We uncovered pine flooring in our 1859 built house. It was covered with carpet and plywood, which we removed to find leveling compound. Is there any way to remove short of just scraping with putty knife?

-Tom

Tom,

I don’t know of any other way of removing leveling compound other than with a chisel and a hammer.  It can be pretty hard to get this stuff removed.  You might want to have the compound checked for asbestos if you feel that it was installed before 1978.  There is a chance it might contain asbestos. 

Good luck on your remodeling project. 

Jake

Hi Jake,

So I am in need of some serious help with my floors white oak (according to contractor).

I hired a contractor to sand & refinish the floors in my living room, 2 bedrooms and the steps. I showed him MULTIPLE pictures of the look & color I was hoping to get, dark, dark brown ALMOST black, with barely any grain showing. He said that's not a problem.

He sanded my floors and stained them Minwax Jacobean and they are an orange, yellow color. I told him this is NOT what I wanted, he said with poly they will get darker. I said not as dark as I want. He let Jacobean sit for 24 hours, came back and put Minwax Ebony over top. It doesn't look any different, except now the grain is more black than before, the floors still look orange & yellow. He left and said he would be back in the evening for the 1st coat of poly. After letting floors dry for a few hours, still didn't get any darker, I call him and say these floors look nothing like what I showed you & they are NOT what I wanted.

He said "you can't stain white oak floors a dark brown, espresso color. They are as dark as they are going to get! He's not putting anymore stain on, so if I don't like how they look, he's not coming back to finish the job!

 I don't know what to do. Is it true that you can't stain white oak floors a dark brown? I am a 28 y/o female, and a part of me feels like he is just telling me whatever thinking I will just accept this look, because I'm a girl and don't know any better.

-Laura

Laura,

I’m afraid I don’t have the best of news for you.

Getting hardwood floors really dark and consistent can be a challenge.

We have used white oak flooring and have stained the floors an ebony type stain and they turned our beautiful.

For the white oak to take the stain, you must “pop” the grain.  This requires taking a wet rag and rubbing the wood, this raises the grain and allows for the stain to penetrate the wood.  Let the wood stand for about 30 minutes then apply the stain. 

I could imagine you didn’t know that this type of floor could be challenging and it’s a good idea to see examples of some of the finisher’s previous work.  As part of our process, we will sand a section of the floor, apply  a sample area with the desired stain, and get approval from the homeowner prior to applying the balance of the stain.  Was this done?

If at this point  you add too much stain to the poly, you will have some issues down the road as the poly wears and the wrong stain re-appears. 

The only remedy I know of at this time is to re-sand the floors and get the color you originally wanted.

Jake

I have a house built in the 80s. The front bottom half is brick. I would like the paint to be the same color as the siding. How do I paint brick? 

-Angie

Angie,

Painting brick in no big deal.  Here are few tips to minimize any problems, both in the short and long term.

Clean the brick.  You can use a power washer or warm water mixed with a cleaner like a mild detergent or TSP.  Thoroughly rinse the bricks with clean water and let it dry completely.  If you have any efflorescence, the white, chalky stuff that can appear on brick, you should take a wire brush to it and brush it off.   

Caulk any cracks with a high quality acrylic caulk.

Prime the brick and paint with a high quality acrylic latex. 

You can apply the paint by means of an airless sprayer, roller or brush.  Brick is usually pretty porous so a heavy nap roller would work best.  If you spray the paint, back-brush the paint with a brush so you work the paint into the cracks etc.  

Paint usually adheres to brick pretty good, evidenced by the amount of un-intended paint drips on brick that never seem to disappear. 

Jake, I am going to replace our laundry room vinyl floor with ceramic tile and need to know the best way to remove the 3/8 plywood under the vinyl (water damage) IOT keep the same basic height when I add the 1/4 backer and ceramic tile.

Thanks,

Ed

Ed,

We usually start at one end and insert a flat pry bar under the underlayment and start lifting up on the plywood.  Sometimes it is nailed and glued, with lots of nails.  It’s not easy and it can tear your hands up, so make sure to wear some heavy gloves. 

Must all kitchen counters be covered in the material, ie granite, marble, corian, formica, etc. ?

- Deb

Deb,

As far as I know, there are no building codes or laws specifying what kind of counter top material must be used in residences.  Counter top materials are usually selected for their durability, ease of cleaning, appearance and hygiene.  The materials you mentioned are pretty commonly used, along with a ceramic tile of some other type of tile.  What kind of materials where you thinking of using? 

