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Home Improvement--General/Questions Answered by Expert Steve Major (Owner - Major Design Group)
| Subject | Date Asked |
| mounting a tv | 2/11/2012 |
| Q: I have a typical fireplace with brick work running from the brick hearth up to the ceiling. I would ... A: Phil, Whether you have an available chase-way depends on the fireplace and wall construction. If ... | |
| Bathroom Remodel | 1/29/2012 |
| Q: I'm currently in the middle of a complete gut/bathroom remodel with a contractor/friend doing the ... A: Eddie, It turns out that your contractor is doing the installation correctly. However, he probably ... | |
| Shower Tile | 1/22/2012 |
| Q: I've got a question for you about shower tile. Actually, the question deals more with the grout that ... A: There are several possible reasons that the grout is cracking. Please provide more information ... | |
| how to widen door frame in metal mesh wall | 1/19/2012 |
| Q: I live in a 1950s-era apartment building in New York City. The load-bearing walls are made of ... A: I would use a reciprocating saw (Sawzall) with a fine tooth blade such s a metal cutting blade. ... | |
| storm shelter | 1/11/2012 |
| Q: I am wanting to install an inground storm shelter beneath a new deck I am building.What will keep ... A: Without knowing much about your proposed construction methods, a trapezoid shape (wider at the ... | |
| Sweating Concrete Walls | 1/6/2012 |
| Q: Good evening, I have a question about sweating concrete walls I'm hoping you could help me out ... A: Alyssa, This is almost certainly caused by a combination of two factors: excess indoor humidity, ... | |
| how to widen door frame in metal mesh wall | 1/3/2012 |
| Q: I live in a 1950s-era apartment building in New York City. The load-bearing walls are made of ... A: Susan, If the wall is truly non-load-bearing, I would remove the door frames, cut out the wall ... | |
| mold | 1/4/2010 |
| Q: I am getting mold starting at the baseboards and going up the wall. It is in the bedrooms and ... A: Kelly, In nearly all cases of indoor mold as you describe, I find that the indoor moisture levels ... | |
| Insulate and new siding | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: I want to insulate my 1989 mobile home and I'm wondering if I put siding on that has insulation as ... A: Sherry, In general, it is best to leave any existing layers in place, as they provide a measure of ... | |
| ventilation | 1/2/2010 |
| Q: I have several roof vents near the peak of the roof of my house in Bismarck, ND. I looked in the ... A: David, During periods of high wind it is not uncommon for snow to infiltrate a roof vent. From ... | |
| stairwell door | 1/2/2009 |
| Q: Mr. Major, I've searched for months trying to find a way to close our 2nd story staircase. We ... A: Karen, You are dealing with a number of design issues here. Without seeing your site I can't say ... | |
| 1920's basement | 9/26/2007 |
| Q: I am looking to purchase a home that was originally built in the 1920's. the entire house was ... A: Rebecca, The best and most sound option is to pour a concrete floor in the basement, then proceed ... | |
| basement insulation | 9/9/2007 |
| Q: 1) I only have one wall the faces the exterior. The other walls are all interior (i am in interior ... A: John, 1) You will get little benefit from insulating solid concrete interior walls. I would skip ... | |
| Water Treatment | 9/8/2007 |
| Q: Major, I live in a suburb in NY state. I have a 1.5 bath home with 2 people residing. I have hard ... A: John, A pH (acidity) of 6.5 is not a real worry.It's only 0.5 less than 7 (neutral). However, ... | |
| tension beam | 9/6/2007 |
| Q: I have a house built in 1900 and has one entrance to the second floor bedrooms and it is like 5'1'' ... A: Alex, Unfortunately this is a difficult question to answer without seeing the site or at least ... | |
| Angle cuts for rafters | 9/5/2007 |
| Q: I need to make an angle cut on rafters for a wood shed. The front 2x6 in which I will be nailing the ... A: Chris, I believe that this is an easy cut, but unfortunately I can't envision the layout from your ... | |
| removing old tile off drywall above bathroom vanity counter | 8/31/2007 |
| Q: I am replacing the vanity top in my bathroom. On the wall there is 8'' x 4'' tiles which are ... A: Jeff, You would be quite lucky to remove the tiles without damaging the drywall. The tiles could ... | |
| venetian plaster | 8/29/2007 |
