Ask MetaFilter questions in the home & garden category

Outdoor cushions for my indoor butt?

2soxy4mypuppet — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 15:23:14 -0800

Five years ago I posted about my supremely uncomfortable mid-century modern sofa, and got some solid advice including borometz's first and only Metafilter post! Please help me cushion my butt. I put a thin piece of plywood in the frame, and all has been relatively well in the land of uncomfortable sofas. Except because of the pandemic, my butt is on this sofa way too much and because of the pandemic, foam prices are through the roof. Also because of the pandemic, I can't really afford to have it reupholstered right now with the fabric I want anyway.

These patio cushions are $150 (with coupon) and returnable if I hate them/they don't fit.

How durable are patio cushions when used indoors? I know this isn't a forever solution, but if it makes things more comfortable for a year or two, I'm all in. Thanks!

Treating plywood for kitchen use

andrewesque — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 08:19:45 -0800

I just bought this Ikea Bror work bench for kitchen use, as additional counter space and storage. How should I treat the plywood in the short term for food prep use? I don't plan to cut directly on the plywood, though it would be ideal if I could knead doughs directly on it.

From my preliminary research, it sounds like I should sand it (it's a little rough) and then apply...something? Mineral oil? (I've never done something like this before so don't worry about going into too much detail!)

I also mainly just want to take some basic maintenance steps at this stage, i.e. I don't think I am looking for a big project right now with lots else going in my life. Further down the line I might want to stain it or do something fancy, but right now I just want to take the basic steps so it doesn't get irreversibly damaged from basic kitchen food prep.

Odor management in a low-ventilation bathroom

4rtemis — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 03:45:36 -0800

Our new apartment has a ventilation system that automatically extracts and circulates air in response to the humidity level. However, neither bathroom has a dedicated user-activated extraction fan or exterior window. This works fine for controlling moisture build-up but leaves few options for managing "interesting" smells that can occur in bathrooms used by humans and a cat. Aside from the obvious like leaving doors open as much as possible for air circulation, how can we best "freshen" the air in these bathrooms? Note: We're in Ireland so looking for products that can be sourced locally or from the UK/EU. Anything that requires a power cord would be awkward due to building codes prohibiting standard power outlets from being installed inside wet rooms. I also have a pretty sensitive sense of smell so hoping for something that is odor-neutralizing rather than just layering a good smell on top of a bad one.

Toy storage which is not a cube shelf

ficbot — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 20:01:25 -0800

Do you have toy storage you love which is not a cube shelf? We have invested heavily in the cube shelf system and organizers for it, but it’s not going to fit in my child’s new room. What’s my next step after the cube shelf stage? My kid is turning five, and we are about to move. The cube shelf has been very effective, but it is a monolith which dominates his room, and I would like to have some thing a little bit more space-efficient in the new place. We have tried the IKEA trofast system, and use them elsewhere in the house for other things, but he can’t get them back on the little sliders independently. I’m not sure if I should just be getting a nice bookcase at this point, and then finding bins which fit them better than the numerous trofast tubs we have already?

I don’t know. I feel like we have spent a lot of money on bins and shelf dividers and things like that already, and I’m a bit reluctant to give all of that up. But his room is just not as big and I would rather he have the floor space to play right now, and then some flexibility for a desk later. I don’t want to fill entire wall with these little cubes. I have tried to go down the Pinterest rabbit hole, and it seems like all of the kids room makeovers stop at the ‘we just got a toddler bed’ stage. I’m just not picturing how cute room for a slightly bigger kid would look.

Recommend a door buzzer system for a boutique condo building

lecorbeau — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 14:44:48 -0800

I live in a small condo building (>10 units) and the association has tasked me with replacing our 20-year-old doorbell/building access system. SOS! There are tons of options out there. I don't know where to start. Ideally I'd want a one-and-done installation without recurring fees, and the simpler the better. Security and reliability are paramount and I'm not convinced an app-based system is the answer (but please prove me wrong if needed). Thanks so much for your recommendations.

Using posts/columns to support a deck and gazebo

Ickster — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 20:04:05 -0800

I'm working on a design for a low deck (~18"/45cm above grade) with a gazebo above the deck, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to support both the deck and gazebo. The gazebo is going to be wood-framed with an asphalt shingle roof and thus heavy, meaning I don't want to build the deck and just set the gazebo on top. It seems like I should be able to run 6x6 posts from concrete footings up to the beams for the gazebo, and be able to support the deck from those same posts.

The problem I'm trying to work through is how to make the connection from the posts to the main deck supports. Simply bolting them to the posts seems like a bad choice--the bolts won't shear, but I'd be putting a lot of stress on the wood around the bolt hole. Notching the posts also seems like a bad idea as I don't want to thin the posts out 8' below the roof--racking stresses would be a big worry, I think. I could cut the posts and place the deck beams on top of the posts and then attach the gazebo posts to the top of the deck beams--that feels a little janky, but I don't have any other ideas.

