Get answers to your questions from "Canada's Handiest Man".
Has a home improvement or repair project got you stumped? Wondering which power tools are tops this year? Need some woodworking or homesteading advice? Why not "Ask Steve". He reads all questions and answers the most popular ones by email or video. Follow your question to get an email alert when Steve has posted an answer.
Steve Maxwell
Home
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How can I widen the spaces between my deck boards on my 3 year old cottage deck? Pine needles and other debris are building up between the deck boards and I’m concerned about moisture build-up and rot.
Category: Cottages & Cabins, Home Repairs, Video
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I kill mold that appears and reappears in a corner of our bedroom ceiling? It’s the place where the ceiling meets an outside wall. I scrub the stains off each spring, but it returns the following winter.
Category: Home Maintenance
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I insulate my basement? I’ve been researching foam products and they look impressive, but I can’t find any contractors who think foam insulation in basements is a good idea. All they recommend is stud frame walls with fiberglass and carpet on the floor.
Category: Home Maintenance, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I finish my concrete basement floor? There are a few small but stable cracks. Should I fill them before painting?
Category: Home Renovation, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Is moss on a roof a serious problem? About 20% of the roof area of a house we’re looking at has moss, mostly near a large maple tree. Is there a proper way to remove this moss without damaging the roof? Should we get rid of the tree if we buy the place?
Category: Home Maintenance, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What should we consider when deciding how to heat a home? My wife and I are designing our new house, and we’re confused by all the choices.
Category: Home Maintenance, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
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 lead paint. Now I’m thinking that a commercial paint stripper might be safer.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Are low-flow toilets really any good? I have two old toilets I’d like to replace, but I want to be sure the new ones work.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
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 the filler is falling out. I’ve seen tight verandah floors on other homes, so I know durable filling is possible.
Category: Ask Steve, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
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 the wall meets the basement floor, about 8-feet down.
Category: Uncategorized
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I build the first small building on my 15 acre country property? I don’t have a lot of experience, but I’m thinking of completing a stackwall and timber frame structure measuring 16×24 feet this summer, then something larger next year.
Category: Home Building, Homesteading
Steve Maxwell
Home
How do I get rid of condensation and mold forming in my cold cellar?
Category: Home Maintenance, Homesteading, Video
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’m writing to ask you for the follow-up to a Toronto Star column you wrote regarding a septic system product called SeptiCleanse. Does this product continue to work well for you?
Category: Home Maintenance, Home Repairs, Video
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to get wood out of the round firewood piles you have written about? Do you just reverse the building operation? Does the tarp get crusted with snow and ice? I really love the round woodpile concept.
Category: Article, Home Maintenance
Steve Maxwell
Home
My current skylight is damaged and needs to be replaced. Can you recommend a reliable skylight brand and installer?
Category: Home Renovation, Video
Steve Maxwell
Home
What is the best way to insulate the cold floors of my 95 year old home?
Category: Home Repairs, Video
Steve Maxwell
Home
Where can I find a hand pump for priming my seasonal cottage water system? I’m ready to follow your previous articles on priming from the end of the water intake line, but I can’t find any kind of a hand pump for making it happen.
Category: Cottages & Cabins, Home Maintenance
Steve Maxwell
Home
We’ve just rebuilt our cedar deck and want to apply the best staining treatment to protect it. In the past everything we’ve put on other decks has either peeled off or was quickly damaged by the claws of our dog. My husband wants to go with a tinted, transparent product called Cetol Dek, but I prefer a Cabot Decking Stain. What should we do?
Category: Home Renovation, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I keep rain from dripping through a second-floor deck? I want to use the area underneath the deck for weatherproof storage.
Category: Ask Steve, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to clean a dirty, mildewed, pressure treated deck? Should I use TSP? Does the wood need anything else before refinishing?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What should I use to finish an 8-year-old pressure treated deck after pressure washing and sanding? Will teak oil work?
Category: Home Maintenance, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to insulate the underside of a 10×15-foot sunroom? It stands three feet off the ground, and I’m confused about where to put the vapour barrier.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Steve Maxwell
Home
Will a light colored, floating wood floor work well with the dark, walnut paneling of our foyer?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
I have a 90-something year old outbuilding covered with ancient, badly peeling wood siding. How should it be prepared for repainting?
Category: Home Renovation, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Steve Maxwell
Home
Is radiant infloor heating a good idea for a cottage? We’re planning our design right now and need help understanding this option.
Category: Cottages & Cabins
Steve Maxwell
Home
Black stains are forming on the brass entry hardware of our front door, and I want to get rid of them. How do I strip the clear, factory coating so the brass can be polished?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I extend the height of a wooden fence from five feet to seven feet tall without putting in new posts? I want to install a wooden lattice above the five-foot mark.
Category: Uncategorized
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I protect the exposed concrete foundation on my new home?
Category: Ask Steve, Home Maintenance, Video
Steve Maxwell
Home
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to make my brass door hardware shiny again? As I polish the metal only some areas come clean.
Category: Home Maintenance
Steve Maxwell
Home
Can I install a solid wood floor in a cottage that isn’t heated in the winter? Are there certain woods that I should use or avoid?
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to hide small screw holes in pine stair treads exposed after the removal of a stair lift?
Category: Home Repairs, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I get rid of the twist in my clothesline? The two runs of line that extend between each pulley wrap around each other.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Can I install vinyl flooring directly on top of a concrete basement floor?
Category: Ask Steve, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What kind and size of nails or screws should I use to anchor a wooden rail for supporting framed photos?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What can I do about the sad, ugly finish on my 2 year old cedar deck? The original finish lasted less than two months. Do I need to sand the surface? This would be a huge job, and maybe not necessary. On the other hand, I’ve heard that pressure washing isn’t the best thing for wood. No one is consistent with product recommendations, so I don’t know what to do.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to insulate the sloped second floor ceilings of my 1949 storey-and-a-half double-brick house?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Where can I buy a taller-than-usual toilet? My wife and I are both seniors and find that our knees don’t bend as well as they used to.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Will the condensation underneath the vapour barrier in my basement go away after I install drywall? The walls are framed with metal studs in some places and wood in others, there’s batt insulation between the studs and a vapour barrier on the inside face. Condensation isn’t happening too much in the area around wood studs, but there’s an absolute deluge of running condensation droplets in many areas framed with metal studs. All this is happening in a basement that hasn’t leaked in years.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’m hearing more about EnerGuide for New Houses, but I don’t know what it means. Can you explain?
Category: Article, Home Building
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best type of blade for cutting 3/4″-thick OSB with a circular saw? The blades I’ve been using bind and cut poorly. I’m ready to snap!
Category: Article, Home Workshop & Tools, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
I have an outdoor oak bench and cedar chairs that I assembled and finished last year with a clear water repellent, but they don’t look great now. They stayed out in the weather last summer and are dull and discoloured. Should I coat them again with the same stuff?
Category: Home Repairs, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
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 the whole thing into the garage.
Category: Ask Steve, Home Maintenance
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I choose a contractor to replace a residential heating boiler? The boiler in place is working fine, but it’s 60-years-old and not very efficient.
Category: Article, Home Renovation, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
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.
