#2532 – 5 Thrifty Ways to Style Your Space | Quick Summer Roof Check | Build a DIY Backyard Bench

[Producer Jim]
The Money Pit is presented by RoofMaxx Roof Restoration Treatment, and Ladera by Pavestone. Now here’s Leslie Segrete.

[Leslie Segrete]
Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, this is the Money Pit. I’m Leslie Segrete, joined by my good friend Jim Kenzie, who’s our senior producer and generally awesome dude. I’m keeping it up Jim, I just want to make sure I stay on your good side with all those compliments every week.

[Producer Jim]
I guess it’s better than calling me a button boy.

[Leslie Segrete]
You’re totally not a button boy. You’re my partner in crime, and I’m so thankful that you’re here with me.

[Producer Jim]
Amen, likewise.

[Leslie Segrete]
Well, happy 4th of July everybody. We are wishing you a wonderful long holiday weekend with your family and friends. We do give you permission to relax this weekend, but also it is totally cool to use the long weekend to tackle some projects around your money pit.

We are here for all of it. So coming up this hour, are you thinking that great home decor has to cost a fortune? Well, think again.

We’re going to share 5 easy ways to upgrade your space on a budget and make your home feel fresh, stylish, and totally you without spending a bundle. Also ahead this hour, do you think your roof is fine just because it’s not leaking? Well, think again.

Coming up, we’re going to share how a quick summer roof check and a simple treatment from RoofMax can help you avoid costly repairs and extend your roof’s life by years. We’ve got one more thing to tackle this hour. Are you looking to upgrade your outdoor space, but you don’t want to spend a fortune?

Well, we’ve got an easy DIY project that adds style, seating, and some serious summer vibes all in one weekend. Coming up, we’re going to show you how to build a backyard bench that’s simple, budget-friendly, and totally custom. But guys, we love to give away awesome prizes here at the Money Pit.

So if you are looking to give your yard a serious style upgrade, but fast, we’re giving away a $25 gift card to Ledera, the genius stackable stone system that looks like dry stack, but installs in minutes. No cuts, no special tools, just a really great, great product to help you tackle awesome projects in no time at all. And we could get you started on that for free.

So give us a call now at 888-MONEYPIT for the answer to your home improvement question and for your chance to win. Jim, who’s up first?

[Producer Jim]
Leslie, we’ve got Robin in Missouri, and she’s got a new-to-her home. And she wants to relax in her beautiful jacuzzi tub, but it’s got disgusting mold. What’s going on, Robin?

[Robin in Missouri]
We have this large bathtub jacuzzi, and it has some marble stairs and trim around it. And it’s a beautiful jacuzzi, but I noticed that the pipes, there was, like, I don’t know if it’s, like, mold coming out of it or what. When we got the house, it sat for a while, and then we filled it up and put palm oil and dishwashing liquid in it, you know, and tried to clean it out.

[Leslie Segrete]
Oh, yeah, and when that mold is, like, coming out of the inside of a pipe, because I had a sink back up, and it was coming through the overflow drains, and, like, the sheets of mold, it was disgusting. So I know this is disgusting, all right? So, Robin, you put dish soap in there.

Was it, like, the sudsiest thing ever, like you would see in the movies?

[Robin in Missouri]
That’s what they said to do. And anyway, we also got it glazed or painted, you know, as they usually say. It kind of faded off, and we had the fixtures painted, too, and we thought the people that were doing it were really reputable. But now the fixtures, you know, where the jets are, the rings around the jets, the paint’s kind of fading.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right, well, it sounds like you’re actually talking about two issues here. Number one, you’ve got some sort of growth that’s inside the internal plumbing system of your jetted tub. And secondly, the finish of that jetted tub has started to fade.

And you restored it a bit ago, but now that restored finish is fading, chipping, etc. So let’s go with the plumbing issue first. There really is a good way to do it.

