Caulking seals cracks, gaps and joints gives bathtubs, baseboards, trim, and molding a polished look. But if you can’t apply the caulk neatly, the messy lines will be all anyone sees. Here’s a quick tip and how to apply caulk neatly.
Cut your caulk tip at a 45-degree angle like you normally would do when opening a new tube of caulk. This angle is perfect for the tip to nest inside the corner of whatever piece you need to be caulked.
Now, here’s the Simple Solution:
Sanding the caulk tube tip inside the wood joint alters the angle to fit perfectly in the joint. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Fold a piece of 120-grit sandpaper in half and crease it very tightly.
Place it in the corner of the 90-degree joint that you’re going to be caulking.
Take the tip and rub it back and forth right against the sandpaper.
Sanding the tip down alters the angle so that it fits perfectly into that 90-degree joint. If you look closely at it, you’ll see that the tip is not just cut at 45 degrees, but it’s also beveled back at 90 degrees, so it’s going to fit perfectly into that joint.
Now, just draw the caulk with nice steady even pressure all the way across the joint and you get a nice neat bead with no wasted caulk. The remaining piece of the tip will act like a putty knife – forcing the caulking deep into the crack – as the tip passes over it.
Adjustable-height desks are popular these days in offices all over the country and now you can have that same flexibility with your workbench with Husky’s new adjustable workbench.
Research suggests there are health benefits to alternating between standing and sitting throughout the day because it both decreases body discomfort and increases blood flow. Husky’s Adjustable-Height Work Table has an ergonomic design that could also reduce eye and back strain and boost your productivity.
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The Husky Adjustable-Height Work Table is a multi-functional adjustable workbench. Its manual crank can raise the table to 36 inches high and lower it to 26 inches.
The 52-by-24-inch solid wood top offers 1,200 square inches of workspace and has a protective coating so your surface looks newer longer.
The table is designed to support up to 300 pounds and the overhang allows you to attach a vise or clamps to secure your work.
The Husky adjustable workbench has two wide drawers that have plenty of storage space. Plus, the drawers can hold up to 35 pounds, so you can fill them with your frequently used tools and accessories.
This adjustable workbench can be used outside the garage. (The Home Depot)
Flexible for Any Work Space
This workbench has plenty of uses around the home, office, hobby room or garage.
Locking polypropylene castors on the Husky adjustable workbench allow for easy movement wherever you need to work.
Don’t need to move your workspace around? The workbench comes with four leveling feet, so you can make it stationary.
The crossbar support can be installed in two different locations, depending on your preference.
Install the support at the center of the table for an open, two-sided work area. Or, install it along the back of the legs to allow you the versatility of stowing your tool storage and rolling cabinets underneath to further organize your workspace.
Watch the video to learn all about this Best New Product!
This week, hear a tip for replacing stair spindles and learn how to clean fabric blinds. (EricVega, Getty Images Signature/Adobe Stock)
Hour 1
Learn a fix for squeaky floors, plus how to clean fabric blinds and whirlpool jets.
Fix for Squeaky Floors
(Eduardocruzphoto, Getty Images)
Ryan’s noisy floors in his Illinois home are becoming a problem for his wife, who’s an RN who works nights and sleeps during the day.
“Almost everywhere you step it’s creaking and squeaking, and it carries throughout the house,” he says.
He wants to know if there’s a solution to fix the floors without removing them. The floors are fairly new floating luxury vinyl plank installed over a fully finished basement with a drop ceiling.
The squeaking sound is a result of friction, materials rubbing together. The mystery is whether the sound is coming from the floor or the subfloor underneath.
We suspect the squeaking is coming from the space where the subfloor meets the floor joists. Whenever putting down a new floor, always screw down the subfloor to prevent this squeaking.
The good news is Ryan has access to the subfloor from below.
To fix this, go into the basement and have someone walk on the floor above so you can see where the squeaking is coming from. Then, take a wooden shim, smear some wood glue on it, and tap it into the joint between the top of the joist and the underside of the plywood subfloor.
Don’t drive the shim in because it will raise the floor. Just tap it in enough to fill the space so the plywood doesn’t bounce up and down.
Try this in one or two places to see if it works. You’ll know almost immediately.
How to Clean Fabric Blinds
(Adobe Stock)
Marjorie in Pennsylvania has several custom-made fabric blinds in her home that need cleaning.