| Q: I work as a homeowner adjuster for an insurance company. I have a claim right now where the customer ... A: Peter, I believe that the removal by scraping may be very difficult. However, every job is ... | |
| venetian plaster | 8/28/2007 |
| Q: I work as a homeowner adjuster for an insurance company. I have a claim right now where the customer ... A: Peter, True Venetian plaster is applied by skilled tradespeople. It is possible that you can find ... | |
| Pier and Beam | 8/25/2007 |
| Q: I am thinking of building a 48 by 36 pier and beam wood framed house. My question is how many piers ... A: Mark, The number (and spacing) of piers is completely dependent on the size and material of the ... | |
| Load bearing wall in bi-level house | 8/21/2007 |
| Q: I would like to remove the load bearing wall in a typical 1970s bi-level house ino order to open up ... A: Tiffany, First of all, be sure that the wall is load bearing. If there is only a roof above and ... | |
| split level or two-story | 8/19/2007 |
| Q: I recently bought a house that needs a lot of fix-up to flip it and make some money. It was ... A: Shawn, You don't explain why the house is non conforming. Are you referring to building codes? ... | |
| insulation problems associated with plaster & lathe | 8/17/2007 |
| Q: I'm considering buying an 1870's built home with plaster & lathe walls. I live in upstate ny, where ... A: Roberta, Proper insulation is important, but keep in mind that the house has stood and has been ... | |
| Insulating old attic | 8/16/2007 |
| Q: We bought a 90 year old house a year ago and have been making improvements since. We are ready to ... A: David, I would increase the rafter depth by installing 2x2 furring along each one. This will make ... | |
| removing wallpaper from drywall | 8/12/2007 |
| Q: I am in the process of remodeling a small bathroom, and to begin with I am trying to remove the ... A: Angela, I recommend taht you stop what you are doing and obtain proper stripping equipment. You ... | |
| Siding | 8/7/2007 |
| Q: I live in Buffalo, NY. My house has old MBF (that pressed cardboard stuff) on it right now. It's ... A: Kris, Installing vinyl siding over Masonite-type siding is VERY commonplace. This fibrous material ... | |
| Hollow column | 8/1/2007 |
| Q: I recently moved into a townhouse and when installing hardwood flooring, one of the columns was ... A: Tom, Many load bearing columns are hollow, of wood, metal, polymer, and other materials. With ... | |
| Window above tub/shower | 7/31/2007 |
| Q: We recently added a shower and surround to the existing tub but what do we do with the existing ... A: Shane, We normally replace wood windows and wood window components with all-vinyl windows ... | |
| hardwood floors | 7/31/2007 |
| Q: When I start laying hardwood flooring do I have to face nail the first strip of flooring? Can I ... A: Bob, It is commonplace to face-nail the first strip at/near the groove edge. The nails are ... | |
| broken shower downspout | 7/16/2007 |
| Q: The downspout for my showerhead broke inside the wall, leaving a 1/2 (approx) piece of pipe stuck in ... A: Les, This is a tough job. I have done this by using a narrow hacksaw-type blade and cutting a ... | |
| Slow leak from upstairs sink damaging basement ceiling, also previous smoker in house.. | 7/14/2007 |
| Q: but we're far in over our head (in western Canada) and I'm very much hoping you can help or point me ... A: Nick, For the leak, If the water is coming from above then you may have mold inside of the ceiling ... | |
| Ceiling HELP | 7/14/2007 |
| Q: Okay here is the issue. I just purchased a home. It was started in 1989. It a three story home, ... A: Terry, I can't really say from your description what the material is that you want to remove. Have ... | |
| installation of viking disposer on 18 gauge stainless steel sink | 7/10/2007 |
| Q: I am replacing our double kitchen sink with a Kohler 18 gauge stainless steel kitchen sink. I need ... A: David, This is a very high quality sink; we typically recommend 18 ga for heavy duty disposal use. ... | |
| Changing the texture on my drywall | 7/10/2007 |
| Q: I currently have a knockdown finish on my drywall throughout my house. I would like to change this ... A: Charlie, If the knock-down is painted, which is almost certainly is, it is very difficult to sand ... | |
| Replacing wood | 7/9/2007 |
| Q: I have seen a show about Azek which is a fake wood that performs like wood. I want to know if there ... A: Diana, The choice of a wood substitute depends on where and how the wood will be used. There are ... | |
| Garage Shelves | 7/8/2007 |
