Blog.DoDesignDIY.com

Feature your photos or hang your framed pictures in a mass display on an entire large wall with the minimum of holes in the wall and the maximum of flexibility. Blog.DoDesignDIY.com gives you three consecutive and different DIY postings, following, that will make this possible at low cost and fairly easily. Each posting has diagrams and complete instructions.

Here’s one of the three different DIY diagrams (#2):

DIY Photo and Picture Gallery Wall #1- Multi-picture Shelf
DIY Photo and Picture Gallery Wall #2- Vertical Hanging Bars
DIY Photo and Picture Gallery Wall #3- Multiple Horizontal Hanging Bars

Feature your pictures or hang your framed pictures in a mass display on an entire large wall with the minimum of holes in the wall and the maximum of flexibility. The secret is to install a master Main Rail that will support a thin wood picture shelf, held-up in turn by the wall studs. Secret number two is to use an overlooked, very inexpensive but very strong material: Steel EMT electrical conduit.

See the DIY section of our website (http:DoDesignDIY.com/) for more picture/photo and other projects, and our other Blog postings.

Materials and Tools (ID= Interior dimension):
— Electric drill, 1/8 and 1/4 inch bits and screw bits, small hammer, 3-5 heavy 2.5+” nails or a drill punch, wire-cutting pliers, hacksaw, plumb line with plumb bob, level
— One 10 foot length of steel electrical conduit (EMT). This is steel pipe used to protect permanent electrical wiring. It comes in 10 foot lengths at Lowes, Home Depot, etc., and in 1/2″ ID (about $3), 3/4″ ID (about $6), and larger sizes. I will feature more metal conduit potential uses in following posts.
— Optional (See Variations): One 10-foot length of PVC water pipe (about $5+) that will slide onto the size of conduit you are using, as snugly as possible. Remove the printed labeling using nail polish remover on a rag (lightly). Add this to the conduit before drilling holes.
— 3 to 5 PVC 1/2″ (ID) PVC Couplings (not Caps), which will served as standoffs. Use five if your pix are heavy and many.
— 3 to 5 #10 or #12 x 3 inch+ long round-head wood screws.
— One 10-foot piece of 1×4 (3/4×3.5″ Actual)
— One 10-foot piece of decorative molding.
— Five #8 x 1.25′ flat-head metal self-tapping screws
— Framed pictures, or stiff picture mats, or Dollar Store frames, etc.

Steps in order:
— Determine where your structural conduit bar is to go on the wall— it will support the Wood Shelf.
— Mark the horizontal screw line on the wall using LIGHT pencil or a color chalk line using a string line and level.
— Find (the centers of) the wall studs along the line— This is ESSENTIAL: Wall studs are generally spaced at 16 inches on centers from the stud at the corner of the room. You can use a magnetic stud finder that detects the nails/screws holding on the wallboard. Or you can tap THIN 1-1.5 inch brads or nails into the wallboard very near the top of baseboard to find the studs with minimal damage, then use a string plumb line to mark the locations for your Main Rail screws on the pencil/chalk line.
— Cut the conduit, and PVC ‘cover’, if any, to the width of the wall or space you are using, minus 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Keep the Hacksaw blade vertical. Flip the cut end(s) to the corner (to be least visible).
— Transfer 3 to 5 of the stud locations to the Conduit (or its PVC cover, if any). These must be more or less equidistantly spaced, and about 3 to 6 inches from the pipe ends. Tape the ends of the nested pipes on the end to temporarily keep them aligned with each other.
— Use a hammer and nail to dimple/mark the metal or PVC before you drill, to position the drill bit, and put a block of wood under the wood to protect your floor. Drill 3 to 5 1/4-inch holes in the Conduit (with PVC cover, if any), completely thru the pipe. Keep the drill vertical so the holes are aligned (|) thru the pipe. As you drill each hole, insert the 3″ screw thru the holes to keep the pipes in alignment.
— Put the 3 inch screws into the structural hang pipe and thru the PVC Couplings.
— Using the 1/8th inch drill bit, partially predrill the wall stud (about 1/2″ deep) just before you screw them into the wall in the following steps.
— Get some help. Screw the Conduit (and PVC) into the first mark. Make sure the screw enters 90 degrees to the wall and that it bites into the stud. Leave it just a little loose for now.
— Move to the other end of the Conduit (and PVC), and set the screw point on that mark. Have your helper tell you if the pipe VISUALLY looks level compared to the corner wall, ceiling, etc. (the ceiling or walls could be ‘off’). THIS IS CRITICAL! When you’re SURE, screw it in and tighten it, then tighten the first screw.
— Move to the middle, have your helper visually check that to make sure the pipe is not sagging, screw it in tightly. Ditto for screws 4&5, if used. Test the Conduit; it should be very rigid. If not, add more 3″ screws into other wall studs.
— Now you are ready to add the shelf atop the conduit. Drill 5 vertical 1/8″ holes thru the conduit, evenly spaced. Put the wood shelf on the conduit, and screw the self-tapping screws upwards thru the the conduit into the bottom of the shelf.
— See the diagrams for further details.

