Examples of pony walls include short walls built to carry floor joists in areas where a foundation steps down, non-structural walls built as room dividers, walls that serve as guards on stairs or balconies, and walls that support overhanging countertops. The short walls that rafters sometimes bear on in a Cape-style house are another structural example, though these are almost always referred to as “knee walls.” What Is a Pony Wall?...
Tudors have a dark reputation—literally. Their low-light interiors are typically rich with exposed timbers, stained glass, and burnished-oak millwork. How to create a kitchen that’s a pleasant partner to those elements, while fully functional for today? That was the challenge put to Studio Dearborn designer Sarah Robertson by the longtime owners of this 1929 Tudor Revival in Larchmont, New York. “They wanted a kitchen that brought in the home’s period details, but in a way that felt cleaner, not heavy and traditional,” she says....
Top 5 Ping Pong Tables Best Outdoor Table: JOOLA Outdoor Table Tennis Table Best Basic Full-Size Table: MD Sports Table Tennis Set Most Compact: GoSports Mid-Size Table Tennis Game Set Best Conversion Top: JOOLA Table Tennis Conversion Top Best for Training: Butterfly Junior Ping Pong Table Best Outdoor Table: JOOLA Outdoor Table Tennis Table Key Features Made of plastic, aluminum, and alloy steel 173 pounds 108 by 60 by 30 inches Foldable with wheels One-year warranty What Customers Are Saying Happy customers appreciated the stress-free assembly of this outdoor ping pong table....
Bathroom storage may be hard to come by, but you can create extra space by installing a caddy that keeps all of your shower and bathroom essentials in one convenient place. Top 8 Shower Shelves and Caddies Most Adjustable: OXO Pole Shower Caddy Best Head Attachment: simplehuman Adjustable Shower Caddy Best Corner Caddy: Nieifi Corner Shower Caddy Shelves Best Over-the-Door Caddy: iDesign Over-the-Door Shower Organizer Best Pocket Caddy: MISSLO Hanging Shower Organizer Best Wall-Mounted Caddy: Vidan Home Solutions Shower Caddy Best Freestanding: simplehuman Corner Shower Caddy Most Unique Design: AquaTeak The Original Moa Small Teak Shower Caddy Most Adjustable: OXO Pole Shower Caddy Pros and Cons ✔ Features rust-proof anodized aluminum✔ Offers tool-free installation✔ Design allows for easy, one-move removal...
A toilet that leaks or runs is an easy homeowner fix—if you know how to diagnose the trouble. ID parts and problems with this handy guide, and hit the hardware store with confidence. Know Your Parts to Fix a Leaking Toilet Refill Tube Replaces water in bowl after flush. If toilet runs intermittently, check that tube’s end is above water level in tank. Ball Cock On/off valve regulated by float ball fills tank and bowl after flush....
One of these guards won’t totally free you of ladder duty, but it could buy you time between checkups. Mesh-screen caps How they work: A vinyl, plastic, or metal grid sits atop the gutter, letting water in while keeping leaves out. Your job: Brushing aside any accumulated debris from time to time to prevent runoff from cascading over the face of the gutter. The cost: Seamless, pro-installed systems start near $5 per linear foot, while snap-on DIY options, which are more visible, start at about 33 cents per foot....
I wear a Diambondback belt system, which I purchased about two years ago. One of the many things I like about it is the fact that it has a place for just about every tool I want to carry with me. And while there are a few things that stay in it no matter what type of work I’m doing, I do swap some tools out depending on the task. The list below includes two tools I always have on hand, plus a few others that show up as needed....
This article appeared in the Spring 2021 issue of This Old House Magazine. Click here to learn how to subscribe. What if you love old things but prefer to live with new ones—can you have it both ways? Of course, say Andy and Cathy Liverman, owners of a renewed 94-year-old bungalow with authentic period proportions and trim on the outside and the latest in style and comfort on the inside....
Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey takes us on a house call to relieve a homeowner’s stress. With a 16-year-old water heater lurking in the basement, the homeowner is expecting it to fail at any moment, so Richard suggests they swap it out with a new unit. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time How to Replace a Tank-Type Water Heater Note: Tank-type water heaters, particularly those of the gas-fired variety, should be replaced by licensed pipefitters, and they should secure permits for the project....
