Archives: Home Improvement

Plan Your Future Basement Bathroom Before You Build

By Todd Fratzel on Basements, Bathrooms, Plumbing

If you’re getting ready to build a new home then you should be planning a future bathroom before you begin construction. Today more than ever people are building living space in their basements to increase the available living space and value of their home. Having a basement bathroom is a huge bonus for the functionality…

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Reverse Privacy Lock Sets to Child Proof

By Todd Fratzel on Doors

We have child proofed a couple of doors in our house by simply reversing the privacy lock sets. In particular we have used this method on the door leading to our basement stairs and the utility room in the basement. This is a really simple method to child proof doors without having bulky door knob…

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How To Use Swanson Speed Squares

By Todd Fratzel on Power Tools

Do you know how to use a Swanson Speed Square? I’m sure you’ve seen a speed square before, most every carpenter you run into has one hanging from their tool belt. Learning how to use a speed square is a very valuable carpentry skill. Most people use speed squares as a perpendicular cross-cutting guide for…

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Delta Table Saw Mobile Base

By Todd Fratzel on Power Tools, Product Reviews

If you own a table saw you should buy yourself a mobile base for it. I purchased a Delta Table Saw Mobile Base several years ago and I can’t imagine owning a table saw without it. There are numerous table saw mobile bases available on the market. Most of them are universal designs that allow…

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Radiant Tubing Into Concrete Slab Detail

By Todd Fratzel on Air Conditioning, Foundations

Radiant Slab Heat This post is an answer to a question a reader asked the other day. “How should I treat the radiant tubing into concrete slab detail?” It just so happens that I installed the radiant tubing in our new home so I’ve got a bit of experience with this detail. Installing radiant tubing…

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Furniture Style Bathroom Vanities

By Todd Fratzel on Bathrooms, Interior Decorating

One of the popular trends in bathrooms is using furniture style vanities. Using a piece of furniture as the vanity base can give your bathroom a unique and warm feel. You can use an existing piece of furniture or you can buy vanity pieces that look like they were furniture at one time. In the…

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Sherwin Williams DeckScapes Clear Deck Sealer

By Todd Fratzel on Decks & Porches, Painting and Finishing, Product Reviews

The other day I power washed the deck and farmers porch. Now I need to choose a sealer to protect the Cambara decking. When we built the house I used Penofin Penetrating Sealer to seal the cambara decking. Well I’ve been pretty unhappy with that sealer. I don’t think it has held up well at…

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Makita LCT300W 18V Compact Lithium-Ion 3PC Cordless Combo

By Todd Fratzel on Power Tools

The Makita LCT300W 18V Compact Lithium-Ion 3PC Cordless Combo is a serious 1/2 inch cordless drill combo package for the serious handyman. The Makita 3 pc Combo Kit includes: Makita BTD142HW 18V Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver Makita BDF452HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Driver Drill Kit Makita BML185W 18V LXT Flashlight If you purchase these separately they…

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