Cautions:
— Do NOT try this using butterfly or expanding wall fasteners— you will need screws securely fastened into the actual wall studs.
— It would be safer to use plastic glazing in the frames, not glass.
— Do not use for valuable frames unless/until you are SURE of the strength of your wall supports.
— If you need to remove the Shelf assembly to move, etc. use a small container of premixed wall spackle (white) and a putty knife (Lowes, Home Depot) to fill the screw holes. Touch up the paint it if needed, after its dry.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Comment on this posting.

Feature your pictures or hang your framed pictures in a mass display on an entire large wall with the minimum of holes in the wall and the maximum of flexibility. The secret is to install a master Main Rail that will support all of the vertical slats and pictures, held-up in turn by the wall studs. Secret number two is to use an overlooked, very inexpensive but very strong material: Steel EMT electrical conduit.

See the DIY section of our website (http:DoDesignDIY.com/) for more picture/photo and other projects, and view our other Blog postings.

Materials and Tools (ID= Interior dimension):
— Electric drill, 1/8 and 1/4 inch bits (and screwdriver bits), small hammer, saw, 3-5 heavy 2.5+” nails or a drill punch, wire-cutting pliers, hacksaw, plumb line with plumb bob, level
— One length of steel electrical conduit (EMT). This is steel pipe used to protect permanent electrical wiring. It comes in 10 foot lengths at Lowes, Home Depot, etc., and in 1/2″ ID (about $3), 3/4″ ID (about $6), and larger sizes. For this, use 3/4″ ID.
— Optional: One 10-foot length of PVC water pipe (about $5+) that will slide onto the size of conduit you are using, as snugly as possible. Remove the printed labeling using nail polish remover on a rag (lightly). Add this before drilling the screw holes.
— Vertical hang bars— These can be wood lattice strip (at least 1/2″thick x 1.5″wide). Buy as many as you plan to use, upto 8 feet long each.
— Scraps of 1.5×3 or 4″ wood (for hanger and spacer blocks), and of the lattice strip (See diagram)
— 3 to 5 PVC 1/2″ (ID) PVC pipe caps, which will served as standoffs. Use five if your pix are heavy and many.
— 3 to 5 #10 x 3 inch+ long round-head wood screws.
— One 1-inch x #8 round or pan head screw for each framed picture to be hung (See Cautions)
— Framed pictures, or stiff picture mats, or Dollar Store frames, etc.

Steps in order:
— Your structural Horizontal Rail conduit bar is to go 9 to 12 inches below the ceiling.
— Mark the horizontal Rail screw line on the wall using LIGHT pencil or a color chalk line using a string line and level.
— Find (the centers of) the wall studs along the line— This is ESSENTIAL: Wall studs are generally spaced at 16 inches on centers from the stud at the corner of the room. You can use a magnetic stud finder that detects the nails/screws holding on the wallboard. Or you can tap THIN 1-1.5 inch brads or nails into the wallboard very near the top of baseboard to find the studs with minimal damage, then use a string plumb line to mark the locations for your Horizontal Rail screws on the pencil/chalk line.
— Cut the Horizontal Rail conduit to the width of the wall or space you are using, minus 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Keep the Hacksaw blade vertical. Flip the cut end to the corner (to be least visible).
— Transfer 3 to 5 of the stud locations to the Horizontal Rail conduit (or to its PVC cover, if any). These must be more or less equidistantly spaced, starting about 3 to 6 inches from the pipe ends. Keep the two pipes in alignment by taping the ends together temporarily.

