Expert Advice on Home Improvement

Before the stucco can be applied to the exterior of a house, cement board is cut to fit and attached to the walls with screws. Trim pieces around doors and windows are cut from foam blocks with fiberglass mesh embedded in the stucco to give added strength. Watch this video.

While expensive, concrete drives are durable and can be given a number of surface textures. To prevent cracking, reinforcement wire is embedded in the concrete, and expansion joints placed at regular intervals. Watch this video.

The key to a gravel drive is to make sure you have a good base of well compacted material before applying 4”- 5” of rock or limestone. Edging the drive with plastic, wood, or brick will keep grass from encroaching on the drive and prevent the gravel from spilling over into the lawn. Watch this video.

Though labor intensive, an asphalt drive goes down much faster than concrete, making it much less expensive to install than concrete. Before installing a new asphalt drive, be sure it has a good clay base and is properly graded and compacted so it will drain well. Watch this video.

Asphalt driveways can develop cracks and deteriorate over time. To keep your driveway in good shape, it’s important to clean, repair, and seal it every few years. Here’s how to do it. Watch this video.

When attempting to drill into ceramic tile, the glazed surface of the tile can cause the drill bit to wander. To solve this problem, apply two layers of masking tape to the spot to give the bit a surface it can grab hold of, then use carbide tipped masonry drill bit to drill into the tile. Watch this video.

When adding on to your home, it’s important to try to match the new bricks and trim as closely as possible to the existing house. To help you do this, take a picture of your house, along with several of the original bricks, with you to the brickyard. Watch this video.

Most driveways and patios develop a crack or two in the concrete over the years. These can be caused by everything from tree roots and movement of the soil to freezing and thawing cycles in the winter. Rather than breaking up the slab and pouring a new one, you might want to consider repairing it using a concrete resurfacer. Watch this video.

Danny takes a look at foundation cracks under a carpet and helps sort out when to worry and when not to. Many times these cracks are from expansion and contraction, but in the rare case of something more serious from settling, you may need to call in a structural engineer. Watch this video.

What is a pre-engineered masonry fireplace? Think of it as a fireplace that comes in pieces and is assembled on location like Lego blocks. These fireplaces install in a fraction of the time of traditional masonry fireplaces, while offering the same benefits traditional masonry fireplaces offer over metal fireplaces. Watch this video.

Spring means spending time outdoors and for many of us that means our own little backyard paradise. However a suitable surface for the barbecue grill, table, and chairs is a must. Here are some tips for creating your own custom paver patio. Watch this video.

Whether you’re creating a brick landing for a new set of steps or forming a small brick path, the trick is to get a nice sub surface to support the bricks. You’ll need a nice smooth surface but also one with a consistent depth, otherwise some bricks may be higher or lower than others creating a tripping hazard. To create a smooth surface create a screed (the same tool concrete finishers use to smooth out concrete). Watch this video.