Michael Franco

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A creative director with Reader's Digest for ten years, also formerly serving as site editor for a division of About.com, Michael Franco has spent over a decade covering science, technology, hospitality and home improvement. His writing credits include Angie's List, Good Housekeeping, Consumer Reports, and National Geographic. A graduate of Ithaca College and Manhattanville College, with a BA in English and an MA in Creative Writing, Mr. Franco once owned and operated a bed and breakfast in Amish country. Today, he lives and works in Asheville, NC. Michael Franco on LinkedIn | Google +

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FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | TUESDAY
How To: Make a Picture Frame

What is art? Critics and philosophers are free to debate the question endlessly, but we think it's pretty simple: If there's a frame around it, then it's art! Less simple—but not so compl...

FEBRUARY 18, 2014 | TUESDAY
How to Install a Prehung Door

Installing a prehung door tends to be easier and more straightforward than hanging a door that isn’t prehung. While doors can be made in countless different sizes and styles—from modern, ...

FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | TUESDAY
How To: Make Concrete Countertops for Your Kitchen

The brute strength of concrete has made it the go-to building material for a variety of such outdoor installations as driveways, walkways, and patios. But there are some who love concrete...

FEBRUARY 4, 2014 | TUESDAY
How To: Install a Dryer Vent

Developed in 19th-century England, the first mechanized clothes dryers were perforated barrels that rotated over flames. Today's appliances are not so very different, at least in principl...

JANUARY 29, 2014 | WEDNESDAY
9 Ways to Dress Up a Room with Molding

Looking for ways to add character and interest to your interior? Use trim and molding! Check out the various ways you can add wall trim to amp up your home's design.

JANUARY 22, 2014 | WEDNESDAY
Breathe Deep: 5 Ways to Improve Your Home's Air Quality for Better Health

Deep breathing has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and even improve digestion. But if the air you’re breathing in isn’t as clean as it should be, taking those breaths m...

JANUARY 14, 2014 | TUESDAY
How To: Texture Walls

Learning how to texture walls does more than transform boring-to-look-at surfaces into pitted, peaked, and otherwise visually appealing objects of interest. With any of the numerous techn...

JANUARY 13, 2014 | MONDAY
How to Mount a TV on the Wall

While mounting a TV to a wall isn’t a complicated job, doing it the wrong way carries pretty significant consequences. If you use the wrong hardware or mount the TV in the wrong place, yo...

JANUARY 9, 2014 | THURSDAY
Planning Guide: Insulation

Insulation is the strong, silent type. Although it operates behind the scenes for the most part, it plays a vital role: keeping us comfortable indoors. Unlike fuel or electricity, insulat...

JANUARY 6, 2014 | MONDAY
13 Things All DIYers Should Know About Plywood

A manmade material prized for its great versatility, plywood appears in elements of the home as varied as flooring, walls, doors, and furniture. Strong and lightweight—the product of seve...