I’m planning to restore an 1860’s board-and-batten home, and need some advice about insulation. Right now there’s none in the wall cavities and I want to change this as part of the restoration. What’s the best type of insulation to…
We’re fixing an older home with plaster walls and want to apply drywall over top. Can we do this? I’ve heard that you can’t screw drywall down in situations like this. What about construction adhesive instead? I’ve never heard any…
My wife and I are building a couple of Muskoka chairs out of eastern white cedar. Since I’m making them fold-able, I plan to store the chairs indoors. What finish provides the best protection against sunlight while enhancing the beautiful…
Q: How can I soundproof the suspended ceiling in my basement? My daughter is moving in down there and I’m hoping that fiberglass batts installed above the ceiling tiles will keep the sound down. A: Effective retrofit soundproofing is never…
What’s your opinion of macerating toilets? I’m planning to build a two-piece bathroom in a finished basement. Macerating toilet systems allow bathrooms to be built below the level of a drain. They include a toilet that connects to a sealed box…
My husband and I would like to paint our Formica countertop to change its colour. Will this work? The cost of a replacement countertop is too high, and our old one remains in good shape. Although I haven’t tried it…
There’s a load-bearing wall between the living room and kitchen in my son’s home and he’d like to open this space up and make one large room. I’ve heard this is possible. Can you offer suggestions for how it can…
On April 17, 2012, after watching my video on using a buffing wheel, a homeowner asked about where to get the mandrel. In this video I explain I got mine in the 80’s from Canadian Tire, while I assume they still carry…
I’m looking to build a new energy efficient home. Do you have any recommendations on energy efficient features that I can incorporate into the design? In this video, I respond to a homeowner looking to build a new energy efficient home who,…
An underside view of a wooden table I built showed metal clips, which sparked a homeowner’s interest. On April 17, 2012, he asked me about the clips, which I think are a great way to fasten a solid wood tabletop…
A few years ago a homeowner from Toronto wrote to ask how he can fasten crown moulding to his concrete ceiling and walls. What’s making it even trickier is that the ceiling is also out of level by as much…
On May 25, 2012, a homestead homeowner inquired as to how she and her husband could support themselves financially after moving out of the city to a rural homestead property. The biggest piece of advice, whatever you design for yourselves,…