Category: Uncategorized
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can my hubby and I get rid of recurring mold that appears in a corner of our bedroom ceiling? It’s the place where the ceiling meets an outside wall.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I arrange heating ducts as I convert an unfinished basement space into a couple of bedrooms? Right now the heat ducts are up at the ceiling. Should I extend them down to floor level? Do I need to bother installing return air ducts, too?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What can I do to stop sap from bleeding out of knots on my tongue and groove pine siding?
Category: Article, Home Repairs, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
Can you help me make sense of options for potlights? I’m confused by all the choices and sizes.
Category: Ask Steve, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How important is it that wood siding be installed over strapping to provide ventilation? My husband and I built a home that we’re now selling, but the prospective buyer is concerned that we installed clapboard directly to the outside face of the exterior walls. The siding is five years old now, and the stained finish is holding up beautifully.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What should I use for dust control in a basement woodworking shop I’m creating? I’ll be using a tablesaw, router table, bandsaw and sanding equipment.
Category: Home Workshop & Tools, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
My wife and I are building a couple of Muskoka chairs out of eastern white cedar. Since I’m making them fold-able, I plan to store the chairs indoors. What finish provides the best protection against sunlight while enhancing the beautiful grain of the wood?
Category: Cottages & Cabins, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
Should I install sheets of drywall vertically or horizontally in my basement? The ceiling height is just a little bit lower than 8 feet.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How do asphalt shingles compare with metal roofing? My house needs a new roof and my late father always preferred metal. Sadly, I don’t have his guidance now. What do you suggest?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I remove a reddish brown stain from an old coat rack so I can stain the wood black? Is there a particular stripping product that works with stain?
Category: Article, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I insulate the floor of a sunroom I’ll be building over a raised deck? It’s about 9 feet off the ground, with a hot tub underneath.
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
I want to buy a power nailer tool to drive small finishing nails, but don’t want to get a compressor. What are my options for this type of power tool?
Category: Home Workshop & Tools
Steve Maxwell
Home
I live in a 13-year-old brick bungalow, with about 6 feet of parged concrete block foundation visible above ground. Over the years it’s become messy looking, with faint concrete block lines and damp spots showing through. Can parging be replaced? Is this a good idea? How much would it cost?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
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.
Category: Ask Steve, Home Repairs, Video
Steve Maxwell
Home
What tool should I buy first, a mitre saw or a table saw? I’ll be using the tool mainly for home repairs, with an occasional need to cut sheets of plywood. My budget is $600.
Category: Home Renovation, Home Repairs, Home Workshop & Tools
Steve Maxwell
Home
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 people tell me it will cost more to heat with gas, while the gas people tell us we can cut our bill in half with a new furnace. Who’s right? Our current oil furnace is 20 years old.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
I live in a 50-year old bungalow and have just discovered there’s not a single bit of insulation in the place. How can I fix this?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I figure out how much energy my washing machine uses with each load? I’ve already asked the manufacturer, and they suggested I ask EnerGuide Canada. I never did receive an answer from them. All I know is that my machine is supposed to use 293 kWh per year, but I want to know how much it costs to operate my washer per hour.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Is there any kind of plaster that can be applied over old drywall that’s getting damaged as we try to remove old wallpaper? Our house was built in the 1950s, and even though we’ve tried saturating the surface with a wallpaper removing solution, it still doesn’t come off without causing lots of gouges and damage.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Is it safe to use click-together, engineered hardwood flooring over a radiant infloor heating system? I’ve heard warnings against this application, but would like to have a heated, wood floor in my home, if possible.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Can I use plastic lumber to build some Adirondack chairs for my cottage? It’s now time to replace the wooden chairs I made 20 years ago, and I’m interested in the rot resistance, weight and freedom from finishing that plastic lumber offers. Will this work? Is there a way to finish the cut ends so they match the surrounding surfaces?
Category: Cottages & Cabins, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I insulate a 10 x 14-foot basement space for a wine cellar I’m building? Three walls face soil and a rec room is outside the fourth. All walls are currently insulated. The door is hollow wood and I’m aiming for a 13ºC temperature year round.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I expand the living space in my house on a tight budget? We are a family of five and my middle child is 9 years old and has a serious illness involving medical equipment and support workers. As my oldest daughter enters her teenage years, she could really use a tiny bit of space for herself. Is finishing the attic an option for us? We’ve considered finishing the basement, but this space aggravates my daughter’s asthma.
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
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 use in this situation? I’ve been told that moisture often gets behind board-and-batten siding, so fiberglass batts aren’t a good choice. Rigid sheets of foam insulation are difficult to cut accurately and seal within wall cavities. Some experts have advised the application of spray foam to the inside of the walls, but I’m concerned that the siding boards will be restricted by the hardened foam, then crack with seasonal changes in humidity. Any ideas or recommendations?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I cast my own concrete outdoor steps? I’m not impressed with what’s available at home improvement stores, and I remember reading an article of yours about casting concrete so it looks like stone. What’s the process? What sort of mixture should I use?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Will ordinary picture hooks safely support a 25 lbs. mirror measuring 30 x 30 inches?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What sort of fastener can I use to stop the squeaks in a carpeted, bedroom floor? I was thinking some kind of finishing nail with a ringed shank would work, but wonder if it will leave a noticeable mark in the carpet.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
We’ve moved into a brand new home and we’re having trouble with a section of the basement we requested be built into a storage area. Liquid water seeps into the room and fuzzy growths are appearing on stored items and the exposed wooden framework. The builder has since put white sheets of foam on the walls, but it hasn’t helped. What can we do? The room is worse than useless.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
I have rusty railings on the front steps of my townhouse. What’s the best way to paint them in the spring?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I stop water pipes from making noise? The problem appeared when we had a third story added to our 100+ year-old downtown home three years ago. At first the noise occurred once in a while, but now it happens whenever an upstairs or basement tap is shut off. We called the plumber who did the work and he lowered the flow through some of the faucets and suggested turning them off more slowly. The flow adjustment didn’t help, and while gentle turn-offs do sometimes work, we have teen and preteen kids . . . What can I do? Is it worthwhile to try another plumber?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Steve Maxwell
Home
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I finish my 18-year-old cedar deck? Over the years I’ve tried many products, and none have lasted more than a year. Even products with a five year warranty didn’t fare better. What should I do? The wood is still in good shape.
Category: Uncategorized
Steve Maxwell
Home
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, and too warm in summer to store produce. The room currently has exposed concrete block walls and a vent to the outdoors.
Category: Uncategorized
Steve Maxwell
Home
What kind of subfloor products do you recommend for a basement renovation? I don’t know what to make of the different brands.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s your opinion of macerating toilets? I’m planning to build a two-piece bathroom in a finished basement.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I soundproof the suspended ceiling in my basement? My daughter is moving in and I’m hoping that fiberglass batts installed above the ceiling tiles will keep the sound down.
