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Resource recommendations for teaching OOP via a practice-oriented example I intend to teach some OOP methodology but everywhere I look, there are only syntethic examples and elaborations of various concepts of the OOP world (for example: what is inheritance, how to use interfaces). Like this or this . What I'm loo...	I found a book online ( Object Oriented Programming using C# by Simon Kendal ), and it has an example of designing a simple administration system using OOP principles ( Chapter 6: Object Oriented Software Analysis and Design ). There is a teacher resource for Greenfoot ( https://greenroom.greenfoot.org ) that has many ...
Single-dimensional array and simple looping activities of significance I give a lab on single-dimensional loops and arrays. By "single dimensional loops", I mean that there is no nesting of loops. (I will later give a second lab on multi-dimensional loops and arrays, but that is not this lab.) The problem is that few...	One small, but significant, algorithm is to find Euler's Number.
Quick and easy intro to computer science for kids for an Engineering Field Day We have a large engineering day that hundreds of kids (ages 6-12) and their parents will attend. The setup is as follows: local engineering groups/societies will have stations and they will have short activities for these kids to introduce...	As a quick introduction to some programming lessons, I highly recommend CS Unplugged .
Advantages and Disadvantages of Teaching Block-coding Languages Such As MIT's App Inventor? I'm thinking about teaching App Inventor to students who have just begun their adventures in the programming field. MIT's App Inventor is based on block-coding, where the user designs the UI and then designs their functionality ...	Scratch and MIT App Inventor are very similar, and both are taught to my juniors at school, and students generally appear to enjoy these. They are not as accessible as text-based languages to students with visual and motor disabilities.
Popular demonstration of cryptographic tools I'm looking for an activity for highschoolers/college-freshmen that will demonstrate crypto topics (e.g., encryption, signatures, zero-knowledge), and will be fun and motivating. It is supposed consist of small tasks that the audience can do by themselves (=no complicated ma...	Keybase.io has a browser based crypto solution for doing encryption / decryption and while I don't recommend for "real" crypto, it is a great convenience tool for showing how public/private key encryption works without the need to address pgp tools installed on a machine or access to a key server.
Are programming contests beneficial to students? Background: I’m not entirely a CS educator, but I did run into a debate on whether programming contests are good for students. A lot of people around me have fun in programming contests. Usually, those contests require participants to “solve” several problems (like 7 to...	Programming contests are useful for some students in some contexts, but they're harmful to other students in other contexts.
How important is it that I know all of the words for the technical terms when mentoring in my second language? Every year for the past few years, I've been mentoring at Scratch Day, helping the kids with their projects during the course of the workshops. The problem? This takes place in my second language, which I don'...	Build a quick-look glossary for yourself that translates the terms in your native language into the one the kids are speaking.
What are the "intangibles" that distinguish one university's CS program from another? Both Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and Yale are top schools. (I attended both; one as an undergraduate, one as a graduate student, neither as a CS major). Their curricula aren't all that different. Yet CMU's CS program is far more ...	Moreover, many of the faculty at CMU are world leaders in their fields, though that is also true at Yale.
Best way to install and maintain windows 10 in a computer lab I’m looking for the best way to maintain a school lab. There are 20 PCs in the lab. All with windows 10.What would be the best way to configure them, so that the student will be able to use them, program in visual studio, eclipse, etc, but will not be able t...	I would run Debian Gnu/Linux on each machine, and then run Microsoft's Windows in Virtual-box.
Is it okay to teach C++ to my 7 year old brother? I was thinking this for quite long, should i teach my little brother about programming in the age of 7-8? Because it will help him in the future in 12th standard and in university life. I want him to learn C++, Java, Html. What do you think should i start teaching him ...	I've taught my kids C++ when they were age of 9 using a beginner book on building a game using C++ after they had a brief education on Scratch and Python.
Should one study programming by doing hard problem? As one learns programming, how useful it is to spend time to solve hard problems? Like, I saw a problem solving site where one task is for example to find a regular expression for decimal numbers divisible by 9 or do regular expression for a particular problem that is...	My advice would be to start out your programming education with fairly easy problems - that you can get your mind around easily.
Should programming assignments be graded based on results from unit tests or based on the similarity to the correct implementation? Imagine students in a course on algorithms & data structures, which are given homework assignments to implement things like trees, hash sets, sorting algorithms, etc. Due to the high numb...	If the code is not correct, then someone needs to make an analysis about why the code is failing.
Code highlight for classroom use I am thinking about "dissecting" my code with students, going line by line and commenting (why is this the condition of the while? What does this piece of code do?) A simple example can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mxTE_E2_YKq-yhaXAfBxYP11uaRm7bSXTnP55bMnPyQ/edit...	Just write on the paper. One method, assuming that you have given students the code is to just project it from your normal IDE and highlight it with the mouse. Build a deck in which each page shows exactly the same code but with different sections highlighted as you desire, using one or more colors.
