House Renovation Tips

The sign of a good replacement job is a taut, wrinkle-free screen. Use C-clamps to hold the screen to the frame on one side while you stretch the screen across and attach it to the opposite side.
Install the screen by using a spline roller, which has two wheels: the convex wheel presses the new screen [...]

Here’s a trick to help you install screening flat and taut. Begin with a piece of screen that is a few inches longer than the frame. Staple it at one end. Take care to keep the weave even with the frame. Then staple the screen at the long end to a scrap of wood held [...]

Though the parting strip probably wasn’t nailed in place, you may have to cut through numerous layers of paint to free it. Score the paint line with a utility knife or scraper. Now, with the upper sash raised, loosen the bottom of the parting strip. Grasp it with locking pliers and wiggle it back and [...]

Pry off the stops that hold the lower sash in place. Remove the old rope from the sash. Then lower the upper sash and pull out the parting strip. Also, remove the upper sash if its rope is broken. Unscrew the sash weight access panel in the side jamb. Remove the weights and old cords. [...]

Position the new glass in the opening. Lay glazing points about 6 inches apart against the glass. Use a putty knife to wiggle them into the frame. Knead glazing compound to make it warm and pliable. Then roll it into a snake shape and press it in place. To smooth the compound, start at one [...]

Wearing gloves, pull out the glass shards. Remove the old glazing compound (soft, putty-like material that seals glass to window sash and sometimes to doors) one of these ways:
Rolling: Ease the corner of a scraper between the putty and the sash. Gradually roll the blade deeper till the putty gives way.
Scoring: Run a utility knife [...]

Patience, not force, is the key to breaking a paint bond cleanly. A sharp blow is likely to mess up the paint job. Instead, use a utility knife to score the joints between the sash and the vertical channels it rides in. Also score the horizontal joints between the sash, the sill (outside), and the [...]

Before you remove painted trim such as a window stop, use a utility knife to cut the paint at the joint. Prying without first cutting usually tears the paint and may even damage the trim.
Tips from Pros
When you need to pull finishing nails from trim you plan to re-use, don’t hammer the nails out. This [...]

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 [...]

The number one argument against using the retrofit method, is that it is susceptible to water leaks. Well, that’s true if you don’t do it properly. But, if you do a complete tear-out of your old window down to the studs, you’re going to have water leak issues there as well if you don’t install [...]