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Found 80 results for the keyword(s) ‘Renovation’

  • Article

    Greenwashing

    What is GREENWASHING? How to avoid it as a consumer and how to avoid it as a legitimate business. Greenwashing is a term that dates way back to 1986, when a New York journalist complained about the cost saving tactic of hotels to get their clients to use the same towel for more than one day by a...
  • Article

    Renovation Planning

    There are many reasons why detailed planning is essential in renovation and construction.  Good planning avoids a lot of changes as you go, and often changes are very disruptive if you have to go back and rebuild something already done.  Good planning gives you a chance to see the whole picture, ...
  • Article

    Which Paint Is It - Latex or Oil?

    Determining, definitively, whether a given paint was oil or latex has always been a bit of a problem, but an important one as you can paint oil over latex, but not latex over oil unless you use a special 'super adherent primer' first. I used to recommend taking a bit of paint thinner on a clean ...
  • Article

    Weather Restrictions: Acrylic Latex Paint

    Connect to your favourite weather forecaster and look for the following conditions:   Category: Finishes     Product: Acrylic Latex Paint Temperature Limitations: Use above +10 C (+50 F) and below +32 C (+90 F) Rain Limitations: No rain for 24 hours Wind Limitations:  low to moderate to avoi...
  • Article

    Tips for working with Steel Studs

    For extensive videos on working with steel studs, follow this link to the Learning Curve. John from Barry, Ontario was asking about using steel studs for a basement renovation. As you might expect, there are pros and cons for any building material. Steel studs are often less expensive than wood...
  • Article

    MAINLINE BACKFLOW VALVE - stoping basement flooding from sewer line back-up.

    INSPECT, MAINTAIN OR INSTALL A BACKFLOW VALVE UNDER THE BASEMENT FLOOR BEFORE DOING ANY RENOVATION WORK IN A BASEMENT.  It is always easier to install while the floor is bare than after the finished floor is destroyed by a flood.   Sewage back-up through the floor drain is prevented by a thing...
  • Article

    Weather Restrictions: Asphalt Shingles

    Connect to your favourite weather forecaster and look for the following conditions:   Category: Roofing     Product: Asphalt Shingles Temperature Limitations: Use above +5 C (+40 F) for shingle installation.  Emergency repairs can be made down to -10 C (+14 F). Nailers must be adjusted in col...
  • Article

    The Business of Renovation -- Part 3 -- Seeking out the Contractor.

    Unless you have a great personal reference to a contractor, you will probably have to use the Yellow Pages, or an association list and start calling. Here are the kinds of questions to ask during that first contact on the phone. The objective here is to narrow the field to two or three contractor...
  • Article

    Kitchen renovation tips and selecting counter tops

      There are a myriad of choices for a new kitchen, from style to counter top materials – and choosing what is right for you has always been a balance between your “desires” and your “budget”.  This kitchen renovation tips article was written in 2003 in Toronto, but the basic information is still...
  • Article

    Hiding Cracks You Cannot Close

      Truss uplift causes cracks between the wall and the ceiling that open and close every year and you cannot plaster or caulk them shut.  For details on the cause and solutions to this problem follow this link. If you cannot do the major work required to prevent this crack from opening, or you j...