We’ve all seen one. That lonely dresser or side cabinet, just sitting on a neighbour’s front lawn, asking to be picked up and lovely refinished by you… These gems in the rough are often worth more than their original owners have bargained, and with a little help can be brought back to life.

In recent years, there have been frightening discoveries about the effects of cheap, or improperly made materials, such as the toxic China drywall and the problems that have been incurring from it. While this product issue is not necessarily a direct concern for residents in and around the Ottawa area, it is a strong reminder that we need to be more aware of what materials are being used in our homes, and our government’s duty to regulate such products.

If you love the look of hardwood flooring but you know that it is not recommended for use in a basement, then an engineered hardwood floor may be your preferred choice. Essentially most engineered hardwood is comprised of layers of plywood or fibreboard, with a wood layer on the surface. The layers of plywood or fibreboard make allowances for expansion and shrinking without causing the top wooden layer to warp or buckle as the humidity levels change.

The type of flooring you use for your basement and how well it's laid, will make all the difference in terms of comfort. No matter what choice you make, you also need a good subfloor. DRIcore is a basement subfloor that you can install before choosing your floor coverings. Lindencraft recommends engineered cork, as one of your basement flooring choices. Cork flooring is available as tiles which are glued in place or as floating planks.

This soft, insulating, sound suppressing, flooring is popular in basements as well as kitchens because of its durability. If you tend to do a great deal of standing this is the optimal floor choice as it allows for some give thus making it comfortable for your feet and your back.

This article looks at asbestos, the facts and the controversy. In researching this topic I have learned some “eye opening” facts about Canada's contribution to this hot topic of debate.

Asbestos facts

Asbestos is a mineral with crystals that can become long fibres. It has many unusual and interesting qualities. It does not decay nor does it rust. It strengthens another item with which it is combined and it is only combustible at extremely high temperatures. For all these reasons, it was in high demand when it was popular.

Whether you live in a brand new house, one which is a couple of decades old, or a century old home there comes a time when you may be wondering about your home's insulation. A new house may have only the minimum amount of insulation to pass inspection and so it may not be well insulated. Older homes may have been insulated with what was acceptable at the time, but the insulation may have suffered water damage or mice have chewed through it and caused extensive damage. Or, your home may be moderately well insulated and you feel that only certain areas require additional insulation.

Insulation is vital in keeping your house warm in the winter and at moderate temperatures in the summer. Roxul Insulation is made from stone wool and recycled slag. Stone wool is a known as being an excellent insulator, highly fire resistant, a sound absorber, water repellant and durable. Roxul insulation is LindenCraft's preferred choice for insulation because of all of these characteristics and because it is an excellent Canadian made product.

Ultimately homeowners and contractors want to see how well the paint ties in with the rest of the room. While it may be tempting to skip a step and go directly to painting, using a primer before applying paint to some surfaces has multiple benefits.

The Qualities of a Good Paintbrush

When choosing a paintbrush for your home renovation you might think that most paintbrushes will do the job.  At Lindencraft we have learned through experience that not all paintbrushes are equal.

One paintbrush, the Simms Quasar Professional Angular brush, is very effective.  We like this particular Simms brush because of the angular cut in the bristles.  This makes paint application easier and more accurate when doing the edging and cutting in.  It holds just enough paint at the tip to allow you infinite control when you are  painting trim, and edges. As an added bonus when used with the right paint, brush marks are almost invisible leaving a very smooth surface.

Urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) was used as insulation a number of years ago. There has been much controversy, research and discussion about whether UFFI is harmful. As a health and safety measure, the Canadian government has banned the use of this insulation.

Urea formaldehyde foam

In the 1950's in Europe, urea formaldehyde foam was first introduced as an insulating foam which could be sprayed into difficult locations. Urea formaldehyde resin and air were injected into walls and combined together they developed into urea formaldehyde foam. When it dried, it became a plastic type of foam. In the process of mixing and curing some amount of formaldehyde was released into the air. Although the gas is colourless it can be detected by its very strong smell. The gas become the issue with the use of UFFI.