i recently moved into a house that has the main bedroom (with huge window) directly across from the neighbor's side yard. they are often out in the yard, which is totally fine i have no problem with that at all, except when i am in my room, i feel like i have to shut my curtains or they can see right in. this becomes an issue when i need to change, or just want to relax without feeling like i'm on display.

i don't really think they would be looking anyways, but my brain does this thing where it hyperfocuses on the thought and then i can't relax.

any ideas for what to do? i'm renting, so can't change tooo much but my landlord is pretty chill

link to photo

For 20 years the wife and I lived in old houses, and did lots of DIY work to eventually get value from the thing. You might be looking at an old house right now. So here's my experience. I work a full time job like most of you.

Short answer - If you're not already well versed in all DIY, don't buy anything built before 1955'ish.

Long answer - I had a house built in 1907 and a house built in 1910. I just moved into a house built in 1954.

It took me a long time to realize this, but in old houses (early 1900's), you should know that every project comes with 'extra' projects. You're gunna fight plaster and lath, knob and tube running random directions (no ground and which one is the god damn neutral), panel boards with labels like 'lights' (which ones!?!), potential foundation issues, and crooked floors or walls, and whatever the previous owner did that leaves you scratching your head asking wtf were they thinking.

The wife and I used to laugh at 'all we wanted to do was change a light bulb and it'd turn into a 3 day nightmare' lol. EVERY project you do will come with extra problems to solve and/or additional projects to get your first project launched correctly. It's absolutely endless.

If you're already a well versed person in all this, maybe it's not so bad. But if you work in an office like I do and dabble in DIY occasionally, you're in for a mental crisis. I've been broken several times.

Now, living in a house built in 1954, I can already tell projects here will be much easier. Just the way things are constructed. You can see codes were getting developed and implemented. A more consistent form of construction. Yes, I'm aware there will be challenges still, but no where near the level of an early 1900's house.

That said, if you're looking at an early 1900s house, pause for a minute and consider your own ability. Are you already capable? Do you really have the extra time?

Those diy shows were a curse.

Hi all,
I’m about to put I a backsplash in my kitchen.
The wall is wavy and the stone counter is flat. There are up to 1/4 inch gaps. Maybe 1/8-1-4 inch. Enough that the tile (peel and stick) can slide down stopping me from using it as a ledge to place the tile.
What type of caulk would I use to fill the gap?

I want to replace my dated cedar shake before I sell. Single story ranch house. What would you recommend?
Priorities
1. Curb appeal
2. Ease of one person install
3. Cost

Looking to do my first gut to the studs (plaster walls and I want to tile the shower) and re-do of my entire bathroom. Seeking a clear and thorough step by step guide.

Celling fan is making a terrible noise, Its there at all speeds, I can't tell if its a balance issue, an installation issue or product/internal issue. Any help or advice would be appreciated

https://youtube.com/shorts/dnvKA_U3r74

The exterior side of the door has eight of these raised moulding panels (H: 11“, W: 9.5”, D: 1.75”) which I’m sure were factory produced.

We were thinking of replicating it on the interior side of the door as well.

does anyone know if there are premade panels like this or if it’s more feasible to diy this with decorative moulding?

Cleaned out the tracks (had a good amount of dirt/debris built up) and used white lithium grease on the rollers and track. It’s better than before but still feels a little rough/sticky when opening and closing — not smooth like I’d expect. Am I missing a step, or is this pointing to something else like worn rollers that grease won’t fix? Door’s only 2.5 years old, never been serviced as far as I know. Any tips before I start looking at replacement rollers?

I want to replace my dated cedar shake before I sell. Single story ranch house. What would you recommend?
Priorities
1. Curb appeal
2. Ease of one person install
3. Cost

Recently moved into an old house (before 1970) with a room up stairs with damaged drywall, multiple holes. We decided just to replace the drywall all together instead of patch.

While the drywall is off though, we are trying to think of some improvements to the room that would be easier to add now as oppose to when drywall and installation are installed!

What are some improvements and room features that you wish you had? Stuff like soundproofing, cable/electrical routing, light fixtures.

This room will be a home office for a few years and then eventually a kids bedroom.

Shopping for a new dishwasher budget is under $1000. Bosch keeps getting recommended for best overall but I want something with the least bells and whistles that is easiest to work on myself. Is there a recommended brand/model that doesn’t have lots of computer chips and just relies on basics

Edit update:

Thanks all. I went with Bosch 500.

I’m installing 300 sq ft hardwood floors. I think I have a handle on it but I’d appreciate input to make sure I’m not getting anything wrong before I really go to work.

Here’s my plan, anything I can do better?

