that need to be replaced. The entire project should cost you less than $15 and all the supplies can be found at your local hardware store. For more pictures and two quick helpful videos you can visit http://www.homerepairtutor.com/custom-window...

Plus, if you have mold or mildew sometimes you're forced to use chemicals like bleach or ammonia (which I try to avoid since my wife has asthma & allergies!!).

All these things persuaded me to try Wet & Forget Shower because it uses surfactants instead of harsh chemicals to clean.

Plus, I did an 11 week experiment to see if it really would work. One half of our shower walls and doors got the Wet & Forget while the other half didn't.

The most striking result was the elimination of the red or orangish film that forms in grout lines. Wet & Forget did an awesome job at stopping this from happening.

Mildew and mold were also prevented in the treated versus untreated area. This is good news for anyone who can't bend down to get to these hard to reach places.

The only kind of surface that you shouldn't use Wet & Forget Shower on is natural marble because of its porosity. I checked this out before using it :)

And finally, the soap scum formation was halted on our glass shower door.

In case you're interested I shared a video of my results along with other tips on my blog. And there's a special surprise for anyone who reads to the end of the post!! So don't miss out. Here's the link http://www.homerepairtutor.com/wet-and-forge...

options..With a genius idea from Ana White I was able to build my own for under $15! It was a thirty minute project, no crazy construction skills required, just a drill and a circular saw! (If only the gardening itself was as easy!)

Why not put some burlap on the back of the bookshelves!

I used a 12" wide roll of burlap and a staple gun.

I stapled the burlap to the backing of the bookshelves (trying to place the staples behind the shelves to hide them.

This was much easier and quicker than painting would have been!

I love the texture it gives!

#burlap #bookshelves

Plus, you can't fix the problem until all the rain has stopped which could take hours. A few weeks ago we had this exact thing happen to us. The next day I inspected the exterior trim of our living room window and found that the silicone caulk had cracked.

This small separation is what caused the rainwater to penetrate between the window and trim.

Since there was almost 6 linear feet of exterior caulk to remove I wanted to try a new removal solution that didn't involve hours of work.

Using chemicals always makes me a bit skiddish because of health concerns.

But I found a great liquid caulk remover called Lift Off that is environmentally friendly, biodegradeable, and water-based.

You'll only need a few supplies to completely remove old caulk with Lift Off:

+5-1 painter's tool or utility knife

+small paint brush

+small yogurt cup

+Lift Off caulk remover

+gloves

+sponge & water

Apply the Lift Off to the caulk, let it penetrate, then remove it with the painter's tool. After you're done you should rinse the surface with water then apply a new bead of caulk.

In case you're interested I share some additional tips over on my blog that make this go pretty quickly. And there's a goofy picture of me in my favorite T-Shirt that you don't want to miss as well as a new entertaining video-LOL. Here's the link http://www.homerepairtutor.com/how-to-remove...

#OutdoorProjects

longevity... Unlike traditional wood decks made 20+ years ago where one could allow them to weather naturally, you would be lucky to get a few year's worth out of a regular wood deck if you tried that now.

In order to enjoy a typical wood deck now it is important that you seal it. No matter if you are a pro or a DIYer, there are two simple rules that I have & hope you will keep in mind no matter what the project is; prepare it properly and follow the manufacturer's directions.

Choosing a sealer:

There are 4 main choices of sealers on the market, each with their own pros & cons. If you are tossing around two or more options, choose the lower tiered item as one can always move up the list but you can't move down it. For example if you are debating between paint & a stain – while you can paint over stain, you can't stain over a painted deck.

· Paint – while many people like the look of paint, this is one of the hardest items to maintain and can easily hide water damaged areas

· Solid Color Stain – while this can look like a paint,it is a stain that gets absorbed into the wood and is easier to maintain, depending on your application some wood grain maybe still visible and it is known to wear unevenly

· Semi-Transparent Stain – For a more natural look with some color, this is the most popular choice, it generally wears more even than solid color, but doesn't protect as well

· Waterproofing or transparent coatings – this will give you the most natural look, but do not hide stains or protect as well

For more on Oil vs. Water Based & other additives: http://bit.ly/DeckSealer

Prepare it properly:

If you ask any professional painter, they will say that on average 80% of their time is spent on properly preparing the surfaces, while only 20% is actually spent applying the product. While this number maybe inflated for decks, just remember that the amount of time spent getting it ready up front, is time well spent.