I want to make a large opening between my kitchen & dining room. I do not want to tear down the whole wall. Does it matter if this is a load bearing wall? I'm also worried about electrical wires. My husband is a good handyman, but do you think he should tackle this job?

-Hilda

Hilda,

Yes, it does make a big difference if the wall is a load bearing wall.   If the wall is perpendicular to the floor joists below and the overhead joists, then there is a good chance the wall is load bearing.  If the wall is parallel to the joists, then it most likely is not a bearing wall.  If in doubt, consult a licensed contractor or structural engineer.  If it is load bearing, a new “header” or beam must be sized to properly carry the load. 

When removing a wall, there is chance you might expose wiring, piping or duct work.  If you have access below or above the wall, a visual inspection might tell you what you can expect.  Again, a contractor or engineer might be able to give you an idea what you might find.

You asked if your husband should tackle this job.  I can’t answer that based upon the unknowns at this time.  He could at least remove the wall covering, either drywall or plaster, and expose what is behind the wall covering.  Then you can make the determination whether he should continue.  Good luck and be careful.

Jake

I'm redoing a kitchen. Should the cabinets be installed before the flooring, or should the flooring be installed under all the kitchen area?

-Jim

Jim,

When we remodel a kitchen, about the only time we install flooring before the cabinets is when we are using unfinished hardwood flooring.  If we are installing a tile, laminate flooring, carpet or pre-finished hardwood, we almost always install the cabinets first.  Make sure to take into account the finish floor height relative to the cabinet height.  If you have any under-counter appliance, such as a dishwasher or trash compactor, you want to make certain you can remove them for eventual service or replacement. 

I have a cabin that has no roof insulation as the roof is vaulted, or floor insulation. It has no overhang in front or back from the roof so there is no sofit vents. I want to insulate the roof and put boards on ther bottom of the 2 x 6 roofing so it has that nice vaulted look still.

I just don't know how to do it without any lower vents to allow air to travel up to maybe a roof line vent . I have a front and back porch on it with metal roofs tied into the house right above the sofit area. 

- John

John,

I don’t know what part of the country you live in so I’m not certain as to what R value you require in your ceilings. In the Kansas City area we require a R value of 38 in the ceilings. I would suggest you put vent plugs on the facia board, behind the gutter, between each joist space.  

On the ceiling in each joist space, place the corrugated baffles to allow for air movement from the vent plugs up to the ridge. At the ridge, install a continuous ridge vent on the roof, then maximize the insulation you can put in your joist cavity. This should allow for proper ventilation and minimize the chances of moisture building up in the cavities.  

The best way to add insulation in these cases is to have a product like icynene installed. This product maximizes the R value and does not require any type of ventilation. It’s more expensive in the short run, but will probably save you in the long term. 

Good luck in your project and let me know how it turns out. 

How much would it cost to add on a master bed upstairs?  We would be coming out on top only and just do a covered patio on bottom or a pool room on bottom depending on cost. Only need tv and phone jacks and lighting but no plumbing.

- Libby

Libby,

You ask a question that is very difficult to answer without more information. As a rule, room additions can be anywhere from $150 per square foot to well over $500 per square foot or higher, depending on many factors.  

Things to consider for estimating a project like this:  access to the site, other items that might be affected by the work, such as electrical and phone service, level of finish, impact on other parts of the house – both interior and exterior, and the quality that you are expecting.  

I would advise you to visit with a couple of design/build firms in your area to come up with a more accurate estimate to determine if  your idea is feasible.  Many times the initial visit is free.  You can visit www.nari.org for a list of remodeling companies in your area.  

My gas fireplace has a hearth that is raised and extends out into the room almost 4 feet. What is the reason for this and can I remodel it so it only extends out less than two feet? It is unattractive and seems like a waste of space.

Thanks,

Juli

Juli,

It sounds like a designer got a little over zealous in his or her design.  A 4’ hearth extension should not be required.  According to the International Residential Code for one and two family dwellings,  there are specific requirements for hearth extensions, both front and sides.  If your fireplace opening is less than 6 square feet, the hearth front extension must be 16” and the side extensions must be 8”.   If the fire box opening is equal to or greater than 6 square feet, then the front extension must be 20” and the side extensions must be 12”.  So you should be able to substantially reduce the front extension.