| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| Porch ceiling tongue and groove install | 10/7/2008 |
Q: We're putting 1 x 6 spruce tongue and groove on our covered porch ceiling. The current ceiling is a ...
A: Here is a great website that outlines your choices. I totally agree with the section on varnishes. ...
|
| Flooring | 10/7/2008 |
Q: We live in an older house(30 +yrs)and we want to redo our living room/den floor.It is a carport ...
A: Sounds like you are on the right track to me. Before you put the plywood down it is imperative that ...
|
| cold bedroom | 10/6/2008 |
Q: I have a cold bedroom (12 mth old sons). It has blown in insulation in the walls, no vapor barrier. ...
A: Any additional insulation will help. Just how much is difficult to tell from the information you ...
|
| Flooring | 10/5/2008 |
Q: We live in an older house(30 +yrs)and we want to redo our living room/den floor.It is a carport ...
A: Putting down a plywood base is a good idea - the one problem you may have is the height it will make ...
|
| Re: fibreglass tub repairs | 10/5/2008 |
Q: Do you know of a way that this could be repaired or will we have to replace the whole thing? (There ...
A: My opinion on this problem is that the tub wasn't set properly to begin with so the support base has ...
|
| Hardwood floor buckling | 10/4/2008 |
Q: Steve, we had a new house built on a river here in Montana. 8 months later now the floor which is ...
A: Is this an engineered hardwood flooring product? I hope you are taking all the legal actions that ...
|
| What is the proper order for house improvements | 9/30/2008 |
Q: we have a lot of projects to do on our house and wondering what the proper order is. We have ...
A: You will probably get different opinions on this question but my order would be: First: Flooring ...
|
| unconventional wall construction | 9/29/2008 |
Q: The load-bearing walls are cinder blocks with wire metal lath and plaster. The non-load-bearing ...
A: There are several ways of attaching the cabinets One way is to anchor 2 x material with lags, ...
|
| Diagonal Hardwood Floors | 9/24/2008 |
Q: Experts, I have a question for you concerning hardwood installation. We have a large space that ...
A: Rather than just my opinion, here's some great suggestions on cutting tongue and grooves with a ...
|
| Diagonal Hardwood Floors | 9/24/2008 |
Q: Experts, I have a question for you concerning hardwood installation. We have a large space that ...
A: I hear you about the torture of home improvement. It is a blast and I love it so much I quit my ...
|
| Diagonal Hardwood Floors | 9/23/2008 |
Q: Experts, I have a question for you concerning hardwood installation. We have a large space that ...
A: I personally like the look of a transition board. You can do it without the transition - its a ...
|
| Sub - Floor | 9/23/2008 |
Q: I was thinking about putting dricore down in my basement for a sub floor, this is on top of my ...
A: I have no experience with the Dricore system. I have seen it at trade shows and it appears to me to ...
|
| Bathroom - tile or fiberglass? | 9/22/2008 |
Q: We have tile problems in our 18 year old bathroom surrond (water has gotten into the greenboard). ...
A: The water being softened really has no bearing on whether you go with tile or fiberglass. I would ...
|
| insulating a wood subfloor on top of a concrete slab | 9/22/2008 |
Q: I recently purchased a home in N.J. The house had a carport that was converted into a living space. ...
A: My partner suggested that you look at the Icynene spray foam insulation system for your application. ...
|
| renovators | 9/20/2008 |
Q: Question for you all: Question #1 - a renovator say's he can do a job in about a month...and 6 ...
A: One very important thing you forgot to mention is the quality of his work and what kind of overall ...
|
| Pressure Tank | 9/19/2008 |
Q: Over the past winter we had to replace our old water pressure tank because the bladder failed. We ...
A: OK - that low pressure reading is definitely the problem! I'm glad you noticed that because we ...
|
| garage door/opener | 9/17/2008 |
Q: I have a garage door that creaks very badly when it is opening. In addition, it stops at about a ...
A: I'm sorry - I wasn't very clear about the springs. I think you should replace everything, springs ...
|
| garage door/opener | 9/17/2008 |
Q: I have a garage door that creaks very badly when it is opening. In addition, it stops at about a ...
A: It's doubtful that the springs are the problem. They may be responsible for the creaking but that's ...
|
| water treatment | 9/15/2008 |
Q: I have a well with an acid neutralizer system. The media is 80% calcite and 20% magnesium dioxide (I ...
A: I definitely would NOT add acid to the tank!! That could get out of hand real fast and create a ...
|
| Pressure Tank | 9/15/2008 |
Q: Over the past winter we had to replace our old water pressure tank because the bladder failed. We ...
A: This is very unusual. The unequal pressure is not due to the new bladder tank. That is, unless the ...
|
| From slide in oven to freestanding | 9/14/2008 |
Q: What steps do i need to take in removing a slide in oven to installing a freestanding oven? Will i ...
A: I have no way of knowing without seeing the current installation and knowing the dimensions of both ...
|
| Plumbing-Well | 9/13/2008 |
Q: My well pump will not kick on. I have replaced the pressure gauge, pressure switch, and verified the ...
A: Have you verified that there is power actually going to the pump? If so, and it still wont kick on, ...
|
| insulating a wood subfloor on top of a concrete slab | 9/12/2008 |
Q: I recently purchased a home in N.J. The house had a carport that was converted into a living space. ...
A: I would be tempted to tear everything out and start over. Start with 2 sheets of plastic followed ...
|
| oil-based painting | 9/10/2008 |
Q: my husband and I are flipping his grandfather's house and because he was a smoker,we were told to ...
A: I would recommend that you pose this question to the experts at Behr. I am not sure about the ...
|
| problem with bathroom doors | 9/8/2008 |
Q: We can't open/close bathroom doors if bath mats are on the way. we need reduce length of the door at ...
A: You need to remove the door, lay it on a couple of saw horses and cut the bottom of the door so that ...
|
| Drywalling over a brick fireplace | 9/8/2008 |
Q: I have a brick fireplace in the center of my Levitt home with doors on both the east and west ...
A: Yes, you can attach the drywall directly to the brick with a general construction adhesive (like PL ...
|
| crown moulding | 9/7/2008 |
Q: We have bought 3/4 x 5 5/16 crown moulding. Is there a way to tell which is the top part to go ...
A: Boy, you are in for some fun if you are doing this yourself for the first time! Crown molding is ...
|
| floor | 8/27/2008 |
Q: I am replacing a floor in a mobile home with plywood. How do I cut out vent wholes? What tool will I ...
A: I assume you mean the heating system vent holes that have the register cover over them. They can be ...
|
| floating flooring | 8/26/2008 |
Q: We just finished laying down a laminate floating floor throughout 3 small rooms. After completion ...
A: The answer is yes it can be repaired but it's not an easy fix. You have to cut a strip from another ...
|
| Stain exterior wood door | 8/17/2008 |
Q: Steve- My wife has asked me to stain a door that we will use to replace an existing door. The door ...
A: You have heard correctly. The best product, in my opinion, is the Minwax product called Polyshades. ...
|
| painting osb board | 8/15/2008 |
Q: I have a loft area over my garage that I am finishing. I was not to careful about gettting mud and ...
A: I've been there! You sure can paint it. Just make sure that you use a really good primer first. ...
|
| Owens Cornin Basement Finishing System | 8/14/2008 |
Q: We just purchased a home in Connecticut. The house was built in 1966 and the property tends to be ...
A: I am not that familiar with the OC system. I have seen it in several houses but have not worked with ...
|
| Filling a hole in the wall | 8/14/2008 |
Q: I am ENTIRELY new to DIY. I've just moved into a new house and has some lights taken off a wall. ...
A: So you are saying the holes are about 6"? Is the hole round or what is the shape. When you say ...
|
| baseboard flat, wall isn't | 8/13/2008 |
Q: we built a modular home last year, I am finally finished with all the baseboard finishing. We were ...
A: This is a very difficult question to answer without actually seeing what's going on. From reading ...
|
| Sound Proofing a Basement Ceiling | 8/11/2008 |
Q: I have a finished basement room with a dry wall ceiling. Lights in the ceiling are can lights (IC ...
A: I found your question in the question pool. I will try to give you a potential solution. Owens ...
|
| Tile over Cement Substrate | 8/11/2008 |
Q: I am finishing my basement in my new home, the floor is a slab below grade. I do not have any ...
A: We have some really good flooring experts that are better qualified to answer this particular ...
|
| Bathroom vanity replacement | 8/8/2008 |
Q: This may be a stupid question, but here it is... We currently have a bathroom vanity that we wish ...
A: OK, I am with you now. I am not normally this slow, however, I just got home from vacation and my ...
|
| Bathroom vanity replacement | 8/8/2008 |
Q: This may be a stupid question, but here it is... We currently have a bathroom vanity that we wish ...
