The Stanley Panel Carry will save your back, hands, materials, and pocketbook

Usually the best tools have the least amount of bells and whistles but can effectively improve your workflow 10 fold or more. The Panel Carry from Stanley is a great example.

  May 9, 2008 | Comments ()

Heated Flooring Options

Granted winter has just passed, but this could be the perfect project to work on now and have ready in the fall: heated flooring. Decide if you want it as the sole heating source for your new home or do it on a by-project basis room by room. Don’t warm tiles right out of the shower sound inviting?

  May 9, 2008 | Comments ()

Crown Molding Made Easy

If you don't have the time or intention of going through this process there are easier options for installing crown molding such as using Easy Crown Molding. According to their website you just peel and stick.

  May 8, 2008 | Comments ()

Repairing Damaged Baseboards

Crown, chair, and base Moldings add a touch of character and charm to any room no matter how old or new your home is. But these moldings are also not immune to the rigors of a household and often times they are subject to even more damage because they are located in high-traffic areas such as baseboards which are easily dinged by feet, furniture, and other moving objects.

  May 8, 2008 | Comments ()

Get Your Closets Back on Track

Chances are you have a closet somewhere in your apartment or house--more than one if you're lucky. After years of wear and tear or just years without renovation, you've probably also run into some "off-track" issues.

  May 7, 2008 | Comments ()

Don't Dump--Donate!

Photo: courtesy of Habitat for Humanity-Kansas City

As you begin a one-room or whole-house renovation, the thought of disposing of the excess of old furniture and building materials can be daunting. Yet there are options for smart disposal, and as a bonus, they're environmentally friendly! As seen in the latest issue of this magazine, The ReStore offers services like pickups and salvage, and also stocks secondhand building supplies and housewares in order to decrease landfill waste.

  May 7, 2008 | Comments ()

Clear a Clogged Kitchen or Bathroom Sink Drain

There's no more common household problem than clogged sink drains. One of our most popular articles is how-to replace a p-trap, but before you even look under the sink take a plunger and wet rag and try to dislodge the blockage.

  May 6, 2008 | Comments ()

Build a Houseblog

We read a lot of houseblogs. We find them to be the most honest and informative sources of home improvement information online. If you're unfamiliar with the term "houseblog" they're basically an online weblog (diary) of a homeowners adventure in remodeling and renovation.

The motivations for homeowners to start houseblogs is primarily an opportunity and outlet for them to share their experiences with others including family, friends, and other house bloggers and hopefully start discussions that lead to solutions for their renovation challenges or different approaches to similar problems.

  May 6, 2008 | Comments ()

Seattle Contemporary Houseboat Remodel

We've been enamored with Seattle houseboats since Sleepless in Seattle but the majority of houseboats we've seen up close look a bit dated and more charming than cool. Our opinions have changed after seeing this houseboat remodel in the Seattle Times.

  May 5, 2008 | Comments ()

Homes of our Sports Heroes and Zeroes

Whether you are a fan or not, you may find these homes surprisingly tasteful or spectacularly tacky.

Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets
Adam "Pac-Man" Jones the new cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys
50 Cent: Rapper but best friends with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets

  May 5, 2008 | Comments ()

Maximize Energy and Luminosity by Day Lighting
Your Home

"The best way to light a home is God's way."
--Frank Lloyd Wright

As a pioneer in modern day architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright was also a proponent for day-lighting a home which consists of maximizing natural light through roof windows and skylights. Contemporary architects are pushing the window size into window walls that were once reserved for costly commercial projects but are now increasingly becoming popular for residential homes.

  May 2, 2008 | Comments ()

Landscaping for Energy Conservation

The art of landscaping can get lost in the chaos of remodeling or building a new home. The approach should start from the beginning with your architect and flow from the site plan and footprint of your home. Taking into account geographic elements around your site such as rolling hills, trees, wind patterns, and southern exposures you can plan your landscape to take advantage of these natural sources of heat and cooling.

  May 2, 2008 | Comments ()

Living Trucker Style

We've got a small living space but it's nothing like the traveling home that truckers live in on a daily basis for months at a time. Cabs that offer from 200-280 sqft. are deftly designed to include kitchens, toilets, showers, and sleeping areas.

  May 2, 2008 | Comments ()

Macerating Toilets Make a Half-Bath Possible

Adding a half-bath is almost always a great idea. Typically they are located in areas for convenience and are also chosen for high-traffic areas in your home. But as families grow and areas of your home evolve we encounter issues with installing half-baths because they weren't selected in original house plans and therefore plumbing and venting was not considered in the area where you most likely want to place them.

  May 1, 2008 | Comments ()

Open House Parties sans Kid n Play

Realtors are becoming more proactive with getting potential buyers to step inside their homes or condos. For example, open house parties are popping up around the country. Invest in a DJ, drinks, a little food and the people will come.

  May 1, 2008 | Comments ()

Design It Yourself and Let Ponoko do the Rest

Do you have a great design idea for a piece of furniture of other home accessory? You can now design, build, and bring it to market with the help of Ponoko. They are one of the first do-it-yourself industrial design companies that allow you to submit plans and designs for a product and they'll build it for you and help you sell it.

  May 1, 2008 | Comments ()

Build It Yourself: Compact TV Stand

Here's a new project for you: a television stand. Maybe you already have one in your living room, but chances are you have more than one TV. This plan from Amateur Woodworker is great when you only have a small spot for a TV in the playroom or bedroom.

  April 30, 2008 | Comments ()

Unbuild for an Eco-friendly Teardown Solution

This article from the Wall Street Journal offers the pros and cons of an "unbuild" instead of teardown. It's still cheaper to demo everything and throw it away but much more satisfying to reuse old brick for a retaining wall or find uses for tile and stone in your new home.

  April 30, 2008 | Comments ()

Preparing Your Pool for Summer

With heated pools more people open them up before the official start of summer. If you’re tackling this by yourself, make sure you take all the precautions now so your pool season goes by without a hitch (or at least without too many).

  April 30, 2008 | Comments ()

Keep Your Appliances Running a Long Time

In a follow up to finding an appliance repairman, here are some suggestions from OldHouseWeb.com for maximizing the effective life of your appliances as well as how best to work with your appliance technician when they are troubleshooting your equipment.

  April 30, 2008 | Comments ()

Nevada, California, and Arizona...Oh My!

In a grim sign of continuing economic troubles, a report released today indicates a 112 percent increase in foreclosures—in other words, one out of every 194 U.S. households has received a foreclosure filing. Hardest hit states include Nevada, California and Arizona.

  April 29, 2008 | Comments ()

How To Find an Appliance Repairman

Modern day appliances are a blessing but when they go bad they can cause nightmares at the most inopportune times. Contrary to how the majority of us treat our appliances, the moving parts in washers, dryers, and dishwashers do need regular maintenance to continue to happily run for years. Fortunately many of the American made appliances in the 70's and 80's were well built solid machines with parts widely available. As these machines retire at a rapid pace and have been replaced by high-tech appliances, the options for finding repairman to fix them is dwindling.

  April 29, 2008 | Comments ()

Leatherman Goes Gardening

When you're done building your garden box you should pick up one of these Leatherman Gardening Multi-tools. As with every Leatherman they serve many purposes. Not only are they stainless steel pruners but they also have these other capabilities.

  April 29, 2008 | Comments ()