Q: I am remodeling my living room and would like to install a wide cove molding at the ceiling, but I need help in mitering the corners. Do I cut them at a 45-degree angle? Do I cope them? Any information would be greatly appreciated. --Steve H.

A: Crown molding is one of the most attractive and interesting molding features you can add to a room. It is also, however, one of the more difficult finish carpentry tasks to undertake.

Crown molding sits at an angle to the wall, as opposed to a base molding that sits flat against it.  more...

If you wander down the aisles of any home center or door shop, you'll probably be surprised at how many different doors are available. Add to that the thousands of possible door styles, sizes and jamb combinations you find in the catalogs, and you quickly discover that there is an overwhelming number of choices.

If you're in the market for new or replacement doors for your home, here's a brief overview of some of the basics to help with your shopping.  more...

Q: We have a 2 1/2-year-old house with cherry cabinets. The cabinets were finished in place, and the lacquer finish is now showing a white ghosting effect. The cabinet maker said we could stop this from spreading by applying carnauba wax. However, a furniture refinisher said the cabinets were sealed incorrectly, and the only proper solution is to strip off the finish and redo them. The builder said the original painter can fix them, but the painter says it's my fault, and that he guarantees his work only for a year. Help! --Patty P.  more...

Upgrading the level of your attic's insulation makes a wonderful difference in both comfort and energy efficiency, and in most homes it's also fairly easy to do. Here are some step-by-step suggestions for retrofitting attic insulation:

1. Check the level of your existing insulation. Take a trip up into the attic with a flashlight and a tape measure.  more...

Q: I have a question about fluorescent bulbs and power usage. I have been told that fluorescents draw the most power when they are turned on and almost no power to keep on. Therefore, they should be turned on and left on, and should not be turned on and off during the day because it would end up using more power in the process. Is that true? --Richard C., via e-mail.  more...

Q: I am a female homeowner; I love trees and have many all around my yard. I would like to use a chainsaw for some of my pruning; however, my guy friends caution me about using it, telling me stories about how dangerous they are.

I don't want to be all girly about this, but what's your opinion? I've never really had any safety lessons on chainsaw use. Is there something safer that would do the job? Right now, I just hire the pruning to be done every year. --Jillayne S.  more...

Q: I moved into a brand-new home last June. When I turn on the faucet in the master bedroom there is a strong odor that smells awful. The builder's plumber came out and cleaned out the pipe underneath the sink, but the smell is still there. What do you think could be causing this and what should I should do about it? --Ayoub D.  more...

Do you know -- really know -- where the boundaries of your property are? Most people don't, at least not with certainty, but there are instances where not knowing could put you at legal risk.

When you purchased your home, you should have been given a small map, typically just a photocopy of one portion of a larger map, that showed the size of your lot. Known as a plat map, it typically shows the length of each side of your lot, the name of the streets that border it, the tax lot number, and perhaps the legal description.  more...

Q: My 1920s home has part basement and part crawlspace underneath it, with a partial wall that separates the two sections. Is it a good idea to cover the dirt portion with plastic? Should I extend the wall all the way up so the two sections are separated? --Dan A.

A: It's fine to lay plastic over the dirt portion of the basement -- in fact, it's required by most building codes. The plastic acts as a vapor barrier to prevent ground moisture from getting up onto the wood members and insulation.  more...

In most kitchens, there is a simple appliance situated above your range or cooktop that often seems to be mistaken for nothing more than a big light fixture -- and in fact, the "builder's grade" range hood in many new homes really is little more than that. But your range hood serves a couple of very important purposes in the kitchen, and selecting the right one is something that warrants some comparison shopping.  more...

Q: I have some dark, blotchy areas appearing on my white vinyl flooring. The flooring is 18 years old, and I've been told that the glue is turning dark. Can I clean it, or is it time for a new floor? --Barbara D.  more...

It seems like something as tough as your concrete or asphalt driveway would be able to easily stand up to something as small as a drop of water. But the effects of rain and snow, especially if that moisture gets into cracks in the surface and then freezes, can do a surprising amount of damage to a driveway, walkway, wall, or other concrete, masonry or asphalt surface.  more...

Remember how hot your attic was when you went up there to check the antenna wire last summer? Remember that ice dam on the roof? Proper attic ventilation can help with both those problems, but how do you know how much you need -- and just as importantly, how much do you already have?

Determining what you need is simple -- all you need is the size of your house and a calculator. Attic ventilation should equal approximately 1 square foot of vent area for every 300 square feet of attic, so figure out roughly how many square feet the footprint of your attic is, and then divide by 300.  more...

For many years now, ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets have been a common site in bathrooms, kitchens, exterior receptacles and other areas where electricity might mix with water or other hazards to create potentially dangerous conditions. Now, you can take that protection with you while you work, in the form of portable GFCI cords and outlets. In fact, if you are a contractor, GFCI protection is an OSHA-required safety feature on every size and type of job site.  more...

Whether it's a deck, a fence, a wall or a horseshoe pit, when you're building with wood outdoors or in any area where lumber might be in contact with moisture or insects, you want to use a product that's going to last. For the majority of applications, pressure-treated lumber is the right choice.  more...