BEFORE | Busy Cookspace Busy patterns wrapped the room; old maple cabinets felt dreary. Lining one wall with all the appliances wasn’t the smartest use of space. AFTER | Open Efficiency With a functional work triangle, a breakfast bar, and a coffee station, the room is more open and efficient. Bold brass accents create a warm contrast with clean white and soft gray cabinets. See more photos from this remodel here....
Steps: Handling heavy masonry materials is a two-person minimum job. Do not attempt to do this alone. Carefully pry away the old granite using a prybar. Start from the top and work your way down. Protect the floor with a folded drop cloth. A scrap piece of 2x4 can be used as a lever to pry the hearth. Apply a layer of mortar on the subhearth using the trowel. Add a few blobs in key areas to allow the hearth to be wiggled into place....
Cleaning a mossy roof: Start by securing the harness system to the roof, following the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure they’re installed properly.2. Using the push broom, lightly sweep the roof to get off as much of the loose moss as possible.3. Install a zinc strip near the ridge of the roof. When it rains, water will pick up the particulates in the zinc and deposit them along the roof, preventing more moss from growing....
Butcher block—whether part of a kitchen counter, island, cutting board, or table—is a popular material for its attractive woodgrain appearance and pliable cutting surface. Typically constructed with end-grain wood, butcher block surfaces are “self-healing,” meaning cuts tend to close up over time. But although some sources have praised its possible antibacterial properties, butcher-block can still become dulled and dirty with use, which is why it’s important to know how to clean and maintain it properly....
In this video, This Old House expert Tom Silva shows you how to cut crown molding. The easiest way to do this is to use a power miter and a coping saw. Use a 45-degree angle to cut crown molding for a scarf joint and an outside corner. For an inside corner cut, you’ll need to measure the exact angles. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Watch the video above for his tips to get a perfect cut and follow the instructions below as you do this yourself....
In this video, Nathan Gilbert visits a deck that had a joist fall down. The homeowners use the deck as their main entrance to enter and exit their home, so there is a lot of foot traffic. Nathan puts the joist back into place and demonstrates how to remove corroded joist hangers and replace them with new ones. He also shares how to prevent the hangers from rusting in the future....
Previous episode: S41 E21 | Next episode: S41 E23 In this episode: For over 100 years the doors leading to the living room in our Cape Ann Shingle Style have been hidden in pockets, sliding out only when needed. But somewhere along the line, one of them stopped sliding. Kevin O’Connor finds Tom Silva doing some detective work trying to restore the antique door. Our homeowners like the idea of generating their own power for the house....
A house foundation is forever, so it makes sense to pay attention to the details that ensure it will remain dry and crack-free for as long as it has a house to hold up. What is the Main Purpose of a Foundation? A proper foundation does more than just hold a house above ground. Building foundations also keep out moisture, insulates against the cold, and resists movement of the earth around it....
Custom homebuilder John Hourihan believes in maintaining quality craftsmanship in all of his work. For him, that quality starts at the earliest stage of each part of the building process. In this video, he demonstrates one example of that process as he begins to unpack the marble herringbone tile for his latest build (#ivycustom on Instagram). Hourihan wants his clients to be happy, so he stages the tile in an open room in order to inspect the color consistency....
In this video, Ross explains that the lingering smell left behind by cigarette smokers is actually a form of smoke called thirdhand smoke. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time What is Thirdhand Smoke? Thirdhand smoke is a residue that contains the chemicals from a cigarette and sticks to any porous surface, including carpeting, drywall, furniture, etc. Aside from the nuisance of the smell, thirdhand smoke is also as harmful as secondhand smoke; a recent study indicated that children exposed to thirdhand smoke had equal levels of nicotine in their urine as children exposed to secondhand smoke....
This article appeared in the Fall 2021 issue of This Old House Magazine. Click here to learn how to subscribe. Just about everyone wants to live at home, well, forever, says James Vitale, an Altadena, CA, architect who specializes in disability access. But fewer than half of those age 55 or older and planning to remodel in the next three years paid attention to making their homes age-proof, a recent study by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies found....
