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The Best Sanders for Hardwood Floors of 2023
It’s possible to use just about any sander for hardwood floors, but some can involve a long, laborious, and uncomfort...
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Solved! How Long Does Polyurethane Take to Dry?
Q: I am reviving an old oak floor, and polyurethane seems like an attractive, hard-wearing finish. However, I’m findi...
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The Best Outdoor Wood Sealers of 2023
Wood is susceptible to mold, mildew, and rot if it is left exposed to rain, sleek, snow, and other moisture. Addition...
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The Best Water-Based Polyurethanes for Floors of 2023
Hardwood floors add beauty and value to a home, but they’re expensive. Treat them like the investment they are. Wheth...
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The Best Liquid Sander Deglosser for Your Workshop
Those who have tried to resurface a cabinet or old piece of furniture probably remember that roughing up the surface ...
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How to Refinish Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floor refinishing and sanding is unforgiving work. Make a mistake, and it will show. However, a refinished f...
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How to Stain Concrete
Homeowners used to think of concrete as strictly utilitarian stuff, resorted to only when a better-looking material w...
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The Best Deck Sealers Tested in 2023
For lots of folks, the deck is a place to make memories: relaxing, socializing, just enjoying life. But the elements ...
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The Best Fence Stains Tested in 2023
Whether adding privacy to a yard, accenting the garden, or keeping pets contained, fences can be the finishing touch ...
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The Best Wood Stains for DIYers and Pros
Wood stain is a paint-like product comprised of colorant dissolved or suspended in a solvent or other medium. It’s us...
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The Pros and Cons of Black Stainless Steel
What’s black and cool and red hot all over—in appliance showrooms and up-to-the-minute kitchens and laundry rooms? It...
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The Best Deck Stains Tested in 2023
Harsh UV rays, battering rain, and temperature extremes can take a toll on a wood deck, leaving it faded and dull. St...
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The Appeal of a Burnt Wood Finish
Whether you’re ready to build a new wood deck, furniture, or wood wall paneling—or aim to spruce up existing ones—you...
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Solved! Can You Paint Over Wood Stain?
Q: My childhood dresser is beautiful but the wood stain looks faded. I’d love to update it with fresh paint and new h...
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How To: Whitewash Wood
In contrast to a regular paint job, whitewashing brightens the look of wood surfaces while allowing their natural gra...
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Bob Vila Radio: Picking the Right Poly: Polycrylic vs Polyurethane
Don’t let their names confuse you: Though polycrylic and polyurethane may sit on the same shelf at the store, they ar...
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Which Finish Is Right for Your Hardwood Floors?
You finally decided on the perfect hardwood for your floors—whether that's a deep, rich walnut, a warm cherry wood, o...
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What's the Difference? Polycrylic vs. Polyurethane
Choosing wood for its natural beauty, depth, and glow over furniture that's made of manmade materials is an easy deci...
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All You Need to Know About French Polishing
If you’ve ever admired the extraordinarily glossy finish on an antique piece of wooden furniture or a wooden instrume...
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Bob Vila Radio: The Pros and Cons of Gel Stain
With traditional wood stain, you have a choice to make: do you choose a light finish that lets the wood grain shine t...
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Bob Vila Radio: Picking the Right Polyurethane
Trying to decide which polyurethane is right for your DIY project? Here are some points to consider. CM_BVNOTES-1744-...
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All You Need to Know About Venetian Plaster
The age-old surface treatment of Venetian plaster is making a comeback in modern homes.  Mostly used on interior wall...
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All You Need to Know About Gel Stain
When it’s time to finish a wood-based project, your options tend to seem at one end of the spectrum or the other: cho...
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The Dos and Don’ts of Bleaching Wood
When debating whether to stain or paint an old piece of wood furniture, consider this third, often overlooked alterna...
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How To: Crackle Paint
A coat of latex paint will add color to plain wood furniture—but not much else. To really beat the blahs, consider tr...
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How To: Paint Stucco
Stucco is a particularly popular exterior finish for homes in the Southwest, but it can also be found texturing inter...
