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Wood bending may seem impossible—but it’s entirely possible. There’s more than just one way to do it. So, whatever your avocation or project, learn how to bend wood with this guide. How to Bend Wood: The Need-to-Knows Regardless of which of the following methods you choose, there are a few facts to understand about bending wood. For one, wood fibers are tough and rigid, so wood doesn’t want to bend. For that reason, it’s very easy to break wood while attempting to bend it, so adjust your expectations and don’t get discouraged....

If you’re looking for the best pest control companies, it’s important to explore all of your options. TruGreen, a leading lawn care company, doesn’t just offer fertilization and weed control—it offers a wide array of pest control services, ranging from comprehensive plans to targeted mosquito control. Not to mention, TruGreen has been in the business for decades and serves 2.3 million customers. Customers looking for a pest control company can get a quote through TruGreen’s website....

Pinpoint and Plug Air Leaks Now that temperatures are dipping, search for spots where your home is losing its heat. Check for drafts Wet one hand and run it around windows, doors, and heating-duct joints—the moisture will make it more sensitive to cold air. You can also light a stick of incense and see if the smoke changes direction as you move it along the same pathways. To close gaps around windows and doors, use adhesive-backed EPDM rubber or foam weatherstripping (shown: M-D Window Seal Foam, from $4....

Make the perfect purchases with this guide to style, size, arrangement, quality, and (if you must) assembly Furniture provides comfort at home while letting us express our personal style, so it’s as much about form as function. As with clothing, we want it to work—and we also want it to wow. But while fashion is fickle, furniture is more of a commitment; we’ve got to make decisions we’ll literally live with....

Thanks to the magic of the Internet, you can learn how to do virtually anything at home, such as replacing a toilet (knowledge IS power). Whether you want to hone in on your home improvement skills or learn a new craft, there’s an online class for you! Some of these courses come with multi-step modules and video and some are even free of charge. Here are some top-rated courses that we hand-picked for you:...

With an expansive family and plenty of friends popping by, “the last thing we wanted was a sterile environment,” says Sandy. “We wanted warm and welcoming spaces, where our family would feel completely at ease.” And that aesthetic started at the front door. Welcoming entry A double door issues a wide welcome at the main entry of the house. Tucked between the barn and the garage, the entry benefits from a sheltering roof....

You might assume a rolling ladder belongs in a dark-paneled library filled with brass lamps and leather-bound first editions. But such a handsome and useful piece works equally well in a kitchen, to reach high cabinets; in a family room with a towering bookcase; or even in a cheerful reading nook, like the one at right. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Hardware kits typically include rollers, wheels, and fasteners for the ladder; you’ll buy the track separately and cut it to length....

General contractor Tom Silva takes us on a house call. He meets a father to help him finish a case for his son’s championship baseball bat. The case needs a glass-front door and a way to mount the bat, and Tom has a few ideas. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time How To Build Your Own Baseball Bat Display Case The first step in building your own baseball bat display case is to find or construct a basic box for the bat and any commemorative items....

Steps for Updating Wood Stair Treads and Risers Start by checking underneath the tread to see if there’s a scotia molding bridging the tread with the riser. If there is, remove them all using the prybar. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Use the prybar to pry the tread slightly away from the riser. Once there’s a sizable gap between the two, slide the reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade on top of the stringer but underneath the tread....

This story originally appeared in the Winter 2021 Issue of This Old House Magazine. Click here to learn how to subscribe. One of the habits I’ve carried with me since my days as a carpenter is always wearing a tool belt when I’m doing projects around my house. Having the necessary hand tools readily accessible improves my efficiency—and the result. These days, I tackle most repair and remodeling tasks on my own, whether carpentry, plumbing, or electrical....

Here’s the good news: The chemical additive you use to purify the water, whether it’s chlorine or bromine, will keep the water clean for three months or longer, depending on how frequently you use the tub, so there’s no need to empty it more often than that. But you will want to replace the water and start fresh every few months or so, or your hot tub will start to look and feel pretty grimy—or, worse yet, be contaminated by bacteria....

In this video, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook and chainsaw expert Tim Ard cover safe and efficient chainsaw cutting techniques. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for Using a Chainsaw Be sure to wear the proper safety gear while chainsawing, including a hardhat with face shield and hearing protection, thick work gloves, ballistic-nylon chaps, and non-slip work boots. Fill the chainsaw with gas/oil mixture; refer to the owner’s manual for the correct proportion of gas to oil....

Previous episode: S21 E11 | Next episode: Posting on Feb 6, 8am ET In this episode: The entire team at Ask This Old House is partnering with an organization that focuses on giving back. Rebuilding Together Boston is a local chapter of a nationwide volunteer organization that fixes homes and revitalizes communities, and it has a very special project it’s working on in the heart of Dorchester, Massachusetts—a neighborhood in Boston....

Sealing gaps around doors and windows can make your home feel warmer—and save you 10 to 15 percent on your energy bills. But with so many different types of weather stripping lining shelves at the hardware store, choosing the right one for a particular job can feel like a guessing game. What Kind of Weather Stripping Do I Need? To help with DIY weather stripping projects, we’ve broken down the most common options by material and profile so that you’ll know just what to install to chase away the chill....

Over the course of my career as a remodeling contractor I’ve owned a few different work truck setups. I called an old van my “work truck” for a while, and upfitted it with a customized pullout tool storage rig. It did a sufficient job at hauling our tools around, but materials were always a hassle. I then hauled a trailer behind a traditional pickup for several years, but I learned over time that this isn’t a great option for the narrow roads and heavy traffic we contend with daily....

The noble trellis comes in many shapes and sizes, all in the service of giving flowering vines an attractive scaffolding on which to climb. This version in copper can be built for about as much as wood options you’d find at the garden center. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Gluing together plumbing tubing and fittings makes assembly very easy, and the method eliminates the need for saws and fasteners. Over time, the copper will oxidize, giving the structure a worn patina that’s every bit as unique as the plants it supports....

A backyard fort is a perfect place to let kids’ imaginations run wild. They can create a magical world of knights and dragons or pirates and buried treasure—or just a kid-run kingdom. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time The design of this fort encourages tons of fun, with a super—cool kid-sized hatch—complete with a peephole to check out visitors—and a flag that kids can design and make themselves. There are also two built-in seats so that little warriors—or Mom and Dad can take a breather between make-believe battles....

When the sun is hot and kids are bored, there’s nothing better to get them motivated than a project that comes with a built-in reward. This old-fashioned lemonade stand is sure to spark some creative interest, along with a bit of entrepreneurial spirit. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time The stand is easy to assemble—slotted construction means no nails or screws—it’s sturdy and colorful, and it comes apart quickly for storage....

Don’t want to abandon the beach at the end of your vacation? Bring it to you with this side table that resembles a cross-section of the ocean. Bob Clagett shared the video how-to of this project to his website after being inspired by river tables and his wife’s love for the ocean. This project takes about a week to complete when you factor in set and dry times, and it took Bob three tries to get it just right....

Historical Exterior For Liz McQuillan Delfino, stepping through her front entry is a lot like stepping back in time. She pushes open the same heavy wood door, glimpses the same quirky fireplace nook, and passes the same staircase she knew growing up. Once the kitchen comes into view, however, it’s clear things have changed in her childhood home. Framed by a columned half-wall divider, the enlarged, opened-up cook space now has an island at its center, all-new cabinetry, quartz and reclaimed-wood countertops, and gleaming stainless-steel appliances—testament to a just-completed eight-month renovation documented on the current season of This Old House television....