Sustainable living protects our ecosystem and preserves natural resources for future generations — and it improves the quality of our lives.
Living “green” means being aware of how your actions affect the environment and those around you. Then, you can take everyday actions to improve outcomes.
This may sound like a tall order, but this lifestyle shift doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Here are some simple things you can do now to transform your home for sustainable living.
A key part of sustainable living is using only energy you need — that starts with insulating your home. Doing so will conserve energy, save you money and increase personal comfort.
The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association estimates up to 90 percent of homes are underinsulated. So, your home probably could use more insulation!
However, not all insulation is equal — or sustainable. Some companies use large amounts of non-renewable energy to produce their insulation, which has negative environmental impact.
“Embodied carbon refers to the carbon dioxide equivalent emitted throughout the product life-cycle, including raw material extraction, transportation, and manufacture,” the company’s website states.
In addition to being sustainably produced and soft as cotton, it’s made with natural materials. Owens Corning PINK Next Gen Fiberglas Insulation has the highest recycled content in the industry.
PINK Next Gen Fiberglas batts come in pre-cut lengths to save time, making them ideal for framed cavities. The batts are extra stiff, so they slide in easily and resist slumping in areas like walls. And if you need to make cuts, they split cleanly.
After installing insulation in the attic and crawlspace, you need to prevent inside air from escaping, and outside air from getting in — here’s how to eliminate cracks and gaps:
Caulk around windows and doors. Homes expand and contract due to humidity changes, so you should do this each summer and winter.
Check each entry door’s threshold for damage and replace a failing rubber seal — or the entire threshold — as needed.
Check for gaps between the threshold and the door and install door sweeps as needed. Some door sweeps attach to the bottom of the door; others are mounted inside the door.
You also can insulate electrical outlets, install or replace weatherstripping in windows and doors, and cover window air conditioners for a weather-tight seal.
Garage sales are a great place to find like-new furnishings for your home. (shironosov, Getty Images)
2. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Living sustainably is all about keeping as much out of the landfill as you can. To do that, start with the 3 Rs — reduce, reuse, recycle.
Reduce: Ditch bottled water and install a home water filter to save money, have healthier drinking water, and help the environment. Eliminating bottled water consumption cuts down its carbon footprint left from transportation to stores and discarded plastic bottles.
Reuse: Furnishing your home? Avoid fast furniture! Like fast fashion, these furniture pieces are mass-produced and relatively inexpensive, so they’re easy to obtain and then abandon. Instead, look for second-hand furniture at online marketplaces, thrift stores and yard sales.
Recycle: Buying new items for your home? Look for the post-consumer label. This means the product is made from recycled materials. You might be surprised at how many things are made from post-consumer recyclables — fences, playground equipment, carpet, and even roofing shingles can be created from garbage.
But to get to that post-consumer point, people need to make the simple decision to recycle at home. Hang these recycling bins on your garage wall so they’re not only out of the way but also in plain sight so you won’t forget this important step!
To keep electronics from using energy when they’re not in use, plug them into a power strip that you can turn on and off. (DonNichols, Getty Images Signature)
3. Unplug Devices Not in Use
Just because an electronic device is turned off doesn’t mean it’s using no power.
Energy vampires are electronic items that suck up electricity when not in use (phantom power) — adding at least 10 percent to your monthly utility bill, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
If you have a light switch that can turn outlets off and on, plug your biggest electronic items (such as TVs and computers) into these switch-controlled outlets, and simply flip the switch when you no longer need the device.
Alternatively, plug media devices — some of the worst energy-sucking offenders — into a power strip and, again, control their power use with a switch.
If neither is an option, avoid leaving your TV or computer idle; power off the flat screen and put the laptop in sleep or hibernate mode. Or simply unplug devices you’re not currently using.
Solar power panels can provide electricity and heat your home’s water. (zstockphotos)
4. Use Renewable Energy Sources
Reducing dependence on non-renewable fuels is at the core of sustainable living, and there’s no better renewable energy source than the sun.
Solar technologies convert sunlight into electrical energy through photovoltaic panels or mirrors that concentrate solar radiation, according to energy.gov. Integrating solar power into your home can be as simple as installing a single panel and battery system or as robust as having a full array of panels powering your entire home.
Solar power can provide electricity for air conditioning, lighting and appliances, and it has virtually no environmental footprint. You can also use solar power to heat your home’s water.
Solar water-heating systems likey won’t provide all the hot water you may need, but for most folks, it can cover 50-80 percent of your hot water needs. Although these systems use some energy, the cost to operate them is only about 10 percent of a conventional water heating system.