It’s kind of caustic, you know, chemically. And I don’t know that you can actually do it for a jetted tub, which is generally fiberglass, because it’s kind of hard to do when, you know, cast iron’s in the tub and sinks that folks love to restore. But, I mean, that whole process is kind of chemically or caustic.

And then the products that they sell, you kind of paint over them. And they don’t nearly have the life expectancy that you would hope for. So in terms of whatever’s going on with the internal plumbing system, I would use a bleach solution.

So if you were to fill the tub up and run it, maybe you fill the tub and have a half gallon or a gallon of bleach in that water and then run it through the jets, that should definitely help to sanitize anything that’s growing in there. So fill it up with hot water, put the bleach in, let it run for a while. Don’t put anything sudsy in there because it’s just going to cause a giant mess.

And sometimes that could leave a residue itself. But I think a hot water and bleach should do the job well.

[Producer Jim]
Unless she’s on a septic system because you really don’t want to use bleach in a septic system.

[Leslie Segrete]
Yeah, that’s a good point, Jim. So if it’s not a septic system, bleach and water. If it is, you would want to use a sort of more environmentally safe dish soap.

[Producer Jim]
I would try like a Simple Green.

[Leslie Segrete]
You think that’ll work on that?

[Producer Jim]
It’s not going to hurt anything if I’m wrong.

[Leslie Segrete]
And that doesn’t mess up the septic system?

[Producer Jim]
No, but Simple Green sponsors us and we need big money to recommend them. Just kidding. I would give it a try because it is good for the environment.

And if it doesn’t, you know, if it doesn’t work, it’s not going to hurt anything.

[Leslie Segrete]
Yeah. And you know what? You’re not even using the tub anyway because you’re kind of grossed out by it.

So at least try these methods and see. See if it makes you feel any better. See if things come out clean.

But I know it looks pretty gross when the mold comes out of those pipes. Now when it comes to the glaze, I mean, you’ve already refinished it once. So I don’t think at this point it’s worth the money or the time to refinish it again.

So if it’s tolerable and not peeling or it’s not, you know, too damaged in any way, shape, or form where it’s eventually going to leak, I say just ride it out until it’s time to replace it. And maybe you’ll replace it with a non-jetted one so you don’t feel so yuck about it. Okay.

 

[Robin in Missouri]
So I’ll probably just replace it.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right. Well, thank you so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.

[Producer Jim]
Leslie, Larry in Louisiana. That’s a lot of L’s. Leslie, Larry, Louisiana.

Yeah.

[Leslie Segrete]
Leslie, Larry, Louisiana.

[Producer Jim]
You’re rubbing off on me. Larry needs some help at home. What are you working on, Larry?

[Larry in Louisiana]
I have a pier and beam house. I had an addition added on to it. And the addition is starting to sink and is causing a bow in the floor and getting the kitchen.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right. So what kind of foundation do you think that addition has?

[Larry in Louisiana]
It was under concrete little runners that ran around the house.

[Leslie Segrete]
When you say concrete runners, are you talking about a concrete footing?

[Larry in Louisiana]
Well, it’s split. You know, maybe every five, six foot. It’s like a one foot big piece of concrete that runs down a channel.

And then they put these other concrete pieces that sit on top of it to where they put the foundation of the house on it.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right. Well, it sounds like a standard footing with a concrete block foundation. And if you’re getting movement there, that’s definitely a concern.

It kind of points to some sort of failure in the way that foundation was designed. How much would you say that you’re seeing that it’s shifting or sinking? I mean, are we talking about a lot?

Are you seeing a lot of movement?

[Larry in Louisiana]
There’s a bow in the kitchen. It’s probably about a 10, 12 degree angle coming off of it.

[Leslie Segrete]
That is pretty significant. And unfortunately, you’re going to have to have this looked at by a structural engineer because there’s definitely something going on. And any sort of repair that any contractor is going to come in is just going to sort of be guesswork.

Whereas a structural engineer will say this is the problem and this is my opinion on the way that you’re going to fix it. And that’s what you really need to do, because that’s a huge movement, that 10 to 12 degree dip in the floor.

