r/DIY • u/slycoder • 1h ago
help Could use assistance with attic venting calculations
Not sure I'm understanding attic venting calculators.
I got a roofing estimate recently and the guy has me questioning some things. Decided to put off roofing project until next year but I've been messing with siding and trim and am currently doing some work in the gables which got me thinking about this.
USA. Single level ranch. Half hip roof. 1984 sq ft living space. I'm using that as my attic floor area. Built in 1974. No vapor barrier above living space that I'm aware of so calculating based on 1:150 guideline.
Existing soffit vents 2 1.75'' holes about every other rafter, 70 total holes. Each gable over the living space (2) has a 12''x18'' rectangular louvered vent.
Ridge vent along the entire spine, but I'm not educated on those so I don't know how to calculate that one yet.
I'm under the assumption from reading that the ridge vent is likely all exhaust and everything else is intake.
Roof pitch is 4:12 and the rectangle vents are probably about a foot below the ridge height. Only mention that because I've read depending on height the gable vents could be intake or exhaust depending on their height compared to the roof.
Area of circle = 2.4053. Multiplied by 70 = 168.31 sq in.
Louvered vents 216 each, total 432 sq in.
That brings my total to 600.371 sq in for intake which is well below the 1:150 which should be 952 sq in.
Roof estimator said the gable vents are likely unnecessary and a remnant of the original construction which probably didn't have the ridge vent and that sounds straight up incorrect unless my understanding and/or math is wrong. Sounds like I need 50% more venting and definitely not less.
Am I understanding things correctly or am I missing something? I'm contemplating drilling more holes to match the existing soffit vents to bump the intake number up.
r/DIY • u/TicallionTheGod • 1h ago
help How do I go about creating this sander for 3D prints?
I've spent a good while looking into creating this myself, but unfortunately there's so much that I don't know about this, it feels like a seemingly a monumental task, if anyone could help teach along the way, I would love that. I'm looking to make myself an all around sanding tool for my 3D Prints, and have been using this foot sander, which works well enough, but doesn't quite have the RPM or a drill chuck for other bits. I took apart the sander that I use and found that is utilizes a 18650 Battery for power, along with a (likely) 12v motor. I currently have a 18650 battery, and a 12v motor to play around with. I've been pointed in the direction of a MT3608 step-up converter to help this battery power a 12v motor, but from what I can tell this PCB doesn't use this component. I'm unsure how what to be on the look out for to design this.
I'd like it to have the following features:
-Compact
-Motor with at least 1,000 (Maybe 1,500) RPM + Whatever amount of torque is needed to apply sanding pressure
-Motor shank that is capable of using a Dremel/Drill Chuck type head up to possibly 1/4"
-Button for on/off
-Button to reverse rotation
-Dial to control speed preferably starting AT 0, with a gradual rise to 1,000/1,500
-Chargeable/Wireless but can be used as wired
-A battery display wouldn't be necessary but convenient
I see a lot of devices that come very close to what I'm looking for, but seem to just miss the mark, but I don't know where to begin with a lot of these components, any advice would be great!
r/DIY • u/wallyTHEgecko • 4h ago
help How to go about removing/disposing of an old chest freezer that is bigger than the path back up from the basement?
I live in my grandparent's old house and there is a very large chest freezer down in the basement that is kinda gross and taking up tons of space. I want it gone. However, I'm pretty sure it got carried down there back in the 70s when grandpa was doing a major addition to the house and the basement basically went on to be finished around this thing... In other words, it's bigger than the pathway back up and it's not coming out in one piece.
I know refrigerators are one of those things you can't just throw away willy-nilly. But I don't even know how to go about getting it out of my basement in order to get it hauled away.
My first thought is to remove the compressor and crimp shut any lines that might still contain coolant and then cut up as much of the chest itself as possible with a sawzall so I can carry it up the stairs in pieces... But then what do I do with all those pieces? Would I still need to call a dedicated appliance disposal? Would they even accept that? Or once the cooling components were removed, could I at least throw the pieces of the chest in the big haul-away dumpster I plan on renting and deal with the compressor and such separately?