Category: Home Renovation, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What can we do about sky-high summertime humidity in our house? The building is 35 years old and sits entirely on a concrete pad. Humidity is fine in winter, but in the warm months we smell mildew in the carpeting if we don’t run a dehumidifier constantly. My plan is to dig around the perimeter of the house and install 2″-thick x 12″-wide pieces of rigid foam against the concrete foundation, and then put the earth back. Will this work?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s better, fiberglass or organic shingles for roofing? Two of the three companies quoting on my job strongly recommend fiberglass. From a price stand point, there’s little difference, though warranties look better on the fiberglass. Can you help me make my decision?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the maximum length of insulated duct I can install with my new heat recovery ventilator (HRV)? Is 18 feet too long?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can we stop water from seeping through the walls of the cold room built in a basement underneath our front steps? We’ve parged and painted inside several times with concrete oil-based paint, but nothing works. The room has become a messy combination of peeling paint, leeching lime and mold. I’m determined to rectify this scary situation, but how?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Where can I buy creosote wood preservative? I used to find it on hardware store shelves, but not anymore.
Category: Article, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to boost the energy efficiency of my 65-year-old frame house while I’m redoing exterior walls this season? My plan is to remove all exterior layers, including the original 1″ X 6″ sheathing boards, then fill the exposed stud wall cavities from the outside with spray foam, reinstall 5/8″ exterior-grade plywood sheathing on top, then 1″-thick sheet foam, building wrap and finally some factory-finished plank siding. Is there any way I can improve my plan? Our house is very drafty and expensive to heat, so I need to do something.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I get rid of the smell of smoke on a century-old oak buffet? I recently bought the piece of furniture at an auction and didn’t notice that it reeks of tobacco. I’ve tried many applications of Orange Glo and Lemon Pledge but to no avail. Any suggestions short of burning it!
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Can I paint my white vinyl windows brown? Is painting or aluminum cladding an option?
Category: Home Renovation, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
I have a problem with a leaking basement window well and I don’t know how to fix it. Water pools in the bottom and seeps in through the basement window, even when it’s closed. I’ve bought some caulking to seal the area where the window well meets the house wall. Is this the best approach?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What can my husband and I do about a very leaky finished basement in the home we just bought? This is our first house, and the previous owners (who’ve lived in the place for seventeen years) assured our real estate agent that the basement was dry. But the last time we had wet weather, the walls looked like Niagara Falls! It’ll cost $10,000 to fix this problem, and our Realtor no longer returns our calls. What can we do?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
My husband and I would like to paint our Formica countertop to change its colour. Will this work? The cost of a replacement countertop is too high, and our old one remains in good shape.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Can I build a partition wall on top of basement subfloor panels? I want to eliminate as much wood contact with the concrete basement floor as possible, but I don’t know if subfloor panels can support a wall.
Category: Article, Home Building, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Where can I buy oxalic acid crystals? I want to bleach dark water stains from wood I’m restoring, and I can’t find oxalic acid on store shelves.
Category: Home Repairs, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I prepare a bathroom subfloor before installing snap-together vinyl tiles? My plan is to add 3/8-inch plywood over the 3/4-inch subfloor that’s already there. The existing subfloor has gaps between seams and lots of old glue, but it’s not thick. Also, one seam at the edge of a piece of ply is 1/4” higher than the surrounding floor, but I plan to sand that down. Will the new plywood cover up all the sins?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
It is a good idea to cover a deck with a roof, while leaving the walls open? What options do I have other than cedar for the new structure? Are there composites available that can hold a roof, possibly with solar panels mounted on top?
Category: Uncategorized
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I install laminate flooring? I’d like to do the work myself, but I’m not sure how to proceed.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
My kitchen will be renovated soon and I’d like to expose the bricks on one interior wall. The kitchen has a breakfast room adjoining it, with its own separate roof and lower walls — sort of like a shed tacked on to the side of the house. A small area of brick inside the kitchen extends outdoors, above the roof line of the breakfast room. It’s about 2 1/2-feet high, and this is the area I’m concerned about. Do I need to insulate this on the outside somehow, to keep the kitchen warm? Also, how do I clean the bricks if I find them dirty after pulling down the current interior wall surfaces?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
About 5 years ago I installed two posts under a porch and now one seems to be rising out of the ground. I set the bottoms 50 inches below the surface, in bell-shaped holes, to prevent heaving. I also put a layer of pebbles at the bottom of the holes to aid drainage, and topped the backfill off with sloped concrete, to shed rain. I’m now noticing that this concrete cap on one post is an inch above ground. I hoped this might be due to soil settling, but since the porch is no longer level, I know heaving is the cause. Any explanations about why it happened? Should I wait another year to see if it heaves more? What’s to stop a new post from doing the same thing? I thought I did everything right.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
I live in a six year-old two story home, and when the shower or bath faucets are turned on in the bathroom, the cold water pipe vibrates and makes a knocking noise. I’ve located the spot in the basement where the pipe enters the interior wall, on its way upstairs, and I can feel the pipe moving if I put my hand on it. If the water is shut off, then on again, it usually stops the sound for that shower or bath event. How can I solve this problem permanently?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Help! How do I get rid of a sticky mess that’s all over my house? I tried to paint the ceramic tiles on my bathroom floor, beginning with a shellac-based primer. It looked beautiful, but as soon as the floor got damp, the paint peeled off in big sheets on bare feet. A few minutes later it was all over the house, including a wood floor. There are a whole bunch of reasons I can’t retile the bathroom. Is painting an option if I did it differently?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Do you still like the low-flow toilets you installed in your bathroom? I came across an old column of yours where you describe this technology and how to install it. I have two toilets in my house of unknown vintage and I’m looking to replace them.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’m building a cottage deck on bedrock. What are my foundation options?
Category: Cottages & Cabins
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the most economical furnace to install in my Victorian farmhouse, oil or propane? I’d like to replace the 20-year-old furnace I have now.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
We bought a new home and have a problem with the cold cellar. 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 winter it gets so cold in the cellar that soft drinks freeze there. Ice also forms on the steel ceiling. How can I insulate this space so it can be used year-round for frost-free storage?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I eliminate attic condensation? A couple of years ago we replaced shingles and the lower sections of roof sheathing that had rotted out. On the advice of my roofer, I added more ventilation in the peak and a little along the wooden soffits. My new roof sheathing is still wet this winter. I don’t know where else to turn for answers.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’m looking to build a garden shed, but don’t know which way to proceed. I can be handy if I put my mind to it, but it doesn’t exactly flow for me. I’d like the shed to be 6-feet by 8-feet, with a ramp up to the door and a window or skylight. I definitely need hand holding, but I want to try this project. Can you point me in the right direction?
Category: Home Renovation, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the proper spacing for deck boards? I’m rebuilding three partially rotten wooden decks with boards that are spaced close enough to gather all kinds of gunk. The decks are less than 18 inches above ground. Is 1/2-inch board spacing too wide?
Category: Home Renovation, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way for me to learn how to create a rural homestead for myself? I’m a 23 year old college student and I want to move to the country and produce as much as I can for myself directly.
Category: Article, Homesteading
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can my wife and I earn a living in the country so we can move out of the city? We’re over-educated urban dwellers with a dream of becoming homesteaders and permaculture farmers. Should we get certified in some trade before making the leap? Do we need to move to a semi-urban place, then commute for a pay cheque? Are we missing some other option?
Category: Article, Homesteading
Steve Maxwell
Home
How has that linseed oil paint you used a few years ago held up? I ran across your article from 2008 and was wondering if you’ve done any follow-up on the paint condition. I’m a contractor doing research on wooden window restoration for a large hotel and I’m considering linseed oil paint for this job.