Not ready to commit to these big-ticket solar-powered items? Start small with solar lighting to illuminate your landscape and — bonus — deter intruders from coming near your home.
A Little Free Library can foster a sense of community and promote education and literacy. (Scott Fields, Getty Images)
5. Share and Share Alike
Sustainable living isn’t just about the environment. The three pillars of sustainability are environmental, economic and social, and one of the social goals is to educate your community.
You can share knowledge with neighbors by passing along books you’ve read. Little Free Library, a nonprofit organization, promotes literacy, creativity and community through book exchanges.
The signature bookcase — resembling a small building — makes a Little Free Library instantly recognizable. It’s usually made of wood, mounted on a post, and has a door with a window to protect books from the elements.
Another way to share with your community is to grow a community or victory garden. Conventional food distribution with long-distance transportation to grocery stores exhausts energy and human resources.
By growing produce, you can reduce the demand for commercially grown vegetables. Plus, if you grow enough, your can share your surplus harvest with neighbors and reduce food waste.
These are just a few lifestyle changes you can make to live more sustainably. Find more information and tools to help reduce your impact on the environment on the EPA’s Greener Living website.
This week, hear how to replace two small windows with a large one and learn why cold weather can make propane less effective. (PC Photography, Getty Images/gmnicholas, Getty Images Signature)
Note: Audio from the latest episode of “The Today’s Homeowner Radio Show” is available Sundays after 4 p.m. CST.
Hour 1
Hear how to install laminate flooring around a door jamb, repair cracks in plaster and more.
Installing Laminate Flooring Around Door Jambs
To install laminate flooring around door jambs, you’ll need to trim the jamb with a saw so the flooring can slip under it. (Ocskaymark, Getty Images)
A caller asks: “How do you cut laminate flooring to fit neatly around door jambs in a cased opening between two rooms?”
Most of the time, you’re not cutting the flooring, but you’re cutting the bottom of the jamb where it hits the floor.
A tool called a jamb saw is perfect for doing this. It’s like a circular saw, but the blade is turned 90 degrees so you can easily slide it into the jamb. You can rent one of these from a home center.
If you don’t want to rent a jamb saw, you can take a scrap piece of the flooring and put it on the subfloor against the jamb to get its exact height. If there’s any type of underlayment that goes under the laminate flooring, put that under it as well.
Then, use a reciprocating saw or a hand saw to cut a little bit off of the jamb so the flooring can slip under it. The thickness of the blade should leave enough room for the laminate flooring to expand and contract.
If you see a crack in your plaster, don’t panic! Small cracks can be repaired fairly easily. (Courtesy of Wes Burchell)
“What’s the best way to repair this old plaster wall?
Working with plaster is a little like working with drywall, but the final finish can be tricky to match.
The first thing you need to do is scrape out the crack using the pointed tip of a can opener. What you’re doing is widening that crack into a v-shaped opening to hold more plaster compound. Make it at least a quarter-inch wide.
Then, vacuum the dust out of the crack and clean the surface around it with a damp towel to remove any dust.
Then, you use joint compound or patching plaster to fill in the crack.
Once the crack is patched, prime and paint it to match the rest of the wall. With any paint repair, don’t just paint the repair area. Spread the paint out at least a couple of feet in each direction.
Hear a caller’s Simple Solution suggestion: how to replace two small windows with a large one, and more.
Simple Solution Suggestion
The effervescent action of denture tablets loosens buildup in a drain and makes it easier to flush away. (LdF, Getty Images Signature/laymul, Getty Images)
Diane McClaskey in Missouri has a potential Simple Solution suggestion for cleaning a sink drain.
After removing the pop-up stopper, add six to eight denture cleaning tablets to the drain, and add just a little water. Wait to let the cleaning begin, and add a little water as needed until clean.
The effervescent action will help to break up any dirt or grime and leave your sink sparkling clean!
So why would this work? The main ingredient in denture cleaning tablets is sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda.
Replacing two small windows with a large one is a great way to let in more light and improve your home’s curb appeal. (PC Photography, Getty Images)
A caller wants to replace two small windows with a larger one in her living. There’s a six-inch wall in between the windows, and she was told she needed to put in a header.
“I don’t know how to do this. Can you explain please?” she asks.
When you take a window out, you need to replace it with something to fill that void. A header basically is a 2-by-4 to a 2-by-12. A header spans horizontally above the window to support its weight. This prevents the ceiling joists, roof rafters, and anything above that might be bearing down on the window from sagging.
