Today’s Homeowner Radio

Listener Questions

danny-lipford-joe-truini-radio
Danny Lipford and Joe Truini
Runaway Floorboards

Billie in Texas says, “We have an older home with beautiful oak hardwood floors. They are buckling throughout the house. We have 12mm sheet plastic under the entire house to create the moisture barrier, yet the floors continue to buckle. In some parts of the house the floors are actually tripping hazards they are buckled so much. Any suggestions on how to stop the buckling and then repair the floor.”

Help Needed! Curbless Shower Installation

Kathleen in Nebraska says, “The master bath has a small shower and a whirlpool tub, I wanted to take both out and put in a walk-in, curbless, shower. I had a contractor who told me to tear out til and he would come back but then the floods hit Nebraska and his family was flooded out and he has NOT returned. I am at a loss now as to what to do.. it has been months now and the master bath shower is unusable. It is down to cement board. Help? “

Prep Before the Mess

Dawn in North Carolina says, “I have those nasty sprayed on ceilings, they are in dire need of ceiling paint. How is the best way to paint and what brand of paint do you recommend?”

Keeping the Bugs Out!

Braedon in Alabama says, “This time of year we are in what’s called Love-Bug season.  I keep finding them inside of my house even when I know a door or a window hasn’t been opened. How are they finding a way inside?”

A Safer Shower

Laura in Missouri says, “We are remodeling a master bath, and we want to be able to live in this house as long as possible. So we are considering a combination of a zero-threshold shower and a safe floor covering. So far, however, it seems these two ideas are incompatible. We are only seeing the option of a hard tile floor for this type of shower. But hard tile seems unsafe as we get older, in both slickness and hardness. Is there a compromise floor material that meets both needs and retains value for the home?”

Kitchen Project Finished

Linda says, “My husband and I are fans of Today’s Homeowner show and watch every episode.  Before we started our kitchen remodel project, we saw a two-part show featuring a kitchen remodel.  Originally, we had planned to have new cabinet doors and drawer fronts made by a cabinet maker; however, the two-part program showed almost identical cabinet fronts as ours and Danny suggested to that homeowner to sand and paint the cabinets.  My husband and I looked at each other and both said aloud, “We can do that!”  And, we estimated that by doing the sanding and painting ourselves, it would save us over a thousand dollars as opposed to having new doors and drawer fronts made by a cabinet maker.  

We started our remodel by selecting the granite countertop from a slab we saw at a local installer.  The granite work is the only thing we didn’t do ourselves, except we had one cabinet door made.

Thanks to Danny’s suggestion, we were inspired to tear down a hanging cabinet over the peninsula separating the kitchen and dining room.  We were fearful of finding no texture (or worse) on the ceiling where it hung.  But, Danny assured me that there is usually texture on the ceiling.  He was so right.  We still need to paint our ceiling someday, but that project will have to wait a while since the area is quite large and we need to catch up on chores we put off.

The remodel was completed on 8-31, taking only2 months with us working on average 5 hours per day.  BTW, we’re both retired senior citizens! Our kitchen is open, bright, and very user-friendly.  

Thanks again for the inspiration and advice!”

Before image of Linda’s kitchen
After image of Linda’s Kitchen

Simple Solutions

Removing Painted Moldings
joe truini

Before prying painted wood moldings off the wall, take a sharp utility knife and slice through the paint seal along the top edge of the molding.

Sawdust Collection Tip

It’s easier and quicker to sweep the floor of a woodshop or garage, rather than vacuum it. But a wet/dry vacuum can still make the job easier. Here’s how!

Best New Products

LG Craft Ice Instaview Refrigerator
Knock Twice for an Instant View

A lot of planning goes into any big purchase for your home. But, what if we told you that you need to put the same kind of thought into buying a refrigerator as you would buying a car. No, you can’t test drive the fridge but these days they do have enough features that they warrant some research. One great example is L G’s Craft Ice Instaview Refrigerator.

Products Mentioned

LG

Wet & Forget

Custom Building Products

Schluter

Broan

Phantom Screens

Metal Roofing Alliance

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.

Learn More