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Lumber prices reached their highest mark in two years last week as the Random Lengths Framing Composite Price hit $523 per 1,000 board feet, a 50 percent increase since April 2020. According to the National Association of Home Builders, prices had not risen above the $500 mark since July 2018. The reasons for this rapid increase stems from the impact of COVID-19 on the lumber supply chain. When the coronavirus pandemic slowed construction activity across the country earlier this year (and shut it down completely in some states), demand for lumber dropped significantly....

SDI Productions/Getty Images If you’ve got cramped or dark spaces, chances are you’re looking to make them feel brighter and airier. What’s more, the solution can vary from room to room. We spoke with the experts to learn customized tips and tricks for figuring out how to make your small bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms look and feel bigger with color. Here are some inspiring small space paint ideas....

Moles and voles can be real nuisances. One year, moles tunneled beneath an entire flower bed in my garden. How did I know? After a heavy spring rain, all the plants in that bed fell into the mole tunnels. It was a mole condominium down there. We had to haul in extra soil and replant every plant. Here, we’ll uncover the differences between moles and voles. What Is a Vole? Voles, also called meadow mice, are nocturnal mammals that live above ground most of the time....

This year, Earth Day won’t be celebrated with festivals or public gatherings. But the spirit of the holiday lives on, observed at home by individuals and families. Here are five ways you can maintain an environmentally friendly attitude even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reduce Food Waste Many of us have run into issues getting all the food we’d like from the grocery store. And that highlights the problem of food waste....

Family Handyman One of the most reached-for tools in my garage, the circular saw is an essential tool for DIYers of all skill levels. The “circ” saw is über-versatile. If you need any kind of straight cut, a circular saw can do it. But there are some tricks for using one. Follow along to learn circular saw skills and to find out what type of saw you need in your shop....

Family Handyman Down the Drain! I heard that dreaded call from the bathroom: “Honey, the shower isn’t draining!” I tried to solve the problem with all sorts of gizmos like a plunger, the skinny plastic things with all the barbs, some electrical wire and even a plumbing snake. Nothing I tried would get through the trap. Over a cup of coffee, I racked my brain about what material would get past the drain trap....

Salt your walks and driveway ahead of time Pick up a bag or container of ice melt or deicing salt at a home center or hardware store and sprinkle it on your sidewalks, steps and driveway. If you have a dog or are putting salt on a public sidewalk, look for pet-friendly ice melt. Also keep a bag of sand on hand in case you need extra traction on the driveway after the storm....

Kitchen cabinets are often the dominating decorative feature in a kitchen, showcasing the homeowner’s design aesthetic and providing a backdrop for gatherings with family and friends. Whether you’re starting from scratch or giving your existing kitchen an upgrade, consider the range of kitchen cabinet options to find one that matches your taste, budget and DIY skills. What To Consider When Choosing Kitchen Cabinets Here are the six major factors to keep in mind as you decide which kitchen cabinets are best for your home....

It’s camping season in the Upper Midwest, and that means spending some quality time around campfires. But as lovely as they are in the moment, you don’t always want the smell to follow you. So what’s the best way to get the smoke out of your clothes? We’ve rounded up several options below. Air Out Your Clothes Hanging your clothes outside to air out is a great way to remove the smell....

Alexander Gold/Shutterstock How to Keep Snakes Away Unless you’ve chosen to put a snake in a clear 20-gallon terrarium, feed it vermin and let it out to slither around, you probably don’t want it in your house. A pet snake is one thing. But there’s just something super unsettling about a snake entering your humble abode, much like finding a cockroach hunting for crumbs in your kitchen in the middle of the night....

It’s that time of year! Weeks before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, Pantone unveils its Color of the Year, and 2023 is coming in hot. The new year’s shade is surprisingly bold, ushering in an infectious attitude of indomitable confidence. Following 2022’s shade “Veri Peri,” the leading color authority announced the Pantone Color of the Year is Pantone 18-1750 Viva Magenta. The gorgeous shade is about to appear everywhere, so here’s everything you’ll want to know about the color....