Category: Home Renovation, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
Could you please tell me more about the metal clips you had used on a wooden table which you built?
Category: Home Workshop & Tools, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
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 be done?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
I have plans for a workbench and it mentions making the top from quartersawn wood to guard against warping and cupping. I plan to use 2X6s for the top, but how do I quartersaw them?
Category: Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
Where’s the best place to locate a furnace? My wife and I are designing a new home, and our plans require two furnaces. We’ve heard different viewpoints about where to place the second unit: basement, second floor, even the attic. What’s your recommendation and why?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’m very active in my basement workshop, and I’d like to install low-cost soundproofing insulation to reduce the noise upstairs. What can I use?
Category: Home Repairs, Home Workshop & Tools
Steve Maxwell
Home
Can we safely install laminate flooring in our unheated cottage? One salesman told us that it would be okay because the product is moisture resistant and so much better now than a few years ago. Another salesman won’t guarantee a cottage installation. Who’s right?
Category: Cottages & Cabins, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What kind of glue can be used to glue re-finished antique maple chairs? All types I’ve tried fail. No glue has successfully done the job.
Category: Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to stop drafts from coming in around the new recessed light fixtures I’ve had installed? The electrician was careful to replace the insulation around each ceiling box but it didn’t do much good. Can I apply spray foam in the gap between the metal fixture body and surrounding ceiling?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Can you help me work past the confusion of equipping a cabin with photovoltaic panels? I could connect to the grid, but I like the idea of generating my own, cheap electricity.
Category: Cottages & Cabins, Homesteading
Steve Maxwell
Home
Will a 120-volt, 12.5 amp tankless electric water heater fill a large, therapeutic bath tub with hot water? Filling this tub empties my current hot water tank so I’m looking for an alternative.
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What are my options for getting power to a cottage I’m building? Neighbouring property owners don’t want hydro poles on their land, and going underground is too expensive.
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins, Homesteading
Steve Maxwell
Home
Are sealed, unventilated attics a good idea? There’s a fair amount of debate on the topic, with some engineering folks claiming the advantages of insulating the underside of the roof deck with spray foam. This is a big change from the usual practice of insulating the joist space above the interior ceiling, then ventilating the attic. What’s your take?
Category: Article, Home Building, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I boost the energy efficiency of the floor-to-ceiling windows in my high-rise condo? Heating costs are very high here, and I’m thinking of trying window blankets this winter. Any coverings I choose will also need to keep early morning light out of east-facing windows. What do you recommend?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I stop a strip of condensation from forming on one wall of my bathroom during cold weather? It always happens after a shower, and I think it’s caused by a cast iron plumbing vent directly behind the wall surface that goes up through the roof.
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the life expectancy of skylights? Mine are 25 years old, they’re leaking, and a roofer hasn’t been able to fix the problem. Where can I turn for reliable skylight replacement? I’m a single woman and don’t want to be taken advantage of.
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I remove white pine sap from the 10-year-old cedar deck at the cottage? I’ve tried deck cleaner, scraping, sanding, acetone and Comet. Nothing works.
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I rout flexible synthetic water supply pipes underneath our cottage? I’m especially unclear about whether or not we need to use a manifold and where it should be located.
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Our kitchen renovation turned out well, except for the clear silicone caulking around the back splash. It’s already peeling. What can we do?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What should I do about the tired finish on an antique, Mission dining room set? My daughter returned it to me after 20 years, and the finish is in bad shape. I’m tempted to have it refinished, but I’ve heard that authentic, antique finishes can add a lot of value to furniture, even if they are worn.
Category: Article, Home Repairs, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’m having a new house built and need to know about adding a deck to it. Can I build the deck right away? What type of footing do you recommend? Should the deck be attached to the house or not?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I apply a smooth finish on indoor wood? I’m never satisfied with the quality of finish I manage to achieve on my indoor wood projects. Even when I use tack cloths to wipe down the surface, and take care to not overload the brush, I always (and I mean 3M pads for finishing wood furniture ALWAYS!) get these hard, little bumps on the surface when I’m done. I’ve tried many different brushes and brands of urethane, and have even considered using spray-on lacquer if that would accomplish anything. Is there any way I can get a decent finish on my furniture projects without setting up a professional spray booth?
Category: Uncategorized
Steve Maxwell
Home
The paint beneath our south facing windows is peeling on the inside walls, but I don’t know why. Some of it’s coming off in large, wide pieces with plenty of plaster attached. The paint that’s still firm on the wall seems to be bubbling. This looks like water damage, but I’m not sure how the water is getting in. The house is 50 years old, with brick on the outside and lath and plaster on the inside. I know from renovations I’ve done elsewhere in the house that there’s a 1-inch gap between brick and lath. We had new windows installed last winter and noticed the problem about 6 months after that. The installers didn’t caulk the gap between the new aluminum flashing and the brick. They said it would be very difficult to achieve a clean look and that the 1/4-inch gap wouldn’t allow water in unless we got a hard, driving rain. Are they right?
Category: Uncategorized
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I ensure that a new ceramic tile job won’t crack again? I’m removing tiles installed poorly 15 years ago, and I plan to install a layer of cement board on top of the existing subfloor. Is there anything else I should consider?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’ve noticed a white powdery substance on the concrete floor of my basement, especially around the outside walls. There’s no leaking, but there is a noticeable gap ( 1/8-inch-wide at some points) between the wall and floor. Whenever I vacuum the powder up, it reappears. What is this stuff? How can I get rid of it permanently?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
My wife’s Dad wants to replace the windows on his house with vinyl units, the kind designed to be installed without disturbing the existing wooden frames. We’re thinking of doing the work ourselves, and need to know what precautions to take so the job gets done in an efficient and effective manner. If we decide to have someone else do the installation, what should we look for in their work?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
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?
Category: Home Building
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I deal with the partially insulated basement walls in my new home? A layer of insulation extends partway down the wall without a wall frame, with nothing at all on the bottom 4 feet above the floor. Should I rip it all off and start from scratch? What about building a new insulated wall and leaving the old insulation in place?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s involved with installing a pellet stove as a heating appliance? We’re planning to build in the country next year, and I’m sold on the cost savings of this heating system. Can you recommend specific models? Do pellet stoves need to be installed by a specialist? Does the flue pipe need to be encased as it goes up through a second floor?
Category: Cottages & Cabins, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best kind of glue for joining parts of a wooden plant lattice? I’m building it to support a trumpet vine above a veranda railing and I suspect that regular carpenter’s glue won’t be up to the job. What else should I use?
Category: Article, Home Renovation, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best product to use for finishing the interior of pine windows? I want to leave the wood its natural colour, and I’m thinking of either waterbased urethane or tung oil. Which do you recommend?
Category: Article, Home Renovation, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
What can I do about the fading, 30-year-old aluminum siding on my house? Is painting an option, or should we upgrade to vinyl? I do have concerns about the working life of paint.
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best strategy for building a durable, energy efficient new home? We’re in the earliest stages of working with a contractor and I want him to exceed the building code in places where it matters.
Category: Article, Home Building
Steve Maxwell
Home
Where can I find a reasonably priced replacement battery for my Skil 2487 cordless drill? A long time ago I read an article of yours about a battery supplier, but I can’t remember the name.
