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Courtesy of Matt Risinger A lumber frame is (obviously) great for providing a home with its structural integrity. But that same framing is also a massive weak spot in the insulation of a wall, providing seams through which external air can easily infiltrate. Traditionally, house wrap or another form of external insulation is used to cover a house and blanket those weak-points, but a new innovation in framing lumber might change that....

In America, Christmas light displays are a staple of the season. According to a 2020 poll from Yahoo, 42% of Americans decorate their home exteriors each year. By far, the most common outdoor Christmas decorations are light displays, whether that’s a simple strand or an elaborate kaleidoscope of rainbow bulbs. But the festive decorations come at a cost, and many holiday enthusiasts may be dreading their January electric bill. Read on to learn, on average, how much you can expect to pay for running your Christmas lights....

Before you toss out your old holiday lighting that no longer works, wait! We have some great news: There are ways to recycle (and even upcycle, if you’re feeling creative) your old Christmas lights. By being resourceful and thoughtful, you can help ensure any reusable parts don’t end up in a landfill. How to Recycle Christmas Lights the Right Way Here are our top suggestions for things you should do with your old holiday decor if fixing the Christmas lights isn’t an option....

Is a pool the only thing missing from your dream house? Here are a few things to consider before building that backyard oasis. Above-Ground vs. In-Ground Pools Above-Ground Pros: A lower financial commitment because you don’t have to dig up your yard; Typically less than half the cost of in-ground pools. Above-Ground Cons: They don’t last as long as in-ground pools; Shape and depth options are limited. In-Ground Pros: More shape and depth options; With routine maintenance, they can last for decades....

Family Handyman How to Make Sticky Gnat Traps Attracted by wet soil, gnats love houseplants. To get rid of them, spread a little honey on bright yellow index cards. Glue the card to a straw or chopstick and stick into the soil of the gnat’s favorite houseplants. Yellow attracts gnats because it’s the color of plants under stress whose defenses are weakened against predators. When the gnats come to investigate, they’ll get stuck in the honey....

Home delivery of building materials could be a convenient and cost-effective option for your current projects. Start by scouting price, then factor in the benefit of what you’ll save in your time and labor. For example, if you don’t have a large enough vehicle to haul what you need, or you do and would rather avoid the hassle of loading and unloading, even high delivery costs may be worth it to you....

Cutting carpet, whether you’re ripping up old stuff or trimming new, is a physically demanding task. A dedicated carpet knife provides the control and cutting ability to easily and accurately slash, slice and trim your carpet rolls or pieces. What Does a Carpet Knife Look Like? Carpet knives are small, lightweight hand tools that resemble a typical utility knife or box cutter, only with an angled handle. This makes them comfortable to hold while generating the leverage needed for ripping through tough carpet....

They are everywhere. Dust mites live in soft fabrics, bedding, furniture, blinds, curtains and anywhere dust can settle. They feed on the detritus of our daily lives, such as dead skin cells and pet dander. While they don’t actually bite, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America notes about 20 million Americans have an allergic sensitivity to dust mites. Although you can’t get rid of them completely, dust mites can be easily managed so they don’t hold you hostage to nasal drip, a skin rash and the other bad reactions they cause....

If you’ve spent much time building woodworking projects, you probably know that few things scream “amateur” louder than visible nails or screws. The problem is, successfully hiding nails and screws in woodworking projects takes considerable time and skill. That’s why we tested this internet hack claiming to provide an easy, nearly foolproof method for joining wood without visible nails or screws. a quick tip to hide screws #fyp #fy #hack #oppussing #viral #diy...

