Mason,

I have read and seen a lot in the media recently about the dangers of radiation from granite countertops.  I have always thought that stone tops would be a great improvement to my own kitchen, but now I am concerned.  What do you think?

Lisa C., Richmond, VA

Lisa,

I recall way-back-when, we made fun of the saccharin / cancer scare.  How many pounds of sweetener could one possibly gorge a lab rat with, and did that have anything to do with our own use?

Well, I have not dedicated years of my life to the type of scientific research that generates these assertions, so my opinion is based on

Question for Mason:

We are finally after 4 years re insulating our kitchen walls. The drywall has been removed as well as a layer of old barnboards.  We have reinsulated and the vapor barrier is in place.  I like the idea of putting the barnboards back and having a rustic looking kitchen wall.  My question is how would you refinish barnboard? (this board is really old and has a rough dark colour to it).  And what would I use to fill the gaps between boards? 

-Tracy H

Tracy:

Wow!  This sounds like an exciting project with the prospect of adding a very unique finish to your kitchen walls.  I love

Some of the earliest signs of the present economic troubles appeared in the nation's housing industry.  Presently, new home starts (as indicated by permit activity) have dredged 25-year lows, and existing home sales have fallen even as they become seemingly more affordable amidst heretofore unseen devaluation.  As lenders tighten their practices, real estate finance has become markedly more conservative, decreasing the ability for many to obtain credit for purchases and improvements.

While the daily headlines emphasize these and other domestic economic problems, is it any surprise that

Mason,

About 12 years ago we had our kitchen remodeled in our 1925 home in Northside. It's a very narrow galley-style kitchen, and it requires having a side-by-side refrigerator--there's not enough swing space for a full-door model. We dislike the side-by-side because you can't really fit anything of any size in either side, but at the time that was our best option. So now, the fridge is dying, and we've started looking at 3-door models with the freezer on the bottom.

This is great, except that we can't seem to find one that will fit into the space that our current 66-1/4"-high model tucks

We are buying a 1922 stick built home.  In the back two bedrooms the walls are tongue and groove cedar planks.  My question is if we can remove the planks and reuse them as flooring else where in the house??
Thank you
Catie

Catie,

I certainly encourage all forms of recycling.  We should strive to make the most of our limited resources, and avoid waste wherever we can.

Generally, the most common forms of cedar, such as Eastern Red Cedar, may be used as flooring material.  Its color variation and grain patterns make it an interesting finish choice.

You should consider a few things regarding such