This week, hear how to fill in scratches on a wood floor, relevel a brick walkway, and more. (Joanne Millum/Terri Dudley)
Hour 1
Listen to hear how to fill in scratches on a wood floor, relevel a brick walkway, and more.
Fixing Scratched Floors
Scratches on wood floors are an eyesore, but you can lessen the look of them. (Joanne Millum)
Joanne Millum has beautiful hardwood floors in her mid-century home. Unfortunately, when a repairman moved the fridge to check a filter, it left gouges and scratches across the wood grain.
She wants to know: “Is there any way to fix that? One side is worse than the other.”
The only way to completely get rid of scratches is to refinish the floor.
But first, go to The Home Depot and get some Rejuvenate Wood Floor Restorer. This product is like a cleaner/filler for wood floors.
Clean your wood floors first, and apply it to the damaged area. This will help blend in the scratches to the rest of the floor.
Here’s our suggestion for preventing future scratches near the fridge — Cut a thin piece of paneling to the width of the refrigerator, and store it in the garage. Whenever you need to take the fridge out, tip it and slide the paneling under it to prevent any scratches.
Releveling an Uneven Brick Walkway
These unlevel bricks on this walkway are a tripping hazard. (Terri Dudley)
Tree roots have shifted the bricks on Terri Dudley’s walkway, and it’s now become a tripping hazard. The tree has since been cut down, but the roots are still intact around the stump and under the walkway.
“I am a widow with a disabled daughter. Do you have any suggestions on how to make it safe?” she asks.
In a situation like this, it’s hard to tell what can fix the problem until you start removing the bricks. Depending on how the bricks are installed, it could damage the bricks bringing them out of there unless they’re loosely laid.
Don’t touch the bricks that are flat and smooth. Remove all of the ones that are displaced, and use a reciprocating saw to cut the root from the walkway. Pack in some soil or some crushed rocks, and replace the bricks. Fill in any voids with sand.
This may not get it 100 percent level, but it will eliminate the trip hazard.
Hour 2
Listen to learn how to fix peeling paint, drill into tile, correct gaps in bamboo floors and more.
Fix for Peeling Paint in a Bathroom
Warm, moist air can cause paint to peel from walls. (Taveesaksri, Getty Images)
The paint is peeling off the ceiling in Philip Costa’s bathroom. He says the ceiling was plastered with a swirled pattern, and only a few areas are peeling.
“Do you have any ideas on how to fix this,” he asks.
First, you need to make sure your exhaust fan is working to remove all the hot, moist air in the bathroom.
The problem with exhaust fans is they get dirty and become ineffective. Try this test: take one square piece of toilet paper, turn the fan on, then hold it about an inch away from the grill. It should attach itself immediately to the fan, indicating the fan is drawing air up.
Make sure the exhaust fan is vented all the way to the outside. Make sure the air is coming out outside.
First, scrap all the paint off and sand the ceiling. Next, paint the whole ceiling with a bonding primer. Then, repaint it with two coats of acrylic latex paint. This binds it well.
This, coupled with making sure the hot, moist air is vented out, should eliminate the peeling paint.
Tip for Drilling into Tile
When drilling through tile, apply masking tape to keep the drill bit in place. (Getty Images)
Louis Sanchez just remodeled her master bathroom, which included tiling around the three walls of the toilet alcove. The tile extends up about 36 inches and is trimmed along the top edge with a natural-stone chair rail.
Before installing the tile, the toilet paper holder was screwed to the drywall.
“How would you suggest I attach the holder to the tile? I’m pretty handy, but I’m concerned about cracking our brand-new tile job.”
Trying to drill through a ceramic tile surround can be a challenge. The slick, glazed surface makes the masonry drill bit walk all over the tile.
I’ve heard some suggestions about using a nail to tap a slight indentation in the tile for a starting point, but this may end up cracking your tile.
Instead, try this: Place an “X” made from masking tape on the spot you want to drill. Use a pencil to mark the location on the top of the tape. The paper surface of the tape will keep your drill bit in place, allowing you to drill the hole where you need it.
Once drilled, simply remove the tape, and you’re ready to install the toilet paper holder. I recommend using a toggle bolt that goes through the tile into the cavity in the wall.
Of course, if you’re worried about ruining the new tile, you can do away with the attached toilet paper holder and opt for a free-standing one instead.
