"Girls, you should never depend on anyone, especially a man." That is what my Dad used to say to his six (6) girls. We were taught to change tires, work on cars, do home improvements, etc. Although I was younger than my four (4) older sisters, I remember them helping Dad dig out and build our basement. I do remember getting a spanking for destroying the lime and cement (my friend and I turned the water hose on each other when no-one was at home). Needless to say, all of those bags of lime and cement became very hard (unusable). We deserved that spanking. I remember a lot of other silly things we did, but I’ll tell you about those on another blog (don’t forget to follow me (smile)). Today, we’re talking about preparing to "do it yourself" (DIY). Today, women are more independent that ever before. We can bring home the bacon AND fry it up in a pan. Of course, today, it’s more like, "I can bring home the turkey bacon and cook it on the grill," isn’t it girls?   We can do it ourselves, but we want to look good while doing it! (smile) First of all, you want to make sure you have the basic equipment. Safety, first. You will need the following: SAFETY FIRST: Safety glasses or goggles.  Dust masks  If you are doing any job that produces dust of any type, use your mask.  There are different types of masks for different jobs. I just use an all-purpose mask.  Search Amazon.com for dust mask Gloves – You will need two different types of gloves. –  Rubber gloves/Work gloves – Use a pair of heavy work gloves when working with woods, metal, etc.– Use rubber gloves when you’re working with water, solvents, paint, glue, etc.  DO NOT WEAR GLOVES WHEN USING POWER TOOLS.  YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE A FINGER OR A HAND.  GLOVES CAN GET CAUGHT IN THE TOOLS.   Search Amazon.com for work gloves Earplugs – The noise of power tools can cause hearing lose or damage.   Search Amazon.com for earplugs  TOOLS: You will need the following for your tool box:  Adjustable WrenchSearch Amazon.com for Adjustable Wrench; Hammer (If you have the opportunity, before purchasing, you should swing the hammer around to see how it feels in your hand)Search Amazon.com for hammer; Groove-joint pliers Search Amazon.com for groove-joint pliers-You can use these to grip almost anything in order to tighten or loosen it); Handsaw (This should be a small saw that can fit into your toolbox, of course) Search Amazon.com for hand saw  Search Amazon.com for groove-joint pliers; Level (You don't want to build something crooked) Search Amazon.com for level; Flashlight Search Amazon.com for flashlight  (You want to see what you're doing, wherever you are doing it); Screwdrivers - A set of phillips and slot screwdrivers in a variety of sizes Search Amazon.com for screwdrivers; Putty Knife (this is used for patching) Search Amazon.com for putty knife; Pry bar Search Amazon.com for pry bar; Extension Cords - At least a 25-foot cord with a circuit breaker and 2 or 3, 3 prong outlet strips (heavy duty).  You might have to purchase a 12-foot 3 prong cord and another one-outlet extension cord (you be the judge) Search Amazon.com for extension cord; Chisel Search Amazon.com for chisel; Flashlight  (choose one that can stand alone or hand).  (You should be able to see what you’re doing, wherever you’re doing it.)  Search Amazon.com for flashlight  POWER TOOLS: Drill (with different bits) Search Amazon.com for drill , Circular Saw (with at least two blades) Search Amazon.com for circular saw, Jig Saw Search Amazon.com for jig saw, (You can cut any shapes, corners, etc. Make sure you have different blades for different materials)   I bought a power tool set which is more economical (It doesn't have to be expensive).  Search Amazon.com for power tool set  SAFETY RULES YOU MUST FOLLOW: Protect your eyes by wearing your safety glasses or goggles. Wear ear plugs to keep out the noise pollution. And wear a dust mask when needed. Put your hair up and secure it. Do not wear jewelry.  Wear closed-in shoes with thick soles so no nails or other material will be able to penetrate them. Wear your work gloves when you are handling wood or other rough materials. Wear your rubber gloves when using solvents, water and other liquids. Make sure you wash your hands very well when you take these gloves off.  You should always be focused on what you are doing. If the children, cooking, cleaning, etc., are distracting you, postpone your work until a later time when you are not distracted. Distractions can cost you, dearly. Follow instructions to the letter before assembling your power tools. Always read the power tool manual before using. You should keep all electrical equipment dry at all times and make sure that the cords are not in the way of the blade. Ladies, do not try to hold the wood you are trying to cut (that could create a bloody mess). If you need to change a blade, please unplug the power tool, or take the battery out, depending on the type tools you have. When working with plumbing, turn the water off at the water meter. When working with wiring (electrical), shut the power off, use a tester to make sure that it is, in fact, off. Then, you should continue as if the power is still on. When using a ladder, keep your weight in the middle of the ladder. Do not lean either to the right or the left. Even if you think you can reach whatever the problem is. Climb down, move the ladder over, then reach the problem. "Better safe than sorry."

