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Official Pit Home Improvement/DIY thread

Powerwashed our large brick patio this weekend and now have lots of loose bricks and missing mortar. Was still worth it though, the thing was absolutely disgusting. Until we ultimately replace it with a nice stone patio, anyone got any tips on how to solidify things up a little? Maybe tamp down some sand in all the gaps?
 
spiffylubes said:
Powerwashed our large brick patio this weekend and now have lots of loose bricks and missing mortar. Was still worth it though, the thing was absolutely disgusting. Until we ultimately replace it with a nice stone patio, anyone got any tips on how to solidify things up a little? Maybe tamp down some sand in all the gaps?
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Did this earlier this Spring. Used sand to fill in the gaps.
 
spiffylubes said:
Powerwashed our large brick patio this weekend and now have lots of loose bricks and missing mortar. Was still worth it though, the thing was absolutely disgusting. Until we ultimately replace it with a nice stone patio, anyone got any tips on how to solidify things up a little? Maybe tamp down some sand in all the gaps?
Click to expand...

Sand will work for a while. Depends on how long before you think you will do the replacement. If it will be years, you might want to consider placing fresh mortar between the bricks for a little more permanence. Sand will allow the loose bricks to move some.
 
Another option is to put dry portland cement or sand mix concrete between the bricks (sweep it in well so all the cracks are full) then gently soak the patio to set the cement/concrete. Not as good a joint fill as packing the joints with mortar, but a lot quicker and easier. More permanent than sand.
 
spiffylubes said:
Regular ol' sand, or polymeric sand?
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the polymeric sand is nice and creates a seal, but not real strong. i don't believe it will stabilize the area and may just not work depending on movement in the area (when you walk on it or whatever). depending on how much debris and such, you may want to go the mortar route...something may be available in a caulking gun style.
 
warak said:
the polymeric sand is nice and creates a seal, but not real strong. i don't believe it will stabilize the area and may just not work depending on movement in the area (when you walk on it or whatever). depending on how much debris and such, you may want to go the mortar route...something may be available in a caulking gun style.
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Doing mortar with a caulking gun is just so tedious if you have more than a little bit to do.

For this particular situation I'd be in favor of getting the bricks where they need to be, sweeping in some sand mix, wetting it down gently but well and then letting it set for a few days. This won't give a perfect fill, depending on how diligent you are with the sweeping, but its quicker and easier than forcing in mortar into each joint. I wouldn't do this for a permanent job, but the premise was short term until replaces.
 
Deaconblue said:
Doing mortar with a caulking gun is just so tedious if you have more than a little bit to do.

For this particular situation I'd be in favor of getting the bricks where they need to be, sweeping in some sand mix, wetting it down gently but well and then letting it set for a few days. This won't give a perfect fill, depending on how diligent you are with the sweeping, but its quicker and easier than forcing in mortar into each joint. I wouldn't do this for a permanent job, but the premise was short term until replaces.
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i agree with this. the mortar is a tedious job, partly because you really need to clean the area out correctly (debris and the like) and make sure the mortar is adequately 'in' the area. i would try the sand first but remember it is a short term fix.
 
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So i got a wild hair the other day and started working on a flagstone patio for a non-permanent fire pit (movable). I decided to go with a 10' circular pattern that is just off the deck in the yard (approximately 10 feet). I want to make it organic looking, so i am going to try something new...I want to do different colored moss between the flagstone. That way (in my head) it will not look like a 10' circular cement colored slab dropped into the yard.

has anyone worked with moss? i have read that you can make a 'slurry' to pour into the areas and the moss will grow, but is there much maintenance for the moss? i am going to keep the moss area small, and will seal under the area with the polymeric sand before lining the area with the 'slurry' and a little dirt/clay or whatever.

thanks in advance
 
I'm putting down pre-finished hardwoods in my bedroom. Have 3.25" site-finished ash in the main living area. Nothing I buy will match the existing floor, so I've decided with a natural red oak. Does it matter if I go with 2.25" boards in the bedroom, or should I get 3.25" to "match" the rest of the house? I can save 15% and get a better finish if I go to the smaller board.
 
WFFaithful said:
I'm putting down pre-finished hardwoods in my bedroom. Have 3.25" site-finished ash in the main living area. Nothing I buy will match the existing floor, so I've decided with a natural red oak. Does it matter if I go with 2.25" boards in the bedroom, or should I get 3.25" to "match" the rest of the house? I can save 15% and get a better finish if I go to the smaller board.
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personally I'd go with the same width of boards to match the rest of the house. Different finish is one thing, but different board width as well makes it look a bit like an afterthought (IMO).
 
Forgive me if I've asked this already. Any recs for someone to do a bathroom reno in Winston? If not, what kind of person do I look for- just a general contractor?

Next question: we have a big garden tub and then a tiny stall shower. I want to turn stall shower into a linen closet and do something instead of the garden tub. Do people still want tubs in the master (thinking about resale time)? Should we do a tub/shower combo or use the space for a larger, more modern shower space?
 
awakeandready said:
Forgive me if I've asked this already. Any recs for someone to do a bathroom reno in Winston? If not, what kind of person do I look for- just a general contractor?

Next question: we have a big garden tub and then a tiny stall shower. I want to turn stall shower into a linen closet and do something instead of the garden tub. Do people still want tubs in the master (thinking about resale time)? Should we do a tub/shower combo or use the space for a larger, more modern shower space?
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yes to tub
 
awakeandready said:
Forgive me if I've asked this already. Any recs for someone to do a bathroom reno in Winston? If not, what kind of person do I look for- just a general contractor?

Next question: we have a big garden tub and then a tiny stall shower. I want to turn stall shower into a linen closet and do something instead of the garden tub. Do people still want tubs in the master (thinking about resale time)? Should we do a tub/shower combo or use the space for a larger, more modern shower space?
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TaylorMade Home Improvements do excellent bathroom remods!!
 
Hammer1 said:
TaylorMade Home Improvements do excellent bathroom remods!!
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Pos rep. Was going to ask the same question as AWAR re: bathroom remodeling contractors. I take it that you have had positive personal experiences with TaylorMade? If so, may I PM you with some questions?
 
awakeandready said:
Next question: we have a big garden tub and then a tiny stall shower. I want to turn stall shower into a linen closet and do something instead of the garden tub. Do people still want tubs in the master (thinking about resale time)? Should we do a tub/shower combo or use the space for a larger, more modern shower space?
Click to expand...

We just built a home and decided to make a huge shower and not have a bathtub in the master. Neither of us are really bath tub people. The area could accommodate a tub if future owners wanted one (i.e. water lines and drains in place under the floor and floor space in bathroom is there). As long as there are other tubs in the house (for bathing kids/dogs) then you should be fine to set up the master like you want.
 
I feel like huge tubs in master baths are there solely to make a house look good for selling. I've used the tub in my master exactly 0 times. Do folks actually use these things frequently?
 
I know some people who take regular baths... but it really seems like a 50/50 thing (if that). I know for myself I'd be more impressed with and interested in an awesome, huge shower than a soaker tub. I feel like if you know you aren't going to use the tub, you could still confidently put in a big shower (and no tub) and not necessarily miss out on the re-sale aspect of things*.

*as long as there is another tub in the house for small kids/dogs/whatever.
 
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