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  1. Square Eye

    Redoing tiles around gas fireplace

    PL Sealants & Adhesives Available at contractor's suppliers. Usually not available at the big box stores. PL products are professional grade. They supply the big box stores with just enough product to make you wonder what else they have :)
  2. Square Eye

    Texture: paint first or prime first?

    Depends on the type of texture and the finish you want. Better read the labels, instructions or the manufacturer's web site first!
  3. Square Eye

    Can I double vapor barrier??

    Well, actually... You should never double a vapor barrier. When a wall does get wet, you could end up with moisture between the vapor barriers and it will mold before it dries. This has been an issue for homes with insulated foam board on the exterior and a vapor barrier inside. This is also the...
  4. Square Eye

    Is this dangerous?

    Well, It's not good That beam has been compromised by the crack and split but from here, I have no idea what kind of load you have on it. You might pull a string under it and check the deflection. If the beam is sagged substantially in that area, I'd replace it
  5. Square Eye

    ceiling beginning to sag

    The source of load, that is causing the deflection needs to be determined. It could be an odd brace in the attic, it could be a sinking support under the house, maybe a bad ceiling joist. Nearly every progressive deflection has a source that needs to be corrected before the deflection can be...
  6. Square Eye

    How many wires in a conduit?

    Sad sad sad... My experience in this same situation has been completely subject to the local area's electrical inspector. We could argue with each other, we could argue with the inspector but the inspector always has the last word before the power company will install a meter.
  7. Square Eye

    Sanding details on cabinets for refinishing

    Use a chemical paint stripper and a small brush to apply it just to that area. Then a handful of saw dust rubbed and ground into the detailed cut will work the paint loose. An old toothbrush will finish the cleanup. It's almost impossible to sand those finely detailed cuts.
  8. Square Eye

    crumbling brick wall

    No, sorry.. Thinset will only mask the underlying problem temporarily. It will pop off and you will have an even larger mess to deal with. You have one of those situations where a qualified contractor would be a necessity. And an engineer would be even better. Also, I'm sure someone will remind...
  9. Square Eye

    Solid Fir Nine Light, Glazing?

    Lay the door on padded or otherwise protected saw horses. Cut a 2 inch by 12 inch slot in a 2 foot square piece of plywood. Clamp the plywood to the door over the mullions using the slot as an edge guide. Use a router with a 1/2 dado bit and a pattern guide on the base to remove enough material...
  10. Square Eye

    Need input on Jacking up house

    That is possible, but you may be better off to replace those failed sections. It's extremely hard to get a good footing under existing work. You could easily end up with the same problem later down the road.
  11. Square Eye

    Garage insulation

    You could run batts or continuous lengths of fiberglass between the perlins. The vapor barrier on the bottom would prevent condensation under the metal.
  12. Square Eye

    Top layer of plaster peeling?

    Scrape off the loose plaster and patch it where it stops coming off. There could be so many causes for the loose plaster it would be impossible to tell you exactly why (from my desk here) but settling could have certainly contributed to it. Settling almost always results in cracking. Buckling is...
  13. Square Eye

    Loose Posts on Second Floor Railing

    A picture would certainly help us to see what you have to work with. Angled metal brackets are rarely a secure fix for a stair railing. To answer your question accurately, we really need to know how the post is anchored now.
  14. Square Eye

    Air conditioner venting

    When you say "vent into the garage", Are you saying you want to vent exhaust into the garage or are you trying to control the temperature in the garage?? Building codes do not allow a shared heat and air system in house and garage. The heat and air in a garage has to be a separate unit from the...
  15. Square Eye

    Real wood paneling in basement

    Well dang, I have no pictures but it's fairly typical in church basements and government buildings around here. Drywall on bottom would need to be at least flush with the face of the paneling or thicker. You could add strips to the studs to accomplish this... Looking for pics, will post any I find
  16. Square Eye

    Real wood paneling in basement

    You could, go up a bit higher and do a wainscot (plaster looking drywall bottom / paneled top) with a chair rail at the break line
  17. Square Eye

    Bathtub Spout Leaks Behind Spout (pics)

    http://www.faucetdepot.com/faucetdepot/ProductDetail.asp?Product=21231&AffiliateID=ChannelAdvisor&CAWELAID=47680704
  18. Square Eye

    ~ My first home, my first project. (not 56k friendly)

    Looks like you're having big fun :) The pics are GREAT! Thanks a ton for sharing. I'm sure we'll be referring folks to these pics for examples for quite a while.
  19. Square Eye

    Remodeling home...consult architect or interior designer first?

    The pros use an architect for the additional space then an interior designer uses the architects drawings to make the most of your new space. So, I'd say both :) BUT InspectorD is dead on again. Many of the contractors around here have architects on staff and can have the cabinetry designed...
  20. Square Eye

    York Stellar Plus won’t ignite

    Maybe he called a local pro?
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