Do you know of a complete textbook for teaching databases? The textbooks that I know about, teaching databases, are not complete. In the sense that they lack a complete set of assignments, homework, projects, slides and instructor manual. Do you know of any new textbook that is complete in this sense? <Q> I've taught a...	Database Design 1: Normalization. I have found the Shelly Cashman Series® of books to be effective.
Is learning C++ recommended for beginners? I have heard a lot of people saying C++ is a hard language to learn and is not a good language to start. I myself am a beginner in programming and have jumped straight into C++ as soon as I heard that being a programmer is way more useful for creating games compared to someone...	In general, I would suggest that it is not the optimal choice for a beginner, since there are other languages out there that are powerful, widely supported, used in a range of industries and (perhaps most importantly for a beginner) have a simple syntax with powerful features. I would say Go For It!
Do some websites block school building/classroom IP networks because they mistake us for possible DDOS? So I had my students go to NodeJS.org to download Node.js, and they did it with no problems. Two days later, I had them go to NodeJS.org again, but none of us could access the site, not even from the designated "...	Something got triggered on the school network and decided that too many students were going to the site so it got blocked.
Is the algorithm-recipe analogy a good or a bad one? I am growing suspects that the ubiquitous analogy between algorithms and recipes be not so well founded, especially for theoretically oriented students. I am wondering if this may contribute to the evidence of students having difficulties with even simple loops. I be...	I think the analogy holds up rather well. Analogies and metaphors in teaching computing are intended only to overcome the initial static inertia caused when a student has no idea whatever about a concept.
Thoughts on language for Intro to Data Science? Next term, I'm going to teach an introductory Data Science class for the first time. In the past, others have taught it in either R or Python. My first inclination was to teach it in R because the language is specifically for statistics (and not a general programming lang...	: If your interest is teaching more Data Science, as a tool in itself , go with R. For my 'natural born programmer' students, they like Python.
How do I deal with students being unkind to each other when I'm not there? The faculty and students at my small minority-serving institution think of our environment as being supportive and cooperative. This is very important in CS, since programming is a team sport, and students are expected to seek help from each oth...	You can mention that there have been reports of some bad behavior, and you are trying for the moment not to punish, but to appeal to their deeper senses of self: they are simply capable of being better people than that. If you find it is a continuing problem, you might consider working into your assessment plan some wa...
how to motivate student that programming will give bright future to them? some students in my class are leaving CS because programming is difficult and think that it will not give them bright future. how to motivate that students, that their interest is develop in programming and they become satisfied for their future....	Be sure to explain that at times programming IS difficult and frustrating, and sometimes we have to choose a different way of solving a problem.
How can programming skills be improved? I often take help from online videos to improve my programming skills, but I am not successful. Videos help me in debugging my code, but I am not improving my programming. Is there any other way through which I can improve my programming? <Q> The only way to learn a lot of things...	Improving programming skills can also include how you package your code, how structure/design it, or becoming familiar with how code is compiled. One good way to improve is to try new projects. Check out textbooks and tutorials for your favourite language.
Suggestions for teaching selection sort with candy It's the end of the semester, so my students are pretty burnt out, and a bit of sugar might go a long way (plus, evaluations are around the corner ;-). I'm envisioning a tactile class where students would carry out the selection sort algorithm to sort an array of candy...	You could do something similar with candies if you wanted, where you write a number or letter or something on the outside of the package that will sit face down. I have a large set of ducks that have numbers on the bottom.
How to introduce Kotlin in a Programming Languages course I'm teaching an upper-division college Programming Languages course, in which students have learned some Scheme, Haskell, and Go. Students' strongest language is Java, which we use in most of our courses. I have a free 75-minute lecture period. Any recommendatio...	You may have to give them an outline of what to focus on. What I ended up doing (partly because I didn't have much prep time for me or the students) was using the class period to have pairs of students work together through Kotlin Koans .
How can I improve other programming languages while having command on one language As in computer science field we have to learn several programming languages like C++, Java, C#, python, php etc to complete our tasks and home assignments. However you are good in only one language. As I know all languages are related to...	One of the best ways is to write a large program in the new language.
Through what basic programming language can beginners easily get the concept of programming? I have some students that are from medical background and have no concept of programming. So, which language I should teach to them to make their basic concept of programming perfect? <Q> Actually, this depends much more on the...	The best answer might just be the language that you, yourself, are most productive in. I have used pascal, python, VB and C. Each have their own advantages/disadvantages. Because he/she know nothing about programming so can start their programming from any programming language but my prefer is Java. pascal - was design...
How to create webpage slides for teaching? I have PDF slides prepared in Latex. I would like to have all of my slides in a website where students can find all learning materials, animations, examples, etc. Do you have any experience with creating HTML/CSS/other from slides? Is there any framework you would recommend? ...	pandoc can convert slides written in markdown to a html presentation using reveal.js . You can generate SVGs from $LaTex$ .
