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This past week, SkillsUSA and The Home Depot hosted a National Signing Day to recognize students attending or planning to attend trade schools and technical colleges to pursue careers in the skilled trades. As part of the celebration, The Home Depot Foundation awarded $30,000 scholarships to six students to help cover the cost of their trade school tuition. “We’re thrilled to help these students achieve their dreams as they enter the building and construction trades,” said Shannon Gerber, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation....

Little honey/Shutterstock In America, we mostly know one kind of toilet: the one that flushes our business down to never-never land. But other parts of the world don’t find such an appliance to be the only necessity in the restroom. That’s where a bidet comes in. But What Is a Bidet? According to Bidet.org (yes, there’s a site dedicated to this plumbing fixture), “The bidet is often a basin that is situated close to the toilet in the bathroom, and it is used to clean yourself after using the toilet or when you need to freshen up or wash your genitals and anal area....

LawrenceSawyer/Getty Images Time to fess up. An estimated 70 percent of American homeowners copy home-related ideas from their neighbors. They’re copying everything from retro lawn furniture to color choices, lighting upgrades and replacement windows. No showroom model or Pinterest board is as convincing as seeing a color or a kitchen remodel in action in a neighbor’s home. Chances also are high that neighboring homes were built in the same era and are similarly sized, which makes copying someone else’s remodeling and décor choices reasonable....

In the days before central plumbing, when bathrooms were not yet a thing, “toilet tables,” built by well-known craftspeople like Thomas Chippendale, were central fixtures in many bedrooms. The name came from the French “toilette,” which means cleaning up. Accompanying the requisite chamber pot, the toilet table (also known as a dressing table or vanity table) featured a wash basin and sometimes a mirror. When the chamber pot and toilet table assumed central positions in the bathroom, they became known as the commode and vanity....

Few things are as rewarding as watching a plant flourish and grow under your care. If you live in an area with high heat or humidity, take that into account when selecting and caring for your plants to give them their best chance at success. Hardiness Zones Plants are surprisingly resilient. Most types can be grown almost anywhere if given proper care. But it takes a lot less work to make them grow in an environment where they’re naturally inclined to thrive....

Click. Darkness. “Where’s the flashlight?” We’ve all had to deal with tripped circuit breakers. They’re annoying and happen at the worst times. As a licensed electrician, I’ve seen my fair share of breakers, tripped or otherwise. Circuit breakers monitor the flow of electricity through a circuit. If it exceeds a preset amount, it opens the circuit to stop the current flow. They’re a vital piece of your home’s electrical system. And when they trip, they’re trying to tell you something....

How Long Do Car Batteries Last? A car battery typically lasts five years but it can be as few as two years depending upon how you drive and the number of accessories you use in your car. Batteries tend to last longer in colder climates because warm climates increase damage because of sulfation and water loss. Here’s how to double the life of your car battery. Family Handyman How To Check a Car Battery Test the electrolyte in each cell....

Picture this: you are sitting in the driver’s seat of your trusty truck on the way home from a long day on the job. You are trying to relax, but all you can focus on is the sound of your tools clanking together as they roll around in the bed of your truck. Sounds like a nightmare, right? Good news: truck boxes are a great way to store your tools in your truck and they are surprisingly easy to install....

We love a good DIY holiday decoration. This year, it seems like everyone is stepping up their game to make bigger, grander and more festive decorations than ever. This giant popcorn garland is no exception. It’s a crafty spin on the popcorn garlands you’d make as a kid—but supersized. TikTok user @JeffMacKay recently posted a video demonstrating the idea, giving us inspiration for how to add some festive fun to our homes....

What types of receptacle outlets are required by the code? There are all kinds of receptacle outlets on the market with added features like USB charging ports, surge protection, night lights, combination receptacle and switch devices, and more. While these features might serve a special purpose or convenience, they are not required by the code. In order to pass your next electrical inspection, here are the main categories of receptacles you need to know about: Grounding-Type Receptacles: All new receptacles have to be the three-prong grounding type (there are some exceptions and alternatives when it comes to replacing old two-prong non-grounding type receptacles in older homes)....