However, it’s a very tricky project. First, you have to access that area, and that’s done by cutting the drywall or plaster away from the inside above the upper part of the window opening so you’ll have room to cut out whatever’s there and put in the new beam.
Unless you’re very good at carpentry work, I suggest calling a professional to do this. The last thing you want is any sagging on the window down the road.
A professional can also ensure the new window is sealed properly to avoid drafts and energy loss.
Call your local home builder’s association and ask for their recommendations.
Can Cold Temps Damage a Propane Tank?
Cold temperatures can cause propane to become less effective. (gmnicholas, Getty Images Signature)
A caller says: “I have a backup propane tank that I store in my garage. It’s been there for over a year. I can’t get my grill to start with it. Does storing the tank for that long in a cold garage damage it?”
In order to keep propane in a liquid state, it has to be stored under pressure. Cold temperatures can cause the liquid propane to condense, which can then decrease the pressure inside the tank.
Propane turns to a liquid at -42 degrees C; if it gets that cold or colder, the pressure inside your propane tank will drop, eventually reaching a point where it is too low to effectively light a grill or other appliances, according to Lansing Ice and Fuel.
Bring it inside and let it warm up and check the level of gas. When in doubt, take it to get it refilled.
In the future, to keep the pressure higher, keep the tank at least 30 percent full at all times, and use a small insulated frame shelter to protect the tank from colder temperatures.
Best New Products
MSI’s new peel-and-stick backsplash gives you the look of real tile without all the hassle of a traditional thin-set application. Learn more >>
Simple Solutions
Using a power drill to wrap nylon string around a spool will speed up the process and lessen the likelihood of tangles. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Fast and Neat Way to Wind String onto a Spool — A spool of nylon string can be used for many things — general crafting, fishing and hunting, and laying mason lines.
The string is easy to unwind off the spool, but it’s not as easy to get back on after you’ve used it. Winding it by hand back onto the spool can lead to tangles and uneven distribution. And eventually, you’ve got an unusable mess that you have to cut up. Here’s a much better, and faster, solution:
Take a screw and drive it through the end of the plastic housing that the spool is on. Then, chuck it into a drill.
Turn on the drill to the lowest setting, and just like that, you can now use the power of the drill to put the line back on the spool.
It only takes a few seconds to wind the nylon string back onto the spool! As you’re winding up the nylon string, slowly move it back and forth along the spool. This way, you don’t overload one side or the other, and the string winds up neatly every time.
A toilet bowl cleaner’s spout makes it perfect for pouring into grout lines. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Inexpensive Alternative to Commercial Grout Cleaners — If you have tile in your home, chances are you’ve spent some time cleaning grout. While there are several grout cleaning products on the market, you might have something in your home right now that works just as well — toilet bowl cleaner.
Regular old toilet bowl cleaner that comes in a squeeze bottle can clean grout! Toilet bowl cleaner contains bleach, so it will not only lighten grout stains, but it will also kill any mold or mildew.
Plus, toilet bowl cleaner is cheaper than grout cleaner.
This week, Artie McGowan, master plumber and owner of Colony Plumbing in Mobile, Ala., is back! He’s providing answers to more common plumbing problems, like dripping faucets, long waits for hot water and more.
He’s a long-time friend of mine who’s also done hundreds of jobs for my construction company.
Often, it’s easier to replace a dripping tub faucet than it is to repair it. (pastorscott, Getty Images Signature)
Dripping Faucets
What should you do if water pours from a shower-tub combo’s faucet while the shower is on and water drips from the shower head when it’s off?
Artie: If it’s a tub spout, the best thing to do is replace it. Some have repair kits, but it’s usually not worth it.
Unscrew the spout, take it to Home Depot, and they’ll have a replacement for it that will more than likely match it very easily.
With older faucets that have a third handle in the middle, you’ll need to take the stem assembly out and put a backup seal on it as well as a new washer. This can get complicated, so I’d suggest calling a plumber.
Also, call a plumber if you have a newer single-lever valve that has a push button under the handle instead of a spout to divert the water.
If your water takes a long time to heat up, it’s time to invest in a hybrid recirculating valve. (aristotoo, Getty Images Signature)
Long Waits for Hot Water
What’s the best way to address long wait times for hot water to reach the faucet?
Artie: If you have a tank water heater, you can install a hybrid recirculating valve on the top. Once you do that, install take a transfer valve on the faucet plumbing. This pushes the hot water gently into the cold side — that way you don’t have to run a separate recirculation line.