| Q: I would like to build shelves in my finished garage that hang on the wall starting above the hood ... A: Brad, I recommend two methods, your choice. You can construct a plywood case (basically a large ... | |
| Brick mortar Repair | 7/8/2007 |
| Q: How do I replace missing mortar between bricks, without getting mortar on the bricks? A: Patrick, This is called re-pointing, and is a pretty common task in brick construction. The real ... | |
| Ceramic Floor Tiling | 7/7/2007 |
| Q: I am tiling the floor of a newly built sunroom for a friend. I have tiled before also on new room or ... A: Kristin, For floor applications it is pretty much essential to bond the cement board to the ... | |
| Exterior slate application on concrete block | 7/7/2007 |
| Q: I live in a Brooklyn rowhouse on the basement & parlor floor levels. My backyard has been ... A: Jim, Please send along photos to info@majordesigngroup.com A couple of things: A wet saw is ... | |
| ceramic tile | 7/7/2007 |
| Q: I am redoing my bathroom. It is small 6x5. It has linoleum over a base board. Must I remove it ... A: Laura, You don't need to remove it, but you do need to install a cementitious tile backer board ... | |
| Basement bathroom installation | 7/7/2007 |
| Q: We have a three year old house with a builder installed rough-in for a full bath in our daylight ... A: Being so close to Cincinnati (a metropolitan area) your local municipality may require licensed ... | |
| Vinyl Siding | 7/6/2007 |
| Q: About 2 years ago I put in steps leading to my back door. I did not realize they stripped off the ... A: Josh, You should cover the exposed area with a fitted board (cedar or pressure-treated) or with ... | |
| screen pool enclosure | 7/6/2007 |
| Q: I have a typical aluminum screen pool enclosure in Florida. I hate the look and would like to redo ... A: Nita, You may be talking about a different product. Trex is a composite decking and railing ... | |
| Basement bathroom installation | 7/6/2007 |
| Q: We have a three year old house with a builder installed rough-in for a full bath in our daylight ... A: Brad, Unfortunately I can't give you a full lesson in basement finishing in this forum, but I'll ... | |
| siding | 7/4/2007 |
| Q: I have a garage with vinyl siding being applied. The first course was begun a few inches higher ... A: Jay, You will likely never be able to install a corner post correctly with the siding in place, ... | |
| remodel-lath and plaster | 7/4/2007 |
| Q: my husband and I have put an offer on a 1935 1 and a half story craftsman style house. it has lath ... A: Kelli, If you are going to live in the house for a while and want to enjoy it, then it is best to ... | |
| ceiling -nails coming through drywall | 7/3/2007 |
| Q: We have a 7 year old home and in some of the rooms the nails are popping through the drywall. The ... A: Tammy, Cracks and nail pops always occur in newer houses, once they go through a couple of ... | |
| mobile home I want to tape and tecture | 7/2/2007 |
| Q: Want to remove strips and tecture walls...can you tell me how? A: Donna, You don't say what your walls are made of or if they are covered with any type of finish ... | |
| Removing a Jalousie Window | 7/2/2007 |
| Q: I have a Jalousie window in a steel frame. The exterior wall is Block w/stucco. And the wall has ... A: Richard, You need to remove the capping in order to remove the window. I assume the capping is ... | |
| wet crawl space | 6/30/2007 |
| Q: For the first time in our lives we live in a house that has a crawl space instead of a basement. We ... A: Grace, Crawl spaces do well in some locations and climates, but not so well in others. Southern DE ... | |
| Poppimg Noise In Ceilings | 6/30/2007 |
| Q: It seems I have been blessed with a “popping” sound coming from the ceilings in our home in the ... A: John, If you have access to a framing nail gun, then this is the easiest method: two coated 12d ... | |
| Wainscoting vs. tile in bathroom | 6/29/2007 |
| Q: We just bought a house built in 1958, recently "updated" by the owner to include unpainted (it seems ... A: Chris, You will end up with a much better looking wall if you skim coat all damaged portions prior ... | |
| brick wall opening | 6/28/2007 |
| Q: I cut the opening in the basement wall to install windows.The windows size is 74" wide x 65"high.I ... A: Tony, If the beam is supporting one floor and a roof, the triple 2x8 may be enough. It all depends ... | |
| Poppimg Noise In Ceilings | 6/28/2007 |