[Producer Jim]
No doubt.

[Leslie Segrete]
You want to have this investigated and you want to have it investigated sooner than later because it could be dangerous. I mean, you could check the website for the American Society of Home Inspectors. They should be able to point you in the direction of a good certified home inspector to come in.

We can find you a structural engineer in your area who can come in and they will tell you how to get this stabilized. Good luck with that. Let us know what happened.

Hey, you’re tired of living in a money pit? Well, we’re here to help. And if you want us to help out, it would be awesome if you could leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts.

Just go to moneypit.com slash review. It’s only going to take a minute and it means the world to us. You know, just because it’s summertime, it doesn’t mean that your gutters are in the clear of issues occurring.

It’s time for you to do a gutter checkup. Even in summer, those gutters need love. Leaves from spring blooms, birds’ nests, even storm debris can clog those things up and can lead to water damage when the summer storms roll in.

You want to clean them out and make sure that those downspouts are directed away from your foundation. It’s a quick task that can protect your home from surprise leaks and preserve your landscaping, too. I love to do a gutter check.

I definitely can’t do the ones that are super high up, but I do love to clean out the gutters on the garage. It’s kind of a gross project, but I really don’t mind it. So, get out there and make sure everything is functioning well.

You know what, guys? We’ve got a great prize to give away this hour. I feel like it’s been a little while since we’ve done a giveaway, so I’m extra excited about this one.

Are you looking to give your yard a serious style upgrade, like fast? Well, we’re giving away a $25 gift card to Ladera. It’s a genius stackable stone system.

It looks like dry stack, but it installs in minutes. No cuts, no special tools. You just adhere, stack, and level.

It’s perfect for fire pits, garden beds, seat walls, you name it. Now, each piece is made from durable precast concrete, and it comes in every size. But with seven unique face patterns, and then the joints are built in.

So, you’re going to get a custom high-end look without that custom price tag. Whether you are building a raised garden bed, a fire pit, a column, a seat wall, Ladera makes those projects fast, easy, and stylish. And the best part is you can get started for free.

So, call us with your question for your chance to win. Jim, which lucky caller is up next?

[Producer Jim]
All right, we’ve got some door issues with Taylor, who’s in somebody’s home state of, what is it, Michigan?

[Leslie Segrete]
Who do I know that’s from Michigan?

[Producer Jim]
Not sure, but anyway, we do have Taylor there. Taylor, how can we help out?

[Leslie Segrete]
Oh, it’s you.

[Producer Jim]
I knew it was somebody. Taylor, how can we help you out?

[Leslie Segrete]
Well, my neighbor Jim is really a pain in the butt. What? No, I’m kidding.

[Producer Jim]
Taylor, I can hear you.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right, Taylor, what’s going on?

[Taylor in Michigan]
We were having, like, some swelling around our doors, and so it sticks when you shut it. And we were wondering if besides sanding it, if there’s anything that you can do to help fix that issue.

[Leslie Segrete]
Yeah, when it comes to doors sticking, I mean, that could just be the general, you know, expansion during the warm, humid times of the year. You’ll find that when it’s cooler and drier, the door tends to get a little bit smaller and maybe not stick as much. But you have to kind of determine where exactly it’s sticking, because that will tell you what you have to do.

Once you can sort of pinpoint that, then we can better help you.

[Taylor in Michigan]
Yeah, on both of our doors that have that issue, we’ve noticed it towards the top of the door. So that part might be leaning a little bit, I think.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right, so you’ve tightened the screws and the hinges just to see if they’ve loosened themselves and it’s kind of fitting in the jam itself. You tried that. Yeah, we have tried that.

And, you know, typically if the door is not closing properly, it just means it’s not adjusted correctly. And a door can only move in so many ways. So you kind of just have to pay attention.

When it’s closing, look for the unevenness. Like, what’s hitting first? Is it a corner?

Is it one side of it? Is it the jam? Is it the lock?

