This guide provides tips on installing exterior shutters, including ordering and maintaining exterior wood. To install shutters with shutter locks or fasteners, push the shutter locks through the pilot holes in the shutter into the exterior wall and use a hammer to gently tap the fasteners. This project can be completed in a weekend, and homeowners should choose shutters that have the same size and shape as the window. Frame rounded windows with arched shutters and highlight rectangular or square windows with straight-lined shutters.
Exterior shutters serve a greater purpose than enhancing a home’s exterior, but they can also be customized to reflect personal style. Timberlane’s visual guide to shutter anatomy can help homeowners learn more about ways to customize shutters to reflect their personal style.
Measuring for exterior shutters on house windows is crucial, as not all shutters are mounted the same way. The shutter style of mounting may need to be different depending on the window and placement. To accommodate the irregular masses of vinyl siding, take two measurements: one on one side of the window and one on the other. The shutter’s lag bolt entry point should be roughly 1-½ inches from the bottom and ¼ inches wide from the outside edge.
In conclusion, this guide provides step-by-step instructions on installing exterior shutters on brick or siding, using hinges or hanging directly to the house windows.
📹 How to Install Exterior Shutters | The Home Depot
Adding shutters to a house is an easy way to boost its curb appeal. Shutter installation is a straightforward project and, depending …
What is the most welcoming front door color?
A new front door can be transformed into a welcoming sign by choosing a color family that is cheerful, welcoming, and fun. Yellow or lime green is a cheerful choice that can offset a bland home color and add personality. Ruby red is a vibrant and bold color that is intriguing and invites visitors to stay. Teal or aqua blue is a great contrast to gray or other dark colors, while gray is a great choice for a more drab gray home. Black is another great color to consider, as it is a bold and vibrant choice that can be used against a white backdrop or add a touch of passion to a more drab gray home.
What is the most popular shutter width?
The most popular choice for plantation shutter slats is 3 ½” slats, which are not too big or too small. These horizontal blades rotate to let in light and provide a better view. However, one size does not fit all, and there are several factors to consider when choosing the best shutter louver size. The slats are not too big or too small, making them “just right”. When choosing the right shutter louver size, it is essential to consider factors such as the desired view, light, and overall size of the shutter.
Why don’t Americans use shutters?
Rolling shutters, a traditional European architectural feature, have been absent in American homes due to historical architectural differences and climatic considerations. Early American homes were designed with different priorities, such as the temperate climate and ample land availability, which led to the absence of rolling shutters. European Rolling Shutters (ERS) believes in the importance of rolling shutters and other shading solutions in homes for security, climate control, aesthetics, and comfort.
Rolling shutters have roots in European architecture, dating back centuries, and were initially designed for practical purposes like protection from the elements. They were able to control sunlight, enhance security, and regulate interior temperatures, making them an integral part of the European architectural landscape.
Do shutters have gaps?
To fix gaps between the frame and wall in shutter installation, fill them with decorators’ caulk, pack them out with cardboard, and cover them with caulk. If the gaps are over 10mm, consider sourcing trim from a hardware store. To prevent panels from swinging open, re-adjust the frame and check it is level vertically using a spirit level. When fixing bay window shutters, a second person can assist by holding the frames while fixing them together. It is essential to have a free color sample to find an appropriate trim color. Additionally, ensuring the frame is completely level is crucial for a successful installation.
Can you mix and match shutters?
Mixing shutter styles in a home is not a strict rule, but it’s important to determine if it enhances or complicates the appearance. Timberlane’s shutter visualizer can help visualize different shutter types and colors in real life. Consider the purpose of the shutters: whether they’re decorative, fully operable, or a mix of both. For example, decorative shutters on a lower level with interior window treatments, or functional shutters on the upper level for personalized control of light and ventilation, depending on the home’s design and personal preferences.
How are exterior shutters attached?
Exterior shutters are installed on 2-3 hinges that sit atop “pintels” screwed into the window frame. Pintels come in three sizes: siding, brick, and rock. The wrong pintel may prevent the shutters from offset the right distance and keep them from lying flush on the house. Two hinges are enough for shutters up to 47″ height, but for extra tall shutters up to 95″ height, three hinges/shutter are needed for additional support.
The first step is to attach the shutter hinges to the back of the shutter, with each shutter having a mirror partner. It is recommended to flush the top and bottom hinges with the shutter to ensure correct pintel alignment. Next, secure the exterior shutter to the home by securing the first pintel into the window first, then slide the shutter into the first pintel, place the second pintel through the hinge, and screw into the windows reveal.
An S-Shaped piece called a shutter stay or shutter dog is used to hold the shutter open, installed in the bottom opposite corner directly to the home. For brick or rock, use lag anchors, while for siding, pre-drill a smaller 1/4″ hole and tighten the shutter dog in place.