I've failed to find designs that illustrate this problem, and don't know how to frame it for a search engine.

Opinions?

How to fix the brackets on this over-the-door mirror

joshuaconner — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 14:34:04 -0800

We got this over-the-door mirror for our bedroom, and the door space in the mirror's brackets is bigger than our door is deep, which causes the brackets to sit kind of weird and keep our door from shutting unless you futz with it. (I took some pictures to try to show what I mean.) How can we get it so that our door will close easily again without it looking like a terrible DIY hack-job?

We rent

We're reasonably handy but have never worked with metal before

If it's easy to fix we're happy to do it, but we're also happy to spend some money to get a good result if it's a trickier or more involved project

We have no idea who we'd call to greet someone else to do it
Thanks in advance!

can I wire a new switch?

jtexman1 — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 07:04:48 -0800

A friend asked me if it would be possible, at least reasonably possible, to rewire a switch in the bathroom. Currently, no pun intended, this switch controls both the light and the exhaust fan. She would like to have one switch for the fan and one for the light. Her main bathroom is wired like this and she wants two switches in this bathroom. I have visions of fishing wire through the wall. Is this project feasible?

Help me find this dish sponge

countrymod — Sat, 04 Sep 2021 17:54:57 -0800

This dish sponge is perfect. It's on the small side with plastic mesh bits that scrub really well but also don't scratch. It's sold in large multi-pack of mixed colors (8-10 sponges per bag) in a clear plastic bag with a cardboard closure at the top. Have you seen this sponge? Backstory below. For years this variety of sponge was my chosen dish washing, pot scrubbing, house cleaning implement. When I met Mr. Countrymod he didn't find my choice is sponge to be as delightful and we converted over to the "traditional" dish sponge/scrubber combination. Fast forward about a decade and Mr. Countrymod finds the package with the last of the sponges in it and discovers it's amazingness. He has seen the light and yes, I was right, my sponge is the better sponge. We was the dishes (lots of dishes) and throw away the remnant parts of the sponge package. We look for more of the sponge. We try the internet, the grocery store, the coop, the big box stores, the hoardery dollar store... and we cannot find the sponge. We have tried a few sponges with similar features with mixed results. THE SPONGE is still the best.

Helpful things to know: I adopted this sponge when I lived in NYC. It may have come from Surprise! Surprise! (now closed) or the Whole Foods or a neighborhood hardware store (East Village). I now live in Upstate NY and I don't remember if I imported the sponge from the city or also found local stock.

I know other sponges have desirable qualities so I'm not really looking for substations but am hopeful you've seen this sponge (and you know where I can buy it).

Please help me solve a VERY DUMB plumbing emergency.

centrifugal — Sat, 04 Sep 2021 15:56:48 -0800

I’m trying to replace my bathroom vanity. It should be easy, but I need to replace the water shutoff valves and they’re so totally rusted on that I can’t unscrew them. One of them is leaking. Emergency plumbers can’t come til Tuesday, so I’m going to need to shut off all the water to my house until this is fixed. Please help me get this fucker off and replace it? I have tried picking away the rust with a toothpick, scrubbing it away with a toothbrush, spraying it with WD40, scrubbing it with a toothbrush sprayed with WD 40, and applying all the unscrewing pressure I can (I’m pretty strong so that’s not nothing) with my hands, a hex wrench, pliers, and using one of those rubber things for opening jars. NOTHING. What else can I do to finish this project and move on with my life? Please help!

Dampness around waste water pipe

the primroses were over — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 14:30:46 -0800

There is noticeable dampness on and around the main waste water pipe where it exits our old house. Obviously I need to get this looked at, but how immediate a problem is it? It's an old cast iron waste pipe in the crawlspace area of our stone foundation house. We are planning to replace it at some point, but it seems eventually may have moved up. We did have heavy rains a few days ago, but the dampness seems to be coming from the pipe itself. I didn't find an obvious source of a leak with a quick inspection.

It's the start of a holiday weekend, and my partner, who is less panicky about house matters than I am, is away for the weekend.

Is this something I need to get a plumber out for asap, or is it reasonable to wait until after the long weekend, assuming the situation doesn't deteriorate? If it can wait, is there something I should do in the meantime to help diagnose and/or alleviate the issue?

Please tell me if you think it's an immediate issue, of course, but I would prefer not to get horror stories in response to this question. I have discovered myself to be extremely anxious about home maintenance, and will listen to straightforward advice without the need for cautionary tales. Thanks!

