Ask This Old House

Installing garage storage cabinets

Tom visits a homeowner in Las Vegas who wants to organize her garage. She had ordered cabinets over the internet from a closet company that also specializes in garage cabinets. The cabinets were made of particleboard and coated with plastic laminate and arrived in boxes ready to assemble. The cabinet sections joined together with a two-piece cam-type fastener. The fastener pieces lock together when turned with a screwdriver. Once the first cabinet was assembled, Tom slid it into position against a wall and leveled it by turning the cabinet's adjustable legs. Once it was level, Tom drove screws through the back of the cabinet and into the wall's studs. He assembled the remaining cabinets and screwed them to the wall in a similar manner. He then screwed the cabinets to each other for extra strength. For the cabinet doors, Tom fastened European-style hinges into the pre-dilled holes and mounted the doors. Tom then installed a butcher-block counter on top of the base cabinet. He then installed a plastic grid above the base cabinet that accepted different types of hangers and bins for additional storage. Tom then inserted the shelves and the installation was complete.

What is it?

The guys try to guess the intended purpose of an unusual-looking tool.

Installing a ceiling fan

Electrician John Barros helped a homeowner install a ceiling fan that she purchased at a local home center. John started by shutting off the power to the existing light fixture. He then removed the light fixture and the old "pancake" electrical box located in the ceiling. He then screwed a new "fan-rated" pancake box directly to the joist in the ceiling. A fan-rated box is similar to a regular electrical box, but it is sturdier to accommodate the ceiling fan's additional weight and vibration. The existing wiring, known as "BX" cable, had metal cladding protecting the wires. The metal cladding also serves as a path to ground in case of a short circuit. Once the cable was clamped to the new fan-rated box, John made the necessary electrical connections, installed the fan's blades and light fixture, and the installation was complete. Then, up in the loft, John showed Kevin a few other types of fan-rated boxes for use in different situations.