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To safely and productively operate a chain saw, you must commit to maintaining it. Keep your chain saw in tip-top sha...
Let’s face it: Many homes today feature inadequate, poorly positioned, and sometimes plain-old ugly light fixtures. B...
With the sun shining, the birds chirping, the temperatures rising, and the days getting longer, this is the season to...
Looking for a small home improvement that yields big results? A programmable thermostat, properly installed and confi...
Make the most of your project, whether you're planning to paint wrought iron or wood flooring, concrete or curtains.
Sanding is the unsung hero of any project with wood. It can take a long time, and the results are subtle: Sanding doe...
Ceiling fans are a wonderful addition to any room, offering a cool breeze and providing a pleasant decorative accent....
Choosing a ceiling fan is enough to make any homeowner’s head hurt. With so many variables and options, what should y...
There is nothing like a long, leisurely soak in a luxurious hot bath to soothe away the stresses of the day—that is, ...
You bought a beautiful antique lamp but upon closer inspection, you notice there is damage to the sheathing, the plas...
Staining wood furniture adds color and brings out the natural beauty of the grain.
It should be easy, right? Just measure the boards, cut the miters, and nail the trim in place. Well, not exactly. If ...
In the overall scheme of a bathroom, the sink faucet might seem like an incidental detail, but its design can set the...
A mitered corner is formed by joining two pieces of wood, each cut to a 45° angle. One of the easier joints to cut, a...
With the right tools and some basic skills, you can install laminate flooring this weekend.
Whether you’re remodeling the whole house or freshening up only a few rooms, new floor coverings can revive spaces th...
It's spring, the season for cleaning. Washing windows is at the top of our list. Many commercial window-cleaning prod...
Use a paint sprayer to revive your old cabinets with a glossy, smooth finish.
If you want to keep a little bit of your summer garden with you all year long, you can do so by drying herbs and stor...
A miter box is a wonderfully simple, affordable tool that allows any DIYer to make accurate crosscuts in wood. Since ...
Vinyl siding is a durable, versatile, and resilient building material, but it does require some routine care and clea...
Last year, I was dying to have some deck rail planters to grow spinach and lettuce in, but I couldn’t find any that w...
I’ve looked at flooring from both sides now. . . and it’s the horrors of applying polyurethane I recall. Apologies to...
While so many of us own pieces of wood laminate furniture, so few ever think to reinvent them with paint.
There’s a lot to recommend a bluestone walkway. The natural colors and textures look great in almost any setting. Mai...
From shower doors to stainless steel, concrete, and slate, we've collected our best scrub-and-polish advice to aid in your spring cleaning.
Window blinds are an extremely popular decorating option. But for blinds to look their best, they require regular car...
With planting season around the corner, it’s time to hit the garage and take inventory: what have you got, and what d...
If your current lawn mower was built to last, it's probably been a while since you've shopped for a new one! When you...
Under-cabinet lighting can vastly improve the workability and appearance of your kitchen. For starters, under-cabinet...
How strong is your relationship with your spouse? Do you want to test it? Spend a weekend stripping wallpaper togethe...
Install wood paneling in any room to inject architectural detail, warmth, and character into your home. Traditionally...
For a quick, low-stress room update, skip the walls and try painting your curtains!
Brass brings a warm, burnished glow to household items, ranging from switch plates, door knockers, and lamps to bathr...
It's always a challenge to clean shower doors, but that doesn’t mean you have to use powerful cleansers made with amm...
When we moved out of the city and into our new home, we increased our window inventory more than three-fold. The wind...
Vinyl tile and laminate flooring is attractive, durable, and long-lasting, even under a home's highest-traffic condit...
Take wood furniture from drab to fab with a fresh coat of paint.
Varnish, lacquer, shellac and other clear coats are applied to protect wood furniture and flooring from scratches, sc...
Indoor air quality can be problematic at any time of year, but it is especially a concern during the winter months wh...
Use spray paint to give new life to your old wrought iron patio furniture.
For many of us, area rugs are a significant investment in decor. They warm up and add color to our rooms. They provid...
During the cold, dark days of January and February, my mind turns to sunny, bright red tomatoes—for this is the time ...
Paint the stairs in your house to make the hum-drum trip between floors a journey worth remembering.
Now that the new year is in full swing, it would be easy to lose the resolve with which we started 2013. But let's ke...
