Rick Tempchin Executive Director, Retail Energy Services Edison Electric Institute Electric utilities are replacing analog meters with digital “smart” meters across the country, creating improvements
Using Gypsum Board for Creative Interior Décor. One of the often overlooked (underlooked?) areas of the home is the ceiling, which can present a prime
By Matt Weber Prepare the home for winter to save energy and heating costs by updating your insulation. When we get cold,
What better way to start the new year off than winning a gift card to the premier woodworking and gardening company. Congratulations to the following
Milwaukee Tool Corporation continues to expand their Test and Measurement line and M12™ LITHIUM-ION system with the introduction of the new 160×120 Thermal Imager, powered
By: Hal Jones Second Part of Securing a Vacation or Lake Home. How-To Install Surveillance Cameras in a Vacation or Lake Home, Where Remote Surveillance
The total cost for your bathroom remodel will depend on many factors, including how extensive the project is, where you live, what types of
By Monte Burch From East to West, North to South, flooding has been a major problem across much of the United States. You can’t do
By Dave Barnes 11 Keys to Successfully Stain Exotic Hardwood for Outdoor Applications
By Mark Clement Do You Live in a Barn? We’ve all seen them. You can probably picture one in your mind’s eye—if not your backyard.
By Mark Clement Making the Most of the Most-used Door in the House
By Matt Weber Staining and Sealing to Fight Mother Nature. The natural beauty, durability and affordability of wood are what keep pressure-treated lumber at the
By Matt Weber Tankless water heaters have carved a healthy niche in the residential market thanks to their energy-efficiency and convenient on-demand hot water
Unless you’ve been living on a desert island, you know how tough it is to sell a home these days. In some neighborhoods, “For Sale”
By Clint Thomas Equip a Work Belt with the Most Often Used Tools and Gadgets.
By: Hal Jones (Editor’s note, within one week of installing the new alarm system, the thieves came back. The entry door was pried or kicked
By Clint Thomas, Esq., / Photos by Zoe Thomas Concrete, block and smart building techniques solve the problem of a dilapidated retaining wall surrounding
By Myron R. Ferguson Tray Ceilings Enhance Ordinary Ceiling Lines to Create Architectural Interest. Quite often when I mention a tray ceiling to a prospective
By Matt Weber Some of the most satisfying DIY home improvements are those that have posed a serious problem that the homeowner struggled to overcome.
By Matt Weber The purpose of caulk is two-fold. One purpose is strictly aesthetic, where it is used to close off joints in trim, woodwork,
By Larry Walton Careful planning pays off in a fence that looks good for years to come. There’s more to planning a picket fence than
The Changing Face of the Modern Wood-burning Appliance Wood-burning stoves and hearths possess an old-fashioned charm that warms a home comfortably and naturally from an
By Matt Weber Natural stone is durable, attractive and if you dig them up, very affordable. Natural stone can make an attractive, low-maintenance and incredibly
Q: Does adding glue inside a screw hole strengthen the connection of a wood screw? A: For outdoor applications that are exposed to a
Q: How do I know what viscosity grade of motor oil is appropriate for my vehicle? A: Always refer to your vehicle owner’s manual.
Q: What is involved with dry-stack cinder block construction? A: Dry-stacked block home construction uses concrete masonry units (blocks) to erect walls without mortar.
Q: I’d like to paint a basement floor, but the concrete is too rough. Is there an easy way to smooth it out? A:
Q: I have a new pre-primed steel door I plan on painting. What is the best way to apply the paint? A: For steel
Q: How long should I cover a new concrete slab for it to cure properly? A: The longer concrete stays damp after it’s poured,
Q: I’m refurbishing a maple bookcase. What is the right approach to filling in nail holes? A: If you’re painting the shelves, use a
Q: I understand the value of getting a home inspection when buying a house, but I’m selling a house. Is there any advantage to paying
Q: How Do I Paint a Faux Wood Finish over Paint-grade Trim? A: Mask off the trim and apply primer if it’s not already
Q: What type of wood do you suggest for building outdoor projects? A: Whether you’re building a deck, gazebo, raised garden bed or front porch,
Q: A friend is having his home renovated because of defective Chinese drywall. What harm does the defective drywall cause to the home or occupants?
