Having worked in the restorations trades for more than 20 years I have constantly been on the search for the best wood filler. I have tried countless products that at first seemed like a winner only to find, just like my high school dating experiences, they wouldn’t go the distance. The conclusion I have come […]
Last year I wrote a post about 10 great tools under $50 and it was a huge hit. So this year I’m back just in time for the holidays with a revised list that contains some my all time favorites and some new discoveries that have recently become indispensable elements of my tool belt. Not […]
For those who don’t know, I own a window restoration business in Orlando, FL called Austin Historical. Since 2010 we have been restoring windows in residences and commercial buildings all across the southeast US. From the very first days of my business the number one question I have gotten is, “Why is window restoration so […]
I often say that as a restorationist I’m a better editor than a writer, but this week I’m going full creator with a new DIY project to inspire you. I’ve got the coolest idea that doubles as a cooler for enjoying some frosty beverages on your front porch while at the same time serves as […]
I’ve built a few decks in my time and I can assure you that staining a new deck made of pressure treated wood is in some ways easier than restoring an older deck, but it has some unique challenges that trip a lot of people up. So you’re not one of those people who have […]
Board and batten siding is one of my favorite styles of wood siding that gives a classic, rustic appearance to a home. This type of siding has been around for centuries and has evolved in style very little over the years other than the use of new materials to replace what was historically only done […]
Google has a fantastic self-populating feature as you type in a search term so I thought it would be fun to see what Google thinks I’m wanting to know when I type “wood windows” into the search bar. As I suspected, the questions were more in line with infamous “false assumption” premise otherwise known as […]
All houses need some kind of maintenance to keep performing their best, and old houses are no exception. Actually, they typically need more maintenance than newer homes which can be a deterrent for some homeowners, but I think we should look at the situation a little differently. Homes built after WWII were designed with planned […]
Transom windows seem to have a bit of mystery about them. A lot of people don’t understand exactly what a transom window is so I figured that it was high time that this window guy wrote a post explaining the ins and outs of transom windows. A transom window is essentially another window above a […]
I’m a restoration contractor (state licensed Certified Residential Contractor) here in the state of Florida and I felt it was high time that people across the country could get a sense of what the typical costs are for historic restoration and old house repair. There are other websites like Home Advisor and Angie’s List that […]
Since even my spellcheck doesn’t recognize the three types of lumber in this title I think that’s proof enough that this is a subject that needs some clarification. The three ways of cutting lumber called plainsawn, quartersawn, and riftsawn are integral to determining how a piece of lumber will look and behave. Each cut provides […]
I know that not everyone likes bats, but there’s something that I know everyone dislikes for certain. Mosquitos. Do you know what eats mosquitos? Bats eat mosquitos. And…now we all like bats. The best way get rid of mosquitos is by installing a bat house in your yard. In this post, I’ll show you how […]