When it comes time to clean concrete, you don't need to be delicate; after all, it's a very hard material. In order t...
As Valentine's Day approaches, the color red becomes more and more apparent in our homes. Red roses, red hearts on Va...
Over the winter, when your outdoor garden has little to boast about, the greenery inside your home lifts spirits and ...
When we were building our new construction home, the driveway almost seemed like an afterthought. With everything els...
Tile is beautiful, durable, and generally easy to clean, but cleaning grout? That's a different story. Because of its...
Hurricane Sandy proved to be a trial for many of us. My wife and I were fortunate, and our home suffered no major dam...
Your kitchen gets a lot of use. So it doesn't take long to begin seeing signs of wear and tear on wood cabinets. Soon...
I have a slate fireplace surround that makes my living room feel really warm and earthy, even if the fire is not lit....
Special problems need special solutions—and that's particularly true of wood flooring. When accidents happen, first ...
It's not so much that your under-sink workhorse needs strict maintenance, only sensible care. You probably already kn...
Drill bits are designed to do one thing: make holes in stuff. That is, except when they are intended to drive hardwar...
Reviving rusty metal tools or furniture is a great indoor winter project, and there are three ways to remove rust. Li...
One of the most exciting things about building a new house was seeing how much natural light we were going to get wit...
I remember waking up as a kid on wintry mornings to find frost on my bedroom window obscuring the trees and yard. Tho...
The first time I heard about someone painting a wood floor I was skeptical. Would it last? Could you scrub it? And wh...
Gleaming and shiny, stainless steel brings a bright and polished air to any kitchen. Keeping that brilliant sheen, ho...
The sculpture of plants, or topiary, has been a gardening practice for centuries. The precise designs achieved throug...
As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, Old Man Winter gears up to blow squalling snow all over our decks ...
There is a definite chill in the air, and the first snow flurries are flying… that means it’s time to get our snow bl...
As soon as December hits, I’m ready to break out the Christmas cheer. When it comes to decorating for the holiday, I’...
Winter’s chill is in the air, and that means it may be time to shop for a snow blower. There are a number of factors ...
Did you know that each holiday season 2,600 people are injured in fires in the US? Listen to BOB VILA ON PICKING A CH...
Plan ahead and place focus on prep work for professional results when installing ceramic tile.
Choosing your tile is not as easy as walking into a showroom and picking a color or pattern. You have to consider how...
Walls, normally thought of as interior design elements, are useful in landscaping, too. A landscaping wall can be fre...
What a difference the right tool or appliance can make! For instance, we were late arrivals to the pressure washer pa...
Fall is full of football, hot apple cider, and pumpkin pies. And leaves. For some, lots and lots of leaves. A leaf bl...
Now is the perfect time to get garlic into the ground. The cloves get a head start on the growing season so that by l...
Autumn leaves are falling, which means pumpkin donuts and lattes are available at your favorite morning pit stop. And...
As you ready your house for the colder months ahead, don’t forget about your water system. When water freezes, it exp...
Whenever I hesitate before throwing out something useless, like an expired coupon or an old magazine, I think to myse...
The end of the summer is just days away but instead of celebrating the season, the last bright blooms are starting to...
Almost no other part of your home gets as much exposure as the front door. It’s where you greet friends and family, s...
Since moving to the 'burbs, I’ve been slowly trying to convert on this fantasy I have of backyard sustainability. I p...
While there are many bathroom floor tile options, knowing the pros and cons for each will help you make the right choice in your home.
The best gardeners know that compost is better than fertilizer, when it comes to providing a nutrient-rich growing en...
A porch is simply a deck with a roof on it, right? Not quite. While some porches may be as simple as that, many are m...
Cleaning your painted walls may seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually quite simple (though somewhat time-consu...
Most people react to deer, groundhogs, and rabbits with a smile acknowledging their adorableness. But gardeners know ...
Having expensive cabinets hanging on your kitchen walls doesn’t mean much if you don’t like the color. That’s why man...
Researching how to paint a house? Here are eight expert tips to help make the undertaking DIY-manageable.
Except in special cases—when you intentionally choose a specific angle or bias—it's important to keep all drill holes...
Looking to learn how to paint trim? It's not so different from painting other surfaces in a home. Your method will va...
Recycling is more than sorting out plastic bottles and composting leftovers. Proper disposal of household objects is ...
