DIY Network

To enter last week’s Toolsday’s giveaway, you had to identify a label template. Most people thought it was used to label chemicals or hazardous materials. The answer is way more fun than that.  They’re labels for a jukebox. The A-side song is listed on top, the B side on the bottom, and the artist is listed in the middle. We randomly picked five winners out of all the comments. Congrats to John Slack, K.t. Guerra, Kenny, Rick and Jerry; you will all be contacted via email.  

Next Tuesday, we will be giving away three (3) locking-tool prize packs from C.H. Hanson. Each prize pack contains a set of 10″ curved jaw Automatic locking pliers, 7″ locking clamps and 7″ needle nose pliers. Each tool features Set & Forget technology, ergonomic handles, can lock on any size without adjusting and showcases simple one hand use. 

To win the pliers and clamps, post a comment (click “comment” above) and tell us what this circular device is part of (this one is so easy). You don’t have to answer correctly to win; we will randomly pick one winner.

Having a hard time getting your family to help clean up around the house? (me too) We’ve got tips and tricks for getting your family motivated (and it doesn’t involve cash), plus find pro tips on how to clean faster and more efficient. If you’re looking to save money and live healthier, we’ve got recipes for homemade cleaning solutions that cost next to nothing to make and are all natural.

On Tuesday, May 22, we will select the winner then start up a new giveaway for another tool, which will be given away the Tuesday after that.

You have until May 22, 2012 at 2:00pm (ET) to enter to win the C.H. Hanson pliers and clamps prize pack.  
Official Rules.

In moments of sheer happiness, I skip through nurseries, florist shops, and untamed fields clinging to bouquets of all of my favorite flowers. Getting a good visual? I’m like a kid in a candy shop, and no allergies in the world could stop me from appreciating the dainty petals and bright colors of a pretty flower. But this week’s adventure was a little different as I explored and bought a completely different type of bouquet with the ultimate intention of reinterpreting it to be a fresh piece of front door decor.

Different in what way, you ask so curiously? Keep reading to find out my secret.

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Last Toolsday (a.k.a. Tuesday) we asked you to identify a wheel with various-sized holes cut into it. We had some very interesting answers including a doughnut-hole maker, brass knuckles, and a spaghetti-portion measuring device. However, none of these are correct, the mystery tool was a dowel cutter.   

We randomly picked 12 winners out of all last week’s comments and they are Julie, Jim, Eliza, Rita Moran, Bzpz, Joan, Dona a, Raymond Huffaker, Pegbro, Sharon, Josephine and Haslem. Congratulations folks, you’ve got one week to reply to our email before we pick another winner to replace you.    

Next Tuesday, five (5) lucky winners will receive a container of Pennington Seed’s Patch and Repair.  This pre-mixed product is a combination of mulch, seed and fertilizer. It is super easy to use.  Lay it down over bald and trouble spots on your lawn then just water.  The mulch helps keep the seed in place so it will not wash away during germination.

To win one of the Pennington Seed kits, look at this red template/label, tell us what is normally printed on this template and where you will likely find it.  Click “comment” above to post your guess. You don’t have to answer correctly to win; we will randomly pick five winners.

Moms have a tendency to like Mother’s Day gifts that are handmade with love.  Why not get out your tools and paintbrush and make her something special.  How about something for her backyard:  an unusual container garden wouldn’t take a lot of time, effort or money.  Making a chalkboard/message board out of an old frame is another easy, budget project. Or maybe she’d like a wine rack – we’ll give you the instructions on how to make it, you supply the tools, a little effort and the wine.

On Tuesday, May 15, we will select the winners then start up a new giveaway for another cool tool or product, which will be given away the Tuesday after that.

You have until May 15, 2012, 2:00pm (ET) to enter to win the Pennington Seed.  
Official Rules.

I can’t claim to be a landscaping professional, not even close, but I’m learning things as I go. This month marks the beginning of the 4th summer spent in my house, a little American Foursquare on a modest 1/10-acre lot in Rochester, NY, and every year I try to take to make the property a little more defined, a little more personalized. It’s hard. I have wild pipe dreams about owning more sizable property someday, so I’m taking this small property as an opportunity to learn some of the basics. It was rough when I moved in, and parts of it would undoubtedly be eligible for a Desperate Landscapes renovation, but keep on reading to see some of the simple tips I’ve been employing to improve the property simply and easily.

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Last Toolsday we asked you to identify a wooden stool-looking thing and tell us who would use it. We had a large variety of answers, everything from a cow-milking stool, to a cobbler’s bench, to a shoeshine boy’s portable seat.  But, those were all wrong.  It was a potter’s wheel.

We randomly picked one winner out of all last week’s comments and that lucky person is Dinonut from Glendale, AZ who thought the mystery stool had something to do with blacksmithing.     

