All walls need some kind of insulation otherwise you’re risking a loss of heat in your home through cool drafts, thermal leakage, or actual condensation and damage along the inside of the wall itself. By adding this barrier between your walls, you will be able to reduce drafting, dust build-up, noise pollution, and the temperature on your thermostat, creating savings on your utility bill. However, if you live in an older house with no pre-existing form of interior padding, then your best option is blown-in insulation. Unlike the common batting which is often installed in walls as the original construction is being performed, this loose fill material is literally pumped into the pre-existing wall through a small opening made by your contractor.

Does your home contain contaminated Chinese Drywall? This testing advice from the New York Times can help a homeowner determine if he or she is one of the thousands in over 30 states with the poisonous plasterboard.

Some ways to tell if you have Chinese Drywall in your home:

– Sulfuric smell. (Also a sign that you have descended into the less-favorable Afterworld. It’s best to inspect for fire, brimstone and the tortured souls of the eternally damned to eliminate this possibility)

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A sheet of drywall, while relatively strong, only consists of a layer of gypsum plaster between two thick sheets of paper. It’s then kiln-dried to ensure rigidity. This basic construction allows the drywall to be both inexpensive and easy to use. On the downside; it is also easily damaged.

In most homes, there are usually one or two nicks, dings or holes in the walls that need attention. If the damage doesn’t extend all the way through the drywall, then the fix is simple. Just remove any loose plaster or paper around the edge and apply some drywall spackle. Wait for it to dry, sand the area and apply another coat if needed. Sand it again when dry and that will do it.  Read more…

One of the greatest ways to decorate the walls and ceilings in a home is through imaginative painting techniques called “faux,” which is a French word for “fake.” As much as faux painting copies items like marble and metal the techniques goes back to Mesopotamian Empire of 3000 B.C. In the Middle Ages faux reached its glory days and a painter of “the guild” had to apprentice for 10 years or more before the master let him touch a finish.

The Art-deco craze of the 1920’s and 30’s brought the style back. And since the great trees of the country were being decimated clear wood was becoming scarce so faux wood painting became popular.
Wallpaper became popular for a bout 50 years or so and then began to vanish as faux filled the gap.

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Pest control is a difficult task. Learning how to get rid of fleas, ants, mice, rats, crickets, roaches, and bees is no walk in the park. Even bug zappers offer a false sense of security; do it yourself pest control may not always be the best option, especially when termites have invaded your structure, potentially wrecking the foundation of your home. Learn more about pest control in these articles, and find out how to best find a pest management solution for your own home.   Read more…

Drywall is now a common element you find in modern homes. Otherwise known as sheetrock or Gyproc, it is composed of gypsum materials sandwiched between two pieces of heavy paper. It is a very versatile material that you can manipulate several different ways.  It is so versatile that it can be glued, nailed or screwed. To cover up the drywall, you can also use paint or wallpaper. The possibilities are endless. You can do a lot of things with drywall and it won’t break the bank because it is relatively cheap.   Read more…

Bob Schmidt shows you some simple tips and techniques for building straight walls while doing basic framing in your home remodel project.