The Home Improvements Thread (2)

[Priapus]

Towels

Oooh that’s a good idea…

 

[WAslayer]

Is there something that I can paint this with to weather proof it for hanging outside in direct sun/rain ?

Polyurethane sealer, something like a nova 17..

 

[xrapidx]

Oooh that’s a good idea…

Actually came from the jacuzzi room where we used it for towels - no idea where my wife found it though, its quite old - was going in the bin.

 

[xrapidx]

Polyurethane sealer, something like a nova 17..

I actually think I have some left over from another project somewhere. Just do a few extra coats

 

[Hemi300c]

Not sure tldr...........

Has anyone installed Isoboard instead of ceiling board/rhinoboard in order to give insulation and how's it working?

Also which product in ceiling have you installed and are you happy with the insulation?

 

[WAslayer]

Not sure tldr...........

Has anyone installed Isoboard instead of ceiling board/rhinoboard in order to give insulation and how's it working?

Also which product in ceiling have you installed and are you happy with the insulation?

Isotherm.. works a treat.. just make sure you get the correct thickness to get to the recommended r rating for your region..

 

[K.J]

If you are in Cape Town, your carport is going to need plans, irrespective of whether it's closed off or not..

Any idea if you’d need plans for a carport in Gauteng?

I want to put something like this on a boundary wall, similar like how some guys put a lapa, but rather sheeted

 

[Mosgi]

Any idea if you’d need plans for a carport in Gauteng?

I want to put something like this on a boundary wall, similar like how some guys put a lapa, but rather sheeted

For your sake I hope you don't, they are horrible to work with and get things out of them. The new system is well designed but for some reasons they come back with reasons not to approve because of things already submitted.

I'll see if I can find the link to the COJ site where they speak of what is needs and what doesn't - ironically my inspector wasn't sure of the rules and I had to provide training on the rules around sheds and doll houses... 0_0

 

[Vetseun]

Throwing a random question out to see if someone has some advice. Recently replace the internal garage door and lockset. Old door you could gently swing closed behind you and it would just shut... on the new door the little tongue from the lock doesn't want to move when you swing it shut. I have to use the handle each time. The new door / lock fits exactly like the old door.

Admittedly, this is a tiny irritant, but is there a way to get this to shut on its own like it use to do? I think it's probably because the new lock / springs are stiffer than the old lock, so more difficult to depress. But maybe someone has a clever way of solving this?

 

[Stokstert]

Throwing a random question out to see if someone has some advice. Recently replace the internal garage door and lockset. Old door you could gently swing closed behind you and it would just shut... on the new door the little tongue from the lock doesn't want to move when you swing it shut. I have to use the handle each time. The new door / lock fits exactly like the old door.

Admittedly, this is a tiny irritant, but is there a way to get this to shut on its own like it use to do? I think it's probably because the new lock / springs are stiffer than the old lock, so more difficult to depress. But maybe someone has a clever way of solving this?

Spray the tongue and striker plate with Wynn's Wynflon.

 

[Mosgi]

The rough section where the balustrades were spray painted which currently looks like trash, which is forcing the painting essentially.

The state of the pool (poo)

Thanks for all the suggestions and recommendations.

Painted the area around the pool with Pave-cote as recommended and it's worked a treat. At the bottom of the picture you'll see the waterfront channel grate aystems, also recommended here to move water away from the bottom of the stairs.

On the other Q I asked about pool chemicals, realised my problem is actually the rock pool fountain feature. If I don't run water over all the little pools the water develops a lot of algae, so when it rains, a concentrated sludge overflows into the pool.

This then has an aggressive greening effect on the pool. So it seems all that's fine, I'm just using a lot of chemicals because I've been allowing a concentrated algae dump into the pool, and I need to monitor the water and get the gardener to keep those clean.

Anyway, getting closer to the end.

 

[spiff]

So, this gives me one possible idea for a “problem” I have.

My boundary wall backs on to a school - where kids walk only during some classes. Not super busy. But sometimes annoying because kids will be kids.

I wanted to extend the wall higher. But that means speaking to school and coin or. I’m wondering if the grey panels you have will work out better.

Where do you get them from?

got them through a supplier. think he said from a company in Killarney Gardens. The nutec fence is free standing and not part of the original ugly vibracrete wall

 

[spiff]

still looking for smart exterior colored led flood lights that can be ganged together and controlled from 1 app?

any suggestions?

 

[Priapus]

still looking for smart exterior colored led flood lights that can be ganged together and controlled from 1 app?

any suggestions?

I'd rather setup Home Assistant and connect the lights in series - then to a Sonoff Basic.

You can just use the Sonoff basic on it's own, without HA; using the app - but it needs internet access. Which is not ideal.

 

[Priapus]

Thanks for all the suggestions and recommendations.

Painted the area around the pool with Pave-cote as recommended and it's worked a treat. At the bottom of the picture you'll see the waterfront channel grate aystems, also recommended here to move water away from the bottom of the stairs.

On the other Q I asked about pool chemicals, realised my problem is actually the rock pool fountain feature. If I don't run water over all the little pools the water develops a lot of algae, so when it rains, a concentrated sludge overflows into the pool.

This then has an aggressive greening effect on the pool. So it seems all that's fine, I'm just using a lot of chemicals because I've been allowing a concentrated algae dump into the pool, and I need to monitor the water and get the gardener to keep those clean.

Anyway, getting closer to the end.

That's an epic setup.

 

[spiff]

I'd rather setup Home Assistant and connect the lights in series - then to a Sonoff Basic.

You can just use the Sonoff basic on it's own, without HA; using the app - but it needs internet access. Which is not ideal.

I do have a few sonoff's - unfortunately my alexa committed suicide after taking a dive off the shelf

I more looking at the actual type of led lights to use for a total length of 21m

 

[derp90]

I looked at some samples of vinyl and laminate flooring. It seems the laminate would feel more like wood underfoot as it's thicker and more solid than the laminate.

Cons are it's noisier (again kind of like real wood) and can be susceptible to water damage. It's a difficult decision.;

 

[WAslayer]

I looked at some samples of vinyl and laminate flooring. It seems the laminate would feel more like wood underfoot as it's thicker and more solid than the laminate.

Cons are it's noisier (again kind of like real wood) and can be susceptible to water damage. It's a difficult decision.;

You can use an acoustic underlay for laminate, which helps with the noise and you can specifically look at water resistant laminates, they would specifically state water resistance as part of product spec, to help with that.. realistically though, if you dry up a spill in a few minutes, any laminate would handle spills just fine.. on the other end of the spectrum, no laminate is going to stand up against a flood and water getting underneath the laminate board all together..

 

[spiff]

I looked at some samples of vinyl and laminate flooring. It seems the laminate would feel more like wood underfoot as it's thicker and more solid than the laminate.

Cons are it's noisier (again kind of like real wood) and can be susceptible to water damage. It's a difficult decision.;

I've got acoustic underlay and it's perfect.

 

[derp90]

I've got acoustic underlay and it's perfect.

Did you specifically opt for laminate over vinyl? What were your reasons?