The Extreme How-To staff recently spent a week in Las Vegas for the 2013 National Hardware Show. We exhibited our magazine at the show as
A handy hit list for procuring a contractor… Even the handiest of homeowners usually have a threshold where they decide it’s smart to forgo doing
Cracks in caulk joints occur because the house moves, and the caulk doesn’t move with it. This movement can occur when the house settles,
Behold the latest Extreme How-To video — a great weekend project for the DIY’er with a table saw. Just click below to play…
Here’s a quick look at some cool new products I saw at the 2013 International Builders Show that might interest the DIY Homeowner.
Who doesn’t love a new way to break stuff? Instead of
I spent the weekend at an arts and crafts festival at the Tannehill Ironworks State Park
Classic Architectural molding can add elegance and value to your home. Our multi part series based on Kuiken Brothers Whitepaper is informational not only for professional designers, but homeowners also.
By: Hal Jones A few years ago I was testing a GTH 26 Garden Tractor by Husqvarna. One of the biggest surprises was its speed
By: Hal Jones Starting Plant Seeds Indoors Compared to Starting Seeds In the Garden It started off as what I thought would be a life
By: Hal Jones The soreness in my right shoulder wasn’t there yesterday. Today though it pains me to even do the simplest task such as
By: Hal Jones It seems like every few years I find myself on a ladder painting a house exterior. Years ago in college I would
By: Hal Jones When we first got the HSA 65 to review I was interested in the 36 volt platform Stihl had just introduced. First
Several weeks ago, we began our annual preparations for our vegetable garden. One of the cost saving tasks we do, is to begin some of
By: Hal Jones A few years ago I walked into my teenage stepson’s bathroom he was working on and saw that he was using one
As temperatures continue to drop it’s time to start giving soil some tender, loving, care. During the fall and winter seasons, soil is naturally composed
By: Hal Jones If you find vertical wooden balusters to be commonplace and dreary, consider building your next handrail with a horizontal metal cable system.
Home-improvement projects can become a war zone, so protecting the surroundings is critical. Protective Products Int’l Inc. has smart way to prevent unwanted scratches to
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
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: 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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
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.
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
Before beginning any project, you first need to take measurements, accurate measurements. I don’t mean just the length and width, but also the height and
There are many different reasons to consider purchasing Husqvarna’s TB 1000 Cordless Tiller. For some gardeners, there is the green element, it uses no fuel other
If you haven’t had the pleasure of getting your hands on a Metabo power tool, you really should. Of course, that being said, after seeing
If you are about to tackle any electrical jobs, there are some tools that you should have to do a professional quality job. The first
We have seen many cordless outdoor products, mostly string trimmers and some hedge clippers. It doesn’t even feel right comparing the Stihl HSA-65 to any
Need help designing your dream-house? Punch! Software’s latest version of its Home Design Professional has the tools to get you started. We have used various products
Christmas Greetings From all of us at Extreme How-To we wish you the best during your Holiday season. We have been blessed as a company
Stocking stuffers for home improvement heroes are my favorite items to shop for. First and most importantly I don’t have to break the bank on
One of the invaluable lessons my dad passed down was the importance of sharp tools. That being said, my dad was not very good at
Yesterday, we installed an Enerflex reflective barrier in the attic of a local house. Our goal was to reflect the heat build occurring from the
For a year the old oak tree had been on the ground and I just never got around to cutting it into firewood. The process
The past few months I have been dealing with router table issues. My old setup would not hold its position in the table and after
Like many woodworkers, I certainly look for devices that make joinery simple. While at IWF I spoke with Peter Harper of General Tools and he
Pressure washers come in a variety of sizes, from the commercial washers with the capability of ejecting large amounts of steam to the smallest DIY
Several months ago I tested a Wagner Paint Eater and found it to exceed my expectations. I used it for its intended purpose, removing loose
How cool is the ability to have your phone tell you how to take care of the specific plants you purchase? Beginning in Spring 2011
A whirlwind of projects went on this past weekend, despite the forecast of rains. All but one of the projects scheduled were exterior and the
The first time I ever encountered plug aeration was on a golf course many years ago. Aeration did not improve my golf game, but the
Fall is almost here and the leaves are already beginning to loosen their grip getting ready for their annual fall to the yard, the driveway,
Over the past few years it seems power tool accessories were not receiving much love from the press. While in Milwaukee in July with my
This past weekend wrapped up the traditional end to summer and like many of you, my family spent it on the lake. We have two
It’s funny, but one of the simplest devices we encounter has so much impact on whether things work or don’t. Here in the EHT office,
Some weeks stand out for various reasons, some good, some bad and others reach that level that make us shake our head and wonder what
Are you a landscape professional, a landowner who needs the power of a commercial blower to keep your property in order, or just a homeowner who
Recently I tested a Husqvarna GTH26V48LS Garden Tractor. The first thing I noticed is Husqvarna used a seriously thick deck for its mower. The deck
One of the best things about our work is when we get to visit with tool manufacturers and try out new tools and see what
Can I use Pex in Swimming Pool Applications?
By: Hal Jones A month into our family gardening project, the kids are over the excitement of seeing flowers and green vegetables. The question I
Lawn and Garden Father’s Day Ideas Husqvarna introduces its Extreme Mower for landowners and we just couldn’t resist putting
I miss weeding. These inverted/upside-down, “Topsy Turvy” planters have taken away weeding as an excuse to get outside for some quite time. Basically, I water
After many years of service, the Hayward pool pump at dad’s has succumbed to old age and arthritic bearings. I returned from Chicago and when
I spent the last week in Chicago at the Bosch Media Event held at its Chicago headquarters. The Bosch event is unique in that it
It has been two weeks since we planted the patio planter and already we are seeing blooms and some fruit setting. You can see from
After years of getting my parents pool ready for the summer months, I have finally given up any hope of being able to uncover the
One of my favorite stories involved my dad, of all people, who hated gardening and never understood why my mom insisted on having a garden.
Growing up in Alabama, my mother always had a garden. When we lived in the country, the garden was on a plot below our house.
The tile are installed and grouted. I won’t say there weren’t moments of exasperation, but now that it’s all behind me, I can sit back
Rarely have I had tool failures, but this week has been an exception. Monday night I had a Dremel rotary tool die an ignoble death.
Several factors affect tile layout. My suggestion is before installing the tile permanently, do a dry run. Lay out the tiles, dry(using no mortar) to see what
It is springtime in Alabama. Forsythia is already blooming, jonquils and crocus are beginning to drop their blooms, but the nights are still cool and
I was talking with my good friend Doug Mahoney yesterday. Doug is editor of ToolSnob, and writes the tool columns for Popular Science and Popular
About a week ago I polled 10,000 readers regarding various areas related to Extreme How-To. Thank you to all who participated. Surveys help us better
Auger bit users dread few things worse than encountering nails hidden in studs, joists, or sill plates. Until now, those hidden nails typically meant two
(Editor’s Note, The complete story is found on NJ.COM link is at the end of the blurb. Wow, this one is even too weird for
Several times a year, home improvement editors and trade magazine editors travel to see new products, tools and etc. Now some of the time we
PEX plumbing is being used more frequently in today’s construction, tell us about your experience with it. Have you used it in existing construction or new construction
WiseBond’s new Epoxy Garage Floor Kit is turning heads because it delivers a full 100% flake broadcast and a durable polyaspartic top coat at an average of just $2.75 per sq. ft. That’s a legit upgrade for anyone wanting a bold, high‑performance garage floor without complexity. The system includes the SkipGrind no‑grind primer, a high‑solids […]
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