Expert Advice for your Lawn & Garden TV Host of Today's Homeowner^® and home expert for The Weather Channel

Once upon a time, cabinets were built on site by trim carpenters. Today, that’s true only for the highest-end units. Most are now made in shops or factories, where the environment is ideal for controlling wood quality and craftsmanship.

Sanding isn’t typically that difficult when you’ve got a flat surface because the sanding pad or sandpaper you’re using is also flat. It becomes a little more difficult when you’re working with a round surface. Slightly modify your technique and it’s no problem.

Loose chair rungs are a fairly common problem but the solution can be simple. These joints (usually dowels) can be completely repaired. Begin by cleaning the old dried glue and any debris from the dowel hole.

Once you build a fence it is inevitable that the weather is going to take its toll on it. Fence posts that were originally cut square allow rainwater to soak right into the wood resulting in expansion and splitting of the wood. We’ve found that by cutting the fence posts at a slight angle the water drains right off rather than sitting and soaking into the wood.

If you’ve ever hastily opened a drawer only to have it fall out tossing its contents to your feet, you know how frustrating it can be to not have drawer stops. This tip should save you some from that frustration.

Drawers with wooden drawer guides often stick with age or changes in humidity. To smooth things out apply wax to the contacting surfaces and then lightly dust with cornstarch. Reapplication may be necessary with excessive use.

Bed slats that slide out of position are annoying if not dangerous and can create a bunk bed disaster. Add friction to the wooden slats by wrapping rubber bands around the ends of the slats where they contact the bed rails. This will keep them in place yet still allow the slats to be easily removed for repositioning the bed or for cleaning.