Lastly, install a hidden metal L-bracket in the top opposite corner of the shutter to secure it to the home and keep the shutter open. Screw the metal bracket into the siding first with a 2″ screw, then drive a 2″ screw down into the top of the shutter.
Should exterior shutters match trim?
Shutters in your home can add uniqueness and style to your exterior. However, they should not match the front door or trim. Instead, use lighter or darker shades of the same color to add variety without clashing. Complimentary colors, such as red and green or yellow and purple, can also be used. Bright colors like fire-engine red or treefrog green are harder to harmonize with on your home exterior. Deeper shades of these colors can blend and coordinate with a wider range of options.
When choosing a trim paint color, consider contrast. The trim provides definition and distinction to your home exterior, but if it is similar to the siding, it loses the opportunity to make an impact. Overall, shutters should coordinate well with other elements, but bright colors like fire-engine red or treefrog green can be harder to harmonize with.
Is there a top and bottom to shutters?
Shutter panels can be divided into three types: Divider Rail, Split Tilt Rod, and No Divider Rail. Divider Rails separate a shutter panel into upper and lower sections, allowing for separate opening or closing. Shutter panels over 6 feet tall require divider rails to strengthen the panel. Split Tilt Rods separate the shutter control rod into upper and lower sections, allowing for separate opening or closing. No Divider Rail shutter panels have a single control rod for all louvers, making adjusting shutters fast and easy.
When should you not use exterior shutters?
Shutters are not necessary for every window, as they should cover the entire window when closed. Double-mulled, picture, bay, and most dormer windows should not have shutters. If shutters aren’t affordable, adding shutter hardware can be a simple detail. Mismatched windows can appear sloppy, especially with differing muntin patterns. Some muntin patterns are endemic to certain architectural styles, so “Prairie” muntins should be avoided unless the house is of the Craftsman, Arts and Crafts, or Prairie style. Adding shutter hardware can add a touch of elegance to a house.
Do shutters have to match front door?
To augment the aesthetic appeal of one’s domicile, it is recommended to consider harmonizing the color of one’s shutters with that of the front door. This can be achieved by selecting a hue that is either one shade lighter or darker than the existing color, or by choosing a hue that is either one shade lighter or darker than the existing color. Black is a popular choice for this purpose, as it is a color that has enduring appeal and suits traditional architectural styles, including brick, stucco, and stone exteriors.
Should shutters be lighter or darker than a house?
Shutters can be a great accent color in a home, creating a significant contrast with the body of the house. To keep the number of siding colors to a minimum, paint doors and shutters the same color. This is especially useful if there’s concern about the exterior becoming too busy. For example, if you have blue accents on one side of the living room, it will look more balanced when placed on the opposite side. The same applies to the exterior, where painting the door on the right front of the house with blue shutters will create a sense of visual balance.
📹 7 CLEVER Painters Tape Tricks Everyone Should Know
Here are seven lesser known tips, tricks and hacks using painters tape that will help you out around the house. #painterstape …
Another use for painters tape which someone taught me: we were painting a bathroom which we knew would need to be returned to its original white walls after my friend moved out. The mirrored bathroom cabinet had just a very small clearance between it and the corner of the room. We knew we couldn’t get a paintbrush into that corner to do a tidy job, and so my friend painted a 2″ wide piece of blue painters tape and taped it to the far /corner side of the mirror. The painted piece of tape was the same color as the rest of the newly painted wall, but when the wall needed to be repainted at the end of the renter living there, the painters tape was just peeled off again, revealing the original white wall beneath.
Another tip, useful especially for wide tape: After it gets a little old or cold, it’s hard to peel off (tears vertically down the roll), heat it for about 10 seconds in the microwave. It will then pull off the roll as designed. That’s especially useful for the original masking tape which rarely pulls off the roll easily.
Great tips. To add to this impressive list: 1. On the back of the faceplate of any receptacle, add the corresponding breaker number in your electric panel. Makes service calls or future DIY projects easier to start. 2. I often bundle together screws with their companion item. For example, I’ll tape the screws to the back side of a frame for safe keeping or tape the allen key to one of the chairs underside so when they are loose, I have the key right there. Ikea furniture is notorious for having additional items that just end up in a bag, drawer, or lost forever.
Adding my tip: When you get a new device that has any type electrical cord (phone charger wire, regular electrical plug, etc – you get the idea) write down what it is on a “painter’s tape flag” and tape it to the wire near the plug end. This is especially handy if you have things plugged into surge protectors with multiple outlets. I also do this with any computer peripherals. If it has a wire, it gets a flag. 🙂
Good tips. Regarding the circular saw, simply cut the board from the back to minimize tear out. Also, another tip I recently discovered, place small bits of blue tape where you are going to shoot finish or brad nails, then shoot through the tape – then fill the hole, sand if needed & peel off tape. I do this frequently with pre-finished cabinet crown molding.