Gaps in Bamboo Floors
Bamboo flooring can expand and contract like regular hardwood. (gyro, Getty Images)
Cathy Cooly had bamboo hardwood floors installed in her dining in 2013. She’s since noticed a gap that’s about 4 feet long and about 1/8-inch wide.
“What can I do to stop it from gapping or what can I do to remove the gap in the floor?” she asks.
A bamboo hardwood floor is typically glued down, so you can’t move the boards as you can with laminate floating floors.
You can try to fill in the gap with wood putty, but consider that the gap could be caused by thermal expansion.
In the wintertime, wood contracts, so that could be why the gap is noticeable. If you wait until summer, the wood might expand and fill the gap on its own.
Fill it with something flexible, like caulk to accommodate for the expansion.
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Simple Solutions
Carving jack-o-lanterns offers an opportunity to show your creative side. Give that pumpkin a personality — but light it without a flame! (DepositPhotos)
Jack-O’-Lantern Tips — After carving your Halloween pumpkin, dip it into an ice bath with one cup of bleach. Let it soak for several minutes, then dry it off and rub petroleum jelly onto the edges of all the cutouts.
This will help seal in moisture and make your jack-o’-lantern stay fresh throughout the holiday.
Many modern range hoods have LED lights that are flush with the surface, making them difficult to remove for replacement or cleaning. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Bulb Removal Tip — Many modern range hoods have LED lights that are flush with the surface, making them difficult to remove for replacement or cleaning.
Plus, the bulbs aren’t threaded into a socket, but instead must be pushed up into the housing and rotated slightly to disengage it from two protruding lugs.
So, here’s how to remove flush bulbs: Take a length of duct tape and pinch it in the middle to create a T-shape with a tab that will serve as a handle. Stick the tape to the bulb, push up and twist it counter-clockwise.
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An outdoor fireplace transforms your yard into a bonafide living area and increases your home’s value.
Whether you’re having a gathering with friends or unwinding after a long day, an outdoor fireplace is an investment that you will enjoy for many years.
Historically, fireplaces were used to keep a home’s interior warm during winter. But now, with outdoor living areas becoming increasingly more popular, fireplaces are popping up in many backyards.
These days, homeowners want the amenities of their indoor living rooms in the great outdoors. So the fireplace, an iconic element of any living room, is a must.
An outdoor fireplace still serves the same function of providing warmth, but it also adds to the backyard’s aesthetic.
Outdoor fireplaces come in many materials — such as steel, stone and terracotta — along with a range of shapes and sizes. Their fuel sources include wood, electric, gas and propane, and they can be in a fixed position or portable.
Paver outdoor fireplaces have the look of a traditional, interior fireplace. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Wood-Burning Outdoor Fireplaces
For a traditional-looking outdoor fireplace, one constructed using pavers is a popular option.
This type uses stacked pavers to create a customized wood-burning fireplace with a full-sized chimney.
You can also add paver surrounds around the fireplace to further define your outdoor living area.
Building a paver outdoor fireplace is a large project, so check with your local building department to see if you need a permit.
If you’re ready to take your outdoor living area to the next level with a paver outdoor fireplace, build one using Pavestone’s Rumblestone Fireplace Kit, which is available at The Home Depot.
The kit includes a firebox, a custom-fit 21-inch log grate for burning wood, a 14-inch chimney, 24 tubes of polyurethane adhesive, plus five pallets of coordinating RumbleStone blocks to build the surround.
The RumbleStone blocks’ weathered appearance offers a natural look and feel. They can be assembled in an infinite variety of configurations and orientations, so the possibilities for creative expression are as endless as your imagination.
When filling the bed, stop every three inches to compact the material using a tamper or compactor. Do this until the hole is filled to ensure a stronger base that will stand the test of time.
Add an inch of Pavestone Paver Sand on top of the aggregate before laying the blocks.
Once you’ve laid your fireplace base, it’s time to start stacking the blocks. To ensure that do-it-yourselfers get the right block in the right spot, the kit includes a set of color-coded drawings that detail which blocks go where on each step — from the initial footprint on the ground to the firebox installation and extending the structure up around the chimney.
Rumblestone blocks have round edges and come in a variety of shapes and sizes that all modulate on a 7-inch dimension.