From dirt-rut wagon tracks to the elegant brick pavers of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, Americans have been balancing cost and appearance when choosing driveway materials for centuries. Today, new materials allow for a staggering variety of choices to accommodate almost every possible budget and driveway design preference. Here are pros and cons of seven of the most popular driveway options, with a special focus on cost, longevity, maintenance, climate appropriateness and sustainability....

via Annie Sloan Choose chalk paint cabinets for an easy and stylish makeover of your kitchen. With a little effort, you can achieve dramatic results. (And, just to be clear, we’re talking about chalk paint, not chalkboard paint.) What Is Chalk Paint? Chalk paint is the brain-child of British crafting guru Annie Sloan. She was looking for a paint finish that required no priming or sanding, and when she couldn’t find a product that fit the bill, she created one!...

Did you go a little heavy on that BBQ sauce during your last cookout? It’s okay, life happens, and the BBQ sauce is delicious. Plus, with this simple hack on how to clean your grill, you won’t have to worry about that caked on BBQ sauce much longer. This grilling hack doesn’t require a brush or aluminum foil (which yes, is a nifty way to also clean your grill, here’s how), but requires a simple vegetable: An onion!...

Milwaukee Pipeline 2022 After a two-year hiatus due to pandemic concerns, Milwaukee Tools hosted its annual Pipeline event live June 28 at its operations center in Menomonee Falls, Wis. The company invited Family Handyman into its Research and Development labs to give our readers a sneak peek at some of the tools and innovations they will be releasing this year. Here are some of our favorite products from the 2022 Pipeline event:...

This FH series introduces readers to a few of the women who make up 11 percent of the construction workforce in the U.S., spotlighting stories of their careers in the field. Know someone we should feature? Email us here. Eight years ago, Kat Christie took her childhood love of tinkering pro, starting as an espresso machine technician. That ignited her curiosity and desire to delve into home repair. In 2017, she earned a Handyman Certificate Course from York College in Queens, New York, a major step toward her dream of running her own handywoman business....

Living with children and pets, I’ve become numb to the never-ending messes the most beloved members of my family create. A few months back, after watching my dear wife drag out the full sized, upright vacuum for what seemed like the 17th time that day, I had had enough. In a senseless and frantic state, I jumped on the internet and ordered the Black+Decker 20v Max Pivot Vac. It showed up in an inconspicuous box a few days later, and I was gung-ho to give it a try....

Everything You Need to Know About Liquid Aeration One important way to develop green, healthy grass is to regularly aerate your lawn. On This Page Traditional aeration involves loosening the soil to allow water, nutrients, air and fertilizer to penetrate deeper. That reduces soil compaction, improves air-to-soil interaction and breaks down excessive thatch. Traditional aeration (also called core aeration) uses a machine to pull up small plugs of soil from your lawn....

Few renovations can make an impact on a home like a full kitchen remodel. After living in his home for a decade and a half, Family Handyman Creative Director Vern Johnson decided to make some major changes to his kitchen space. “Over the last fifteen years, we’ve lived with a kitchen that was about nine feet by 11 feet— and it just was not functioning,” Johnson says. Johnson knew gaining more functionality and lots more space would require an extensive renovation....

There’s nothing worse for a DIYer than throwing away a perfectly good piece of wood because you made a drilling mistake. Pilot holes help prevent that. Pilot holes are drilled into a piece of material before fastening that material with a screw. There are a few reasons why it’s smart to drill a pilot hole. When To Drill a Pilot Hole Three common reasons to drill a pilot hole are:...

There are many ways to visually assess your soil’s health, like checking its structure and texture and noting its density of earthworms and other soil organisms. But there are important soil components that you can’t see, which are equally vital for a successful garden and lawn. That’s where soil testing comes in. “Don’t guess, soil test,” says Steve Reiners, professor at the School of Integrative Plant Science Horticulture Section Cornell AgriTech and advisor for Tertill....

Properly wired plug and lamp socket Maintain the correct hot and neutral electrical paths from the outlet to the light bulb. On This Page Wire a plug to maintain correct polarity Wiring a new plug isn’t difficult, but it’s important to get the hot and neutral wires connected to the proper prongs. The danger isn’t fire. The worry is that a miswired plug poses a fairly serious shock hazard. The key is to make sure you connect the wires to the proper terminals in the plug....