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Steps for Painting a Vinyl Garage Door: Start by cleaning the garage door with a cleaning solution of water and a small amount of a cleaning detergent. Scrub the door clean and then hose it down with water. Allow the door to dry before moving on. Protect the surrounding area with painter’s tape and drop cloths. The drop cloth will prevent any paint from spilling onto the driveway, and the painter’s tape can be used to protect the rubber gasket along the edges of the garage door from getting covered in paint....

In this video, This Old House plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey explains how to quiet a noisy forced-air system. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for Quieting a Noisy Forced-Air System Mark the center of start collars on the return and supply side of the heating duct. Cut holes in sheet metal ducts using a drill fitted with a circle-cutting jig. Attach start collars to the duct with ¾-inch self-tapping sheet metal screws....

Weed-free lawns are the stuff of dreams and championship golf courses. In fact, when you consider the tenacity of weeds, it’s a wonder any of us win the pitched battles we wage with these pesky invaders. Just one dandelion plant makes up to 15,000 seeds, each of which can survive six years in the soil—creating 15,000 more seeds when it sprouts and matures. Synthetic herbicides are the usual response to chronic weed problems....

Previous episode: S43 E21 | Next episode: S43 E23 In this episode: There’s good progress happening at the West Roxbury Victorian. Outside, electrician Leandro Amancio is working on installing lighting on the front porch—a first for the house. Inside, another first for the house is a primary suite and in-floor heating. Tile installer Gabriel Oliveira has installed a coupling membrane to receive the cable for in-floor heat in the primary bathroom–a smart electric system controlled by a programmable thermostat....

This article appeared in the Spring 2021 issue of This Old House Magazine. Click here to learn how to subscribe. It’s not easy to please everyone, even in the same family. But that’s exactly what designer Katie Davis and pro organizer Meg Markland were looking to do when remodeling the hall bath in the Houston ranch that Meg shares with her husband, Matt, and son, Harry. Located between the 6-year-old’s bedroom and a guest room, the bath needed to appeal to a young boy as well as overnight visitors—often Harry’s grandparents....

Science shows us time and time again that sleep is the number one predictive factor of long-term health. That being said, even if your air bed is only a temporary, alternative solution to a regular mattress, it’s still just as vital that you’re putting your best foot forward in ensuring that you get the most out of your sleeping experience. Qualities such as size, fabric, and internal structure can influence how long your air mattress will last and where it will fit best in your home or place of lodging....

Here’s to a Better Bath They may be among our smallest indoor spaces, but washing-up rooms are central to our sense of peace and well-being. That helps explain why the various elements that go into a well-designed bath or laundry room come in such a wide range of styles, functions, and prices. We studied the latest trends and combed through countless options to find new solutions for these hardworking spaces. Here, TOH separates the best from the rest....

Sited on a hillside overlooking Long Island Sound, the house is designed to take in the seaside view as well as contribute to it with a style that recalls the simple agrarian buildings of days gone by. But our new Idea House is anything but simple, showcasing the latest in building technology and comfort features. Let’s see what’s going on on-site. The Big Dig By early January, the farmhouse’s foundation is in place....

Real Cedar is rot, decay, and insect-resistant—making it a long-lasting material to use for backyard projects. It’s not only durable, but it’s sustainable too. Unlike other building materials, cedar removes greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. You can feel good about creating something new, but doing good, as well. 4 DIY Woodworking Projects Need some inspiration? Check out some of our favorite projects using Real Cedar. Display Your Garden in a Cedar Planter Box You can show off your gardening skills, and increase your curb appeal with a lush cedar wood planter....

Mark McCullough talks about brick patterns. Mark shows Kevin the different patterns that homeowners can choose for their walkways and walls, explaining how each works from a design and structural standpoint. He explains the importance of header and running courses and some things to consider when choosing a design. Brick Patterns Explained Most folks know that there are different types of brick patterns, but they might not realize why that is....

