Expert Advice on Home Improvement TV Host of Emmy®-Nominated Today's Homeowner® and home expert for The Weather Channel

Patching a hole in drywall is a common home repair, but sanding the joint compound smooth before painting can create a lot of dust. Instead of sanding the patch, consider using a drywall sponge. While it takes a bit longer than sanding, a drywall sponge greatly reduces the amount of dust in the air.

It can be frustrating to run out of caulking when you’re almost through with the job. What you may not realize is that there’s usually a little more caulking left in the tube that the plunger on the caulking gun can’t quite push out.

After the walls have been rolled and the paint has dried, it’s time to tackle the trim. Using an angled trim brush and straight edge guide, work your way carefully around the room. Avoid drips and try to keep a straight line where the trim meets the wall.

Trim around the windows, doors, baseboard, and ceiling before rolling the walls. A high quality roller cover makes the work go faster and can result in a big difference in the finished job. While lambskin covers cost twice as much as those made from synthetic fibers, they hold more paint and are worth the extra cost. Choose a roller cover with ½” to ¾” nap, since they hold more paint than smooth covers.

Painting is one of the most popular do-it-yourself projects for homeowners. While we all want to see how the color we picked will look on the walls, it’s important to remember that the key to a good paint job starts long before you open the first can of paint. If the room isn’t prepared properly, the results may be less than you had hoped for and could lead to problems that are hard to repair.

A lot of people are considering painting 70’s paneling in their own house. Danny gets some tips from a professional on just how to paint that paneling and its trim.

Removing wallpaper is always tedious work, but knowing how to do it properly can save time and elbow grease. No matter how easy it is to remove, your wall is likely to have some dings that will need to be patched up, not to mention the mess of torn wallpaper that will have to be swept off the floor.

Even though the EPA banned the use of lead-based paints in 1978, there are still potential hazards of lead poisoning around your home that you should be aware of. Any older home has the possibility of containing lead paint.

Boxing, or mixing, paint ensures a consistent, well blended wall color. First, take a clean 5-gallon bucket and stretch a piece of fiberglass screen (or any a paint screen) over the top. Secure the screen to the bucket with duct tape. Pour two or three gallons of the paint through the screen and into the bucket. Stir well, insert a roller screen and roll right from the bucket.

This plumbing trick is an oldie but goodie and works well when you need to caulk around the top of a tub. Scrape out the old caulk and fill the tub with water to weigh it down. If there is any flexibility in the wooden framing beneath, the tub will be at its lowest point. Create a guide for the new caulking by applying masking tape both to the wall and the top of the tub. Fill the gap around the tub with silicone caulking, let it dry overnight and drain the water.