20 Handyman Skills That Every Person Must Have
When it comes to the hefty handyman stuff – serious electric work, deep plumbing, anything to do with a septic tank- we understand why you may wish to leave it to the pros.
Yet a guy must likewise know his way around a tool kit. Even if you reside in a house or condominium, it is essential to be able to deal with the essentials yourself.
And also, if you have actually been calling a plumber every single time your sink gets blocked, then you’re getting rid of your money.
However most notably, understanding exactly how to care for points on your own will provide you confidence and also a greater sense of ownership over your house – which in turn will make you likelier to grab more handyman abilities as your confidence expands.
Men used to discover a lot of basic carpentry, plumbing, electrical power, and various other upkeep skills from their dads as a matter of course, but also for those of you that didn’t get these lessons, right here are 20 abilities every man should have to be the master of his own castle.
1. Find a stud
Studfinders- the tool that generated a thousand very easy jokes– aren’t costly, yet why depend on a gadget when you can discover the stud yourself? Studs are the upright beam of lights that sustain wall surfaces, and they give support when mounting decors, TV screens, or securing heavy furnishings. There should be a stud on either side of each window, as well as close to electric boxes for switches as well as outlets. Another giveaway is to look where any type of nails have actually been inculcated in the molding, as they’re usually driven into the stud. Studs tend to be set every 16 or 24 inches around the area, so once you’ve discovered one you can gauge the remainder. To check, you can sound out where the studs are: when you tap the wall, it will mainly have a somewhat hollow noise– yet it will appear visibly denser where there’s a stud.
2. Anchor a bookcase to a wall
Since you can locate a stud, it’s time to utilize it. Heavy standalone items like shelves should be affixed to the wall surface to make sure that a seismic event, household accident, or super-athletic round of sex does not bring it down.
Initially, discover the studs in the wall surface where you intend to anchor your shelf. Depending upon what sort of bookcase you’re anchoring as well as how much damages you’re willing to see it take, there are a few means to approach this. If the bookshelf is backless, you’re golden: just measure and also space 2 L-brackets at the very least 24 inches apart, making sure one of them is on the stud. Utilize a pencil to note the drill holes on both the wall surface and the shelf; hammer or pierce a pilot hole in the significant spots; after that screw the L-bracket sideways or bottom of the shelf and to the wall surface.
For a cabinet with a back, the very first step is the situation, minus its frame (so, the size of the situation’s shelves), then reduced to a 1×6 piece of lumber to match. Pierce two or 3 evenly-spaced pilot holes at the elevation of the case’s leading rack, ensuring that at least among these enters into a stud. Mark their areas on the item of lumber you cut, after that positioning the lumber as well as pierce a 2nd collection of pilot holes to ensure that the holes in the lumber line up with those in the walls. Then screw the board to the wall surface with screws enough time to go through the board and also drywall and also into the wall surface stud. Ultimately, affix two L-brackets to the underside of the guide case’s top shelf, that return the shelf to its area and screw the brackets to the placed piece of lumber.
3. Spackle an opening or scuff
Nothing mars your man-cave more than the undesirable openings as well as bumps that result from relocating or eliminating your wall surface art. To maintain your pad looking great, get in the practice of maintaining spackle, a putty knife as well as paint around. Initially, clean up any kind of loose bits or anything that stands out from the hole you intend to fix. Spread out a little bit of spackle over the hole utilizing the putty knife, pressing hard to lay a slim, smooth layer– spackle shrinks, so it’s okay if there’s a little extra over the hole. Let it dry out a couple of hrs, and if needed, use the 2nd layer. Smooth the spackle with fine-grade sandpaper until it’s flush with the remainder of the wall, after that paint over the damaged area.
4. Deal with a loosened tile
Loose or wobbly ceramic tiles are the precursors of busted ceramic tiles, making this a small issue worth obtaining dealt with prior to it obtaining major. Initially, run a preheated iron over the loose ceramic tile as well as bordering location to loosen its adhesive, after that delicately lift the ceramic tile out.
Tidy the area underneath with alcohol, after that scrape it tidy with the putty blade to get every one of the old adhesive off. Use a new finish of tile adhesive to both the void and to the rear of the ceramic tile as well as meticulously replace the floor tile. Utilize a rolling pin to press the ceramic tile into location as well as eliminate any air bubbles, then wipe clean any kind of excess adhesive on or around the ceramic tile.
If it’s a flooring ceramic tile, weigh the ceramic tile down with hefty things, like a pile of publications, until the bond sets.
5. Caulk a shower, sink, or bathtub
This set’s practically enjoyable. If you observe that there’s a bit of leak around your sink, shower, or tub, it may be time to change the caulking – that line of putty or gel at the seam where the container satisfies the wall or flooring. Caulking sheds performance in time, so you ought to reseal it once a year.