What to do when pupil destroy lab equipment? I am teaching robotics at something like an afterschool but is free for everyone aged 12-19 years. The first problem I encountered was poor equipment and facilities, but I obtained some funds and I was able to buy laptops, new soldering irons, Arduino starter kits and more...	Explain that each student (or group of students) is responsible for their piece of numbered equipment and they will face punishment if equipment is damaged. Get the parents more involved, with a signed paper from them that their child is responsible for damage and they will be assessed a fee if necessary.
Shallow, broad and general introduction to programming I've planned a shallow and broad curriculum for a summer program (5 days a week for 2 weeks, 9:00 to 17:00) or sorts, and the flow of the subjects seems flawed. The students are gifted (not a prerequisite, but most of them are) highschoolers with either no backgro...	Have fun with one or two languages instead of dabbling in several. For beginner programmers at the high school level I would go with Small Basic and do a bunch of turtle graphics. I think that the hook should be that programming lets you do things which are fun and/or useful.
Python IDE for beginners With a bunch of colleagues we will start learning Python together. I'm a programmer, but I'm new to python. Most of my colleagues know some VBA, but are generally new to programming. What IDE do you suggests? Features I'm looking for: simple interface, some debugging features, autocomplete, in...	I used to use PyCharm and PyScripter with good results. Eclipse is great for pros. If you’re interested in developing algorithms, I’ve found Jupyter
What is a good introductory language for high school? I'm teaching introductory programming for high school. Back in the day, when I was starting out, DOS and Unix terminal prompt was normal UI, and console apps would spark kids interest. Now, on the other hand, kids grow up on the web, and a console program would loo...	You might want to consider Visual Basic or Delphi where it is simple to create graphical user interfaces. Otherwise, Python is a pretty good choice for beginners. I would also recommend looking into game engines.
A real world example for the divide and conquer method Can someone give a real world example for the divide and conquer method? For example, I've heard the boomerang used to explain the idea of a loop back address. What is a real world example we can use to teach students about the divide and conquer method before goin...	The simplest example that still bears enough complexity to show what's going on is probably merge sort. When we put together a puzzle, we divide out the edge pieces first, put them together, then build the rest of the puzzle on that. Showing that "if I can sort a list of length n, I can sort a list of length 2n" would ...
This question is for anyone who has read Introduction to Algorithms by MIT press 3rd edition - Exercises, how to make them easier? I'm a student at a liberal arts college who has recently been taking classes at a tech school due to our schools cross-exchange program. I did not do well last semester, so I have spent th...	Comparing your solution with a more efficient solution is more helpful for self-improvement than just checking the answers, I believe. Reinforcement and feedback are the key to learning.
Explain to someone that programming isn't just all "if"s and "else"s I have a friend who, in his mind, has the wrong image about programming. Whenever I mention that programming is fun and that one can enjoy it very much especially if they like solving problems (both math and algorithm related), he stares at me and rep...	Obviously your friend is using a bit of hyperbole, and in truth, however annoyed you may be by his blithe dismissal of our entire field, he may not be open to being persuaded. Tell them about your experiences (Don't work about difficulty, it is just a story). Instead of focusing on the act of writing code and trying to...
Learning to program a Cell Phone Somebody wants to develop applications for his cell phone in Java. He does not know programming and he does not know Java. Should he start learning Java on his cell phone or would he better off learning how to program Java on his PC? <Q> Should he start learning Java on his cell phone ...	If your goal is to teach Java then building apps is the hard way to go.
A category to classify expressions, statements and blocks I was teaching an intro to Programming class, full of social scientists. After explaining that the basic building blocks of a program are called tokens, I took them through Keywords, Identifiers, Literals etc. I was asked a question. And have been reading to f...	Expressions can be tokens (such as 42 ), or can be groups of tokens ( x + 5 ).
How might I structure an assignment with two "levels"? I've been mulling this over for several hours, and have looked at a tangentially related question here . That question was about making a task more challenging for a "more confident" learner. I have what I call "hacker versions" of programming tasks in code, such...	For one assignment I gave the students a choice, either a simple one or a rather harder one. Tiering assignments puts the score they receive squarely on their shoulders.
How do you wow second-year students into saying "bare-metal programming is cool!"? Next semester I will be TAing a computer organization/assembly language course. I will be full-fledgedly (co-)teaching the lab. The first lab will take place before the first lecture, so me and the other TA will partly be responsible for...	Show some cool programs written in C, demonstrate some sort of Arduino-based program that looks interesting (a relatively simple one I've seen waters plants), something in assembly that looks interesting, and so forth. Instead, give them interesting but challenging exercises to do. Make them say, "I want to build that!...
Is less than comparison more natural than greater than comparison? I was teach on mathematics that on real line small numbers are on left and big numbers are on right. Therefore, I think the comparison 0<1 is more natural than 1>0, and in general, x less than y is easier to read than y greater than x. Is there any stat...	First, I doubt that there are any such statistics because the effect would seem to be so small as to be overwhelmed by other, more common, things.