No mortar is needed to assemble a Pavestone Rumblestone fireplace — just construction adhesive. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
This building block design means you don’t need to cut any pavers, and there are no open seams because the blocks overlap each other for strength. All you need to secure them is some polymer construction adhesive.
Because this kit is so simple to put together, you can assemble this outdoor fireplace in just a few hours.
A paver patio, like this one made from Pavestone’s Avant XL pavers, provides a perfect surrounding for an outdoor fireplace. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Complete Your Outdoor Living Area With a Patio
A stand-alone fireplace, though attractive, may look out of place in your backyard if you don’t add matching elements. So, build a patio to surround it and define the outdoor living area.
A patio not only complements your fireplace but also increases your home’s resale value.
The average cost of building a patio is between $3,000 and $5,500, according to Forbes. However, SuperMoney, an online financial comparison platform, says a patio can increase a home’s value by 8 to 10 percent and earn an 80 percent return on investment.
If you want a beautiful, consistent look to your patio and outdoor fireplace, construct them with the same materials.
Pavestone offers a variety of pavers in different textures, colors and sizes. A quick visit to their website leaves you brainstorming all sorts of ideas for your next backyard project, whether it’s a fireplace, a fire pit, a patio, or anything else.
No assembly is required for a chiminea, and because it’s small, you move it anywhere you want. (MarkPiovesan, Getty Images)
A chiminea (Spanish for chimney) is a freestanding, front-loading fireplace with a bulbous shape and a vertical vent.
Traditionally, chimineas are made from clay, but some are metal or cast iron. You don’t need to assemble it, so the most work you have to do is transport it to where you want it.
However, despite its simplicity, there are some drawbacks.
A typical chiminea is small, so you’ll need to frequently add wood to keep a fire going. And, once lit, it has a hot shell, which can be dangerous to the touch, especially for children. In addition, it sits off the ground on a metal base, so it could tip over.
For these reasons, many homeowners prefer a permanent structure for creating warmth outdoors.
You can incorporate a fire pit into the corner of a patio, or build a standalone one in your yard. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
One such option is a fire pit. This type of outdoor fireplace also is simple: it has raised walls and an opening in the middle for a fire.
A fire pit can be made of metal, concrete or stone and use gas or wood for fuel.
Fire pits are easier to construct than an outdoor fireplace because a basic build only consists of a circle or square.
Pavestone offers fire pit kits — with up to 20 options — for easy, do-it-yourself, assembly.
Outdoor fireplaces add beauty and value to your home. The type you choose will depend on your budget, but investing in a paver fireplace will give you a better return on investment.
To get the most out of your home’s outdoor space, you’ll want to build a patio to go with your fireplace. A patio defines your backyard living space, enhances the exterior aesthetic with stylish hardscaping, and increases your home’s resale value.
This week, we’re in Charlotte, North Carolina, to create a beautiful outdoor area for our Backyard Paradise contest winners.
Courtney Claugus was selected as the lucky winner of our Backyard Paradise contest, so we’re giving her and her husband Adam’s backyard a makeover with help from our friends at Quikrete and Pavestone.
Read on to learn about some of the projects we tackled.
These large, gray linear pavers complement the Claugus’ contemporary home. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Build Two Paver Patios
Two is better than one! And in this, case, two paver patios offer more space for outdoor living!
We designate one patio for seating and another for dining — like an open floor plan for the great outdoors.
Crews from Quikrete, Pavestone and a local construction company build the dual patio setup. The first patio extends from the existing concrete patio, and the second is on the other side of the house.
Paver base provides a solid foundation and also raises the pavers to be even with the concrete patio. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
They first lay out the footprint for the patios, then add four inches of paver base to establish the foundation.
After compacting the paver base, they add one inch of paver sand, then use a level to make the surface even.
Workers use a string to ensure the lines stay even throughout the length of the patio. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
The patios are built with Pavestone’s Avant XL pavers. These large, 16-by-16-inch patio stones have the look of large format plank pavers. The false joints on the gray pavers create clean lines, so they go well with Adam and Courtney’s contemporary-style home. To add some line variety, the crew rotated each paver to create crisscrossed lines.
Once the large pavers are laid, the crew marks a line where the border will begin and cut it with a concrete saw. Then, they lay the smaller border pavers in a soldier course pattern.