First, make use of a plastic putty knife to remove the old caulking, then tidy the surface area with rubbing alcohol. Use a stripe of covering up tape over and also below where you’re using your caulk– this will provide you a clean, even-looking line. Take your tube of caulk– there are numerous kinds, however selecting one with silicone will give you better mold defense – and load it into the caulking weapon, complying with the instructions on the bundle to reduce open the application pointer as well as seeing to it that you pierce via any second layer of packaging inside.
Efficiently relocate the caulking gun along the seam you want to patch while dispiriting the caulking weapon’s trigger uniformly. Once it’s used, use your finger to smooth as well as flatten the line, removing any excess caulk, after that remove covering up tape. Let the caulking completely dry for a minimum of a day or 2 prior to exposing it to water or moisture.
6. Take care of a leaky faucet
The details depend upon the version, however, the essentials are the same: In the long run, the solution is usually to change a worn-down or damaged washer, O-ring, or stem. Complying with actions will assist you with identifying the problem, however, make sure you match the dimension precisely when you change any kind of broken parts.
Initially, switch off your water, both from the takes care of over the sink as well as the mainline, normally a tiny shut off attached to the pipes under your sink. Next, extremely gently utilize your flat-head screwdriver to eliminate the knob handle; make use of a little permeating oil for lubrication if it feels as well tight to slip off conveniently. Loosen the packing nut with a wrench. This must allow you to find the stem, which you can additionally remove, then check for damage. Do the exact same with the O-ring and also a washer, as one of these 3 components is likely the perpetrator. Change any damaged parts, after that reconstruct the tap in the very same order – washer and also O-ring, stem, packing nut, screw, handle – transform the water back on, and also evaluate the water.
If it’s still leaking, after that you have actually done what you can. The problem runs much deeper and also it’s time to call a plumber.
7. Unclog a drain
Depending on the level of the blockage, you’ve obtained a few options right here. Initially, attempt to clear the drain with a mix of vinegar, warm water, and cooking soda– a couple of excellent glugs must get rid of any soft blockages like oil or item. If that does not do the trick, your following quit is the plunger– not the one you make use of for your commode, man; you are entitled to much better than that. Fill up the sink half-full of water, then plunge the sink drainpipe like you would a bathroom, pumping the rubber component to create suction.
Still, blocked? Check the catch. Place a bucket under your pipelines, after unscrewing the catch – the rounded item of pipeline that attaches your sink to the vertical pipe– either by hand or using a monkey wrench. Empty the water and clear any kind of blockages, then return the trap to its place, reattach to the various other pipelines, and examine by running some water to see whether the drain is removed. And if that does not work.
8. Snake a drainpipe
No, it’s not glamorous, however, you’ve got to obtain that gunk out of there. To do this, you’ll need a drainpipe auger, a coiled spiral device that presses or drills through a deep clog; if you do not have your very own, the majority of structure facilities rent both hand-operated as well as electrical designs.
Initially, attempt the drain: Press completion of the serpent right into the opening and transform its drum manage clockwise, sending the auger wire down the drain until you feel resistance. Keep turning the serpent till the resistance passes, after that draw it out – whatever’s plugging up the sink will likely bring out it. Run water to make certain that the clog has actually passed.
If it’s still obstructed, then the trouble likely runs deeper. Under your sink, remove the straight pipe that links the catch to the stub pipeline in the wall, either by hand or making use of a monkey wrench. Turn the snake deal clockwise, while pushing the auger further right into the pipe, trying to capture as well as draw anything that offers resistance, as above. When you’ve cleared the trouble, withdraw the cord from the stub pipe and also re-attach the trap and also horizontal pipe.
9. Seal a pavement split
If you do not live in an apartment, your realm (and also its maintenance) might well expand out into the driveway. Sadly, fractures in concrete and asphalt are a reality of life– ones that, left unaddressed, will turn into full-on pits. The good news is, they’re easy to take care of. Before you start, get rid of any kind of plants or particles from the split, first with a screwdriver or knife tip, after that by providing it a checkup with the
yard hose pipe to blow up anything deeper. Allow the crack to dry.
When it’s dry, apply fracture filler until it’s flush with the rest of the surface area you’re fixing, after that wait at the very least 1 day until it’s fully completely dry. If the fracture’s still noticeable, go with a second coat. Wait for a good one too 2 days prior to walking or driving on the crack once you have actually fixed it, to ensure that it’s fully established.