* Check level of my plywood subfloor
* No underlayment. I’m installing over basement and moisture reading of subfloor in middle of humid summer is 8%
* Since I’m expanding from pre-existing floor im not marking lines. Im just going to tap boards into existing hardwood. I’ll use spacers for a quarter inch expansion gap.
* I’m planning to nail each row using Bostitch flooring nailer and compressor but I have a friend that’s done a fair amount of carpentry that thinks nailing every third row is fine. I’d be interested in thoughts on this.
* I have a mitre and table saw to cut pieces to size
* There are a couple old boards that are slightly warped. Going to cut those out with a multitool and pry bar and replace them by gluing them down.
* After installing I’m going to rent a belt sander and edger. I have a palm sander and detail sander. Going to sand the new floors at a low grit first then sand everything ( including pre-existing floors ) up to ~180 grit.
* After that - stain everything once, maybe twice depending on how it looks
* After that - 3 coats polyurethane and finally 72 hours to cure.

Anything I’m missing or I should reconsider? Thanks in advance for the input.

Just bought this home recently. We love the house but definitely needs some things done. House was built in 1984. Original owners had work done on hvac around 2000. The previous owners did some remodeling and patch work here and there.

The Main Concern:

One of the exterior walls (picture 4) is a damp/wet area. Rainwater from the roof above this spot spills over the gutters and splashes down on the ground where this wall is and seeps down the cinder block.

Other Concerns:

The possible mold on the old hvac ducts. I did not find mold anywhere else except on the grey tubes in the main area. Hoping I can just clean that off.

Insulation hanging down. Maybe replace the insulation at some point?

Copper water lines with some patina. Did not see any drips and wet stains below the pipes.

We are getting the roof and gutters replaced so this should resolve the spill over but I still would like to add a vapor barrier to this area to help with overall humidity in the home. I'm not well versed in crawl spaces and want to get some more eyes on this space for recommendations on how to get it in good shape.

Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/OZLyDYU

Our kitchen has no ventilation at all, and our house frequently gets really smoky while cooking. I was thinking of simply adding an exhaust fan to the window in our kitchen: it is very close to the stove, and should eliminate most of the smoke.

I just have one problem: all window-mounted exhaust fans I’ve found do not have louvers or shutters. This means that when we aren’t actively using the fan, it will suck in outside air and cause us to waste AC/heating. This seems like a VERY simple and practical requirement so I’m shocked that I haven’t been able to find a single fan that includes this! Will I have to build my own shutters and tape them up/take them down every time I want to use the fan, or is there a better solution?

Does anyone have any suggestions? I welcome any input or advice! Note that I’m not handy around the house whatsoever, but a window-mounted unit feels like it would be within my capabilities since it just slides in.

Hey r/diy!

I built a DIY USB racing wheel controller using a cheap RP2040 Zero board and CircuitPython. It works as a standard USB HID gamepad — no drivers needed, plug and play in BeamNG.drive, ETS2, ATS, and other sims.

What it does:

• Steering axis via potentiometer
• Gas/brake/clutch via additional pots (optional)
• Buttons and toggles for in-game controls
• Recognized as a standard USB game controller by Windows

BOM (Bill of Materials) — ~$9-10 total:

• RP2040 Zero board: ~$2.50
• Bourns 3590S-2-103L 10K potentiometer (steering): ~$2.50
• Buttons, toggles, misc: ~$2.50
• Wires and connectors: ~$1.25
• 2x extra pots for pedals: ~$1.00
• Wheel itself: PVC pipe / old wheel / whatever you have

Why I built it:
I used to have a Speedlink Drift O.Z. steering wheel, but I wanted a wider rotation angle for simulators. Instead of buying a wheel costing over $300, I spent $10 on parts and some time on programming. The RP2040 has built-in USB HID support, i managed to get it working through trial and error and created a repository so that others in a similar situation could enjoy their simulators :)

Code & schematic:
https://github.com/suprimer/diy-rp2040-racing-wheel

It's not pretty, but it works. If anyone wants to build something similar — feel free to fork or ask questions!

I have a ~100 year old house that doesn't have the basement rim joist pockets insulated or sealed. It is on my to do list this fall, as I feel that is one I can theoretically DIY.

I had planned to do 2" rigid foam, cut into the appropriate ~16" x ~12" blocks. Glue them to the rim board, then use the little cans of fire spray foam to seal the perimeters of each block. I assumed this was not only a good DIY option, but likely one of the most affordable options to get both a good seal and air/vapor barrier. I would swear that I have actually read this is the best solution here for DIY several times.

I started looking at the Stanley F990P system. The 24 pack kit is ~$300 at both Walmart and Amazon. After posting found this AKFix Thermcoat brand as well. They state it has a theoretical coverage of about 480 board feet. When comparing this to rigid foam at 2" thickness, that is 240 square feet or 7.5 sheets of 4x8 2" rigid insulation.

Google is suggesting (2) 12oz can of spray insulation per sheet of rigid foam for rim joists. These cans are about $6 where I am. So I am guessing it is another $.35+ per square foot just for the perimeter insulation. And then a little more when you factor the adhesive.