| Q: It seems I have been blessed with a “popping” sound coming from the ceilings in our home in the ... A: John, One more thing: If you haven't already done this, you should go in the attic with a ... | |
| Replace Brick Wall with beam | 6/28/2007 |
| Q: Good Morning, I am removing a brick wall on the first floor of a two story rowhome and spanning the ... A: Mike, I can't fully envision the situation without seeing photos, but you are on the right track ... | |
| sun damage to pine panneling | 6/28/2007 |
| Q: I am getting ready to sell my home, which has beautiful natural pine panneling. I have been taking ... A: Jennifer, Unfortunately this can only be remedied by time. Short of painting or some kind of ... | |
| Entrance Door modification | 6/27/2007 |
| Q: I have double entrance doors that are solid wood which allows no light into the foyer. I would like ... A: Donna, Most door distributors sell glass kits that are made to be installed into solid doors. They ... | |
| Second story addition | 6/27/2007 |
| Q: Will a 1928 wood one story bungalow style house with a pitched roof built over a crawl space ... A: Cindy, In general, most foundations will easily support the load from another floor being added. ... | |
| Tiling | 6/26/2007 |
| Q: I'm tiling my shower surround. I was wondering if you can tile right over sheetrock or do I need to ... A: Jeff, Tile-over-drywall showers will generally fail because of water infiltration. You are much ... | |
| hardwood floors | 6/23/2007 |
| Q: If I run my boards in one direction then stop with my vertical boards and run horizonal, how do I ... A: Bob, I assume that you are describing standard strip flooring, joined by tongue and groove. If ... | |
| Shower enclosures | 6/22/2007 |
| Q: I am in process of remodeling my bathroom and intend to install a frameless shower door. The shower ... A: Judi, We typically install shower heads at 6'-4" to the discharge point. This is much more ... | |
| Flooring | 6/20/2007 |
| Q: When installing hardwood flooring, what do I do when I come close to my stairs going down to the ... A: Bob, If you are installing new stairs, then it is generally easier to install the flooring first, ... | |
| Painting wood paneling | 6/20/2007 |
| Q: I am anxious to sell my house and move and the wood paneling is so ugly and outdated so I decided to ... A: Regina, I recommend that you use two rollers. Get a 3" roller (professional type) with a 1/2" or ... | |
| joint compound cracks | 6/19/2007 |
| Q: To give you a little more info on my project for any possible future questions, I am in the process ... A: Chad, Corner bead is one of the most difficult skills to master, in the drywall world. First, it ... | |
| wood deck material | 6/19/2007 |
| Q: I am going to replace an old deck and I had a deck builder tell me he only would use cedar ... A: Keith, At a minimum you should use pressure-treated (PT) for any material that will be in contact ... | |
| Brick Repair | 6/13/2007 |
| Q: My Son just bought a 120 year old home. In the 50's the original owners wanted a new look, so they ... A: Margie, That depends on what is making it dirty. In most cases, pressure washing is very ... | |
| ugly wood paneling | 6/13/2007 |
| Q: We bought our 1970's house a few years ago and it has hideous wood paneling throughout. We painted ... A: Leslie, The mud method will probably not work over the long term, since the paneling will expand ... | |
| Brick Repair | 6/13/2007 |
| Q: My Son just bought a 120 year old home. In the 50's the original owners wanted a new look, so they ... A: Margie, If the nails are in the mortar, then you can either pull them or cut them off, then repoint ... | |
| Leaking basment | 6/13/2007 |
| Q: My house is 8 years old and my basment was finished two years ago. My husband noticed the tile was ... A: Lisa, Your basement has serious water problems. Don't make the mistake of trying to fix it with as ... | |
| Gas line for natural gas grill | 6/12/2007 |
| Q: What type of gas line should be used for underground natural gas applications? I installed the black ... A: Marc, There are very specific types of natural gas piping for use underground or in concrete. ... | |
| Window sash stop (?) repair | 6/12/2007 |
| Q: Some of these windows do not stay open since the plastic stop on both sides of the vinyl single hung ... A: Cyndi, If an integral part of the window unit is breaking, then repair may be difficult. I can't ... | |
| Gas Line for Gas Grill | 6/12/2007 |
| Q: Am in process of rebuilding outdoor kitchen, and came across this which got me to questioning. I ... A: Marc, Visit this site. They give instructions for making a simple and inexpensive manometer. ... | |
