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….
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,…
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…
What do you think about slicing brick so it’s 1-inch thick, then gluing it to the outside walls of a garage I’m planning to build myself? I’d like this garage to match the brick on our house. What are the…
Do I need to heat the basement in my seasonal cottage near Parry Sound, Ontario? The basement is partially below ground, built with concrete blocks, well insulated and finished. We have always heated the basement in other years, but with…
Can I install ceramic tiles over a subfloor product called Tyroc? The manufacturer says I can, but others say no since it’s a floating system. What are your thoughts? It didn’t strike me as reasonable to use a floating substrate…
Refacing cabinets is an excellent way to get a completely new look with minimal cost and lowest possible environmental impact. It involves changing the doors, doorframes and all other visible sides and surfaces of the cabinets. The way you go…
Is there an economical alternative to spray foam applied by a professional? The verbal quote I have for 400 sq. ft. of foam at R40 seems so expensive. Spray foam insulation is substantially more costly than fiberglass or mineral wool…