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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. [more inside]
posted by 2soxy4mypuppet at 3:23 PM - 6 answers

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? [more inside]
posted by andrewesque at 8:19 AM - 12 answers

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? [more inside]
posted by 4rtemis at 3:45 AM - 13 answers

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? [more inside]
posted by ficbot at 8:01 PM - 12 answers

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.
posted by lecorbeau at 2:44 PM - 6 answers

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. [more inside]
posted by Ickster at 8:04 PM - 10 answers

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? [more inside]
posted by joshuaconner at 2:34 PM - 8 answers

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. [more inside]
posted by jtexman1 at 7:04 AM - 9 answers

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. [more inside]
posted by countrymod at 5:54 PM - 12 answers

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? [more inside]
posted by centrifugal at 3:56 PM - 14 answers

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? [more inside]
posted by the primroses were over at 2:30 PM - 6 answers

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. [more inside]
posted by goingonit at 8:48 AM - 4 answers

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. [more inside]
posted by SemiSalt at 7:48 AM - 7 answers

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.
posted by anadem at 1:27 PM - 9 answers

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? [more inside]
posted by whitewall at 1:55 AM - 8 answers

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. [more inside]
posted by CollectiveMind at 11:26 PM - 2 answers

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.
posted by bookworm4125 at 6:15 PM - 23 answers

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?
posted by Think_Long at 9:36 AM - 4 answers

I need a wardrobe, bed, some shelves, a couch, and a dining table. Where do I start? How do people do this? [more inside]
posted by toucan at 11:39 AM - 26 answers

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? [more inside]
posted by ficbot at 6:35 PM - 35 answers