How can I apply a smooth finish on indoor wood? I’m never satisfied with the quality of finish I manage to achieve on my indoor wood projects. Even when I use tack cloths to wipe down the surface, and take…
Laminate flooring came to North America about 20 years ago. I’ve been watching both the flooring and the people who choose it for their homes since then, and I’ve noticed something that’s not found in other flooring choices: there’s a…
What settings should I adjust my new heat recovery ventilator (HRV) to? I had a unit installed in my tightly constructed new house, but I find that running it continuously at low or medium makes the house too dry. The…
Can I use spray foam to insulate the underside of the open roof on my 600 sq. ft. cottage? I understand that roof ventilation isn’t necessary in this case. Is this correct? Yes, is the short answer to your question….
Sinking patio stones and paving bricks are a common problem in Canada because the freezing and thawing temperatures we get cause more soil settling than experienced in frost-free regions. Regardless of the cause, the solution is the same: It’s a…
What can I do to fix the shrinking of my new laminate flooring? It’s happening on the ends of some boards, and I figure that maybe the affected pieces came from one box that wasn’t acclimatized properly. My condo is…
Why is condensation forming behind the fiberglass insulation in my basement? I glued 1 1/2″-thick white styrofoam boards to all the exterior walls and in between the floor joists where they meet the outside walls. I sealed all joints with…
What’s the best way to insulate and finish a basement cold room so it’s as warm and cozy as the rest of the basement? Right now this space is useless because it gets cold enough in winter to freeze food,…
What’s the best way to use oil for finishing pieces of driftwood? Some pieces will be indoors and others outside. Oiling is an excellent way for woodworkers to finish driftwood since it’s so easy to work into nooks and crannies….
How should I choose a laminate floor? They’re much less expensive than solid wood, and laminates are looking less artificial than they used to. What should I make of the big difference in laminate prices that I see? It’s true…
Yes, you can build a non-load bearing wall on top of any basement subfloor product on the market today. Since these walls don’t exert much downward force, there’s no problem. Once you’ve built your wall and moved it into final…
How can I minimize the cracking of a 4”-thick piece of elm wood I’m saving to make a table top. It comes from a 100-year old tree just cut down on our property. Wax log end sealer was applied to…