A: Sorry for the mixup. There were duplicate questions and for some reason you didn't receive my ...
|
| bathroom wall | 7/30/2008 |
Q: I am gutting a bathroom. Once I tore out all the existing wall cover I discovered that the wall the ...
A: No problem! The way I see it you have three choices. One is to scrape and chip and break all of ...
|
| bathroom wall | 7/29/2008 |
Q: I am gutting a bathroom. Once I tore out all the existing wall cover I discovered that the wall the ...
A: I am confused. Are you saying that this is a cinder block wall with plaster attached to the cinder ...
|
| how to repair a hump in linoleum | 7/28/2008 |
Q: Shortly after having our house built we noticed a hump in the kitchen linoleum. Of course getting ...
A: We have a bunch of really good experts in the flooring section. I would run this by one of them ...
|
| interior painting | 7/27/2008 |
Q: Am repainting windows in my living room. Am stuck with painting latex enamel over what I'm quite ...
A: You are a very careful and conscientious painter and that is very good! I would be willing to bet ...
|
| Finding oak flooring supplier | 7/25/2008 |
Q: I am remodeling a portion of my 60's ranch house. It has oak wood flooring installed, and I need ...
A: I would try Lumber Liquidators. Here is their web address: ...
|
| Help! | 7/23/2008 |
Q: My father is wanting to attempt to repair one of the outer walls to the house. It is buckling due ...
A: This is not only an unwise decision to try this type of a repair with no construction knowledge, but ...
|
| Iron balusters | 7/23/2008 |
Q: We are installing iron balusters on our entryway staircase. They were originally wood, so we cut out ...
A: This is a difficult question since I have no idea what your particular baluster looks like. Since ...
|
| flooring | 7/22/2008 |
Q: I am installing wood grain strips in my basement. They are 4" x 36". The room is 13 ft. by 36 ft. ...
A: Normally you would install them perpendicular to the floor joists, however, since this is the ...
|
| Floor tile | 7/21/2008 |
Q: Can you lay ceramic tile directly over vinyl on a bathroom floor?
A: It can be done but I don't recommend it. Rather than repeating what they have already said, here ...
|
| basement problem??? | 7/12/2008 |
Q: We live in our house since 1974. It was built in 1929 and is an all brick colonail,2 story home. ...
A: Well I would say it's either water that has seeped up through gypsum or white clay and has some ...
|
| drywall | 7/11/2008 |
Q: I am currently remodeling a bathroom that had tile as wainscoting. I am tearing out the drywall with ...
A: I would take out the vanity, top and all, and make the repairs and put it back if there is room to ...
|
| Metal Door | 7/11/2008 |
Q: I have to cut the bottom of a metal exterior door off, can this be done? I can't raise the jam, I ...
A: Yes it can be done. It is imperative that you get a good abrasive metal cutting blade for the ...
|
| painting storage shed | 7/10/2008 |
Q: we have an old storage shed that has redwood oil base paint. It is plywood T1-11 and has had the ...
A: I have done something very similar to your project with a Cabot acrylic based stain and it worked ...
|
| Shoddy tilework - what to do? | 7/10/2008 |
Q: I hope you can help me. We're currently having our hall bathroom renovated -- not a big bathroom, ...
A: It's difficult for me to answer this question without actually seeing the tile work because there ...
|
| Fix or Replace fan/light fixtures | 7/9/2008 |
Q: Young, Thanks for volunteering. I am a do it yourselfer working on my house. I have installed ...
A: I have found it easier and more cost effective just to replace the old worn out light sockets and ...
|
| Wallpaper residue | 7/8/2008 |
Q: Using spray-on DIF I removed the vinyl and paper layers of some wallpaper that has been up for +40 ...
A: Normally I would tell you that this is the bottom layer of the wallpaper but since your wallpaper is ...
|
| basement problem??? | 7/7/2008 |
Q: We live in our house since 1974. It was built in 1929 and is an all brick colonail,2 story home. ...
A: I need a little more information: 1. What is the floor composition (cement, wood, etc.) 2. When you ...
|
| plaster on wall below window is chalking | 7/6/2008 |
Q: I plan on painting a room but the wall below the window is chalking or flaking and the surface needs ...
A: First make sure that the chalking and flaking is not the result of a water leak. If water is ...
|
| french door | 7/4/2008 |
Q: I have put door sweeps on french doors,I cut them at a 10% angle so the active door will close ...
A: Without actually looking at this I it's hard for me to recommend a correction. Can you send me some ...
|
| CARPENTRY | 7/4/2008 |
Q: I need to hang sheet rock on the ceiling, it currently has acoustical tiles stapled to the rafters. ...
A: I just noticed the followup question - sorry for the delay. I would just put blocking between the ...
|
| CARPENTRY | 7/3/2008 |
Q: I need to hang sheet rock on the ceiling, it currently has acoustical tiles stapled to the rafters. ...
A: I would be surprised if the ceiling tiles were really stapled directly to the rafters. It would be ...
|
| hardwood flooring | 7/2/2008 |
Q: I laid hardwood flooring on my entire floor, including the kitchen (which over looks the family ...
A: This can actually be caused by several factors. One is water seepage. Another possibility is that ...
|
| plaster walls | 7/1/2008 |
Q: I am currently stripping wallpaper on plaster walls. There are 2 layers and it is coming off fine ...
A: Unfortunately, this is part of the wallpaper and needs to come off as well. If you try soaking this ...
|
| soft sheetrock by baseboards | 6/29/2008 |
Q: My wife and I recently puchased our first home. When prepping our house for painting, carpet, and ...
A: Your question was sent to the Question Pool so I will give you my two cents. The short answer is no ...
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| Removing a wall, installing header | 6/25/2008 |
Q: I have a living room that takes up about half it's sie of the house. It's on the bottom of a two ...
A: Brett, Saw your question in the question pool. Here's how to hold up the house while you put in ...
|
| Big mirror | 6/25/2008 |
Q: I like to dance in my room, and because of this, I would like to install a large mirror in my room, ...
A: What I would do is to get two mirrors with a wooden frame that encircles the mirrors. I would get ...
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| Big mirror | 6/24/2008 |
Q: I like to dance in my room, and because of this, I would like to install a large mirror in my room, ...
A: Sounds like a good idea! I am a little confused though. Are you actually talking about 2 separate ...
|
| flooring/demolition | 6/24/2008 |
Q: I had new hardwood floors installed yesterday. I paid the store for materials, installation, and ...
A: I have never charged extra for hauling off the materials from a job. This is very unprofessional in ...
|
| house in a hurricane | 6/23/2008 |
Q: If a house with a normal peaked roof had no overhangs, (gutters ect.) that the wind could not get ...
A: Your question was relegated to the question pool. I will give you my 2 cents. I say no, it would ...
|
| Reverse osmosis | 6/23/2008 |
Q: My husband hooked up a reverse osmosis system that was under our sink when we bought this house 6 ...
A: I ran across your question in the question pool - I don't know if you got an answer or not. I am one ...
|
| insulation between walls and baseboard heating | 6/22/2008 |
Q: We are remodeling the basement and have our baseboard heating directly placed against the block ...
A: I am not following your question and I can't visualize what you are saying as far as coming out of ...
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| insulation between walls and baseboard heating | 6/21/2008 |
Q: We are remodeling the basement and have our baseboard heating directly placed against the block ...
A: Absolutely! Putting insulation between the block wall and the baseboard heater is critical for the ...
|
| floor support of fireplace | 6/15/2008 |
Q: I am installing an insert (375lbs) into existing fireplace ther are already jacks under neath in ...
A: It's hard for me to answer this question without knowing a little more, like what is the ...
|
| chain link fencing | 6/15/2008 |
Q: I am installing a new chain link fence. I can not get close enough to the house because of a buried ...
A: I don't understand part of your question. I would attach the fence to the house in the following ...
|
| grout sealer | 6/13/2008 |
Q: We had ceramic tile with beige grout installed a week ago. I usually buy Aqua Mix Sealers Choice ...
A: You certainly sound like you know what you are doing! This is one of those questions that if you ...
|
| 100 amp line outages | 6/13/2008 |
Q: Originally I was going to ask you about going from a 60amp to a 100 amp line. Upon inspection, I ...
A: This question is really outside my area of expertise. I know enough about electricity to be really ...
|
| Sprinkler System Question | 6/12/2008 |
Q: I'd like to know the lifespan of a Nelson irrigation system, namely the pipes. I have a young man ...
A: Your question is outside my area of expertise. I know enough about sprinkler systems to be ...
|
| re-stain wood paneling? | 6/11/2008 |
Q: We just bought a wonderful home, but the living room has ugly floor-to-ceiling wood paneling. It's ...