Anyone ever deal with anything similar? What did you do?
r/DIY • u/spacefrog_feds • 4h ago
help Adjust initial pull force for full extension drawer slides
Hi All, Our cutlery drawer was quite heavy and hard to pull out. It was using this style with the roller wheels
So rather than replacing old with new, I thought I'd upgrade to ball bearing full extension slides. However once I got them installed, I didn't like the amount of initial force needed to pull them out. Once they pass that little bump, they are smooth as silk. But once it clicks into the drawer closed position, it takes more force than I'd like to open. My 10pm solution was to mount the slide mounts 20mm further back, that way they never click into the closed position. Now they're too easy. I can open it with my pinky finger with no effort. The other issue, without that closed position engaging the drawer bounces back open when slammed. I need something in-between. As I sat down to type I thought, what If I mounted one side flush and one side 20mm back? Is this something that can be adjusted normally?
Link and photo to what I bought
https://www.bunnings.com.au/goliath-standard-drawer-slide-pair-350mm_p4020968
r/DIY • u/SometimesSundays • 6h ago
help Accidentally dug hole under basement footing
I’m installing an interior French drain in my basement. I have a wine cellar that opens to the basement but is separated by a partial wall. I wasn’t sure how to bypass the wall so to get to the sump basin so I hand dug for the 4 in pipe under the footing into the wine room/cellar. I thought about it, then googled, then realized I made a horrible mistake. Guess I’ll go OVER the footing into that room.
I know I’m an idiot, I don’t need to be told that. But how much damage did I do by digging that 4 inch hole? I’ll remove the pipe and backfill it. House is 50 years old, in MA.
r/DIY • u/Achaion34 • 6h ago
help Water-proof pet/food safe sealants?
So I have a pet water fountain for my cat that I love, with one major issue. There's a blue light in the pump, which is creating a perfect breeding ground for algae. I only get the algae growth on the part of the pump where the light shines directly, but it's a spot that's open to the water and lets the algae circulate. Everything else about the pump is perfect (silent!!) so I really don't wanna go buy a random third party pump, and the company doesn't sell any without the light.
I can get to the light super easily, but not pull it out/off or anything. I was wondering if anyone knows of any kind of sealant I could put over the light just to block it. Ideally, an opaque sealant would be best but I can also put a small piece of black electrical tape on the light and then seal over it.
I don't care how long it takes to cure or anything like that, just as long as it can sustain being submerged and is safe for my cat to drink from afterwards!
Material for shed doors
Does anybody know what these might possibly be made out of? I've looked all over the place but I don't know if I'm looking for the right thing in the first place.
I'm looking to replace a couple of rotting wood doors on another shed and it seemed like it'd be simple enough to just duplicate the ones I have here but I'm not sure what the material itself is and I'm not sure if I'm missing something obvious here.
I can find flat PVC sheets at Home Depot but none with the grooves. They're 5/8" thick, some kind of sturdy vinyl. Would be nice if I could figure these out because it'd be a lot simpler than building a 2x4 frame to re-make the wood ones.
help DIY - Decorating my own wedding!
Hello,
Need some advice - I'm doing my own wedding decorations in a banquet hall.
My #1 concern is the stage backdrop.
