What are my options for fixing flaking brick on the front of my house? The place was built in 1980, and the bricks were failing noticeably by the late 80’s. I’ve had repair work done over the years, but the…
How can I tell if the central air conditioner in our new house is working properly? On hot days this past summer it would take three hours to go from 25C to 22C. I’ve never lived with an air conditioner…
What should I use for dust control in a basement woodworking shop I’m creating? I’ll be using a tablesaw, router table, bandsaw and sanding equipment. That’s a great question because dust control is often overlooked when setting up a shop….
Is foam injection insulation a good way to boost the energy efficiency of my brick house? It’s about 60 years old, and the outer walls are double brick with nothing but an open air space between them. A lot of…
The first step is to get some loose-fill insulation blown into your attic. This is the easiest and least expensive initial option. There are two choices: cellulose or fiberglass, with a slight quality advantage going to the fiberglass, according to…
About 5 years ago I installed two posts under a porch and now one seems to be rising out of the ground. I set the bottoms 50 inches below the surface, in bell-shaped holes, to prevent heaving. I also put…
What kind of portable tablesaw should I buy for building a new house and outbuildings? I’m not a professional, so I don’t think I need a professional power tool, do I? I’m looking at a $300 model right now. It…
All my woodworking experience so far has been with home renovations, but I’ve just started to build furniture and I’m having trouble getting smooth results. When sanding two pieces of wood that meet at right angles, for instance, I find…
I want to buy a power nailer tool to drive small finishing nails, but don’t want to get a compressor. What are my options for this type of power tool? Power nailers of all kinds are becoming more common because…
How can I get rid of the smell of smoke on a century-old oak buffet? I recently bought the piece of furniture at an auction and didn’t notice that it reeks of tobacco. I’ve tried many applications of Orange Glo…
My kitchen will be renovated soon and I’d like to expose the bricks on one interior wall. The kitchen has a breakfast room adjoining it, with its own separate roof and lower walls — sort of like a shed tacked…
Can I salvage my leaky ceramic shower stall? Water’s coming through the floor and appearing on the ceiling below. Should I patch it or completely replace the bathroom shower floor with new concrete? It sounds to me like you need…