A: This is a new one to me as well. I would recommend getting a small can of Minwax ...
|
| how to affix a tabletop extension to dishwasher? | 6/11/2008 |
Q: I have a portable dishwasher with some kind of synthetic top that looks like fake wood but the ...
A: I would use a "Liquid Nails" product to attach it to the top of the dishwasher. However, I should ...
|
| Buckled wood floor | 6/10/2008 |
Q: I have hard wood floors (installed in 94) and had a crack in my kitchen sink pipe that leaked from ...
A: Yes, you are right about what tongue and groove is. Do you have any extra planks? If you don't you ...
|
| Buckled wood floor | 6/9/2008 |
Q: I have hard wood floors (installed in 94) and had a crack in my kitchen sink pipe that leaked from ...
A: It is not that difficult to fix this problem. The hardest part will be finding the wood planks to ...
|
| exterior painting | 6/4/2008 |
Q: my house has grooved cedar siding that is painted green. We are trying to scrape and repaint... How ...
A: You are doing one of the hardest, most time consuming jobs in "do it yourself" home repair. There ...
|
| Clawfoot tub: showerguard ideas | 6/1/2008 |
Q: I have a beautiful clawfoot tub in my bathroom, and a detachable hose showerhead installed on a ...
A: If I understand your setup correctly it seems like the mail problem would be the shower head. I ...
|
| Exhause Fan Bathroom | 5/31/2008 |
Q: I am planning on purchasing and having an exhaust fan installed in the bathroom of my home. The ...
A: Based on the information you gave me I would recommend you purchase a fan with the following specs: ...
|
| Water seeping under garage wall - Additional Slab added | 5/29/2008 |
Q: We just purchased a 22 year old home in Northern Alabama. Originally the garage was separate and ...
A: It's amazing what some well meaning DIY'ers can construct! If I were you I would definitely let the ...
|
| door leak under sill | 5/27/2008 |
Q: What is the proper way to flash an exterior door on a new home in which the door sill is being ...
A: Watch the video on the site I have listed below and if Tim doesn't answer your question let me know ...
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| Bathtub Overflow / Ridiculous Management Company | 5/23/2008 |
Q: I am renting a house in Moreno Valley, CA and I reported a second level bathtub leak to my managment ...
A: Because each state and municipality has their own building codes I would have no way of knowing the ...
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| Adding 2 bedrooms and bathroom to 2nd story | 5/21/2008 |
Q: My question is, do I need to reinforce the current ceiling joists before I lay a floor? Right now, ...
A: I found your question in the General Question Pool and I wasn't sure if you had received an answer ...
|
| INSULATION MATERIAL | 5/20/2008 |
Q: WE HAVE A HOUSE THAT WAS BUILT IN 1952. THE INSULATION IN THE ATTIC IS ABOUT 2 INCHES THICK AND ...
A: I found your question in the General Question Pool and I wasn't sure if you had received an answer ...
|
| water diversion | 5/16/2008 |
Q: Not wanting to install gutters, but wanting to divert rainwater from the entranceway to my house, ...
A: You haven't given me too much to work with here. Based on what you have said there is no way that I ...
|
| rehanging a closet door | 5/15/2008 |
Q: I have door to a walk-in closet that opens in. I would like to increase the amount of storage ...
A: Yes it is. Follow the instructions for marking where to cut out the hinge placements on the other ...
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| rehanging a closet door | 5/13/2008 |
Q: I have door to a walk-in closet that opens in. I would like to increase the amount of storage ...
A: Rather than writing all the steps in this space, I would suggest that you go to this site: ...
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| smoothing out concrete walls | 5/13/2008 |
Q: I am renovating a small apartment, however, the painted concrete walls are anything but smooth. ...
A: If you want a really smooth wall I would consider putting up drywall (sheetrock). It could be ...
|
| uncaulking | 5/12/2008 |
Q: I have to correct a big mistake. I caulked doors and baseboard with a silicon based caulking. It ...
A: Unfortunately there is no real easy way to remove a silicone caulking. You just have to physically ...
|
| Problem with Wall after Wallpaper Removal | 5/11/2008 |
Q: I have removed most of the wall paper off one wall (the only one covered) in my house. Underneath ...
A: This is a tough question to answer without actually seeing the situation. It sounds to me like you ...
|
| Water Leak on Apt Ceiling | 5/10/2008 |
Q: Upon returning home from a 2 week trip to my NYC apt (25 floor), I found that my living room ceiling ...
A: Wow! That's a huge area. You said in the initial question that the entire area was wet. If that's ...
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| Water Leak on Apt Ceiling | 5/10/2008 |
Q: Upon returning home from a 2 week trip to my NYC apt (25 floor), I found that my living room ceiling ...
A: I need to know how big of an area we are talking about, in square feet. Measure it or guess as ...
|
| Deck Supports | 5/7/2008 |
Q: I want to know your opinion on decking spikes. Are they a good way to support a 6' x 10' x 2' high ...
A: I'm not sure what kind of deck spike you are referring to. I will assume that you are talking about ...
|
| spray foam insulation on rim joist | 5/7/2008 |
Q: I am finishing a basement in my home in northeast Kansas. It's in very good condition for as far as ...
A: I have one suggestion - you really need a vapor barrier, even though you don't anticipate any ...
|
| outdoor water pipe problem | 5/6/2008 |
Q: I live in Wisconsin, so cold weather is a problem for me. I have a long copper pipe (12'-15') that ...
A: I would use electrical heat tape/cable. This type of product is commonly used in all types of ...
|
| new pillers have hair line cracks | 5/6/2008 |
Q: Just had my pillers in front of my home replaced and they painted them yesterday and the hair line ...
A: Yes! Get whoever did it out there and tell them to fix it!! That is totally unacceptable. They ...
|
| Creaky Stairs | 5/4/2008 |
Q: I am wondering if there is anything I can do about very creaky stairs, aside from replacing them. ...
A: Good morning Titus, This is a very annoying problem. Fortunately it's one that, most times, is ...
|
| basement room | 5/2/2008 |
Q: Steve, Understand you are slammed with questions so appreciate you taking another one. My question ...
A: It's a little more reasonable since they will prime and paint. For a room that size that's a fair ...
|
| basement room | 5/2/2008 |
Q: Steve, Understand you are slammed with questions so appreciate you taking another one. My question ...
A: I don't know where you live but this price seems really high to me. Does this include drywalling the ...
|
| stain on fence to dark | 4/30/2008 |
Q: i am painting a treated fence I had already painted the front and then realized I had not mixed the ...
A: Realistically the only thing I know of you can do is go to a solid color stain (as opposed to a ...
|
| twofold | 4/29/2008 |
Q: 1) how can I remove all the excess caulking my husband leaves everywhere when he tries to caulk. ...
A: I suspect the reason he put the hose down there was to test whether the sump pump would work or not. ...
|
| refrigerator ice maker | 4/27/2008 |
Q: We just bought a house and it came with a refrigerator that has an ice maker. The ice maker isn’t ...
A: I prefer to use the braided hose when possible. However, it doesn't come in 16' lengths so I would ...
|
| dual-flush toilet kit | 4/21/2008 |
Q: I'd like to put a dual-flush kit on my toilets (they're old) to reduce water usage. James Dulley, ...
A: I know what you are talking about - a two flush system that flushes differently depending on the ...
|
| Basement wall | 4/21/2008 |
Q: My husband started to put mud on our brick basement walls. We have been trying to wait for it to ...
A: I have never heard of doing this but it sounds like an interesting idea and I will be curious how it ...
|
| bad drywall seams / nails | 4/16/2008 |
Q: The people who did the drywall an painted my house did not sand down the seams and nail spots on the ...
A: Ok, I think I understand what you have now. Basically, I think you will be able to sand down the ...
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| bad drywall seams / nails | 4/16/2008 |
Q: The people who did the drywall an painted my house did not sand down the seams and nail spots on the ...
A: I'm sorry to hear about your drywall job and I will try to help you work through a fix on it. ...
|
| garage loft floor | 4/14/2008 |
Q: I have a garage that is double height. I want to put an open front loft floor inside the garage so I ...
A: I would do 2 x 8's and space them 16"o.c. You could actually do 24" o.c. with a 10' span but I ...
|
| new floor turning up at ends | 4/13/2008 |
Q: We recently had an addition added to our home. It is on a cement slab. We had 6inch x 3/4 inch ...
A: Ok - I'm with you now. I wanted to make sure what I was dealing with before I told you anything. ...
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| new floor turning up at ends | 4/13/2008 |
Q: We recently had an addition added to our home. It is on a cement slab. We had 6inch x 3/4 inch ...
A: Let me make sure I understand this correctly. The new addition where the planks are turning up the ...