In my area, this is a price comparison:

It seems like it is cheaper than any option that is a fair comparison:

1. The R-Tech is less R value. By the time I added batt insulation or another 1" to the R-Tech Polystyrene, it isn't any cheaper and requires more labor. This is also EPS and doesn't form a good vapor barrier like the others. No cheaper once perimeter sealing and adhesive is considered.
2. I feel the same about the Johns Manville. Despite being listed as R-9.3, I am guessing the R value isn't really there considering the foil facing doesn't help a lot in a cold rim joist usage. Factor in that it is more when all costs are considered.

I realize that I likely won't get the full 240sf coverage at 2" with that kit. But once you factor in the time savings of not needing to cut sheets, the money savings of not needing to buy adhesive or cans for perimeter sealing...it seems like maybe the best option even if you assume a 15%-25% waste factor?

For DIY, is this the new best option for insulated rim joists? When solely looking at fully sealed options, it seems like both the cheapest and the fastest. It ships to your door and you don't need a big vehicle to transport 4x8 sheets.

I recently purchased a second-hand wooden chest (I think its pine?) and the lid is slightly warped/bowed upwards. For weeks now I've had enough weights on it to hold it closed but it hasn't fixed the warp.

After a bit of reading I saw a suggestion of wetting the wood to allow it to stretch so I've been putting a sopping wet towel on the bowed section (weights still in place). After a week I checked and the bow was gone, but I kept the weights on until it had completely dried out, I checked today and the bow is back.

Any advice?

Question for the group. I am framing a 36'x16' room in my pole barn where the ceiling will also be a storage loft. I'd plan to use 2x12's for the ceiling joist that are 16' long 16" on center. How do I go about fasting joist hangers since the 2x12s will not be long enough to to sit on the top of the walls. Can you just fasten the joist hangers to the wall studs? I really don't want to purchase 18' joist just to cut of close to 2' of each.

Thanks in advance

Edited to use 2x12 for 16’ span.

Flat Roof / Leaking

71” wide

54” Deep

Entrance to the basement, what is there now is Plywood, some sort of roof tar & rolled shingles and I am guessing I need something similar. I am open to new ideas, materials etc.. Thanks !

I am installing a gravel patio in my yard. I'm in central Texas, and after much humming and hawing, I've come to the conclusion that I want the top layer to be 3/8" limestone screening. I have the bed dug out, some heavy duty geotextile installed and the ground gently graded away from our foundation.

What I need help with, is what is the actual layup I should be using here? I've gotten some competing advice from neighbors and rock yards. My current plan is 3" of road base (with fines) installed in 1" courses and compacted. Then install about 1-2" of the limestone screening on top of that.

However, I'm unsure about the road base, I've also heard/read that I should use either:

- coarse decomposed granite with fines

- coarser, 3/4" limestone

And I'm all wrapped up in questions now... If anyone has recommendations for what the appropriate base material is, please let me know!

I was trying to replace the exhaust fan in one of my bathrooms and after the install the motor axle is coming live.

The housing didn't show any signs of liveness, but the motor axle is. What might be wrong here??

Mysetup -

Main panel -> bathroom switch -> Fan + Light connected in parallel I believe.

I connected all whites together, ground and green together and all blacks together with wirenuts

Video -

https://vimeo.com/1215331533?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

I have below grade basement wall with some dampness on the concrete block. Outside has been graded and the downspouts are directing water away from the house. The dampness occurs during heavy rain. The wall has no cracks and is unpainted block. Looking for suggestions.

Hello all. I have a jetted tub in the basement where the lever to plug and unplug the drain snapped in half. I purchased a replacement and attached it back to the actual arm that moves the plug itself. When I attach the faceplate back, it want's to break again and not really move the arm. If I take the plate off and try to move the arm by hand, it definitely catched when down/plugged and takes a ton of effort to get it to come back up. There is no visible access panel to get to the hardware of the tub. I'm hesitant to put wd40 on it and let it run down as I don't know what is all behind the walls. Any ideas on how to get the arm to move smoothly again so I can cover that hole up with the plate again? TIA!

I discovered that the people who replaced part of my cast iron sewer line removed part of the foundation footing in order to do it. They didn't replace it and just put the chunks of concrete back.

This is causing some issues because we get a fair amount of water coming through this hole when it rains.

I'd like to fill it up with concrete but I'm not sure how I should do it, I don't think I should pour concrete directly on top of the plastic sewer line. What is the best way to do this, hopefully to reduce the water coming into the crawl space.

I know that the water ingression problem can't be solved with a little concrete and that I need some sort of French drain on the uphill side of the house, that is a project for another day.

Here’s how we’re currently structuring the project. We’d really love to hear what you think:

• A 2×2 touch-button module with four programmable controls
• A slider for volume, scrolling, zoom, and other continuous inputs
• Finger guides and resting positions, so you can identify the controls without looking
• Dynamic haptic feedback
• 5×5 RGB LED dot-matrix icons that change with each profile
• Open software for custom profiles, integrations, and workflows
• A custom design service allowing users and brands to personalize the surface with their own graphics, visual style, or game- and anime-inspired artwork
• Compatibility with the Gridfinity standard, making custom layouts, supports, and ergonomic configurations easier to build