Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [materials]

165 questions
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What is better for a roof, plywood or OSB?

While watching the builders next door do their thing, I became curious with their technique to install plywood on edges neighboring the next townhouse, and OSB for the rest (which for these narrow interior units is a single panel in the middle, but…
BMitch
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What kitchen counter material would you recommend and why?

What are the pros and cons of various kitchen counter top materials? Granite Corian Concrete Laminate Quartz Silestone Other
jlpp
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What should I keep in mind when building my house myself?

I inherited a piece of land and want to build a house on it. Nothing fancy: one floor, 2-3 rooms. Since I don't really have the money :D to build it "in one go", I'm going to build it over a longer period of time, bit by bit. Also, I want to build…
user9898
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What type of screw is the most resistant to rust: galvanized, stainless steel, or deck screws?

How do the following screw types fare in an outdoor (wet) long-term application? Galvanized screw: Stainless steel screw: "Deck" screw:
Fil
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Which material should I use for a whiteboard that would erase easily?

I saw some DIY tutorials recommending to use tileboard to make a cheap whiteboard. I had a piece lying around, and tried some dry-erase markers on it. Turns out they don't erase well at all when dry, and I had to use a window cleaning spray to get…
julien
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How to prevent mold in stored joint compound

Joint compound comes in larger containers than I need. I have had this problem for years where storing opened but unused joint compound leads to mold growth, usually starting within a week or two. I'd like this to not happen, or at least extend it…
Jason C
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What should I use for a sandbox bottom?

I'm building a sandbox for my three-year old. It will probably sit on the deck, so it needs some kind of bottom. Ideally, we should be able to move the sandbox around the deck. Is it necessary for water to drain out of the sandbox, or will the…
Vebjorn Ljosa
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Does RTD in plywood mean "Rated" or "Resistance Temperature Detectors"?

Lots of plywood at Home Depot have the letters RTD in the title, with no further detail. Many of these have multiple user questions of the form "What does RTD mean?" Answers seem to be split 50/50 between what it actually means though. On the one…
brentonstrine
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Is acrylic / Perspex a suitable material for a replacement fridge shelf?

My fridge shelves cracked and broke, and although I tried a repair mentioned in a previous question, it eventually failed as expected. Since it seems that replacement shelves are no longer sold for this fridge model (Daewoo ERF-384/385/387/388…
bertieb
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What do the letters mean in sandpaper grading?

I have a set of sandpapers that has the following papers: 60 AN 100 GB 120 DN 180 FB All have the marking S/C/W/P paper T9 C Closed. These are all paper sheets. I know that the number is the grain size. What do the other markings mean? Especially…
Juha
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What are the pros/cons of using porcelain over ceramic tile in a bathroom?

I'm planning on tiling a bathroom floor and a walk-in shower (including the ceiling). I haven't looked into pricing yet, but I've heard that porcelain would be a better, yet more expensive material to use in a bathroom. What type of porcelain…
Javid Jamae
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Screwing into the underside of countertop - can it support a little weight?

We have a space with a wide countertop set up in a space that functions as a workbench. There are no cabinets underneath. Instead, you can pull up chairs to it. There are computers there and it functions as a workbench/desk. We're replacing the…
Joel Coehoorn
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What's a high R-value insulation material alternative to dimensional lumber

Years ago I read somewhere about a building material described like this : a composite/synthetic material (not wood) available in traditional dimensional lumber sizes (e.g. 2x4) rigid enough to have roughly the load bearing capabilities of…
gene_wood
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What is the silicone-like coating on CREE LED light bulbs?

I recently bought some CREE LED bulbs, the kind pictured below, and while they are the same shape as glass incandescent bulbs, they seem to have some sort of cloudy and sticky rubber coating, as if the whole bulb had been dipped in silicone. What is…
Sparr
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How can I build a lamp like the one I saw in the store?

My Fiance and I were walking through Target to find a lamp for the corner of our living room. We saw this one that we kind of liked But the price was way too high and the panels were too small. I thought that I could possibly make it and I want to…
Scott James Walter
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