The Home Improvements Thread (2)

[TheBadMadMan]

I'm looking for a free (online) tool to design kitchen and Bathroom. I tried The Duravit tool, but they give you specific items (cant change dimensions of a bath for example)

The PG bison tool don't do Bathrooms - so they won't have baths, toilets etc.

Can any1 assist?

Have you looked at Sketchup?

 

[Tinuva]

Plus 1 on sketchup. Will blow your mind how easy it is once you have the basics down.

 

[piranha786]

Nope, Will have a look, thanks Both

 

[prod]

I have a bunch of stuff that we replaced from the renovations:

1. Old light switches/plug fittings
2. Old lights (ceiling fittings)
3. Old skirting boards
4. Old door handles

What can I do with these? Don't mind donating, just not sure where.

Or should I just put it on GumTree for pickup?

 

[RonSwanson]

I have a bunch of stuff that we replaced from the renovations:

1. Old light switches/plug fittings
2. Old lights (ceiling fittings)
3. Old skirting boards
4. Old door handles

What can I do with these? Don't mind donating, just not sure where.

Or should I just put it on GumTree for pickup?

The pay it forward thread. Just make sure that the guy who collects takes it ALL.

 

[Joeboy69]

And for precast walls ? Also ? But with a bonding liquid as first coat ?

I painted as is with leftover roof paint and it worked well enough

 

[Off-The-Chart]

And for precast walls ? Also ? But with a bonding liquid as first coat ?

currently doing our wall with some Duram Armatex so will see how it goes

I was just too lazy (and since financially it wasn't up to me) so did no primer/bonding liquid as first coat and so far, it looks like it took pretty well

I did try and get rid of as much of the loose flaked paint as best I could with some sand paper, but in some spots where the wall was crumbled from previous times, I didn't bother doing much



just wish we could get rid of the damn feeders because the bird poop is killing the new paint job

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

And for precast walls ? Also ? But with a bonding liquid as first coat ?

Should work as well, as others have pointed out.

I used my excess exterior paint on the precast, but if I didn't have enough I would have sent roof paint on it. It's pretty versatile...

 

[Tabac]

currently doing our wall with some Duram Armatex so will see how it goes

I was just too lazy (and since financially it wasn't up to me) so did no primer/bonding liquid as first coat and so far, it looks like it took pretty well

I did try and get rid of as much of the loose flaked paint as best I could with some sand paper, but in some spots where the wall was crumbled from previous times, I didn't bother doing much

just wish we could get rid of the damn feeders because the bird poop is killing the new paint job

I don't see the pictures.

 

[I.am.Sam]

Gents and ladies

my pool is becoming a little cloudy

my pump runs for about 3 hrs per day

1hr morning, afternoon and evening

im trying different times to see whats bad or not

last month i ran it very little

Now the water is slight cloudy for me and greenish ...very little

what do i do ?

and acid ? what is acid used for

I currrently have a floated and i use 1 cup hth a week and that i run for about 12hrs

 

[Steamy Tom]

Gents and ladies

my pool is becoming a little cloudy

my pump runs for about 3 hrs per day

1hr morning, afternoon and evening

im trying different times to see whats bad or not

last month i ran it very little

Now the water is slight cloudy for me and greenish ...very little

what do i do ?

and acid ? what is acid used for

I currrently have a floated and i use 1 cup hth a week and that i run for about 12hrs

you should run your pool once a day rather over the hottest part of the day unless it is salt chlorinated.

whats the levels looking like?

 

[Tinuva]

Gents and ladies

my pool is becoming a little cloudy

my pump runs for about 3 hrs per day

1hr morning, afternoon and evening

im trying different times to see whats bad or not

last month i ran it very little

Now the water is slight cloudy for me and greenish ...very little

what do i do ?

and acid ? what is acid used for

I currrently have a floated and i use 1 cup hth a week and that i run for about 12hrs

Acid is used to lower the water ph level.
Soda ash is used to up the water ph level.
PH you need to aim for anything from 7.1 to 7.6

Now you need to take a test/reading with a test kit to see what your water ph level is, before you add acid or soda ash. Never both.

