When planning a new deck, most homeowners focus on the fun decisions – size, color, layout and how they’ll use the space. But one of
By Larry Walton, Photos by Brian Monroe How to use manufactured stone to create a beautiful fireplace. There’s no denying that home decor goes through
Showcasing your Kamado grill in its own DIY custom cooking center.
By Clint C. Thomas, Esq., Photographs By Zoe Thomas My wife and I decided to replace our existing bathroom floor with ceramic tile in order
By Clint C. Thomas, Esq. Photography By Sterling Thomas Metal roofs seem to be in vogue today, and many people mistakenly believe that they are
By Sarah Hutchinson How to Identify Needed Repairs Before They Get Bad When it comes to foundations, time is of the essence. Catching a foundation
This classic mantel features an arched frieze and can be built using basic carpentry skills.
You too can have a landscape like you see in garden in books or magazines. Applying the basic landscaping concepts the pros use can help
Over the past 20 years, Extreme How-To has been asked for a lot of lawn-care advice. In this article we’ve compiled our most frequently asked
From backyard kitchens to built-in hearths, today’s outdoor living areas are rivaling the indoors.
By Matt Weber I spent most of last spring building a big deck, so I wanted a big set of stairs to match. A width
By Matt Weber Give Wood Floors a Weathered Finish Like fine wine, some things get better with age, and a popular trend in wood flooring
A step-by-step tutorial on constructing a stair case
From backyard kitchens to outdoor entertainment centers, more homeowners are designing elaborate exterior living spaces that rival traditional living rooms.
Applying a Penetrating Stain and Sealer By Matt Weber Wood remains the top building material for exterior projects because it has a lot going for
Edging Your Lawn to Separate Garden Beds By Matt Weber One hallmark of an attractive landscape is the layout of well-defined beds and borders. To
Man has used stone and ceramic to cover walls and floors since ancient times. Tile is a waterproof, durable and stylish option for any space.
Installing a stair handrail can be a challenging undertaking. The project is more complicated than tread or riser replacement, because you’re dealing with precise angles
A fast, efficient—and accurate as all get-out—way to frame your next deck.
Moulding and trim are what give the walls of a room its character and appeal. Whereas some DIY homeowners find this type of finish carpentry
It won’t be long before the weather breaks, and everyone is back to building outdoors. The time to plan your new deck is at hand,
By Lindsey Schroeder You have finally decided to tackle that painting project and you couldn’t be more excited. The living space is going to be
By Matt Weber Water leaks are house killers, and this drywall repair story is testament to
A simple leaky gasket can cause a big problem. You wouldn’t think a bathtub overflow drain would be the source of a water leak, especially
What to Consider when Hanging Wood Planks Overhead By Matt Weber A wood plank ceiling offers the same classic décor as a wood plank floor,
Get the Kitchen of Your Dreams by Building the Perfect Cabinet By Linda Parker One of the best ways to revamp your kitchen is to
By Mark Clement Anyone who knows me or watches MyFixitUpLife on YouTube might’ve heard me discuss this: I’m not a big fan of piles. The
SawStop Expects to Win Lawsuit Against Bosch – Reaxx Saw Would Be Unable to Enter U.S. Tualatin, OR — April 20, 2016
By Larry Walton I have plenty of home-improvement projects on the planning board in my office,
Give your kitchen a brand new look. By Danny Lipford I often get questions from homeowners about painting cabinets. This is one of the most
By Danny Lipford Installing a new faucet in a kitchen or bathroom is an easy way to upgrade and update the space and can be
By Larry Walton, Photos by Mark Walton If you’ve ever seen a saloon gunfight in an old western movie, it more than likely involved a
Solid surface material, a popular alternative to natural stone, is most commonly used for seamless countertop installations, but offers a wide array of other uses.
Thanks to more cutting edges and no center spur, the KIK spade bits from TG Tools can be used to drill curved holes. The spade
By Tom Mathews Painting is the most common home-improvement project, and the tools and supplies to do the job are constantly evolving. Here’s a roundup
The classic walnut gun cabinet safely stores guns, ammunition and valuables while adding beauty to your decor.
