Cutting molding on a miter saw can be tricky business. Most techniques for cutting crown molding involve awkwardly holding the crown against the fence of the saw while making the cut. With this method the crown can be laid flat on the saw, which makes the whole process a little easier and a lot more precise. Note: This method is for cutting crown molding to fit a 90-degree corner. What is Crown Molding?...
Brought to you by Just about the most common roof type is the gable roof. The shape on children’s drawings of houses and on the building pieces in the game of Monopoly, the gable roof is seen everywhere and just about every culture. Although this roof type is inexpensive and easily built, I don’t think that its simplicity explains its popularity. Instead, I believe that its shape, which lifts us up to the sky, speaks to optimism and hope....
Karyn Norman/Birds and Blooms For those of us who live in areas that experience relatively mild winters—we are fortunate to be able to grow semi-tropical and/or tropical plants such as Bougainvillea, Lantana and Yellow Bells outdoors. However, those same frost-tender plants whose colorful blooms we enjoy during the warm months, often need extra protection when cold snaps hit in winter. And even cold climate gardeners have to guess, “when is the last frost?...
Bringing home the spa experience isn’t a new idea, but it still has legs. And steam showers are one of the most luxurious spa experiences you can recreate in your home. You’ll need some space (a steam shower takes up more room than an average shower) and some money (see below for costs). But the rewards can quickly make up for the sacrifices. Here’s what you need to know. What Is a Steam Shower?...
Thinking about buying a chain saw? Consider a battery-powered one. While these cordless chain saws can’t go toe-to-toe with gas-powered chain saws in run-time and power, they’ll do the job for most homeowners. And for many people, their advantages — no hard-to-start two-cycle engine, no mixing gas and oil and no fouled spark plugs — make up for any shortcomings. We put a few models through their paces to find out what you can expect from a battery-powered chain saw....
When you purchase land to build a home, the soil is more important than you might expect. The composition of your soil can affect everything from plumbing to foundations. Because of this, there are many soil tests to conduct as part of the home construction process. Some tests, like perc (short for percolation) tests, are essential to installing properly functioning septic systems. Other tests inform the construction of the house itself....
Nothing quite unlocks the potential of a summer at the pool like some fun floaties to lounge and splash on. But blowing up a bunch of inflatable floaties is no day at the beach, and can take a long time if you’re relying on lung power alone. Here’s a look at some of the best tools to blow up pool floaties that won’t leave you gasping for breath. via homedepot.com...
When I bought the house I now live in, it featured a recently-built addition with an unfinished interior. The foundation was an on-grade concrete slab. My business partner and I, after considerable discussion, decided to install cork flooring. That was, in retrospect, the Best. Decision. Ever. As a flooring guy, I put it in. Installing cork was as easy as installing a laminate floor, since the cork planks were engineered with a similar locking mechanism....
As another summer winds down, anyone with a backyard sparse with tree cover knows how unbearable it can be. The heat can have a significant effect not only outside, but also inside, especially in rooms with south-facing windows. In addition to the higher energy costs, bright, direct sunlight can bleach furniture, decor, and floors in rooms with direct exposure. One of my high school friends and her family encountered this exact issue with a backyard flooded with direct sunlight that made it hard to maintain the lawn, let alone organize a backyard cookout or children’s birthday party....
Brian McEntire/Shutterstock It may seem counter-intuitive, but you can definitely paint vinyl siding—and get great-looking, long-lasting results. Does Paint Stick to Vinyl? When most people ask “Can you paint vinyl siding?” the question they really want to be answered is this: Does paint stick to vinyl siding? On This Page Years ago, the answer to that question would have been no. Advances in paint technology, however, have changed the situation. These advances give homeowners a much less expensive option for renewing the look of their home....