Like, what is it? And as you start to notice it, I mean, the other thing you can do is just rub the areas that you think are problematic with, like, a dark lipstick. Some people use chalk, but I don’t think I can really see the chalk unless you get colorful kids chalk and rub it along the edge of the door.

And then that sort of leaves its print on the jam where it’s struggling. And then what you can do is just kind of trial and error because some screws pick it up. Some screws pull it back.

Some screws set it more forward. Some screws set it more back. So it’s kind of just realigning the door by tightening the thing or loosening the thing that’s causing the door to be sort of off balance and getting stuck in the places that it is.

Does that make sense?

[Taylor in Michigan]
Okay.

[Leslie Segrete]
You know what?

There’s also a great video online. It’s called DIY Door Alignment for Smart Locks. You can find it on YouTube.

It’s also on moneypit.com. And that will help you sort of figure out ways to pinpoint the issues as well. And it’s a super easy fix once you kind of see what’s going on.

Awesome. Great. Thank you so much.

All right. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEYPIT. Well, if you’ve been staring at the same four walls thinking your home could use a little refresh but your budget says not today, don’t worry.

You can give your space a stylish new look without spending big bucks. In fact, sometimes the best decor updates come from a little creativity and a fresh perspective. From easy paint projects to clever swaps and low-cost upgrades, these ideas will help you fall in love with your space all over again.

Without breaking the bank. First up, rearrange what you already own. Before you go and buy anything new, just try shopping your own home.

Move a chair to a different room. Swap the artwork. Rotate the rugs.

A simple rearrange can make a space feel totally brand new for exactly $0. Next, paint something small or even just one wall. A quart of paint goes a very long way.

Try painting a door, a piece of furniture, or even just one accent wall in a bold color. It’s low-cost, it’s high-impact, and it’s the fastest way that you can refresh a room. Another idea is to swap out the hardware.

New knobs and pulls on cabinets or furniture totally transform the look of a kitchen, a bathroom, even a dresser. You can look for affordable multi-packs or you can mix vintage and modern for a more curated feel. Another thought is to bring nature in, and I love this.

Greenery does add life to any space, so you can clip branches from your yard. You can grab a few potted plants. Even use dried stems like eucalyptus or pampas grass.

No green thumb required. Faux plants are better than ever. They are a little bit more of an investment if you’re getting a good one, but that you’ll have forever.

And if you don’t have the best green thumb, it will live. The last tip I love to share is using removable wallpaper or even peel-and-stick tile. At GMA, we have a brand of peel-and-stick tile on Deals and Steals that is amazing.

It’s awesome for a backsplash. It’s awesome for a small wall. It’s just great, and you can do so much.

And you know that I love wallpaper, so you can definitely make a bold statement with that. These temporary items, they’re peel-and-stick. It’s just great to have that big design change without the commitment of a full cost on a renovation.

And those are great for renters, too. So lots of fun ideas without really digging into the wallet. We’re all trying to save some money, so I love these low-cost, big-change ideas.

Which one are you guys taking on this weekend? I know it’s a holiday, but I said you could do some work, right? Absolutely.

All right. Jim, let’s get back to the phones.

[Producer Jim]
Okay, Leslie. Kevin from Wisconsin left us a message, and it’s actually a two-fold message. It’s regarding roofing and insulation.

Let’s hear what he has to say.

[Kevin from Wisconsin]
I’m going to build a 1,700-square-foot house this year, one story. And I’m going to put open-cell spray foam in the walls and in the ceiling. My question is, which is the better roof, a metal roof or asphalt shingle?

[Leslie Segrete]
All right, well, in terms of choosing what material your roof would be, asphalt shingles, metal roofing, both excellent choices. But I think you kind of have to think about the investment here. A metal roof is going to be a little bit more money, but it’s going to last, like, 50 years.

So are you planning to stay in this house for forever and a day, and you’re going to enjoy a good chunk of that? A metal roof is gorgeous. It can be made to look like anything in any color way.

