Testing Hardwood Floor Finishes in an Old House (Part 1)
A few days later, Jeff hit me back; he had gathered some info from a couple places on the internet. He said, Well, I tried the water test like you suggested, and...
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Do Your Part to Stop Bag Breakage :: On ReUsable Shopping Bags
I know for my family it has been difficult to remember our bags (purchased for 99c each) on food shopping trips. We try to work them into our regime; I mean --...
Renovate or Build? That is the Question :: What to Consider when Facing a Major Remodel
As a practicing architect, I have experienced my client's anxiety in deciding if they should do a construction renovation or build a new home. I have always advocated doing what one can...
Lead-Based Paint in Homes :: Don’t Eat the Paint Chips
And actually it's a fate not too dissimilar to that of at least one other building product that I can think of. Yes, another naturally occurring substance that in its day was...
Make a Wood Molding Library :: What to Do with Scrap from Trim Jobs
Jot down the Wood Molding Profile, aka WM#, number (if you have it), add the sample's species and/or construction too (if you know it): FJ for Finger Jointed, PP for Primed Pine,...
Installing a Solar Thermal Set-up :: Inside the Pro’s Home
While there are certainly systems that can get you off of the grid, Bill's isn't one of them. Virtually all thermal/hot water systems are supplemental only, and they work in tandem with...
Installing Window and Door Cap Flashing :: Sealing Out Water on Wood Siding
One of the biggest challenges with saving the original siding on an 1889 farmhouse (well, other than dealing with 13 decades of paint) is ensuring against water entry at the windows and...
Replacement Window Options :: aka Window Shopping in 3 Steps
But the point being: If it's too much for a professional, someone who supposedly sells and installs windows, and they have difficulty navigating the maze of decisions, imagine how hard it must...
The Curious Case of the Exploding Toilet :: The Mysterious Crack & Its Damage
This mysterious crack, as he tells me now, was approximately 1/8 inch wide and ran from above the flush handle, down and all the way around to the back of the tank's...
Paint Removal from Copper and Other Uses for Aluminum Foil :: Copper the Near Perfect Building Product
An ode to the near perfect building material, Copper. Plus, incorporating a common household product into a home improvement task. Yes, the Reynold's Wrap I had grabbed slyly from the kitchen counter...
Removing Rust from Hardware that Cannot Be Removed :: Options
I have worked rusty hinges with either steel wool and/or sandpaper. In extreme cases, I have even loaded up my detail sander and went at it that way. There are a few...
Restoring Hardware :: Common Reasons Hardware is Painted
If you have lived in or worked on an old house, you probably know exactly what I mean. There is almost nothing that is more frustrating than having to work the paint...