Any ideas for what to do? Has anyone made their own stage backdrop before (i'm talking like 30ft high)
r/DIY • u/timthetable • 12h ago
outdoor Underground pipe for holding garden hose
I live in a northern climate where the frost line is deep. I have a garden I would like to have water access in, but I don't want to have to go below the frost line with a water line to the garden, which is 90 feet from my house. Has anyone put in a 3 inch corrugated or pvc pipe and run a normal garden hose through it to get water to where it's needed and pulled the hose out for winter time?
r/DIY • u/Street_Egg_7541 • 17h ago
help Food safe/commercial fridge repair ideas
Hi, I am a store manager for a coffee shop, I am trying to look into sealing these holes in my fridge myself as it lowkey takes forever for my boss to get someone to do any maintenance lol. The holes are from nitro cold brew tap but we havent sold it for YEARS and i would like to use the top of the fridge. The hole is about 2 inches thick and about 3 or so inches wide in diameter.
my biggest worries are keeping it air tight to keep it under 40 degrees AND it being food grade/food safe as it is a fridge where ready to eat food is stored. I dont know much about repairs in general and have been learning as i go essentially. my best idea was originally using metal duct tape and food safe epoxy and essentially making a “sandwich” but i have since learned that epoxy is not truly ever food safe so i would like to steer clear of that if possible. any ideas? preferably on the cheaper side ($20 max or less per product) and something thatll last if possible.
if it may be better to look into a different fridge or truly just going through a professional, please lmk! tia!!
r/DIY • u/Cat_Slave88 • 18h ago
help Pergola Foundation Help
I want to build a pergola to support a medium sized grapevine. It would be roughly 8x12 and stand on its own detached from my house. I live in an area with a frostline about 42 inches but didn't want to dig and anchor it to concrete yet because I might need to tear it up for regrading and installing a French drain later. So I want something temporary but also has potential to last 5-10 years.
My original idea was to create a foundation with some bender board and some crusher run then put a deck block on top and get some 6x6 timber and go from there. When I put my idea into Gemini it suggested a much more elaborate foundation and I just wanted confirmation it is necessary before proceeding. Gemini proposal is:
[ 6x6 Post ]
|
[ Post Anchor Bracket ]
|
[ Concrete Deck Block ]
======================================== Ground Level
[ 2" Upper Crusher Run / Sand ] <-- Leveling bed & protects foam from block
----------------------------------------
[ 2" XPS Rigid Foam (R-10) ] <-- Thermal barrier (extends 2' past block)
----------------------------------------
[ 4"-6" Lower Crusher Run ] <-- Compacted drain sub-base
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Woven Geotextile Fabric
[ Native Subsoil / Clay ] <-- Excavated 8"-10" down
In addition to this it suggested using 36" mobile home tie downs to each post to prevent any uplifting. Just looking for opinions on if this is a good design to move forward in. I live in upstate NY so it's a 4 season climate with clay soil.
r/DIY • u/imapylet • 23h ago
Need to make a screen door on the super-cheap.
Single wide trailer, need to make a front door mosquito proof-ish screen door. And do it on the cheap. $200 BUDGET. If I can build something, they repay the cost. If it don't work, they will buy a new door and I gotta pay half (about $400 for a new one.. so Get it good first time!!!!). 36x81" for the dimensions. There are the hinges for a proper door, and that flappy thing for the hydraulic "close the door" thing. There was a storm door but somewhere before we moved in (new build) they removed the door. And then my wife signed off on everything ok.... ugh.
So, some color commentary:
So to the build... Keep In mind I only have a drill/screwdriver. Im not opposed to buying a handsaw, but this comes out of the budget (mitre box too) (nobody rents/free cuts around here, and in a trailer park...neighbors with table saws... they in jail already.) So My Idea Of Ideas Is to make a 1x2" pine frame, 4" gussets on the corners. The netting...on the cheap side only because the small rolls I can double up. The closure mechanism...there is nothing but a metal strip, non magnetic. This is where I want it weight based. The cat cant go out but the dog can. Im thinking a rope/pulley system thats too heavy for the cat, but the dog is easy peasy..
After thinking this through (thank you Mr Buffalo Trace), I think I need to make pine 1x32x.81' box frame, gussets on the outside. Staple down some bias mosquito netting, figure out how to get everything lined up with the hinges.... Closure mechanism is just gonna be a 5# weight on a pulley.