She asks, “Is there an easy, safe way to clean these blinds? They were very expensive and I don’t want to ruin them.”
We know it’s a pain to take them down, but the best way to clean them is to take them down and soak them in a bathtub. Use a mixture of warm water, oxygen bleach and Woolite. Oxygen bleach won’t bleach out the color.
Lightly scrub them with a soft bristle brush and hang them up to dry, preferably outside so the sun can help with the drying process. They’ll drain a lot of water before they’re finally dry.
If you can’t take them down, spray them with rug and upholstery cleaner. Spray it on, let it dry, then vacuum the blinds.
How to Clean Whirlpool Jets
(amriphoto, Getty Images Signature)
Every time Stephanie in Indiana turns on the jets in her Whirlpool tub, black stuff comes out.
“I have tried everything. I’ve tried vinegar, bleach, and blowing out the jets so they are empty, but nothing works. What would you recommend?” she asks.
These whirlpool jets are probably on a closed-loop system, which means that they won’t drain out completely when it’s turned off. As a result, the water stays in the loops in the line, and mildew will grow because it’s dark and wet in there.
Try this method to clean them:
Fill the tub with hot water (the hottest you can possibly get) two inches above the highest jet
Add a half gallon of distilled white vinegar
Run the jets at the highest speed for 15-20 minutes. This circulates the vinegar water through the jets
Drain the tub, then refill it with cold water (no vinegar)
Run the jets for another 10-15 minutes
Depending on how much built-up mildew is in the jets, you might need to repeat this process two or three times.
If this doesn’t work, call the manufacturer and see if they have a commercial product that they recommend.
Hour 2
Listen to a never-before-heard Simple Solution, a tip for replacing stair spindles and more.
Simple Solution for Catching Wood Chips
When drilling large holes, hang an umbrella upside down to catch the wood chips. (Marco Livolsi/photopal, Getty Images)
Trent in Vermont is running a new electrical cable across his basement, a total distance of nearly 40 feet. That means drilling more than two dozen 5/8-inch-diameter holes through the exposed floor joists in the basement ceiling.
“Do you guys have a simple solution for catching all the wood chips? If not, it’s going to be a real pain to clean up”
Of course, you can use a drop cloth to catch the wood chips, but you still run the risk of those wood chips spreading everywhere when moving it across the 40-foot span. You can also have someone follow you with the shop vac as you drill.
But what if you’re working alone? Here’s Joe’s Simple Solution:
Hang a small travel umbrella upside down from the joist that you’re drilling into. Secure it to the joist with a cable staple, nail or screw, so it’s directly below where you’re drilling.
The umbrella will catch the wood chips as you’re drilling, and you can easily dump the chips once the umbrella is full.
Replacing Stair Spindles
If the dowel joints are tight and you use the right interior glue, you don’t have to use finish nails to secure spindles. (EricVega, Getty Images Signature)
Sal from New Jersey is updating the stairs in his house to get rid of the carpeted treads and dated spindles.
“I’ve got new oak treads in place and the handrails are next. My question is about the spindles. They’re dowelled at the top and bottom so I assume they should be glued, but do I need to reinforce that with finish nails too?” he asks.
Some people do Sal, but if the dowel joints are tight and you use the right interior glue, you shouldn’t have to.
The advantage to using glue only is that there are no nail holes to fill so I would recommend using Titebond Original Wood Glue. This stuff quickly builds a bond stronger than the wood itself.
Squirt a little into the holes in the rail and treads, then use a small brush to spread some around on the dowel ends of each spindle. When you get 15 or 20 spindles glued into the handrail and the oak treads, the whole rail system will be super strong and you won’t have to fill nail holes or touch up paint.
Best New Products
Gather around a fire on any outing with Tiki’s new portable fire pit. It’s designed to fit in smaller spaces, plus it emits less smoke! Learn more >>
Save Fascia Board — If the wood fascia boards on your house are experiencing blistered paint, water staining or rot, it’s usually because rainwater running off the roof is dripping behind the gutters.
Fix this by slipping a 3/8-inch-thick by 3/4-inch-wide strip of PT wood, or better yet, a strip of composite or plastic lumber behind the existing metal drip edge. That will kick out the drip edge and divert rainwater into the gutter, not down the face of fascia.
Because lemons are acidic, they can kill bacteria, mold and germs. (Tina Hsu, corelens)
Clean and Disinfect Cutting Boards — Cut a lemon in half crosswise, and sprinkle coarse Kosher salt onto the cutting board. Then, use the cut side of the lemon to scrub the salt into the cutting board.
