Last week, I helped Mary Ann, a 70-year-old newlywed, solve a vexing problem in a home she and her husband bought. In just 15 minutes, using my transcribed phone call service, I saved them perhaps ...

I’ve refinished a number of furniture pieces and wood trim when matching an existing stain was important. I’ve had far better luck getting stains matched by the staff at the paint store than I’ve had ...

Q. The grout on the ceramic tile on the wall and floor of the master bathroom of our new home was supposed to be the same color, but the floor grout is much lighter. The builder and tile company agree ...

Q. I have natural stained wood kitchen cabinets which are beautiful. The door on one got broken and needs to be replaced. What is the best procedure for trying to match its finish to the old ones? A.

Tinting toners and tinting toner stains are important elements in making wood color look uniform and as bases for a variety of specialty finishes. One definition of "tone," used as a verb, is "to ...