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| ceiling fan | 4/11/2008 |
Q: can I swap out a light fixture for the light kit currently in my fan. It is a pendant type dual ...
A: I don't see any problem with that. However, I am NOT an electrician and I would consider shooting ...
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| Baseboards and Hardwood Floor | 4/6/2008 |
Q: I'm a beginner when it comes to home improvements but I'm trying to fix this problem myself so I ...
A: From your picture it looks to me like the hardwood floor is fine. That appears to be a normal space ...
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| Redoing bathrooms | 4/5/2008 |
Q: We are down-sizing and moving into an older condo. Both bathrooms need to be done – one has a ...
A: First of all in regards to the shower question. I personally prefer the tile type of a shower but ...
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| Shower installation | 4/4/2008 |
Q: I'm installing a Sterling shower kit in my basement. What should the enclosure be installed over & ...
A: The enclosure can be installed over drywall, plaster, painted walls, plywood, and ceramic tile. If ...
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| drywall/concrete wall repair | 4/3/2008 |
Q: My house was built in 1960. I plan on painting but need to repair some holes in the walls. Small ...
A: I have never repaired wall holes that way - it may very well work but I have no experience with it. ...
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| baseboard heat | 4/2/2008 |
Q: Is there an easy way to replace the baseboard heater covers? It’s not electric, it recircling hot ...
A: That's more of a plumbing issue and I'm not familiar with cover replacement. Here ae a couple of ...
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| Wall mounted mailbox issues | 4/1/2008 |
Q: Steve, I have a wall mounted mailbox installed on my brick home. The screws and anchors were ...
A: I would repair the existing hole. You can purchase a tube of mortar repair. Here is the website of ...
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| Installing Dryer vent | 3/31/2008 |
Q: I'm looking to buy a house that has the proper setup for a washer, but not for a dryer. About how ...
A: There is no way I can give you a good answer to your question. It all depends on where the dryer has ...
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| wainscoting in bathroom | 3/30/2008 |
Q: We are planning on redoing our bathroom with wainscoting going half way up the wall. Is it ok to ...
A: Sure. If you are going to have a natural look wood finish to the wainscoting you can use a ...
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| staircase | 3/28/2008 |
Q: Good morning!! I would like to pull up my carpeting on my stairs and paint the steps.I peeked under ...
A: I'm not sure what you mean by "cheap" wood. Does it look like particleboard? Or some other kind of ...
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| Pergola | 3/27/2008 |
Q: I am assembling a typical attached pergola. A ledger board is attached to the house. About 16 feet ...
A: I didn't think you were referring to Homer! I would notch the rafters (you refer to them as joists) ...
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| dry wall tape repair | 3/25/2008 |
Q: We put in new sheet rock 16 yrs ago. I am planning to repaint, but need to do some repairs first. My ...
A: It's best if you retape and mud. If you skip the tape a lot of times it will crack pretty quickly. ...
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| leaking water softener | 3/20/2008 |
Q: I just notice my water softener is leaking today. It looks like water drop is coming out on top, ...
A: I have no way of knowing what is causing this leak since I don't have access to any of the Alamo ...
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| cork flooring | 3/20/2008 |
Q: We would like to install a cork floor in out entry hallway. Currently, it has slate which is ...
A: Yes, you can lay a sub floor on top of the slate. I would recommend a product called Dricore. Here ...
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| Water Softener | 3/19/2008 |
Q: I have a water softener that we used in our old house for about a year. We had spent a significant ...
A: Unfortunately you did exactly what you shouldn't have. The softener resin inside the tank should ...
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| P trap for new tub | 3/18/2008 |
Q: Part way through replacing the bath tub. Old tub & tile & toilet & sink cabinet is out. The new tub ...
A: We are now getting into an area that I'm not very knowledgeable on - plumbing. I think you can do ...
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| floor strength | 3/17/2008 |
Q: my name is Brian. I have run into a problem. I have plans on setting up a fish tank in my living ...
A: That is an odd size for a floor joist. You are saying it is 3" thick and 7 1/2" wide? What is the ...
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| P trap for new tub | 3/17/2008 |
Q: Part way through replacing the bath tub. Old tub & tile & toilet & sink cabinet is out. The new tub ...
A: The code says that you cannot cut more than 1/3 of the width of the joist, so in this case no more ...
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| Basement; floor leaks | 3/15/2008 |
Q: I recently purchased a house which was built in 1920. I discovered, after the last rainfall (rain ...
A: Would it be possible, by removing some of the concrete floor to make what you refer to as ...
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| installing a new bathroom | 3/14/2008 |
Q: We are wanting to install a new bathroom in our existing dining room. One wall would be shared with ...
A: Your question is more involved than what we do here at All Experts. would need a lot more ...
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| Why are my wood floors buckling??? | 3/13/2008 |
Q: My wood floors have been buckling!! First the details: There is no cupping or crowning, just ...
A: I'm very sorry to hear about that. Brazilian Redwood (BR) is one of my favorite woods and it makes ...
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| well pump | 3/11/2008 |
Q: i have a well pump issue!! i replaced a shallow well pump and my water pressure is great in the ...
A: This question is really outside my area of expertise and is more of a plumbing issue. However, I do ...
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| Staining a pattern in a Hardwood Floor | 3/11/2008 |
Q: I am a mural artist. I am trying to figure out what type of stain product to use to paint a pattern ...
A: I have never done this but have several associates who have done this very successfully. I think ...
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| newly renovated upstairs bathroom leaking to downstairs ceiling | 3/10/2008 |
Q: I live in New Orleans, a victim of Hurricane Katrina, and my downstairs flooded, so I had to deal ...
A: First of all you need to do whatever is necessary to keep the water from splashing on the floor as ...
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| Walls and wood | 3/10/2008 |
Q: I am going to use 1 / 8 tongue and groove pine on one of my walls. How is the best way to attach it ...
A: You are going to want to blind nail it directly to the stud. If you are not familiar with that term ...
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| Walls and wood | 3/9/2008 |
Q: I am going to use 1 / 8 tongue and groove pine on one of my walls. How is the best way to attach it ...
A: Before I answer I need to know what the wall construction is - in other words are you going to be ...
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| storm windows | 3/7/2008 |
Q: I have an older home in Washington and it doesn't have storm windows. Is it more econmical to ...
A: It depends on many factors. Some of these factors are the number of windows, the accessibility of ...
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| Bathroom remodeling | 2/13/2008 |
Q: Before I ask you about bathroom remodeling, I would like to know your experience and expertise in ...
A: You can see all of the volunteers experience at the beginning of each section. I do this as a ...
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| sticky door | 2/12/2008 |
Q: The situation is we went to visit our friends in USA-PA (We are from USA-MA) who just had a house ...
A: Pretty bizarre isn't it? What was the result of your "tape test?" I would be really curious how ...
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| plumbing, toilet repair | 2/11/2008 |
Q: Lately when someone is taking a shower in our upstairs bathroom, the water in our downstairs toilet ...
A: This is really a plumbing issue and outside my area of expertise. However, I'm almost positive that ...
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| home repairs | 2/9/2008 |
Q: I want to buy a two-story house that is 2740 sq.ft. It does not have the bathrooms, kitchen, or ...
A: I can't possibly answer this question without actually seeing the house. I don't give out this kind ...
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| steam bath ceiling | 2/8/2008 |
Q: I have a ceramic-tiled steam bath with a pitched ceiling, but nonetheless the ceiling drips: ...
A: The grout has been treated with a sealer that makes it repel the water. You can remove the sealer ...
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| new water heater install | 2/8/2008 |
Q: I'm getting ready to install a new tank-type water-heater. I want to install this with di-lectric ...
A: I don't think you need to install the dielectric breaks if you are using the Pex tubing. Since ...
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| coloring putty in finish holes | 2/7/2008 |
Q: our house was built 5 years ago. All woodwork is pine, unstained and finished in 2 coats of an ...
A: What you are experiencing is the reason that most people stain the wood - especially pine, because ...
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| Baseboards or not? | 2/7/2008 |
Q: When you pull a stove or dishwasher out away from the base cabinets, would you expect to see base ...
A: It just depends - I have seen it both ways, and then some! There really is no "norm" or if there ...
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| saving a bad drywall job | 2/6/2008 |
Q: Is there a way to repair a bad drywall job? The seams and tape of the drywall were not done ...
A: I'm not sure what you mean by they installed drywall over plaster. Do you know what the plaster is ...
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| removing brickface | 2/3/2008 |
Q: Greetings Steve, I am looking to purchase a house in Portland, Oregon. The home I'm currently ...
A: I have very limited experience with that kind of "faux" product. I do not like it, never use it, ...
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| how to deal with wet/damp crawl space | 2/2/2008 |
Q: We have a crawlspace with a cement floor. After a heavy rain, we have water in the space. Depending ...
