Steps: Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Tools & Materials Tape measure Propane torch Pipe cutter Shut the water off to the pipes being soldered. Measure and cut the pipes to length using the pipe cutter. Have a bucket ready to catch any water left over in the pipe. Let the pipes dry before soldering or the connection won’t take. Use a pipe cleaner to clean the outside of the pipes and the insides of the fittings....
Top 5 Stainless Steel Cleaners Best Wipes: Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaning Wipes Best Plant-Based Cleaner: Therapy Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish Best For Sinks: Hope’s Perfect Sink Cleaner and Polish Best Aerosol Cleaner: CLR Spot-Free Stainless Steel Aerosol Spray Can Best Reusable Cleaner: Nano Towels Stainless Steel Cleaner Best Wipes: Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaning Wipes For those looking for a quick, convenient way to clean stainless steel products, these wipes will do the trick....
If you’re a homeowner who loves the look and feel of a bygone era, we have a number of budget-friendly home accents that achieve just that in no time. Vintage Home Decor Ideas Ceiling Medallions The look: An architectural detail used purely for decoration by American colonists took on a practical purpose in Victorian-era homes: concealing the holes required to retrofit hanging gaslighted fixtures. They add texture and shadow lines, but even by today’s standards plaster medallions are a luxury, and they need to be installed by a skilled craftsman, which can be costly....
One of the most vital elements to any landscaping layout is the path that parts it, whether that walkway leads straight to the front door or meanders through a back garden. Functionally, a walkway must be level, stable, and otherwise structurally sound for good drainage and to avoid tripping hazards—but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t also look great. Options abound when it comes to materials and patterns, and prices can vary a great deal if you hire a pro to design and install the path....
Delve into the history of landscape design, and you see certain ideas over and over: strong geometric forms, energetic use of contrasting colors, a balance between managed and wild. There’s good reason for the repetition—these ideas work. Designer: Janet Lohman Design; 310-471-3955 Studying pictures of classic gardens while taking landscape-design courses at the University of California, Los Angeles, about 10 years ago, interior designer Janet Lohman found herself especially drawn to tidy, globe-shaped shrubs....
This story originally appeared in the Spring 2022 Issue of This Old House Magazine. Click here to learn how to subscribe. Creating A Cozier, Open Kitchen Most folks enjoy intimate get-togethers as much as big gatherings; in an ideal world, homes have space for both. That’s precisely what designer Sean Lewis was able to deliver in the renovation of the kitchen and hangout space in this 1929 Tudor Revival in Ardmore, PA....
How to Choose a Masonry Trowel: Mark breaks down trowels into a few categories and explains their differences.2. Brick-laying trowels are used for building walls and are designed to hold more mortar to speed up production. They generally fall under two categories: a. London trowel: has a narrower heel and is used for laying brick. b. Philadelphia trowel: has a wider heel and is used for concrete blocks.3. Masonry trowels are used for specialty repair jobs on a wide variety of masonry structures and smaller jobs, typically inside a house....
In this video, This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey installs a natural gas line for a barbecue grill. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for Installing a Gas Grill Check to confirm that the home’s natural gas system has enough capacity to support a barbecue grill. Use a pipe wrench to turn off the gas at the gas meter. Tap into the existing gas line and run a new line out to the gas grill location....
As an event designer, Alexandra Azat is accustomed to immediate results. Turn a bland banquet hall into a floral fairyland? No problem. Transform a flat lawn into a mossy, undulating landscape out of The Lord of the Rings? In just a matter of days, the metamorphosis is complete. None of that prepared her for renovating a century-old Craftsman near Pasadena, California. “I’m used to moving really, really fast,” says Alexandra, who trained in floral design and helms three companies offering event, floral, and interior design services....
Previous episode: S20 E9 | Next episode: S20 E11 In this episode: General contractor Tom Silva meets past guest and young woodworker Camila in her dad’s shop where they catch up since they last met. After checking out some of Camila’s work, the two discuss her need for a workspace of her own. With a worktable in mind, Tom invites her back to the workshop to help with the special project....
At the TOH 2021 Modern Barnhouse, designer/owner Amy Matthews was inspired by her Scandinavian heritage and inherent love of nature. Light-hued oak is synonymous with the clean, uncluttered philosophy of Scandinavian design, and Matthews used it thoughtfully throughout the home—from flooring, to trimwork, to doors. She opted to stain a few doors black for maximum impact in the otherwise neutral spaces. And she was able to use the flooring remnants to create a few custom pieces, too, ensuring not one plank was wasted....