You forgot to use the blue tape for a measurement guide for hanging objects on the wall, just run the tape against the frame of the picture or object and find your holes, then take that same peice of tape to level and hang that picture or object. It’s really helpful and works better than measuring the holes to hang an object or picture.
Cutting the roll of tape to make “labels’ is a great idea! Not so much for making labels, but for making RIGHT ANGLE SQUARES to use in corners. Well, that was the first thing I thought of, anyway. But, this article had lots of great ideas. Glad I took the time to watch, and glad LRD2DNY took the time to make this. Thanks!
In my house, the switches for the fans and lights aren’t consistent from room to room. Some have the light switch on the left and the fan on the right, and some rooms have it the other way. So I make the screw slots face up-and-down for the lights and side-to-side for the fans so that you can always tell the difference without having to try first.
You can also use painters tape to write on walls. More specifically, to draw markings for drilling when you are planning to hang something. For instance: -You can place a long strip of Painters Tape above a window and make it mostly level. -Then you can use a straight edge, draw the vertical edges of the window onto the painters tape. -You can use a leveler mark horizontal line down the length of the painters tape. At the spot that the lines intersect, you now have two points of reference that are perfectly level and give you the edges of the windows. You don’t need to drill exactly on those two points, but you can use them as starting points to more easily find the drilling locations for something like a curtain rod. You can also use this for hanging a bathroom mirror. I’ve seen more than one mirror hung (by various people) where they left multiple pencil marks or drilled multiple holes, because they didn’t get things marked off correctly the first time. Sometimes the issue is that they don’t want to draw a solid line on their wall, so they draw a few small lines. Only, the small lines got out of level, or out of position because the markings were over two feet apart, and the error wasn’t visible until the mirror was hung. If you draw a single line across the wall (on top of a piece of Painters Tape), you can see if the line isn’t straight before you put any holes in the wall.
Sorry if it’s already been mentioned here (1.5k comments already), just wanted to add that painter’s tape makes a fabulous door or drawer handle in a pinch, too. Tape the end inside the door or drawer then wrap it around the near side of the door or drawer and pull a long length off the tape. Then tape the other end just outside of the door or drawer and press the middle length of the tape together to firm the handle. It won’t last forever but works when you need a handle in a pinch, such as when it breaks or you aren’t ready to install handles yet (maybe you’re painting first? 😉). Thanks for the article!
The comments are so rude, jeeeez the guy is trying to inform you, half of you don’t own tape or know how to use it, support fellow you tubers not beat them up over microphone or age of tips being something you heard of . Lots of people get helpful tips from many sources, Sorry to see so many mean spirited people on a diy page
A little FYI: Super Glue and CA – same thing. The larger CA bottle is just the slightly more “pro use” style container, and most of these “pro style” CA brands can be bought in 3-4 thickness grades. It also reacts with water, like you used with the “super glue”, the activator just reacts faster and gives a better and nicer looking joint in most cases, as the activator is formulated to fit the specific chemical type of the CA optimally, although most brands can be used interchangeably albeit with risk of small side effects like discoloration, etc.. You can even use most activators with the little super glue tube stuff in a pinch, in case you run out of the “pro” stuff. Oh, right, try to avoid breathing in the fumes generated in the fast reaction of the glue as well as the accelerator itself, it very unpleasant and not healthy either.
These are all good!!!! I wanted to add one that I use – if I’m putting up something with two screw holes on the back, like a power strip, I put a strip of tape on it, poke holes where they need to be, and then put that tape on the wall or undercabinet and drill there, using the same trick you shared with the tape as a depth guide. Easy-Peasy. Except I forgot to put on safety glasses and got wood shavings in my eye.
I love learning new “tricks” for tackling DIY projects and while I DID know a couple of them already, the rest were new to me and so very clever. Now if I could just find a good mate with mad DIY skills, a passion for DIY projects and be open to the prospect of having a DIY gal pal to work with, Oh, the fun we could have.
That thumbnail was so stupid it was genius. That is a compliment. Good tips. I will say I am not a fan of using it for caulking, it is easy and looks really good when it’s first put down, but it leaves a little gouge/corner that collects dust and grime. I mean if you’re using silicone or polyurethane, it sure makes clean up easy. But you want to apply it, wipe it in, remove the tape, and then wipe it in again. Just to avoid those little dirt cracks, especially to in food prep areas. I say poly too, but commercial window guys sure put me to shame.