A: OK, I will try to go through the questions in order: 1. I would remove the current vent and replace ...
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| Venetian Texture style in a bathroom | 2/2/2008 |
Q: I'm currently remodeling one of my bathrooms and my wife and I are have an argument wether or not ...
A: I did one of my bathrooms a couple of years ago in a Venetian texture and it's holding up fine. I ...
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| Hardwood Floor | 2/2/2008 |
Q: I plan on installing a solid hardwood floor in a room 10 by 10. When I put a 7 ft straight edge on ...
A: It won't be noticeable either way so the question is more a mechanical one. As long as the gap is ...
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| air in water line | 2/1/2008 |
Q: I have a well system for my house. The trouble is that lots of air has been getting the line. I have ...
A: It sounds to me like there is a leak in your holding tank bladder. Most well water systems have a ...
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| Wood Floor | 2/1/2008 |
Q: We moved in a rented house and have been here for about 1 year the whole house is wood floor i wish ...
A: It's hard for me to give you a solution without knowing what is on the floor. You need to ask ...
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| Painting over drywall | 1/30/2008 |
Q: I just had a drywall repair done. The wall was textured with a hopper then somewhat smoothed out ...
A: Yes you should definitely wash and clean the walls prior to painting. Get some TSP (Trisodium ...
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| Painting over drywall | 1/30/2008 |
Q: I just had a drywall repair done. The wall was textured with a hopper then somewhat smoothed out ...
A: Yes you definitely want to use primer. If you will be painting with a dark color ask the paint ...
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| tub surround | 1/29/2008 |
Q: My tub surround is one piece and is 12 years old. It is in great shape, but is coming loose from ...
A: I would try your idea about dribbling the glue down from the top first. The problem is going to be ...
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| RO System is conatantly gurgling in the drain | 1/16/2008 |
Q: I have a Watts 5 stage RO system under the sink with air gap in the tap; The problem is that we ...
A: You are correct about the no air gap set up. As far as why it is running continuously, are you ...
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| RO System is conatantly gurgling in the drain | 1/16/2008 |
Q: I have a Watts 5 stage RO system under the sink with air gap in the tap; The problem is that we ...
A: Unfortunately that is a common problem with the air gap design. The only way I know of to reduce ...
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| Well Water tank winter maintenance | 1/15/2008 |
Q: We have a Berkeley Diaphragm well water tank. The people who installed it gave us no instructions ...
A: I take it you don't use this tank in the winter? I am a little confused because I didn't think ...
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| Main vent pipe | 1/15/2008 |
Q: Steve, Remodeling our master bath. The main vent pipe goes straight up thru an interior wall ...
A: I don't see a problem with that but you should really run this one by one of our plumbing experts. ...
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| corner tape peeling | 1/15/2008 |
Q: My husband and I are looking at a potential house to buy in North Georgia. We noticed that in ...
A: This is normally caused by the sheetrock seams coming apart where they are taped together. It ...
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| Reverse Osmosis cartridge replacement process | 1/14/2008 |
Q: Steve, On Nov. 5, 2007 you started telling a woman named Sydney how to replace the 3 cartridges for ...
A: I couldn't ever find the specific information she wanted and also she didn't email me back?? AMTROL ...
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| tile woes | 1/14/2008 |
Q: plumber was attaching fixture to newly glass tiled walls, and a couple of the 1x1 tiles popped off. ...
A: The only solution I know if is to rip all the tile out. You can wait until they start to fall out ...
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| An unusual question | 1/12/2008 |
Q: You sound like an all-around knowledgeable guy, so you might be able to answer this. How does ...
A: I don't know about "all-around" knowledgeable but I'll give it a shot. RTV and other kinds of ...
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| 'painted' wood trim | 1/12/2008 |
Q: I've recently moved into a house where the previous owners did something I really don't understand: ...
A: Boy, it's amazing what some people can do when left to their own devices (or lack of). I'm all for ...
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| Scratches in Hardwood floor | 1/11/2008 |
Q: I have a question about the easiest way to fix scratches in a hardwood floor - it is Bruce hardwood ...
A: As long as the scratches aren't too deep you can get a product from Minwax called a "Blend-Fil ...
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| pluming | 1/10/2008 |
Q: the waist pipes for the bath and sink run along the wall in the bathroom to a soil pipe . the soil ...
A: I'm sorry you felt it necessary to give me such a low and negative rating for trying to help you. ...
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| water well & Bladder tank | 1/9/2008 |
Q: I just replaced my well pump, which is 25 years old, and and had good water pressure in my house for ...
A: It sounds to me like your bladder tank depressurized when you changed the well pump. Check the ...
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| Hardwood Flooring | 1/8/2008 |
Q: I'm refinishing my hardwood floor and attempting to do it myself. I have successfully sanded the ...
A: Boy is that frustrating - I know exactly what you are talking about! First of all I would encourage ...
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| Paint coming off in the basement | 1/6/2008 |
Q: We have recently moved into a new home (it's our first winter in this house) and we have realized ...
A: This problem is called efflorescence and it's caused by water passing through the bricks from the ...
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| pluming | 1/6/2008 |
Q: the waist pipes for the bath and sink run along the wall in the bathroom to a soil pipe . the soil ...
A: I'm not sure I understand your question. By soil pipe are you referring to the line that goes to ...
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| front porch railings | 1/5/2008 |
Q: Some of the railings are leaking resin every year. Every year I scrape it off, use an excellent ...
A: Since you are already using a top quality primer and paint I don't know of anything else to do. The ...
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| Knotty pine | 1/4/2008 |
Q: I have knotty pine on my basement walls that were treated with clear varnish. The pine behind any ...
A: In my opinion the only way to do it with any degree of color accuracy is to completely strip the ...
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| drinking water reverse osmosis | 12/17/2007 |
Q: Can the "gray water" be used to water herbs outside the kitchen door? I just had a new system ...
A: Are you referring to a Reverse Osmosis system? Normally a RO unit, depending on the quality of ...
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| icy walkways | 12/16/2007 |
Q: We just bought a home that has a brick walkway and concrete (I think!) step. I was told not to use ...
A: There are plenty of non-salt ice treatment products. You can get them at Home Depot or Lowes or any ...
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| liquid nails | 12/15/2007 |
Q: How well do liquid nails hold. for example: fastening 2x4 to a panel wall,or a brick wall,putting up ...
A: I love liquid nails! Are you aware that they have many different products for different ...
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| matching baseboard trims | 12/12/2007 |
Q: We have paintgrade trim in kitchen which meets up with staingrade in dining room (via an opening). ...
A: What do you mean the kitchen tile floor is about 1/2 higher? Do you mean 1/2 a inch, 1/2 of a tile ...
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| Drywall | 12/11/2007 |
Q: I dry removed the wall paper in my hall. This left some tears but I have floated them out. I have ...
A: The only way we have ever textured walls was to use the premixed drywall compound that you buy at ...
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| engineered wood floors | 12/11/2007 |
Q: I have a air pocket in my engineered wood floors. I layed them myself and had a change in floor ...
A: How big of an area are you talking about? What do you mean when you say you had a change in floor ...
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| electrical outlet | 12/10/2007 |
Q: How difficult is it to install a standard electrical outlet? My bathroom has none. Thank you.
A: It is not a DIY job. It requires running a line from a power source to the bathroom wall. Depending ...
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| hole in front door | 12/10/2007 |
Q: we just purchased a door handle for our front door and the holes dont match up. What should we do ...
A: I am totally stumped! The holes on doors are standard and any new door handle should fit. Are you ...
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| Drywall over a Plaster Ceiling | 12/8/2007 |
Q: Steve, I am in the beginning stages of remodeling our kitchen. We removed a suspended ceiling and ...
A: The answers are yes and yes but 1/2" would probably be better. Here are 2 great articles for you ...
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| Crack in Vaulted Ceiling | 12/8/2007 |
Q: We have a fairly large crack, the length of our two story vaulted ceiling where the two surfaces ...
A: This can be a very difficult repair. If done correctly the joint should not fail and produce the ...
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| stalling wood floors on stairs | 12/8/2007 |
Q: Steve, I have installed engineered wood floors downstairs in my home, the kind you glue. I would ...
A: Unfortunately this space is too small for me to go into how to install hardwood floors - ...
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| Low output from RO system | 12/4/2007 |
Q: I am experiencing low volume of out put from my RO system. I replaced the 2 filters and the membrane ...
A: OK, now that we've determined you have changed all the filters and the membrane correctly, I think ...
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| Low output from RO system | 12/3/2007 |
Q: I am experiencing low volume of out put from my RO system. I replaced the 2 filters and the membrane ...
A: Without knowing what kind of system you have it's difficult for me to help. Could you see if you ...
