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• Sand the surfaces that you’re putting together so that they’re both flat and free of gaps.

• Clean the surfaces with a clean rag. Don’t use water or a cleaning product.

• Spread a thin layer of glue over each surface evenly and completely, although not totally covering them. Too much glue will actually weaken the bond.

• Line up the two pieces of wood with the glue surfaces contacting each other.

• Clamp them immediately. You want the pressure to be firm, but not so much that it forces a lot of the glue out of the sides. Clamp down until a few drops of glue are squeezed out of the sides.

• Let those beads of glue dry for 20-30 minutes and then use a putty knife to clean them away from the wood. (Don’t use a wet rag. It will only spread the glue along the sides.)

• Let the glue cure for at least 24 hours before you remove the clamps.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

The most important factor is to make sure you buy the right joist hanger that fits the dimension of lumber are you using.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

• Use a table saw and fine-toothed, carbide-tipped blades.
• Use a jigsaw with carbide-tipped blades for corner cuts.
• Have extra blades available. Laminate is hard on blades and dulls them quickly.
• After making your cutting mark, line it with blue painter’s tape to prevent the laminate from chipping off along the cut.
• Rent a jamb saw if you’re cutting laminate for doorways. It will save you hours of cutting time.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

• Thoroughly clean the floors you plan on refinishing. Sweep them first, then mop them.

• Remove any nail or tacks left behind from carpet removal.

• Open the windows of the rooms you’re refinishing. This will help with the dust that’s generated during the process.

• Using a floor sander (available for rent at many Westlake locations) and 20-grit sandpaper, start in a corner of the room.

• Slowly sand the floor while following the grain of the wood. Make sure that you’re evenly sanding the surface.

• Sand the edges of the floor with a palm sander or edger.

• Sweep and/or vacuum the room(s).

• Repeat the sanding process using 60-grit sandpaper.

• Sweep and/or vacuum the room(s). If necessary, mop the room(s) with mineral spirits. DO NOT USE WATER ON THE RAW FLOOR.

• If you’re staining your floor, stain first and allow plenty of time for the stain to dry before you seal the floor.

• Seal your floor using either a roller and a thick nap roller cover or push broom with a wool push broom cover.

• Start at the farthest corner from the door where you’ll exit. Apply an even coat of polyurethane over the floor while working your way towards the door.

• Allow at least 6 hours (preferably 12 hours) for the floor to dry before you apply another coat.

• Repeat the process for at least 3 more coats.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

Clay tiles are usually fairly soft and easy to drill through. Ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles and any glass tiles are harder to drill. These steps will make it easier and with less chance of ruining your material. Use only a diamond-encrusted carbide bit. A regular carbide bit should work on ceramic and porcelain, but the diamond-encrusted carbide is still recommended.

For Uninstalled Tile

• If you’re drilling through tile that isn’t already installed, use MDF board behind your tile for support while you drill.
• Make a mark with a pen or pencil where you want to drill
• Knead a ball of plumber’s putty, then roll it into one long piece. Wrap the long piece back on itself to create a ring around the mark.
• Smooth the putty and adhere it to the tile to form a seal. Place several drops of air tool oil in the middle of the ring of plumber’s putty. It should fill to almost halfway up the putty.
• Center your drill bit over the mark and begin slowly drilling. The oil in the putty should always touch the bit, keeping it lubricated. Press down firmly, but gently.
• Once the bit has drilled through the harder top layer of clay, ceramic or porcelain, it should glide through the rest of the material with ease. (For glass, your resistance will remain the same throughout, but you shouldn’t have any problems with consistent pressure and constant lubrication.)

For Installed Tile on a Vertical Surface

• Put a 2”x2” piece of masking tape in an "X" pattern over the area where you want to drill. The masking tape will prevent the drill bit from drifting or walking off the desired hole location.
• Use a pencil or pen to mark the spot where you want to drill.
• Using a center punch or awl, and hammer lightly tap the marked drill location to make a minor chip on the surface of the tile. Again, this will help to ensure the drill bit will not wander.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

Many fix-ups do not necessarily call for hours of physical labor, sweat and tears - a number of projects can be accomplished on the weekend, or even in an evening, to give your home a fresh new appearance. Here are some ideas that require just a few hours, a little elbow grease and won't break your budget:

Carpet Clean Up

If your carpet shows stains and dirt, consider performing a deep cleaning to enhance a room's decor. Many local hardware stores rent carpet extractors for those who don't own one. To get rid of ingrained stains from food, drinks or pets, use a heavy-duty stain remover to lift out dirt and grime while deodorizing. While it's smart to treat stains right away, many new products will even reduce the appearance of stains that have been there for some time.

Hardwood Floor Freshener

Do your hardwood floors appear dull? Bring them back to optimal condition with a cleaner made specifically for hardwood surfaces. Use a convenient water-based, non-toxic spray designed for polyurethane finished hardwood floors that will not leave behind residue or dulling ingredients.

Furniture Fix-Up

Re-upholstering furniture can be pricey, so first consider repairing tears, stains and spots yourself. An upholstery shampoo or mild solvent followed by light brushing or vacuuming can gently lift dirt out of the fabric. Spot-treat a small section of the fabric first to ensure the cleaner won't affect the texture or color. Wood furniture is easily brought back to life with specialty wood polishes designed to help to hide imperfections, as well as remove dirt and wax build-up.

Lighting Lift

Nothing brightens a room or brings out the true colors of your decor like new lighting. Consider installing light-dimmers, color-enhancing light bulbs and even decorative switch plates to give your lighting a lift. Installing a new light fixture, moving lighting fixtures around the space or highlighting specific wall art can bring a fresh ambiance to the room.

Wall Work

Unsightly scuffs, scratches and marks often mar walls in busy households. Use a wall-specific cleaner to remove light mildew, grease, food and smoke discoloration. If walls are too dirty to spot-treat, consider repainting them. One paint to consider is Ace Sensations™ with Scotchgard Protector, a premium acrylic latex flat paint that repels common household blemishes such as coffee, grape juice and even the hard-to-remove oily spots made by lipstick and grease.

Bathroom Brightener

New fixtures like a towel rack, faucet and toilet seat can give a new look to your bathroom in the nick of time. Most are easy to install and will immediately improve your commode.

Credit:  Lou Manfredini's Tips From the Tool Box, Ace Hardware

• First, try talcum powder or powdered graphite. Sprinkle either of them along the seams of the boards that are squeaking. Step on the boards a few times to let the talcum or graphite to work into the seams between the boards. Sweep up the excess. This is often enough to stop floorboards from rubbing against each other and squeaking.

• If they’re still squeaking, use flooring nails to secure the floorboards to the sub-floor. Before nailing the boards down, drill holes that are slightly narrower than your nails so that your hammering doesn’t split the floorboards. Once you’ve nailed the boards to the sub-floor, sink the nail heads and cover them with wood filler. (You can also use screws for this project. They’re wider than nails, but hold better than nails over time. Just be sure to countersink them and cover them with wood filler, too.)

• To stop squeaky floorboards under carpet, roll back the carpet and use one of the methods above. If you can’t get the carpet rolled back, you can nail through the carpet.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.