More stories about Q%26A

• Q&A: OSB Subfloor Over Decking?

  Q: We're building a four-season addition over an existing raised deck framed with PT lumber. Is it okay to install OSB subfloor sheathing directly over the wood decking, or should the decking be removed first?

• Q&A: Best Nails for Drywall

  Q: I can't find the blued ring-shank drywall nails I started hanging drywall with 30 years ago. All that seems to be available are cheap and flimsy drywall nails that bend too easily when I nail them in, rust as soon as I apply mud, and leave my hands covered with black ink. Why don't they make...

• Q&A: Best Pipe for Gas Lines?

  Q: In my area, only black iron pipe is allowed for gas lines. Is there a problem with galvanized pipe?

• Q&A: Pancake Boxes and Ceiling Fixtures

  Q: To retrofit light fixtures for old plaster ceilings that will be covered with new drywall, I plan to screw 1/2-inch-deep metal pancake boxes into the lathe of the existing ceilings and hang the new drywall around the boxes. But my electrician wants to cut into the ceiling and install deeper...

• Q&A: Cupped Hardwood Flooring

  Q: Can moisture condense on the back of a prefinished hardwood floor above an uninsulated crawlspace and cause cupping? The flooring was installed over 15-pound asphalt felt and an OSB subfloor; poly covers the ground underneath the dry and ventilated crawlspace of the 2-year-old home.

• Q&A: Floor Level of the Garage

  Q: Can the floor of an attached garage be at the same elevation as the floor of adjacent living space, or does there have to be a step down into the garage?

• Q&A: Nail Stains and Mahogany Decking

  Q: The mahogany decking we installed on a house last year has developed some dark staining around the stainless steel nail heads (see photo). The staining is worse on the front porch, which is covered, and not nearly as bad on the back deck, which receives full sun. Whats causing it?

• Q&A: How Safe is Spray-Foam Insulation?

  Q: I've heard that polyurethane spray-foam insulation may contain penta-BDE, a chemical that is called a "toxic flame retardant" by the EPA and has been banned in some states. How much of a risk does this chemical cause for the installer and the homeowner, and are there alternatives?

• Q&A: Using Nail Guns for Vinyl Windows

  Q: Is it okay to use pneumatic nailers to install vinyl windows, or would that void the manufacturers warranty?

• Q&A: Painting Composite Trim

  Q. Does composite trim have to be prepped and primed like wood, or can it simply be painted? And what kind of paint should I use?