You can find painting tips and wall color inspiration online, but you can also find paint itself there. Buying paint online is becoming more and more common. It allows you to easily compare prices and ingredients, and the internet offers a better selection than any brick and mortar store. But where do you start? The key is to order swatches and samples, and always check the return policy. Here are five of the best places to buy paint online....
The trades are a lucrative job option for people wishing to start a career without attending a four-year college. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects faster than average employment growth for the construction industry through 2026. With good employment opportunities and attractive starting wages, trades are becoming an increasingly popular option. If you’re interested in pursuing the trades, you should know the difference between a rookie laborer and an apprentice....
When Michelin announced in June that it had developed an airless tire more than a few eyebrows raised. It’s still a ways away from appearing on vehicles, Michelin anticipates a release date of 2024 for the tire, which is based on the “Tweel” it launched in 2005. Here’s how often you should be rotating your tires. The tire is called the “Uptis” which stands for Unique Puncture-proof Tire System and Michelin is testing the tire on Chevrolet Bolt EVs....
You might find mold on houseplant soil after bringing your plants in for the winter, or it might grow in containers that are inside year-round. It can pop up on new additions to your urban garden, or it can appear on established members of your leafy collection. Mold occurs on soil for a number of reasons. Understanding what caused the problem and how to get rid of it will keep your garden and home happy....
Family Handyman What is radon gas? Radon gas is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that’s produced by decaying uranium. Radon gas is present in nearly all soils, and very low levels of radon gas are found in the air we breathe every day. Problems occur when radon gas enters your home and gets trapped. How does radon gas get in? Radon gas moves from the soil into a home directly through pores in concrete and gaps in walls and floors....
What’s the correct pilot hole size? Wood screws are almost always easier to drive and less likely to split if you drill pilot holes first, especially near the end of a board. But what size hole should you make? For screws, the diameter of the drill bit for the pilot hole should match the inner diameter of the screw—not the screw’s threads. The easiest way to check this is to hold a drill bit up against a screw with the drill bit eclipsing the screw so only the threads show....
Google Home Mini vs Echo Dot Price Setup The setup on each device is relatively similar. For the Google Home Mini, you plug in the speaker, download the Google Home app, and a setup should pop up right away within the app with easy-to-follow on-screen instructions to connect it to your WiFi network. The process for the Echo Dot is similar, beginning with downloading the Alexa app and hitting the “+” button in the top right-hand corner of the Devices tab....
Plastic is everywhere, from food and beverage packaging to electronics, toys and home improvement materials. Recycle number meaning On most plastic, you’ll find a number, from one to seven. That number is a resin identification code used to help recycling centers sort materials and tell them how the piece should be processed. There are also a number of items that can be recycled that you might not have known about....
Vinyl plank flooring (LVP) is a cost-effective, DIY-friendly option for those who want to mimic the look of natural wood. If you install vinyl plank flooring yourself and understand how the planks fit together, you can handle repairs yourself. I’m a former residential carpenter with vinyl plank flooring installation and repair experience. I collaborated with Nick Yahoodain, CEO of Advanced Builders and Contractors, to create this guide to fixing vinyl plank flooring....
In 1824, scientist Thomas H. Webb named a mineral compound vermiculite, combining Latin and English words that roughly translate to “a rock that looks like a mass of small worms.” That aptly describes what vermiculite does when heated — it expands into low-density, worm-like strands. Today, vermiculite is used as filler for paints, plastics and insulation. And in the garden, vermiculite’s texture makes it an excellent moisture-retaining soil additive. “Vermiculite can also increase nutrient retention and soil aeration, resulting in healthier, more robust plants,” says Kelly Funk, president and expert gardener at Park Seed....
What is a Pocket Door? Pocket doors are a great way to put a door into a space where it otherwise might not fit. Rather than swinging open one way or another, pocket doors slide along a track into a cavity in the wall. This gets the door entirely out of the way, creating a clean, open look that interior designers love. On This Page Sometimes, though, pocket doors need to come out....
Zillow Group, which controls the widely-used real estate listing website Zillow.com, posted $789 million in fourth quarter revenue as it continues to soar in popularity. The news of Zillow’s surprisingly strong earnings comes days after it announced plans to purchase ShowingTime.com, an online home showings scheduler, for $500 million. GeekWire says Zillow is benefiting from housing market gains, which totaled $2.5 trillion in value in 2020 — $2.2 trillion from appreciation of existing homes, and $274 billion from new construction....
You’ve decided to stay in your fifty-something-year-old house and you’re ready to rewire it. Twenty-first century electrical wiring is a game changer for older homes. Here’s our advice on successfully managing your rewiring project from start to finish. Your goal is a rewired house. Here’s how to make it happen. How To Scope a Home Rewiring Project There are three main elements to this type of project: What work needs to be done?...
RV season seems to come and go in the blink of an eye. As the leaves start to fall and signal the approach of winter, it’s time to make plans for storing your RV. We compiled the best options for winter camper storage and the necessary steps to take beforehand. Why Store an RV? The main reason to store an RV or camper for winter is to protect it from the elements....
As a woman in her 50s, Mary Kehl is not your typical apprentice. After careers as a firefighter, EMT/paramedic and physician assistant, she’s just now embarking on her newest endeavor — becoming a handyman. “After thirty years I was ready for a change,” she says. “I still really enjoy working with patients and helping people, but I needed something to spark my interest and make me feel like I was learning new things....
Bathtub materials used by the ancients would look strange in a modern bathroom. The Babylonians coated bricks with a mixture of bitumen and limestone to make them waterproof. Roman tubs were made from terra-cotta bricks and tiles, and the Chinese soaked in tubs hewn from tree trunks. By contrast, many modern bathtub materials come from a factory. That doesn’t make them any less attractive than the natural materials people have used through the ages, but they are definitely more affordable and easier to keep clean....
A traditional skylight can be a great way to let natural light into a room, but it can also bring with it a host of insulation and leakage issues. Some interior rooms also lack access to natural light based on location … at least, not through traditional methods. That’s where tubular skylights come in. What is a Tubular Skylight? Tubular skylights bring natural light into a room through a tube-shaped structure that takes sunlight from your roof and reflects it down into your home....
Imagine opening your window blinds every morning without getting out of bed, or watching all your home’s blinds close automatically when the sun sets. These conveniences are possible when you install smart blinds in your home. What Are Smart Blinds? Smart blinds are window coverings with a gearbox and a “brain.” They connect to an app on your phone or a remote control through WiFi or Bluetooth. With a tap of the finger or a voice command, you can open or close the blinds no matter where you are....
What to Know Before Buying Diamond Blades If you work in construction, it’s more than likely that you own a diamond blade or two. Cutting through hard materials like concrete, asphalt, tile, brick, and stone can be challenging, especially when you’re not using the proper blade. It can be a bit overwhelming trying to figure out which diamond blade to choose with all of the options out there. On This Page...
More than 1,300 participants competed in Lowe’s first virtual pitch program aimed at supporting small business owners and entrepreneurs with home improvement products. The competition, “Making It… With Lowe’s” was hosted by Daymond John, star of Shark Tank, and had a similar feel to the popular ABC television show. Of the 1,300 submissions, roughly 400 products were evaluated before being narrowed down. A panel of top Lowe’s executives, including CEO Marvin Ellison, gathered to hear pitches and ultimately choose which products they would feature in stores and display online at lowes....
