We certainly wouldn't want to give dishwashers (the mechanical kind) guilt complexes.

Whelp. I ran the dishwasher again (empty) and NO leaks.  I'll have to wait until I have another load and try again.

I am constantly reassessing the list and changing things to be done as the moving date draws near (that sounds overly dramatic to me, but I'm tired).  Today, while I was washing the dishwasher, I started cleaning the cabinets in preparation to polyurethane them to see if it helps with the smell on the ones that didn't get better with removing the shelf paper.  I also finished using joint compound in the laundry room.  While it didn't get rid of the lines completely, it made them smoother when the primer was applied.  I finished priming the machine side of the laundry room.  Since the cabinet dried, I also applied some poly to the cleaned cabinet and discovered I didn't clean all of it.  So, that's a new item on my list.

The foundation work is going to be done this week.  They'll be there all day, so I'll probably go over the night before and stay there.  That means I can do some things that night and likely the next evening.  I'll probably save the cabinet cleaning until then.  I'll also be able to check and see if the poly worked.  If it did, I can apply it to one more cabinet.  Most of the others are fine after the other attempts.

Tomorrow I'm going to see if I can replace a toilet valve, finish cutting some thresholds, and start some molding in the laundry room.  I want to see if the molding will stop the little strip from moving when people walk on it......like the movers.  I also found some pieces of wood I think I can use to make a little counter next to the washer for somewhere to fold clothes.  I also need to figure out how to handle hanging clothes right out of the dryer

Clodfobble wrote:

Sometimes dishwashers and washing machines can have intermittent leaking when the drain pipes are narrowed or partially clogged somewhere farther down the line. Run the dishwasher on a normal night, no leaks. But happen to run a load of laundry, or take a shower at an unusual time, and then run the dishwasher while the pipes are still slowly getting through their backlog from the previous appliances, and the most recently-used device can't drain fast enough, and leaks.

Ooo - good to note.  I don't think I was running anything else that day, but who knows.

Not much done today, except I CHANGED THE TOILET DODAD BY MYSELF!  Woot!  My friend did the first one, but I didn't watch.  I'm staying there Tuesday to make it easier to be there when the foundation people arrive early on Wednesday, so I wanted it done before then.  It took some time because I didn't want to rush through it and I even had a small leak that I fixed when I finished.  Woot!  Feeling pretty good.

Then, I tried to install a critter cage around the cheapo dryer vent (until I get another one), but the no pilot hole screws did not work as advertised.  And the screw got stuck on the bit *sigh*  Back it goes

I finished cutting a threshold with a hacksaw, but despite my best efforts, it did not line up with the existing holes in the concrete, so I need to get a concrete bit for that.  Hoping to get one that does masonry and concrete at the same time.  I also installed a different door weep for one screen door.  That needs a metal bit to drill pilot holes because those didn't line up with the existing holes, either.  *ANOTHER SIGH*

Some good news to finish is that I think the poly might have done the job I needed.  I've shut the cabinets and I'll check on Tuesday to make sure.  If it worked, I'll be so friggin stoked.  That means I can put off new cabinets longer.

ETA: I forgot to tell you - I'm planning on redoing my closet doors.  They're those horrible louvered bifold doors.  I've found some ideas on how to make them more like french doors, but I still hate the louvered part.  I read a post somewhere else that mentioned the reason they were like that was to provide ventaliation in the closet.  Not sure how much that's actually needed, but it gave me an idea.  I think I'm going to see if I can find some carved panels to put in.  Then, it looks nicer, but no crappy louvers.  Like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/LITTON-LANE-12-in-x-36-in-Black-Wooden-Carved-Leaf-and-Vine-Wall-Panel-96077/302267114  I'm looking for local people, but I'm not sure if I can find any

Last edited by bbro (10/17/2021 1:34 pm)

Makes sense to buy quality tools if you will be using them a lot. 

@glatt - It's more of a question of spending the money now or later, but I realized it needs to be done in the beginning of November, so I'll have to spend it.  I also need to buy a lawn mower.  I want an electric one, though.  I think I'll get it after I pay the moving company.  I saved more than what I needed for that, so I'll have some extra

@Limey - thanks!  It's exciting/terrifying   Looking at the apartment, I feel like I haven't done ANY packing even though there's a spare room full of boxes that says otherwise

Diaphone Jim wrote:

Sealing a fence annually seems a bit much.
Did a sealer seller tell you that?

Nope - My brain did since decks are usually sealed every year, I put the same logic to the fence

Last edited by bbro (10/18/2021 5:27 pm)

Clodfobble wrote:

Sealing a fence/deck is like brushing your dog's teeth--to genuinely do it right, you have to do it so often that everyone just pretends you don't ever have to do it. If you actually seal your fence every year, bbro, you will be in the top 1/10th of 1% of homeowners, and your fence will look new and brown for a really long time instead of turning gray like everyone else's. But unless your fence is brand new, there's no point in starting now, and if it's brand new it needs its first coat of sealant now, before the first time it ever rains on it.

It's brand new, but the installers said to wait 6 to 8 weeks to seal or stain it.  It's been rained on multiple times by now

xoxoxoBruce wrote:

bbro wrote:

 It's exciting/terrifying   Looking at the apartment, I feel like I haven't done ANY packing even though there's a spare room full of boxes that says otherwise

Be thankful you're moving to larger digs, a downsizing move is twice as hard. 
 

I am   I still am getting rid of a lot of stuff, though.  It sounds horrible, but I was just keeping stuff for my parents.  I knew I'd be bitched at if I didn't.  I've also planned a yearly clean out so I don't fill the entire house and garage with crap

A single coat of polyurethane is never sufficient.  The first coat still has holes for leakage.  Once water gets down into the wood, then polyurethane can peal.

First coat is very lightly sanded.  Only to remove any imperfections or paint brush bumps.  Extremely fine dust removed.  (If using a damp cloth, then give it time for that humidity to evaporate).  Then apply a second coat.

The final coat is not sanded.

I have never had good luck sealing without at least three or more coats.  However you are doing a surface that is probably already partially sealed.

If properly sealed, then a glass of cold liquid, condensing on that surface, will not leave a ring in the polyurethane finish.

For a best finish, a much more expensive marine polyurethane is used.

Sand out the lumps and bumps in the first coat, for a fence?

fargon wrote:

tw is right.

I don't want to live on this planet anymore.
 

TheNeverWas wrote:

 I don't want to live on this planet anymore.  

You've been dead for a long time.  Go towards the light.