Category: Article, Home Workshop & Tools
Steve Maxwell
Home
Is foam injection insulation a good way to boost the energy efficiency of my brick house? It’s about 60 years old, and the outer walls are double brick with nothing but an open air space between them.
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
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 tape and spray foam, then built a stud frame wall and installed R14 batts between wall studs. Last winter I discovered that all the pink batts had condensation behind them, down to a place even with the outside soil level. Below this the insulation was dry. I removed all the insulation, let it dry, then replaced it last year, but the condensation has returned. What should I do? I don’t want to install drywall with this moisture issue unresolved.
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I stop condensation from developing on the ceiling of my basement cold room during winter? There’s a vent on the wall, but I keep it closed all the time. Could this cause the problem?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What recommendations can you offer for the foundation of a seasonal, water-access cottage we’re building directly on bedrock? I plan to follow your idea of using foam forms to contain the concrete as it surrounds a crawlspace, but I wonder about water drainage between the rock and foundation wall. Do I need to do something to allow water movement? How should be keep the foundation protected from frost over winter?
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins, Home Building
Steve Maxwell
Home
Is there a cheaper way to control wintertime window condensation and icing than installing a $2000 heat recovery ventilator?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What can I do about the Johns Manville wall shingles applied to the outside of my 1950s house? I need to understand the relative risks associated with keeping the shingles as-is, refinishing them or replacing them with new siding.
Category: Article, Home Renovation, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Should I be concerned about water dripping from the inside the eaves of my house? It’s leaking from the ventilation holes in the aluminum underneath the overhang of my roof.
Category: Home Maintenance, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What kind of flooring can I install in our unheated, 140-year-old cottage? The floors are currently covered in very old rolled flooring on top of wide cedar boards. We considered using rolled flooring again, but we don’t want the curling and cupping we have now. What do you recommend?
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best interior layout for a small cabin? I’m building the 14-foot x 20-foot design you published in Mother Earth News magazine a while back, and I’m looking for the best place to locate cooking and sleeping areas.
Category: Cottages & Cabins
Steve Maxwell
Home
What kind of attic vent is best? The roofer I’ve hired wants to install one of those spinning vents on our 10 year old house. How do these compare with regular stationary vents?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
I have to disagree with your published opinion that outdoor wood boilers are an environmentally sound way to heat. While they do move the fire, soot and ash outdoors, they also burn twice as much fuel as an indoor woodstove due to heat loss from the boiler to the home. Also, a piece of firewood that would take five or ten years to decompose is converted to ash in a half-hour. This is compounded by the removal of living trees from the forest that would have helped absorb greenhouse carbon dioxide in the air had they not been cut down. How can you say that heating with a wood-fired outdoor boiler is a green option?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I stop knots from showing through on painted pine trim? I’m reinstalling original trim in my 90-year old house after it was removed for window replacement, and I’ve heard that I need to apply a special primer before painting. I’d like to finish the trim with clear varnish, but it’s got too many dents and holes. I’ll be filling these before painting.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
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 dry, but none of my neighbours are having trouble with their laminate floors.
Category: Uncategorized
Steve Maxwell
Home
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?
Category: Cottages & Cabins
Steve Maxwell
Home
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 manufacturer won’t provide direction.
Category: Uncategorized
Steve Maxwell
Home
Do you still like the low flow toilets you installed at your place? I came across an old column of yours where you describe this technology and how to install it. I have two toilets in my house of unknown vintage and I’m looking to replace them.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to insulate a basement that I’m planning to finish? I’ve been following the technical progress of spray-on foam insulation and it looks great. Trouble is, all ten of the contractors that I’ve asked to bid on my basement renovation job are completely unaware of the new processes and materials, and too skeptical to change their old ways. All they want to do is put up wood-framed walls with fiberglass insulation and carpeting on the floors.
Category: Uncategorized
Steve Maxwell
Home
Does it make sense for me to replace my furnace? The one I have now is 21 years old and rated to operate at 85% efficiency. I’m receiving subtle pressure from the furnace maintenance folks to replace the old furnace with a higher efficiency model that’s supposed to achieve 92% to 96% efficiency. Trouble is, the job will cost $5000. Does it make sense?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
We are currently renovating an older mobile home. We have the opportunity to install unfinished oak flooring throughout, but wonder whether the situation affects how we should do it. What are your ideas for finishing? I prefer a satin-type finish, but my husband thinks maybe wax is the way to go. What challenges are in store for us as far as installation goes?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to learn all about building a house myself? I’m especially concerned with meeting building codes.
Category: Ask Steve, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What kind of coating can I put on some oak stairs to stop dogs and people from slipping? I really don’t want to use carpet.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to finish the cedar siding on my house? What product do you recommend?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Steve Maxwell
Home
Is there any way to restore the scent of aromatic cedar in a bathroom cabinet and blanket box that I built? The great smell only lasted a couple of months.
Category: Home Repairs, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’m wondering about paint preparation on an older building. The exterior walls are covered in asbestos shingles that were probably installed during the mid-1950s. Is it safe to remove loose paint in the usual way, or do I have to do something different because of the asbestos?
Category: Home Renovation, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
A few years ago I moved into an older home and discovered the attic is insulated with vermiculite. I’ve heard this material can contain asbestos. True? Does vermiculite pose a health risk?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should a beginner set up a home woodworking shop given a $1000 initial budget? What tools make sense to buy first?
Category: Home Workshop & Tools, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the most efficient kind of plug-in electric heater? We need to heat a 16-foot x 20-foot insulated bunky on our property and want a simple option that’s as inexpensive as possible.
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s your take on the EcoVent dryer vent? I understand the need for a vent that effectively keeps out cold air, but I’m concerned about the foam ball that acts as a valve inside this product. Won’t it wear out after a few years? Carpenter ants usually love foam. Won’t they tunnel into the vent? Is flammability of the foam an issue?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Will insulating my garage warm up the cold bathroom that’s above it? The garage doesn’t have any insulation now, just block walls and an open ceiling frame above. Should I be using spray foam? What kind?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I make a creaky subfloor quiet? Back in 1990, I had the second floor of our 60-year-old bungalow enlarged. The contractor used 1/2-inch chipboard for the new subfloor, fastened with nails only. This floor has always been noisy ever since. We’re pulling the carpet up now for new renovations and want to make things right. Will adding screws alone solve the problem or should I lift the floor completely and glue it back down before adding screws?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Should I install a plastic vapour barrier on the inside of basement wall frames? They’re made with wood studs, and I removed old, moldy insulation and drywall then replaced it with new batts. I’ve heard some people say you shouldn’t apply a vapour barrier in basements since it traps moisture within wall cavities. But as far as I know, the code requires a vapour barrier. What should I do?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Are fiberglass shingles a good option here in Canada? I’ve heard they are brittle in winter and that you must remove snow to maintain them. Is this true?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I get rid of moisture build up and mold in my 20×40-foot, window-free cottage garage? The structure is built quite tightly, and boats, cars and trailers all show signs of moisture and corrosion, especially after being stored all winter.
