Precast Concrete - Cracked sidewalks and driveways can have a negative effect on the look or your home. And the damage tends to worsen with time due to water getting under the structure. Fortunately, repair is not too difficult.

Cracks in Sidewalks

Enlarge the crack along its entire length with a cold chisel and hammer. Use gloves and eye protection! Make the crack wider at the bottom than at the top, a process known as undercutting. It helps to bond the new concrete with the older concrete. After the crack has been thoroughly undercut, remove all loose material and brush the area with a wire brush.

The new concrete patch will hold better if a concrete adhesive is used first. This will both assist with bonding and prevent old concrete from absorbing moisture from the newly installed patch. Brush the adhesive into the undercut area and allow it to dry until it becomes tacky.

Use one part Portland cement to 2 1/2 parts of fine, clean sand. Heavier concrete patch jobs call for one part of Portland cement to two parts of sand and three parts of gravel. Building supply centers sell pre-mixed concrete for this type of job. All you add is water and it makes things much easier than buying and mixing the ingredients yourself.

Carpet - Carpets are made by pulling loops of synthetic or wool yarn through a tough backing. These loops are often cut to create the carpet's pile. The most durable synthetic carpeting material is nylon. It wears well and is quite stain resistant. Other synthetic materials are olefin, polyester, and acrylic. Wool has the most pleasant and natural texture, and is also the most expensive. The fibers used have a dramatic impact on a carpet's look and performance.

The list of synthetic fibers can be confusing because manufacturers often call them by proprietary names. Still, all synthetics fall into four generic categories: nylon, olefin, acrylic, and polyester.

Nylon - The majority of carpet fibers are made of nylon. Nylon fibers are resilient, survive the weight of furniture, and hold up well in heavily trafficked areas. Nylon is available in a vast array of colors, and solution-dyed types are colorfast. Nylon carpets can be found in a wide variety of wear ratings and price ranges. This is generally the best choice of carpet fiber for the home.

Olefin - Also known as polypropylene, olefin is another popular choice for carpet. It is easy to clean, strong, and resists stains and wear. Olefin is used mostly in Berbers and commercial carpets. Color is added before the material is turned into fiber, making it colorfast. Olefin carpet is comparable in price to nylon.

Cedar Impression Siding - Cedar siding looks great after new stain is applied. It gives your home a nice warm look. But in order to achieve that look, the surface must be very carefully preped. Since stain is transparent, any flaws will show, and in fact are magnified by the application of stain.

New Cedar Siding

New cedar siding should be protected from the weather at all times. Don’t leave the siding exposed to the elements - get the finish on as soon as possible. It is usually not necessary to perform extensive surface preparation as long as the siding has not weathered for more than two weeks and is clean and dry. Any contamination, such as dirt, oil, and other foreign substances, must be removed.

For smooth, flat-grained cedar, some surface preparation may be needed. The surface should be lightly scuffed with 50-60 grit sandpaper. This will greatly increase the performance of the finish and will not detract from a smooth look. Surface preparation is not necessary for textured cedar.

Weathered Cedar Siding

Weathered siding that has been exposed to the elements for longer than 2 weeks may have a degraded surface that is unsuitable for staining or painting. Prepare the surface by sanding, brushing, and washing before applying the finish.

Cold Solder - You need a few basic tools to successfully sweat solder copper pipe. These include pipe cutter, cleaning tools, propane torch, safety goggles, gloves, fire extinguisher, and flame blocking material if working in enclosed places.

You will also need lead free solder and a soldering paste called flux. Do not use lead based solder on water pipes because the lead can get into your water supply. Even a small amount can be detrimental to your health.

Copper must be cleaned to remove surface contamination prior to soldering. There are a number of ways to do this. You can use fine grit sandpaper, emory cloth, or a tool designed for the purpose. Whatever method you choose, the mating surfaces of the parts to be connected must be bright and shiny. Otherwise, solder will not bond and you will end up with a leaking connection.

Here are the steps to a successful sweat solder job:

• Measure, cut, and dry-fit all parts. Be sure you have cut pipes to the correct length. When fitted together, about 3/8 additional inch will be needed on each side of an assembled joint to account for the connector.

• Clean the mating surfaces of parts to be joined - outside surface of pipe, inside surface of connector. Use one of the cleaning methods mentioned earlier, and don’t touch the parts with your fingers after cleaning. This step must be done properly. Any contamination on the surfaces to be joined will prevent the solder from bonding.

• Apply a light coating of flux to the outside mating surfaces of pipes and inside of connectors. Be sure to get an even film all the way around. Use a small flux brush for this task. The purpose of the flux is to remove any unseen surface oxidation, etch the copper, and guard against oxidation when the parts are heated.

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Clean Grout - Tile grout can be difficult to remove stains from, especially if it has never been sealed. Mold, mildew, food and beverage stains, and a host of other problems can make your grout look old and dirty way before it's time.

Start with a household solution of vinegar or baking soda before moving to more harsh commercial cleaners. Dilute vinegar with an equal amount of water. To use baking soda, mix with enough water to make a paste. Apply the homemade cleaner in small circular motions with a nylon brush. Rinse thoroughly with clean water and dry.

