Q. We just bought our first house, an American Foursquare, dated 1917. It has been vacant for several years and the interior is not in the best condition. We'd like to gut it to get rid of the sagging ...

Flaking and cracking plaster are relatively minor maintenance items, but when the plaster starts to sag or "belly" out from a ceiling, it indicates deeper problems that require your full attention If ...

Q. How important is it to repair plaster before repainting? Our ceilings have peeling paint that we’re pretty sure was caused by past water damage. Since the water problem is no longer an issue, can ...

Q. We're buying a house that is probably close to 100 years old. It has been vacant for the past several years and needs a good amount of cleaning up and fixing up. One thing we're concerned about is ...

Ken Wildes crouches next to a cardboard box and plucks out a rose hand-formed from clay. He holds the rose in his fingertips and points out the flaws. See how the petals are pressed together? A ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Ornately styled plaster ceiling - Catherine Mcqueen/Getty Images The ceiling may not be the first place you look when you begin ...

Lexie is a former Staff Writer at Forbes Home and has over 6 years of professional experience as a writer and editor in the home improvement space. She's previously worked at sites such as HomeAdvisor ...