Stop using a floater if the level is wrong, a that contains stabilisers that makes it difficult to fix the ph level. First fix the ph level, before continuing the use of floaters.

If your pool is green, generally the chlorine level is probably too low. So add more chlorine. Again, you can also test this with the test kit.

Or if you lazy, take a sample water to a pool shop, they generally do free testing.

Also, as Steamy Tom mentioned, you need to run the pump more on warm summer days.
Mine runs anything from 3-9 hours depending on how much solar is available for the day. Rainy/overcast days it doesn't run.
Also, don't split it over 3 times 1 hour each, rather just do a single run of 3 hours, but I suspect you need more hours in summer and can lower to 2 or 3 in the winter. In winter I just leave the solid cover on the pump doesn't run at all then. When I open it after winter, just need a single day to clear up the dust that accumulated at the bottom, however water is crystal clear.

Edit:
Also, it takes time to adjust ph level. If I added ash or acid, I have to wait 2 to 3 days to see the final effect before adding something again. It really is a game of patience. Otherwise if you just keep throwing stuff in, you end up having too much chemicals in your pool and then it takes a long time before its good to swim in.

 

[GrootBaas]

Do you backwash enough?

 

[_kabal_]

Any recommendations for automated sectional garage doors (supply+fit), Cape Town (Southern Suburbs)?

I used http://www.sagaragedoors.co.za/


Was very happy with the price and work.

Replace single piece flip up wooden doors with sectional rollups

 

[I.am.Sam]

you should run your pool once a day rather over the hottest part of the day unless it is salt chlorinated.

whats the levels looking like?

water levels drop weekly cos of the heat but im topping it up tonight
normally around 1500l water

 

[I.am.Sam]

Do you backwash enough?

yeah weekly for a min

should it be longer ?

 

[Steamy Tom]

water levels drop weekly cos of the heat but im topping it up tonight
normally around 1500l water

sorry I meant ph/chlorine etc

 

[I.am.Sam]

Acid is used to lower the water ph level.
Soda ash is used to up the water ph level.
PH you need to aim for anything from 7.1 to 7.6

Now you need to take a test/reading with a test kit to see what your water ph level is, before you add acid or soda ash. Never both.

Stop using a floater if the level is wrong, a that contains stabilisers that makes it difficult to fix the ph level. First fix the ph level, before continuing the use of floaters.

If your pool is green, generally the chlorine level is probably too low. So add more chlorine. Again, you can also test this with the test kit.

Or if you lazy, take a sample water to a pool shop, they generally do free testing.

Also, as Steamy Tom mentioned, you need to run the pump more on warm summer days.
Mine runs anything from 3-9 hours depending on how much solar is available for the day. Rainy/overcast days it doesn't run.
Also, don't split it over 3 times 1 hour each, rather just do a single run of 3 hours, but I suspect you need more hours in summer and can lower to 2 or 3 in the winter. In winter I just leave the solid cover on the pump doesn't run at all then. When I open it after winter, just need a single day to clear up the dust that accumulated at the bottom, however water is crystal clear.

Edit:
Also, it takes time to adjust ph level. If I added ash or acid, I have to wait 2 to 3 days to see the final effect before adding something again. It really is a game of patience. Otherwise if you just keep throwing stuff in, you end up having too much chemicals in your pool and then it takes a long time before its good to swim in.

yeah thats my worry cos we want to swim weekends

let me try this and see if it works

 

[I.am.Sam]

sorry I meant ph/chlorine etc

last tested was a week ago and chroline was fine
the rest on the test strip was bad

 

[Steamy Tom]

last tested was a week ago and chroline was fine
the rest on the test strip was bad

then you know your issue