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I minimize the cracking of a 4”-thick piece of elm wood I’m saving to make a table top. It comes from a 100-year old tree just cut down on our property. Wax log end sealer was applied to the ends of the board three days after cutting.
Category: Article, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
What can I do to warm the floors of my 1875 cottage? I recently bit the bullet, went below, and stuffed two layers of insulation batts between the floor joists. The floor is still freezing. What did I do wrong?
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins, Home Renovation, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I tell if the central air conditioner in our new house is working properly? On hot days this past summer it would take three hours to go from 25C to 22C. I’ve never lived with an air conditioner before. Is this normal?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Is pressure treated lumber safe to use around a vegetable garden? I’ve read that it is, but I don’t know if this is true for the new type of preserved lumber that’s sold these days. Should I use cedar? And what about those finishing products that make wood an even grey colour? Are they safe around plants?
Category: Home Renovation, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
How smooth does a plywood subfloor have to be to accept a new floor on top? We have a 1970′s vintage ceramic tile floor laid over a thick layer of mortar that I want to remove, and I expect mortar will remain stuck to the plywood. Will a subfloor product smooth out this kind of unevenness in preparation for a new floor?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
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?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to use oil for finishing pieces of driftwood? Some pieces will be indoors and others outside.
Category: Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
The vent cover for the range hood duct in our new house has four louvres and is noisy and ineffective. Whenever there’s a strong wind outside I can hear flapping sounds and feel cold air back drafting through the appliance’s range hood. If I replaced this louvre with a hooded vent cover (the kind with a single flap), would this solve the problem?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What kind of portable tablesaw should I buy for building a new house and outbuildings? I’m not a professional, so I don’t think I need a professional power tool, do I? I’m looking at a $300 model right now. It has a 15 amp, 3 horsepower direct drive motor. Let me know if this is a really stupid choice. If it’s just semi-stupid I’ll go ahead.
Category: Home Building, Home Workshop & Tools
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’ve read conflicting advice about the use of wide boards for furniture woodworking projects. Some say its okay, others recommend slicing the boards to no more than 4 inches wide before gluing them back together again. I have some very wide cherry planks set aside, and I’d like to use them at full width. Will this work? I’m worried about cupping and warping of whole boards in the completed project.
Category: Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can my husband and I support ourselves financially after we move out of the city to a rural homestead property?
Category: Homesteading
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’m looking for information on floor and roof supports in new houses. I’d like to have a home built with a completely open basement, and I’ve heard of floor systems that eliminate the need for pillars. Please fill me in on details.
Category: Home Building
Steve Maxwell
Home
I just bought a 25-year-old house and the humidity is very high in the basement — regularly over 80%. It’s cold down there and our feet freeze when we go downstairs, even if the weather’s hot. There are small vents on each side of the basement that I open most of the time. Do we need more ventilation? I expect so, but don’t know what size. What should we do?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
We’re fixing an older home with plaster walls and want to apply drywall over top. Can we do this? I’ve heard that you can’t screw drywall down in situations like this. What about construction adhesive instead?
Category: Home Renovation, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’m a single Mom, forced into the role of Handy Babe, and I need your help. My three teenagers insist on taking marathon showers, leading to a lot of steam damage in a bathroom that has no exhaust fan. The drywall tape is peeling and so is the paint. How do I fix this?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s causing slimy goop to develop in one area of my ceiling? An energy auditor recommends I have an additional R30 of insulation blown in on top of the R20 I have now, but I’m thinking I’d better boost ventilation before adding more insulation. What should I do?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best container to store carrots in my root cellar? Will plastic do or must I use metal? We’ve just moved into a house with a cellar below the front porch and I’m really excited about storing food for the winter.
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best kind of long-lasting, maintenance-free metal roof? I’m considering something that looks like roofing tiles. Our lot is heavily treed and the roof includes skylights. I’d also like to be able to walk easily on the roof from time to time.
Category: Article, Home Maintenance, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
We’re having problems with the hardwood floor in our house and I hope you can help. Our place was built last summer, and the floor was site-finished with three coats of varnish after sanding. For the first two months the floor was smooth, but over a relatively short period it developed raised edges along one side of each board. In some places you can even push the raised boards down to their proper level. What is this all about? Is it fixable?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best product for painting my concrete basement floor? It has a few small cracks. Is there a product that can be used to fill these gaps before painting?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What are my options for fixing flaking brick on the front of my house? The place was built in 1980, and the bricks were failing noticeably by the late 80′s. I’ve had repair work done over the years, but the situation is getting crazy now. Is stucco an option?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How much smaller of a heating and cooling system will I need if I build with structural insulated panels (SIPs) rather than a stud frame insulated with batts? I’m planning a 1500 sq. ft. wine processing building that will be kept at 15ºC constantly.
Category: Article, Home Building, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I reinforce my floor before installing new ceramic tiles? A written quote I received from a contractor includes 3/8” plywood fastened on top of the existing subfloor, but my friend says it should be 5/8”. What do you think?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I deal with the floor in my basement that has just flooded? Some of the prefinished hardwood has started to swell. I assume I will need to lift the entire lot and dispose of it, but thought I’d check to see if you have any tips.
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Should I be concerned about the drafts I can feel coming in around new windows I had installed? The contractor I hired took measurements, but when the windows arrived they were clearly larger than the windows he was replacing. He ended up cutting things to make the windows fit, and now I’m concerned about water leakage and rotting of the wall frame.
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What kind of inexpensive exterior wall siding can I install on top of the painted roll roofing that’s above the two doors of my garage? What’s there now has lasted two decades, but needs replacing.
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to insulate a 1906 farmhouse? My plan is to strip the interior, increase the depth of the existing 2×4 wall studs to 2×7, then install batt insulation in the deepened wall cavities after rewiring. What do you think?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Why isn’t my HRV working? We’ve had the unit installed since our home was new five years ago, but windows still get wet with condensation each winter when it gets cold.
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Can I use plastic lumber to build some Adirondack chairs for my cottage? It’s now time to replace the wooden chairs I made 20 years ago, and I’m interested in the rot resistance, weight and freedom from finishing that plastic lumber offers. Will this work? Is there a way to finish the cut ends so they match the surrounding surfaces?
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
Is foam injection insulation a good way to boost the energy efficiency of my brick house? It’s about 60 years old, and the outer walls are double brick with nothing but an open air space between them.
Category: Article, Home Renovation, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What length of warranty should we expect from a contractor who’ll be building a cottage addition for us? He’s offered one year warranty from date of completion. Is this typical? We’ve never hired a contractor for such a large job and I’m not sure what to expect.
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I stop my three teenagers from taking really, really long showers? We’ve tried begging, guilt trips and timers. Is there some kind of device that automatically shuts off water flow after a certain period of time?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’m making a small hall bench using maple and cherry wood, and I have a question about finishing. I intend to colour the whole thing with a cherry stain. Is it necessary to pre-condition the wood first? In general, should all woods, including hardwoods, be pre-conditioned before staining?
Category: Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’m stripping lead paint from a bunch of wood trim and doors, and I need some advice. I’ve tried different chemical strippers with no success, but have found that a heat gun works. It’s very slow, but most importantly I have concerns about my health. Is it okay to strip lead paint with a heat gun? What other options are practical?