Next Tuesday, we will be giving away 12 cartridges of DAP exterior caulk.  This premium sealant has outstanding durability and adhesion to keep windows and doors sealed tight so you’ll save money and energy.  DAP is waterproof and paintable.

To win the DAP exterior caulk, post a comment (click “comment” above) and tell us what this holey gadget (bottom right) is used for.  You don’t have to answer correctly to win; we will randomly pick twelve (12) winners.

Are you getting ready to walk down the aisle?  We’ve got DIY wedding projects to make your special day more memorable – and save money. Download our DIY invites, save-the-dates and place cards; plus find ideas for creating wedding favors, cake toppers, centerpieces and more.

On Tuesday, May 8, we will select the winner then start up a new giveaway for another tool, which will be given away the Tuesday after that.

You have until May 8, 2012, 2:00pm (ET) to enter to win the Dap caulk.  
Official Rules.

A lush, luxurious garden is a dream, but as I sit on the deck on warm evenings, I know that it’s going to be years and years before I have the gardens that I’m envisioning in my mind. As a more immediate solution to backyard appeal, I dove into assembling a trio of outdoor planters to complement the deck on the back of the house.

You can do this for yourself easily too! Keep on reading to see how I customized the planters to accent my deck all summer long.

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Last week’s mystery tool had most everyone fooled.  We showed you a picture of a little brush and asked who it belonged to and what were they brushing off. Hardly anyone knew that it was an umpire’s mini broom used to clean home plate.  We randomly picked one winner from all the comments, and that lucky person is doublefox who thought it was a clothing brush.  Congratulations doublefox, you have one week to reply to our email before we pick another winner.

Next Tuesday, we will be giving away a Craftsman stapler/brad nailer. This rapid-fire nail gun is perfect for any DIYer and/ or home crafter. You can use it single handed to shoot brads nails or a variety of different-sized staples.

Are you looking to tackle some new DIY decor projects? We’ll get you started — check out these 15 easy-to-make headboard projects, or how about budget ideas for backsplashes, or new ways to turn old stuff into new furniture.

To enter the Craftsman stapler/brad nail gun giveaway, post a comment (click “comment” above) and identify the strange-looking contraption pictured below. You don’t have to answer correctly to win; we will randomly pick one winner from this post.

On Tuesday, May 1, we will select the winner then start up a new giveaway for another tool, which will be given away the Tuesday after that.

You have until May 1, 2012, 2:00pm (ET) to enter to win the nail gun/stapler.  

Official Rules.

I think many of us have had love/hate relationships with bifold doors. Sometimes they’re loose. Sometimes they look crooked. Sometimes they just don’t open or close easily. It’s too bad there aren’t many other great small-space door options. There were numerous problems with the bifold door that served to cover the linen closet in my house, and for three years, I’ve been hoping to learn how to correct the issues once and for all.

For the full story, I hope you keep on reading and learn a handy thing or two about common door installation! Continue Reading…

Last Toolsday we posted a photo of a antique scale and asked you tell us what profession used the scale and what were they weighing.  Most people thought it was used for gold and precious metals, but it was actually used for weighing letters and packages – it was a postage scale.

We randomly picked one winner out of all last week’s comments and that lucky person is Fred who correctly guessed that it was a postman’s scale. Congrats Fred, you’ve got exactly one week to reply to our email message before we pick another winner.

Planning on doing some hardscaping this weekend?  We’ve got advice and instructions on all types of projects whether you’re making enhancements like adding a fire pit, or building a pergola; or just concentrating on your lawn and landscaping.     

Next Tuesday, we will be giving away a Craftsman belt sander.  The 3″ x 21″, 8-amp electric sander comes equipped with a dust bag, an easy lever release to quickly change out belts and a lock-on trigger control.  The sleek design allows you to sand flush next to any perpendicular surface.

To win the Craftsman belt sander, post a comment (click “comment” above) and tell us what profession used this little brush and what are they cleaning? You don’t have to answer correctly to win; we will randomly pick one winner.

On Tuesday, April 24, we will select the winner then start up a new giveaway for another tool, which will be given away the Tuesday after that.

You have until April 24, 2012, 2:00pm (ET) to enter to win the belt sander.  
Official Rules.

We lucked out in many ways in doing the bathroom renovation, and the whole space came together pretty efficiently. I credit a lot of this to some of the simple tools we bought and own, because without them, the whole process would have been incredibly manual, time consuming, and laborious, not to mention less accurate. If you’re starting to plan your own renovation, here are a few of my MVP tools you’ll want to borrow, rent, or buy:

You’ll benefit from having a good air compressor.