10. Change a showerhead
To eliminate the old showerhead, transform a wrench counter-clockwise to loosen its notch, then screw off the old head with your hands. Make use of cloth saturated with vinegar or a bit of alcohol to scrub off any type of residue or residue around the old shower head stem. Cover completion of the stem pipe with a few layers of Teflon tape, then use your fingers to smooth the tape. Set up the substitute head, tightening it onto the pipeline clockwise by hand. Turn the shower on to check for leakages– if it’s still spouting, tighten the brand-new shower head with a wrench, bewaring to proceed progressively to stop over-tightening.
11. Clean the seamless gutters
No matter the climate you reside in, cleaning the rain gutters is part and parcel of living in a home, instead of a house or condominium– as well as not doing it will certainly provide you a bigger migraine in the future. If your gutters are more than one story, then it could be time to hire a pro. But if they’re on the first flooring, you must be able to manage this on your own.
Initially, get up on a ladder, making sure it’s steady. You can use a stand-off, or ladder stabilizer, to stay clear of damaging the rain gutters or home exterior siding. First, use a trowel to dig out dead leaves and other particles that are gathered in the gutters, accumulating them in a container or trash can. Next off, purge the pipes tidy with a pipe– the higher the stress, the far better. Lastly, make use of the tube to clear out the downspouts, ensuring to examine that the water moves without obstruction.
12. Replace a toilet seat
This one’s a tiny task that can make a globe of difference. Initially, open the bolt caps, the plastic snap-shut cover at the back of the commode seat. Reach about and under the toilet seat to the nut that safeguards the seat to the dish, and hold this with a flexible wrench. Holding the nut, loosen the two-seat screws as well as lift off the old bathroom seat. Place the new seat, straightening its support bolts with the two holes in the toilet base. Press the bolts via the holes, after that screw on the nuts from the bottom by hand. Make sure that the seat is centered, after that finish tightening up both nuts with a wrench.
13. Tighten a loose door joint
If you see an interior door sticking or scuffing, it’s possibly time to tighten up its hinges. If you can wiggle the door backward and forwards when you get it by the lock side, after that this is your perpetrator – however, it’s practically criminally simple to take care of. First, locate as well as remove any type of loosened screws in the hinges. For every eliminated screw, take a wooden matchstick, dip it in the carpenter’s glue, and also drive it into the screw opening, after that damage or cut off any kind of part of the matchstick that protrudes. Drive each screw back right into the covered opening, as well as the matchstick-glue combo ought to hold its safeguard.
14. Use anchor screws to hang heavy objects
Occasionally there simply isn’t a stud where you need it, yet there’s no demand to allow that mess with your feng shui. It just means that you’ll need to secure your screws right into the wallboard. Be cautioned, though: While anchored screws do provide you a little bit extra utilize while you’re hanging points like artwork, a mirror, or a small shelf, no amount of anchoring is going to let you hang hefty items from plaster or drywall without support from a stud.
Initially, purchase your supports – you’ll require to use metal support for plaster walls, while plastic supports work much better in drywall. The anchor additionally requires to match the dimension of the screws you’re making use of, as well as these ought to go to the very least 1.5 inches long to safeguard your hanging. Pierce or hammer your pilot holes where you want to hang something– the much heavier the item, the extra supports you’ll require to hold it up. Gently embed the anchor till it’s flush with the wall, then screw in the screw, leaving concerning a quarter-inch to hang your installed item on.
15. Change a doorknob
Unscrew the two screws in the handle’s faceplate (the piece that repairs the door to the door jamb), handle plate (the item that solutions the handle to the door) as well as strike plate (the piece in the door jamb with a slot for the latch). Draw the manages off both sides of the door, slide out the faceplate and pawl, and also get rid of the strike plate. If the new handle you’re mounting is a various dimension than the one you’re changing, make use of a hammer and carve to adjust the openings in the door and door jamb.
To mount the new handle, initial press the new pawl device as well as faceplate into the side of the door, seeing to it that the lock deals with the exact same instructions that the door will certainly shut so that it attaches correctly with the strike plate, after that screw the faceplate into the area. Insert the deals with right into the door so that the pawl’s square peg suit its port in each knob, the screw holes line up with threaded cylindrical tubes on each side, and any type of levers, as well as locks, encounter the ideal instructions– then screw each knob plate right into location. Finish it off by screwing on the strike plate.
16. Adjustment a furnace filter
Heating system filters should be transformed a minimum of every three months – and regularly if you smoke in your home or have family pets that dropped greatly. Initially, eliminate the air vent cover– depending upon the heating system model, this will either be a big ventilation grate in the wall surface, floor or ceiling otherwise in the heater itself. Look to see if there are arrowheads on the display– some models need to encounter a particular direction to work– and note which direction they point. Put the old filter straight in a trash can (or else it’ll spread dust almost everywhere), after that slide in the brand-new filter, seeing to it deals with the correct instructions, as well as change the vent cover.