How to prevent organization/OS students from becoming premature optimizers? While I'm sure that the comp-sci 101 mistake of having a triple nested loop with two recursive calls is sure to be cured by a decent comp-org class, it can have the unintended side-effect of turning students, enlightened by this hidden knowledg...	Warn students about the dangers of premature optimizing Show students how to use a profiler in order to figure out what is actually slowing their code down.
Learning suggestions for AI and neural networks for a mathematician I am a mathematician who has done programming in Python, Java, and R. I would like to learn to make neural networks and artificial intelligence. Are there any good books for self learning AI for a person like me who loves learning theory behind neural ...	The recommendation of Neural Networks and Deep Learning in kaya3's answer is useful for this, as Nielsen does write neural networks from scratch to demonstrate.
Debugging a submission that works well on student's computer but not on my computer I teach a course in C++. Often, students submit a homework assignment that works well in their computer (they send me a screenshot showing that it compiles and runs perfectly), but when I run the assignment on my computer, I get a "segm...	To catch undefined behaviour when grading submissions, you could test their code in the same two (or more) environments that students have been encouraged to use.
What evaluation methods can be used that don't involve testing but are adaptable to online courses The current situation with the spread of a serious disease worldwide has caused a number of universities and schools to move courses to an online model where students don't meet face to face in large groups. The problem...	As part of an algorithms module (first-year undergraduate level), I got students to choose a computational problem from a list of options I provided, write an algorithm to solve it, and write a 750-word report explaining:
Detailed lecture series for automata theory or theory of computation I need a detailed automata theory (or Theory of Computation) video lecture series to go hand in hand with the classic text books mentioned in this question The books are fine but I am having problem in understanding many portions of the texts on my...	I high recommend taking a look at the Stanford CS103 course page archive , which has links to very engaging lectures, and lot of great supplementary resources, such as handouts, problem sets, and lecture notes / slides.
How can I find someone online to mentor me on my first research paper? I am an undergraduate student, and I have an idea which I want to explore and write a research paper on. But I am totally new to this.I don't have good CS community at my place. So I can only look for a distant mentor.Please tell me how and where (s...	I would suggest taking to professors at your institution. Read any book on research methodology
How useful it is for math student to learn programming to find proofs or counterexamples? I study mathematics and sometimes I have difficulties to find proofs or counterexamples to some problems. Is it useful to learn programming to find counterexamples or proofs? How useful it is for mathematician to learn for example...	I would say that programming is a useful skill, at least in certain areas of mathematics.
Creating a pre-recorded lecture I have created a PowerPoint presentation and I want to create a video of me presenting it. I'm looking for a software to make my life easier. The features I'm looking for are: Can record a 25-minute video for free. Works on Mac. Can record the screen and me (audio+video). Lets me re...	OBS Studio fills your description.
Any good resource for introducing kids to programming using Python's Turtle Graphics? I would like to start volunteering with kids and young teengers in my community by introducing them to programming. I thought teaching them the basics of python would be a good start. I have some experience with teaching in general (b...	If you are open to a slightly different, more graphical, version of Turtle (called "Tina"), there is a whole book of lesson plans available at nclab .
Grading source code in an online environment In the past students have submitted hardcopy of the programs and output for grading (electronic version was also supplied if I wanted to run the programs). I always annotated and graded the source listing and associated output on the paper copies that I then returned to stu...	It has never occurred to me to use printouts of code, even though I have an older colleague who does this.
What kind of caulk should I use around my bathtub? I would like to recaulk between the bathtub and the ceramic-tile wall, but there are many kinds of caulking for sale. What kind should I use? <Q> I just caulked my shower last night. <S> I used GE Silicone II caulk from Home Depot. <S> I read up on this a little b...	Another factor which may play into your choice of caulk could be whether or not it's paintable, but the most important factor for a bathroom is going to be waterproof/mold proof.
Are there ways to determine if a wall is load bearing? Other than looking up blue prints, which many homeowners may not have, are there ways to determine if a wall is load bearing? Methods I can think of might include: Going up in the attic to check if ceiling trusses run perpendicular to the wall If the wall is an...	If the joists can't support the load without the wall, then by definition, it's load bearing. If the wall is above a basement or open crawlspace, you can look from below to see if it is on a bean or above a support post. Expose the wall over a doorway or pass-through.
How do I repair hairline cracks in stucco? The exterior walls on my house which is made of stucco, are starting to get hairline cracks in them. Can anyone suggest a simple, cheap solution for it that doesn't require painting the whole house exterior? <Q> If it were my house <S> I'd get painting! <S> Paint is intended...	I recently used DAP All-Purpose Stucco Patch .
How do I repair a small leak in a steam radiator? Could this be a big problem? One of my steam radiators has a small leak under the bottom. No hole is visible, but water drips out at a rate of a few drops per minute. Various websites suggest applying a 1 mm thick layer of J-B Weld after sanding and cleaning with ac...	If the radiator is newly installed it may well be that the hole will sort itself out by filling with mineral deposits; if it's a hot water based system there's also proprietary sealing gunk you can add to the water that'll seal small holes.