I use blue painters tape when I start topstitching my quilt tops. The tape acts as a straight line stitch guide. When I am done with the top stitching, it is much easier to pull off the tape, rather than spend time getting rid of drawn tailor’s chalk lines. I have several rolls of different widths in my sewing room. Also use the tape to label various quilt pieces so they don’t out of sequence when sewing the blocks together.
On the history of painter’s tape: 3M made high-quality masking tapes for the auto paint industry for many years (decades, probably) before blue tape came out. It was the standard yellow color, and was thicker but performed exactly the same. I used to paint cars, and had a couple of sleeves of 2-inch left over from the mid-80s stashed away. I recently pulled it out and tried it, figuring it was be all dried out and crusty. Nope, it was still just as sticky and pliable as if I’d pulled a fresh roll off the store shelves. Performed exactly like today’s blue tape.
I use it when hanging pictures. Put a strip on the wall, use the stud-finder and a level to work out where you want to drill, marking as required with a sharpie or a pen. Once you have drilled your holes, peel off the tape to remove all of the markings from the wall. I sometimes use yellow frog-tape for this, simply because a black sharpie stands out better than it would against blue tape.
The reason for the plywood splintering is two fold, the blade is not a plywood or fine tooth(more teeth per inch) blade and the depth of the blade is to deep. For the cleanest cuts set the blades teeth just below the width of the board you are cutting (1/8″ – 1/2″). The angle of the blades teeth is designed with this in mind. The tape tip is a great idea if you are working with a dull blade however with finer teeth and the correct blade depth your cuts will be perfect.
I didn’t expect much but got a bundle. I never though much about what I “should” being doing with painters tape there were some good ideas here. I especially like the little cup to catch drywall dust and I like the idea of putting info on the backside of the plug plate – info of all kinds including the breaker switch. That would have saved me a lot of trouble.
Nice!! Thanks! I only use Frog Tape for painting now though, I keep having terrible spots under my straight lines when using 3M blue tape. Frog tape gives me much cleaner lines and doesn’t leave residue months (18 months for one project I still haven’t finished lol) after first applied. But sine the 3M is cheaper, it works for everything else.
Reduce man hours lost on the job walking through with clients by giving them a roll of blue tape at the beginning of the contract while explaining that when the project is at the appropriate stage they will walk through the property and stick blue tape on anything they are not satisfied with. It reassures them they will have a scheduled opportunity to do quality control rather than presenting excessive questions and comments etc daily before the job is done and ready for critique.
There’s probably nothing wrong with that microphone; it’s just got very high gain and your audio is clipping, which is that “buzzing” sound you’re hearing. Lower the input gain/mic level/whatever it’s called on your camera in the future and you should be good. Experiment to find the right level. You could also run your audio track through a low-pass filter (I’d try 8 or 10 kHz, but again, experiment – as low as 3 might work) and it should round off those sharp, clipped peaks. This can be done in some article editing software, I assume, but you can also export the audio, edit it with something like Audacity, and re-import it.
As a renter, I was looking for a way to install two-by-fours to the wall and kitchen cabinet without using nails. The tape and glue combination will make this possible. Our temporary puppy gate is just a bit too short to fit between an odd-sized area without damaging the kitchen cabinet and the drywall opposite. This may just be the solution we need. Thank you so much.
One thing that should be mentioned about tape is that it gets old, and when it does it can be overly sticky, so when your masking over a hardwood floor, when you remove it,it can remove the existing finish. Only buy tape and paint from a paint store that moves inventory quickly. Try and stay away from hardware stores that may have products that have been on the shelves for sometimes years!
Note that on the 3M Painters Tape directions it states that the tape should be removed within two weeks for easy removal. Back in the day a co-worker of mine was working with a steering wheel to install a prototype airbag. It was rapped in leather so he used several layers of blue tape to protect it. Well, the project took longer than expected and the tape would not come off. Instead of trying a solvent it was decided to have the steering wheel rewrapped with leather. Which was an expensive fix however it was necessary for the program to continue. The take away was to always read the directions—even for tape!
Some good ones. Here is another: Cover the ferrule of your paintbrush and the heel of the bristles about a quarter to half inch with painters tape. When ready to clean bush after working peel the tape before cleaning to make it easier, and more importantly this will preserve the brush by preventing paint build up where the bristles meet the ferrule.
The caulking tip is a bad idea because it’ll leave raised edges on the sides of your caulk bead. These edges will let water pool up and may cause the caulk in the joint to lift out. Definitely don’t do this is mold prone areas like a shower/bath. Most of the other uses mentioned in the article are not bad at all. You can also use it if you’re trying to apply a permanent adhesive backed product to something but would like to remove it later. You simply put the masking tape in between.
