It seems like everyone needs more shelves, no matter how many they have. Shelves are useful for storing things, organizing them or putting them on display. They can take otherwise wasted space and turn it into usable space, making the home more livable. There’s really no such thing as too many shelves; and plywood makes … Read more
Board and batten style has made a resurgence lately. While many people think of it as a “modern style,” it goes back over 200 years. Farmers, many of whom were European immigrants, used board and batten style to build their barns because it was an easy way for people who were not professional carpenters to … Read more
Ceramic tile provides a lower-cost, extremely durable alternative to hardwood flooring and is much easier to keep clean than carpeting. While not all that hard to install, tile and stone do pose some specific challenges that don’t exist with other types of flooring. To counter these challenges, it is typical to install a vapor barrier/uncoupling … Read more
As home space became increasingly scarce and fewer homes were built with basements, architects and home builders turned to putting the furnace and HVAC air handling unit in the attic. While this is a seemingly good answer to the problem of where to put the unit, it has pros and cons. The current design is … Read more
There are those who say that porcelain or ceramic tile should only be installed over a concrete floor and that they should never be installed over plywood. While there is some reasoning behind that claim, it’s a reasoning that comes from failure. If the plywood subfloor is not properly prepared to support the tile, there’s … Read more