This gives you hot water much more quickly in bathrooms that are farther away from the water heater.
The other way, of course, is to install a recirculation line, but the problem with that is you have to find a way to snake it through the house.
Tankless water heaters nowadays have a recirculating pump already installed. If you don’t want to go tankless, you can invest in a hybrid hot water heater.
If your water meter lacks a flow indicator, write down the numbers that appear on the meter followed by the number on the hand of the large rotary dial. Check the meter again after an hour and write down any changes in the numbers or dials. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Finding a Water Leak
What is the best way to diagnose a leak around or in your home?
Artie: I suggest turning off all the appliances that use water in your home and checking the meter. Most newer meters have a tattletale dial on them, so you can see if any water is being used when everything is turned off.
Older meters will have a triangle that turns. With the newer digital ones that you can read with the satellite, you need to close the lid and open it again. On the right, you’ll see a tattle tale number that will let you know if you’re losing any amount of water.
If after you’ve done this and you see the meter is moving, turn off the valve to the water heater. This kills half the water to the house. If the meter is still moving, then you know the problem is on the cold side and the problem could be in the yard or underneath the foundation.
If it did stop moving after you turned off the water heater, then the problem is on the hot side, and you know where to look.
Electric water heaters take longer to recover after all the hot water has been used. (JulNichols, Getty Images Signature)
Electric vs. Gas Water Heaters
If you have a choice between an electric water heater and a gas one, which would you choose?
Artie: If gas is available, I’ll always go with gas. It recovers quicker, it’s cheaper to run and it’s much more efficient.
Electric takes longer to recover and heat up. You can wait a half hour, 45 minutes for the tank to heat back up. And if you have a large family on a 50-gallon tank, you could be waiting two hours on hot water.
Draining your water heater once a year removes sediment from the tank that can cause it to work harder and cost more to use. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Draining a Water Heater
Why is it important to drain your water heater at least every couple of years?
Artie: Believe it or not, most people do nothing to their water heaters.
When high-velocity water is being used (pressurized water to push debris out of pipes to prevent blockage), all that crust builds up and drops to the bottom of the heater.
Even if there’s a swifter in the bottom that pushes it around to get it out of the system, it cakes up down there. And then, you’ll start to lose the efficiency of your heat.
Imagine putting a thick layer of insulation on the bottom of your tank, and the tank has to heat through that to get through the water. This is why you should drain your water heater at least every two years.
Ask a question and we could answer it on the “Today’s Homeowner Podcast!” We also may use it on our nationally syndicated radio broadcast or on todayshomeowner.com.
Kelly and Jennifer Foster love improving their home, but their closet has them stumped — what’s good for him isn’t necessarily good for her. So, we’re creating a custom closet system to maximize storage space in a couple’s divided closet.
The Projects
The shelves on Jennifer’s side of the closet create space for purses, shoes and folded clothes. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Build new shelving
The first step in creating a custom closet system is to remove the old wire shelving. These builder-grade wire shelves are common in newer homes, but they’re not very user-friendly. The slats are the right size for hangers, but it’s impossible to slide them to create more space.
After the shelves are out, we patch the holes left behind and set up Kelly to paint the closet walls and Jennifer to pre-paint the shelf boards we’ll be using for the new storage systems.
And on the dividing wall, we install wall hooks to hang necklaces on.(3 Echoes Content Studio)
The shelving unit on Jennifer’s side of the closet is too large to assemble outside, so we put it together inside the closet. It includes space for purses, folded clothes, and cubbies for bins.
To create space for shoe storage, we remove the hanging towel cabinet and use it as a base for more shelves.
The double horizontal rods maximize the number of shirts that can hang in the closet. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
For Kelly’s side of the closet, we install double horizontal rods to get double the amount of hanging space.
For his shoe rack, we build a smaller version of the shelf unit Chelsea built earlier. But because of its size, we can assemble this one entirely in the garage.
This laundry chute/linen cabinet combo provides space for storing towels. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Install laundry chute
Every time Kelly and Jennifer walk into their closet, their eyes are immediately drawn to their dirty clothes hamper.
Since their laundry room is on the other side of the wall on Kelly’s side, we install a laundry chute so the dirty clothes can go straight to where they need to be.
To finish the opening, we build a box that exactly fits the space and adds trim on one side so we can slip into position and add trim on the other side.
Then, we add shelves to stock clean towels. This one opening serves as both a linen cabinet and laundry chute.
