What’s the best way to make my brass door hardware shiny again? As I polish the metal only some areas come clean. The problem you’ve got comes from a lacquer coating. It’s intended to prevent tarnishing during storage, but it…
Can I store paint in an unheated garage? Living in the country there’s always something that needs a lick of paint. We keep a small supply of paint in a metal cabinet in the basement, but would like to move…
Although it’s possible to install vinyl flooring directly on concrete, it’s not a great idea. I’ve seen vinyl separate from the concrete over time, besides the fact that a basement floor constructed this way won’t feel very warm underfoot. That’s…
What can I do to fill the cracks between pine floor boards on my covered veranda? Every four years I need to replace large sections due to rot, and before painting I fill the cracks. In a week or two…
How can I treat two new cedar decks I’ll be building at our restaurant? I need something that looks good and requires little work. In this video, Steve Maxwell answers a question from a homeowner wanting advice on treating their…
Will it do any good to put drainage tiles under the patio slabs around the perimeter of our leaky basement? The slabs measure 18″ x 18” and begin right next to the wall. Water is leaking into the basement where…
What should I use to strip paint off one outside wall of my house? The last time I stripped before painting I used a propane torch on the other walls, but that was before I realized I was dealing with…
We bought a new home and have a problem with the cold cellar.Help! The roof is corrugated steel, on top of which has been poured a concrete slab that forms the porch floor. The walls are poured concrete, too. In…
Our insurance company tells us that our 25 year-old oil tank needs to be replaced or they won’t extend coverage. Is it better to spend $1,100.00 on a new oil tank or $3,000.00 on a gas furnace? The heating oil…
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…
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…
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,…