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Located on the southwestern border of Ohio, Cincinnati is the Buckeye State’s largest city. Since it’s so close to two state borders, the Greater Cincinnati area actually includes portions of Kentucky and Indiana. The city is home to the MLB Reds, NFL Bengals, and MLS FC Cincinnati, and it supposedly has more chili restaurants than any other city in the world. With an average rainfall of 44 inches per year, it’s important that Cincinnati homeowners protect their houses with a clean, well-maintained gutter system....

Want to paint wood with chalkboard paint? There are a few tricks to know before you apply chalkboard paint to bare wood to ensure the right finish. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for Applying Chalkboard Paint to Wood If you’re coating bare wood, start by applying a primer. Chalk paint has a thinner consistency compared to traditional paint, so, once dry, sand the primer smooth and wipe the surface clean....

How to Build a Fire Pit Cover: Step by Step Ipe decking is expensive, so to maximize the yield, set the fire pit down on the board. Leave a 1 ½” overhang on each side of the firepit, mark and cut that length on the miter saw. Continue that process for each board until the entire fire pit is covered. Run each board through the table saw twice (once per side) to make the tapered side of the decking flat....

Q: The gate to our backyard has become difficult to close because of a wobbly post and some sagging in the gate itself. How can we get it to look and work like it’s supposed to?—MATT KANE, NEEDHAM, MA Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time This Old House General Contractor, Tom Silva ,heads out on a house call to help a homeowner solve an issue with a sagging gate. After excavating, Tom reinforces the gate’s post with some expanding foam....

Previous episode: S43 E13 | Next episode: S43 E15 In this episode: Work at our 1880 Cape continues as the temperature drops. Now that electrical, plumbing, and HVAC are completed behind the walls. The insulation is underway. Outside in 30-degree weather, Kevin O’Connor joins Tom and Charlie Silva on the soon-to-be top deck, where they installed rubber membrane and sleepers in preparation for the new deck. The three install a moisture-resistant composite decking material with the ease of a hidden fastener clip system and back-friendly tools....

Top 5 Food Processors Most Powerful: Ninja Mega Kitchen System Food Processor Largest Capacity: Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Food Processor Best Warranty: Cuisinart Mini Food Processor Best Color Options: KitchenAid KFC3516ER Food Chopper Best Wireless Processor: Kocbelle Wireless Electric Food Processor Most Powerful: Ninja Mega Kitchen System Food Processor This Ninja food processor comes with an assortment of accessories, including a 75-ounce pitcher, a 54-ounce bowl, and two 16-ounce cups. It also makes quick work of fruits, vegetables, dough, and more with its powerful 1,500-watt motor....

In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shows how to quickly divide any length in half—without using math. Ways to Divide Lengths in Half Rounding to the nearest whole number Measure the width of the board, then choose a slightly larger dimension that’s easily divisible by two. For example, if the board measures 37⅝ inches, round it up to 40 inches. Pull a tape measure diagonally across the board until the 40-inch graduation aligns with the edge of the board....

In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva replaces an old entry door with a new door. It’s a relatively easy and fast project that generally requires no special tools (in this case, a hammer drill is used because the bottom of the door fastens to masonry). For instructions on interior doors, read How to Install a Prehung Interior Door. How to Install an Exterior Door The key things to remember are setting the door level, shimming the frame so the gaps between it and the door are even, and taking steps to waterproof the installation....

This article appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of This Old House Magazine. Click here to learn how to subscribe. Workhorses in the landscape, groundcovers spread to knit a tight, low-maintenance carpet of foliage that densely covers bare earth. Not just pleasing to look at, they serve a number of practical purposes as well: “Groundcovers can stabilize the soil, help it retain moisture, and prevent weeds from taking hold,” says TOH landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, who prefers them to mulch where she knows they will thrive....

Ferrying firewood to the hearth just got a lot easier with this durable cart. A sturdy plywood base rests on an open framework of copper pipes that makes loading logs a cinch. The addition of casters allows for smooth transport. It’s a good way to keep smaller cuts dry and stacked in an orderly manner, and the copper is elegant enough to store hearthside even when a fire isn’t blazing....

