Holes larger than 2 inches.

With large holes, I recommend cutting out an area such that a new small piece of sheetrock can be applied to 2”x4” studs. For example, I would consider putting in a new 16”x16” piece of sheetrock for a hole that is greater than 2” in diameter and less than 16” in diameter.

The best method to remove piece of damage sheetrock is to use a Carpenters knife (razor blade) and score area where you want to cut out. Repeatedly apply knife until you have worked your way through sheetrock. When complete, you should have about ½” to ¾” of 2”x4” stud showing on each of two exposed studs.

Note: Care should be taken to ensure no wires are cut behind sheetrock when cutting out damaged piece.

Next, cut a piece of new sheetrock to size of hole, and secure with sheetrock screws or ringed sheetrock nails.

Next, tape cracks with mesh tape material mentioned above. Then as described earlier, apply three skim coats of Joint Compound, with each successive coat getting flared out further. Make sure you wait for Joint Compound to dry before applying next coat. Perform a final light sand after final coat has been applied and has had time to dry, and then paint.

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Solid wood is milled from one solid ¾" piece of wood. Solid hardwood floors expand and contract more than engineered woods and are particularly susceptible to moisture. As wood expands and contracts, it may buckle or it may leave gaps. Two common methods of counteracting these gaps include beveled edges and leaving expansion gaps—gaps between wood and wall—hidden by base molding.

You'll find most of popular wood species, such as oak, maple, cherry and others available in engineered wood. Sometimes called pressed wood, engineered wood comes in 3-ply or 5-ply versions—three or five bonded layers of wood. Engineered wood floors succumb to little, if any expansion and contraction and are perfectly suited for rooms susceptible to moisture. If you want wood floors in bathroom, kitchen or in any room where moisture accumulates, consider engineered wood for its greater stability. If you plan to lay a wood floor directly over concrete, you must install engineered wood to maintain structural integrity.

Wood Styles

Once you've determined species, wood grade and decided between solid and engineered wood, you can move on to fun stuff—the style. Common wood styles include:

 Parquet  Plank  Strip

Strips and planks are long, linear cuts of woods. The main difference is width of wood. Strips range from widths of 1 ½" to 2 ¼", while planks range from widths of 3" to 8". Consider strips if your goal is to create illusion of a larger room. Series of small wood pieces create parquet's geometrical design. Parquet floors complement large, airy rooms.

Select your hardwood floors with care; they can add beauty and warmth to your surroundings for a very long time, even a lifetime.