When the Solution Is Simple

Circular Saw Making Splinters?

A portable circular saw is the tool to use when you need to shorten a door to fit an existing opening or to accommodate a new layer of thick carpeting. But even the newest, sharpest blade will tend to splinter the top surface, especially if it’s a veneered door.

To eliminate the splintering, first apply a strip of 2-inch-wide masking tape across the door. Clamp a framing square or other metal straightedge along the cut line. Then, slice through the tape and into the door using a utility knife. You should make several firm passes (above left).

Remove the straightedge, but leave the tape in place. Then clamp a perfectly straight 1-by-4 or 1-by-6 to the door to act as a saw guide. Position the board so the blade will cut about 1/32 inch to the waste side of the scribed line. Slowly guide the saw along the board to trim down the door (above right). Finally, pull up the tape and lightly ease over the edge with a sanding block.

This no-splinter sawing technique also works well when crosscutting sheets of plywood and wall paneling.

Temporary Staples a Pain?

A stapler, unlike most other fastening tools, often is used for temporary jobs, such as tacking up a poster-board sign, dropcloth or plastic window covering.

To make it easier to take down the item, tape the stick from an ice cream pop to the bottom of the stapler before stapling. Each staple will stick up a little, making it easier to pull out later with pliers.

Need a Handy Ruler?

You don’t need a tape measure to take rough measurements--use your hammer. Measure exactly 12 inches from the head of the hammer and mark the handle with a piece of colored electrical tape. Place another piece of tape 8 inches from the head. That creates a built-in guide at 12, 8 and 4 inches. On a long-handled framing hammer, add a tape stripe at 16 inches. This timesaving tip is especially effective for repetitive nailing, such as driving evenly spaced nails along the edge of a plywood sheet.

Hinge Holes Loose?

The small screws used to secure kitchen cabinet door hinges to the face frames of cabinets often work loose over time. Unless they’re tightened immediately, the screws will enlarge and strip the holes until it becomes impossible to tighten them. A quick, convenient cure can likely be found just inside one of the cabinets: toothpicks.

Remove one loose hinge screw. Dip four or five wooden toothpicks into woodworking glue and stuff them into the hole. Break the toothpicks off at the surface and replace the screw. If the holes are larger than about one-quarter inch, pack them instead with wooden matchsticks dipped in glue.

Crawl Space Chilly?

To take the chill out of a crawl space, it’s usually best to insulate the exterior masonry walls rather than the underside of the floor above. That’s especially true when heating ducts or pipes pass through the space. Unless there are excessive moisture problems in the crawl space, use unfaced fiberglass batts to insulate the walls; be sure to wear a long-sleeve shirt, gloves, eye protection and a dust mask when handling the itchy stuff.

Cut lengths of insulation to extend from the mudsill (that’s the 2-by board laid directly on top of the concrete wall) down the wall and 2 feet out onto the floor. Secure them with 2-by-2 cleats: Hold the cleat over the end of the insulation and drive nails through the 2-by-2 and into the edge of the mudsill.

Place a length of 2-by-4 or a few bricks on top of the insulation batts along the bottom of the wall to hold them in place. Also, cut pieces of insulation to fit between the joists and tightly press them against the rim joist.

Items are reprinted from the pages of Today’s Homeowner magazine. To receive more expert advice on improving your home, call (800) 456-6369 or visit the Web site at https://www.todayshomeowner.com