It’s the time of year when garden pests become especially irritating. Your ripening harvest might be snacked on by ap...
Back in the day there were just two options, slotted or Phillips. You picked one, picked a length, and were good to g...
Building a cabinet looks easy. After all, it’s just a box with a door. It only becomes difficult if you want it to lo...
Learn how you can double your chances of winning $10,000 on Facebook.com/Zillow. And don't miss our summer of DIY and design highlights.
Learn how to install tile, a process during which a little layout sooner can save a lot of frustration later.
When you’re painting, windows are often the hardest things to get right. CM_BVILANOTES-3 Painting WindowsListen to BO...
Before hanging anything, it’s important to find out what your wall is made of. Ideally, you should attach floating sh...
Traditionally, bathroom cabinetry was limited to small medicine cabinets above the sink and sink vanities with limite...
Maintaining your countertops may require more than a simple cleaning. Here are top tips for maintaining every material.
One thing we miss about living in New York is the awesome city playgrounds. You could walk to a different one every d...
As you may recall from science class as a kid, wood is a collection of fibers that run in the same direction. Basical...
Lawn mower maintenance is simple enough to perform, with immediate and lasting effects on your machine's performance.
Even though the words are often used interchangeably, concrete and cement are not the same thing. Portland cement is ...
You can add a decorative border to your garden or landscape easily with today's crop of DIY-friendly landscape edgers.
There's more to gardening than tending to weeds and plants. It also requires proper tool maintenance and care.
I don’t mind the squirrels taking their turn at the bird feeder, but our dog seems to have developed a personal vende...
One of the reasons we chose the house plan we built was because there was a “flex” room off the breakfast nook. We th...
Identify important clues to help you assess which contractor you want on your job.
Follow our simple terminology and materials guide to choose your new roof.
Consult these step-by-step interior painting pointers to get the job done right.
Whether you do it yourself or hire a pro, prevent future water damage with this critical task.
Tint your drab concrete floor an eye-catching color with easy-to-apply dye.
This winter, keep water at bay and home repairs away by following this guide.
Avoid potential disaster by being prepared and reading these essential tips for toilet repair.
Setting up safety gates to block entrances to stairways is one way to make your home much safer for young children.
Replacing a damaged window screen is a simple, low-cost project that even a novice DIYer can do successfully.
Follow these simple steps to keep your grill in tip-top performance shape for the summer.
Build a backyard teepee with your kids this summer. It's easy and fun and the ideal summer craft project for the whole family.
With a few basic, inexpensive materials and tools, you can engage your kids in some kite-making fun this summer.
Amp up your home’s curb appeal with a flower-filled window box that you can make yourself.
Few summer DIY projects are as easy to complete—or provide as much fun—as a backyard sandbox.
Maryam Montague, author of "Marrakesh By Design," shares her tips for this great DIY project.
Put your home's rainwater runoff into service by collecting it for garden and lawn use.
Transform ordinary clay flower pots into decorative show pieces with paint, stencils, and a little DIY.
Build a retaining wall with dry laid stone in order to establish different levels in your landscaping.
Planting a vegetable garden doesn't have to be complicated and can even be a wonderful learning adventure for the whole family.
Create some outdoor fun this summer—the old-fashioned way—with this "oh so easy" tire swing how-to.
For the soil- and drainage-poor gardener, a raised garden bed offers the opportunity to perfect your environment and ...
While paint is always an option, consider the benefits of wood refinishing.
A DIY favorite for bringing the outdoors in, terrariums are simple to make and effortless to enjoy.
Looking for a way to give your home's front entry a new look. Replace the light fixtures (you can do it yourself).
A chore though it may be, mowing your lawn properly will do more than just improve its appearance.
Looking to liven up a dreary kitchen? Consider re-tiling the backsplash—and doing the job yourself.
Create a simple stone path to enhance your yard and set a distinctive walkway.
Add a decorative glow to the tabletop or garden with these easy-to-make sap bucket luminaries.
There's a skill to making a good campfire. Follow this easy how-to for best results.
Roses need special care to reach their full potential. Follow these guidelines to get the most our of your summer blooms.
Installing a ceiling fan is an easy DIY project, provided you follow manufacturer instructions.
Easy and inexpensive to make, building a bird house can be a great project for the whole family.
Outdoor showers are becoming increasingly more popular. Here's one you can build yourself this weekend.