| I-Beam Support Posts | 6/11/2007 |
| Q: Question - I have a colonial style home with an I-Beam (30 ft. no breaks) running down the center of ... A: Tony, Your plan should work. An issue would be if the post you are moving is purposely located ... | |
| installing vinyl windows | 6/11/2007 |
| Q: I live in Louisiana and was affected by Hurricane Katrina.I was able to purchase a home that ... A: Stacey, Replacing windows is all about fit, correct measuring, and knowing exactly how the window ... | |
| steamroom | 6/10/2007 |
| Q: do I need to install vapor barrier to walls and ceiling to a steamroom. Also can you double up on ... A: Andrew, Removing grout is a difficult and tedious job. It is typically done by hand with a ... | |
| steamroom | 6/10/2007 |
| Q: do I need to install vapor barrier to walls and ceiling to a steamroom. Also can you double up on ... A: Andrew, You can get whole house boosters or point-of-use booster pumps. Grundfos is the ... | |
| steamroom | 6/9/2007 |
| Q: do I need to install vapor barrier to walls and ceiling to a steamroom. Also can you double up on ... A: Andrew, Nearly all commonly sold thinset is modified today. All this means is that is contains a ... | |
| installing a drop ceiling with brick fireplace on outside wall | 6/9/2007 |
| Q: I am installing a drop ceiling and I am putting the wall angles on the outside walls. The problem ... A: Chad, Unless the ceiling layout logically dictates that a main tee fall right at the fireplace, you ... | |
| steamroom | 6/9/2007 |
| Q: do I need to install vapor barrier to walls and ceiling to a steamroom. Also can you double up on ... A: Andrew, I would install 30 pound felt paper over the studs as a vapor barrier. Lap the horizontal ... | |
| insulation | 6/8/2007 |
| Q: I am closing in a porch. I want to use ceramic tile for the floor. The existing floor is a concrete ... A: Connie, A concrete slab (if in good condition) is a very good base for ceramic tile. It is very ... | |
| tub surround | 6/8/2007 |
| Q: We moved a wall in our bathroom and putting in a new tub with an attached surround. Do we need to ... A: Lisa, If the surround is attached to the tub, then is is structural and does not need drywall ... | |
| Replace Garage door with double walk through door | 6/6/2007 |
| Q: I have a free standing 20 by 40 foot workshop with unfinished interior. It has a single car garage ... A: Bob, If you plan to use a manufactured pre-hung atrium door, then it will come with a ... | |
| new roof/vinyl siding | 6/5/2007 |
| Q: I am building a roof over my front concrete porch, and after completion will have vinyl siding ... A: Steve, You don't need to hang the plywood over at all, or at most 1/8". I assume that you will be ... | |
| exterior door replace in basement | 6/5/2007 |
| Q: I am in the process of re-finishing my basement. The previous dry-wall and framing had to be ... A: Jack, From your description, the thickness of the concrete wall will have no bearing on the door ... | |
| exterior door replace in basement | 6/5/2007 |
| Q: I am in the process of re-finishing my basement. The previous dry-wall and framing had to be ... A: Jack, You should purchase a standard inswing pre-hung insulated steel exterior door unit for this. ... | |
| faux exterior window | 6/5/2007 |
| Q: We are in the process of buying a new house that has a rather plain exterior, especially the large ... A: Erin, You can surface-mount a vinyl storm window in this application. They are quite thin (1.5") ... | |
| Bathroom exhaust vent | 6/4/2007 |
| Q: I'm putting in a fan to finish off the basement bathroom. There are limited places to run the ... A: Pat, You need to determine what that ledger is really supporting. An 8" (assumed round) hole seems ... | |
| Leaking Window Vs. Child with Leukemia | 6/3/2007 |
| Q: We have a badly constructed wall that leaks water into the house when it rains. My guess is that ... A: Avi, Your best solution is to call the contractor who did the stucco and window work and ask if ... | |
| Sump pump and block windows | 6/2/2007 |
| Q: I have a sump pump below a block window in my basement. Are you aware of any product that would fit ... A: Rob, I picked up this question from the question pool. It's unclear - are you referring to a glass ... | |
| creosote | 5/31/2007 |
| Q: I read a responce of yours dealing with a guy who wanted alternatives to creosote. I don't have ... A: Aaron, I'm under the impression that creosote is a regulated product and not available to the ... | |