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| subfloor | 12/3/2007 |
Q: Steve, I am repairing an addition to a house that was built by NON-professionals. I have 2x8 joists ...
A: I would use the 3/8" b/c plywood. If floor height is an issue you could actually use 1/4" b/c ...
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| Replacing bathroom vanity/sink/cabinet | 12/2/2007 |
Q: I may possibly be replacing a friends vanity/sink/and cabinet in his bathroom. I should be able to ...
A: It would be fine to install the vanity right on top of the existing tile. As long as you are ...
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| flooring | 11/30/2007 |
Q: Somehow I lost contact when I filled out survey. In my survey I thanked you for your excellent ...
A: Boy that is puzzling. You could be right but I can't visualize exactly what you talking about. ...
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| buckling hardwood floor | 11/30/2007 |
Q: I am having a problem with our manufactured hardwood flooring. Our home is 22yrs old and is concrete ...
A: It sounds like you have a very beautiful floor. I love Brazilian Cherry and normally this is a very ...
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| putting a wooden suround around a fireplace | 11/28/2007 |
Q: My husband is installing a new fireplace into a chimney peice, which at the moment currently looks ...
A: I really can't answer this question without actually seeing the chimney. I would hate to give you ...
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| Cutting baseboard for vanity installation | 11/27/2007 |
Q: I'm installing a bathroom vanity. This one has actual legs, so that it looks like a free-standing ...
A: OK - I misunderstood what you meant. Cutting the baseboard at a 45 is a fine idea. I thought you ...
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| Cutting baseboard for vanity installation | 11/27/2007 |
Q: I'm installing a bathroom vanity. This one has actual legs, so that it looks like a free-standing ...
A: Boy do I wish there was a way to cut those moldings without taking them off! The problem is that ...
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| floor insulation | 11/25/2007 |
Q: I bought a 107 year old home and we needed to do some foundation work. Most of the old floor ...
A: Unfortunately, I see no way around cutting the rolls to get the 18" width. You might check with the ...
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| circular saw function | 11/24/2007 |
Q: ..I know this is going to sound like the dumbest question,but Iam not familiar with power equipment. ...
A: First of all there are no dumb questions when it comes to power tool safety. I'd much rather you ...
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| making a half wall | 11/19/2007 |
Q: I want to cut my kitchen/dining room wall in half. I live in a 3rd floor condo.I want to keep the ...
A: I guess my first question is this: do you plan on removing the wall studs? I'm sure you have done ...
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| Replace sheetrock? | 11/19/2007 |
Q: My wife was doing some kitchen cleaning and bumped the water line behind the refrigerator causing a ...
A: I see no reason to replace the sheetrock. There are two main reasons to replace sheetrock after it ...
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| gap behind baseboard | 11/18/2007 |
Q: I'm replacing baseboards in a room with a beveled corner -- there's a ~18" piece of drywall which ...
A: No, that is way to large to fill in with drywall compound. I had hoped that it was a smaller area. ...
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| leaking water softener | 11/15/2007 |
Q: My water softener is a Radiant CF 520, not sure of age but there are not directions. Now it is ...
A: I finally found Radiant Water conditioning and I contacted them regarding your softener. Here is ...
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| leaking water softener | 11/15/2007 |
Q: My water softener is a Radiant CF 520, not sure of age but there are not directions. Now it is ...
A: I have 2 questions: First, are you sure that's it's called a Radiant? I cannot find that brand ...
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| damp crawl space | 11/15/2007 |
Q: To prevent dampness in a crawl space caused probably by ground water in the area,I was suggested 2 ...
A: I, too, live in North Carolina so I am familiar with some of the problems with crawl spaces here. ...
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| Studor Vent | 11/14/2007 |
Q: We have a new construction home in the state of North Carolina. We have three studor vents - one in ...
A: The purpose of a studor vent is to allow air to enter the plumbing drainage waste and vent system ...
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| basement ceiling problems | 11/14/2007 |
Q: I would like to finish my basement but we have a major problem, the builders left all the pipes, and ...
A: Boy that's a shame that the house was designed like that! Unfortunately it doesn't leave you with ...
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| Subfloor of rolled asphalt tar paper | 11/13/2007 |
Q: We are building a house on top of a basement we have lived in for five years. On that basement, we ...
A: Boy, I have never heard of this one before! The self-leveling compound is out. It would take way ...
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| black residue | 11/13/2007 |
Q: We have electric radiant heat - in our ceilings. the house was built in the 60's. my mom owned the ...
A: Boy, that's a tough one. I have no idea, although I suspect it is related to the roofing job. I ...
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| which random orbit sander? | 11/11/2007 |
Q: I own a 1/4 sheet sander(1 speed) and a belt sander(variable speed) I am interested in purchasing a ...
A: This is the VS random orbit sander I use: ...
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| Entry Wooden door has hair line cracks | 11/10/2007 |
Q: I have a 35 year old oak main entry front door. When I am inside today with sun outside & looking ...
A: OK, I got you now. I think I would not use any glue at this point. If you use the Sikkens, you can ...
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| Entry Wooden door has hair line cracks | 11/9/2007 |
Q: I have a 35 year old oak main entry front door. When I am inside today with sun outside & looking ...
A: Actually you want the wood panels to have some movement. That is what prevents the wood from ...
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| covering a 12' brick wall | 11/9/2007 |
Q: I have a brick wall that was originally an exterior wall, but I enclosed my patio to make a Sunroom ...
A: Depending on how narrow the room is I would recommend that you consider sheetrock/drywall. This ...
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| Reverse Osmosis System | 11/5/2007 |
Q: I have a reverse osmosis system in my kitchen under the sink. I had a friend replace the kitchen ...
A: Please let me have your email address and I will send you a drawing of how to hook up your system. ...
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| Reverse Osmosis System | 11/4/2007 |
Q: I have a reverse osmosis system in my kitchen under the sink. I had a friend replace the kitchen ...
A: You got everything but the model and serial number. The Amtrol is the manufacturer of the tank ...
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| plastering | 11/4/2007 |
Q: can i use finish plaster over rough walls that are painted with flat paint
A: Yes, you can. You have to use a bonding agent, though, to make sure you get good adhesion. We use ...
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| Reverse Osmosis System | 11/4/2007 |
Q: I have a reverse osmosis system in my kitchen under the sink. I had a friend replace the kitchen ...
A: It's too bad your friend wont hook up the RO unit as well. First of all I need to know what kind of ...
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| hanging paintings | 11/3/2007 |
Q: I’m trying to hang three large, but not heavy, oil canvases on my wall. The problem is, I can't ...
A: Did you get a chance to try the Velcro? Let me know if you still need ideas - I can give you a few ...
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| "blind door" installation | 10/31/2007 |
Q: I am not familiar with this technique. In a 40 foot long hallway with 5 doors going to bedrooms and ...
A: I am going to be no help on this one. I haven't even heard of this type of architecture - I live in ...
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| from chrome to brushed nickel | 10/30/2007 |
Q: i am wondering if there is any possible way to make a shiny chrome tap and tub spout appear as ...
A: There is nothing that I am aware of that you could do in your home. Chrome and nickel finishes are ...
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| Gas line routing for portable fireplace | 10/29/2007 |
Q: I hope there is a simple answer to this. I am running a gas line from an existing line beneath my ...
A: I hope there is a simple answer to your question too! I don't know of a specific part but I can ...
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| anderson window screen replacement | 10/27/2007 |
Q: I was all set to replace my Anderson window screen, when i discovered that it didn't have rubber ...
A: Unfortunately I have no idea without knowing which Anderson window it is. Go to: ...
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| Window glazing | 10/27/2007 |
Q: Steve, I live in an old farm house in TN and the guest house still has old wooden single pane ...
A: That would work fine. I would use the DAP caulking that has silicone in it but is also paintable. ...
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| Laminate countertop | 10/26/2007 |
Q: Steve, When my husband installed our laminate countertop, he used glue to join the mitred corners ...
A: This is a tough one. The only thing I know of to do is to try and sand it down. You have to ...
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| covering a 1850 hardwood floor | 10/25/2007 |
Q: as the subject states, that's what i have and i want to put a laminate floor in. the floor isn't ...
A: Let me make sure we are talking apples to apples. I don't want to steer you down the wrong road. ...
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| Wood Putty on Pine | 10/24/2007 |
Q: I am having a new house built. I stained window trim, door trim and doors. They are made of Pine. ...
A: I have found that it is impossible to predict how any fillers or putties will accept stain without ...
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| Damp Crawlspace | 10/23/2007 |
Q: How can I dry out a damp 30' x 30' x 4' high crawl space. The floor has a base of very large ...
A: Boy is this a common problem! There are several ways to do this so I will just give you a list and ...
