Proper surface preparation is essential for a successful paint job, and primer is the key to good surface preparation. Using the right type and amount of primer helps ensure a vivid, even color that lasts for years. Exactly how many coats of primer you need depends on what you’re painting, but most paint jobs call […]
The Homeowner’s Guide to Granny Pods
When your aging parent is no longer safe living alone, moving them into a nursing home or a spare room in your house aren’t the only options. With a small, senior-friendly modular home, also known as a granny pod, you can provide housing that’s both safe and convenient for the whole family. As a completely […]
The Homeowner’s Guide to Pallet Flooring
Transforming wood shipping pallets into pallet flooring cuts your renovation costs, reduces landfill waste, and gives your room an extra touch of personality. These pallets are often dumped into landfills after just a few uses, but by collecting them, you can get free material to build a one-of-a-kind floor. First, though, you’ll need to know […]
Hardboard Siding 101
Thanks to its low cost and attractive, wood-like appearance, hardboard siding enjoyed several decades of widespread popularity. As the flaws of this siding began to emerge, though, homeowners who’d bought it became increasingly disappointed, eventually filing a class-action lawsuit against the manufacturers. Now almost no manufacturers produce hardboard siding, but you might still encounter it […]
Magnesite Flooring in Your Home
From the 1920s to the 1950s, magnesite incorporated elegance and serviceability as a low-cost pourable flooring material, utilized everywhere from Depression-era art deco homes to mass-produced apartment projects to the decking of World War Two battleships. The iconic American architect Frank Lloyd Wright made extensive use of magnesite in residential designs and it was the […]
How Much Weight Can Drywall Hold?
Wall art, shelves, and other hanging decor add a lot to a room, and your drywall shouldn’t stop you from enjoying them. Decorating drywall does take some planning, though. Exactly how much weight drywall can hold depends on where and how the weight is mounted. A thin nail in hollow drywall will leave even a […]