| vinyl siding | 5/30/2007 |
| Q: We have vinyl siding on our house and have had some electricl box moved and updated. Anyway when ... A: Lisa, The best way to do this is to patch in with long pieces of siding (6'plus). You will need to ... | |
| Remove Z-Brick from Plaster Walls | 5/30/2007 |
| Q: I understand the best way to remove z-brick and mortar from plaster wall is with a 2-3 inch steel ... A: Jed, I assume that you have tried the hammer and chisel technique. It is the most reliable method. ... | |
| Repair drywall vs. replace | 5/27/2007 |
| Q: We recently purchased an older home (c. 1925) in Northern New Jersey and have spent the last month ... A: Terri, I've done this both ways. The problem with skim-coating over defaced drywall is that you ... | |
| renovation - dyrwall around rock fireplace | 5/27/2007 |
| Q: We have removed old wood finished walls and are replacing with drywall. We have a rock fireplace ... A: Linda, Not a problem. I've done this quite a number of times. The procedure is difficult to ... | |
| flat roof balcony | 5/25/2007 |
| Q: I have a structure where the front porch roof also serves as the second story railed flat roofed ... A: Lisa, This does sound high for a simple rubber roof. You should call around and get another price. ... | |
| PATIO REMOVAL | 5/25/2007 |
| Q: I have a 5x10 cement paio im wanting to remove as cheap as possible. It is 6inches thick and poured ... A: Rob, A sledge hammer can work, but if the concrete is of good quality and/or reinforced, you are ... | |
| curved coving | 5/25/2007 |
| Q: do you know where I can buy a curved coving kit ( a rubber mould where I cna pour plaster into ) or ... A: Steve, I prefer to use a product called "FlexTrim" when installing curved moldings. Their website ... | |
| Replaement windows | 5/24/2007 |
| Q: We want to install replacement windows in our home. We have a 1950 Cape with the original sash ... A: Rocky, There are several types of replacement windows on the market. I need a little more ... | |
| Installing a new banister | 5/20/2007 |
| Q: My wife and I are tired of our old metal banister so we are wanting to replace it with a new wooden ... A: Levi, Thanks for sending the photos. Installing a wooden stair balustrade is a fairly advanced ... | |
| Putting drywall over a Lathe & Plater Ceiling | 5/20/2007 |
| Q: We have a 1890 house and the lathe and plaster ceiling in the living room is starting to pull away ... A: Dave, In fact, you can go either way. Removing the plaster and possibly the lath (if needed) is ... | |
| flat roof balcony | 5/20/2007 |
| Q: I have a structure where the front porch roof also serves as the second story railed flat roofed ... A: Lisa, I would use a standard roofing product called EPDM rubber. A local roofing contractor can ... | |
| broken stairs | 5/18/2007 |
| Q: I am currently in a rental house while my new house is being completed. The rental house was built ... A: Marsha, Quite a coincidence that "Marsha" is back living in the Brady Bunch house. I really need ... | |
| mosaic tile over faux brick? | 5/18/2007 |
| Q: We are remodeling our 1970s kitchen and want to install 1" mosaic tiles for the backsplash. The ... A: David, From your description you have uncovered a layer of black mastic, a troweled adhesive for ... | |
| mosaic tile over faux brick? | 5/17/2007 |
| Q: We are remodeling our 1970s kitchen and want to install 1" mosaic tiles for the backsplash. The ... A: David, I think you should first find out what you have, for sure. Bricks formed as part of the ... | |
| roofing and vinyl siding | 5/16/2007 |
| Q: We recently had a new roof put on our house as well as vinyl siding. However, there are two large ... A: Sandy, This comes down to a matter of how your contract was written. If the contractor spelled out ... | |
| fume-proofing a garage | 5/15/2007 |
| Q: I have an in-house garage. This garage will be semi-heated but during the winter may be 6-10 degrees ... A: Ken, Tyvek is an acceptable air-infiltration barrier on the walls in this type of situation ... | |
| insulation | 5/15/2007 |
| Q: I have a 2 story home. My roof suffers from rapid snow melt and ice jams. There are 2 uninsulated ... A: Earl, You need to accomplish two things to solve this problem: (1) stop excess heat from moving ... | |
| piece of gutter/downspout stuck in pipe-hole | 5/14/2007 |
| Q: I was working on my gutters and downspouts when a 2 ft section fell down into the plactic pipe that ... A: Greg, Great idea, with the wavy cut. Wish I had thought of it. Glad to hear that you were able to ... | |