Scrub for 2-3 minutes, adding more salt, if necessary. Wipe the board clean and let it dry overnight.
If it’s a wooden cutting board, treat it with food-grade mineral oil (not vegetable oil) or butcher-block oil made specifically for wood.
Today’s Homeowner TV host Danny Lipford and Creative Director Scott Gardner sit down in the audio booth to look back on 25 years of Today’s Homeowner TV. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
In this special “Ask Danny,” Scott Gardner, creative director for Today’s Homeowner TV, joins me to look back on 25 years of producing the show.
Scott Gardner and Danny Lipford in the early days of Today’s Homeowner TV. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
I met Scott about 26 years ago when Today’s Homeowner TV was still Remodeling Today, and he was working for a local production company.
Just as our hair and styles have changed over the years, so has the format of the show. In the early days, there were a lot of two-part episodes. The show featured large-scale, lengthy projects from my construction company, so breaking each one up into two episodes made sense.
Nowadays, we focus on smaller projects so we can complete them in a few days. That way, our viewers can see the project from start to finish in each 30-minute episode.
Scott Gardner checks the TV monitor on the set of a Today’s Homeowner TV project in 2020. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Another thing that’s changed over the years is the focus on the homeowner. Years ago, you would never see the homeowner. We focused on the contractors working on the projects, and I would intermittently pop in to give some explanation on the work being done.
Now, the homeowners work on every project, and oftentimes they’re what makes the show so entertaining. Seeing them successfully complete their projects inspires our audience and gives anyone who’s watching the show a sense of “I can do this too!”
Listen to the full podcast for more behind-the-scenes details and funny stories!
Weatherstripping adds a barrier between outside air and indoor living space, helping to block drafts that lead to high heating costs. (Duck® Brand)
One of the quickest energy- and money-saving tasks you can do is weatherstrip your windows and doors.
Weatherstripping is a piece of rubber, foam, metal or other material used to seal the edges of a door or window to prevent outside air from entering.
Air leaks around window and door edges are a leading cause of high energy costs in your home. By sealing uncontrolled air leaks, you can save 10-20 percent on your heating and cooling bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Not sure if you need to weatherstrip? Try this test for air tightness: On a windy day, carefully hold a lit incense stick or a smoke pen next to your windows and doors. If the smoke stream travels horizontally, then you need to apply some weatherstripping.
Weatherizing your home is an easy and affordable DIY project. Here are three prime spots for air leaks and how to weatherstrip them.
Foam weatherstripping conforms to the cracks and gaps in a window frame. (Duck® Brand)
1. Windows
During cold winter months, windows become a prime spot for energy loss.
Gaps around wooden window frames are more noticeable in the winter because of thermal expansion. Basically, warmer temperatures make wood swell, and cooler temperatures cause wood to contract.
Fortunately, you don’t have to replace your windows to make them more energy-efficient in the winter.
Duck® Brand Weatherstrip Sealsaremade of self-adhesive foam for an easy install. Just remove dirt and dust from the project area, measure the space, cut the product to size, remove the protective backing and press the seal into place.
For added assurance, especially in colder climates, consider Duck® Brand Heavy-Duty Weatherstrip Seals. They’re guaranteed to not crack in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Best of all, weatherstripping works year-round, not just to prevent drafts, but also to block dust, pollen and insects from invading your home.
Weatherstrip under doors to block out drafts, pests and outside noise. (Duck® Brand)
2. Doors
Doors are one of the most common sources of leaks and drafts, so it’s important to weatherstrip around their frames just like windows. However, a door’s bottom is a particularly vulnerable spot.
Gaps between a door and floor not only increase drafts but also create a perfect entrance for dirt and pests to penetrate your home.
While inside, look under your entry doors — if the sun shines through, they need bottom seals.
Duck® Brand’s Double Draft Seal is a foam insert you cut to size and secure in place with patented straps. It’s removable, renter-friendly, and works for interior and exterior doors.
The seal won’t slide off or stick to doors, and it won’t damage them. It works with most flooring types, and the fabric cover is machine washable — so you can block drafts in style.
The durable rubber material blocks out drafts, dirt and pests, plus helps reduce noise that enters your home. And because it’s peel-and-stick, it won’t damage your door.