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Have you noticed that as your floors age they seem to make squeaky noises?  Well, when your stairs or floors were new all the components fit together snugly.  As they age the wood shrinks and the components settle or split.  This causes the squeaky noises. 

Usually, not all of the stairs are squeaking, only a couple of them are.  You will need to walk up and down the stairs over the entire width of the stairs.  Do this carefully because you may think it is a certain stair when it is actually another one causing the problem.  Now that the problem stairs have been identified, you must decide whether you want a temporary fix or a more permanent one. 
Temporary Fix:  Fill the visible cracks with either talcum powder, graphite, saw dust, or silicone spray.  Also, you can use molding to tighten the joints; then, nail some finishing nails at opposite sides or angles through the front stringer (outer side) into the front carriage (side support).
Permanent Fix:  You may close the gaps by (1) renailing from the top side, or (2) cleating and wedging from underneath.  If the underside of the stairs is not visible, you might need to open up a wall so that you can access it. 
In order to cure excess deflection or "give" in the tread (where you step), install cleats, metal brackets or glue wood blocks against the backside of each riser (the front of the stair) and the underside of each tread (where you step).  This creates extra support which helps to reduce any movement. 

Next, you will need to cover hardwood wedges with carpenters glue, then drive these wedges between the treads (where you step) and the risers (the front of the stairs).

Check to see if their are loose or damaged riser wedges and tread wedges.  If so, remove them, put wood glue on both the groove (the space where the wedge was removed from) and the wedge.  Using a wood block or a mallet, drive the wedge into place.

Although this is a diagram of deck stairs, they still have the same makeup and terminology, just a little more extensive.



Have loads of fun!!!
And Come back, often, for more exciting "Ladies You Can Do It Yourself"!

Installing A Pre-hung Wood Door! Search Amazon.com for prehung interior wood doors

Ladies, this is not as hard as it sounds.  Just follow along, step-by-step.

When preparing to buy a pre-hung door, make sure you first measure the height and width of space where the door will be (the rough opening).  This is called sizing.  You never want incorrect sizing, if it is incorrect, the door will not fit into the opening.  The opening should be two (2) inches wider and higher than the pre-hung door.  When the door is installed correctly, there will be one (1) inch left on the sides, the top and the bottom.  This will allow the pre-hung door to be leveled and squared or plumbed so the door will swing freely. 

(If you have never bought a pre-hung door before and you are not comfortable with picking out the door, etc., get help from one of the store clerks and give him the measurements you took. 

A pre-hung unit should include, the door, jamb, pre-mitered trim pieces, attached hinges and holes for the lock  and bolt. 

Before doing anything, inspect your entire unit for any damages. 

Position the door unit into the opening, making sure that it is level and square (plumb) in the opening. 

To level the door unit, insert wood shims between the door jamb and the frame on the side of the door.  Lightly tap the shims with your hammer until it is level. 

The gaps between the door jamb and the frame should be filled with shims.

Nail the jamb to the frame by nailing (6d) finishing nails through the shims.  This will secure the door and prevent flexing of the pre-hung doorframe when it is opened and closed.

Using your hand saw, cut the shims off so that they are not sticking out.  You do not want to damage the door jamb or the wall; therefore, you should hold the saw vertically

Using the (4d) finishing nails, nail the pre-mitered trim, that came with the door unit, to the jamb.  This should be done in 16-inch intervals.