Appliances around your home, such as fireplaces, boilers, and water heaters, can emit carbon monoxide if they don’t fully burn their fuel. Because carbon monoxide isn’t visible and doesn’t have a smell, you should install carbon monoxide detectors throughout your house to monitor the levels of this gas. To learn about the best carbon monoxide detectors that can protect you and your family, read our review below. Top 5 Carbon Monoxide Detectors Best Visual Alerts: First Alert Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector Best Pack Options: Kidde Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detector Best Plug-In Detector: Kidde Nighthawk Carbon Monoxide Detector Best Lifespan: X-Sense Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector Best Smart Detector: Google Nest Protect Smoke Detector and Carbon Monoxide Detector Best Visual Alerts: First Alert Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector This alarm offers two-in-one protection against smoke and carbon monoxide....
STAMFORD, Conn. and SAN JOSE, Calif., FEB. 8, 2022 — This Old House, the most trusted brand in home improvement, announced today the launch of a brand new free, live channel - This Old House Makers Channel, which will feature leading makers and craftspeople displaying their amazing skills in woodworking, metalworking, design, building and more starting Tuesday, February 8th on The Roku Channel. For more than four decades, This Old House has entertained and empowered homeowners with trusted home improvement content and inspired a generation of makers to try their own hands at new trades....
What Is Hydroponics? Hydroponics (hydro = water and ponics = working) uses water and nutrients to grow plants in various non-soil-based mediums such as sand, gravel, coir, and even wool. More simply, hydroponics is the practice of growing plants without soil. Since the 17th century, researchers have been exploring soilless plant cultivation—though the word hydroponic wasn’t coined until 1937. By using a self-contained system to deliver what plants need—water, light, oxygen, and nutrients—the soil that typically supports the plant and helps deliver some of these life-sustaining must-haves is no longer necessary....
One of the elements of the Jamestown Net Zero house that’s sure to evoke the 100-year-old house’s origins is the front porch. Although the front porch had been enclosed by the time architect Don Powers and his wife, Dana, purchased the house, the renovation plans included an open porch. Don designed porch columns with a subtle flare at the top, and a square base that rests on a 2x12 mahogany rail....
Hallway Helpers Old houses have many charms, but closet space isn’t one of them. Wall-mount coatracks were standard until the mid-19th century, when elaborate entry built-ins with hooks, mirrors, drawers, and even benches became must-haves for well-to-do homeowners. (Callers needed a place to sit while waiting to be shown in, after all.) That level of formality didn’t last, but the idea of having a way station for outerwear did. The freestanding coat tree is a pared-down version of those Victorian-era built-ins, and by 1920 had become an entryway staple....
Part of the fun of having colorful jars of seasonings around is in organizing and exhibiting them in a creative way. And if you’re planning to use these containers as an integral part of your kitchen decor, we’ve got all sorts of clever and crafty DIY spice rack ideas for displaying your collection. Wall-mounted Spice Rack Eye-catching spices can do double duty as works of art on your kitchen walls. Display them in a decorative frame or repurposed pallet, or install floating wall shelves for a neat, minimalist look....
If you have kids, you know how they love to climb on things. Seemingly without fear, they scale the kitchen table, countertop, doorframes, and the trees in the yard. Why not create a secure space dedicated for your little ones to get the wiggles out and scramble to their heart’s content? Building an indoor rock climbing wall is a simple DIY project and your whole family will enjoy the end result....
To get the look of a mural, I’m stretching fabric over the DIY frame inspired by this oversized sign by Sawdust 2 Stitches. To save on cost, I’m swapping fabric for a graphic shower curtain layered over a basic drop cloth I picked up at the home center. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time One thing to note when sizing the frame is the opening to the space where it will be installed....
Steps: Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Tools & Materials rubber mallet Torpedo level Irrigation punch tool Vegetables thrive in full sunlight, so choose a sunny location. Lay down a layer of weed barrier with landscape staples. Drive support rods into the ground one foot using the rubber mallet. Ensure they stay plumb with the torpedo level. Drive the support column into the ground over the support rods, sinking it 10” into the ground....