— Use a hammer and nail to dimple/mark the metal or PVC before you drill, to position the drill bit. Put a block of wood under the wood to protect your floor. Drill 3 to 5 1/4-inch holes in the Horizontal Rail conduit (with PVC cover on, if any), completely thru the pipe (and PVC). Keep the drill vertical so the holes are aligned (|) thru the pipe. Slide a #10×3″ screw thru each hole to keep all in alignment.
— Drill a 1/4″ hole thru the center of the end of each PVC cap.
— Put the 3 inch screws into the structural hang pipe and thru the drilled PVC cap (closed end to the wall), with about 1/4 inch of the screw point extending out of the cap.
— Using the 1/8th inch drill bit, partially predrill the wall stud (about 1/2″ deep) for each Horizontal Rail conduit screw hole just before you screw them into the wall in the following steps.
— Get some help. Screw the conduit into the first mark. Make sure the screw enters 90 degrees to the wall and that it bites into the stud. Leave it just a little loose for now.
— Move to the other end of the pipe, and set the screw point on that mark. Have your helper tell you if the pipe VISUALLY looks level compared to the corner wall, ceiling, etc. (the ceiling or walls could be ‘off’). THIS IS CRITICAL! When you’re SURE, screw it in and tighten it, then tighten the first screw.
— Move to the middle, have your helper visually check that to make sure the pipe is not sagging, screw it in tightly. Ditto for screws 4&5 if used. Test the Horizontal Rail; it should be very rigid. If not, add more 3″ screws into other wall studs.
— Now you are ready to hang the vertical bars. See the diagram and use wood blocks nailed and Elmers glued to the back of the Lattice Strip The verticals hang from the Horizontal Rail conduit and are not otherwise fastened to the wall.
— Hang each picture from a small round head screw driven partly into the Vertical Slats.
— See the diagram for further details.

Variations and Refinements:
— Instead of the PVC piper, cover the conduit with wide vinyl or cloth tape, by carefully painting it. Or sew a snuggish fitting tube of cloth as a pipe cover. Do this BEFORE you mount the conduit to the wall. Do NOT drill thru fabric— just ‘bunch it’ mid-pipe and expand/alter it after the screws are in tightly.

Cautions:
— Do NOT try this using butterfly or expanding wall fasteners— you will need screws securely fastened into the actual wall studs.
— It would be safer to use plastic glazing in the frames, not glass.
— Do not hang valuable frames unless/until you are SURE of the strength of your wall screw supports.
— If you need to remove the Horizontal Rail conduit to move, etc. use a small container of premixed wall spackle (white) and a putty knife (Lowes, Home Depot) to fill the screw holes. Touch up the paint it if needed, after its dry.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Comment on this posting.

Feature your pictures or hang your framed pictures in a mass display on an entire large wall with the minimum of holes in the wall and the maximum of flexibility. The secret is to install a master Main Rail that will support all of the pictures and SubBars, held-up in turn by the wall studs. Secret number two is to use an overlooked, very inexpensive but very strong material: Steel EMT electrical conduit.

Feature your pictures or hang your framed pictures in a mass display on an entire large wall with the minimum of holes in the wall and the maximum of flexibility. The secret is to install a master Main Rail that will support all of the pictures and SubBars, held-up in turn by the wall studs. Secret number two is to use an overlooked, very inexpensive but very strong material: Steel EMT electrical conduit.

See the DIY section of our website (http:DoDesignDIY.com/) for more picture/photo and other projects, and our other Blog postings.

Materials and Tools (ID= Interior dimension):
— Electric drill, 1/8 and 1/4 inch bits and screw bits, small hammer, 3-5 heavy 2.5+” nails or a drill punch, wire-cutting pliers, hacksaw, plumb line with plumb bob, level
— One 10 foot length of steel electrical conduit (EMT). This is steel pipe used to protect permanent electrical wiring. It comes in 10 foot lengths at Lowes, Home Depot, etc., and in 1/2″ ID (about $3), 3/4″ ID (about $6), and larger sizes. For one line of lightly matted pix, use 1/2″. For an entire wall of pix or for more heavily framed pix, use 3/4 or as much as 1 inch conduit. I will feature more metal conduit potential uses in following posts.
— Optional (See Variations): 10-foot length of PVC water pipe (about $5+) that will slide onto the size of conduit you are using, as snugly as possible. Remove the printed labeling using nail polish remover on a rag (lightly). Add this before drilling holes.
— If you want to gang your pictures in aligned horizontal rows, get additional lengths of 1/2 ID conduit ( and appropriate PVC cover pipe) for the SubBars. Add one to the bottom as well, for visual balance. These will all hang from the main structural bar. Also get some strong multi-strand approx. 1/8″ steel cable (3 pieces 1.5 times as long as the wall height). You will also need some machine screws— see the diagram.
— 3 to 5 PVC 1/2″ (ID) PVC pipe caps, which will served as standoffs. Use five if your pix are heavy and many.
— 3 to 5 #10 x 3 inch+ long round-head wood screws.
— Picture hanging material- one or two of the following: Braided picture wire, 25+ pound clear fishline, Strong fabric cloth stripping, Decorative rope or string (1/6 to 1/4 inch in diameter. These loop over/hang on the Main or SubBars and fasten to the back of the frame or picture mat. Or make large wire elongated hooks for hanging.
— Framed pictures, or stiff picture mats, or Dollar Store frames, etc.