How do I remove wallpaper from drywall? I know there are a lot of different ways to remove wallpaper, ranging from elbow grease to chemicals and steam machines. What way(s) work(s) best? <Q> It depends :) <S> It really depends on how old the wallpaper is, if there are multiple wallpapers glued over each other and ho...	If the wallpaper is not too old, and was put on in a proper way, usually, a steamer works very well. A steamer is by far the best option: I've had great success even with multiple layers of woodchip.
How can I fill a void in a concrete seawall? My concrete seawall (on a freshwater lake) has a void in a bottom corner. It seems to have been created with the void -- it's not a result of trapped water freezing and pushing out a chunk. I'd like to fill the void to avoid future possible erosion. Multiple questions: ...	If the water is intermittent or tidal you can use a simple fast setting concrete, or a normal concrete with an accelerant additive. Insofar as patching the void is concerned I've had good luck with a product called Thoropatch.
How do I find studs when stud finders won't work? I was trying to hang my TV at my new place, on an interior wall (between living room and a bathroom). Using the stud finder on other walls worked fine, but on this wall I got some very strange readings. An area of about 5 feet by 4 feet was setting off the AC warning, a...	A variation on the "educated guess exploratory hole method" is to use a small finishing nail (longer than the drywall thinkness) and "explore" by nailing that in near the floor boards. The method recommended by a well-known maker of stud-finders is to put a fresh battery in your stud-finder .
What is the difference between a framing hammer and a claw hammer? What is the difference between a framing hammer and a claw hammer? Can they be used interchangeably? <Q> As others have said, a framing hammer is a specialty claw hammer. <S> So what makes it different? <S> First, weight. <S> A framing hammer is ...	Framing hammers are a specific type of claw hammer.
How do I remove dried paint from ceramic tiles and the bathtub? The previous owner didn't bother to lay down a dropcloth when painting the bathroom, and there are multiple, small paint stains on the ceramic tile and bathtub. What is the best way to remove them? The only thing I can think of is to scrape it off with...	Depending on the number of stains you're trying to remove you may find that heating the surface a bit by filling the tub with hot water then draining again will weaken their hold on the tub enough that you may be able to remove them with gentle scraping with a putty knife (being careful not to dig into the tub's surfac...
What are my options for asphalt driveway repair and/or sealing? I live in New England and my asphalt driveway is showing a lot of cracks. There's also a little divot in one flat spot that collects water. What are my options for getting the driveway back to looking good, and stopping any further damage? <Q> I'm repair...	If the cracks are large you might have to get some asphalt patch and then seal it.
How can I pour a concrete pad with a circular hole in it? Essentially, I'd like to put down a concrete pad for a patio, but leave a couple of circular areas within that patio unpaved (for planting shrubs). I'm familiar with the techniques for using dimensional lumber for angular concrete pads, and even using plywood f...	Staking can be with 1/2" diameter rebar, with lateral rebar pieces tied to the verticals, so as to hold the top of the tube in place. They use several old 5 gallon buckets leftover from construction in our basement.
How can I remove rust stains from enamel sink? Is there a sure-fire way to get rust stains off of an enamel sink? <Q> <A> I've used CLR with some success. <S> You can also try a pumice stone. <S> The stone should be gentle enough to not scratch the enamel, but tough enough to remove the discoloration. <S> I rem...	Not sure about "Sure fire" but a product called CLR (Calcium, Lime, Rust remover) is a good start.
I added insulation to my attic rafters, but should I have left room for airflow? I added insulation to my attic rafters and plugged the space between the outdoors and my attic with insulation. It lowered my heating bill by $150/month, but I've seen some information that I may have made a mistake by cutting off the air...	Ideally you want a "cold" attic - lots of insulation between the ceiling and the attic, and no insulation between the attic and the roof, along with plenty of soffit and ridge vents to keep the air circulating up there.
How do I make a lamp cord stick to drywall? Because trying to fish electrical wire through the walls and ceilings of my old house was too daunting, I have resorted to using a lamp cord to power a ceiling-mounted light from an existing outlet on the wall. How do I make the cord stick to the drywall? I tried hot glue b...	Do not use lamp cord to extend a circuit to a new outlet! Alternatively it is possible to replace the nails on cable clips with screws and drill/plug those into drywall, but the result is very ugly. It's illegal everywhere, and I wouldn't consider it to be safe. Don't - they make special conduit just for that.
What is the best method to patch a large hole (2-3 inches) in drywall? I have a large hole where a TV wall mount once was (I believe the hole was used to run power and coax cable to the TV). I have since moved the TV and would like to patch the hole. What is the best way to do this? <Q> Correct way to do it as instruct...	There's an alternative to @dilbert789's solution when you're dealing with holes this small: cut a rectangle of drywall about three inches larger than your damaged area in both dimensions.