This FH series introduces readers to a few of the women who make up 11 percent of the construction workforce in the United States, spotlighting stories of their careers in the field. Know someone we should feature? Email us here. At age 34 with a four-year-old son, Maggie Rogosienski hit a wall. She loved her career as a personal trainer until two major life events shook her world: A divorce, then a landlord suddenly shutting down the gym she owned....

PolyPloiid/Shutterstock So you’ve tossed some delicates in the sink or a bucket to wash, only to realize you have no laundry detergent! Perhaps you’re traveling and have gone through all of your clothing, but don’t want to buy a big bottle of detergent. When you’re in a pinch, it’s shampoo to the rescue! Check out these 17 handy hints that make doing the laundry less of a hassle. While you might not be interested in substituting your expensive shampoo for laundry detergent, those tiny hotel bottles you’ve accumulated are just what you need....

In the United States, the average driver logs about 13,000 miles per year, according to the Federal Highway Administration. With all that time spent sitting in a car, your car seat is bound to get a little dirty from time to time. Like oil and filter changes and other routine mechanical maintenance tasks, regular cleaning does wonders to prolong the life of your car’s interior. “With all car seats, prevention is better than cure, so I advise that spending a little time each week keeping your car clean and hygienic will pay off in the long run,” says John Peterson, editor of Safe Drive Gear and an auto retailer senior sales manager....

Have you ever been outside on a hot summer day and seen flashes of light bounce along the horizon without hearing any rumbles of thunder? Many people believe these flashes are a phenomenon known as “heat lightning,” where the heat in the upper atmosphere creates sparks of light that silently illuminate the sky. But what actually is “heat lightning?” And is it dangerous? What is Heat Lightning? Turns out, what some people call heat lightning is just lightning from a far-off storm....

The snake plant — AKA mother-in-law’s tongue, Saint George’s sword and viper’s bowstring hemp, is again gaining popularity with indoor gardening enthusiasts. No surprise, since they’re beautiful, as well as evergreen and drought- and pest-resistant. If you want to liven up your home entrance, then these are the perfect entryway plants. “There are so many different shapes and colors of snake plants and that intrigues plant parents, new and old,” says The Houseplant Guru Lisa Eldred Steinkopf....

Yankees vs. Red Sox. Ali vs. Frazier. Top loader vs. front loader? Great rivalries get people amped up, and the washing machine debate is no exception. For decades, top-loading machines ruled the home market. To use a front loader, you had to go to a laundromat. But after a fitful reintroduction in the late 1990s, front loaders for home use have gained steam in recent years. Passions run high. Perhaps you’ve owned both, but you like the energy efficiency of front loaders....

We found the best deals available now, but retailers are revealing new sales daily, so check back for more savings throughout November. Best Black Friday Microwave Deals Chef 1100 Watt Countertop Microwave Oven via merchant Shop Now Chef 700 Watt Countertop Microwave Samsung Over-the-Range Microwave with Sensor Cooking Did that old over-the-range microwave finally give up the ghost? Upgrade while the sales are fresh. This Samsung over-the-range microwave—currently on sale at Wayfair for more than $200 off—features a sleek glass control panel and comes in an array of colors that match its line of other appliances....

skaman306/Getty Images The Associated General Contractors of America recently sent out two (nearly identical) letters to the two top presidential candidates requesting the winner of the election to establish a nationwide vaccination distribution plan for when the eventual COVID-19 vaccine becomes publicly available. The AGC believes that establishing such a plan will help prevent confusion and streamline the process of getting essential workers vaccinated and protected from the on-going pandemic....

Mike Flippo/Shutterstock When you accumulate stuff, you accumulate storage bins to store that stuff. Whether it’s the box of holiday lights, seasonal clothes, or nostalgic report cards that you just can’t part with, those bins start to take up a lot of space leaving you feeling cramped and disorganized. Ease your stress with storage bin shelves that you can easily and inexpensively make yourself. While you build one storage solution, start planning another from this list of our 30 best-ever storage tips....