Good article. I’ve already used some of the ideas you covered, and will use some more in the future. That said, you mentioned reasons you might want to glue a 2×4 to your floor. What I noticed in the accompanying picture was a gap in some of that snap-together laminate flooring. Of course, you would tap the glued-down 2×4 to close the gap. However, I’ve got some damage to some of my snap together flooring and have been wondering how I could un-snap the panels to replace the damaged panel. The answer is blue tape and a 2×4 glued to the floor. Thanks for the great tip! Now I can proceed…
I started using painters tape years ago when I need to saw the bottom of a door for carpet or tile installation, Not only does it prevent tear out when cutting, it gives you a straight line to guide the saw cut, AND it keeps the plate on the saw from leaving scuff marks or gray marks which were causing me to have to touch up the door with paint when I finished, Saves SO much time .
Awesome tips! I have to close some gaps in my laminate and while I was perusal that portion of your article, I had an idea! What about using velcro strips (the kind that comes in a roll with the adhesive backing)? Opposite sides (one on floor panel, other on knocing board) and then do it that way? The only reason I thought of that was because when I use ANY and I mean ANY kind of adhesive, be it glue, PVC floor tile adhesive, etc, I get it EVERYWHERE except where I need it! I’m going to give it a shot and I’ll post back here if it works!
As well as the paint info, it’s also a good idea to include the circuit breaker # as well. On switches that control outlets, it’s never safe to assume it shares the same breaker as other switches. I also do this for outlet covers as well. No more sequentially flipping breakers until you finally find the correct one.
5:24 YES! I knew I couldn’t be the only one who has to have them all facing the same direction! My personal preference is horizontal but as long as they face the same way you could do them diagonally for all I care… But please don’t do that. It would need to be a perfect 45* angle and even then I’d wonder if it was done on purpose or by accident.
I used the caulk method when installing granite counteracts back splashes, makes the glue almost invisible, it’s also good for damaged bumps on sheetrock, so,your stucco sits almost level with the surrounding sheet rock but just a tiny bit high when the tape is removed so only a little bit of sanding.
A risk with inferior painters tape with the drill bit technique, is the “flag” being pushed up the drill bit causing you to drill to the wrong depth. It’s less of a problem if you’re using a drill press in terms of depth control, but (especially in guitar building) it’s a stronger recommendation to mark the drill bit with a sharpie because the mark won’t move the way a bad flag will
Thank you for not being a barbarian and straightening the screws on the light switch, that was really important ☺️ I noticed in many houses people do not take the light switch covers off to paint thoroughly but paint around them, that really frustrates me 😖 so I truly appreciate you showing the job being properly done 👌
Awesome article! When I take things down like bathroom medicine cabinets I always leave a little note on wall to the next person removing it. In new houses I would leave pictures of what the place looked like for future owners, but they’d be in noocks and crannies in attic or basement waiting to be found.
Another tip: If you need to mark something on a wall or on a panel of some kind, cover the area where you estimate that the markings will go and measure and draw your X for a hole or some other panel cutout shape. Then all extra markings are easily removable and the tape is already there for when you’re drilling or cutting after.
Thanks for the tips. Painter’s tape is good for a lot of handy things except painting (unless you’re doing wall stripes or something customized). I’ve never seen a professional painter use tape to trim around surfaces. I’ve painted every home I’ve lived in and the only time I’ve used it is to slip it under the baseboards or quarter round at the floor edge so I don’t get oil based paint on grout, wood floors, etc. where it’s very tough to clean up when paint thinner is needed.
I like that trick with marking the name of the paint behind the electrical plate. Sometimes we don’t keep a record of our clients color selections so it’s a great trick. Btw I thought I was OCD about the screws slots lining up and down but an electrician told me that the reason they do that is because they are taught in school that bacteria will rest on the screw slot if it was horizontal. This is relevant in the medical field where germs are a factor. Interesting fun fact I thought! Great tips 👌🏽
As a painter, two tips: The same tip you use for making straight caulk lines can be extended to make sharp crisp lines between paint colors, such as at an accent. No masking tape is enough to keep paint from bleeding through, so caulk the tape line before you paint, and take up the tape immediately, while the caulk is still wet. The caulk prevents bleeding, and you get your perfect line between colors! Gluing a 2×4 to the floor can help when … Using an extension ladder on wood floors and you need something to keep your ladder feet from slipping! Nice trick! I’ll have to use that some day!
Your run of the mill “superglue” you find through out many stores and laying around your house is cyanoacrylate adhesive, including the superglue gel you’re using in your article if you would look at the bottom of the tube in the red lettering just like the Bob Smith Industries cyanoacrylate adhesive you’re using. The reason water is working poorly as an accelerator is due to the fact that water is not an accelerator! That accelerator you’re using on the BSI ca can also be used on superglue including the gel stuff, but if you’re not lucky to have accelerator just sprinkle some baking soda over the glue and it will cause a instant bond as if you used accelerator. Now if you wanted to stop expanding foam from expanding farther, or your using polyurethane Gorilla glue (not ca/superglue) then water would be a great choice. I know mind blown right? Side note, keep your cyanoacrylate adhesive/superglue in a cool place like your refrigerator or freezer when not in use to extend its life span. Also be careful around some plastics with accelerator because it can cause some plastics to haze or even eat at the surface.