This article appeared in the Nov/Dec 2020 issue of This Old House Magazine. Click here to learn how to subscribe. The No. 102 low-angle block plane that made its debut in the 1877 catalog of Stanley Rule & Level Co. was a 5 1/2-inch-long, all-steel tool designed to slice through tough end grain, such as butcher blocks. All About the No. 102 Low-Angle Block Plane But carpenters found that the palm-size No....

If you think your living space is too small to include a home gym, think again. All you need is a well-organized storage system to keep your fitness equipment in a centralized place. When it’s time for your daily workout, your gear will be right where you need it to be—and there won’t be any excuse for not getting started! Read on for tips on how to store your exercise equipment efficiently....

Whether you were enthusiastic from the first sip or took years to appreciate fine wines, you’ve undoubtedly amassed a collection. And, even if your collection is relatively small, you need a place to store those valuable bottles to maintain them at their best. Unless you’ve inherited a fully equipped mansion, adding a wine cellar is in your future. Since wine perishes, and the way in which it’s stored impacts its flavor, proper storage is essential....

When it comes to interior lighting, bathroom lighting is probably given the least consideration of all the rooms in the house. The average client I meet doesn’t think to invest there—save it for the living room or kitchen, they say. I see a lot of baths with inadequate mirror or vanity lighting. Often there’s just a single ceiling light fixture that’s supposed to do it all. The best lighting for your bathroom helps create a place to relax and recharge....

Once the most reliable bedding plant for season-long color, Impatiens walleriana virtually disappeared from garden centers in recent years as impatiens downy mildew disease decimated stocks of the popular, affordable annuals. But this spring, new disease-resistant varieties will be widely available. How to Grow and Care for Impatiens Look for the Beacon series by PanAmerican Seed, which makes its debut this season; it joins the Imara XDR series by Syngenta Flowers, which was introduced in 2019....

Main Street Event Connecting with the past takes on a whole new meaning when it involves marrying brittle 179-year-old beams with the code-compliant framing of a new structure. Just ask Gordon Jacobsen of Karp Associates, the project manager overseeing the construction of This Old House’s 2019 Idea House. Shown: The oldest surviving section of the c. 1840 house—on the left—holds the main entry. Missing six-over-six windows, transoms, and fanlights, as well as portions of the exterior trim, will be restored and reused on what is an all-new structure....

Like clockwork, each fall as the first batch of leaves fall, towns and neighborhoods roar awake with the sound of gas-powered leaf blowers. It’s the annual battle of weekend warriors versus the leaves—and you know what’s at stake: not only is the debris an eyesore and a nuisance, especially if your leaves blow onto your neighbor’s clean lawn but if you stall, a mantle of snow might cover them and smother the grass....

As we all stay home to help flatten the curve and slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2), we’re paying extra attention to how we sanitize our homes. For many, we’re wondering which cleaning products are proven to kill the coronavirus. Research suggests that the virus is mainly spread from person to person through respiratory droplets. But, it’s still important that your household cleaning routine consists of sanitizing and disinfecting surfaces, especially high-use ones like light switches, doorknobs, countertops, remote controls, and the like....

Easy Access Fire Pit Spark Screen A screen above the pit stops sparks from flying out and shields admirers who lean too close to the flames. This 24-inch dome has swinging doors. Spitfire Grill Who needs a grill? Do some open-fire cooking instead. The height on this grate adjusts to vary cooking temperatures. Grubstick Kit A good campfire needs snacks—mass-produced works best. Cook things up easily and safely with telescoping helpers like these....

From noise-canceling headphones to block out distractions to air purifiers that improve air quality indoors, technology improves our lives from every angle. Though the latest and greatest gadgets can be pricey, Black Friday offers steep price cuts that can’t be ignored. To help connect homeowners with hot prices on different devices, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the best Black Friday deals on electronics. Keep reading below to discover our top picks....