The Home Improvements Thread (2)

[AlmightyBender]

I am looking into replacing rather old carpets in 3 bedrooms with either Vinyl or Laminate flooring. Anyone here have any experience regarding vinyl flooring and it's installation cost, longevity etc?

I do have limited DIY experience when it comes to floor installation, I do have decent woodworking experience so cutting and planning won't be a big issue, but my worry is that there's small details/tips that I can miss as part of the planning and install process.

If you can afford lose lay tiles then you are good to go, it is very easy. Just watch a few examples on YouTube and it will all make sense. But for sure the advice before me was good: prep, prep, prep, prep that subfloor!

 

[WAslayer]

I am looking into replacing rather old carpets in 3 bedrooms with either Vinyl or Laminate flooring. Anyone here have any experience regarding vinyl flooring and it's installation cost, longevity etc?

I do have limited DIY experience when it comes to floor installation, I do have decent woodworking experience so cutting and planning won't be a big issue, but my worry is that there's small details/tips that I can miss as part of the planning and install process.

Expansion gaps, expansion gaps, expansion gaps, expansion gaps if you lay lose floor.. recommended gap between vertical surfaces and the floor is 8mm, unless you are in an extremely humid area, where you would want to go between 10 - 15mm..

Vinyl is generally less resilient to sharp impacts from things being dropped on the floor, compared to laminate, you would get the face layer chipping off, exposing the wood fibre..

 

[alqassam]

Some nice firewood cut up now

Won't bother splitting as bark is off and wood is dry

 

[xrapidx]

Any opinions on pinning a wall like this over a wire mesh?

 

[Smokey mcpot]

My stamp of approval. I also just add a coat of ns4 over the metal for that extra protection

 

[ToxicBunny]

My only question would be how are those pins attached to the wall itself.

 

[rodga]

What is the cause of the crack? Settlement?

 

[Lupus]

What is the cause of the crack? Settlement?

That's a hectic crack for settlement. I had quite a biggish crack appear after a harsh tremor here in Roodepoort. Filled it with some foam stuff, then contractors acrylic on the outside than rhinolite and I thought it was bad until I saw this one.

 

[rodga]

That's a hectic crack for settlement. I had quite a biggish crack appear after a harsh tremor here in Roodepoort. Filled it with some foam stuff, then contractors acrylic on the outside than rhinolite and I thought it was bad until I saw this one.

That's why I'm asking. No point fixing the crack if the cause has not been sorted out.

 

[Smokey mcpot]

I come across cracks like that all the time and a lot of them settlement related. Pinning is the best solution as it will last quite some time. Other option is to rebuild the wall completely.

looking at the pick again, is that wall part of an extension to the house?

 

[xrapidx]

No idea regarding the wall, just came across the picture on the internet.

I usually use chicken mesh wire... So far it's lasted 8odd years without the crack coming back, and the crack was bad enough I could see the garden on the other side.

 

[rodga]

No idea regarding the wall, just came across the picture on the internet.

I usually use chicken mesh wire... So far it's lasted 8odd years without the crack coming back, and the crack was bad enough I could see the garden on the other side.

Free windows! What's not to like? Lol

 

[abudabi]

Looking for a product like below to do exactly this for a stand-in-bath shower. Silicone just keeps moving/leaking.

 

[Hemi300c]

Looking for a product like below to do exactly this for a stand-in-bath shower. Silicone just keeps moving/leaking.

View attachment 798389

You can get it at Builders but it's expensive. If silicon is done correctly it'll be better than this stuff IMO.

 

[xrapidx]

Bit random - but can anyone recommend a irrigation pump? Finally installed my water tank - next step is connecting it to the irrigation system

 

[qscwbt]

Any opinions on pinning a wall like this over a wire mesh?
View attachment 796387

Here is my personal opinion on the crack. And you might need an expert to come have a look.



The crack is caused by some kind of movement. Pinning the crack is treating the symptom and not the cause. You need to find the cause. Foundation dropping etc

The next issue is with expansion and contraction if you fill the crack with cement the wall has something to kick against to make the crack even bigger.

If the crack is severe its almost better grab a grinder with a diamond blade and cut a vertical straight line through the crack. Then fill it with silicone and make a dry joint.

As the wall will continue moving ( as the cause is not addressed at least the movement will be restricted to the cut joint and not cause further cracks.

 

[alqassam]

Looking for a product like below to do exactly this for a stand-in-bath shower. Silicone just keeps moving/leaking.

View attachment 798389

Try using 90° metal tiling strips and just silicone that one

These plastic things become ugle and grimey.

 

[theratman]

Got my nightmare tenants out and have started some renovations. It's been pretty costly, around 40k for painting, repairs, new grass, thatch repairs, new gutters, etc etc.

The 3 bedroom floors are in need of attention so I'll looking at tiling the floors, removing the farked laminate flooring.

My reasoning is tiles are better wearing and less maintenance, because it'll likely be a rental for the foreseeable future. Any feedback on going for tiles? It's around 36m2.

 

[Steamy Tom]

Got my nightmare tenants out and have started some renovations. It's been pretty costly, around 40k for painting, repairs, new grass, thatch repairs, new gutters, etc etc.

The 3 bedroom floors are in need of attention so I'll looking at tiling the floors, removing the farked laminate flooring.

My reasoning is tiles are better wearing and less maintenance, because it'll likely be a rental for the foreseeable future. Any feedback on going for tiles? It's around 36m2.

Tile it, just do it. Buy extras and keep them (store them somewhere hidden such as a plank between 2 roof trusses) as tenants will even break some of those.

 

[theratman]

Tile it, just do it. Buy extras and keep them (store them somewhere hidden such as a plank between 2 roof trusses) as tenants will even break some of those.

You speak the truth. I have 48 pictures, plus my own, of broken things. The kicker, even the damn municipal bins are gone.

And I seem to have acquired a new spar trolley they left behind. The spar down the road never sent someone to collect it.

I've never had tiles in a bedroom, it's been either carpet or various laminates from poep to decent.