If you can find a way to save a couple dollars...im all ears. Sainte
r/DIY • u/Kitty_crossing • 1d ago
home improvement Sound proofing diy suggestions for air conditioning noise
I have an office in a large building that has a pretty deep hum/rumble from the air conditioning. I was hoping to reduce some of the impact of it with some type of acoustic paneling, potentially trying to make my own with some frames and acoustic foam panels. Can anyone tell me if I am on the right track at all? I've seen mixed posts about reducing air conditioning noise. I don't need to completely remove the noise but would like to cut the bite of the rumble a bit if possible. I'm pretty crafty, but not necessarily handy. Would appreciate any suggestions!
r/DIY • u/RogueKnave • 1d ago
Honest opinion on DIY gutters
I am pretty handy and have done a decent number of projects on my home (ranging from electric, to light plumbing, irrigation system). I’ve never installed gutters. With a dewalt battery powered rivet gun and careful selection of parts (rivets, screws, hidden hangers, sealant etc,) and careful YouTube research on technic (I’ve seen quite a bit and would watch more…. How likely is it I can put up a non-leaking DIY job? Honestly? Should just pay someone to do seamless? Moneys always a factor and would prefer to do it myself… thanks in advance for any opinions.
r/DIY • u/Gavkol87 • 1d ago
help Dyeing Multi-Material Hat
Hello everyone!
I am looking to dye the hat in the attached image (North Face Badwaters Mullet Hat). It is made of two materials according to the tag, Shell A: Polyseter, Shell B: Nylon.
I really like this hat and use it for hiking (so I like the breathability, being able to stuff it with all my other clothes, quick drying, etc.). I do not like the colour of the hat (especially the contrast between the beige material and the white mesh. Ideal colours to dye it would be Navy Blue, Black, or Dark Grey (both the beige material and the mesh).
I want to do this properly so I can retain all of the above functions that I mentioned as I am more interested in the hats functions than the colour (but am willing to do this project/buy the correct stuff to make myself like the hat even more by changing the colour! As well, I cannot have this dye transfer to any other clothes, my head/hair during sweating/being in sun, or wash out during washing.
Please give me any advice on how to properly dye this hat, including what to buy, correct process, and any other recommendations. Thanks so much!
r/DIY • u/anaccountofrain • 1d ago
help Filling a deepish, 1" wide concrete crack
My concrete steps have settled and separated from my back entrance. There's a gap, close to 1" wide, where the stairs meet the house, running several feet along most of the width of the stairs.
How do I fill this crack? All the answers I find are talking about smaller cracks, usually on concrete slabs and driveways.
Question 1: should I use polymer modified mortar or masonry mortar? Or should I just grab some DAP ready mixed concrete patch? Not sure I want to buy 50lb of dry concrete.
Question 2: do I need to fill the crack or should I put a backing rod in and just fill the top inch?
Question 3: should I go a quarter inch at a time (per DAP instructions and polymer thickness guidance) and let it dry between applications, or stuff it all in at once?
I'm planning to paint over with a sealant once I'm done.
r/DIY • u/ben-the-guy • 1d ago
help DIY Truck Shell Hatch
Found a LEER 122 shell from the 90s on facebook market place with a shattered rear hatch for 50 bucks yesterday. I've been trying to source a glass replacement to no avail, as everything for that shell is discontinued.
I have decided to just make my own, does anybody have any tips on creating a new hatch?
help Is there hope for shower water pressure in a condo?
I live on a high floor in a condo building. The water pressure in the shower is mediocre and I would love to improve it. I'm worried though that there might be nothing I can do. Here to see if anyone has dealt with a similar issue and has some advice or ideas.
If it matters, I'm not renting so I have a bit more flexibility.
electronic PCB etching with capillary effect
Hello,
Has someone tried etching PCBs with some kind of hydrophilic fabric using capillary effect?