Kelly and Jennifer have a spacious closet but there was very little about it that was efficient or convenient. The wire shelves only offered the bare minimum to utilize the space available not to mention the fact that there was nothing “pretty” about them.
But now, the space feels even larger thanks to a custom closet system that features shelving that organizes and displays the contents of the closet for both ease of use and visual appeal. And the addition of all those horizontal surfaces hasn’t reduced the hanging space at all because the double rods we installed have made up the difference.
Plus, the new laundry chute/linen cabinet combo is the definition of efficiency.
Other Tips From This Episode
Products Featured in This Episode
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Everyone loves a tile backsplash, but not everyone is a fan of the work and mess that goes into them. This new peel-and-stick backsplash from MSI gives you the look of a real tile backsplash without all the hassle.
This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product from these links, we will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
This peel-and-stick backsplash gives you the look of real stone at the fraction of the cost. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
This gray stone mosaic tile look-alike interlocks, so it looks like real tile!
It’s perfect for refreshing kitchen backsplashes, creating bedroom accent walls and even updating bookshelf insets quickly, affordably and easily.
This gray stone mosaic tile look-alike even interlocks like real tile! (The Home Depot)
Mess-Free Installation
This peel-and-stick backsplash is a DIY dream come true because you get the look you want with less work to “Do Yourself.”
There’s no grout or thin-set required to install them. With its heavy-duty adhesive, it stands the test of time even in the busiest homes and light commercial environments.
Tips for Installing
Before applying this peel-and-stick backsplash, inspect all the tiles. Natural stone products inherently lack uniformity and vary in color, shade, finish, etc., so it’s best to blend tiles from different boxes when you install it.
Natural stones sometimes have dry seams and pits that are often filled. The filling can work its way out, so you might need to refill these voids as part of normal maintenance.
Watch the video to learn all about this Best New Product!
This week, hear our thoughts on extending a tile backsplash to a side wall and tips for hanging outdoor holiday lights. (Greg Wolf/bauhaus1000, Getty Images Signature)
Hour 1
Hear Joe’s tips for hanging holiday lights, options for installing a side wall tile backsplash, repairing a rotten door jamb, and more.
Tips for Hanging Holiday Lights
Net lights, like the one on these bushes, evenly distribute lights on contoured surfaces. (bauhaus1000, Getty Images Signature)
Winter’s almost here, and as the days are getting shorter, there’s one bright spot on the horizon — it’s now time to decorate your home with holiday lights!
When hanging holiday lights on your home, switch up the types to add some variety.
To highlight your roof, use traditional C9 or icicle lights. Run C9 string lights along the eaves — usually attached to the gutters — and then up the gable ends to the peak of the roof. You can also place C9 light strands vertically down each corner of the house to outline your home for more brightness and definition. Or, string icicle lights from second-story balconies or perimeter joists of decks, or hang them from rain gutters.
For wrapping columns, railings or trees, use mini string lights. Mini strings have bulbs closely spaced along the strand for more lights overall, so they’re ideal for spiral-wrapping columns, posts, and porch and deck railings.
To illuminate shrubs, bushes and hedges, use net lights. These lights are easy to drape over contoured surfaces.
Use spotlights to illuminate certain areas of your home, like where wreaths are hanging.
Quick tip: Never connect strings of lights together that are different light counts. For instance, don’t connect a 100-light string to a 50-light string. If you mismatch the light counts, the string with the fewest bulbs with burn out prematurely.
Should you add a tile backsplash to this side wall? It depends on your preferences. (Photo courtesy Greg Wolf)
A homeowner is installing a tile backsplash in his kitchen between the upper cabinets and the back edge of the countertop, and he wants to know the preferred installation on the blank side wall.
“Do you keep that blank? Tile it from the bottom of the top cabinet all the way down? Or add an edging piece on the bottom? My main two concerns are the look and if it does not have a backsplash then it leaves that part of the wall unprotected,” he says.
Essentially, what he’s asking is how to finish off that edge that’s not capped off by the cabinets or the countertop backsplash. There are several different things you can do, and what it really boils down to is your personal preference.
What we’ve done most often in a case like this is not install the backsplash on that outer wall — just butt it up to the corner, and leave the tile backsplash in between the cabinet and counter. Of course, this doesn’t give that wall any protection.
However, we’ve also done it the other way, bringing the tile even to under the wall cabinet and matching it to the top of the countertop. Then, add a metal strip at the top and end of the backsplash to give it a finished look. Depending on the type of tile you use, you can use grout instead. Just be sure to use some painter’s tape to get a clean line.
