To install laminate wood floors, mark a reference point for the flooring, do a dry layout, apply the glue with a trowel, and install the flooring with a tongue-and-groove system. Use a rubber mallet and spacers to get laminate wood flooring in place with instructions from a home repair specialist in this free video on laminate wood floors.
Installing Windows and Doors
Engineering developments have produced windows that are much more resistant to air leakage and thermal transmission than ordinary single glazed units. Consider this: Double glazing (two layers of glass separated by an airspace, often called insulating glass) generally offers twice the R-value (resistance to heat transfer) as single glazing. Double glazed windows with low-E glass (windows treated with a low emissive coating, a microscopically thin metallic layer that permits the passage of light while reflecting heat) generally offer twice the R-value of ordinary insulating glass units.
Installing Windows and Doors
Setting Clad Doors
Popular because of their superior insulating properties and easy maintenance, steel-clad entry doors change some of the rules of installation. Unlike solid wood doors, these units always come pre-hung. Steel-clad doors must never be used in conjunction with storm doors; that would create a heat trap, which might cause the face of the steel-clad door to warp.
Installing Windows and Doors
Installing windows and doors is the next step in establishing the integrity and weather-tightness of the house envelope. While the number and style of windows and doors specified for your project are key aspects in defining your home’s appearance, the technical specifications and the manner of installation also have tremendous impact on the quality of light, ventilation and energy-efficiency of your home.
Avoid Replacement Window Rip-offs
If you’ve ever shopped for replacement windows, you know that it can be one of the most confusing and frustrating quests you’ve ever engaged in. There are many different options—vinyl, aluminum, wood, fiberglass. And what’s the best system—sash only? Sash in a unitary frame? A whole new window? Complicating the issue is that the replacement window business is famous for high-pressure sales tactics, bait-and-switch marketing tactics, widely varying prices and more than its share of questionable customer service.
