I never really knew how serious the discussion about which screw to use could be until I posted a picture of a restored sash lock on social media the other day. I was particularly proud of this meticulously restored piece of Victorian amazingness, but the reaction was anything but what I expected. There were plenty […]
People can’t get enough of shiplap and thanks to shows like Fixer Upper, the world is looking for new ways to incorporate the hottest trend since subway tile. For us old house owners shiplap is just a part of life. Until a few years ago it wasn’t nearly as coveted as it is today so […]
Fixing up an old house requires a lot of different tools. Some of them are easy to find at the corner hardware store and some are more specialty items that are a lot harder to find. Just like picking the right wood filler or choosing the right primer can make or break your project the […]
Yes, it’s true, I love Festool! Just like any DIYer or contractor, I love good tools. The old adage of “use the right tool for the right job” is so true. Using the wrong tool for a job can truly make the project as awful as trying to sleep in a room of 2-year-olds pumped […]
Lie, lies abound when it comes to old windows. Window companies proclaim how their replacement windows will do everything from curing cancer to saving the whales (hyperbole intended!). How can you tell if a window salesman is lying? His lips are moving. There isn’t a single part of an old house that is in nearly […]
While most of the windows on historic buildings built before WWII used the simple and effective rope and pulley counterweight system, there are some that utilize different balances systems. A popular option were spiral balances, sometimes called a tube balance, and that’s what we’ll talk about today. These balances are not terribly complicated, but they […]
My company recently finished the restoration of the windows at Fort Coombs in Apalachicola, FL and I wanted to share the project with you. These were some unique windows from a fort with a lot of history and meaning to the residents, and I felt like the story was one that needed to be told. […]
In the age of RRP renovation rules and a lot of fear about everything lead paint, it’s important to know how to keep yourself safe. A lot of folks hear about HEPA vacuums and think that if they just use anything HEPA, they are safe from lead. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Understanding how HEPA […]
I recently learned of yet another window project gone awry. The 1920 Lake Ave. fire station in Saratoga Springs, NY is due for a renovation. It needs some structural repairs to its floors, some framing repairs, and also window repairs for its almost 100 year old windows. The architect for the job decided that the best way […]
Everybody pressure washes their house. But few people know that the way it’s usually done is NOT good for your house. You may just be going with the crowd, but in this case, the crowd is wrong, and you’re likely causing big damage that you have no idea about. Pressure washing is usually the first […]
A bathroom remodel in an old house is an experience that turns out to be more difficult than a lot people expect. It’s not as easy as the HGTV shows make you think, and it certainly doesn’t take a quick weekend to do right. After doing my fair share of bathrooms, I figured I’d give […]
Yes, there are times when you need to cut a hole in a plaster wall. And before you do it wrong and knock big chunks of plaster from your walls or ceilings, I thought I’d give you some tips on how to cut plaster walls the right way. I see tragically destroyed original plaster walls […]