A garage door seal blocks out pests and dirt, so your garage stays cleaner. (slobo, Getty Images Signature)
3. Garage Doors
Now that we’ve talked about applying weatherstipping to your windows and doors, let’s talk about a spot in your home that’s often overlooked when weatherizing — the garage door.
Although a garage isn’t technically a living space — unless it doubles as a man cave — it still needs to be sealed off to block out damaging pests and precipitation.
For example, if water enters your garage, it could damage the floor and possibly seep into the rest of your home.
Most garage doors already have a seal, but over time, wind, water, dirt and pests can deteriorate it. If your garage door is working well, then replacing the seal is an easy DIY job.
Duck® Brand’s Garage Door Bottom Seal is designed to create an airtight seal under garage doors that also keeps dirt and insects out during warmer months. Because it’s made with heavy-duty rubber, it won’t freeze or crack, no matter what the season brings.
Weatherstripping around windows and doors is just one of the many methods to make your home more energy-efficient.
Duck® Brand offers a variety of products to weatherstrip your home to help save energy and money.
This week, we’re transforming a breezeway that looks almost accidental into a more inviting entrance.
Delane Caldwell’s breezeway to her front door is just a narrow hallway to the backyard, but we’re going to find a way to incorporate it more as a living space.
The Projects
Grinding the concrete smooths out the uneven surfaces of the patchwork slabs. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Refinish the Concrete Slab
The concrete in the breezeway looked like a patchwork of slabs. So, to create a uniform-looking slab, we smooth the concrete surface with a grinder.
Coating the breezeway with concrete epoxy paint creates a uniform color throughout the breezeway. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
After we sweep the dust away and rinse the slab off with a water hose, we paint the new smooth slab with a base coat of white epoxy paint.
After the base coat dries, we pop a chalk layout line on the slab to start our stenciling.
This stencil pattern is based on traditional Portuguese Azulejos tile designs. We used black epoxy paint to fill in the tile pattern on the concrete.
Curtains make this space feel more like an outdoor living room than a breezeway. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Hang Curtains
To make the breezeway feel more like a living space, we remove the chain link fence at the end and add curtains.
The fence posts are set in concrete, so to remove them, we’ll need some leverage. After digging up the dirt around the base, we place a concrete block next to the post to act as a fulcrum for our shovel.
To make the curtain rod wide enough to fill the breezeway, we connected two galvanized pipes together with a tee fitting. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Our curtains are going to hang the curtains from a galvanized threaded rod. We first measure the breezeway to ensure our rod is long enough to span the entire opening.
Etching the galvanzied pipe with vinegar ensures the spray paint will stick. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Before we install the rod, we paint it black to match the wrought iron. But, before we can paint, we have to etch the rod with vinegar to ensure the spray paint adheres to it.
Green leafy plants with varying heighth add depth and breadth to the garden space. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Fill Garden Bed
Our next project is to transform the garden bed inside the breezeway from a dirt pit to a green oasis.
We add a mix of green, leafy plants to fill the once-defunct garden space.
We surprised Delane with a smart lock deadbolt to not only dress up her front door but also make her home a little more secure.
The Kwikset Halo Touch Wi-Fi Fingerprint Smart Lock uses Delane’s unique fingerprint to open and lock her front door. This single-cylinder deadbolt also can be locked or unlocked by using the keypad or key from the outside as well as the turn button from the inside.
The smart lock has built-in Wi-Fi that connects directly to the home Wi-Fi network and smartphone for a secure smart home that does not require a third-party smart home hub, panel or subscription.
We also:
Touched up the paint on ironwork with spray paint
Painted front door and patio door dark teal
Today’s Homeowner TV host Danny Lipford and co-host Chelsea Lipford Wolf pose with Delane Caldwell and her father, Tim Caldwell. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Post-Production Thoughts
Delane’s breezeway is the main entrance to her home, but before it had a very tired and haphazard feel to it the random collection of different slabs on the floor only left visitors with questions about what the space was supposed to be.
The sad empty planting bed made the house feel a lot older than it actually was, and the chain link fence made it feel more like a cage than a relaxing space.
But now, the whole Space is taken on the field of a courtyard in a fancy hotel the consistency of the stencil floor ties everything together from the wrought iron gates to the lush green planting beds.
The door adds a pop of color while the fountain adds a cool visual element and a peaceful soundtrack for the space.
The simple curtain rod and the curtains frame the backyard and somehow make it all feel like a resort and we did it all for less than $1,200.
