An accomplished woodworker and carpenter,
Scott Gibson is the former editor of Fine Woodworking magazine,
and a former editor at Today's Homeowner and Fine Homebuilding magazines.Each week he tackles questions from readers - offering expert advice.
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Exterior Brick Walls and Acrylic Mortars
If you really have to paint exterior brick walls, give the mortar a chance to cure and use a paint that breathes. -
Preserving Ornate Ceilings
Paint strippers may be safe to use on an ornate ceiling, but test the surface first or consider safer alternatives. -
Fixing a Chronically Wet Basement
A wet basement is a problem worth solving, and the solution will not necessarily break the bank. -
Missing Mosaic Tile
Painting tile to match old mosaics is a labor of love, but don't look for long-term durability. -
Roofing with Cedar
Special roof underlayment helps wood shingles last longer, but don't forget to apply a layer of tarpaper first. -
Choosing a Bathroom Fan
Thanks to improved design, bathroom exhaust fans can be unobtrusive as well as efficient. Look for a model with a low 'sone' rating. -
Dealing with a Warped Bathroom Floor
A leaky toilet leads to damaged flooring and fears that subflooring may be deteriorating. -
Caulk and Moisture
Caulk can seal minor gaps to help keep rain and wind out, but it should not be used as a primary weather barrier. -
Removing Pet Odor
Try simple solutions first, but an effective treatment might involve getting advice from a vet or professional cleaning service. -
Treated Shingles
Chemical treatment prolongs the life of cedar shingles and retards the growth of mildew, but there are some environmental tradeoffs. -
Old Windows…Replace or Repair?
Unless windows have historical significance, replace rather than repair when they’re truly worn out. New windows will make the house more comfortable and lower energy bills. -
Chimney Liners
Repairing a chimney liner may seem expensive but letting this problem fester is not worth the risk. -
Treated-Shingle Toxins?
Chemical treatment prolongs the life of cedar shingles and halts the growth of mildew, but there are some environmental tradeoffs. -
Victorian Heat Efficiency
A pastor in England wonders if cast-iron radiators can heat as efficiently. -
Replacing Brackets and Corbels
Replacing Brackets and Corbels: New materials are often less expensive and need less maintenance than wood. -
Falling Plaster
Plaster Collapse: The partial collapse of an old plaster ceiling should prompt a thorough inspection and possible repairs. -
Swiss Sheathing
Holes in sheathing should not affect structural integrity or weather tightness of house, but could be a sign of water damage that must be repaired. -
Insulating a Ceiling
No matter where you live, for indoor comfort and energy efficiency make sure the roof meets or beats Department of Energy insulation guidelines. -
Battling Moldy Wallpaper
Mold can be troublesome to remove, especially when it's found a home in a layer of historic wallpaper. -
Fixing a Faulty Toilet
When repairing a toilet, make sure the replacement parts are compatible with the model you have. -
Maintaining Old Floors
Old floor boards don't have to be "fed" to stay healthy, just protected from ordinary wear and tear. -
Replacing Period Molding
Recreating missing period molding takes some sleuthing but a solution may be as close as the nearest lumberyard. -
Sealing Stone Foundations: Keep Water Out With Plastic Membrane and Footing Drains
Old stone foundations pose a challenge when it comes to stopping leaks, but footing drains and a plastic membrane should do the trick -
Repairing Old Stone Foundations
You'll need special skills and tools, or some old-fashioned good luck, to repair the underpinnings of an old farmhouse. -
Resetting a Toilet When You Change Your Flooring
Resetting a toilet on a new floor may require a closet flange extender to make a reliable seal. -
Keeping Bathroom Air Healthy
Mechanical ventilation is a good idea in any house, even if it means the loss of some conditioned air. -
Repointing Old Masonry
Using lime mortar to repoint old masonry prevents repairs from causing further damage to the building. -
Seal Cracks Between Boards for a Tighter, Healthier House
Cracks between boards in an old ceiling invite energy loss and could lead to moisture problems in the attic. -
Insulating a Cathedral Ceiling
We are building a house with a cathedral ceiling. The builder suggests using 2x8 tongue-and-groove boards for both the ceiling and the roof deck. The problem is insulation. -
Cleaning a Timbered Ceiling
We're renovating a late 1800s farmhouse and want to leave a portion of the ceiling exposed. It was previously covered with lath and horsehair plaster. Any suggestions on how to clean and finish the ceiling without losing the patina? -
How-To: Venting the Bathroom
Two bathrooms can be served by a single fan. Standard fans are designed for a single air inlet and a single point of exhaust. Remote fans can handle multiple pick-up points, either in the same bathroom or in completely separate bathrooms. -