I mean, it’s very, very gorgeous. Now, with the asphalt shingle, in a 50-year lifespan for a metal roof, you’re probably going to have to replace those asphalt shingles twice, possibly three times, depending on the type of asphalt shingle you put down. So, you know, that’s really up to you.

I think the other thing is you need to look at insulation. In terms of insulation, spray foam is a great choice. You could spray the underside of the roof rafters, not just the ceiling level of the second floor.

I mean, there’s a lot of different things you can do to regulate the temperature, to choose what kind of roofing material is going to be best for your house and help keep the house cooler. But you need both. You need a roof and you need insulation.

So it just really depends on which direction you want to go in, what situation that attic is in, is it a finished space, is it open bays? That will determine if it’s open bays, you can add in more bat, you could blow in insulation, you could do spray foam. So there’s a couple of different ways you can approach the attic.

So I would kind of think first about what your budget is and see what it comes up with cost-wise. And then for roofing, totally your call, asphalt or metal. You’re going to be very happy with both, but, you know, one’s obviously going to last a whole heck of a lot longer.

Alright, I hope that helps you out. Good luck with those projects. Well, summer is here and we’re spending a lot of time outdoors.

So what’s holding you back from the yard of your dreams? If it’s a cluttered yard, it’s time to streamline. Start by trimming overgrown bushes, removing weeds, clean up the toys, the tools, the unused furniture.

Then consider creating defined zones. A dining area, a fire pit hangout, or even a cozy reading nook under a tree. You can mulch your garden beds to keep the weeds down and moisture in.

A tidy, intentional layout can turn your backyard into a relaxing extension of your home. And the best is this won’t eat up your entire weekend. So get at it.

Jim, let’s get to the phones.

[Producer Jim]
Rena in Massachusetts is on the line and she’s doing some painting projects. How can we help, Rena?

[Rena in Massachusetts]
Hi, well, I just bought a new house. And, well, it’s new to me, but it’s about, I don’t know, 60 years old.

[Leslie Segrete]
Hey, that’s a pretty new house. Do you remember Tom’s house, Jim, was like, what, 125 years old? And my house is 103.

[Producer Jim]
Geez.

[Leslie Segrete]
Those are some old houses. What’s going on, Rena?

[Rena in Massachusetts]
Basically, I took down all, there was the vinyl wall, the same vinyl wallpaper throughout the house.

[Leslie Segrete]
Okay.

[Rena in Massachusetts]
Quite a nice door.

So I took it down and you can imagine, well, there was never, the walls were never painted. And, you know, there was, you know, the walls are in fairly good condition. So spending so much time scrubbing and getting the glue off and all of that.

All right. I had a family member help me. And he went ahead and painted the ceiling with, we found out there was latex paint on it.

So we got a bare ceiling paint and he went around the perimeter of the ceiling and just went in and painted all around in the two beds.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right. Are we talking about paint on the wall or paint on the ceilings? Both.

On both. Okay, both.

[Rena in Massachusetts]
So just what he did, because then, of course, he rolled the, you know, the middle part.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right. I think what you’re talking about is called cutting in. And it’s kind of when you take your brush and you go around the perimeter of the room and you kind of, you know, line between the wall and the ceiling or just under the molding.

So you’re putting in a line with the brush because those are areas that the roller is not really going to get that close to. If you got pretty close to the ceiling or pretty close to the molding, it’s going to get on the molding. It’s going to get on the ceiling.

It just so happens because, you know, as you roll up the wall, the other side of that roller goes boop to the ceiling. So you take the brush and you kind of go around the perimeter of the room. You go around all the trimming.

That’s called cutting in. You can generally do that with one or two coats. And then you roll out the rest of the job.

[Rena in Massachusetts]
Yes. So he did cut in, but he also cut over onto the wall. And I was told that the wall should be primed with oil primes to seal it and, you know, do two coats.

And then, of course, I could do latex over that. But I was getting confused because I thought, oh, what about that top two inches now?

