Smoke, Paint and Grout: Top 10 Brownstoner Forum Posts of 2017

Every day, perplexed homeowners and renters look to the Brownstoner Forum for advice on a range of issues, from renovation tips to navigating the permit process. This year, the most read posts addressed tenants’ rights, lead paint and the safety of radiators.

If you are a longtime Forum reader, this year’s most popular post should not come as a surprise: Year after year, it attracts the highest readership.

10. Should I Use Grout or Caulk for Bathroom Tiles?
Getting ready for a bathroom spruce-up, a homeowner is wondering whether they should use grout or caulk around the bathtub.

9. Is Skim Coating Necessary?
A homeowner is balking at the cost of a painting job that includes skim coating and is wondering whether they should trim the costs by skipping that step.

8. How Do I Get Paint Off My Stainless Steel Sink?
Painters used a brand-new stainless steel sink to clean their brushes, leaving dried out paint behind. The owner is looking for ways to remove the paint without harming the finish.

7. Keeping the Smoke Out
A co-op owner lives above a chain-smoker and has tried to block the smoke but nothing seems to be working.

6. Tenants’ Rights When a Ceiling Collapses
A ceiling collapsed in a rental and one of the roommates is trying to figure out how to get the landlord to help pay for moving expenses. Forum readers responded with some strong opinions.

5. Keeping the Drain Clear
A homeowner’s basement keeps flooding because the exterior drain gets clogged with leaves.

4. Is a Radiator a Fire Hazard?
New to living with an old-fashioned radiator, a reader wonders if having their bed linens so close to the heat is a fire hazard.

3. Installing a Dryer Without a Vent
There’s no place for a vent in the basement where a homeowner wants to install a dryer, and they are wondering if there are any other options.

2. Sanding and Lead Paint — How Dangerous Is It?
Someone sanded down some molding and found lead paint beneath it. They weren’t here for chiding — they turned to the Forum to find out how hazardous the act could be.

1. IKEA Returns (Without Receipt)
This reader had a query about returning items to IKEA without a receipt in hand, and whether or not they could still get store credit.

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