Home Repair & Maintenance

Carpenter bees or wood-boring bees tunnel into the unpainted wood that is found around the eaves of log homes. They overwinter in tunnels created during the summer and then tunnel further into the...

If you need to hide screws in a piece of furniture that you plan to paint, you can use dowel rods or purchase ready-made plugs at your home improvement store. Paint will usually hide the...

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...

A variety of construction and carpentry jobs require you to tear down a wood structure. In the process, you will need to remove nails. You could do it with a hammer, but a better option is to use...

Wood screws and lag bolts have a lot in common. In fact, a lag bolt is often, and more accurately, called a lag screw, and it behaves much more like a wood screw than any type of standard bolt.

Do-it-yourself wood decks and balconies are some of the most popular home projects throughout the United States. With a little preparation, the average do-it-yourself homeowner can tackle simple...

Wood fillers are commonly used in many aspects of woodworking and home repair to fill nail holes, hide screws and cover dents in the wood. Once applied, a wood filler needs to be sanded so that it...

Fingerprints, spots of dirt, caked-on dust--all on your flat painted wood surface. You just noticed the surface was dirty. Flat painted wood is a challenge to clean because regular household...

Wood decay is a well-known problem for log house owners. Often this damage is mistakenly blamed on termites or other wood-destroying insects. The truth is, fungi are mainly responsible for wood...

While your wood burning stove can be a romantic focal point on a winter's Eve, it also performs a vital function in heating your living area. Proper installation of the stove is critical to both...

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...

Making repairs to the wood fixtures in your home requires a delicate hand and a skillful eye in pinpointing and dealing with problems. Wood can be very difficult to work with and when damaged is...

Wood paneling makes for a beautiful decorative addition to any home. And while paneling is a fairly durable wall covering, it does occasionally need to be repaired. Small holes and gouges are...

Wood paneling gives a great, rustic look to any room in your home. Wood paneling is easy to install, but it is flimsy. If you pick up a long sheet or try to pry the paneling too hard, you may...

The key to burning your own firewood is in the drying of the wood. Wood needs to cure at least six months to burn well, and you must cut and stack the wood properly. Improper wood drying can lead...

Many people don't consider refinishing their wood furniture after it becomes old, scratched and damaged. They usually throw it way and purchase a new piece. Refinishing wood is not overly...

If you are repairing or removing your hardwood floor, there are a variety of techniques. The best technique requires a methodical approach, as well as specialized tools.

Since most exterior doors are made of wood and they are exposed to the outdoors, eventually many of them will incur some type of rotting or moisture damage, especially near the bottom, that will...

Gently shining, clean wood floors add warmth and grace to any home, but they are not indestructible. Whether you have scratches from moving furniture, from pets or from flood damage, you may...

Painting the fence in your yard is an easy, albeit repetitive task that can improve the appearance of your home's exterior. Many fences are built using pressure-treated lumber, which is wood that...

Latex caulk provides good protection from moisture in joints for up to 10 years, but as it ages the protection lessens, which can lead to damage of the wood surface below. In order to best apply a...

Splits throughout a wood floor surface can indicate a number of floor problems, from old homes setting to bad floorboard installation. Before repairing the splits it's important for you to...

Wood is wonderful surface to have in any home or office, but it not properly stained or protected when it is installed, it will wear down or rot, depending on how it is used. However, treating and...

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...

If you're considering adding a solar composting toilet to your property, but are concerned about the high costs of a manufactured unit, building one is a cost-effective alternative. You can find...

Refinishing a hardwood floor generally entails sanding down the existing finish to bare wood, applying wood stain, then topping it with floor gloss. For full-size floors there is special...

Taking good care of your deck is important to your home's appearance. Using sealants and stains on its wood surface keeps it both beautiful and safe. Understanding the particulars of your wood...

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...

Wood flooring is most commonly installed by bonding the floorboards to a foundation. This requires a highly effective adhesive that can be water, solvent or urethane based. When the wooden floors...

Dry rot is caused by wood-destroying fungus that springs up when water penetrates wood, allowing the fungus and various bacteria and insects to infest the wood. Dry rot fungus feeds on the cells...

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...

Replacing a damaged wood shingle is challenging because in most cases the surrounding wood shingles are brittle and worn. Older wood roofing shingles can be very brittle. The best time to work on...

Wood floors are elegant, attractive and suit any decor. While they can be pricey, they're worth the investment as they almost always raise a home's property value. Because they cost so much to...

Installing a handrail is a safety feature that every staircase should have as it offers protection from falling and support when walking up and down the stairs. If your staircase handrail needs to...

A window sill directs water away from the window and creates a surface where the bottom sash of the window can seal. Replacing a rotten wood window sill can be a major project since removal of the...

Gel stains are a relatively new alternative to the stains that have traditionally been used to color and protect wood surfaces. They have the benefit of having a much thicker consistency, so they...

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...

Many times expensive front wood doors have pieces break off or split, especially at the bottom. Rather then replace the door a repair can be made using "Bondo" body filler. It is a...

A wood deck makes a beautiful addition to the exterior of any home. Over time, the deck may become dirty from its extreme exposure to the elements. It is not uncommon for algae, mildew and dirt to...

Basements are a traditional place to store excess household goods. Dampness and unfinished walls are the biggest obstacles to hanging shelves in basements. Dampness is a problem because high...

John Boos butcher block is one of the most well known kitchen tools among both professional and amateur chefs. Boos butcher blocks are used by numerous celebrity chefs on the food network...

You love your pets, even when they have accidents. Pet odors are a challenge to remove from surfaces in your home. Pet odors can attach themselves to a variety of surfaces, including wood....

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...

Mold is a fungus that thrives on organic materials. Wood is just such a material, particularly if it has been exposed to water or high humidity. You can usually prevent mold from forming by...

Window sills are one of the few areas on a home where wood trim sets horizontally. Because their flat surface catch water and snow, window sills receive a higher degree of weather damages than...

During their lifespan, exterior wood window sills experience a high degree of extreme weather exposure. When combined with the amount of energy transmission that occurs at a window, the window...

Whether you want to add a concrete extension for a room addition or for a patio, you can join a new concrete slab to an existing one. It's just a matter of preparing the site, mixing the concrete...

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...

Teak furniture and cabinetry have a natural golden honey color that fades to a silvery gray if it is left untreated. Although this does not affect the wood's durability, many people prefer the...