Home Improvement Today?

sort of. trailers/sheds like that are officially certified as a completed assembly to meet UL listings, which is required to be sold to consumers. technically, any modification of the structure or materials violates that UL listing, meaning that once you start taking it apart, or re-doing any of it, right or wrong, your homeowners insurance might not cover it anymore.

also, all the outlets in precertified units like that are generally stab-lok type, where the romex passes behind the outlet, and some sharp knife-blade-type fittings pierce the insulation to make the connection.

$16 RV Designer S811, Self Contained Dual Outlet with Cover Plate, White, AC Electrical

https://www.amazon.com/RV-Designer-S811-Contained-Outlet/dp/B008OJ6XA0

basically, you MUST replace all the wiring, and the outlets. it's a major fire risk as soon as someone starts fussing with it. most of the time, the walls are built as components, with connectors near the corner that's plugged in, stuffed in the wall, and then assembled. those connectors are also known to fail over time.

they're also built to a significant cost savings as well. usually 1x2 studs in the walls, with the lumber sideways to make it 1" thick to maximize interior space, and save on insulation amounts.

jobsite sheds/trailers also generally don't trade hands until they're well used up. meaning that trailer is at best, from the early 1990's.

you're really better off buying one of the many unfinished DIY or pre-fab shed kits with real 2x4 studded walls, and finishing it out as desired after it's installed on your property.

 

Super helpful background. There is a spot where the siding is open but I didn’t measure it. Seemed like 3.5” deep to me? Dunno where the shed came from but I’m definitely not going to replace it. I could use it just for storage but it seems like, with power and AC, it’s perfect for a sleeping pod if I can make it pleasant and well insulated. Just about the right size for 1-2 people to sleep. Like glamping ish.

I’ll check the receptacles. Definitely would want to replace them given that detail.

it has a pull out fuse in the back.

 

Just move to Cali. They'll pay you to make it an ADU. That's how fucked the system is here with the new laws. It literally strips towns of all zoning restriction compliance as long as it's an ADU and you rent it out. I might put two of them in my backyard. Oh, wait, I hate people. Scratch that idea. lol

 

The city of Encinitas was just terrible while we dropped tens of thousands with an architect trying to expand within our existing footprint and roofline.

sure, if you have land you can get a pre-approved ADU on it. But if you don’t have lot space, you’re f’d.

one of the big reasons why we left.

 

For sure. To keep the mods happy and not go any further down the politics line just google "CA ADU laws 2023". There's a lot of crazy shit in that bill.

 

I took your advice and used one of those. If it leaks I am blaming you

 

Next project is the laundry room folding table and storage, as well as addressing the garage door.

The previous owners cut a cat flap into the fire rated door I know the only proper way to fix that is to get a new door, but we're at the tail end of this remodel, and out of money, so that's not happening.

The PO also had the doors and trim painted over without any prep work, so the top layer of paint can be scraped off if you look at it wrong... So first step with this door was to hit it with the belt sander and eventually the orbital palm sander.

Door removed and hardware stripped:


I routed out (poorly... square router jig is on it's way) a recess to sink some 3/4" MDF into, as well as another layer of the just the skin. I'll do the same to the other side once this side is done.


3/4" mdf glued and clamped:


So question for the group here... the existing jamb has some weather stripping on it that I can't find a match for. The PO also painted over it, and it looks like garbage. It obviously just pulls in and out of the stops. Can anyone ID this stuff and point me in the right direction for replacement?



I think I am going to remove the trim and take out the jamb as well, so I can change the swing of the door into the garage as opposed to into the laundry room. The door hits our nice new LG electric dryer, and the wife isn't happy about that. I see door jamb kits out at the box stores for ~$200 bucks, but I can't afford that the moment, so trying to work with what I got.

 

You should be able to find the weather stripping at any hardware store for 7 to 20$ tops. I understand trying to save a few pennies but that shouldn't break the bank.

-J

 

I was able to find weather stripping, but not that exact match. I don't know if that matters or not in the long run. I didn't want to take the "risk" of grabbing something and then it not interfacing with the stops, or interfering with the door shutting all the way.

I am seeing seals that look like this:

or this:

when I am expecting some more like this:

 

BUtt, the joke would be on you.

 

it might be safe to say, if you can't find it in these few links, it might not exist anymore...

https://www.amweatherguard.com/product-category/door-products/seals/kerf-in-seals/

https://tmhardware.com/Kerf-Frame-Weatherstrip/

https://www.amesburytruth.com/products/weatherseals/window/compression-seal/kerf

 

Thanks for the links. I'll get the closest thing I can find. Part of the thing is knowing what to search for. I was missing the "kerf" keyword.