| Window screens to reduce heating inside of home. | 5/12/2007 |
| Q: My question is about the approaching summer heat here in Atlanta and ways to keep my house cool. Is ... A: Chip, How you deal with this problem depends on your budget and how much you are willing to change ... | |
| Creosote | 5/10/2007 |
| Q: What modern substance can be used to protect wood like good old Creosote? The 100 year old 5x5 porch ... A: Ed, There are modern alternatives to creosote. A good paint store will sell penetrating wood ... | |
| putting up trim | 5/10/2007 |
| Q: I'm putting up interior trim around doors, but the frames of the doors are not flush with the ... A: Valerie, In this case you will probably want to scribe the casing. It is very time consuming, ... | |
| putting up trim | 5/10/2007 |
| Q: I'm putting up interior trim around doors, but the frames of the doors are not flush with the ... A: Valerie, This is a common problem especially when the doubled studs around the door's rough opening ... | |
| window glazing | 5/9/2007 |
| Q: My husband and I are reglazing the exterior of wooden windows at our home. We have primed, glazed, ... A: Follow up, I realized after answering this that I didn't address your actual question - what to do. ... | |
| stress crack in brick above crawlspace | 5/9/2007 |
| Q: I just purchased a 50 yr old brick 1 story in Boise, Idaho. There is a stress crack in the brick on ... A: Kathy, The best way to support that opening is with a steel lintel. A lintel is length of angle ... | |
| Double Gate for a Driveway | 5/8/2007 |
| Q: Major. I'm in the process of building a double gate for my driveway. Each gate measures ... A: ALSO, if you want you can send along some photos of your completed project to my e-mail ... | |
| Double Gate for a Driveway | 5/8/2007 |
| Q: Major. I'm in the process of building a double gate for my driveway. Each gate measures ... A: Shawn, The gates you describe will exert considerable force on the posts and on their own ... | |
| Siding over foundation? | 5/7/2007 |
| Q: I'm located in Cincinnati, Ohio. I recently had a walk-out basement installed on my house. The lot ... A: Andrew, I answered this question just a minute ago. You might have submitted you question in ... | |
| Using a roller or brush to "fog coat" Stucco | 5/5/2007 |
| Q: I would like to recoat my stucco home. It has never been painted. I have heard of "fog coating" ... A: Roy, Fog coating can be applied with a roller, and I suppose a brush if you really need to. ... | |
| Bath tub in a mobile home | 5/5/2007 |
| Q: Is there anything I can do with my bathtub walls? Could I tile it or do anything to it? ANSWER: ... A: Donna, If your walls are part of a one-piece tub unit, you could contact a company that provides ... | |
| size of HVAC system | 5/3/2007 |
| Q: Our HVAC system went out last summer and in a rush we had a new one put in without shopping around. ... A: Kristi, This is a fairly straightforward engineering problem. I will need a few critical pieces of ... | |
| Fence stain | 5/2/2007 |
| Q: I live in central OK I recently had a new cedar fence installed. A painter offered to seal the ... A: Jo, There are a variety of finish removers for outdoor wood, but if the fence is of any size at all ... | |
| Removing or deactivating live wires | 4/30/2007 |
| Q: At my house we recently removed our door bell ringer, but now we are left with the two wires just ... A: Conor, Door bell circuits are almost always low voltage (6-12 volts) thus are not a safety hazard. ... | |
| Reinforcing Wobbly Newel Posts | 4/27/2007 |
| Q: I need advise on Reinforcing Wobbly Newel Posts at my new home. The bottom post appears to be hollow ... A: James, Toe-nailed newel posts can be a nuisance. You don't say whether the post rests on the 1st ... | |
| Garage Light | 4/26/2007 |
| Q: My garage door light no longer comes on when the garage opens or when I push the garage door light. ... A: Tina, Regular light bulbs often fail in garage door openers because of vibration caused by the ... | |
| timber floor renovation | 4/25/2007 |
| Q: We have moved into a 1950s wood siding house and are in the process of removing a 20 year old ... A: Judy, Unfortunately, the tannins in oak are highly reactive with urine, etc., and these stains can ... | |
| Grout on shower floor | 4/21/2007 |
| Q: I have a problem with grout stains on my shower floor. It was a new bathroom when I bought the house ... A: Francis, Have you tried a strong Clorox solution? Try half water, half Clorox bleach. Be careful ... | |