EHT Tip: How to Calculate Concrete Coverage by Bag Size To calculate concrete coverage, record your measurements in feet and decimal equivalents of inches
Q: I’d like to extend an existing concrete patio. What is the minimum thickness for concrete? A: Concrete is typically applied at a thickness
Q: What is sinker cypress? How is it different from standard cypress lumber? A: Sinker cypress, as the name implies, is cypress that was sunk
Q: Our lawn is infested with weeds. I’m planning on killing it all and starting with new grass seed, but I’m wary of the chemicals
Q: When hanging drywall, do the panels install lengthwise or across the studs? A: On walls, installing the panels horizontally reduces the overall linear
Q: I have a toilet that flushes slowly. I’ve tried plungers, chemicals and a plumbing snake, and nothing worked. My neighbor suggested using something called
Q: This summer I’m planning to update my landscape by planting a few trees. What are the pros and cons of buying a young potted
Q: Why are nails designated in “penny” sizes? A: “Penny” sizes originally referred to the price for a hundred nails in England in the
Q: I’ve seen lots of painted synthetic trim, but will wood stain work with the woodgrain-style of synthetic products? A: Check the trim manufacturer’s
Q: How often should I have my septic tank inspected? A: Septic systems should be inspected and pumped every three to four years. You
Q: I’m planning to install ceramic floor tiles in my bathroom. The tiles are glazed, so I wasn’t planning to use a sealer. However, my
Q: Our local home store has stick-down vinyl tiles that have a beveled edge. When you butt the tiles together they create a V-joint between
Q: A fallen tree limb has punched a hole in our aluminum siding about the size of a baseball. The damage appears to be limited
Q: How do I cut small mosaic tiles? I’m installing a backsplash and can’t fit whole tiles around the electrical outlets and switches. A:
Q: Now that spring is coming around the corner, when should I start feeding my lawn? A: Winter is like a long slumber for
By Mark Clement EHT shows how to hang cabinets plumb, level and square in rooms that aren’t.
By Larry Walton I’m sure you realize that your truck is one of the best tools you own. Not only does it get you to
By Matt Weber There are hundreds of ways to make a headboard. Here’s one—a custom creation combining style
By Mark Clement Tips and tricks for working with plaster walls—from pulling it down to patching it up.
By Matt Weber It’s a drill press. Check out some modern features and DIY jigs.
By Matt Weber, Photos By Hal Jones Creative thinking combined with innovate building products give rise to a beautiful basement bathroom. Hal Jones was adding
Already on store shelves in your local Lowe’s, the new line of power tools unveiled to the media in New York City is available for
By Dale Gabrielse Training Manager, Subaru Industrial Power Products
By: Hal Jones (for an update on Kobalt Tools Xtreme Access Go Here) In a quiet corner of the Hendrick’s Race Shop sat a
By Brent Gwatney Few things in life beat having a cold one on your deck while chicken wings and pork chops
Maintaining a septic tank is not one of those projects that we often think about, until that smell greets you with an olfactory repulsion that lingers
One of my favorite tasks when renovating is the demolition process. But for this project I took the role as observer and watched the contractors
Decorative Hardware puts the “Bling” in Interior Decor
The Extreme How-To staff spent a few days in Chicago, Illinois, in October to attend the 2011 Remodeling Show/Deck Expo. The Remodeling Show brings together
Angle grinders are a workshop staple for pros and DIY’ers alike, but the tool category hasn’t experienced many significant technological advancements in recent years.
Here’s a 10×10′ swimming dock that you and your friends can build in a weekend.