If we’re going to be talking about the MVPs of the tool arena in this post, it’d be wrong to start without giving a shout-out to our Porter-Cable 6-gallon pancake compressor, a product that Pete purchased about a year ago. While he’s owned and operated air compressors before, it opened up a whole new world of opportunity for me. These days, I use the compressor most often with this Bostitch 18-gauge brad nailer/stapler as a substitute for a hammer, successfully blasting through loads of projects around the house; I think you’d be surprised how often it comes in handy, or maybe you’d just be more inclined to tackle DIY projects knowing that it’s just sitting and waiting to be used.

With the bathroom, the stapler made installing hundreds of staples into the underlayment beneath the tiles a 5-minute process, and the brad nails were the perfect solution for installing the shoe moulding on the baseboard and the corner guard around the windows and door. For any room renovation, a good air compressor will be worth your purchase or rental investment.

Don’t underestimate the power of a good mixer.

Just like a Kitchen Aid suddenly makes baking easy, investing in a heavy-duty mixing paddle makes all rigorous construction-related mixing easier. For me, it made the process of preparing mortar and grout simple. Priced between just $10-$20, the paddle bit fits your common drill, and with a squeeze of the trigger, can be trusted to whip up a concoction ready for your tiling project in no time at all. Bonus: Now you can bypass the expensive pre-mixed mortar and grout and save a serious chunk of change by instead buying the dry powder mixes. Preparing mortar or grout at home with the simple addition of water from the tap seems so much easier and less wasteful in the long run.

For tile-cutting newbies, splurge on a tile saw.

If you’re hesitant about tiling a floor or shower on your own, buy or borrow a tile saw with a diamond blade and you’ll be amazed how easy and fast your install can go. Maybe not so fast in our case, the whole shower process took 4 days, but it wouldn’t have been possible at all without the tile saw we invested in for making intricate cuts. It was our first-ever wet saw, so before we invested in anything fancy, I bought the least expensively priced model at the store which retailed for just under $90; it even came with a diamond blade that has lasted through the bathroom renovation and at least two other tile-related projects (the blade itself was a built-in savings of $25). We can’t even imagine how much more laborious the project would have been if we had bought a score-and-snap style cutter, the electric saw is just that wonderful. I didn’t invest in any table to set it on, saving myself a little more money, just creating a base in the basement over the utility sink with the help of some scrap wood (it worked like a charm). (Side note: I’m a tiling fiend now… more tile saw projects can be seen here and here on my day-to-day blog, Merrypad).

Buy a great saw, be a happier DIYer.

Many aspects of the home improvement projects I tackle would be a lot harder if not for this double compound beveling miter saw that we bought last spring. From making picture frames, to furniture, the chop saw makes our lives infinitely easier. We were immediately annoyed with ourselves that we didn’t buy or rent one when we constructed our deck two summers ago, but were glad that we had it for aspects of the bathroom renovation. From cutting 2×4 boards to frame out our shower shelving, to making fantastic baseboard moulding and window trim, particular angles would have been fussy to make flawlessly without the help of the locking mitering and beveling functionality. Prices range vary from low-to-high, but if you’re wondering which one we bought and like, it’s this Kobalt beauty.

Simple knives, for the win.

We had at least 3 utility knives on hand at any point during the bathroom remodel. And yes, it was just the two of us working on any given day. Those things seem to get misplaced as often as the thick carpenters pencils and the good scissors, so it made sense to have them everywhere. After all, the utility knives with super-sharp blades made easy many different aspects of the bathroom renovation; from cutting pex plumbing, to scoring and removing existing window trim, to performing intricate cuts to size the vinyl tiles, it was always nice to have one on hand. And on the window sill. And on the workbench in the basement. And by the kitchen sink, you know, just in case. It’s an inexpensive investment that will simplify a lot of things.

The blade that you see on the bottom of this picture is something new to our arsenal, it’s an Olfa knife with a snap-off blade that keeps us moving along at a pretty good clip. Once the blade on the end dulls (after cutting through a few sheets of vinyl flooring, for example), you just snap off the dull piece and reveal a brand new sharp blade. Genius.

Whether you’re planning a big renovation or just stocking up you work bench for upcoming projects, I hope this Top 5 list helped you to hone in on good things to have on hand. Whether you buy them, or rent or borrow them temporarily from friends, they’re all good products to keep close by during home improvement.

While I linked to many different products in this post, be sure to shop around to find the best brand and product for your needs. Price shopping across brands might also save you a lot of dough on your new tool purchase, so keep an eye out for deals.

Catching the home improvement bug at an early age, Emily Winters is a now a devoted DIYer living in Rochester, NY. The projects she covers on her blog Merrypad range from painting a wall to building a deck, so it’s only natural she landed at DIYNetwork.com. You can follow Emily on twitter at @merrypad and like her on facebook at facebook.com/merrypad.