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The Secret to Sanding Almost Anything—Without All the Dust
This post has been brought to you by Hyde Tools. Its facts and opinions are those of BobVila. com. If you’ve ever fin...
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How To: Stain Hardwood Floors
Hardwood flooring offers rich, warm, timeless beauty, and can even favorably affect the resale value of your home. Wi...
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Is Varnish or Polyurethane the Right Finish for You?
A coat of durable wood finish on your hardwood floors, fine furniture, and outdoor decking can mean the difference be...
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How To: Stain Cabinets
Of all the reasons to appreciate solid wood cabinets, there may be none more appealing than their virtually endless c...
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How To: Make a Tabletop with 2x4s
This DIY has a bit of a backstory: In my basement workshop—as a byproduct of about a half dozen previous projects—I'd...
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How To: Refinish a Dresser
Hold on a second! Don't get rid of that old wooden dresser just yet. Give it a second look, and this time try to see ...
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What Would Bob Do? Polishing a Concrete Floor
I am living in Spain and redoing an old house in the country. I'd like some of the floors to be polished concrete.  C...
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How To: Splatter-Paint Your Floor
 Here's an inexpensive and creative way to decorate a floor. Roll on a coat of deck enamel (the color of your choice)...
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How To: Paint Over Stain
 You can paint over existing interior wood finishes, if you take the proper steps first. Here's how. To paint over a ...
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How To: Make Your Own Milk Paint
Everyone knows that milk does a body good. But were you aware that milk also works wonders for walls and furniture? Y...
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How To: Texture Walls
Learning how to texture walls does more than transform boring-to-look-at surfaces into pitted, peaked, and otherwise ...
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Believe It or Not: 9 Incredible Faux Finishes You Can Do Yourself
If you're overcome by ennui at the sight of your space, a simple faux finish on a surface or accent piece might be just the touch to perk you right up! Here are 9...
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How To: Sponge Paint
 A decorative paint finish is a good way to customize an interior in only a short time. Use a latex glaze mixed to th...
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How To: Stain Wood Shingle Siding
 Here is a helpful tip if you are thinking of staining some cedar shingles.  To protect new shingles, apply a penetra...
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How To: Rag Paint
 Here's a way you can get a designer look for your painted walls. With a roller, apply an oil paint glaze over an alr...
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How To: Stencil a Wall
 You can hand-paint your own stenciled border. Use painter's tape to mark off straight edges; you'll find the tape pr...
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Quick Tip: Woodgraining
 Woodgraining is an artist's technique for creating the look of fine woods like mahogany. After two coats of a base c...
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How To: Varnish Wood (Varnishing Made Easy)
A durable finish for woodworking pieces, furniture, and flooring, varnish beautifies wood and protects it from scratc...
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How To: Protect and Beautify a Wood Deck
This post has been brought to you by Thompson's WaterSeal.  Its facts and opinions are those of BobVila. com. Choose ...
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8 Ways to Age, Distress, Gild, and Add Shine to Your Next Project
Unleash your full paint potential by using one of these decorative finishing techniques to add gloss and glitz to your next makeover.
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How to Stain Wood Furniture
The process of staining furniture is intimidating to many do-it-yourselfers, because special tools and chemicals are ...
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How To: Stencil a Floor
Add some color and pattern to a wood or concrete floor this summer by purchasing a couple cans of paint and a stencil...
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Paints, Stains, and More: Choosing the Right Wood Finish for Any Project
The reasons for applying finishes to wood surfaces are several. One is to seal the wood, in order to prevent moisture...
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DIY Wall Stenciling
Artisans Polly and Ken Forcier of MB Historic Decor joined Bob Vila on the Season 13 "Modern Colonial" project house ...
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How to Refinish a Bathtub
Want to replace your vintage cast iron bathtub? You may be surprised that a comparable antique tub, or even a period-...
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Cabinet Refacing: Should I or Shouldn't I?
Thinking about giving your dated kitchen a new appearance? Fortunately, there is a cost-effective alternative to repl...
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How To: Remove Varnish and Other Wood Finishes
Varnish, lacquer, shellac and other clear coats are applied to protect wood furniture and flooring from scratches, sc...