Just like grout color matters when laying tile, paver sand color makes a difference on a patio. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
The last step is filling the joints. We use a granite screening to complement the pavers as well as the house’s color. for fine.
These matching pavers create stepping stones to unite the two patios. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
After the patios are complete, we place a few pavers between them to create stepping stones, so the two are united.
The outdoor fireplace becomes the perfect focal point for this seating area. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Build Outdoor Fireplace
Every seating area needs a focal point, so we build an outdoor fireplace.
Pavestone representative Chris Claire found this wood mantel at his mother’s home. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Once the fireplace is built, we add a mantel using a recycled piece of wood. It softens up the hard edges of the stone and warms up the space.
We install the shade sail hooks on the house slightly higher than the ones on the post so we can match the slope of the home’s roof. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Install Shade Sail
The paver patio for dining offers little shade, so we install a shade sail to make the area more comfortable.
First, we dig holes for our two 6-by-6 posts that will support the shade sail. We set wood posts in the ground using Quikrete Fast-Setting Concrete, then surround them with pavers to match the patio.
To match the posts to the house columns, we stain pieces of rough-sawn cedar and wrap them over the wood columns. Before we nail the wood over the posts, we add some spacers to keep the cedar planks from bowing. Wrapping these 6-by-6 posts not only makes them look larger, but it also hides the cracks that are inevitable with solid posts.
To join the two columns, we build a horizontal box beam with longer pieces of 1-by-8-inch cedar on the ground before we lift it into place.
Next, we attach two hooks to the top of the posts for half of our shade sail, then attach another two to the side of the house for the other two corners of the shade sail.
Then, we install those hooks slightly higher to give the shade sail a slope and match the angle of the roof.
Danny Lipford and Chelsea Lipford Wolf with Backyard Paradise winners Adam and Courtney Claugus and their dog Kendrick. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Post-Production Thoughts
Courtney and Adam had a nice backyard, but they didn’t have much outdoor living space to enjoy it. With just a small covered concrete pad and a couple of chairs, their outdoor entertaining well was pretty limited.
Adam and Courtney had a big backyard but little room for entertaining. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Now they have not one but two great Pavestone patios that offer plenty of space for entertainment. One is just the right size for outdoor dining under the cover of the shade sail we added, and the other offers a massive space to relax with friends.
By adding two paver patios, we’ve more than doubled the outdoor entertaining space in this backyard. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
The Rumblestone fireplace adds a focal point with loads of character and is bound to be very popular on those chilly nights. Plus, the large format pavers complement the contemporary home’s color and character.
Quikrete’s calculators eliminate any guesswork when purchasing building materials for home projects. (Photo provided by Quikrete)
Concrete is a cornerstone element for any home project.
For many homes, it’s literally the foundation upon which they are built. Concrete is also a key ingredient of hardscape elements to enhance your backyard; it provides a solid entrance with driveways and walkways; and it securely sets posts for fences or mailboxes.
Here’s how Quikrete’s calculators do the math for you and make home improvement projects easier.
For concrete slabs, big or small, Quikrete’s concrete calculator tells you the precise amount you’ll need.
Concrete Slabs
Whether you need a slab for a concrete driveway or shed foundation, Quikrete’s concrete calculator tells you how many bags of mix you’ll need to get the job done — eliminating any worry of being short a bag or buying too many.
First, choose the desired product — popular options include Quikrete’s Concrete Mix (for larger slabs) and Fast-Setting Concrete Mix in the red bag (for smaller slabs).
The calculator determines the amount you need for a 4-inch or 6-inch slab. Just enter your slab’s square footage and it will tell you how many 40-, 50-, 60- or 80-pound bags you’ll need.
Calculate how many bags you’ll need here. All you need to do is enter the depth of the hole. The calculator will generate the number of bags you need for various post and hole diameters.
Over time, cracks and crevices will creep up on your concrete. To maintain your concrete surface’s structural integrity and prevent additional damage, repair those cracks with a concrete crack sealant.
Simply enter the approximate length of the crack you will be repairing in feet, and Quikrete’s Concrete Crack Sealant Calculator will tell you how many 10.1-ounce tubes you will need for your project.
When building a paver patio, don’t end up short on sand. Quikrete’s paver sand calculator tells you how many bags you’ll need to fill every square inch.