Tip 7: – You’ll find essentially zero rough edges if your saw blade isn’t set so deep. With the saw essentially cutting along the wood instead of looping up from below it you will eliminate 99% of the rough edges without using tape, which often doesn’t work as well as you indicated. Especially if your blade isn’t very sharp… Tip 1: – CA (Cyano-Acrylate) is the same as Super Glue… And wetting the surface with a damp sponge may speed up the glue’s reaction time, but it could very well reduce how much adhesion the glue provides. Most glue does not adhere well to damp surfaces.
I use it to attach a screw to my power driver for when I’m up a ladder or somewhere inconvenient where I need one hand to hold something or hold myself on and a magnetic bit just won’t hold the screw on the end properly. I just tape the two together until the screw starts to bite. I hate it when the screw falls off and I have to go back down the ladder to find it.
watching you use that tape to mark the drill bit on your drill press was somewhat amusing as this is literally why the depth stop exists 🤦♂. still useful on hand drilling though usually I just use a Sharpe mark as it is usually already in my pocket and it does not make a mess throwing the chips everywhere.
2:35 if you’re laying a bead of caulk on a joint like that, go ahead and put it in with the caulk gun. Then spray right over the caulking and the surfaces on both sides of the joint with index. Yep, regular old windex. dampen a paper towel with 1-2 sprays too and then simply wipe the caulking with your finger. If any spreads out onto the surrounding surfaces it will just wipe away clean due to the windex you sprayed moments earlier. I do it all the time on baseboards and cabinet moldings. Perfect every time.
First time viewer here, great article!!! I use a few of these currently. And for gods sake, THANK YOU for straightening the screws on the light switch cover. I do have OCD (for real), and that fixed things for me. I happened across the few tips here that I use mostly by accident, basically the rolls of painters tape I’ve always had lying around were the only things available when I needed to mark something. Being a startup guitar builder, with no real tools and doing it all by hand the blue painters tape has been my savior. I would’ve drilled through a few guitar necks and bodies without marking the depth like this. I used it to create and mask off some relicing (fake wear and tear, paint chips, worn spots etc. for those who don’t know) on a couple guitars, perfect stuff for many things. I’m really diggin the one where you write all the paint info on the back of the light switch cover, never occurred to me, that’s awesome. This topic just really connected with me, I love it.
Interesting…I just came looking for a way to store my tape rolls. I keep buying more and more because I never find it. Tool box storage is at a premium, so don’t want to put it there….And I dont have time to build a fancy pretty rack (incidentally, I hate wood working…with a passion lol). Cool stuff though.
Hi Nils, just browsing your back catalog. Anyway how you doing? YouTube wise all seems good…..yes? Not been to website 2 yet. This article has some lovely stuff: tape behind the plate is top!! Should be law!?! Cutting into little piece’s ….brilliant! Nils I always thought CA glue and Supa glue were the same??? Please confirm as I don’t know what to do now??!! Keep it going matey, YouTube would be lost without you!! Bob England PS I was on a site and your review of UK plugs was referenced a lot, I of course told them you were the US spokesman for British Electrics!! lol
So, use CA glue, or use… CA glue? (Just razzing you, but it’s all CA glue, and it’s all pretty super). One CA glue / accellerant tip, if you’ve ever had one of those annoying little paper cuts that isn’t serious, but now you are bleeding all over your project, drop (and ONLY a drop) of CA glue, then hit it with a quick little shot of accelerant, and you are back to work. Only caution is, be careful putting a lot of CA glue anywhere on skin and then hitting with accelerant. You will quickly find out just how much heat it generates as it quick-dries.
NOT taking anything away from your article, which is really good…If I’m trying to do a fine cut in wood, especially for something indoors like furniture or shelving, is to use a finer-toothed saw blade. It tends to make less of a mess. I just used this method for a shelving project I’m doing where I didn’t want a bunch of splintering. Wait….3M trademarked a *color*?? They own blue?!? 😁
Cyanoacrylate (CA) is the chemical name of Superglue, my dude; just as Elmer’s Glue is polyvinylacetate (PVA). That accelerant spray can be DIY’ed with baking soda and water, the commercial stuff has a splash of acetone to dry faster. Fun CA fact I just read yesterday: was originally invented to make clear gun sights out of but didn’t find success till it was used to fill bullet wound holes temporarily during the war in Vietnam
For anyone wondering what tape to use best first painting, i use Tesa pink tape or Q1 pink tape, both are great, do not, under any circumstances use frog tape, it’s really expensive, only 25~ metres long and doesn’t always come off without ripping paint as well, regardless of what it says on it like for delicate surfaces etc, always crap. I’ve used both abovementioned pink tapes on very delicate wallpaper and they both work great.
