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Improve the Storage Capacity of Kitchen Cabinets
Dear Pat: My house has just an average-size kitchen, and I am totally remodeling it. Do you have any guidelines for selecting or designing kitchen cabinets or counter areas for the most usable space? — Jennifer F.
Dear Jennifer: Your question …Read more.
Install Mirrors on Bedroom Closet Doors
Dear Pat: The space near the dressing area in my master bedroom is not as bright as I would like. I thought about hanging a mirror somewhere, perhaps on the closet door. Will this really help my problem much? — Dee R.
Dear Dee: Using mirrors …Read more.
Clean Oil Stains From Concrete Driveway and Garage
Dear Pat: We have a concrete driveway and garage floor. My husband likes to work on cars, and like most other things, he is not neat. How can I remove oil stains from the concrete and prevent future ones? — Agnes H.
Dear Agnes: Men and their …Read more.
How to Properly Level a Patio or Walkway
Dear Pat: I am going to build a brick patio adjacent to a small fishpond in my backyard. I plan to use a gravel and sand base for the bricks. What is the easiest way to get them properly leveled? — Maria P.
Dear Maria: A brick patio and …Read more.
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Add a Linen or Extra Closet to Your HomeDear Pat: With another child on the way, we are going to need more storage space. I particularly would like a linen closet and an additional clothes closeT. Do you have any ideas on how I can add these? — Donna C. Dear Donna: As you are finding, with a family, a house can never have too much storage space. A linen closet with many shallow shelves or drawers makes an efficient use of space. Of course, once you convert a closet to be used for linens, you will have to replace that lost closet space somehow. Adding sliding drawers to an existing closet is an excellent do-it-yourself method to create a functional linen closet. Just installing shelves in a closet is probably a bit easier, but installing drawers looks more professional and forces you to keep the closet better organized with everything in its place. With shelves, it is often tempting to just toss something on the most convenient open space. Select an existing closet that is not much wider inside than the width of the door opening so less space on the sides is wasted. The drawers will extend out the door when you pull them open so their width is limited to the width of the door opening. If the closet is considerable wider than the door opening, make the drawers narrower than the door opening and offset them to one side. This will give you easier access to the open space on the side to store tall, narrow items such as a broom, vacuum cleaner wand, etc. Also consider making the drawers shorter for better access to the side storage. Once you decide on the width and length of the drawers, begin to build them with one-half-inch lumber.
The simplest method to build the shelf supports is to nail 2x4's, two on each side, from the floor to the ceiling. Mount 1x1 maple supports horizontally to the 2x4's. Space these supports a half-inch further apart than the depth of the drawers. The door bottoms will slide on these supports. There are many methods to build an additional closet, but the easiest way is using folding doors. These will hang from the ceiling on tracks in the corner of a room. Any type of folding doors will work, and some are quite attractive. Make triangular shelves that fit into the corner. The folding doors will be attached to the ceiling at a 45-degree angle to cover the shelves when it is closed. For a little fancier appearance, install flexible folding doors that hang from the circular track on the ceiling. When using this design, the shelves are shaped as quarter circles for more shelf area. Use a stud finder to make sure the shelf supports are screwed into wall studs and not just the drywall. If they are in just the drywall, they may feel secure at first, but they will eventually loosen with use. Tools and materials required: hand and power saws, hammer, screwdriver, assorted lumber, drawer pulls, wood glue, screws, nails, hinges, doors. Send your questions to Here's How, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com. To find out more about Pat Logan and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM 
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