Protect your driveway with a sealer this weekend and enhance the curb appeal of your home in the bargain.
Here are the basics of creating a warm, welcoming space with thoughtful lighting design.
We recently painted our kitchen cabinets, which involved clearing every cabinet, drawer, and countertop. In addition ...
While spring is generally considered the month for cleaning windows, airing out the house, reorganizing the cupboards...
Nothing quite soothes the soul like the sound of burbling water. Even though we have a long and narrow backyard, we a...
The first things we chose during our eight-hour selections appointment for our new construction home were our kitchen...
Melamine-coated particleboard is a great material for storage, basement, garage, home office, and kid's room projects...
Select the right storm shutters for your home and be sure to install them properly.
Preserve live Christmas trees from early December into the new year.
A few simple steps can improve the organization and efficiency of your home office.
Safeguard your belongings by putting them in the right place in the right way.
Here are 10 tips to prevent, or get rid of, a bee infestation in your house.
Follow these guidelines when looking to purchase a whole-home audio system.
Even professionals have improper hammering technique. Use this refresher course to improve your skills.
A square is worthless if it isn't actually square. Learn this quick, simple way to make sure your square is just that.
Different sawteeth have different strengths for particular projects. Learn which kind of blades are best for your needs.
Molds can grow on virtually anything around the house — from wood, carpet and food to insulation systems in your walls. Follow these guidelines to rid your home o...
A true plaster job is the best way to complete a wall in a period home.
Install new and improved fluorescent lighting fixtures to save money, electricity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
A home’s outdoor space is no longer just a grassy backyard for kids and pets. From luxury pool patios to sprawling gardens to designer kitchens, outdoor rooms can...
Few do-it-yourself projects deliver the "wow" factor as potently as refinishing hardwood floors.
There are a lot of decisions to make when constructing a new home. Having a large production builder as our contracto...
To install a new door, take your time, learn the basics—and don't be afraid!
Why wallpaper when a simple stencil will add the perfect personal touch? With a little elbow grease and imagination, even the most uneven old wall can become an a...
Creating distressed beams adds character to any space.
From cat rooms to dog houses, here are some simple ways to keep pets safe and comfortable in your home.
For best results in DIY pest control, stop critters while they're still in the yard.
Know the signs of carpenter ants and prevent an infestation.
Wide open spaces in lofts offer extensive opportunities—and unique challenges—for expressing your creativity. Designers and loft owners share their tips for space...
Painting a ceiling is not as difficult as it may appear. Here are some tips to help you finish the job just like the pros.
All kitchen countertops are not created equal. Here are the pros and cons of today's more popular choices.
Floor sanding and refinishing is unforgiving work. Make a mistake and it will show. However, a refinished floor can b...
Like everything with moving parts—your car, your computer, your body—your power tools will last longer and work bette...
So many elements in kitchen design have remained common over the decades. Cabinets still have raised panels. Countert...
Plywood sheet goods are an essential in any home improvement project involving wood. But due to their layered structu...
Unless you plan to sand many floors in your lifetime, the best choice for do-it-yourself floor refinishing is the ran...
Painting can be an inexpensive way to give a room a major transformation. For the best results, follow techniques that are proven by the pros.
Learn how to paint kitchen cabinets in order to give your kitchen a brand-new look, affordably!
Restore detail to old woodwork by stripping paint that obscures the grain's beauty.
At one time or another most of us have considered remodeling the kitchen. It’s the one room in the house that sees th...
Regular maintenance ensures smooth and safe operation of garage doors.
To do a thorough job of spring home maintenance and cleaning, follow these easy and smart routines.
Our laminate countertop looked fine, but the protective coating was pretty much gone. Coffee, tea, wine, juice, sauce...
Our 20-year-old cabinets were showing their age. The lacquer finish had gummed up around the handles and pulls, and t...
My wife, Mary Ann, hated the backsplash tiles in our kitchen, and I agreed they were slightly dated. Unfortunately, t...
Learn how you can get builders’ discounts, free delivery, and materials delivered on time, plus take advantage of little known payment options.
This tricky but satisfying DIY project can add old-world style and polish to your home.
As far as home improvement gear goes, furnace filters are admittedly among the least, um. . . exciting. There's none ...
Follow these easy paint makeover tips to transform an old piece of furniture into one that's fresh and new!
If you want to paint like a pro, heed these little-known painting tips.