[Leslie Segrete]
All right. Well, first of all, nice work on getting the wallpaper off. I would, of course, say put more wallpaper on.

Obviously, it’s so pretty. You can do so many wonderful things with wallpaper. But a regular person is going to say, how are the walls?

What kind of condition are they in? If you’re ready to paint over, you’re definitely going to want to prime because that wall’s been through a lot. It’s been through a lot of wear and tear.

And that primer is just going to sort of get those walls really ready to receive that paint and have that paint really stick well. And once you’ve primed the walls, you can actually have the primer tinted closer to the color that you’re painting if you’re going with a richer, deeper, darker color. And then once that’s dry, you can go ahead and put the top coat on.

I would be careful, though. I’d make sure I buy a good quality paint from a brand name that you know and trust just because you’re dealing with some walls that have seen some damage just from the removal of the wallpaper. Even though they’re not damaged, there might be some imperfections to it.

And when you go for a sheen, I wouldn’t go any shinier than eggshell because anything else, if that wall does have any imperfections just from the nature of getting the wallpaper off, if it has a sheen to it, you will notice. So I think that’s really it. You did a great job.

I still would suggest a fun wallpaper. Happy to recommend some.

[Producer Jim]
Yes, you would.

[Leslie Segrete]
Okay. Thank you so much. Well, good luck with your project.

Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEYPIT. Well, your roof is your home’s first line of defense. But let’s face it.

Most of us don’t think about it until there’s a leak. This summer, take a few minutes to give your roof a quick visual check. No letter required.

Just walk the perimeter of your home. Look up. Keep an eye out for missing or curling shingles, fallen branches, or anything that seems out of place.

Spotting trouble early on can save you from major headaches when those summer storms roll in. But even if things look fine, there still could be hidden issues. That’s why RoofMaxx is offering free professional roof inspections for a limited time, and that’s $129 value.

Their experts know exactly where to look, from flashing and nail pops to vents and valleys. And they’ll make small tune-ups that help prevent big repairs down the line. And here’s something wild.

Most roof leaks don’t actually show up as stains for nearly two years. So by the time you see the water on your ceiling, the damage is already done. Don’t wait for the drip.

Get ahead of it. Oh, and if you’re seeing gritty stuff in your gutters, that’s not just dirt. It’s the roof’s granules.

And it means that your shingles are aging fast. But you might not need a new roof just yet. RoofMaxx has a treatment that can restore flexibility to your roofing shingles and add up to five more years of life, saving you thousands over a full replacement.

So do your roof a favor this summer. Give it a quick check. And if anything seems off, call RoofMaxx.

Your roof and your wallet will thank you. Check them out at roofmaxx.com. That’s R-O-O-F-M-A-X-X dot com.

Hey, guys. If you love saving dollars and keeping your Money Pit in tip-top shape, how can we help you keep your home in check? Hey, guys.

Are you ready to unlock your home’s potential? Well, dive into the Money Pit podcast and get expert tips to turn your house into a home and tackle any home project with confidence. Follow us today at moneypit.com slash podcast. Be sure to call us. Give us a call at 888-MONEY-PIT. Let us know what you are working on because we’ve got a great prize up for grabs this hour.

If you want to give your yard a serious style upgrade but you don’t want to spend the time doing it, we’re giving away a $25 gift card to Ladera. It’s the genius stackable stone system that looks like dry stack but it installs in minutes. There’s no cutting, no special tools.

You just adhere, stack, and level. It’s perfect for fire pits, garden beds, seat walls, you name it. And the best part, guys, is you can get started with this project for free.

So give us a call at 888-MONEY-PIT for your chance to win. Jim, who’s up next?

[Producer Jim]
Okay, Leslie, let’s head down to the great state of Texas. We’ve got David who has some questions about a French door. Can you give us some more details on the French door, please, David?

[David in Texas]
Yes. I want to remove my sliding glass door on my patio. It’s about 30 years old.