Explain flat roofs to me

goingonit — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 08:48:06 -0800

I own a townhouse with a flat roof that needs to be redone. The options I see include SBS/modified bitumen, liquid membranes, EPDM, and TPO, but here in NYC, almost nobody does EPDM or TPO on residential roofs! I want to learn more about why this is and how opinionated I should be about these different systems. I am looking for a long-lasting and energy-efficient roof. My main concerns about the SBS systems that I see are, first of all, that it is on the thick/heavy side meaning that in 10 years I'll have to pay someone $$$ to pull it all off and replace it, and second of all, that many of the most durable systems come only in black and can't be easily painted white/silver, and will thus trap a lot of heat. The liquid systems seem cheap and easy to apply, and are very reflective, but seem significantly less durable.

So much of the NYC residential construction industry is built on decades' worth of "this is how we've always done it", so I don't want to just blindly follow what the contractors suggest. If there is a better way, I want to do it! I am very willing to pay 2x the cost today for a 2x length warranty especially if it solves my issues above. On the other hand, I don't want to hire someone to install a kind of roof that they don't usually do, since the chances are that they'll do a bad job if they'll even agree to do it at all...and maybe there's a reason they don't use them as much?

Thanks!

Home heating question: Is the best the new thing actually best?

SemiSalt — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 07:48:24 -0800

We want to replace our "boiler" before the snow flies. We're interested peoples' experience with the newest tech, the condensing boilers with an AFUE of 95% or higher. The house is an ordinary 3-bedroom split level in SW Connecticut, built in 1968. The heating system is gas-fired, baseboard hot water. Our inclination is to go for the latest and best in technology, but I've seen warnings that the newest units sometimes don't live up to the hype due to subtleties in system design and installation, and are more likely to require expensive repair than the older, tried and true models.

So, tell me, do you have one of these systems, and how well do they work for you.

How to attach a board to a stucco wall

anadem — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 13:27:38 -0800

I need to attach a 1"x6" redwood board (ten feet long) to a stucco wall; it's to be flat against the wall, and run horizontally. What's the best way to do that? Redwood is fragile, and the stucco shouldn't be compromised; the edges will be caulked, and the board may be painted later.

E17 Error Code on Washing Machine

whitewall — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 01:55:34 -0800

We have a Siemens washing machine (iQ100 model) and get an E17 error every time we start a new load. Supposedly the error is because the water is too slow to fill the machine. So why does turning it off and on fix the problem? And is there a better solution? Every damn time, we just turn off the machine, wait a few seconds, turn it back on, and it works perfectly. Any ideas what is causing this and how to fix it? I don't think it's really a water supply issue, since nothing should change between the first and second time we start it (mere minutes apart) and the rest of our plumbing is fine.

I also don't think it's just an electrical error/fault, since why would it consistently work the second time?

Any ideas? It's not annoying enough to call a repairperson for, but I also am getting tired of starting every load twice.

Where should the vapor/moisture barrier go?

CollectiveMind — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 23:26:43 -0800

I've taken up old carpeting and pad, and am installing a Pergo Vintage Linen Hickory floating laminate floor. Each board has foam underlayment attached. I've done a moisture test on the subfloor and see levels range from about 6% in most of the room to about 11.5% near three, floor to ceiling windows. Pergo says levels should be 12% or below. Although the living room is above grade by about a foot, during the rainy times of the year, water tends to pool just outside of the house. The water table seems high there I think because of a small slope with ground cover about six feet away from the house. It's been very dry this summer, so I'm thinking when the rains come, the subfloor will soak some of it up and these numbers might not mean much.

The subfloor is already in place, so I can't put a moisture barrier below it. Can I put 6mil or higher plastic sheeting on the subfloor and then install the floating floor on top of it?

Food storage

bookworm4125 — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 18:15:22 -0800

We have a cabinet overflowing with random food storage containers. We would love a modular set. What's your favorite? Glass preferred but not an absolute necessity. We want long-lasting. And easy to store.

Exterior Stucco Finishing

Think_Long — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 09:36:47 -0800

What is the current best-practice for finishing exterior stucco on an old (1920's) home? I've recently had a repair done and need to finish the patches. I think I'd like to do a traditional whitewash as opposed to a latex-based paint, but I don't see a ton of step-by-step resources with product and upkeep recommendations. What do the preservation-minded professionals do?

How the heck do people find furniture?!

toucan — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 11:39:48 -0800

I need a wardrobe, bed, some shelves, a couch, and a dining table. Where do I start? How do people do this? Things I've tried: browsing Etsy, Ebay, local stores, even Amazon. I don't want any more super-generic items. So, no IKEA.

I looked at previous questions, but they were more about finding your style. I'm okay at knowing what I like, just unable to find any of those things for less than several thousand dollars apiece.

I'm lost. At this point, I would be hugely relieved if someone just furnished my place overnight. Are there apps for this? Please help me.