17. Change a screen home window
Remove the window frame as well as lay it on a level surface area. Tear the old screen out of its frame. If the frame is timber, you can tear the old display out of the staples or nails utilized to affix it; if the framework’s metal or vinyl, try to find a black rubber seal, the spline, and use a screwdriver to pry the spline out. Roll the brand-new screen over the top of the framework, after that sufficed so that there’s one inch of the added display around the frame’s edges.
For a wood frame, utilize a hammer or staple weapon to connect the extended screen beyond the framework. For a metal or vinyl framework, make use of a spline tool or putty blade to compel the spline and the screen into the window groove. Safeguard one corner of the screen as well as draw the rest of the screen tight as you function your way around the framework, after that use a screwdriver to connect the spline and display it into the framework’s groove on each edge. Finish it up by removing any kind of excess screen, after that return the framework to the home window.
18. Paint like a pro
While basically anybody can repaint interior wall surfaces, doing it right means taking action for cool, clean work. Prior to you begin, repair any holes or scuffs in the wall surface with a spackle. Preparation of the area for paint: Cover the flooring as well as any kind of furnishings you can not move with a canvas or plastic sheet, taping down its sides, as well as eliminate any kind of light button plates and electrical outlet covers as well as cover those with tape also.
Next off, make use of a pole-sander and 120-grit sandpaper to sand the walls– this helps the wall take paint much better as well as a lot more equally – after that vacuum the sanding dust off the wall surfaces and run a wet towel or sponge throughout the wall surfaces. Apply lines of painter’s tape any place there is an edge that isn’t being repainted – the flooring, around the ceiling, and any type of wall surface you do not intend to be on the exact same shade. Take some care with this, as the uneven or quickly applied tape will certainly produce a careless line to your paint.
You may need to apply a coat of primer, a lighter coat of paint that assists your final shade pop. You must absolutely prime the wall surface if it’s never ever been repainted if you spackled any type of damaged places, if the existing paint is glossy or if you’re painting over a darker color. Let your primer layer totally completely dry prior to you begin painting– an hour minimum for latex-based paints, as well as a minimum of 8 hrs for other kinds.
For the primary act, start by using a tilted brush to paint a 2-inch line in each corner. For the wall surfaces themselves, you ought to use a roller. First wet the roller, after that dip it right into the paint color and roll it in the paint try up until it’s uniformly coated. Use the paint around the walls in M and also W-shaped movements, then let the paint completely dry.
19. Quit a bathroom that runs
A bathroom that “runs,” or where the tank is continuously replenishing with water, is just one of the most convenient handyman fixes. The wrongdoer is most likely the flapper valve, a rubber flap in the toilet tank that manages the flow of water right into the bowl.
Remove the bathroom tank cover as well as set it aside. Inside the storage tank, you’ll discover a balloon-like round called an overflow tube, which must lie flush with the storage tank’s waterline; the tube will be affixed to flapper guides, arms secured to the rubber flapper at the tank’s base. A typical trouble is that the chain or rod that connects the flapper to the flapper overviews breaks or snaps totally free; if this is the case, just replace or reattach the item and also the commode should flush as normal. If the chain is still attached yet is slack, then you need to change its length – merely disconnect the cable from the flapper guide and also reconnect it to a different hole in the bench.
20. Modification of a light switch
Initially, shut down the power. Turn the power off at the breaker– as well as make certain to evaluate that you’ve turned the appropriate breaker and the power’s definitely off before you start meddling with electrical energy, preferably with a voltage tester.
Utilize a screwdriver to eliminate the button plate cover, after that loosen the switch’s installing screws (generally located at the top and also bottom) from the electrical box as well as draw the button out of the wall with the wires is still connected. There will certainly be 2 or three cords connected to the button: an incoming hot wire (black), a return cord (any shade except eco-friendly), and also perhaps abasing wire (either green or ordinary copper) – although exceptions are plentiful. Utilize a Phillips screwdriver to loosen the cords from the switch, after that cut the cord connection or utilize needle-nose pliers to eliminate the wires from the terminals. Get rid of the insulation from each cable with wire strippers, as well as utilize needle-nose pliers to make a little loop at the end of each cord. Prepare yourself to connect the new switch, however, ensure it’s in the right placement – the button declined with the word “off” showing.
Connect the wires to the new switch in the exact same placements where they were linked in the old button, hooking the loops over the new button’s terminals and then tightening them. Mount the brand-new button into the electrical box as well as reattach the button’s faceplate.