If you walk down the aisle of dog collars at your local pet store you are likely to be overwhelmed by all the choices. What size do you need? What about the material? Should you even use a collar? To help demystify your dog collar shopping process and use, this guide will discuss correct sizing, features to be aware of and more. Is It Safe for Dogs to Wear Collars? The short answer is yes, it is safe for dogs to wear collars — as long it fits your dog properly....

Tool Organization Idea for Tile Projects Organized tools lead directly to higher efficiency, which saves time and headaches during DIY projects. To keep track of your bulky and odd-shaped tile trowels, consider hanging them from the rim of a bucket. Just make sure that the blade of the trowel goes inside of the bucket. That way, nothing gets on the handle and any excess adhesive or thinset will fall from the blade right into the bucket....

What is a utility knife? A utility knife is a hand tool that nearly all trades and hobbyists use. Because of its sharp blade, compact size and ease of operation, a utility knife is a great tool to have on hand whenever something needs to be cut. In drywalling operations, it is the most common tool to use when cutting drywall to length or width. The utility knife has been around for decades and as such there are a wide variety of configurations on the market....

Cabinet pulls, knobs and handles are central to the functionality of your kitchen cabinet doors and drawers. The hardware helps you open or close the door or drawer, even when your arms are full of dishes or your fingers coated with cake batter. (The pinkie-finger pull motion is one of my personal favorite cabinet moves.) Lately, many interior designers began calling cabinet hardware “the jewelry of your home.” Where to place the hardware so it looks good and functions well can be a challenge, so here’s a helpful guide....

Digital Caliper Take the guesswork out with precise measurements with this micrometer. Its smart design allows for an easy touch of a button to start measuring. Shop Now! Auger Drill Bit for Planting Make planting a cinch with this extended length garden auger spiral drill bit. This heavy duty drill bit will work on any kinds of soils, including hard rocky soils. Family Handyman Change Your Bit with One Quick Flip The Montana Modular Drill and Drive set makes drilling pilot holes and driving screws a snap....

Folks working and spending more time at home during the pandemic, not only use more energy in their homes, but may suffer the double-whammy of losing some or most of their income do to Covid related layoffs. Check out these energy conservation tips that can reduce your energy bills without spending an extra cent. If you have a little spare change to invest, look for the low-cost bonus tip in each piece of advice to increase your long-term savings....

There’s something magical about a door with a concealed hinge. From the outside, there’s no visible hardware to detract from the door’s appearance. It’s only when you open the door that the magic—a hidden hinge—is revealed. Beautiful and useful, here’s how you can add some concealed-hinge magic to your home. What Is a Concealed Hinge? Concealed hinges—also called invisible, hidden and European—are used on entry and interior doors, cabinets and furniture....

We play a little game here at The Family Handyman office called “What broke at your house this weekend?” This time it was my 15-year-old chain drive garage door opener. The signs of its impending demise started about a week ago. Every third or fourth time we used it, the garage door would get stuck halfway up or down. I pretended not to notice and figured it was just the odd weather we’ve been having....

Jon Rehg/Shutterstock Painting laminate cabinets offers an inexpensive way to update the appearance of your kitchen in a short amount of time. With a minimal financial investment, a little time and some elbow grease, your kitchen can have a richer, more customized look. See 12 amazing DIY bathroom makeovers. As the price of custom cabinetry has increased, the use of laminates has proliferated. Melamine, Formica and wood laminates applied to engineered cores provide affordable variety in design, but create challenges when it comes time to change things up....

Family Handyman Yes, you certainly should consider doing your own electrical. It makes sense for many homeowners, as proven by hardware stores’ huge wiring-supply sections. Sure, you need to be careful, but basic household wiring isn’t complicated. I’m not a professional electrician, but I’ve wired three complete houses, from utility pole to outlets. Every time I do my own work (and get it inspected), I’m reminded of the three reasons I love DIY electrical....