| newly poured garage floor cracking | 4/20/2007 |
| Q: We had a detached garage (24x30) built last November in Springfield, Illinois. Ther eis already a ... A: Mary, I don't know what type of foundation your new garage has. Since it is detached, it is ... | |
| Grout on shower floor | 4/20/2007 |
| Q: I have a problem with grout stains on my shower floor. It was a new bathroom when I bought the house ... A: Francis, Can you tell me the color of the staining? This will help in choosing the proper cleaner. ... | |
| Outdoor Grill Island | 4/18/2007 |
| Q: I need some opinions on countertops for my grill island - I have a few choices, but am not sure of ... A: Marc, A few thoughts: Slate can certainly be sealed against water and grease absorption. There ... | |
| First time homeowner, many questions | 4/17/2007 |
| Q: My husband and I are in the process of purchasing a 1916 ranch home (with unfinished attic and ... A: Pamela, I know what you are going through and I sympathize. I would like to give you some advice, ... | |
| Residential HVAC | 4/17/2007 |
| Q: "I am in the process of getting bids for a residential central A/C system. Currently leaning toward ... A: Bev, I assume that this is a new home under construction and you are installing new ductwork. In ... | |
| Water in basement | 4/16/2007 |
| Q: What is available to remove about 1/4" or 3/16" of water from my basement? Someone suggested a ... A: Ted, Use a wet-dry vac with a squeegee head in combination with a dehumidifier. The vac will get ... | |
| masonary screws | 4/15/2007 |
| Q: I'm attaching drywall to a brick wall.Do I need to predrill the holes before screwing in the ... A: Todd, Use Tapcon screws, or equal. These come with a precision-sized carbide-tipped drill bit for ... | |
| Knotty Pine Paneling | 4/15/2007 |
| Q: My home is 50+ years old. The walls in the living room, hallway and den are knotty pine tongue and ... A: Rose, Great question. There's a lot of square feet of that stuff installed all over the country. ... | |
| vinyl floor removal from concrete | 4/15/2007 |
| Q: i am trying to remove vinyl from a concrete floor. i have already removed most of the covering with ... A: ew, This type of work is rarely easy. Asbestos removal contractors who do this work routinely use ... | |
| Nails | 4/14/2007 |
| Q: Carl; I was wondering if you may know how to remove nails from cement? They are in the floor of a ... A: Sherry, This can be difficult, especially if the nails were driven with a powder-actuated tool. ... | |
| repair of board and batten siding | 4/12/2007 |
| Q: We have a small amount of wood rot that affects quite a few of the panels of our siding, and I'm ... A: Linda, One method is to cut off the rotted siding and replace it with the same new material. The ... | |
| bathroom | 4/10/2007 |
| Q: I`ve started putting another shower base I`m having trouble getting it level in the front. I`ve ... A: John, Mix up a stiff batch of thinset mortar (latex fortified) avialiable from tile dealers. Embed ... | |
| chair rail height | 3/25/2007 |
| Q: I'm planning on installing a chair rail in my son's room. is there a specific height for this or is ... A: Jack, If the rail is decorative only (i.e. chairs won't be sliding into it) then the height is at ... | |
| adhesives | 3/24/2007 |
| Q: Mr. Moore, I am attempting to replace the ceiling in a pop-up camper, I have removed the old ceiling ... A: Frank, The easiest method is PL-300, a foam-compatible adhesive in caulk-gun form. You will need ... | |
Home Improvement--General
Answers by Expert:
Steve Major (Owner - Major Design Group)
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer any questions regarding the design and execution of home improvement and remodeling. This includes trade-specific questions (how-to) in all major building trades: framing, foundations, site prep, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, water treatment, interior finishing, trim & cabinetwork, exterior finishing, roofing, siding. PLEASE indicate your state or region, so I can provide the best possible answer.
Experience
25 years experience in home improvement design and construction, all hands-on, including the construction of dozens of single-family homes and hundreds of remodeling projects in the northeastern US.
Publications
Author: "Architectural Woodwork - Details for Construction" published by Van Nostrand Reinhold (now Wiley).
Education/Credentials
BS -- Cornell University
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