Wood floors are the crowning glory of any home. They’re beautiful, shiny and rich in hue and character. As gorgeous as they are, though, wood floors can sometimes be a bit of a challenge to maintain.

Q: We are negotiating to buy a house with cedar siding. It has a fairly new paint job, but the paint is peeling badly. What’s the best way to remove the peeling paint? The siding appears to be in good ...