It’s a shame to closet your collectibles when open shelving puts those prized possessions on proud display. And it doesn’t take much to build yourself a custom bookcase: A few sheets of veneer plywood and some inexpensive molding, and you’re well on your way to creating a proper showcase for your hardback favorites and treasured curios. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Or you can find one that suits your space in a range of styles and materials, from unadorned models made of engineered wood to hardwood beauties with adjustable shelving and fancy molding....

In this video, This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey reviews air-filter options. Steps: To ensure you’re purchasing the correct-size filters, remove the old air filter from the furnace and check its dimensions, which are indicated by thickness, width and length. When buying new air filters, disregard any that you can easily see through. Pleated filters have larger surface areas to trap more dirt. A pleated filter that has an electrostatic charge offers superior filtration....

What is a Junction Box? A junction box is an electrical box used to house splices. A junction box protects the connections inside it, prevents potential electrical shocks, and keeps sparks from spreading to flammable surroundings. There are two types of junction boxes: new work, installed where the wall framing is open, and old work, installed after the drywall is in place. Each type is available in metal or plastic. Metal boxes are used primarily to house metal conduit or armored (BX) cable....

It all started simply enough, with her son’s request for a playhouse. Before that, Ellen Lathi was busy with her neurology practice and hadn’t given a thought to exploring the two suburban acres around their home, in Needham, Massachusetts. Of course, young Jonathan didn’t see the point of a playhouse sitting primly on the lawn; he wanted an adventurous hideaway far from the prying eyes of grown-ups. Searching for a suitable getaway that wasn’t plastic or prefab, Ellen happened upon a cedar playhouse built by Bill McKenny, a farmer and carpenter in Maine....

Previous episode: S43 E9 | Next episode: S43 E11 In this episode: Our 1880s Cape is not so small anymore. With major framing done last week, the project is taking shape. The old house now seamlessly meets the new construction at the connection of the second floor. Kevin O’Connor and Tom Silva discuss using I-joists and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) ridge beams to carry the new roof’s load. An illustration provides a visual of the complicated roof lines with varying pitches....

Pregnancy comes with a lot of changes; most notably, the fact that a baby is now growing inside your body! While this miraculous development is occurring, expectant mothers tend to find that other changes are less-than-magical, including their ability (or rather, lack thereof) to get a good night’s sleep, especially as they progress into the second and third trimesters. Pregnancy pillows are a great way to improve comfort during resting hours, eliminating the need for elaborate set-ups with normal pillows and helping women find a sleeping position that’s not only cozy but actually very healthy for the body....

Looking to find the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday mattress sales? The start of the holiday shopping season can be a smart time to buy. You can expect big Black Friday savings from popular mattress companies. Many companies also sweeten the deal with freebies and accessories, throwing in mattress protectors, sheet sets, pillows, and more. Some even offer serious markdowns on bedroom furniture, from bed frames to adjustable bases....

The weather in Dallas may be better than the more southern cities in the Lone Star State, but homeowners still have to deal with hot and humid summers. Because of that, Dallas residents are no strangers to large pest populations, like mosquitoes, ants, and termites. Even bed bugs are becoming a more pervasive problem in Dallas. Homeowners don’t have to take this on alone. Professional pest control companies are equipped with the knowledge, products, and experience to remediate any pest issue Dallas homeowners may come across....

The Zero-Turn Advantage Simply put, a zero-turn riding mower is a mower with a turning radius that is effectively zero, allowing for quick, sharp turns. Couple that maneuverability with the zero-turn’s ability to get into tighter spaces, it can navigate obstacles with ease, and cut so closely as to just about eliminate the need for trimming. Lay of the Land If your land is between 1-5 acres, fairly flat terrain, and features obstacles like trees, shrubs, and planters, a zero-turn might be right for you....

CORRECTION: Roger misstates the functions of Potassium and Posphorous in this video. Potassium helps with chemical reactions and Phosphorous helps with root growth. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps: A soil test will determine what nutrients are lacking in your soil and need to be augmented. Follow all manufacturer’s instructions to ensure plants are overly fertilized and susceptible to burning. The three main nutrients a plant needs are Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium, and these are noted as ratios on fertilizer containers....