Today’s Homeowner Radio

Danny Lipford and Joe Truini

Listener Questions

How to Pick the Perfect Shade for a Porch
Outdoor shade using a sailcloth
Get some relief from the sun using a sailcloth.
Charles needs some ideas on the best way to add shade to his new porch. Sailcloths are pretty affordable.  This could make great shade for the coming summer. they come in different shapes and sizes that Charles can pick from.  Sailcloths can also be unhooked and packed away when not in use.

Touching up Damaged Cabinets
White painted cabinets with modern hardware
Modern hardware installed on painted cabinets.
The edges of Lydia’s cabinets are in need of some repair.  The paint needs to be touched up in the kitchen and red dye has created an eyesore on sections of the bathroom.   Lydia should be able to color match the cabinets in the bathroom and kitchen.  Everyone makes a product that is a paint and primer in one.  Lydia can find a restoration primer from Zinsser, then go back over with topcoat.   she should be able to use acetone to remove the coloring on the edges of her 20-year-old cabinets.
Repairing a Lawn Damaged by Dogs
Dog sitting in the grass
How to keep dogs from damaging your lawn
Cathy’s two dogs are causing a “mess” in the back yard.  They pick the same spot at the bottom of the deck to relieve themselves, and now the grass is beginning to die.   We recommend Cathy look into purchasing pavers for that section of the yard.  This isn’t just for decorative reasons, but it will also allow Cathy to create a new path for the dogs.  She can change the slope of the yard using pavers.  Pavers also give the advantage that water can drain all the way through.

Simple Solution

Spray disinfectant being created from essential oils Homemade Disinfectant Spray

Spray disinfectants are great for killing germs on many household surfaces, but store-bought disinfectants are pretty expensive. Here’s how to make one affordably at home.

orbital palm sander
Here is how you can enhance your sanding project.
3 Ways to Enhance Sanding With an Orbital Sander

Here are three ways to enhance sanding with a 1/4-sheet orbital finishing sander. 


Wallpaper Formula

Wallpaper
Here is a helpful way to strip wallpaper. DepositPhotos.com
Formula to Strip Wallpaper: To strip wallpaper off walls, start by scoring the walls with a wallpaper perforation tool such as a PaperTiger. Next, cover the floor with plastic and mix the following wallpaper remover formula, as recommended by Brian Santos in his book Painting and Wallpapering Secrets, in a five-gallon bucket:
  • 3 gallons hot water
  • A 22 oz. bottle of wallpaper stripper
  • 1/4 cup fabric softener
  • 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons baking soda
Pour the stripper into a pump-up sprayer and spray the wall starting from the top. Spray the wall a second time to make sure it’s saturated. Cover the wet wallpaper with thin (0.7 mil thick) plastic sheeting, using a wallpaper brush to press the plastic in place. Allow the plastic to stay in place for at least three hours (overnight is better). Remove the plastic and peel the wallpaper off by hand, using a putty knife if needed.  

Best New Products

Chalky paint, Behr’s chalk decorative paint with Jodi Marks   Quick & Easy Antique Look In recent years it’s become popular to refinish furniture to create an aged, antique look using Chalk Paint. This paint is thick, so it doesn’t drip easily and covers well, with very little preparation. Specialty painters often mix their own formulas to achieve a flat finish that can be sanded to create a distressed look. But now BEHR Chalk Decorative Paint makes it easy for DIYers to create a trendy look with less hassle. 

Products Mentioned

Behr Zinsser Wet & Forget Flood
Editorial Contributors
avatar for Danny Lipford

Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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