[Producer Jim]
Okay.

[David in Texas]
And my concern is water leakage at the end because sometimes my patio will flood a little bit and I want to make sure I seal the bottom of the door correctly and the top, and I wasn’t sure how to do that.

[Leslie Segrete]
Okay, so when you’re saying it floods, David, are you saying that it floods above the sill of the existing glass door?

[David in Texas]
It does sometimes. We’ve got a cement slab out there that’s about four inches down below the sill. I have a deck built around that slab, so sometimes if it rains real hard, the water will fill up on top of the slab there before it drains off.

All right.

[Leslie Segrete]
Well, the problem is however you install whatever door you’re going to get, the connection between the door sill and the house is not actually designed to stop a flood. So if the water is getting up and above that sill, it’s probably going to come in anyway. It’s just really not designed for that.

I mean, you could put all sorts of sealants under that door and it eventually will still leak. I mean, you might be better off concentrating on the drainage problem when you’re doing this project. If you can’t get that slab, I mean, you might have to remove it, you might have to repitch it, you might have to put one on that slopes away, and that would maybe help you deter the water from, in that flooding situation, getting up above the sill plate there.

You could also look at a type of drain that you would install near that section of the house. There’s something called an easy drain. It’s like a drain pipe and a foam aggregate kind of all in one, and it makes it a lot easier to install than a French drain.

But you’ve got to control that water problem, and this is the time to do it, because no matter what you’re doing to seal that area, French door, sliding door, whatever you put in is going to be expensive, and then it’s not going to do the job you think of holding that water back and away. Eventually it will find its way in regardless of the door, so you’ve got to fix that other issue first. You’ve got to get the water moving away.

[David in Texas]
Okay, great. That really helps. It eases my mind anyway.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right, well, good luck with that. We’d hate for you to spend all that money and then still see the same issue, so let’s fix that problem first, okay?

[David in Texas]
Thank you for all your help.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right, thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. Well, if your backyard’s been feeling a little uninspired lately, here’s a quick and affordable way to add some serious summer charm and a whole new hangout spot. I’m talking about building your very own DIY garden bench or outdoor seating nook, and it’s one of those projects that sounds complicated, but it’s actually simple, low-cost, and super customizable.

So it works whether you’ve got a big yard, a small patio, or anything in between. So let’s start with the basics. All you really need for a simple version are six cinder blocks and three pressure-treated 4x4s.

You want to lay two cinder blocks on their sides at each end, stack another on top for height, and then you slide the 4x4s through the openings to create a sturdy, rustic bench. That’s it. You’ve got instant seating.

No nails, no screws, no power tools. You can dress it up with paint or stain. You can leave it raw for that kind of industrial chic look that’s so popular.

And if you want to make it cozy, you can add outdoor cushions or weather-resistant pillows. Even better, you can wrap the seat boards in foam and fabric. Make sure you use outdoor fabric and outdoor foam because they’re both naturally mold-resistant in their fabrication.

And then you’ve got a DIY upholstered look. You can add a throw, a little end table, maybe some string lights overhead, and suddenly your yard has personality and a pretty comfortable one at that. Now, if you’re feeling a little more advanced, you can consider building a bench with built-in planters at either side.

You can use wood, stone, or even large ceramic pots just to frame the ends of your new bench. Fill them with herbs, flowers, ornamental grasses, and you’ve suddenly created a space that’s functional and beautiful. And don’t stop at just the bench.

You can surround the area with pea gravel, mulch, even pavers just to kind of define the spot. It’s really great because it will totally change that one look in that one area of your yard. You can add solar path lights or a few lanterns, and it’s the perfect evening hangout spot as well.

And the beauty of a project like this is it gives you a big transformation energy without big renovation budget. You’re adding seating style and value to your home all in a single weekend. So if you’ve got a free afternoon and the urge to make your outdoor space more inviting, give this DIY garden bench project a try.