How do I add an exhaust fan to an old attic? Our house's attic retains a great deal of heat during summer. While we now have a good layer of insulation between the attic and the rest of the house I wonder if it would be worth it to add some kind of exhaust fan. We live in a mid-Atlantic state so we have to contend wi...	From the Air Vent website : The Gable-Mount Solar Vent is an exciting alternative to traditional attic ventilation.
Why not put a vent that pushes air from the attic into house? I have this idea, and since it seems logical to me, but I don't see it anywhere I suspect I am missing something.. so here it is: Why not put a vent that pushes air from the attic into house? At summer, everyone wants to exhaust the hot attic air outside,...	It seems that if your attic is warmer than your house in the winter, then you either have an insulation or ventilation problem.
How can I add/alter wiring inside single-brick walls? Our house is full-brick. Double-brick on the exterior walls and single-brick for every internal wall. It was built in 1979 (I guess they liked to do things properly then). We've only ever had the opportunity once of adding new electrical items to the single-brick...	If you need to keep the old cable, use the opportunity to pull new wiring for it as well. Personally I think using EMT would look the best for running on the exterior of a brick wall (I love the industrial/exposed services look), but there are many other types of raceways and cable trays you could use. It may also be p...
Fire hazard of exhaust fan with heating bulbs in bathroom? Our strata gave us permission to install an exhaust fan with 4x 250W heating bulbs into our bathroom. We are on the top floor and the roof cavity above us is the ceiling for the building. There are no firewalls in the ceiling. I've been told by a friend who's ...	I would think the fire would have to be fairly large for this to happen, in which case the fan is probably the least of your concerns. These include fire cuffs and wraps that will crush the duct work in the event of a fire, and grilles and vents with built in fire dampers (that will close the vent if it gets hot). Make...
How do I repair aerated autoclaved concrete? I got an everlasting problem with a aerated autoclaved concrete (also known as "Gasbeton") wall: there's a crack that seems to split the upper half from the bottom half of the wall. I tried several time to fix it, either with the proper aerated autoclaved concrete putty and...	Once you find what is causing the crack, then look to mitigate the problem somehow (proper drainage in the case of water buildup), and then fixing it one final time will take care of the problem.
Should I replace fallen gutters? This past winter a heavy snow fall ripped two sets of gutters off our house, and I haven't had a chance to re-hang them yet. One is over our back door and it's really annoying having the running off hit you when you step out the back door, so they will be replaced as soon as I can. Th...	Definitely replace the gutter, but before to do that make it sure the foundation is still okay and no damage around.
Are those oscillating tools any good? Has anyone used those oscillating tools like the Fein Multimaster or the Harbor Freight version ? Are they as awesome as the infomercials suggest? What jobs are they good for? <Q> My dad has a Multimaster <S> and it's truly awesome. <S> Like any tool, there are jobs it is good...	Small cuts and getting into corners are some things that it's great at. All in all I'd say the $34 Harbor Freight version belongs in everyone's toolbox.
Can I paint over wallpaper? So I have a wall that has a very hard sort of textured wallpaper. Recently though the wall suffered some damage that turned into a hole. The hole has been patched, and now we need to paint over that. Removing the wallpaper is not an option . How can I paint over this? Should I use an oil b...	You can, some wall papers are designed to be painted over (I once dealt with a building that had wall paper that was designed to reinforce old plaster walls and then be painted), although most is not.
What basic safety equipment should everyone have? When doing DIY what safety kit should everyone have (and use)? <Q> Safety glasses and ear <S> plugs (and work gloves too). <S> Get a good pair of safety glasses so they are comfortable, won't fog up, and do not scratch easily and then take good care of them <S> (j...	The other basic safety equipment is work gloves. An ABC rated fire extinguisher for each room containing potential fire risks, such as kitchen and garage.
How do I build a wet room for a wheelchair user? How do I build a wet room that: Does not leek Does not have water run out of its door Is wheelchair accessible (e.g a very low slope) It is very hard to get the slope right by hand and I have need two many cases when the sleep is too steep and the water run runs in...	You can make a raised edge near the shower that a wheelchair can get over just make sure you don't make it too hard to get over.
How can I paint over mold to prevent it from coming back again? The source of the leak has been fixed, however the old mold keeps showing though the new paint. <Q> Don't try painting over mold. <S> Use bleach to get rid of it first. <S> Make sure the entire area is completely dry. <S> Then use a special anti mold...	You can get paint additives or paints that come with anti-mould compounds in them these days. You need to kill the mould spores first. Might try spraying the area down with a bleach/water mixture (I believe the ratio of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water is sufficient).
How do I build a basement that does not leak when I have a high water level? How do I insure a basement will not leak when the site has a high water level? <Q> There are a few different ways I've seen this done. <S> Next best way is to do basicly the same thing, but on the inside of the house. <S> You bust up the c...	The best way is to trench around the outside of the foundation down to the footer, seal the outside of the wall, and install a drainage system (gravel and pipes) at the footer to redirect the water to a sump pit where it can be pumped out.
