we run the clean cycle with Affresh tablets once every two months or so.

These are stupid expensive if you ask me.

[mac5155]

Our LG frontloader tells us when its time to run a "clean" cycle... I think it's every 30 washes or so. So far we have done that (as well as making sure to wipe out the door and leave it open on the washer) and no problems.

What does a clean cycle actually do? My washer has one too.