Foolproof tips for choosing a paint finish, from interior designer Celerie Kemble.
The right color can give a paint job your personal mark, so follow these guidelines when selecting paint colors for your home.
Design, technology, and budget factor into decision making on the purchase of major kitchen appliances.
Repainting exterior wood or wood trim is time-consuming, so don't let your paint job fail. Learn to recognize the symptoms and create a paint job that will last.
Eco-friendly thinking when buying for the home is not just for environmental activists anymore. You can also save money by shifting to energy-efficient appliances.
Adding custom moldings? You can match existing woodwork in your home or create your own entirely new designs.
It takes a little technique and some practice before the file fits naturally in your hand, and your stroke is smooth and regular.
Making mortise-and-tenon joints is a straightforward process.
With little time to spare and a painting project to tackle, choose a paint sprayer with the right pump, tip and features to get the job done fast.
Are you tired of using a brush and messing with a tray whenever you paint? Consider investing in a paint spray gun. S...
Sure, the majority of birds head south for the winter, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to stop buying birdseed. Accor...
Nothing celebrates the colder weather like the distinct scent and sound of a crackling log in the fireplace. A steady...
No amount of candy corn can make up for the moment you realize that your carefully carved pumpkin’s smile has turned ...
Staging your home sets the scene for potential buyers. A well-staged home can help it sell faster and for more money. Here are some basics for prepping your house.
These techniques will help you cut straigt lines with your circular saw.
Make your measurements and energy calculations before you buy.
So you bought a new towel rack—or some shelving brackets, or a paper towel holder—and you want to attach it to the wa...
Asphalt shingles are the most popular roofing material for homes today, accounting for nearly 70% of domestic roofing...
Maximize energy savings at minimal cost. Here are a variety of affordable ways to protect your home investment.
We've all been there, right? "Oh, I just need to find a stud to hang this picture" and fifteen holes later you're con...
I like mood lighting as much as anyone, particularly first thing in the morning when the full blast of light from a 1...
Interested in choosing the right floor? Appearance matters, but don't forget the ongoing demands of material maintenance.
Since my current residence is only half finished, there are a lot of fixture-less light boxes in the ceilings—which m...
Depending on what part of the world you're from you may have heard sink disposals referred to as "garbage disposals,"...
Changing or installing a new faucet is a fairly simple home improvement task, even if it does require contorting your...
Follow these step-by-step DIY methods for repairing small and large holes in your drywall.
Most of the time finishing drywall joints isn't one of those jobs that has people jumping up and down with excitement...
Glass tile is a versatile and durable choice that can be low-maintenance (and quite attractive) with proper installation.
As a person who has recently upgraded from living in a garage to living in a half-constructed house, the novelty of h...
Bamboo provides a quick-growing evergreen screen and adds glorious character with delicate leaves and substantial culms or canes, but research and commitment are ...
Here are some things to consider when building a garage workshop for car enthusiasts.
Maybe I'm the only person (at least over the age of three) who gets a kick out of making a mess, but I would still ar...
The door closer on my front porch—that mechanical cylindrical device that keeps the door from flying open too far and...
An investment in handmade furniture can reap rewards for generations to come. Here is a look at a few of the factors involved in making smart purchasing decisions.
Bring Eastern theory and Western lifestyle together to increase the feng shui in your home and life.
Bob is in the guest bedroom across from the nursery reviewing the kind of paints being used and interior painting tips.
Decorator B. Smith paint a lavender stripe pattern on a bedroom wall.
Bob discusses the advantages of hazard-resistant building techniques, specifically sheathing the roof, with Bryan Readling (from the APA).
In Colonial Williamsburg, Bob visits a cabinetmakers' shop, where traditional methods of building furniture are still in practice.
Bob tours of The Barnacle, one of the first homes built in Dade County, FL, to see how early settlers built in order to deal with the heat.
Bob confers with carpenter Cortney Lofton, who explains the framing technique used to replicate the front porch, before he sheaths the new back porch roof.
At the Plymouth project site, tips for exterior paint prep and application are shared.
Bob helps the contractors work on building and installing new French doors.
Bob joins Ron Boyajian to talk over painting the exterior clapboards. The surface is power-washed, sanded, and primed. Then, acrylic paint is applied. The painter...
Cordell Burton (from Pella Windows) joins Bob to show off the in-swinging French doors to be installed. It's constructed of solid wood and double-pane, low-e glas...