Just enter the size of the area you need to cover in square feet. The calculator will tell you how many bags you will need to cover the area at a 1/8-inch, 1/4-inch, 3/8-inch 1/2-inch, 3/4-inch, 1-inch or 2-inch depth.
Once you have your pavers in place, you’ll need to secure them with some polymeric jointing sand. You guessed it — Quikrete also has a calculator for that.
Mortar is the glue that holds bricks together. Whether you’re building a retaining wall or a privacy concrete block wall for your garden, you’ll need some.
And Quikrete has a mortar mix calculator to tell you how much you’ll need. Just enter the number of bricks or concrete blocks you plan to use for your project.
The calculator will tell you the number of 60-pound or 80-pound bags of Quikrete Mortar Mix you need to construct your project with a ⅜-inch mortar joint.
Building a backyard playground for your child? Quikrete has a calculator to tell you how many bags of sand you’ll need to fill a sandbox. (pixelshot)
Other Material Calculators
Still have a question after you’ve calculated how much material you need? Quikrete has a live chat function on its calculator webpage, so you can talk one-on-one with an expert, ensuring your project will be completed to perfection.
Jerry and Shay’s backyard is big enough for them to enjoy, but something is missing. Their small patio offers little space for entertaining guests, and their old firepit is secluded from any seating.
But that’s OK. Because when your patio is tiny, just create another one! That’s just what we’re doing on this episode of Today’s Homeowner.
The Projects
This patio is small but in good shape. Fresh paint and concrete stain brighten its appearance to better match the new patio.
We pressure wash the concrete pad and then stain it to better match the new paver patio. To apply the stain, we use a pump sprayer with circular motion, and then roll the stain to get it deep into the surface.
Before we can create a paver patio, we have to define the space.
Laying Out the New Patio
The first step to building a new paver patio is creating the layout. We determined where we wanted the fire pit and used a string and spray paint to find a radius for the paver patio surrounding it.
Once the layout was complete, we removed the grass with a rented sod cutter. Because the backyard had a slight slope to it, we needed a short retaining wall on the lower side of the space to create a graceful transition from the existing patio to our new one.
First, we had to dig a trench for the retaining wall. Next, we poured paver base into the trench and tamped it down. Compacting paver base deep into the dirt ensures the patio will have a strong foundation.
A retaining wall is a must for installing patios in sloped backyards.
Building a retaining wall isn’t the most glamourous part of the project, but it’s necessary. We used Pavestone Rumblestone Pavers for our wall.
To cut our pavers to the size we needed, we rented a concrete saw from The Home Depot. If you only plan to use an expensive tool once, it just makes sense to rent instead of buy.
Large 2-by-2-foot pavers make this patio feel more spacious and look luxurious.
Build New Patio
After lining the patio with pavers, we prep the area for laying down slab pavers.
First, we compact the dirt and spread paver base. We then lay metals pipes before laying sand down to ensure the sand is a consistent depth throughout to support the heavy 2-by-2-foot pavers.
We added two steps from the existing patio to lead down to the new one. Both steps must be the same size, so we have to cut down some of the concrete on the existing patio.
Jerry and Shay’s new firepit is now the focal point of their patio.
Once the pavers are complete, we sweep sand into the joints and we’re ready for the new fire pit. We used a Pavestone Rumblestone Fire Pit Kit, and assembled the fire pit in less than 20 minutes!
The shed in the backyard felt too out of place, so we painted it to tie into the house instead of standing alone.
To tie the shed to the patio, we used the same color to paint the back doors and trim.
We also:
“Today’s Homeowner” hosts Danny Lipford and Chelsea Lipford Wolf, pictured with homeowners Shay and Jerry.
Post-Production Thoughts
Jerry and Shay have a beautiful backyard with great shade trees and lawn. But the old fire pit had seen better days and the existing patio offered few opportunities to enjoy the outdoor space. It was too small for entertaining and the monotone color palette lacked any real interest.
Now, the whole backyard has come alive with the addition of a big new patio that complements the shape of the trees while it enjoys its shade.
Large-format pavers make the patio seem larger than it actually is and the new fire pit is the ideal spot for entertaining.
There are two large steps that create a graceful transition to the old patio, which has been revived with a new shade of stain and a bold color on the doors.
That same color on the storage shed plus some simple landscaping have transformed this yard into a spot you just can’t wait to enjoy.