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| Door/Stripped Hinge | 10/22/2007 |
Q: I have an indoor, wooden door (bathroom door) that has been slammed too many times. The screws to ...
A: There are certainly glues that would do the trick but then if you ever had to get it off it would be ...
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| dougy fir floor | 10/22/2007 |
Q: I have a small room which is about 75 or 80 sq. ft. with linoleum on the floor.I easily pulled it ...
A: The 24 grit is for mastic removal. The doug should be sanded starting with 36 as the site I ...
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| dougy fir floor | 10/22/2007 |
Q: I have a small room which is about 75 or 80 sq. ft. with linoleum on the floor.I easily pulled it ...
A: I don't have any experience with the Krud Kutter. You could try it - it may work really well. I ...
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| dougy fir floor | 10/22/2007 |
Q: I have a small room which is about 75 or 80 sq. ft. with linoleum on the floor.I easily pulled it ...
A: Removing that black mastic is one of the hardest jobs in flooring! That is not good news finding ...
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| releveling an outside door | 10/20/2007 |
Q: I saw your answer on 10/3/2007. However, I'm wondering if I wanted to try to relevel a prehung door ...
A: First of all check to make sure all of the screws in the door hinges are tightened. Carefully check ...
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| Insulation of crawl space | 10/20/2007 |
Q: I have 310 sqr feet of crawl space to insulat, thinking that R-30 insulation is the way to go. How ...
A: Rather than me doing all the calculating it will help you to understand how it is figured. Go to ...
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| Kitchens | 10/19/2007 |
Q: I have a kitchen with a standard 8 foot ceiling. I was wondering if it is worth removing the ...
A: One of the best websites that I have seen for homeowners that are interested in remodeling is: ...
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| Kitchens | 10/19/2007 |
Q: I have a kitchen with a standard 8 foot ceiling. I was wondering if it is worth removing the ...
A: It's certainly not a dumb idea. I love working with creative and imaginative people! It's ...
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| Ringing Noise coming form Bedroom | 10/18/2007 |
Q: A couple of days ago my wife and I noticed a High Pitched Ringing Noise(it sounds a lot like when ...
A: Unfortunately, no I don't. That is a real puzzler and I suspect the radiant heat system but it may ...
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| Water softener/Resin, Still good? | 10/17/2007 |
Q: We have a softener in our home since we moved in, its in circulation (not on bypass) but never been ...
A: This is a tough one to answer. Because I have no idea how old the resin is I can't really give you ...
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| Cork Underlayment | 10/17/2007 |
Q: I am installing 3/4 hardwood floors on the 2nd floor of my home. I would like to put down a cork ...
A: No to both questions. However, having said that, I would put down an adhesive to attach the cork to ...
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| removing floor tiling | 10/15/2007 |
Q: Aside from putting an air hammer to the tiles, what would be the easiest and most efficient way to ...
A: Not necessarily. It depends entirely on how the tile was originally laid, from the type of mortar ...
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| Granite Island | 10/14/2007 |
Q: Our neighbor is selling their portable island really cheap. It has a 3in chip in the granite on the ...
A: If they saved the chip it is really easy to repair. If they didn't or if they never had it the ...
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| Basement Door Sticks | 10/10/2007 |
Q: I have a basement bathroom door that is hard to shut during the summer months, it's fine during the ...
A: The only thing you can do is get a metal door that doesn't contract and expand with changes in ...
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| stairs creak | 10/9/2007 |
Q: I have an older house with wooden stairs and a couple creak. I have no access underneath, but there ...
A: Here is what I recommend: For stair squeaks at the front of a tread, where it meets the riser below ...
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| Buckling of Hardwood Floor | 10/6/2007 |
Q: Three years ago my daughter, husband and I installed prefinished hardwood floors in a rental we own. ...
A: This kind of a repair is better done by a professional floor installer - it can get pretty tricky. ...
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| Buckling of Hardwood Floor | 10/4/2007 |
Q: Three years ago my daughter, husband and I installed prefinished hardwood floors in a rental we own. ...
A: When you originally laid the floor did you leave a gap between the hardwood floor and the wall? ...
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| relevel a door | 10/3/2007 |
Q: As simple as the question seems, I can't find a straight answer. Our home is now 18 years old and ...
A: I am so sorry to hear about your pup. I am a dog lover too and I imagine you were devastated. If ...
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| drywall | 10/3/2007 |
Q: can I put drywall over a plaster wall? If so what is the best way to do this
A: Yes you can put drywall over just about anything as long as you can figure out how to fasten it to ...
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| crawl space conversion to basement | 9/30/2007 |
Q: I have a 2000 sq ft (30'x24') coloniel with an 800 sq ft 6'5" ft tall crawl space. I've heard of ...
A: In recent years this has become a more popular alternative to building an exterior addition to a ...
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| Fluorescent light problem | 9/28/2007 |
Q: I have what I thought would have been a simple question but I cant seem to find anything on the ...
A: There is no question that fluorescent lights are one of the craziest of all lights when it comes to ...
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| quarry tile | 9/28/2007 |
Q: I’m doing the design work for an Independent seniors facility remodel. The building was built in the ...
A: There are many variables in the refinishing and regrouting of a quarry tile floor, i.e. overall ...
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| wood flooring on stairs | 9/26/2007 |
Q: Steve, We are going to be installing engineered wood floors. I have two questions: 1. any tips or ...
A: Normally the decision is based on the floor joists. You run the boards perpendicular to the floor ...
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| wood flooring on stairs | 9/25/2007 |
Q: Steve, We are going to be installing engineered wood floors. I have two questions: 1. any tips or ...
A: There are several things to be sure to do. One is to make sure you install a good quality vapor ...
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| Storing paint | 9/24/2007 |
Q: As I use paint (Both oil and water base) at one point I will transfer it to a smaller container ...
A: I'm not sure because I have never used plastic containers. The only thing I can think of is to ...
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| wood protecting | 9/23/2007 |
Q: I am planning on moving a coffee table, looks like maybe made out of maple or some other heavy wood, ...
A: The short answer is no. I certainly wouldn't put a piece of furniture that I valued outside - ...
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| seams parting at eavs | 9/22/2007 |
Q: My house(the whole house) is made of a plastic resin sandwich with foam in the middle. The house ...
A: I would recommend a synthetic rubber sealant. Solvent-based synthetic-rubber products adhere well to ...
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| floating flooring | 9/22/2007 |
Q: my nephews put in floating flooring where the two pieces of boards come together from end to end a ...
A: I would get an exacto knife and try cutting the piece that is sticking up so that it falls into ...
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| Repairing/Thru the wall A/c Hole | 9/21/2007 |
Q: How do I do this , I have aluminum siding on the outside. I can fix the problem inside esay enough ...
A: I don't know of a specific product to fix this type of hole in a trailer wall. What I would do is ...
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| Layering Drywall | 9/20/2007 |
Q: I am a new home owner, musician, trying to finish my basement. I've decided to use 2x4's on 2 walls ...
A: Good job!! You are using good judgment and I know you will have fun working on your new home. You ...
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| fixing the hole left from windows A/C | 9/20/2007 |
Q: My house has a hole for window AC unit. I'm installing central A/C in the house. What should I do to ...
A: If the hole is in a fairly accessible place (in other words it's not on the side of the house 25' ...
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| Layering Drywall | 9/19/2007 |
Q: I am a new home owner, musician, trying to finish my basement. I've decided to use 2x4's on 2 walls ...
A: Congratulations on buying a new house. It's really fun allowing your imagination to figure out neat ...
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| fixing the hole left from windows A/C | 9/18/2007 |
Q: My house has a hole for window AC unit. I'm installing central A/C in the house. What should I do to ...
A: OK, basically you need to frame it in with 2x4's, insulate it, drywall the inside, cover out side ...
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| Hardwood flooring headache | 9/16/2007 |
Q: I'm installing hardwood floors in my living room. the length of the boards runs perpendicular to the ...
A: Check out how they handle this problem at this website. Pictures are always best. ...
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| baseboard | 9/15/2007 |
Q: We are redoing a old farm house from the 1930's. We are getting all the floors back to the original ...
A: This is actually a fairly common problem. I use caulking to fill in the area between the baseboard ...
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| paint basement walls | 9/15/2007 |
Q: My wife started painting our basement walls with interior house paint leftover from when the house ...
A: There are many factors that would affect the paint. I don't know if this is true or not because I ...
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| Bluestone walkway from my front door to driveway | 9/13/2007 |
Q: I have an approximate 20ft walkway from my frontdoor to driveway that the stones are coming apart. ...
A: I don't know how reasonable the amount of time is without actually looking at the project. Assuming ...
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| about basement wall brick | 9/10/2007 |
Q: My house is in Ga.and is 24 yrs old. The basement brick walls have started to crumble in places. We ...