If your grout is still stained, the next thing to try would be commercial tile and grout cleaners. These are available where home cleaning products are sold. Start with a mild cleaner instead of jumping right to a harsh one. To get the best result from a commercial cleaner, spray it on and let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing. Follow the directions on the label to clean effectively and prevent discoloration.

Tips for Grout Cleaning

• Clean the grout first with water and allow to dry. This will remove any loose surface debris and small stains that have not set.

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Wood Fence Stain - Wood stains are designed to impart a deep, rich color. When applied correctly, they also protect the wood from water damage. Unlike paint, which builds a color coat on the surface, stain will penetrate the surface when applied. The surface of wood will be partially visible and therefore requires careful preparation to minimize imperfections prior to application.

The initial application of paint or wood stain is absorbed into the substrate. Since stains contain low amounts of binder, the pigment remains near the surface, while the binder penetrates to a deeper level. On the other hand, paint has a high amount of binder, so the pigment forms a layer on the surface.

Wood stains range from very low viscosity to extremely thick. The thicker stains are designed primarily for exterior use. They penetrate better than paint, but usually do not hide surface defects as well. Exterior stains tend to be more flexible than paint and last longer. If you decide to use stain, be aware that most cannot be painted over. So once a surface has been stained, that’s most likely how it will have to stay for life.

Unfinished Kitchen Cabinet - Installing new kitchen cabinets will give a new look to an existing area. You can change the style, color, and almost anything else to create the image you are after. There are a lot of manufacturers that offer high quality products to fill most any need.

Before starting, see if your existing cabinets can be refinished or resurfaced. Sometimes, this can be done for a fraction of the cost of new units. And it's certainly less work on your part.

While you're at it, take a look around for other items that need replacement. What about those faucets and appliances? Lighting fixtures? Paint or wallpaper?

If you decide to go ahead with new cabinets, plan your job. Take measurements, make note of appliances and fixtures that have to be moved. Are you changing the color of the entire room? What about new light fixtures? How about the floor? This might be a good time to install new ceramic floor tile.

Get brochures from several cabinet companies and compare features, warranties, and prices. These will tell you what standard sizes are available, finishes, styles, materials, and hardware options. You may have to order a custom size to fit your area, but it is usually much less expensive to use standard sizes.

Draw a layout of your cabinet plans to give you an idea of how everything will line up and fit together. Make sure to include appliance and fixture locations. Check for interference with existing fixtures and lighting. If you are not going to install new light fixtures, make sure the new cabinets do not create shadows on the counter tops.

Look for interference with cabinet doors when they are opened. If you have a built-in range, will it fit the new opening? What about the exhaust fan - will you have to relocate the exhaust pipe and electrical connections?

Check the cabinet heights. If you are especially tall or short, see how far up you can comfortably reach. Many upper cabinets are designed to have an empty space between the tops and a standard height ceiling, while others will extend all the way to the ceiling.

If one of your cabinets will go over your sink or stove, make sure to allow space underneath it for working, and to attach lighting or a stove hood.

Be sure that upper cabinets line up with lower cabinets, and allow for windows and other features in the wall. Consider how you use your kitchen.

Items Needed for a Professional Job:

• Several carpenter's levels or laser levels of different lengths

• Lots of wood shims for leveling

• Clamps to hold cabinets together while you are arranging.

• Stud finder

• Counter top

• Two 2x4s or a cabinet jack

• Hinges

• Drawer pulls and door handles

• Any sinks, faucets, or other fixtures you will replace at the same time

• Paint and replacement flooring

• Caulk

• Basic power tools such as circular saw, drill, jigsaw, and screw gun

• Screws for hanging cabinets

Empty the old cabinets completely, then remove the doors and shelves before unscrewing the cabinets from the walls. Most shelves simply lift off of pegs, but some need to be unscrewed or pried off their supports.

Make certain that you support the upper cabinets as you remove the mounting screws. If the upper cabinets are a one-piece unit, you may have to separate them to avoid damaging adjacent walls.

After the old cabinets are removed, do any painting and floor work before installation begins. This would be a good time to do plumbing work if needed, assuming the pipes are exposed. See my post on how to sweat solder copper pipe if you need help with this.

Assemble the cabinets, but do not put the doors on yet. Take the time to make sure that the cabinets are assembled as securely, squarely and evenly as you can. Install upper cabinets first if possible, so that you will not need to work over the lower units.

Locate studs with a stud finder and use a level to draw a line down at their locations. Measure from the ceiling to mark the height of the cabinet brace or rail you will fasten to the studs.

Upper cabinets go first, starting at one end or in a corner. Be sure to arrange for a helper to lift and support them during installation. Follow all manufacturer instructions for installation.

Now mark the locations of your studs for the lower cabinets. Move them into place and check which cabinet sits highest. It's easier to shim the others up to this height than to shorten the tall one.

Make cutouts for plumbing, electrical, etc. Be sure these are accurate, and leave a little extra room so cabinets can be moved a little and not interfere with pipes or wiring.

Level the top of the cabinets by shimming under and behind them. Remember that you will install a counter top on the cabinets, so you want this reasonably level and all the joints flush. Also look at the appearance of the cabinet fronts and make sure those are even.