Unlike many “hack” people on here, you actually have useful info, as a matter of fact, I went to your links and got one of those universal wire strippers and the clips to replace wire nuts. Another way to not shred the edge of a board like that is to use the correct blade, but you already know that, I am sure. Some of us just use the same coarse blade for everything so the hack helps. (I learned that one so long ago, we used masking tape to do it.) The way you end your articles is genius, too…The plug for the next one works on me.
This was a good article… However, never use your band saw to cut painters tape… I made that mistake ONCE… I bought some wide tape, and decided to rip the roll in half, to end up with 2 thinner rolls… I spent a couple hours with stall wool, WD40, and Goo Gone cleaning the adhesive off my rollers, and the blade…
The only good tip here is the caulk. The drill pit “tip” isn’t going to catch hardly anything. The flutes on the bit push debris back farther than that. You can see it missing the tape in your article. And the saw blade you’re using on that 1/4″ ply is the reason you’re chunking. The tape doesn’t stop it, using the right blade will though. The rest of these tips are a wast of painters tape when there is already things made for these jobs. Buy labels. People like you are why the painters tape shelf at Lowe’s is always empty when we need painters tape
A much better way to fix the tearout problem is to use the right blade for what you’re cutting. You show cutting thin 1/4″ ply for finish work using a framing carpenter’s blade. Great for fast cuts of 2x4s that will be covered up. Not appropriate for finish woodworking. And as someone else said, cut from the backside of thin wood.
NOoo !! Do NOT use WD 40 to remove glue residue … it leaves an oily film that becomes lacquer over time. Use a weak or diluted bit of Naptha and it will dry off leaving very little residue, which you can wash off with a bit of water or weak soap and water or maybe some all purpose spray cleaner, cleaned away with a damp cotton cloth. I once removed a terrible smudge of blue ink from a pen that got onto the top of my expensive Martin guitar, and Martin said to use Naptha on it, and it removed it without damaging the nitrocellulose finish on my $4k guitar – use Naptha for these jobs – less residue, no oil, and cleans up much easier – NOT WD-40 which is really Water Displacement 40 intended to loosen rusted screws so other metal items that are stuck together from galling. Sheesh … never put WD 40 on your walls or other household surfaces. As you can tell, am adamant about the right tool for this job. JR
Duh … I believe CA glue is essentially the same as SuperGlue – both are cyanoacrylate. Besides, most of the thing you are doing with blue painters tape can be done with masking tape and other tape without leaving a nasty residue. Weak and make weight article clearly intended to be “content” to support your business making money off an affiliate commission program and YouTube advertising. Filler just to pad the account with “fresh” content. I am sorry I watched. JT
Ok… Number 7…almost pointless. If you are cutting on a table saw…the blade pulls down so you cut with the pretty side up. If you are cutting with a skillsaw the blade pulls up…so you cut with the pretty side down. Plus your first cut was wobbly and faster than the second which was slower and straighter. The more you wobble the saw the more tear out you will have and the slower you cut the less bite the tooth has and gives a smoother cut. No tape needed and learn to use the tools properly for the application. Number 6…ok. Number 5…learn to caulk properly and you will ultimately be faster and end up with less caulk exposed. You trick only works on little areas. if you have to caulk a lot learn to caulk properly. number 4…ok. Number 3…your drill press has a depth gauge on it that you can set faster than putting tape on. Ok for hand drills though. Number 2…why would you cut it when you can just tear it. Oh so i can put a bunch of short pieces in a drawer and forget or lose them…got it. Whatever though. Number 1…it’s a shame that your need for article views get’s in your way of actual information in another. And last but not least…your shirt is perfect for you. You measured it once…got disappointed…and never measured it again. Maybe if you taught more about when you may actually need these “tricks” when proper skills and tool use might not be enough people would actually be better DIY’ers. And before everyone flames me in the comments… 32 years in the building and construction fields, my own carpentry, remodel and cabinet business since i was 19 and retired at 41 with an awesome track record and customer satisfaction history.
Just wanted to point out, you’d have less splinters when cutting finishing if you used a finishing sawblade. You had a framing blade on the circular saw. They will always cause splintering. And with the caulk, less is more. That was a suuuuuper heavy application. If caulk is spilling out the sides of your finger, you’ve applied too much.