A: The only product that I have ever used for this kind of a problem is made by Ames Research ...
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| Water dripping problem.. | 9/8/2007 |
Q: Just found today water coming from a corner between garage floor (indoor), and door giving entrance ...
A: Sounds like an air conditioner drain line issue to me. If the A/C unit is in the attic check it ...
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| hot mopping shower pan | 9/7/2007 |
Q: How important is it, to hot mop a shower? I'm remodeling our bathroom removing the tub and only ...
A: As far as hot mopping goes, I don't know much about it but I've heard it was a very common method ...
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| door swings cloed on its own? | 9/5/2007 |
Q: I have a bathroom door that swings closed on its own, it is a very small bath and if I leave the ...
A: A "moving door" is a common problem and is usually caused by settling of the house. Here is a ...
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| epoxy removal | 9/3/2007 |
Q: I recently used epoxy on the outer edges of a mirror and attached it to a wall. Now I want to remove ...
A: I would recommend dynamite!! Seriously, epoxy is generally considered a permanent adhesive. ...
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| Repairing / Restaining damaged cedar siding | 9/1/2007 |
Q: QuickWhat's the best way to fill in grooves in cedar siding caused by wire brushing? Background: I ...
A: First of all my hat's off to you for your great diy work! Putting up a 3 stage scaffolding by ...
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| Splice my sprinkler wires | 8/31/2007 |
Q: I spliced my sprinker wires while I was cutting down the bushes. What do I do to reconnect the ...
A: Sorry to hear about that. This is outside my area of expertise and a question for a sprinkler ...
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| Water in the basement | 8/30/2007 |
Q: This is a 2 part question. We have had water in our basement in the past, but it was localized to ...
A: Yes I have heard of this problem. In fact I have lived it. We had a very similar thing happen to ...
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| water softener | 8/30/2007 |
Q: i have a 9 year old marlo water softener model A-30-2 serial#38552 that has seemed to me to be ...
A: I suspect the rust colored flecks you are seeing is actually some of the softener resin. The ...
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| Large limbs hovering my house | 8/22/2007 |
Q: What are the dangers of having large limbs from trees hovering over my house. Thanks in advance.
A: The main danger is that one will break and fall onto your roof. Depending on the size of the limb ...
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| water softener trouble | 8/21/2007 |
Q: i have an old sears automatic water softener which had been working well until i began to get a ...
A: I can't find anything on this model. Since it's almost 30 years old that doesn't really surprise ...
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| water softener trouble | 8/21/2007 |
Q: i have an old sears automatic water softener which had been working well until i began to get a ...
A: What are the model and serial numbers? I am almost positive that it's the manifold valve that's ...
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| lead paint | 8/18/2007 |
Q: We just bought a house that was built around 1940. When the inspector came I asked about lead paint. ...
A: OK, I'm game. Removing the cabinets should only be done by someone qualified in lead remediation. ...
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| lead paint | 8/18/2007 |
Q: We just bought a house that was built around 1940. When the inspector came I asked about lead paint. ...
A: What part of "do not sand" do you not understand? Before you get mad I'm just kidding (kind of). ...
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| lead paint | 8/18/2007 |
Q: We just bought a house that was built around 1940. When the inspector came I asked about lead paint. ...
A: First of all I would make sure that the cabinet paint indeed contains lead. Just because the house ...
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| Shower Stall Repair | 8/17/2007 |
Q: I have an old Neo-Angle shower stall and the door pin on the bottom of the door corroded and the ...
A: Boy do I know what you mean. You would think they would figure out a way to build a better pin ...
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| Well water | 8/12/2007 |
Q: To follow up on a previousI had my well water analyzed as you suggested and the results are: TDS: ...
A: The water hardness is pretty high and this can potentially cause you some problems. Water hardness ...
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| 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: Yes you can do either. I would probably recommend gluing but if you can do it from underneath ...
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| Intermittant Leak | 7/30/2007 |
Q: I have a Kohler cast iron tub with wet bed tile on the walls. The tub has been caulked recently & ...
A: I'm not sure what you mean when you say you looked in the access hole for the recess light and saw a ...
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| front wooden door | 7/29/2007 |
Q: I need to repair an 80 year old oak front door. There are cracks in the wood, drying, rough areas. ...
A: It depends on if the cracks are in a structural part of the door (i.e. stile or panel joint) or if ...
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| Intermittant Leak | 7/29/2007 |
Q: I have a Kohler cast iron tub with wet bed tile on the walls. The tub has been caulked recently & ...
A: -) Your assumption about it not being a supply line is correct. If it was a supply line the leak ...
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| Bathroom remodeling | 7/28/2007 |
Q: My wife and I recently bought our first house and the 1st thing to do, other than pulling up the ...
A: Good question! Congratulations on purchasing your first house. Taking care of your home can bring ...
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| Removing Fireplace Shelf | 7/27/2007 |
Q: How do I remove the shelf above my condo's gas fireplace? And how do I repair the wall behind it? I ...
A: I assume that when you say shelf you are referring to some kind of built in mantel. There are ...
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| wood composites | 7/26/2007 |
Q: Steve, We are beginning construction of a deck. To the selected builder's credit he pointed out to ...
A: I should point out that I have not personally installed any of the composite decks. I remain "old ...
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| TREE HOUSE | 7/26/2007 |
Q: i have a big weeping willow tree in my backyard and my daughters, 12 and 9 want a tree house. is ...
A: I'm not sure what your definition of simple is. I would recommend that you purchase a good ...
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| Wood Floor Crowing, Buckling, etc. | 7/26/2007 |
Q: I'm in a 4 year old rehab and no one can seem to find out where the moisture in the floor is coming ...
A: At this point I would recommend that you hire a reputable home inspector to determine the exact ...
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| Wood Floor Crowing, Buckling, etc. | 7/26/2007 |
Q: I'm in a 4 year old rehab and no one can seem to find out where the moisture in the floor is coming ...
A: This is a good one. First of all, have you actually seen the water? If not what makes you think ...
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| Floor and Shower Tile costs | 7/23/2007 |
Q: Does the quote for tile work (materials + cost per sq foot) does the cost per sq foot include ...
A: There is no way I can answer this question without reviewing the job contract. Most of the time the ...
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| Painting treated siding | 7/23/2007 |
Q: My daughter recently bought a wood barn style shed. She wants to paint it to match the house (it's ...
A: I have no idea what "firsted with saline" means. I have never heard of it. I would check with the ...
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| Water treatment | 7/21/2007 |
Q: We have well water and we have noticed that the water is leaving a brownish stain on our fixtures, ...
A: First of all I would recommend that you have a complete water analysis performed on your water. ...
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| moisture inside wall | 7/20/2007 |
Q: There is small bulge on wall next to bedroom window. It contains white, chalky material. Further ...
A: It's very hard for me to say without looking at the situation. It is very possible that the ...
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| repairing a wall | 7/18/2007 |
Q: I am removing a recessed medicine cabinet approx. 5x3'-5 is the length. My question is how do I ...
A: I saw your question in the question pool so I'm not sure if your question has been answered. I ...
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| building stairs (indoor) | 7/17/2007 |
Q: Need to build stairs have a rise of 56" run of 60" 42"wide what would be the best method i want to ...
A: You can do either one. I personally prefer to use the dado method because it produces a nicer ...
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| wood flooring | 7/16/2007 |
Q: I'm in the process of installing wood flooring in my bedroom. my question is how do I install the ...
A: I assume you are using a nailer to put the hardwood flooring down. You will probably have to rip ...
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| wood flooring | 7/16/2007 |
Q: I'm in the process of installing wood flooring in my bedroom. my question is how do I install the ...
A: Do you have a digital camera that you could take a picture of this and send it to me? If not please ...
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| wood flooring | 7/15/2007 |
Q: I'm in the process of installing wood flooring in my bedroom. my question is how do I install the ...
A: Good afternoon Jack, Before I can answer your question please tell me what kind of baseboard heating ...
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| Non-weight Bearing Columns | 7/13/2007 |
Q: I am in the final stages of building a new home and I have one issue that I can't get the builder to ...
A: This is very difficult to answer without actually seeing the situation or at least pictures. It has ...
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| Non-weight Bearing Columns | 7/12/2007 |
Q: I am in the final stages of building a new home and I have one issue that I can't get the builder to ...
A: Could you please be a little more specific. Exactly where are the columns located in your home, ...
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| shower pan seam separation | 4/13/2007 |
Q: I have a one piece shower pan floor made out of some kind of non-expanding material. It looks and ...
A: I'm not sure if your question has been answered but if it hasn't try this: 1. Clean the surface to ...
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| lay brick/tile/stone over concrete | 4/8/2007 |
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