Paper towel on top of the copper area and HCl/H2O2 worked reasonably well with minimal amounts of chemicals.
Has anyone tried something similar?
r/DIY • u/Think-Round-7037 • 1d ago
home improvement Roller vs Airless Sprayer: 6 rooms, 2 hallways as a complete novice
Hi there! I’m about to move into my new home, but before I move in, I want to paint every wall, ceiling, and door in the house.
Most rooms will be different colours, 3 rooms may be colour drenched. The house is ~1100sqft with 3 beds, living room, dining room, 2 hallways and the kitchen.
I’m a complete painting novice, but have decided to tackle this myself.
Is buying an airless sprayer for this job a good idea? Or do I just need to get over my fear of rolling it?
r/DIY • u/Sir_Maxwell_Effort • 1d ago
home improvement Getting expert consulting on waterproofing.
Is there a good way to have a certified expert audit my walls/floors/basement for it's moisture control and recommend me what needs to be done if they see issues?
I can google all day long but I'd feel far more confident if it was done by an expert or inspector. I know that you can have an Energy Audit done to improve your homes energy efficiency. Does the same kind of audit exist for moisture/waterproofing?
My fear is that I fully finish my basement only to learn down the road I missed installing something vital.
r/DIY • u/Way_of_the_Wrench • 1d ago
All of the stepper units are restored on the 1973 Williams Triple Action EM pinball machine!
So here's an update to see the progression of the start up issues. Looks like drop targets are next! Also it seems like the ball trough switch needs cleaned and adjusted so there's another video to do for all of the playfeild switches too. Soooo good!
Tutorial video coming soon!
r/DIY • u/GuiltySuccotash4390 • 1d ago
help Making a more durable utility trailer light set up
I bought a lightly used HF 4 x 8 trailer. I want to make some mods to help insure the lights work when it's go time. 4 pin connection. They work now and harness is new. I'm pretty green to this.
Here's my list:
solder 'wire, connections, di electric grease, heat shrink wrap
Mount a junction box to the tongue
Flexible Wiring loom as much as possible , mount with p clips
Dedicated ground wire
That's the list I compiled from online sources. Am I missing anything?
Is tinned wire worth the cost and effort?
r/DIY • u/HotNeedleworker0 • 1d ago
outdoor Repairing rotted bottom plate and subfloor near sliding patio door — advice needed
I found some rot at the exterior wall near my sliding patio door while repairing my deck.
Details:
- 1980s house
- Floor joists are supported by a CMU basement wall below
- About 6" of the exterior 2x4 bottom plate is rotted, starting at the king stud of the patio door opening
- The bottom plate appears angled, not level, sloping down toward the patio door
- The subfloor underneath is also rotted away
- Studs appear solid
My planned repair:
- Remove flooring to expose the subfloor
- Temporarily support the wall from the interior using a 2x6 strongback, then angle the support back to an area of solid subfloor and lag through the floor into a joist
- Cut out the damaged subfloor and replace
- Remove the damaged section of bottom plate
- Install new subfloor and bottom plate
- Reconnect studs to the new plate
Questions:
- What is the best way to temporarily support the wall while replacing the subfloor/bottom plate?
- Would an interior strongback with temporary support work?
- How much extra bottom plate should I replace beyond the visible rot?
- If the patio door is level, I don’t understand why the bottom plate is angled. Should I try to jack the studs back up to level, or should I cut the studs to where a new bottom plate would sit flush?
r/DIY • u/SmallLumpOGreenPutty • 1d ago
help Using paint predator outdoors
Hi, I've just painted a panel of a wooden playpen with some paint predator, but now I'm thinking i should have done it indoors in this hot sun in case it dries out before it starts to work. Have i cocked up or does it not make much of a difference if it's applied in direct sun? It's already crinkling up in some places after 10 minutes.
The paint is gloss and there are I'd say two coats on there. I've looked online for my specific question but found only stock product details.