Category: Article, Home Renovation, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
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 pros and cons of my idea?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I stop mold from growing on the bottom of the interior window frames in my two year old seasonal cottage? It sits unused during winter, heated to about 5ºC. We keep curtains closed for security and leave ceiling fans running. I’m worried that the problem comes from the fact that the building went up in winter, and the wood might have been wet.
Category: Cottages & Cabins, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What caused the new tea tray I made to warp? I glued thin strips of walnut, maple and purpleheart wood along the length of a piece of 3/4-inch thick oak, then sawed this wood in half and glued the pieces together along their edges. The finished tray looked terrific, but after a few weeks it warped and the whole tray is now twisted. What went wrong? How can I fix it?
Category: Article, Home Repairs, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best type of corner bead to use when drywalling? I’ve hired a crew to install drywall and they’re planning to use corner beads with paper that runs along each side. Is this better than the old all-metal corners?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What are your thoughts about the new Bosch sliding compound mitre saw with the articulated arm that you and I talked about at the Home Workshop Show last fall? You said you’d be testing it and I’d like to get your opinion before I buy.
Category: Home Workshop & Tools
Steve Maxwell
Home
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?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I fix sunken patio stones in my backyard? Is there some kind of filler I should add on top?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
A friend owns a cottage and would like to insulate the roof. The problem is the limited amount of space underneath the ceiling, and the view of the exposed rafters he’d like to preserve. That’s what got us thinking about insulating from the outside, on top of the existing roof sheathing and underneath some new shingles. Is this possible? What’s the most economical procedure?
Category: Cottages & Cabins
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’ve seen a few articles written about whole house fans, mostly in US magazines and on web sites. Why aren’t they more popular here in Canada? They seem like an economical way to cool a house each evening.
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Can I salvage my leaky ceramic shower stall? Water’s coming through the floor and appearing on the ceiling below. Should I patch it or completely replace the bathroom shower floor with new concrete?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Why is water dripping from underneath my eaves? There’s no leakage in the attic or living quarters, but I’m concerned. The leaks happened when warm weather melted snow on the roof.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should I insulate a cold floor underneath a bay window that juts over my open front porch? I’ve removed all the old wood covering the underside of the floor frame, and I have a clean slate. What’s the best way to preserve and seal this space so the bay window up above is warm?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Last winter I had a lot of rooftop ice build up that led to leaking, and now I plan to install heating cables to prevent the problem in the future. I’ve heard these cables work well, but also that the heat might damage the shingles. What do you think? Will cables be enough to solve my problem? Should I look at boosting insulation and ventilation, too? Some water got into the wall cavities from the leaks. Do I need to rip out the insulation or will it dry by itself?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
We live in a 3-year old house, a bungalow with an open floor plan. It’s divided down the middle by a wall and several sets of pillars. We’ve been in the house for three winters now, and every year the ceiling lifts at least 1 inch upwards from the walls around the kitchen and the support pillars. After our first winter we hired a home inspector to assess the problem, and he identified that our roof is framed with trusses. So far we’ve relied on the builder to repair the problem, and while he’s been responsive, I’m still not satisfied. He put quarter-round and crown molding around the top of the pillars and walls, and though the ceiling still rises and falls, we can’t see the movement. This doesn’t seem like a proper fix, though I also wonder if there really is any problem at all. Is this an issue? Can you think of anything that we or the builder can do to stop the movement once and for all?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What can I put underneath new carpet to boost floor soundproofing? My father recently faxed me an old article of yours about a rubber soundproofing sheet material made especially for this job. Trouble is, I can’t find a source of supply. My carpet will be installed over old hardwood. I understand that there are more effective soundproofing solutions than underlay alone, but I can’t do anything more than this right now.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Can leaks in a radiant infloor heating system be fixed? The system was installed about 35 years ago by my husband and includes 1-inch diameter black plastic pipe set into the concrete floor. A leak has appeared near one corner of the 1100 square foot basement. Is the pipe deteriorating from age?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I restore the lustre of a cedar strip canoe that’s covered in fiberglass? The surface is dull and scratched.
Category: Cottages & Cabins
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’m thinking of building a bed in the Mission style, but would like to make it with knotty pine instead of the traditional oak. Can this wood be used for this style of furniture, and if so how much thicker must it be for proper strength?
Category: Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
What causes white, fluffy stuff to build up on the inside of a brick basement wall? A client of mind has this happening behind her furnace and we’re looking for a solution.
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
We recently installed new flooring in our kitchen and I have to shorten up the doors to accommodate the increased floor height. Can you give me advice for marking and cutting the bottom of the doors accurately?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best strategy for insulating the inside surface of the solid brick walls of my 1969 bungalow? I’m planning to strip the interior surface, install 2×4 strapping, then spray the cavities full of foam. Is spray foam safe? Should I be using batt insulation instead?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the most economical method of heating a new home I’m planning to build electric infloor heating or an electric boiler of floor mats? Natural gas isn’t available on my lot and I don’t want to burn oil or wood.
Category: Article, Home Building
Steve Maxwell
Home
Four years ago I had the first part of a solid cherry cabinet set installed in my kitchen. Unfortunately, the water-based urethane I finished them with hasn’t aged gracefully. There are grease marks around the door knobs and water marks where wet hands most often reach for a towel. I’ve also noticed spots where grease splatters have soaked through the finish, leaving a mark on the wood underneath. The time has come to install another section of cabinets, but I don’t want the same old trouble with the finish. What should I use on this new wood? If I go with an oil-based urethane it’ll yellow with time, making a match with the existing cabinets impossible. What can I do to repair the finish on the old wood?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I fix a new door that has an uneven gap at the top? I know that the proper thing to do is to take out the door jamb and square it up, but I hope there’s another way. After installing the door I realized there’s a space that opens from 1/8-inch at one side to 1/2-inch at the other. What can I do?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Can I use regular insulation batts to replace the paper-backed batts used between the ends of the floor joists where they meet the outside walls in a basement?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I eliminate window condensation in a multi-story condominium unit? We’ve been experiencing lots of condensation for the seven years we’ve lived in the building. Window replacement isn’t an option since they’re considered common elements in this building.
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I insulate the double-brick walls of my 100-year-old home? One contractor says he can drill holes in the plaster and blow insulation into the space between the bricks. Another contractor says this isn’t possible. Who’s right?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Is it necessary to apply a vapour barrier to the 3”-thick foam installed on the insides of concrete basement walls? My step daughter and husband had a new house built, and are planning to finish the basement.
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
What can I do to protect a laminate floor in case of a water heater leak? It’s in our cottage, and at times no one’s around to deal with trouble, should it arise. Everything is located on the same level, with an open crawlspace underneath the floor. Is there anything we can do besides draining the tank every time we leave?
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins, Home Maintenance
Steve Maxwell
Home
What kind of router should I buy? I’m a middle-aged woman, out on my own again, and I’d like to build the kind of basic furniture I need to set myself up in a mostly empty house.
Category: Article, Home Workshop & Tools, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to stop a small leak where the incoming water pipe connects to the water meter in my basement? My house is more than 30 years old, and the connections involve large hex nuts. I’m comfortable doing my own plumbing work, but I’m cautious about simply tightening these nuts because the pipes are old.
