Once and awhile I get a frustrating call about someone hiring a contractor where the skills did not match the promise. Sometimes the work is poor, isn’t finished, or is in such a state that it needs to be redone. …
Craft vs Assembly
Why old windows are better than new
We are told old windows are drafty, do not function well, and lose energy through the single panes. Window replacements are pitched as giving us better energy efficiency and longevity. But is it true? And with claims replacement windows can…
Lead Laws and Safety
Lead poisoning is a concern for good reason. A small amount of pure lead dust can create substantial health risks. For example, if you take the same quantity of lead as a 1-gram packet of sugar, it can over 100…
Why Paint Peels
My 1914 shingle-style house on the Providence River/Upper Narragansett Bay was reshingled with white cedar in 1996 and recoated in 2005 with bleaching oil. The house was repainted Sept. 2010 with a different acrylic house solid stain. Within 2 -1/2…
Let’s Talk About Caulk
Repairs from a tube are our go to, quick fix, get er done, feel good remedy. Yet they are overly used, abused, misapplied, and something that looks pretty terrible. The most popular product from a tube is caulk, which is…
Decking care & finishes
“Our house was built in 1986 with a large l-shaped deck — which back then was pressure-treated stuff. We have power-washed & used a clear stain a number of times over the years….. but have let it go. One…
Fixing a Single Pane Window
“How do I ‘affordably’ replace one cracked window panel/part on a true divided light historical window? Tuni, Wickford Tuni, you have touched a nerve that drives me nuts about modern building parts and misconceptions of all things old. Single…
Bathroom Spit Polish
I hate my bathroom. While we have worked hard to improve our house’s function and energy efficiency, there are some spaces we are not ready to delve into. We made the house feel more like our own by repainting rooms…