A middle-of-the-road option is to continue the backsplash but only to the point of the upper cabinet. Don’t extend it to the front edge of the countertop. This way, it wraps around the corner but doesn’t stick too far out.
Repairing a Rotting Door Jamb
This rotten door jamb can easily be fixed with some auto body filler. (Photo courtesy Wes Allbrighton)
When you’re dealing with damaged woodwork, the question that always follows is, “Do I repair it or do I replace it?”
The answer can be found in the purpose of the damaged component. If its function is purely aesthetic — like molding, trim, or siding — then it can often be patched.
Automobile body filler, like Bondo, is a great choice because this two-part compound dries very hard, very quickly, so you can fill voids and make repairs very easily.
Once it’s dry, sand it just like wood to create a smooth, finished surface.
Hear tips for hiding electronic cords, addressing condensation issues on A/C ducts and more.
Tip for Hiding Electronic Cords
Dangling TV cords are an eyesore. We have two ways you can hide them. (Adobe Stock)
A homeowner is looking for advice on how to hide ugly electronic cords.
“We remodeled our family room recently and installed a new flat-screen TV and sound system. The TV is mounted to the wall and the rest of the electronic equipment is on nearby shelves. The problem is that there are wires everywhere. We tried tucking them away and securing them with zip ties, but it’s still an ugly, tangled mess. Do you know how I can hide the wires from view?” he asks.
This is a very common problem with several different approaches to solve it.
The easiest option is to use a cable raceway. It’s a plastic cover that attaches to the wall with adhesive. You can paint it to match the wall, and that way, you won’t see any dangling wires.
However, nothing is as good as routing the lines behind the wall. If the equipment can be located below the TV, like on a shelf, you can drop the wires inside the wall and bring them out by the electrical outlet.
Addressing Condensation Issues on A/C Ducts
Foil-faced duct insulation won’t help with condensation unless the ducts are sealed with mastic. (Kameleon007, Getty Images Signature)
A homeowner is concerned about humidity and condensation problems with his insulated A/C ducts. They’re wrapped with foil-faced insulation, which he says appears to be in good condition.
He wants to know: “Can I simply wrap the ducts with another layer of insulated foil-faced duct insulation? Or, can I drape unfaced batts over and around the ducts? Or, would it be best to remove all the existing insulation and start from scratch?”
Oftentimes, A/C ducts are insulated but not sealed. You’re supposed to seal them with a mastic. Brush it on all the joints and it stops the flow of air from leaking out, then you insulate it.
Since the insulation is in good condition, we suggest removing part of it to make sure these joints are sealed.
If they aren’t, remove the insulation and seal the joints, then re-apply the insulation. As always, it never hurts to add more insulation around them.
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Ryobi’s new magnifying glass with light not only makes reading fine print easier, but it also has clamps to stay put in your workspace. Learn more >>
Simple Solutions
Place a pencil in the quarter-inch notch, then slide the speed square along the board to draw a straight line. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
5 Ways to Use a Speed Square —The ingeniously simple speed square is an efficient and useful hand tool. Here are five of its popular uses:
Because of its triangular shape, a speed square is great for marking 90-degree square crosscuts and 45-degree lines.
A speed square can be used as a protractor. Hold its pivot point against the edge of the board and then rotate to mark angles between zero and 90 degrees.
A speed square has quarter-inch notches that can be used to quickly scribe lines onto a board. Put your pencil into one of the notches and slide it along the board.
Most speed squares have a diamond cutout exactly 3½-inch from the edge of the square, which is exactly the width of a 2×4. Put your pencil in the cutout and slide it along the board to draw a line that’s exactly the width of a 2×4.
Saw guide — hold the square against the board’s edge and guide the saw right along the edge of the square to produce a perfectly straight, square cut.
Have leftover tiles after completing a project? Make a trivet out of one! (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Homemade Trivet — Protect tabletops and counters by making a trivet from a leftover ceramic tile.
Start by spraying a light coating of cooking oil spray onto a piece of wax paper.
Then, lay two paint sticks across the wax paper. Next, use a hot-melt glue gun to put a half-inch-diameter dab of hot glue onto each back corner of the tile.
Then, immediately press the tile down onto the wood sticks. The sticks serve as spacers to ensure that each glue pad is exactly the same thickness, and the cooking oil prevents the glue from sticking to the wax paper.
Let the glue harden for a few minutes, then peel off the wax paper.