Fir use #1…. or u jus do it the old-school free way an pull the saw guard up an just pull the saw instead of pushing it, causing the blade to run same direction as tablesaw does (yes it will cut trim np all day running that direction, OR…. Jus push it away with it backwards if that’s safer feeling fir ya(will depend on saw design
I keep a roll of this in the kitchen with a marker. After putting leftovers in the plastic container, I tear off a piece of blue tape, with what it is and the date – ie: garlic toes 4-15-22. Now, I don’t have to open the container if it got tossed in a corner and it’s a week later, just toss the insides and wash the container. Also it’s great to wrap around sandwich bags filled with leftover that go directly into the freezer. This blue tape is truly Great Stuff!! Thanks 3M!
#LRN2DIY FYI👍 All common “Super Glues” are cyanoacrylates! Which means that you can simply use baking powder as a cheap accelerator if you needed to. Works really great! The (CYANO)-acrylate class of glues, are special because they contain the active ingredient in cyanide! As in the poison known as cyanide! 😳 That is why it is very important never to heat up any type of super glue to the point where it begins to off-gas or “smoke”! Because that gas that is released will be very poisonous if inhaled!!! Matter of fact it is the same gas that is used in gas Chambers during Federal executions in States like California. Forensic detectives actually will create small little tents or covered areas around objects at a crime scene and then proceed to heat up a bowl of super glue underneath the covered area. Because when that gas that is omitted settles back down onto the objects underneath the covered area they will adhere to any oils or adhesives that are present on the objects. So fingerprints will suddenly appear even on human skin and other surfaces that normally can’t be dusted for fingerprints because fingerprints are just little residue streaks of oil Left behind after contact with human skin so you can literally get detailed fingerprints off of human skin just with this technique hopefully no one reading this will ever have to do anything like that lol! Peace!
You can be as American as you want to be, but masking tape was invented by a Scotsman, Scotch Tape. It’s still the best and unlike every other product it doesn’t dry and stick to surfaces in unwanted ways. Trademarking a color might work in America, but forcing that distinction on foreign countries is predatory.
You can also greatly reduce tear out by properly adjusting your saw blade depth. You blade should never be more than 1/4 past your material. The will be at a more shallow cutting angle resulting in less tear out. In this article you have seem to be cutting 3/8 plywood but your blade is set to cut a 2×4. If you had the depth set to 1/2 inch you would have had almost no tear out, but none with the tape. I learned this from perusal a wood cutting tips article.
To always do the right job it is important to use the right tool. The blade on your circular saw is not the right blade for plywood, which is why you are having such bad splintering. That blade has 24 teeth which is used for framing and demo work. You need a blade with 120 teeth or 140 teeth which is made for playwood. That will help considerably with splintering.
Using tape to do caulking leaves a little square edge/lip that can trap dirt, mould & bacteria, if you do caulking properly you only have to wipe over it but the method with the tape leaves you having to keep detail cleaning those square edges/lips, which defeats part of the point of caulking, which is to have a smooth clean edge
I tried that caulking thing a few months ago before seeing this article or knowing other people actually did this. Due to the tape being thick, after taking the tape off, you need to run your fingers again against the caulk to further flatten the edges of the caulk. Most of the tape already removed the excess caulk, so when you run your finger again, you won’t be smearing the caulk…..only flattening that unsightly “raised” caulk where the caulk met the edge of the tape.
They make an appropriate blade for cutting veneer 👀 Painters tape will leave residue if you leave it on too long If you are going to countersink they make a tool for that too. No need for a piece of tape on your switch plate. Write it on with sharpie and if it changes just remove it with rubbing alcohol 👀 Last tip is highly likely to damage your floor if you use a chisel to remove it. And I thought I made things more difficult than they need to be.
That “gluing” the board trick was absolutely genius! That is great for putting up semi-permanent walls in offices or other areas that need to be changed once in a while. Or even putting up partitions in rooms that can be changed around etc. There are TONS of ideas that I can come up with that work well with that.
Just write on the back of the tape of the tape measure with a pencil. You’ll never have to remember a measurement or second guess yourself again. I carry a 16ft tape measure so technically have about 1″ x 16′ of tape measure to write my measurements on. Also I’m not sure why you’d bother with tape on the back of an outlet cover. Just write on it with a sharpie. Cross it out next time you paint and write it somewhere else. You could probably do that at least twice before you needed to add tape to give yourself more writing area.
Great article. I also use blue painter’s tape on major and complex building jobs and even car restoration re-assembly as “visual reminders” of something that is incomplete or a problem that I need to get to at a later date. I just finished putting up 18 sections of pre-fab picket fencing and one of the pickets was curved. I wrapped a piece of blue tape on it when I spotted the problem to remind me to go back later and replace it. That bright blue tape is had to miss! Like in this article, 90% of my blue tape uses are not for painting.