Ah, Spring. Its longer days bring abundant sunshine…the better to highlight all the dust and dirt that’s been accumulating in your home all winter. It’s no wonder that in a recent national survey by the American Cleaning Institute, most folks—77 percent of respondents—said they do some form of spring cleaning. Yet most say they don’t feel they’re necessarily doing it right or doing enough. Some 56 percent admit they’ve either never cleaned their washing machine or can’t recall doing so, and 41 percent don’t remember the last time they gave the inside of their refrigerator a good wipe-down....
To remove tile yourself, put on some safety glasses and leather work gloves; broken shards of tile can slice skin like a knife. Then, grab a cold chisel and a three-pound sledge. There’s nothing subtle about breaking through tile. Just pick a few in the middle of the floor and whack away until you can see what’s underneath. How to Remove Tile Floor First, you need a clear floor area to work with....
In this video, painter Jim Clark shares tips for cleanly removing the most stubborn wallpaper. He shows a homeowner how to use a wallpaper scoring tool over wallpaper to prepare it for removal. Then, how to prepare and use wallpaper soaking fabric to remove wallpaper so you can peel it off with ease. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Is Wallpaper Easy to Remove? Yes, with the right the tools and solution you can easily remove wallpaper....
In this video, Richard Trethewey demonstrates how to replace a bathroom faucet. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for Replacing a Bathroom Faucet: Shut off water by hand or with a specialty wrench. Be careful not to over torque. Use a pan or rag to catch any dripping water under the sink. Turn on the faucet to relieve any water pressure left in the lines. Disconnect the supply lines from the faucet....
This week we lost a member of the TOH family January 12, 2018 Austin Wilson, our youngest apprentice and one of the dearest members of our team, passed away in his sleep while traveling with us at The International Builders Show. Austin was just 18 years old. His passing has left our hearts broken. Our love goes out to his family. Austin’s Promise Last April, Austin submitted his application to be an apprentice on our crew and we eagerly accepted him from a pool of hundreds....
Personalized Gifts from Target’s Wondershop Visit any Target Wondershop (in about 80 participating stores) to have these made while you wait, or order the charming gifts online. Best part? Price tags won’t break the bank. Prices range from about $6- $20; Target Wondershop Keepsake Frames Use the Keepsake Frames Web browser design tool or mobile app to create a professionally-framed masterpiece. Just drag-and-drop the photo, then pick the perfect frame and mat....
Sponsored by Discover Personal Loans From a design and build perspective, kitchens are typically more complicated than the other rooms in the house. Planning one involves plumbing, electrical, and sometimes gas lines; appliances, fixtures and lighting, work and storage areas. We spend more waking hours in our kitchens than anywhere else. And because they are so often the central gathering spot for family and friends, we may expect them to be showhouse-beautiful to boot....
Is your next home improvement project around your kitchen sink? Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner replace her old kitchen faucet with a new one. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps on How to Replace a Kitchen Faucet Shut the water off to the faucet underneath the sink. Disconnect the water hoses from the shutoff valves. Loosen the nuts underneath the sink using the basin wrench. Cut the hose connecting the faucet to the sprayer with a pair of scissors....
Air fresheners come in various scents to match what you want your home to smell like. They’re long-lasting and pleasant but not so overpowering that you get a headache. Compare Top Air Fresheners Best Plug-In: Air Wick Plug-In Scented Oil Best For Bathrooms: Poo-Pourri Before-You-Go Toilet Spray Best For Linens: Caldrea Linen and Room Spray Air Freshener Best For Cars: Febreze Car Air Fresheners Best Gel: Fresh Wave Odor-Removing Gel Best Plug-In: Air Wick Plug-In Scented Oil Pros and Cons ✔ Comes in a pack of 10✔ Available in a range of scents ✔ Pairs with Air Wick’s oil warmers, which feature five fragrance control levels...