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’m building a 2×6 wood frame seasonal home, and I’m concerned about the drywall. I’ve heard that seams may crack in buildings that aren’t heated during winter. Is this true? What can I do to reduce the hazard?
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Where can I purchase the mandrel which was in your video on using a buffing wheel?
Category: Home Workshop & Tools
Steve Maxwell
Home
Can I install recessed light fixtures in a cathedral ceiling? There’s insulation right underneath the drywall, and I understand that recessed light fixtures need to have clearance around them because of the heat they generate. What can I do?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can tools be protected from rust? My husband and I store power tools and garden tools in our garage, and they’re getting quite rusty.
Category: Home Workshop & Tools
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can we stop frost from forming on the inside face of the garage walls on our three-year-old home during winter? The drywall is getting ruined. Our builder wants to help, but doesn’t know how to begin.
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Where can I learn more about making solar energy a reality in a country home I’m planning? I need facts about the cost of various systems, different suppliers and technologies, plus some sense of maintenance costs.
Category: Home Building, Home Renovation, Homesteading
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s causing the brick on the entrance wall of my house to peel and flake? It was built in the mid-1980s, and all the houses in our neighbourhood have the same problem. I’ve asked many of the masons working in the area why this problem exists. Answers vary. Some say it’s bad brick, others say there are not enough drainage holes, others blame the lack of flashing between the brick and concrete foundation. I’m confused. Exactly what needs to happen to ensure a long lasting reconstruction?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’d like to fasten a hanging lamp bracket to drywall, but don’t think a regular hook will hold. What can I do?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
We have a furnace in one corner of our double garage, with ductwork running through the attic of the garage, warming it. This melts rooftop snow, forming ice dams that lead to leakage. How can this problem be fixed?
Category: Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What do you recommend for holding new glass in old wooden windows, the old fashion mastic putty in a plastic bag or caulking from a tube? If caulking, what type?
Category: Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
We live in a log cabin and the upstairs flooring is just one layer of tongue and groove planking that forms the ceiling of the first floor. As it is now sounds transmit readily between floors and we’d like to solve this problem. We’re considering installation of a floating floor over the pine and wonder if there’s a mat or sheet material we could put down first to boost soundproof insulation.
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can the life of rechargeable power tool batteries be extended? My grandfather’s had bad experiences with batteries that don’t last long, and I’m hoping you can offer some suggestions.
Category: Article, Home Workshop & Tools
Steve Maxwell
Home
When the outside of my home was painted three years ago, the painter insisted on oil-based paint instead of latex. Now it’s peeling. How do I proceed and what’s the best paint for the job?
Category: Article, Home Maintenance, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I remove the warp in a new top I had made for an antique dry sink? The original top was warped and split, and a new top I had made has warped now, too.
Category: Article, Home Repairs, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
Can you please direct me to a reliable source of information on the real cost of energy from wind and solar? It seems that these options requires constant government subsidy to remain viable. If nuclear energy is environmentally less friendly than wind, please explain. Everything I read leads me to believe that from a cost point of view, nuclear is a superior choice to either wind or solar using technologies known today.
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
Do I need to anchor the new cultured marble vanity top I’ll be installing in my bathroom? One guy in the hardware store says to let only the plumbing hold it down, and other says to use “some kind of glue”. What should I do?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I figure out if the generator I own is big enough to power a water well pump? I understand that any pump demands more electricity while starting up than while running, and I’ve used an ammeter to check maximum current draw on one of the two wires powering the pump. Will the amperage measured on one of the incoming wires be all that’s required to start the pump or is it twice that amount?
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I shingle a roof from the top down? I’ve heard this is better since you never walk on the shingles as they’re being installed. But how is this possible, since shingles need to overlap correctly to shed water?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
I recently bought a bench top wood planer and have been generating bags and bags of sawdust in my workshop. Trouble is, I just found out that my municipality doesn’t accept sawdust as garbage. How can I dispose of it properly?
Category: Article, Home Maintenance, Home Workshop & Tools
Steve Maxwell
Home
The floor of the room over our garage is very cold this winter. How can I fix the problem?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
What’s the best way to repair damaged areas of veneer on an old piano I’m restoring? I don’t want to replace the veneer or install new pieces, so that leaves me with filling. What filler will accept stain and match the surrounding wood? I plan to create a transparent finish that lets wood grain show through.
Category: Article, Home Repairs, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
I’m thinking about using a kerosene heater to warm things up in my garage workshop. Are these safe to use in a space where I plan to do sanding and finishing? I’m concerned about dust and fumes. I’ve been working on this table far to long to have it (and me) blow up!
Category: Home Workshop & Tools
Steve Maxwell
Home
How should my husband and I choose an architect? We’ve bought five acres of waterfront property that’s blessed with interesting topography. We envision a small, green home, perhaps using water reclamation technology and solar energy, incorporating local materials. How should we begin?
Category: Home Building, Homesteading
Steve Maxwell
Home
Steve Maxwell
Home
We’ve just gone to a lot of trouble and expense installing drainage tiles around our basement, but we’re concerned it might not stop dampness and white, fuzzy efflorescence coming up through the concrete floor. We’re planning to finish the basement and need it to be reliably dry before we do. Are we safe to proceed?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
All my woodworking experience so far has been with home renovations, but I’ve just started to build furniture and I’m having trouble getting smooth results. When sanding two pieces of wood that meet at right angles, for instance, I find it necessary to avoid crossing the joint with my sanding strokes or I create cross-grain scratch marks. But I’ve seen other people sand right across joints like these and achieve perfect results. Is this because of the quality of sandpaper they’re using or the skill of the woodworker?
Category: Article, Home Workshop & Tools, Woodworking
Steve Maxwell
Home
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 electricity costs going up we’d like to turn the heat off.
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins
Steve Maxwell
Home
Where can I find the Bulldog Grip polyurethane caulking you’ve recommended many times? We’ve got full southerly exposure at the back of our house, and any caulking I’ve used on the windows and doors just bubbles and fails quickly. No store I visit carries Bulldog Grip caulking.
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
Where can I find a really large chamfer bit for a router? You’ve written about 2 1/2” diameter bits used to make outdoor wood structures look better, but all I can find is 2 1/4”.
Category: Article, Home Workshop & Tools
Steve Maxwell
Home
Is knotty pine really good for a finished floor? We’ve read your recommendations of this material, and would love to use it, but we’ve been advised not to. We’re told the wood will probably buckle, crack and split in our cottage.
Category: Article, Cottages & Cabins, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
How can I stop white, salt-like powder from appearing on the block walls of our basement cold room? I brushed it off then washed the wall with muriatic acid, rinsed it down with water, then applied a coat of paint recommended by the hardware store. Two months later the white stuff is back again.
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
I plan to remove old carpet from a medium-sized bedroom, and then paint the floor. Trouble is, its just chipboard under the broadloom. What’s the least expensive, paintable material I can install on top?
Category: Article, Home Renovation
Steve Maxwell
Home
We bought our home in 1995, when it was 2 1/2 years old, and something has changed since then. We have crank-style wood-frame windows and lately it seems that street noise has increased inside. I understand that the windows were filled with gas, but that must be gone because we now get internal condensation between panes. Will new windows make a difference?
Category: Article, Home Repairs
Steve Maxwell
Home
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