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The skyrocketing cost of lumber since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic has been one of the biggest stories in the homebuilding industry for more than a year. Though lumber prices dominate the headlines, the cost of other construction materials has risen as well, though not as dramatically. The industry then passes those costs along to consumers, creating problems. “Rising materials prices are significantly driving up prices for single-family homes and apartments,” said Robert Dietz, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders....

Creative DIY Toys Take a break from screen time and help get a child interested in DIY. Not only will children learn valuable skills to last a lifetime, DIY projects can be done with parents, grandparents and other family members. And kids will love these 12 gift ideas. Cardboard Building Projects The Calafant Activity Models sold on the website Danish by Design start off as a fun cardboard building project. When finished, they become toys....

Deck the halls with lots of deals—this is the December installment of Deals We Love! As Family Handyman’s Sales and Deals Editor, I’ve written countless articles on the best deals available, so believe me when I say that these December deals—including sales on cleaning, home entertainment, holiday decor, power tools and fire pits—are almost too good to be true. Below are six sales I’ve handpicked, showcasing the best savings available across home and DIY categories ahead of the holidays....

The days of robotic, monotone “virtual assistants” are fading fast. The “voices” your smart devices use to communicate seem to grow more nuanced, realistic and recognizable with each update, and it’s no surprise that tech-giant Google is leading the way in this area. Google’s virtual assistant, the aptly named “Google Assistant,” currently has 10 voices to choose from (five male and five female), plus a celebrity option voiced by television and movie star Issa Rae....

Winai Pantho/Shutterstock As temperatures drop in the fall, some insects become less active, which is a relief. However, those same cooler temps make cluster flies come out in full force. Slightly larger than the common house fly, cluster flies are dull-gray in color with black markings. They also have golden-yellow hairs on the thorax and they make their debut in autumn. In search of sunny sides of homes to escape the cold, the over-wintering pests crawl out of wall voids and attics to enjoy the warmth, clustering in large numbers on the sunny exterior of buildings, as well as at windows within the home....

Your freshly painted walls look pristine and you’re satisfied with a paint job well done. But before dumping your leftover paint or tossing it out with the trash, think about ways to use those leftovers, such as touching up wall scuffs. After that, if you can’t think of any other ways to use the paint, here’s how to get rid of it responsibly. First, never dump paint down the drain, into a storm sewer or onto the ground....

Can You Paint Aluminum Siding? Have you ever wondered if you can paint aluminum siding? The key to painting aluminum siding is to get it really clean and to use 100-percent acrylic latex paint. Check the label to be sure it’s recommended for metal siding. Expect to pay a premium for good paint. On This Page The best way to get this siding clean is to pressure wash it. Or you could wash it by hand with TSP (trisodium phosphate) or a similar product and rinse it thoroughly....

Who wouldn’t love cozying up in a tiny little cottage? Joanna Gaines certainly would, especially as she shares the latest glimpse into the tiny cottage she has at home. Surrounded by massive beds of flowers, cozy corners, warm wood furniture and lots of books, it seems Joanna Gaines is also an advocate of the cottagecore trend. If you haven’t heard of cottagecore yet, it’s a viral trend that encourages you to “romanticize” everyday life, making the simple and mundane of each day look like a romantic setting from a movie or book....

Hold Shoe Against Shoe When coping shoe molding, the best way to keep it from jumping around too much is to hold it up against another piece of shoe. Lay the two pieces flat on a table with the small profiles facing each other. Make sure that the piece of shoe that won’t be cut is sticking out about an inch or so further than the piece to be coped. Then pinch the pieces together, hold them steady and saw away!...

It’s hard to find an appliance that actually turns off these days. Even when we hit the switch, things continue in the background. Sometimes they use as much “standby power,” spent just waiting, as they do performing their designed function. Standby power runs internal clocks in microwaves. It keeps your refrigerator’s thermometer running. It also allows devices to sleep, waiting to be nudged awake. Sometimes called vampire or phantom energy, standby power means many of your appliances run 24 hours a day....