Spring and fall are two good times of the year to clean up the yard. Leaves are raked, shrubs are pruned and trees are ignored,
We begin our kitchen makeover with demolition today. We scheduled a crew to come in and when I left this morning, there was still no
By: Hal Jones Ok, so maybe the most anticipated announcement had nothing to do with tools, but rather with the unveiling of the M12 heated
With the addition of the Husqvarna 580BTS, Husqy lays claim to the most powerful blower on the planet. Wouldn’t you know that just a few months after
Two weeks ago my trusty roto-tiller a four year-old Troy-Bilt CRT Pro, decided to croak in the middle of my little lake house garden. Just
Commitment to research and development is a commitment to the future. Husqvarna’s OPE division has unveiled its state of the art R&D Center in Charlotte,
For those of you who love things mechanical, the Barber Vintage Festival and its accompanying flea market are can’t miss opportunities. Birmingham, Ala. (July 5)
First off, the staff here wishes to congratulate the winners, but also to say thanks to Irwin Tools for recognizing the need for highly skilled tradesmen
If your Kobalt Tool and part of the Lowe’s Group, and sponsor of Five Time NASCAR Champion Jimmy Johnson, who could better tell the story of
By Larry Walton A bridge is one of those things that are often taken for granted until you don’t have one, especially if you live
Today’s home, now more than ever, has become an epicenter for personal retreat. It’s a place to escape and seek revitalization and renewal – a
The evolution of plumbing has given rise to PEX as a new standard in construction. Whereas traditional copper supply lines still provide a very strong,
Special Advertorial Section Concrete is gaining in popularity as a building material for driveways. According to the National Association of Home Builders, 68% of
By: Hal Jones Occasionally we get to do some really neat things, last week in Charlotte, Kobalt Tools set up a motor build for a few
Properly sealing your brick walls is critical to protecting the materials that hide behind the facade, here are steps you can take to ensure your home is properly maintained.
(For a more recent update on Kobalt Tools Go Here)The questions started a few months ago when my tool buddy at my local Lowe’s asked
The 2011 National Hardware Show appeared to be a great success compared to recent years. For editors the week started off with the Craftsman Tool
Installing caulking anchors, Pak-Tite and other drop in anchors can be a hassle. I have broken many depth stop rods and had to guesstimate the
I knew yesterday was going to be different, the calls started at just after 5 A.M. letting me know my daughter’s school opening would be
It’s springtime and that means house painting to many of you. We have been using a new product from Behr, Behr Premium Plus Ultra
Today’s 12-volt tools are all the rage and perform like never before.
Here in the South, spring or fall are the best times for aeration. In our area, heavy clay soils require frequent aeration, but check with
Our friends at OneProjectCloser.com did a nice job with their hardwood flooring article. Ethan and Fred run into issues like all of us do when
One of the questions we are asked related to gardening is how can I tell which zone I am? Sometimes the zone maps on the
One of the issues when doing a basement makeover is light. Since basements are typically below grade, natural light is often hard to come by.
The EPA has shifted into “enforcement mode” following the new Renovate, Repair, and Paint (RRP) Rules regarding lead paint. Here’s the skinny on the red tape for which contractors will now be held responsible.
Like many of you, my love of things green and growing was instilled by my parents. My mom loved having a vegetable garden and my dad loved
Gardening with teenagers can be full of surprises. My 14 year old dissed my efforts at getting her involved with our gardening project. Despite my
Crown dentil moulding adds depth and character to a room.
Wallboard, paneling, acoustic tiles and linoleum flooring all had to go before the basement bath project could begin. Looking at the room for the first
A 10 feet by 8 feet space was once considered large for a bath, but that was before the excesses of the 90s led to
Here at the MyFixitUp Life headquarters, we do a lot of painting, both inside and outside the house. And doing a good job painting is
Reclaim Valuable Cabinet Space with New Dearborn® Space-Saving Sink Drain Kits Installing a new vanity or sink should be straightforward. But existing plumbing doesn’t always align with the new fixture location, creating a frustrating challenge for remodelers and DIYers alike. What begins as a simple upgrade can quickly turn into a time-consuming project involving extra […]
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