In this video, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook heads to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he helps a pair of homeowners select and plant a privacy screen using bamboo plants. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for Planting Bamboo Trees Space bamboo plants 5 to 6 feet apart in a staggered row to create a more natural look. For each plant, dig a hole two to three times wider than the plant container, and as deep as the height of the container....
Stickers are great, but if you don’t know how to remove sticker residue, they can be a mess. The adhesive left behind picks up dirt and lint—unattractive, to say the least. Plus, unexpectedly touching something sticky can give you the creeps. If you’re sick of encountering tacky gunk on your glass, wood, metal, or plastic surfaces, keep reading to learn how to remove sticker residue. Adhesive Removers There are lots of products available that will do a great job of removing glues and sticky residues from a variety of surfaces, but they’re often harsh and can damage or discolor a surface....
Alongside a lush Technicolor garden, an alfresco hangout spot can look a little lackluster. Not so this open-sided extension on a house in Suffern, NY, where beadboard walls are striped up and down with unexpected color. “The house is very traditional, and the contemporariness of the stripes adds some freshness,” says designer Thomas Jayne, author of the recently published Classical Principles of Modern Design. Jayne matched the colors to hues used inside the home for a seamless transition between indoors and out, and tasked Manhattan-based painter Chuck Hettinger with brightening the beadboard in Roman stripes—irregular in width, with colors randomly repeating....
In this video, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook works with a fencing contractor to install a vinyl privacy fence. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps on How to Install a Privacy Fence Use an electric jackhammer to cut away part of the asphalt driveway at the first gatepost location. Stretch a taut mason line from the first post location to establish the position of the second post. Use a posthole digger to excavate a 30-inch-deep posthole for each gatepost....
Dehumidifiers pull water out of the air, creating a more comfortable and breathable environment. They can also alleviate a number of health issues by restricting the environment where bacteria, dust, and other allergens thrive. Learn about how dehumidifiers operate, what models to use, and more in our review below. Compare Top Dehumidifiers Top 5 Dehumidifiers Best Large Pump-Style: Ivation Dehumidifier Best Large Hoseless: hOmeLabs Dehumidifier Best For Small Rooms: Pro Breeze Mini Dehumidifier Best Disposable: Vacplus Mositure Absorber Boxes Best Rechargeable: Eva-Dry Renewable Dehumidifier Best Large Pump-Style: Ivation Dehumidifier Pros and Cons ✔ Comes with a washable air filter✔ Has a control panel with displays and buttons for various settings✔ Can see how much water is in the tank with the transparent viewing window...
Top 5 Handheld Vacuums Best Filtration: BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum Best Battery Life: BLACK+DECKER DustBuster Handheld Vacuum Most Powerful: BLACK+DECKER FurBuster Handheld Vacuum Most Lightweight: VacLife Handheld Vacuum Best Car Vacuum: ThisWorx Portable Car Vacuum Cleaner Best Filtration: BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum This handheld vacuum from BISSELL features a triple-level filtration system as opposed to the single- or double-layer filtration systems found in other handheld vacuums on the market....
Top 5 Wind Chimes Most Unique Platform: UpBlend Outdoors Wind Chimes Best Small Chime: Woodstock Chimes The Original Guaranteed Musically Tuned Amazing Grace Chimes Best Large Chime: ASTARIN Large Wind Chimes Most Colorful Chime: Bellaa Wind Chimes Best Tube Arrangement: Epartswide Wind Chimes Most Unique Platform: UpBlend Outdoors Wind Chimes The suspension platform that this wind chime’s tubes hang from has a hexagonal shape as opposed to a round one, giving it a unique look....
In this video, Ask This Old House general contractor, Tom Silva explains just why he enjoys sanding so much and how it gets him into the zone. He describes what he looks for in a good sanding job and how important sanding can be for the finished product. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Tom breaks down the uses of a belt sander, finishing sander, and a random orbit sander. He explains the strengths and weaknesses and goes through what types of jobs would be best for each specific sander....
Most homeowners focus first on interior upgrades, which means it can take years to find the money to whip a yard into shape. But there are smart, easy-on-the-wallet moves you can make to deliver a big impact. It starts with upkeep. “You’d be surprised what a boost to curb appeal you get from simply pressure-washing and decluttering,” says TOH landscape contractor Jenn Nawada. So begin by approaching your yard with a visitor’s fresh eye, and tackle the to-do list of simple fixes, like pruning away dead plant material, freshening up outdoor furnishings, and touching up paint, as needed....