Previous episode: S42 E13 | Next episode: S42 E15 In this episode: Kevin O’Connor finds Jenn Nawada and her landscape crew in the homeowners’ current yard about 30 minutes away from the project. They want to bring several maturing trees to their new house. Jenn’s crew transplants the trees to their new location outside of the Seaside Victorian Cottage. In the kitchen, Tom Silva works with master carpenter Riley Partridge to install a unique range hood....
Narragansett, RI, April 12, 2018 – Sweenor Builders, Inc. is pleased to announce the start of construction on the THIS OLD HOUSE 2018 IDEA HOUSE in Narragansett, Rhode Island. This Old House® has teamed up with Sweenor Builders for a second time to build the one-of-a-kind home on Robinson Street in Narragansett’s historic pier. The fourth annual Idea House from the trusted home renovation brand, the home will be featured in the October and November/December issues of This Old House Magazine and in segments of the 2018-2019 season of the Emmy Award-winning TV series This Old House....
Burning wood is a great way to heat your home. A fire is warm and dry, and there’s nothing like the warmth of its glow on a cold evening. If you use a wood stove or wood-burning fireplace to heat your home, you may wonder which types of wood are the best to burn. Here, we’ll look at a few kinds of wood, their benefits and drawbacks, and which to use in your fire....
The steel used in “wrought-iron” railings is very susceptible to rust. The good news is that with a little elbow grease and the right coatings, your railing can look just like new again. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Practice Safety When Testing for Lead Before you begin, test the railing paint for lead with a kit such as 3M LeadCheck, which is sold at paint stores and home centers. If you find a lead layer, don’t proceed until you’ve read the EPA’s online guide “Steps to Lead Safe Renovation, Repair, and Painting” and have put into place the protections it stipulates for safeguarding yourself and your home....
Faster screwdriving: 4-Volt MAX* Cordless Screwdriver This 1/2-pound, 4-volt power screwdriver’s handle hides a rechargeable battery that turns screws up to 300 rpm, four times faster than hand cranking. A rocker switch controls the rotation; LEDs light the way. Comes with 19 bits, but the hex shank will fit any you already own. $40; craftsman.com Fiber-cement face-lift: Hardie Architectural Collection Panels Fiber-cement siding, which holds paint well, resists rot, and has a high fire rating, now comes in textured panels, one of which mimics the look of stucco....
Previous episode: S16 E18 | Next episode: S16 E20 In this episode: Richard discusses the possible causes and solutions for a frozen air conditioner; Tom fixes an end cap on a stair railing that keeps coming loose; Ross travels to Napa to tour a house that’s testing out a variety of interconnected smart home devices. How to Diagnose A Frosty Air Conditioner Richard discusses the possible causes and solutions for a frozen air conditioner....
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn a commission.Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn a commission. Experts in sleep science somewhat frown upon stomach sleeping, citing the stress the position puts on necks and backs....
Top 5 Ottomans Best Linen Ottoman: BELLEZE Rectangular Linen Storage Ottoman Best Waterproof Ottoman: YOUDENOVA 30-Inch Folding Storage Ottoman Best Organization: SONGMICS 43-Inch Folding Storage Ottoman Bench Best Long Ottoman: SIMPLIHOME Rectangular Storage Ottoman Bench Best Round Ottoman: HomePop Large Button-Tufted Round Storage Ottoman Best Linen Ottoman: BELLEZE Rectangular Linen Storage Ottoman This ottoman offers over 780 square feet of storage space. It also has an elegant design with stitched linen and metal studs....
In this video, carpenter Nathan Gilbert puts the final touch on the home office he upgraded during the pandemic: a display case to store his grandfather’s American flag. The flag was hung over his grandfather’s casket after he passed away the year before. Like Nathan and his father, his grandfather was a Navy Seabee, and Nathan was presented the flag at the funeral wanted to safely store it in the new office shelving....
Just like all household appliances, closets these days come loaded with bells and whistles. Whether it’s simply a place to store clothes or, as is increasingly the case, your closet needs to do double duty as a dressing room or sitting room, it must be adaptable, durable, and convenient to use. Here are a handful of ideas that can improve the function of any closet, regardless of its size or what items you stow in it....
Joe Ferrante has been laying tile for 30 years—many of them for This Old House—and after all this time, he’s still enamored with the material. “I love tile,” he says. “It’s beautiful and it doesn’t require much maintenance.” Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time On a floor, these thin, fragile slices of ceramic require some special care and preparation. Otherwise, they won’t survive the parade of feet through an entry or the sudden spills in a bathroom or kitchen, where floors go from bone dry to sopping wet faster than you can say “puddle....