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How To: Restore Cabinet Finishes
Your kitchen gets a lot of use. So it doesn't take long to begin seeing signs of wear and tear on wood cabinets. Soon...
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Weekend Projects: DIY Furniture Updates
It's finally here—Friday! The weekend is a great time to relax, but it's also the perfect opportunity to bring simple...
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10 Creative Uses for Chalkboard Paint
To the surprise of no one, chalkboard paint is exactly as it sounds: when you use it to paint a wall, that wall becom...
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Old Wood Flooring: Replace or Refinish?
Recently my wife and I moved into a co-op. It’s kind of like a condo but with a few additional restrictions about wha...
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Bob Vila Radio: Finishing Fiberglass Doors
Fiberglass doors have been popular for years now as a durable, energy-efficient alternative to wood doors that can be...
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Bob Vila Radio: Paint Primer
If you’re taking on any last-minute holiday painting projects, here’s a primer on… primer. Listen to BOB VILA ON PAIN...
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Bob Vila Radio: Faux Woodgraining
Here's a thrifty way to dress up your home for holiday entertaining that's been around for hundreds of years. Since t...
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Bob Vila Radio: Stenciled Floors
If you don’t want to spend another holiday season with your worn-out kitchen floor, but the timing’s not right for a ...
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Bob Vila Radio: Removing Banisters
If you're putting off giving your front hall a facelift because re-finishing or re-painting the banister and baluster...
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How to Refinish Cabinets and Give Your Kitchen a New Look
Refinishing cabinets is one of the best ways to give your old, ho-hum kitchen a fresh new look, and it can make a big...
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Bob Vila Radio: Paint Stripping Tips
It’s not uncommon to find beautiful woodwork with coat after coat of paint obscuring its detail, especially in older ...
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Quick Tip: Try Faux Finishing
Faux Finishing: What Is It? If you’re looking for ways to personalize your space and you're ready to go a step furthe...
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How To: Dye Concrete Floors
Photo and text excerpted from Marrakesh by Design by Maryam Montague (Artisan Books, 2012)Dyeing floors is different ...
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Bob Vila Radio: Faux Painting
If you’re ready to go a step further than a simple coat of paint to personalize your home, try faux finishing. LISTEN...
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Quick Tip: Stripping Paint
Below the Surface It’s not uncommon to find beautiful woodwork with coat after coat of paint obscuring its detail, es...
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Constructing the Porch and Reviewing the Mechanical Systems
A big farmer's porch will run the whole width of the house. Bob discusses the boiler, which will heat the domestic hot water, radiant floor heating, and hydro-air...
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Installing the New Garage Doors
Bob talks with Robert Rainey of PJ Overhead Door as the new and improved garage door panels and tracks are installed on the Norwell home.
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Second-Floor Plans, Door Demolition, and Staircase Disassembly
Bob goes over plans for the second floor with architect Gregory Rochlin and then joins carpenter Bob Ryley for meticulous demolition and disassembly work.
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Touring the Completed Home Interior, Entryway, and Dining Room
Bob tours the front vestibule, highlighting the beautiful stencil work done by artist Kim Sweet. He explains how small touches can bring back the feel of an 1890s...
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Applying Decorative Painting Techniques
Bob meets with faux-painting expert Kim Sweet, who is applying a gold parchment effect on the master bedroom walls. Bob tries his hand at applying some color.
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Applying a Veneer Coat of Plaster over Blueboard
Bob interviews Carlos Londono, a plastering contractor, who demonstrates how to apply a veneer coat of plaster over blue board.
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Color Staining a Concrete Floor
Tom Moorad joins Bob to satin a concrete floor.
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Cherry Cabinet Installation
Gam Danziger from Craftline Cabinets reviews the assembly of the contemporary Cherry kitchen cabinets being installed in the penthouse apartment.
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Tour of the Julia Wood House in Falmouth, MA
Bob visits the Julia Wood House, home of the Falmouth, Massachusetts Historical Society, and takes a tour with Carolyn Power, the society's executive director.