Matt Weber Modern technology is a mixed bag. Although I’m generally disappointed in the glaring absence of flying cars and hover-boards that I
By Rob Robillard Paint your electrical plates to match your wall color. Nothing creates more immediate impact than a fresh coat of wall paint, especially
By Mark and Theresa Clement Every Deck has its Day. Steps for Rebuilding your Backyard Deck. The beloved backyard deck, in historical terms, is a
By Matt Weber Border Security—A Painting Technique to Brighten a Room Nesting. It’s what birds do, and wasps, too. As I’ve learned, expectant human
Tools & Materials for the Outdoor Retreat Spring will be here before we know it, making late winter an ideal time to get a head
By Matt Weber (originally published November 2011) From the professional carpenter to the hobbyist woodworker, routers are amazingly versatile tools that can
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 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
By Clint Thomas Equip a Work Belt with the Most Often Used Tools and Gadgets.
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
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,
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
By Brent Gwatney Few things in life beat having a cold one on your deck while chicken wings and pork chops
Here’s a 10×10′ swimming dock that you and your friends can build in a weekend.
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
Q: I’m painting a steel door and want to avoid bristle marks on the paint surface. Is using a foam brush the best
The North American Deck & Railing Association (NADRA) Honors a Wounded U.S. Soldier
As the weather begins to cool off, here’s a look at some outdoor products to help enhance your yard without all the heat.
Update your garage with an easy-to-install floor protector.
Q: I had an electrician install 22 recessed remodel-style can lights in our basement ceiling. A lot of holes had to be cut for running
Q: I installed a 2-by-2-foot drywall patch into a ceiling, but it turns out the piece is too thin and has a “pushed in” look,
Q: What’s a strong finish sealer to use on outdoor furniture? A: For an exceptionally weather-protective finish, use a multi-phase process that’s commonly used
Rolling out a New Look in an Old Flooring Standard
Decorative accessories make a wooden handrail strong and stylish.
Using the newest synthetic moldings and shingles as well as tried-and-true techniques to revive an old friend.
By Matt Weber Quick Tips for Wall-to-Wall Carpet As I sat down to type this article on DIY carpet installation tips, I heard a radio
By Larry Walton Cutting Off Doors to Clear for your New Flooring. At Oregon Carpenters we hang hundreds of doors a year, so learning how
A PVC decking and handrail system serves as an attractive, low-maintenance alternative to traditional building materials.
New Tools, Materials and Techniques for this Traditional Flooring Material
A Step-by-step guide to Upgrading a Bathroom Faucet
Installing Flat-lay Laminate Countertops
Here’s a three-fold approach to a new basement floor, including an insulated subfloor system, engineered cork flooring, and easy-to-install carpet squares.
Protect and beautify your exterior wood with a quality preservative. Here’s a look at the type of products available and some tips on how to apply them.
The summertime weather tends to put most people in an outdoor frame of mind. And for most homeowners, the favorite outdoor retreat is the deck.
The EHT staff came across an interesting paint system at the National Hardware Show that offered a way to decorate an existing countertop surface
Linger outside with friends and family on cool fall evenings.
Applying the Cantilever Concept to Your Deck Designs
While pewter bowls, flatware, chaffing dishes, and hand painted trays may make up an entertainer’s dreams, those visions can seem more like a nightmare when
By Matt Weber Mosaic tile is a combination of tiny colored tiles called “tesserae” that can be used to create a pictorial or geometrical design
Accommodate More Than One Cook (Kitchen) Sure, improving your kitchen by upfitting it with the latest appliances can add value to your home;
While pewter bowls, flatware, chaffing dishes, and hand painted trays may make up an entertainer’s dreams, those visions can seem more like a nightmare when
A couple of weeks ago, I had mountains of tools and boxes piled precariously on a couple of undersized shelves. I inadvertently managed to knock
Window and door replacements are among the most common home remodeling projects. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), window replacements total 44
If your toilet, or water closet, is old or in need of repair, you may find it’s cheaper to install a new one than to
A friend of ours here at the EHT headquarters decided he wanted a new hardwood floor, but wasn’t excited about the hassle of installation or
Nothing sets the décor of a room like wallpaper, or the more correct term, wallcovering. Wallcovering is available in a myriad of colors, patterns, and
Is it about time you did something about that old kitchen faucet—the one that goes drip, drip, drip and leaks a constant stream of water?
Cabinets are usually the most prominent feature of a kitchen and greatly determine the room’s overall décor. Peeling paint, nicks and scratches, or
Hanging window treatments is one of the simplest décorating projects you can undertake. But the payoff from dressing up an ordinary window with a little
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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