Sometimes, it feels like the list of home improvement projects and repairs that need your attention never ends. As soon as you get your wood floors refinished, you discover a leak in your pipes. Then, the refrigerator breaks. A week later, the Homeowners Association sends a letter telling you to repaint your home’s exterior within 90 days — or else. Oh, and there’s the new deck you hoped to build for that end-of-summer soirée....
Brakes are one area where vehicle owners simply cannot compromise. Disc brake rotors, or discs, normally wear out because they generate heat to stop your car. Signs such as excess dust on the wheels, excessive stopping distance, or strange noises and vibrations when braking can indicate rotor warping, cracking, glazing or scoring. Consider replacing them when these symptoms occur. What Are Brake Rotors? Brake rotors are circular, two-sided machined discs mechanically connected to the wheels....
It’s one of those questions that lends itself to humor and exaggeration: How much money does it take to renovate an historic home, compared to building a new one? “The answer is all of it,” says Neil Stevenson, a Charleston, South Carolina-based architect and consultant for the celebrity home renovation series Rucker’s Reno. “Every penny you have is what it’s going to cost.” Seriously, though: If you’re smart about it, renovating an old house won’t bankrupt you, although it will undoubtedly cost more than sprucing up a newer house....
If owls formed a pest management company, they’d be in high demand. Learning how to attract owls is an effective way to control all kinds of pests in the yard. Depending on species and location, owls feed on a wide variety of varmints and pests. Small owls, such as screech owls, eat everything from insects, snails and spiders to mice. Larger owls, such as barn owls and great horned owls, feast on voles, moles, mice, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits and occasionally reptiles such as snakes....
James Litke/Shutterstock Why You Should Destroy Your Hard Drive A typical home desktop computer or laptop hard drive can contain your social security number, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, and website logins and passwords. This information can remain on the hard drive even if “erased” or reformatted with a data-wiping program. On This Page Before donating or recycling your computer, you need to completely wipe or remove the hard drives....
Ever wonder how pros sew buttons onto pillows, or how they get their cushions so perfectly straight and smooth? Unwrap the mystery of upholstery, and stitch together some skills to sew small projects and make repairs. I spent a day with Nate Van Hofwegen at his shop talking about his upholstery magic and what tricks he could teach us. Meet The Expert Family Handyman On This Page Nate Van Hofwegen has been an upholsterer for 20 years....
Every time we cook, we create a potentially hazardous situation in our home. Most of the time we sauté and simmer our way through it gracefully. But still, every year U.S. fire departments respond to 170,000 or more house fires started by cooking, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Here’s what this statistic doesn’t reveal: Homeowners douse many more fires without calling 911, because they keep a working fire extinguisher on hand and know how to use it....
karamysh/Shutterstock When your fridge dies, your range operates only on high, or your dishwasher starts leaking, it’s time to go appliance shopping. While the task of replacing or updating can be fun for the opinionated, it’s a headache for the indecisive. Without fail, you’ll walk by a row of beautiful stainless steel appliances and think: is this right for me? Should I go stainless this time around? Before you decide, peruse these pros and cons of this popular kitchen appliance finish....
Courtesy of GIE+ EXPO UPDATE (Oct. 1, 2020) — GIE+EXPO ToGo, the virtual replacement for the postponed live version of the 2020 GIE+ EXPO, is now live. Starting today, visitors can browse exhibitor “booths” where top brands in the outdoor power equipment category are set up to showcase their latest products and upcoming attractions. GIE+EXPO ToGo is set to run from now through December 2020. The event will spotlight over 40 featured brands, including the John Deere Company, STIHL, and Honda Power Equipment....
Sometimes, turning off the water at a shutoff valve isn’t the best option. I needed to replace two valves on a boiler for a three-story building. I could either wait for heating season to end and drain the system, or I could isolate the valves with ice plugs and avoid the hassle of draining and refilling the system. So I decided to go for the latter. I rented the Ridgid SF -2500 SuperFreeze, which circulates refrigerant through two freeze heads, forming a pair of ice plugs....