Getting Ready:

· Gather all the tools, safety equipment and materials that you will need. Take time to read the directions.

· Check the weather forecasts as most products are very specific on minimum temperatures & when it can be exposed to water

· Make sure the wood is dry enough to accept the stain, sealer, or paint of your choice

· Remove everything located not only on the deck, but around it like furniture, potted plants, wind chimes, etc...

· Cover any plants near the deck to protect them from the overspray & any chemicals you may use.

· Removing any large debris by hand and sweep the deck off, paying particular attention to the area's between the deck boards.

Applying your choice of Sealants:

Do you remember the second rule above? That's right; it's as simple as reading and following the manufacturer's directions. I will give you a few tips though that may or may not be located on the can.

· Apply plastic to any area's that you do not want stain or paint to get on, because once you get started, you do not want to stop to try to clean up an oopsie

· For all stains and sealers, do one complete board at a time – if the you only do half a board or work in sections, you will end up with obvious streaks where the two area's overlap

· Do not over apply the product – in most cases it will result in a flaky or splotchy finish

· Make sure the moisture level of the wood is low enough for work to commence – you do not want to trap all the moisture inside the wood

· Stain or seal all six sides if it is at all possible unless you live by the ocean. This will help prevent moisture from getting into the wood and accelerating the degradation of the finish.

· Let it rest – most paints, stains and sealers take at least a day or more to cure

For more Preparation Tips & other Decking Options; http://bit.ly/HTRC-Decks

closing.

My wife was just a bit perturbed when I told her how easy this repair was to do. The back story is that we've had this issue for 6 years (and yes, she's been after me to do it for that long).

Please don't judge me too much!! I apologized to her and have done several things to make it up.

Here's what you do, pull the hinge pin from the middle hinge. If you only have two hinges then pull the pin from the bottom hinge.

Place the hinge pin on a scrap piece of wood. Tap the center of the pin with a hammer (2-3 times depending on how much spinach you eat).

This puts a slight bend in the center of the pin. The bend will prevent the door from moving by itself.

Put the pin back in the hinge and you're done!! No more door that closes or opens by itself :)

Don't be like me, do this easy weekend DIY project and stay on the good side of your spouse-LOL.

In case you'd like to see how to do this via a short video check out my post at http://www.homerepairtutor.com/fix-a-door-th...

(I'm only thick headed 77% of the time).

My brain seemed to remember seeing an episode of This Old House where they used a great little device to fix a second floor bedroom's squeaky floor.

After some research I found the floor repair kit and it's called Squeeeeek No More.

You can find it in most home centers for around $20 and the repair process is really easy.

The first step is to find the joist under your carpet. You can use a stud finder or tap a hammer over the carpet to find the joist.

The Squeeeeek No More kit also comes with a special joist finding tool that allows you to drill through your carpet without out ruining it.

Once all the joists are found in the area where you have your squeak you need to drill the special screws through the carpet & subfloor. This squeezes the subfloor against the joist and fixes the creaky sound.

For more information and a special surprise that you don't want to miss check out my blog post at http://www.homerepairtutor.com/fix-squeaky-f...

Hope this helps you with your home improvement adventures :)

This comes in handy when you don't have a ton of counter space. Plus, who doesn't like a pizza with fresh basil and mozzarella (I'm hoping some of you do!!).

This project was inspired by a blog post over at Camille Styles. I modified it a bit (with their permission) by creating an oil rubbed bronze & copper effect on a wood board.

This artistic touch could come in handy for any number of projects. It's a simple & inexpensive technique that you can do yourself.

You can then mount mason jars to the board with stainless steel clamps. This allows the jars to be removed and cleaned if you'd like to add different herbs over time. Way cool!!

So you get fresh herbs and a conversation piece that begs for bragging rights.

Here are some pics of the project for inspiration.

In case you're interested I put together a complete tutorial on how to do this. Here's the link http://www.homerepairtutor.com/custom-indoor...

P.S. Feel free to Pin this project onto Pinterest because other DIYers might like to try it ;)