Practical Solutions To Everyday DIY Challenges!
Techniques and Tips For Cleaning Rust From Concrete Remove stubborn rust stain fast and easily. Many homes have concrete and blue-stone walkways, steps and patios. The problem is rust stains can occur from patio furniture, umbrella stands, fire pits or toys. These stains can very difficult to remove. Detailed below step by step are the necessary functions showing you how to remove a rust stain off concrete or bluestone. It's EASY to … [Read more...]
Everything has a lifespan ~ choose your materials to last: This week we were called to a home to repair a porch. As soon as I saw this porch listing to the right it was obvious that non-pressure treated wood was used. I broke the news to the homeowner that we would need to completely re-build her porch from scratch. What many people do not grasp is that it sometimes involves more money trying to repair something that is too far gone, … [Read more...]
On a recent Concord Carpenter TV Show we installed a Therma-tru fire rated garage door. I was impressed with the Therma-Tru’s fire-rated, fiberglass door. What Is A Fire Rated Door? Fire-rated Doors allow you and your family time to escape in the event of a fire. A fire rated door is designed to have more resistance to fire and is used to reduce the spread of smoke and fire. In residential construction and remodeling we typically … [Read more...]
An innovative, cost saving solution This is the back side of a garage I'm working on. The garage is set into a hill and has a walk in storage area below it. What I liked the most and wanted to share with you was the innovative way the owner decided to deal with the rotted 100 year old windows. Instead of replacing them or boarding up the window he removed the window sashes and the applied exterior shutters. The shutters are an … [Read more...]
Installing A New Double Front Door And Multi-Point Locks: Dear Concord Carpenter, I want to replace the original double front doors on our late 50's deck house. My wife wants to use double front doors again, but I have never had good experience with them sealing, locking, working right. Any thoughts? Also, I was considering ordering the door and maybe a sidelight online and doing the job myself. I would say I have intermediate skill … [Read more...]
Benefits of Fiber Cement Siding In today’s home renovation market, the trend of using fiber cement siding has skyrocketed. Consumers have found themselves more attracted to the sturdy fiber siding than the traditional wood homes have featured in the past. But there is so much more to this particular type of siding than meets the eye. Here are some of the top benefits to fiber cement siding that consumers sometimes overlook: 1) Unlike wood … [Read more...]
If you've ever trimmed out an exterior door you know that the skirt trim [board under the door] needs to be tight and secure to help support the threshold. the problem is betting it to fit under a slightly beveled threshold and the porch or deck below it. Here's an easy tip that I use, it also works well in other trim and carpentry situations. 1. Measure your exact with from top to bottom. 2. Rip a board to your measurement with a … [Read more...]
Dear Concord Carpenter, I own a Dutch Colonial style two-story house. It is brick on the lower story and 1960s era Masonite type siding on the upper story. Roof is Gambrel. The windows were replaced by the previous owner and do not have visible sills or casing. I want to replace the windows as well but don't know what to do that would truly be traditional. But my primary question at this time is that I want to remove all siding, building … [Read more...]
Robert Robillard is the Editor of A Concord Carpenter, Host of the Concord Carpenter cable tv show and the Principal of Robert E. Robillard Finish Carpentry & Renovation, LLC, a carpentry and renovation business located in Concord, Massachusetts.
He writes on all aspects of home improvement and remodeling, specializing in problem solving for all aspects of home maintenance.
In his spare time he enjoys reviewing new tools and products and restoring old tools back and using them on projects: A Concord Carpenter.
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