If you plan to shop for real estate anytime soon, heads up. You might not find a house with a “master” bedroom or “his-and-her” closets. We’re not suggesting builders and renovators are moving away from larger bedrooms with attached bathrooms and twin closets. They are, however, moving away from something else significant — language traditionally used to describe these spaces in real estate ads. “People may not realize it when they are casually describing rooms … but some terms can be offensive,” says Beatrice de Jong, consumer trends expert at Opendoor, a digital residential real estate company....

Every year millions of Christmas trees are put up and decorated in homes around the world. Some are real, living plants cut down in the wild or purchased from a local tree farm. Others are made from synthetic materials like PVC. With so many of these trees required and disposed of every year, you may wonder: Are Christmas trees bad for the environment? Here, we’ll look at some of the negative impacts Christmas trees can have on the environment, as well as some ways they can be repurposed and recycled to benefit the earth....

via amazon.com After a couple bikes were snatched out of my garage, I installed a pair of Blink security cameras for some peace of mind. The two cameras and a sync module cost about $170, and the only requirements were that the cameras are in range of my wifi. There are no monthly fees, and videos and photos are stored on your phone. Installation was super simple: Connect the sync module to your wireless router, then sync the cameras to the network....

Temperature and humidity have an effect on many home projects, including staining wood. If you’re thinking about staining wood in cold weather, such as the fall, winter or spring, there are a few things you can do to ensure a good outcome. Here are some expert tips on the best temperature for staining wood and how to complete a project when it’s cold outside. Best Temperature for Staining Wood The optimal temperature for staining wood is actually a range....

What is Spontaneous Combustion? Spontaneous combustion is a chemical reaction that occurs in certain materials which causes them to burst into flame spontaneously. Spontaneous combustion can occur when hay, sawdust, coal, compost, oil-based products and other everyday materials are stored improperly and—in simple terms—the internal heat that is generated isn’t allowed to escape. The scenario DIYers need to be very cognizant of is the one dealing with oily rags. A pile of oil-laden rags not given enough elbow room for the oils to dissipate can be a disaster waiting to happen....

For many woodworkers, the half lap joint is their introduction to basic wood joinery. While the history of the half lap joint dates to antiquity, they’re every bit as foundational and useful today as they were in the Roman empire. What Is a Half Lap Joint? A half lap joint involves joining two same-sized pieces of material by removing half the thickness of each piece where they connect. This creates a smooth, strong connection....

A pair of cotton overalls is such a versatile item of clothing. As workwear, they keep you covered and clean. And as everyday apparel, they keep you stylish and comfortable — perfect for the farmer’s market, a music festival and more. But not all overalls are meant to be worn on the job, and not all are fit for the morning market and brunch. Enter Handyma’am Goods. Family Handyman Approved: Handyma’am Goods Cotton Overalls Handyma’am Goods has the “versatile clothing” thing down to a science....

A hot tub can be a great addition to any home. If you’re considering one, make sure to check out our roundup of some of the best hot tubs. But like swimming pools, hot tubs pose some risks. They include overheating, electrical shock, infections and, of course, drowning. Hot Tub Safety Tips for Kids Keep infants and toddlers out. The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance recommends this for two reasons: Very young children have thin skin that makes them prone to overheating, and any potty mishaps they have will instantly contaminate the hot tub....

Persistent mold on a wall near an inside corner may be due to an insulation problem in the corner framing. Here’s how to find it and fix it. Why does mold grow in the inside corners of walls? There are two possible causes for a mold problem at the inside corners of exterior walls. The first is poor air circulation. Warm air registers are normally located in front of windows so they can blow warm, dry air over the glass to cut down on condensation....

What is a drywall rasp? A drywall rasp is a handy tool for fine tuning cuts for drywall. A drywall rasp comes in handy on occasions where a piece of drywall is cut out for windows, patches, receptacles or other holes and is too large. Trying to cut small amounts of drywall off to refit a piece with a utility knife or keyhole saw can cause the drywall to break and fracture....