Interior Finishes

• Inside Interior Doors (Subscriber content)

  New engineered-lumber cores have cut the cost and improved the stability of raised-panel doors. Here’s an overview.

   

• Clear Finishes for Interior Woodwork (Subscriber content)

  A trio of professional painters tell how to match a clear finish to the job and provide tips for blemish-free application.

   

• Installing Laminate Floors (Subscriber content)

  Plastic laminate, with its choices of colors and patterns, has moved from countertops to floors. We follow a professional flooring contractor as he shows how to lay a flat, durable finish floor with this versatile material.

   

• Prep Work for Clear Finishes (Subscriber content)

  Clear finishes magnify any imperfections in the wood underneath. For a top-notch job, knowing how to sand, stain, and fill the raw wood is more than half the battle.

   

• Brushing Up on Water-Based Paints (Subscriber content)

  Federal regulation of VOCs has made the change to latex finishes inevitable. A painting contractor explains how to get the same quality and performance from water-based paints that you were accustomed to with oil-based products.

   

• Q&A: Vapor-Retarder Paints

  Q: Do "vapor-retarder paints" really work? Can I rely on them as the sole vapor barrier in an old house? If so, can you recommend some brand names?

   

• Lead Paint Update (Subscriber content)

  With lead poisoning stories in the news, and state and federal regs swelling, remodelers are nervous. JLC proposes a commonsense approach to safeguard workers and clients, and avoid liability.

   

• Q&A: Vapor-Retarding Paint

  Q: I am residing an old house that is uninsulated. I plan to add foam exterior sheathing and blown-in cellulose in the walls. Is a vapor-retarding paint adequate to prevent moisture problems in the wall?

   

• The Practical Healthy House (Subscriber content)

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

   

• Eight-Penny News