Flooring

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  Q&A: Cure for Wet Basement

  Q: We are working on a house with water in the basement. The homeowner got a bid from a specialty contractor for a comprehensive dewatering system that includes injecting a coating around the outside (without digging up the soil) and cutting the slab to install an interior perimeter drain connected...

   

• A Contractor's Guide to Carpeting (Subscriber content)

  Laying carpet isn’t as easy as it looks. It requires preparation by the contractor and a knowledgeable installer. Also: Carpet and Air Quality

   

• Q&A: Insulating Old Plaster Walls

  Q: What is the best way to insulate and vapor-proof an existing plaster wall without demolishing the surface?

   

• Coping With Shrinking Wood Callbacks (Subscriber content)

  Whether it’s framing lumber or finish flooring, wood shrinks and swells, causing problems in your finish work. Here’s how to prevent callbacks.

   

• The Practical Healthy House (Subscriber content)

  Demand is growing for homes with fewer harmful materials. An architect/builder gives his description.

   

• Waterborne Finishes for Hardwood Floors (Subscriber content)

  Originally developed to comply with solvent regs, water-based finishes are now winning converts. A flooring contractor tells how to make them work.

   

• Building With Style: Combining Paint and Natural-Finish Trim (Subscriber content)

   

• Building Stairs with Stock Parts: Part I (Subscriber content)

  An experienced stair builder gives step-by-step instruction. In Part I, this month, we cover layout and installation of finish skirts, risers, and treads.

   

• Floating Hardwood Floors (Subscriber content)

  Longstrip floors, manufactured and prefinished in Europe, install quickly and can go over almost any level surface. An industry consultant explains how.

   

• Inside Influences: Trends in Home Design (Subscriber content)

  Changes in the way Americans live; others are just whim. Either way, it pays to pay attention. Here’s a room-by-room look.