Home Repair & Maintenance

Shoes with high heels can cause significant damage to wood floors. Many homeowners will find that a single visitor can cause dozens of small holes or dents in wood floors in a short period of...

Refinishing the wood beams on a ceiling is somewhat of a backbreaking chore. You will be standing on a ladder for long periods of time, working with your arms above your head to sand and stain the...

Hardwood flooring can make beautiful additions to most homes or businesses, providing strong. durable surfaces that last for decades. Damaged hardwood flooring detracts from the look of a room,...

The type of finish or treatment that is used on cedar siding depends upon the grade of cedar that is used. If the cedar siding is smooth, a semi-transparent stain is the best choice for a...

Hardwood floors can add charm and warmth to your home, giving your rooms a cozy and elegant feel. Hardwood is healthier for allergy sufferers, as wood won't trap dust and pet dander the way carpet...

Hardwood floors are a major investment for many homeowners. Because of this, it's important to clean and maintain your floors properly to keep them in the best possible condition. When it comes to...

Leather dye is not easy to remove once it has been applied. Unlike paint or other topical colorings, it is a stain and is designed to permanently soak slightly into the leather. There are,...

Wood floors can sometimes vary in color due to poor staining techniques or even from direct sunlight. There are several solutions to your color variation problem; however, you will need to remove...

Styrofoam can be finished to replicate nearly any surface from wood grain to brick to stone. The lightweight, easily sculpted material makes a flexible medium for many architectural details from...

If your house is infested with rats or mice (or you're just keeping those rodents as pets), chances are that you have had to deal with the smell of rodent urine in your house. As overpowering as...

Concrete floors are naturally gray in appearance. There are many laminates, paints and stains available commercially that are easy to use for added color, but they may be costly and dig a little...

Wood floors can be reconditioned in a variety of ways. If the wood floor has stains, they can be removed by using various types of cleaning products or even sanding as a last resort. If stains...

Properly prepared, a penetrating stain on the exterior of a house will look good and protect the wood for a decade or longer. The method you use to prepare the surface for the stain will depend on...

Redwood is one of the most durable deck woods because of its inherent resistance to rotting, decay and pest damage. Unlike many other woods, redwood does not have to be stained or sealed to...

Exterior doors - particularly your front door - are focal points on your house. While many doors come pre-stained and finished by the factory, you can save money by staining and finishing your own...

Unfinished hardwood floors, though lest popular than floors finished with stain and a clear coat of varnish or polyurethane, have a beautiful rustic look that can be preferable in certain settings...

Getting new kitchen cabinets or even getting them resurfaced can get to be very expensive. To get a quick and easy resurface of the cabinets can be done.

A weathered exterior door that is not literally falling apart can still be salvaged. The use of the right product will save your door from further damage and bring it back to life. This is a...

Staining a deck does not require a lot of experience or expertise, and many homeowners refinish their decks without professional help. Staining your deck will help prevent water from rotting the...

Staining concrete floors is an innovative and attractive way to add appeal to most any décor. Some precautions are advised before applying stain to concrete floors, to achieve maximum appeal....

If you have an elevated deck, then before you stain it you must seriously consider the ramifications for the area of ground or patio underneath. Deck stain is nearly impossible to remove from...

Bathroom remodels are a great way to add value to your home. Unfortunately, replacing cabinetry can get very expensive. Refinishing an old vanity can bring new life to your bathroom. A change of...

A great innovation in woodworking products is the paintable and stainable wood filler. The wood filler is made with different wood species so that it will stain to shades similar to those of the...

Whether you have furry critters that have made a mess on your floor, or you have moved into a house that smells like the old homeowner's pets have left a few surprises, you'll want to get rid of...

While staining a previously painted deck is time-consuming and takes a lot of energy, the converse is far simpler. If you have been putting off painting your deck because you are dreading the...

Refinishing wooden stairs seems like a a difficult endeavor for many homeowners. However, refinishing wooden stairs is not that daunting of a task. The name of the game is patience, as refinishing...

A hardwood floor can be a beautiful addition to any room, offering a strong durable surface that lasts for decades. Sometimes your hardwood floor can become damaged, and a gouge can seriously mar...

Staining a deck shields the wood from sun and moisture damage. Stain protects the wood from cracking and fading, and increases the longevity of the deck. Although several application methods...

Sometimes your house siding may become damaged or broken. Failure to repair your broken siding will result in further damage to the interior of your wall. If you are planning on repairing your...

Wood trim is milled from several different wood types, such as pine, poplar and oak, and each type of wood will receive stain differently. Failure to apply stain to your wood trim correctly can...

Refinishing a hardwood floor is a dirty, dusty job no matter how you do it, but you can take steps to control the dust. Proper preparation of the room and frequent vacuuming of the dust while...

Does your stairway need to be updated? Does the stain and overall look need to be changed? There is an easy and inexpensive way to refinish your handrail and newel posts as a weekend project.

Restoring interior wood trim is a great way to save money by not having to go out and buy new trim. If you have an older home, some of the wood used from the trim back when the house was built is...

Cedar shake siding can provide an attractive and durable look for a house. This low-density, lightweight softwood weathers and changes color naturally, and it can remain untreated. But homeowners...

Love the look of a stained door but fear your fiberglass door is unstainable? Fear not: A fiberglass door can be stained. Although standard wipe-on stain normally applied to wood cannot be used...

A storm window is characterized as a window that is mounted inside or outside of a main glass window of a house. It improves the thermal efficiency of the existing window and can be made of glass,...

Are your wood window frames looking a little worn out? Or maybe you would like to trade out your stained wood window frames for the clean look of painted white, or vice versa. Refinishing your...

Oak trim is an excellent way to update a home. It is reasonably inexpensive. Oak is a hardwood that will last a long time and can be stained or painted in numerous colors. Painting oak kind of...

Refinishing a hardwood floor can be a costly venture if you don't have the necessary items and knowledge before beginning. But with the proper preparation and materials, you can make worn floors...

A bathroom update often comes with a hefty price tag. If your budget is limited, consider restoring the current bathroom vanity for a new look without a large investment. The current condition and...

Wood floors can be a nice feature in your home. They are easy to clean and provide a durable surface to walk upon. Wood floors, however, can be prone to scratches and gashes if they are...

An exterior door is usually an expensive item and careful thought should be given before you replace it. If you have a door that is showing signs of age, wear and tear, you may want to consider...

Once your concrete has dried completely, you may decide to add a "finish" to the concrete. This is typically some form of decorative stain. There are various issues that arise in both the...

It has happened to everyone at some point. Perhaps a dinner party turned messy when your freshly steamed, white carpet got streaked with red wine. Or perhaps you came home one day to find melted...

When guests walk up to your home, the first thing they see is your front door. A worn out, dirty and dingy door is the first impression you are giving to anyone who knocks. Refinishing your...

Hardwood floors can last practically forever with the proper care, but the finish won't. The finish generally consists of wood stain topped with layers of shellac, polyurethane or other gloss....

Marble counter tops are a durable and beautiful addition to any home, available in highly polished or honed [natural finish] styles. Because of its absorbency it needs daily care. Marble is...

With some patience you can finish a wood floor yourself. You will need several pieces of equipment. A drum sander, hand held sander, and a floor buffer. You will also need a dust mask, ear plugs...

Refinishing hardwood floors that have bad water marks can be a time-consuming task that requires plenty of work. Depending on the depth of the stain, it may be necessary to rent a sander and wear...

Black water stains result from iron reacting with wood furniture. The wood essentially rusts, causing unsightly black stains. They can be removed with some elbow grease and a simple solution, but...