Steps: A traditional basin wrench is used to disconnect faucets underneath a sink, since they’re easier to turn in tight spaces. They also make ones with lights in them for visibility. A multi-purpose basin wrench can function the same way as a traditional basin wrench, but they’re better to use for plastic wingnuts that are being used in newer faucets. For water hose connections, there’s usually only three open end wrench sizes needed....
February 5, 2018 Our Newton Generation NEXT project house is being built by TOH master and apprentice generations for three generations of the Delfino family in Newton, Massachusetts. Joe and his wife, Liz, who is moving back into her childhood home after nearly two decades away, have two girls. They wanted to tailor the home for the kids and they wanted to outfit the space above the home’s garage as an in-law suite....
Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva and host Kevin O’Connor build a historic-looking Shaker table. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time How to build a Shaker table Measure and cut seven 1x4 pieces of maple to 2-foot length. Put wood glue on the side of each piece and glue them together. Clamp the pieces together, put the assembly on raised blocks and wait several hours for the glue to dry....
Use this detailed DIY home inspection checklist as a guide as you look around for leaks, cracks, breaks, wear, and every other conceivable problem that can develop over the year. Then make a repair list to keep up on maintenance in the coming months. Yearly Home Inspection Checklist Electrical Check trees around the house to be sure they’re not threatening wires. Open the panel and look for new scorch marks around breakers or fuses....
The good news: The 4-inch white plastic or aluminum-foil exhaust ducting commonly used to connect a clothes dryer to an outside vent is easy to install. Its spiraled-wire interior is extremely strong and flexible and, at 50 cents to $1 per foot, this hose-like product is inexpensive. But the ducting isn’t the best choice: It doesn’t do a good job of exhausting hot air and, in some cases, it can be dangerous....
If your shabby old deck has become a source of shame, there’s usually a fix short of replacing it. Assuming the structure is sound, your deck can be restored. Depending on the desired look, you can spruce up a worn-out deck with a new stain or paint-based protective seal. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time A deck rejuvenation project like this can be done in two days, but for homeowners who choose to apply stain, it’s best to spread the work over two weekends to ensure the wood is completely dry before you apply the stain....
Aaron: Hey guys my name Aaron Massey from House One and today I’m here with Stephen Michutka, The Wood Pastor. Stephen, thanks for joining us. Stephen: No problem. Aaron: So tell us a little about, about the Wood Pastor and how you get started. Stephen: I started making money woodwork about five years ago. And then it turned into…I kinda wanted to market is as brand and start a website. And you need a name, you need a logo, or so I was told....
Top 5 Cabin Tents Best for Sleeping: Coleman Cabin Tent Easiest Setup: Core Instant Cabin Tent Best Warranty: Browning Camping Big Horn Tent Best Connecting Tent: Coleman Connecting Tent System Best Capacity: Ozark Trail Instant Cabin Tent Best for Sleeping: Coleman Cabin Tent Pros and Cons ✔ Blocks up to 90% of sunlight✔ Packs into an included carrying case with handles when it’s time to go home✔ Reduces the interior temperature by up to 10% with the included shades...
As a design trend, painted furniture shows no signs of slowing down. With the wide range of textures and finishes and limitless color choices, there’s a look to suit just about any décor style. So if you’re ready for a fun, creatively satisfying project, why not give an old piece a new attitude with a fresh coat of paint. Painted Furniture Ideas to Try Here you’ll find DIY ideas for furniture made of wood, metal, and plastic, so before you grab that brush (or spray can), click through for inspiration, helpful how-tos, and links to complete tutorials....
STAMFORD, Conn. and SAN JOSE, Calif., JAN. 18, 2022 — Emmy® Award-winning series Ask This Old House is celebrating its milestone 20th season with a special 20th Anniversary episode on Thursday, January 20th. The special features a look back at memorable moments, fun stories, cast interviews and a recap of the legacy of the beloved show. Ask This Old House is the second longest running home improvement show in television – second only to This Old House....
Drywall, often called wallboard or by the proprietary name Sheetrock, isn’t usually cut like wood. Consisting of two paper faces surrounding a core of gypsum, making all the cuts with a saw would produce a tremendous amount of dust. How to Make Simple Knife Cuts to Drywall In most cases, drywall is cut by scoring through the paper on the finish side (the one with white paper) using a sharp drywall knife....
