Painting an Older House: The Lead Question First
A practical guide to prepping paint on a pre-1978 house safely, covering lead dust risks, the EPA’s RRP rule, and what to settle before you start.
Finishing a Basement in Louisiana: Permits, Ceiling Height, Egress and Waterproofing
Explains Louisiana’s permit process, ceiling height and egress rules for basements, plus how to tell a water leak from summer condensation before you insulate.
Bands and Stripes Down a Finished Wall
Why vertical bands appear when you lose the wet edge while painting, and when a lap mark needs a full recoat instead of a touch-up.
Roof Wind Speed and Heat Requirements in Louisiana
New Orleans’ 144 mph design wind speed crosses the impact-glazing threshold under the code edition currently governing most Louisiana permits.
Finishing a Basement in Kentucky: Permits, Ceiling Height, Egress and Waterproofing
Kentucky’s code drops the alteration exemption other states allow, so basement egress, ceiling height and permits follow full new-construction rules statewide.
Painting a Kitchen: Grease Is the Whole Problem
A grease film on kitchen walls stops paint from bonding no matter how many coats you apply, and a degreasing wash before priming solves it for good.
Working Out How Much Paint You Need
Calculate paint quantity by measuring wall area, subtracting openings, multiplying by coats, and dividing by the can’s coverage rate, then box tins to match batches.
Finishing a Basement in Idaho: Permits, Ceiling Height, Egress and Waterproofing
A plain-language look at Idaho’s basement permit, ceiling height, egress window and moisture rules, with the figures a building department will check first.
Patches That Dry a Different Sheen
Flashing appears when patched or primed spots absorb paint differently than the rest of the wall, and spot-priming before the topcoat prevents it.
Filling Holes and Dents So They Do Not Show
Filler shrinks as it dries, leaving a faint ring where the patch meets old paint, and this piece covers the sanding, priming and second coat that make it disappear.