 

I wouldn't be too concerned about getting an exact match, but you will want to get the right type depending if you have a kerf that is up against the door jamb or in the middle of the door stop.



or

 

Middle of the door stop. I'll look into it. Thanks

 

Installed a gutter over the garage roof today (before the rain):


The siding below it is already dry rotted and needs to be replaced. Structure and waterproofing behind and below is good- verified that from inside while I had that dry wall off. Pulling the siding off and replacing it will have to wait until next year. If you look closely at that corner below the octagonal window, it's real bad...

Every other pitch already had gutters on. Just this one which had the biggest impact on water diversion away from the siding/house was missing

 

Those glass Christmas lights are my favorite. I don't think they sell them anymore.

 

Those two strings (on the upper portion of the house) are brand new from HD this year. I was not allowed to get all new LED strings- they had to match the existing 4 strings we already had.

 

Maybe I'm thinking of an older style. They used to make those jumbo glass versions (non led) that would get super hot, but looked neat. I think they were deemed a fire hazard and quit making them.

edit:
They were similar to these...

Brite Star Vintage Christmas String Lights Multi C9 25 Feet - Old-Fashioned Bulbs Perfect for Christmas - Patriotic Decorations, Indoor and Outdoor Use.

https://www.amazon.com/Brite-Star-C...on6CfgwMVYRGtBh3HzAa5EAkYAiABEgIY8fD_BwE&th=1

 

It's been a while! I'll put most images behind spoilers so I don't spam unwarranted pictures. I chipped away at stuff here and there during hunting season -- mostly my partner's office. She wanted a moody dark academia-type of office with a reading nook for her and our pup. Lots of hours spread across about 3 months or so.

I always start with the listing pictures:


First thing was to run power to the closet where the reading nook would be. She wanted 2 flanking sconces controlled from a switch by the main door. That was fun. I ended up accidentally drilling the wrong side of the top plate in our attic and we have a nice hole in the master bedroom closet . Wasn't funny at the time when I was vacuuming drywall dust out of our clothes. I cheated when running wire long-ways and just notched studs + put nailers.

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For some reason all of the lights in our rooms are off-center so I also re-located the main light to the center and dry-fit a mini chandelier. Wasn't afraid to drill giant holes because the popcorn was to be over-boarded like the other rooms.

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Boring drywall. At least I hung it right this time? Wasn't as rage-y when lifting boards. Mudded and primed it. I didn't hit the edges too meticulously because the plans called for big crown moulding.

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Re-trimmed the window in shaker-style.

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Tracked-down some shaker-style crown moulding at my hardwood supplier. Fingers still hurt from coping the joints. Got creative around the attic access hole. I was just shooting from the hip there but I built a mitered box trim.

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Did the ol' landlord special where the built-in was going and dry-fit the sconces.

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Primed everything, caulked, re-primed, and then sprayed. Still wearing blue paint on those clothes.

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Waited a few days for the paint to cure and then installed Acacia hardwood floors. Then installed the chandelier with its 45 pieces of glass...

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Installed gold outlets, scribed and painted baseboards.

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That finished Phase 1; it ended up looking like something out of John Wick.

 

Part 2! Same thing as before; I'll put most images behind spoilers.

The reading nook was the longest part of the whole project. I made a mock-up in Sketchup. The idea was to have a platform with drawers on bottom, and then use the little cubbies inside the closet for uppers with adjustable shelves.




When a cabinet is against 2 walls you can kind of get away with a sloppy carcass so I slapped one together really fast.

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Face frame:

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Installing it was kind of tricky. I ended up bracing it with 2x4's between the insides of the closet. That way it doesn't rack when you sit on it day in and day out. The 2x's are screwed into the framing.

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While I was doing all of this I was also working on my shop a bit so as the project progressed I had a progressively nicer setup to build cabinetry. I made some nice baltic birch drawer boxes and assembled some shaker-style drawer fronts:

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Then I scribed a baseboard, installed a lip to retain the platform, and dry-fit everything to check reveals:

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Then moved on to uppers. I wanted a fixed first shelf that was raised off the platform a bit so the cushion doesn't cover it. I got some sweet plywood dado bits specifically for cutting shelves and whatnot.

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Faced-framed the book cases and edge-banded a bunch of shelves.

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Final install and paint took forever. I think 5 days of paint sessions and touch-ups? I don't want to paint anything blue for a very, very long time.




First project built in the shop. As much as the process kind of sucked at times I had fun using the new space and I'm excited for the upcoming winter projects. Hope everyone has a great holiday and I'll try to post more frequently next time so I don't drop 5,000 pictures