Should I convert my walk in closet into an office?

ficbot — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 18:35:51 -0800

I just bought a condo which has a medium size walk in closet in the main bedroom. The bedroom is big enough for a wardrobe unit like the ones at IKEA. I’m considering buying one of those and using the walk-in closet as an office. Is there a reason I shouldn’t do that? The condo is two bedrooms, one of which will be occupied by my child. I don’t work from home very often under normal times, but my job is the type that could pivot if cases go up here. And even in normal times, when I do work at home, I would like to be more comfortable. Additionally, given that the condo is smaller than where we currently live, I would like as much space to be available for my child and I don’t really want to have a printer and things like this hanging around in my bedroom or living room. I’m thinking of putting a desk and a bookshelf in the walk-in closet and then buying a wardrobe for the bedroom. I have told a few people of this plan will be all think it’s a terrible idea, but nobody can articulate why other than a generic ‘it is always nice to have a walk-in closet.’ So, is there a reason why I shouldn’t do it? Why does everyone think this is such a terrible idea?

kitchen remodel - what do you wish you had planned for?

alchemist — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 01:24:31 -0800

in 2 weeks, contractors will begin the process of tearing down our kitchen and rebuilding. Yay! However this means that we will be without a stove, oven, dishwasher and washing machine for approximately 8 weeks.... We will have our fridge moved to another room and plugged in. We will also have an electric kettle and a microwave. I have made a TON of food which is now frozen in ready-to-defrost portions. We have scouted out where the nearest laundromat is, and we are making a short list of "things we will need for 8 weeks" such as 2 plates, cutlery, 2 glasses, coffee mugs, etc.etc.

we live in an apt in the middle of a city in Denmark, just for context on what we have available: no porch, no backyard, also no balcony (so no grilling). Plenty of takeout though :)

if this is relatable to anyone - what do you wished you had planned for when you had no kitchen for 8 weeks in your own apt.? We have 2 weeks to get ready!

A/C unit compatible with air filter?

rogerroger — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 20:18:46 -0800

Is there such a thing as a Portable A/C unit that is compatible with a MERV-13 or higher air filter? Our apartment has no A/C, but we had to keep windows closed all weekend due to air quality, and it was quite overheated inside. We'd like to kill two birds with one (cool-to-the-touch) stone...

How can I make this woven curtain tie-back?

Knowyournuts — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 18:11:49 -0800

It seems like a person with rope, beads, and a history of making friendship bracelets could do it. Link inside. This curtain tie-back looks like something I could make, but I don't know what the knots are called, or what the weaving style is called. Instruct me?

Need to decorate a bedroom with zero research.

silverstatue — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 11:52:52 -0800

I'm looking for ideas online to decorate a guest bedroom, complete with shopping links. I just moved into my new house and need to set up the guest bedroom, but I have absolutely zero design skills! And also zero time to source things.

What I'm looking for is a design website that A. has ideas for decorating and B. has links that show where to buy the stuff. For example, this. or this. They show a room and then they have links to all the stuff if you want to buy it.

I see tons of room ideas on Pinterest but... its just a picture of the room, or maybe a link to one item in the room like the bed. Help! I'm not fussy and don't need anything over the top or elaborate. I just need basic ideas plus links on where to buy the stuff. I have about $1000 to spend on the whole thing (and I already have the mattress for the bed). One last thing, as I put in all my furniture questions, NO IKEA :)

Experiences living on moderately busy two-lane street?

unus sum — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 09:14:43 -0800

We're looking at a house that we like a lot but it's on a moderately busy street. What are your experiences living on a busier street? Did you mind the traffic noise (both while inside the house and outside in the backyard)? The house is on a two-lane road (one lane in each direction). It's nominally 25mph, but in reality people go faster. There is a major business nearby that gets a lot of out and back traffic past the house approximately 9 AM to 5 PM 7 days a week (yes, even on the weekends). Based on our observations today it seems like 1 car every 5-10 seconds or so. After 5 PM it drops off a lot.

It's particularly important to us that we're comfortable being outside in the backyard (which is separated from the street by the house) for board games, gardening, reading a book, etc. during the day on the weekends. Inside we're guessing will be less of an issue at least with the windows closed.

We've always lived on quieter residential streets so it's hard for us to know if this is something we'll adjust to immediately or whether we will wish we'd passed on the house. We've had things like trains every 10-15 minutes within hearing distance that didn't bother us but those seem less constant than this.

We have walked by the house and will be going to the open house this afternoon to try to get a better idea of what it's going to be like, but it's hard for us to tell whether or not it will bother us because of course when you're listening for it you hear every car go by. When we got home from walking by the house yesterday we went out in our own backyard and realized we could hear a lot of random noise when we were paying attention that we normally don't even notice.

Have you lived on a busy street? What was it like? Did you notice the traffic noise, especially when you were outside?