House Renovation Tips

Holes and cracks in concrete only get worse if left alone, especially in colder climates with freeze/thaw cycles.
As long as you’re patching a hole, it’s a good idea to clean and seal the concrete too. Clean one section at a time, do your repairs, then apply a water seal. Since concrete’s worst enemy is water, [...]

If you’re trying to date your house, you may be able to find a clue in its plastering job. Although it’s difficult to determine the age of plaster itself, you can come up with an approximate date by examining the lath behind the plaster.
The earliest lath was hand-split with a hatchet, resulting in an irregular [...]

To replace a cracked tile, start by using a masonry or carbide-tip bit to drill a hole (any size) in the center of the damaged tile. With a glass cutter, score the tile diagonally from each corner to the center hole. Then, using a hammer and a cold chisel, chip away pieces of the tile, [...]

The Perfect Fit
The first step in installing prefinished paneling is to place a piece against the wall and make sure it’s plumb (absolutely straight up and down). If it isn’t, you must scribe it to fit. To do that, hold the paneling with one side as close as possible to the corner of the wall [...]

See How It Stacks Up
Before installing paneling, stack it in the room where it’s to be used. Put boards between the layers of paneling to allow air to circulate. Leave the stack for at least 2 or 3 days a week or more is better to let the moisture in the paneling stabilize. This allows [...]

An easy way to color a room without painting it is to have the plasterer add a little lime-fast colored cement powder (available from hardware stores) to the plaster. This is faster and easier than painting, and the effect will last a long time on low-use areas such as ceilings. The technique is good for [...]

Tracking Basement Leaks
Traces of water on your basement floor could be caused by a leak or by condensation. To determine which, dry the area with a hair dryer and tape a 1-foot square piece of plastic wrap on the floor. Wait 24 hours. If moisture forms under the plastic wrap, then the source of your [...]

Why Wood Decays
The fungi that destroy wood have simple needs: Air, water, moderate temperatures, and not too much sunlight, thank you. Whenever the moisture content of the wood in your home is greater than 19 percent (it feels damp to the touch), ever-present fungal spores begin to grow. As the wood dries out, the fungi [...]

Today, you can choose energy-saving alternatives. However, most home lighting remains to be incandescent. Fluorescent and halogen lamps convert electricity into light more efficiently. Each type of lamp creates its own quality of light. Understanding the properties of each helps you see your home in an entirely different light.
Incandescent Lamps
Your basic light bulb is incandescent. [...]

Follow these precautions from the Environmental Protection Agency when you work with pressure-treated lumber:
1. Dispose of treated wood by ordinary trash collection or burial. Treated wood should not be burned in open fires or in stoves, fireplaces, or residential boilers because toxic chemicals may be produced as part of the smoke and ashes. Treated wood [...]