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Wall Stenciling
Decorator Leslie Curtis joins Bob in the modern Colonial project house parlor to discuss the room's wall treatments.
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Wall Stenciling, Continued
Artisan Ken Forcier are applying the second "layer" of the stencil he's using to decorate in the parlor of the modern Colonial.
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Shaker-Style Mural Painting
Bob checks in with artist Polly Forcier (from MB Historic Decor) for an update on the decorative painting in the modern Colonial project home.
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Decorative Painting Techniques With B. Smith
Decorator B. Smith paint a lavender stripe pattern on a bedroom wall.
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Applying Veneer Plaster to the Stairway Walls
John Galvin is applying veneer plaster to the walls along the stairway.
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Faux-Finishing the Doors
Bob looks at the old doors, then meets with local artist Elaine Havaland, who demonstrates a faux-finishing technique.
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Plumbing Installation and Creating a Tile Mural
In the second Elmwood project house, a Colonial Revival, a new Kohler tub is installed, while homeowner Pat Simons, a ceramic artists, creates a tile mural.
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Final Tour of the Completed Second Home in the Project
The second home in the Elmwood project, a Colonial Revival, is complete, after the second-floor bathroom gets a new vanity, new doors for the laundry closet, and ...
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Porch Restoration: Custom Reproduction Moldings and Chatsworth's Columns
Porch restoration continues on the fifth Elmwood project house, with Forester Moulding and Lumber re-milling many porch elements.
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Discussing Cedar Shingle Siding
Homer Earl (from the Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau) explains what makes a quality shingle. The group takes a look at Sikkens Cetol shingle stain products, and Bo...
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Installing High-Gloss Laminate Cabinets and Surell Countertops
Cabinetry and countertops are brought in for this attic conversion project, and fiber-optic lighting is installed.
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Original Art and Contemporary Furnishings in the Finished Space
Bob takes a final tour of this unique third floor remodel and talks to the owners about their eclectic taste.
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Wood Floor Repair
Bob and homeowner Gavin repair and refinish a 75-year-old oak floor. Because the new patch floor panels have a different thickness from the original, a belt sande...
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Faux-Finishing an Antique Door
Bob meets with Rick and Martha Snyder to see how they faux-finish an antique door in such a way that reproduces the original look.
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Touring the Cabin's Interior Decor
Bob tours the cabin with the interior designer, Robyn Peterson. Under Robyn's direction, the mantle has been painted with a faux birch bark look, and the furnitur...
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Staining the Interior
Bob helps painting contractor Milo Moran roll solid stain over the yellow pine plywood walls on the boat storage side of the garage. Though not often applied insi...
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Wall Stenciling and Decorative Striping
Bob confers with artist Margo Datz about decorative striping and stenciling in the master bedroom. She demonstrates for Bob how to add a stencil pattern to painte...
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Painting the Bedroom Walls with Rag Rolling
Painter Gary Halzel is putting the finishing touches on the master bedroom walls using a rag-rolling technique.
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Building and Painting a Plate Rack
A plate rack for the dining room is built from scratch and is finished with a faux-antique paint job.
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Dressing Up the Floor with Paint
Artisan Terry Maiche demonstrates two inexpensive ways to dress up a floor with paint: spattering and stenciling.
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Exterior Paints and Stains
Bob talks about exterior paints and stains with painter Paul Stoliker.
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Repairing the Dining Room Floor
Contractor Tom Forest repairs a hump in the dining room floor, then revives the floor’s maple finish.
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A Sail-Wire Stair Rail and Rag-Painting the Basement
General contractor Ron Gan assembles an unusual “sail-wire” stair railing and decorator Christine Smyth rag-paints a basement wall.
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Faux-Finish Painting in the Master Bedroom
Bob meets with the painters giving a unique faux finish to the feature wall.
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Interior Tour
Bob walks through the remainder of the renovation, admiring the details and faux-finish painting that continues through the kitchen, living room and dining room.
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Installing a Solid-Core Cherry-Veneer Door
Bob helps general contractor Tim Berky put a solid-core cherry-veneer door on its bronze butt hinges, and install matching door hardware.
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