Steps in order:
— The main structural conduit bar is to go near the ceiling. Keep it about 9 to 12 inches below the ceiling.
— Mark the horizontal Main Rail screw line on the wall using LIGHT pencil or a color chalk line using a string line and level.
— Find (the centers of) the wall studs along the line— This is essential: Wall studs are generally spaced at 16 inches on centers from the stud at the corner of the room. You can use a magnetic stud finder that detects the nails/screws holding on the wallboard. Or you can tap THIN 1-1.5 inch brads or nails into the wallboard very near the top of the baseboard to find the studs with minimal damage, then use a string plumb line to mark the locations for your Main Rail screws on the pencil/chalk line.
— Cut the structural Main Rail (and the SubBars, and PVC ‘covers’, if any) to the width of the wall or space you are using, minus 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Keep the Hacksaw blade vertical. Flip the cut end(s) toward the corner (to be least visible).
— Transfer 3 to 5 of the stud locations to the structural MAIN RAIL (and its PVC cover, if any). These must be more or less equidistantly spaced, about 3 to 6 inches from the pipe ends. Nest each conduit/PVC cover pipe and temporarily fasten each set together on the ends with tape, to keep them in alignment.
— Use a hammer and nail to dimple/mark the metal before you drill, to position the drill bit, and put a block of wood under the wood to protect your floor. Drill 3 to 5 1/4-inch holes in the structural Main Rail (with PVC cover, if any), completely thru the pipe. Keep the drill vertical so the holes are aligned (|) thru the pipe. If you are using SubBars too, you will need 1/4″ vertical holes in the Main Rail and SubBars (see the Cabling diagram). Put a 3″ screw thru each hole to keep the PVC cover and conduit in alignment.
— Drill a 1/4″ hole thru the center of the end of each PVC cap.
— Put the 3 inch screws into the structural hang pipe and thru the drilled PVC cap (closed end to the wall), with about 1/4 inch of the screw point extending out of the cap; see diagram.
— Using the 1/8th inch drill bit, partially predrill the wall stud (about 1/2″ deep) just before you screw them into the wall in the following steps.
— Get some help. Screw the pipe into the first mark. Make sure the screw enters 90 degrees to the wall and that it bites into the stud. Leave it just a little loose for now.
— Move to the other end of the pipe, and set the screw point on that mark. Have your helper tell you if the pipe VISUALLY looks level compared to the corner wall, ceiling, etc. (the ceiling or walls could be ‘off’). THIS IS CRITICAL! When you’re SURE, screw it in and tighten it, then tighten the first screw.
— Move to the middle, have your helper visually check that to make sure the pipe is not sagging, screw it in tightly. Ditto for screws 4&5 if used. Test the Main Rail; it should be very rigid. If not, add more 3″ screws into other wall studs.
— Now you are ready to hang the SubBars (or your one line of pix, etc.) To hang the SubBars, see the Cabling diagram. It is elegantly simple, and adjustable. They hang from the Main Rail and are not otherwise fastened to the wall.
— See the diagrams for further details.

Variations and Refinements:
— In place of the PVC pipe cover, you can cover the conduit with wide vinyl or cloth tape, by carefully painting it. Or sew a snuggish fitting tube of cloth as a pipe cover. Do this BEFORE you mount it to the wall or hang the SubBars. Do NOT drill thru fabric— just ‘bunch it’ mid-pipe and expand/alter it after the screws are in tightly.
— Clip LED picture lights to the hang bars where desired.
— Devise your own variations and let us know (Comments)

Cautions:
— Do NOT try this using butterfly or expanding wall fasteners— you will need screws securely fastened into the actual wall studs.
— It would be safer to use plastic glazing, not glass, in the frames.
— Do not hang valuable frames unless/until you are SURE of the strength of your wall screw supports.
— If you need to remove the Main Rail to move, etc. use a small container of premixed wall spackle (white) and a putty knife (Lowes, Home Depot) to fill the screw holes. Touch up the paint it if needed, after its dry.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Comment on this posting.

I omit the most common photo display method— framing.

—Fasten (use 3 long thin nails) a 1/4 x 1.5-3 inch x up to 8-foot piece of wood (lattice or molding) horizontally to the wall and clip, tack or tape the photos onto it, for a horizontal mass display.

—Lean a 3/4 x 2.5-3 inch x up to 8-foot piece of wood against the wall, fasten the top end to the wall with a long thin nail, and pin or tack the photos onto it, for a vertical mass display.