How do you remove a lot of wall tiles? How do I quickly remove a lot of wall tiles without damaging the wall? <Q> I tried the screwdriver and chisel technique with some tiles in a flat in Brighton... and quickly gave up once I found there were three layers of tiles there! <S> So I invested in a cheapish power chisel - ...	Typically I hit the first one (kind of gently) with a hammer until it cracks/shatters.
Is there a standard height and depth for stairs? Is there a standard (or a standard range for) the height and depth of each step in a flight of stairs? If your answer refers to your building code, please say where you live. <Q> The general rule (in the US) is 7-11 (a 7 inch rise and 11 inch run) <S> (17.78cm-27.94cm)....	The Stairway Manufacturing Code Association published the International Residential Code (PDF Link) in 2006 which tells you just about everything you could ever want to know about stairs, including: minimum headroom depth (6' 8") minimum tread depth (10") maximum rise (7.75") maximum tread depth variability (3/8") maxi...
How can I remove a single cracked floor tile? How can I remove a single damaged floor tile without damaging the surrounding tiles? Is there anything that will help the replacement tile from cracking in the same way? <Q> There is a dremel tool called the multi-max that I have used before. <S> You can get a diamond attac...	The first step is to remove the grout around the broken tile using a grout cutter.
Is it a good idea to pay for an energy saving audit of my new home We have a newly built home but I'm not at all confident in the builder's prowess when it comes to energy conservation. Is it worth hiring someone (like our energy provider or other specialized contractor) to do an energy audit? Or do you think they wo...	If you have no free audit options, and you can find an affordable paid service, it'll most likely be worth it in the long run.
How do I add more circuit breakers once the breaker box is full? My house was completely rewired by the previous owner. They tore out all the old knob-and-tube and replaced it with modern wiring. I definitely appreciate this, but unfortunately they left absolutely no extra space on the new breaker box. Every single ...	Assuming your service can accommodate the additional circuit(s), you can install tandem circuit breakers to replace your 15amp circuits - basically two breakers siamesed into a single breaker form factor. If you choose to do it yourself, in some jurisdictions you can ask the inspector if your plan will keep you in code...
Do they make a non-liquid concrete/mortar color additive? I've been trying to find a cement additive to change the color of some mortar, but only seem to be able to find it in liquid form at my local big-box hardware store. I'm looking for a similar product that can be added to dry mortar mix. Does this even exist? W...	Here is a source that I've used for other projects: http://www.directcolors.com/concretepigment/ I've seen powder concrete colorant on home improvement shows but to be honest I've never used it.
Which communication bus systems for home automation? Many communication systems have been proposed for home automation (e.g., HVAC control, alarms, access control, light control, and entertainment), including 1-Wire and X10 . Which system is best suitable for a beginning home automation DIYer, especially in terms o...	It seems that X10 is simplest solution if applicable, because it relies on existing electrical lines. For reasonable money, there's no one great answer, but there are answers that work pretty well.
How do I discharge the capacitor of my refrigerator? In order to avoid electric shock, I need to discharge the capacitor of my refrigerator before working on it. How do I do it, and where can I buy an appropriate power resistor? <Q> Use a light bulb. <S> Besides being more than capable of dissipating the power, it h...	You should be using an insulated shorting probe to properly discharge that capacitor.
How can I tell if wood is properly dried? I guess measuring it's weight would be one of the answers, but it doesn't seem practical because wood of a same type can probably fluctuate in it's density enough to make measurement unreliable in 10-20% moisture range. Are there any specific tips for wood like ash, beech or o...	If you really want to be sure there are moisture meters you can purchase.
How do I fix a squeaky floor below my carpet? I have a squealy floor below my carpet on the 2nd floor of my house. It sounds like the subfloor under the carpet is moving up and down a little and makes this awful load squeak when I step down on this specific location. It can be reproduced at will. <Q> Fixing a squeaky...	The squeak is due to flooring sliding up and down on nails that have loosened with time.
How can I improve the water pressure in my shower? I recently purchased my first home. It has two bathrooms and the water pressure in both is less than ideal. What are some steps I can take to increase the pressure? <Q> This is an effective trick a plumbing contractor once told me. <S> Go to your local home improveme...	Remove flow-rate restrictors in the shower head If you want to go the expensive route, there are pumps you can purchase that will attach to the piping and add pressure to the water.
What are some ways to wire rear speakers in a home theater system? I have two rear speakers, that I never use, since I don't have a good way (yet) to wire them. I have a hardwood floor. And the side of the room that is nearest to the TV+Audio source is open. So I don't have a wall to run the cable next to it. <Q> You c...	If you're installing in room where you can't drop above or below the room to run your cables, consider putting up crown molding -- it typically leaves a small channel behind it which is ideal for hiding speaker cables.
