Diy Block Foundation

Super Handyman: Don't forget the first rule of DIY: protect yourself!

Safety is a prime concern for us as do-it-yourselfers. We have heard and seen some careless mistakes that caused some serious injuries, and most could have been prevented. Just a few extra supplies and a little extra effort, and you can protect your eyes, ears, lungs and skin. After all, these body parts are pretty important to most of us!

Gloves are a great tool, and there is no excuse any longer for not wearing them. There are so many types and sizes of gloves available today that there is a pair for everyone to wear for every project you are working on.

Eye protection also is very important and easy to come by. Glasses work well, but safety glasses are even better. They can protect your eyes from flying and floating debris. At about $1 a pair, there is no reason not to keep a pair right at your workbench or toolbox.

Ear protection also is pretty important when you have to work with loud tools. You can use the simple foam earplugs or buy really nice headphones to block out loud noises. As a word of caution, don’t try to drown out loud noise with music in your headphones. It usually has to be turned up so loud to cover the other loud noises that it might cause even more damage to your ears.

A paper face mask can go a long way toward protecting your lungs, and they are less than $1 apiece. They won’t block out all fumes or dust, but they will take care of a lot. If you are using some chemicals, further protection might be needed. Don’t forget to add extra ventilation when required.

Proper clothing is a good idea. Work boots, sturdy jeans, long sleeves and other protective gear are good choices.

Read and follow package directions for paints, chemicals and tools. They often will tell you exactly what protection will be needed.

Remember, you might have two of most of these body parts, but you probably would like to keep them both, so be safe when working in the shop. It’s a lot more fun that way!

Upgrade your garden cart in a snap

Here’s a neat way to upgrade your plain old garden cart. Clean out aluminum cans and attach to the sides to hold tools, seeds, gloves and even a refreshing beverage. Use nuts and bolts, cable ties or screws to hold the cans around the edge of the cart so they will be easily accessible. You’ll find that they’ll really come in handy and will allow you to take everything you need to the worksite in one trip. You can add these to your riding lawn mower, too. Paint them to match if you want.

Block Foundation Efflorescence - Building & Construction - DIY ...

My home is 40 years old this year. I have great grading on the front and pretty good grading on the sides of my home as the house is at least 4 ft above the road. The backyard near the house is flat up to about 10-12 ft away at which point it rises maybe 2 ft. I have absolutely no water coming in the house nor does it look like there ever was water. I do not have a sump pump. I am told there is weeping tile, however I don't know for sure. My guess is there has to be otherwise I'd have water coming into my basement. What can I do to remove/prevent the efflorescence? Is this something I should be concerned about or consider digging a section to confirm the weeping tile is there and working? I'm not sure whether there is tar or anything as a water membrane either. My guess is that if there is efflorescence that the bricks are saturated with water which is bad in my region (Northern Ontario) with the warming and freezing temperatures in the spring which may cause brick cracking from the water expanding. Can I dry the brick wall?

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