New Support for an Old Floor
There's more than one way to take the bounce out of an old floor. -
Painting a Radiator
Revive the look of a cast iron classic with a fresh coat of paint. -
Battling Roof Moss
Attaching copper or zinc strips to the ridge of the roof will help eliminate moss. -
Fixing Leaks in a Stone House
When stucco is involved, repairs can be tricky. -
Relocating Cast Iron Radiators
Call the plumber, or DIY? -
Floor of woes
We're restoring old longleaf pine floors in our Victorian home. Any tips? -
When to hire a carpenter (or a contractor)
We're remodeling a bath and wonder if the carpentry is more than we can handle. -
When to hire a carpenter (or a contractor)
We're remodeling a bath and wonder if the carpentry is more than we can handle. -
Insulating an attic ceiling
We're renovating the attic in our hundred-year-old home. How can we assure proper ventilation? -
Replacing old wood screens
A few tricks and some advice on making new wooden window screens -
Bull’s eye glass
Mounting a piece of antique window glass -
Adding photovoltaic panels to a roof
Before spending money to go solar make sure your roof is in good repair -
Reviving an old floor
Traditional wax finish can breathe new life into a vintage wood floor -
Buckling floor won’t stay fixed
Get to the root of the problem before treating the symptoms -
Bringing an old chimney up to par
I've been told the bricks in my chimney are disintegrating. What now? Should I line it? -
Adding insulation to cathedral ceilings
What's best - inside the house or atop the roof? And, what about ventilation? -
Curing paint failure problems on old walls
Help! I painted the walls of my 1935 house - and now the new paint is peeling off in strips. -
Leak-free ceramic tile surrounding a bathtub
What’s the right thing to do around the tap and shower fixture areas? Should I be doing any caulking before I tile that wall? -
Oops! My foundation is longer than my new house!
Our modular home builder messed up. What should I do now? -
Deck details - using compatible materials
Pressure-treated lumber and aluminum flashing don't mix. Here's what to use so that an outdoor deck will stand the test of time. -
How to install a footing drain in a cellar
As the saying goes, the devil is in the details. -
Saving the old look of an exposed ceiling
Like that rustic barn look? Consider building a new roof over the old one. Here are planning tips for this job. -
More fixes for old doors that stick
Sometimes doors stick because of loose screws. Here's how to fix the problem ... and how to trim doors if you must. -
Repairing a ceramic tile bathtub enclosure
Murphy's law of old-house bathrooms: There's no such thing as one bad tile. -
Pinhole leaks in copper water lines
"What’s the problem here … and how should we deal with it?" -
How to repair sagging plaster ceilings
Plaster washers work some of the time. But glue may be a better solution. -
Installing a ceramic tile floor in an old house
Old floors often have too much bounce for tile. Here's how to correct this problem. -
GFCIs ... or ground fault circuit interrupters
They're required in new houses. Should I install them in my older house? -
How to repoint old stone and brick walls
That bag of ready-mix mortar can be mighty tempting - but can also damage your home. -
Triple-track aluminum storm windows & old houses
Are they effective? Should you spring for new sash? Here's the surprising answer. -
Bathroom exhaust fans
Today's fans are quiet and effective. They're worth the trouble and expense of installing them. -
Curing those wet basement blues
Old cellars leak ... but they don't have to be wet. Here's how to correct common problems. -
Electrical issues in old houses.
When is time to replace old electrical wiring with modern materials? -
My poor, aching roof!
Thoughts on stripping old roofing, and repairing old sheathing boards. -
Sheathing, tarpaper and clapboards
The clapboards on my old house are nailed directly to the frame -- with no sheathing. Should I rebuild my walls? -
Installing your own kitchen cabinets
With a bit of planning, most do-it-yourselfers can handle this job. -
Replacing an old toilet
Replacing a toilet is a job most of us should be able to handle. Just be aware of a few trouble spots. -
Frost in the attic - a sign of trouble?
My home has frost in the attic. What causes this frost? Will it cause any harm? Can I cure it? -
Flashing - What is it and why is it important?
Without flashing, there's nothing to prevent water from seeping into your home's siding and framing -
A rotted sill - What now?
"Our deck wasn't flashed - and now the sill where it was attached to the house has rotted." -
Tankless water heaters - a good choice?
Tankless, on-demand water heaters save money over some (but not all) heaters that use a tank. -
The essential old-house toolbox
A dozen indispensable tools for renovating a house