—Mount photos onto foam core art board using low-tack tape, face it with clear plastic (from a plastics shop), and hang it on the wall using thin nails or 2-sided foam tape on back

—Use plastic box frames, available at AC Moores or other hobby shops, for a frameless look.

—Pin your photos to a cheap umbrella, saw off the handle, then hang the umbrella on the wall from its edge.

—Make a simple easel from “1×2” (3/4×1.5) and a few bolts, mount your photos onto a piece of foam core art board and stand it up on the easel.

—Cut foam core art board to fit the inset area of cabinet doors, then mount your photos on it (a plastic covering is recommended).

—Roll a large photo copy into a cylinder and slip it into a glass column vase for display. If you still want to use it as a vase, insert a plastic jar with the water in it.

—Paint an old wooden ladder, lean it against the wall, and stand your (framed) photos on the steps.

—Place your photos under a clear plastic (from a plastics shop) piece the size of your coffee table or desk.

See our other posts about Printing Your Photos 8.5 x 11 at Home, and Making Yourself an Icon image container, which are also on our website with other ideas.

Tags: design, interior, photos, display

The effectiveness of Solar and related energy-saving methods will depend on your local climate, the size and layout of your home and garden, and the season of the year.

The following methods generally give the most bang for the buck and (most of them) are amenable to DIY installation.

1. Solar pool water heating.
Download “Solar Water Heaters for Swimming Pools” (PDF) from this page.
DIY version: A long hose or flexible plastic water pipe (from Home stores), connected to your pool pump, and spread out on the sunniest part of your lawn or roof can heat your pool and save you money in the summer. A pool cover can conserve that heat overnight.

2. Rooftop solar hot water heating.
Download “Solar Water Heaters” (PDF) from this page.
DIY version: A long hose or flexible plastic water pipe (from Home stores), connected into your hot water heater feed pipe, and spread out on the sunniest part of your roof can heat or preheat your water. An insulated water heater tank cover can conserve the heat gained during the day. In many climates, this would only be effective in areas with milder winters.

3. Ground-coupled heat pumps
Download “Ground-coupled Heat Pumps” (PDF) from this page.
This can save you money all year, for heating and cooling, and is relatively expensive, but can save you more money than solar electric panels, particularly if you install the ground-coupled version. If your house is in need of a new heater or A/C, you would be able to install a smaller heater and A/C with a heat exchanger.
DIY version: Very limited DIY.

4. Added (super-)insulation
If you are planning to renovate your house, consider adding as much insulation as possible. In some cooler (or all) rooms, if you can spare the slight space lost, instead of replacing the wallboard, consider surfacing the entire (exterior) inner walls with 2+ inch thick high density polystyrene foam panels (construction adhesive them to the old wall surface) over thin foil reflective insulation, then adhere plasterboard or other wall facing to the foam. This would require relocating (or installing new) electrical work and adjusting the baseboards, window and door frames for the added thickness. Advantages: You do not have to remove the old wallboard and this can eliminate air leaks.
Also add insulation to your attic.
DIY version: All or much of this can be DIY (subject to your local building codes).

5. Add a Greenhouse room to your south facing wall
Download “Fact Sheet- Passive Solar Design for the Home” (PDF) from this page.
This can be costly, but the space and effect is much more satisfying than the other alternatives, and much more useful than an outside deck. For maximum effectiveness, use a thick concrete underfloor over insulation (absorbs heat in the day, releases it at night), and design the roof so that it shades the windows from the high summer sun. Consider an insulated window shade or panel system for use during the worst part of winter.
DIY version: Much of this can be DIY installation of a prefab greenhouse (subject to your local building codes).

6. Solar Electric Roof Panels
Download “Fact Sheet- Introduction to PV Systems” (PDF) from this page.
I include this because it is very popular now. Depending on your location, however, the costs of the panels and accompanying equipment are high, and the payback may take up to ten years. After checking climate (sunny days) records for your area, consider trying out a small system and adding to it over time, as the systems will slowly become less expensive.

7. Save money on food costs
Take a look at the “Garden Machine” plans HERE, and download the PDF instructions. This is Solar Power at its tastiest and entirely a DIY project.

This is a DIY solar site with a wealth of projects and information, from Mother Earth News, which has been well known since the Flower-Power Generation. If you’re interested in turning green, check this out for a marvelous education and great projects.

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/frugal.htm

Are you hoping to turn Green? Do you want some real information about going solar, harnessing the wind, building green? Blow on over to http://www.homepower.com/, become a member, sign up for the online edition, or subscribe to the hardcopy edition and access practical information and help in Greening American homes. Or just check out their Resources/Links for an extensive list of very relevant links.