What is the best way to remove popcorn from the ceiling? What is the best solution for removing popcorn from the ceiling if I want to get it to look smooth afterwards? Edit : thanks for your answers! Would you estimate that replacing the drywall on the ceiling would be less work/mess and result in a better finish? <Q...	Wipe down the ceiling to get rid of any sanding dust. If you want to get everything super smooth, shine a flashlight or work light parallel with the ceiling to find raised/gouged areas.
What do-it-yourself cautionary tales do you have? I'm curious what sort of cautionary tales everyone has come across (or experienced themselves). For instance, my dad used to work on live wires all the time — until he was putting a stove in (220V if you don't know) and touched two wires together. The spark flew off an...	Always, always, always, always, always make sure the power is off before snipping 240V power cables.
How do I nail furring strips without them cracking? While remodeling my basement, I had several walls where I just put up furring strips and foam insulation rather than framing in a "real" wall. I used 1x2 furring strips and attached them with a ramset and 1 1/2 inch nails. Problem is, putting the nails through the...	Pre-drilling the holes would typically prevent splitting, but not so much with concrete nails. Instead of furring strips, use 3/4 hardwood flooring.
Is it worthwhile to have ductwork cleaned? Was rearranging some ductwork in my basement, and noticed that the stuff I took down was pretty filthy inside (especially the return air ducts). Is it worthwhile to have ductwork cleaned out? What kind of (if any) efficiency benefits do you get out of it? <Q> It's not the ef...	Depending on your location mold build-up (in addition to the dust mentioned by others), can be a big reason to clean the ducts.
How can we fix bouncy floors? Our floors are somewhat bouncy, especially in big rooms with long joists. I think that the main cause is that they used 2x8 joists on 15-20' spans. We are going to replace/install hardwood in several areas. Given that we'll have access to the subfloor, what can be done to make the floor...	as you're going to be gaining access to the subfloor, you might be able to stiffen the floor as a whole -- put down some adhesive, lay more plywood/chipboard on top of it (ply's more expensive
Should I replace or repair my dead/dying garage door? My garage door opener is on its last legs, should I replace it or try to fix it? Symptoms: The door does not initially move when the button is pushed, but after giving the door a boost it opens. The door works fine on its own, it is definitely a problem with t...	Try a simple cheap fix first.
What is the best way to repair a cracked bathtub? Close examination of the floor of my bathtub has revealed a long, thin crack in the bathtub itself. The bathtub is one of the common plastic-feeling variety (though I am not sure if it is actually a plastic.) What is the best way to patch this crack? <Q> Most bathtubs...	If the crack is a surface scratch, it can be repaired with a repair kit such as offered by http://www.surface-repair.com/ .
How can I paint over a glossy surface that might contain lead paint? I am repainting a bathroom that includes trim with a high gloss. The house is old (1924) and the existing paint may have lead in it. There was a remodel in the '80s, but I can't guarantee the current paint was applied then. My local paint store adv...	Oh ... and you can also get test kits for check for lead paint.
Can I lay pavers over a concrete patio? I have a concrete patio in my backyard that's in pretty good condition. We don't like how it looks, so we'd like to cover it up with brick or pavers. Looking online, it appears that most people install pavers over gravel, so I was wondering if it was a good idea to lay the pave...	If you are not in a freezing condition, then the only other problem I see is that the pavers will shift on top of the concrete pad.
Why does my toilet intermittently run continually? I've pretty much fixed up my bathroom since moving in. The last bit of annoyance now is this: Not every time, but every 10 or so flushes, my toilet will run continually. It'll sound like it's water is filling up for about two minutes, then stop for five minutes, then ...	If the water is leaking from the top, then you probably have the shut off level too high (the level set where the float eventually rises and shuts off the flow of water into the toilet tank).
What should I use for a sandbox bottom? I'm building a sandbox for my three-year old. It will probably sit on the deck, so it needs some kind of bottom. Ideally, we should be able to move the sandbox around the deck. Is it necessary for water to drain out of the sandbox, or will the sand absorb enough water? What s...	I thought of putting outdoor remnant over the top of the sand as they could lift it and the cats and squirrels couldn't dig in it. Landscape fabric because even if you was to put wood which would rot. Landscape fabric always easy to get and replace. You might want to think about furniture glides if you can find somethi...
Can I have multiple heating zones with a combination boiler? I bought my first house in December and one thing I've noticed over the winter is higher than expected gas usage which I'd like to try and get down if at all possible. The house is a three bedroom (two plus box room really) semi-detached UK house built in the...	You can do anything with a combination boiler that you can do with a system boiler of the same rating.
Is basement smell caused by oil boiler? Although dry and not moldy, my 130-year-old basement has a distinct basement smell that bothers my wife. I am trying to determine its source. We have steam heat. In the summer, the boiler is only used for hot water, of couse. Do oil boilers usually smell? The boiler is seven...	As someone with an oil furnace -- when running properly, the smell of an oil furnace shouldn't be significantly noticable.

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