It’s simple, satisfying, and it just might become your new favorite summer spot. Such a simple DIY project can make such a huge difference in your space and your confidence. We hope you guys are enjoying a fantastic holiday weekend.

Jim, do you have, like, food ready for the grill? Do you have family coming over? What are you doing today?

[Producer Jim]
Actually, we have family coming up from Florida, and then we’re all going out for a pontoon lake afternoon.

[Leslie Segrete]
That sounds like the best day ever.

[Producer Jim]
Mm-hmm.

[Leslie Segrete]
I’m going to head out to the beach. We always have the air show at Jones Beach, which is so great to see the planes doing awesome tricks. It’s so cool.

Nice. So whatever you guys are doing, have a wonderful holiday. But first, let’s check out who emailed the Money Pit.

Jim, who do we have?

[Producer Jim]
Martha, and she asks, how do I remove paint from a brick fireplace around? Is it a lot of work? Okay, let’s go to our next question.

[Leslie Segrete]
Who’s next? Yeah.

[Producer Jim]
Oh, sorry, Martha.

[Leslie Segrete]
Martha, you know, it’s a lot. Painting brick is definitely a commitment. And whether you paint it or the previous owners, you’re committed to that painted brick.

I mean, it’s really there to stay. It doesn’t come off. You can’t scrape it off.

You know, it’s just difficult because the brick sort of absorbs the paint into all of those nooks and crannies, and there’s no way to get it out. So, I mean, you can chemically remove it. You can sandblast it.

It’s still going to kind of stay there a little bit. So my advice to you is to think about repainting it with a color that you love and decorate around it because otherwise you’re going to end up with a big bill or a lot of frustration. You can also cover it with, like, a thin stone veneer or a brick veneer or a different tile.

You know, I think you’re going to just have to either go over it with new paint or go over it with a new material. I’m happy to answer more questions, Martha, so feel free to reach back out. I know it’s not the answer you probably wanted, but think of it as a chance to have a whole new look.

[Producer Jim]
Albeit unintended.

[Leslie Segrete]
All right. Sorry, Martha. Good luck.

[Producer Jim]
All right, Leslie. Next up we’ve got Mark, and Mark wrote in, I’m preparing to install engineered wood flooring over a plywood subfloor. The installation instructions say that there should be a gradual slope over a six-foot distance.

How do I make sure the subfloor is flat for the new flooring?

[Leslie Segrete]
I mean, I guess you could use a level and make sure that the floor is flat. They do make, like, six-foot wide levels. That gives you a good sense of a larger sort of scope of the flatness of your floor.

But the interesting thing is that these products are getting, like, more and more specific as to how much difference you can have in sort of the surface. They want it to be super-duper-duper flat, but in reality, most homes are not, especially in a basement if you’re dealing with engineered wood floor and a concrete subfloor. So what you would want to do is, as you’re going through the areas and you’re finding some areas of difference, you can use a floor-leveling compound.

It’s kind of thick like a slurry. You pour it out. It dries pretty quickly.

And you can sort of grade the floor out there. And that’s really the best way to make sure that the floor is level. And it does take a little bit of practice in sort of installing it.

But once you figure it out, that’s a great way to fill in any areas of difference as you’re checking out the levelness of your floor. It’s just a good little trick of the trade there. And then you can go ahead and use the underlayment or whatever the floor is recommending so that you can have a beautiful finished product without a ton of work.

It’s a great way to do it. Good luck with that because this engineered wood floor is going to be perfect for your space. And you’re going to be very happy with how it looks when you’re done.

Thanks so much for spending your 4th of July weekend here with Team Money Pit. We’re so happy that you joined us. We hope you learned a thing or two and got inspired to tackle a fantastic project this weekend.

Whatever you are doing, remember the Money Pit continues online. So check out MoneyPit.com for all of your home improvement needs. We’re always here to lend a hand.

So you can either check us out online or give us a call at 888-MONEYPIT. Because remember, you can do it yourself, but you don’t have to do it alone. See you next time, guys.