BUILD
PAINT
CLEAN
MAINTAIN
USE
DESIGN
INSTALL
CHOOSE
GROW
How To: Install a Light Fixture
Since my current residence is only half finished, there are a lot of fixture-less light boxes in the ceilings—which means I am tripping over tools in the middle of the night more often than I care to admit. Elect...
Drilling with Care
Drilling isn't difficult and, at least in comparison to sawing, it isn't particularly dangerous. Still, skilled drillers drill with care. Fixing the WorkpiecePlace the workpiece in a clamp or vise. This l...
How To: Install a Sink Disposal
Depending on what part of the world you're from you may have heard sink disposals referred to as "garbage disposals," "food waste disposers," or, if you're really proper, a "sink ...
How To: Install a Faucet
Changing or installing a new faucet is a fairly simple home improvement task, even if it does require contorting your body into a pretzel-like shape under the sink temporarily. If you can avoid needing to be ho...
Quick Tip: Patching Damaged Drywall
The Virtues of Drywall Drywall has been the wall finishing material of choice for most of a century because it’s so easy to install and finish. Another of its virtues is that when it’s damaged, it’s easy to repai...
How To: Finish Drywall Joints
Most of the time finishing drywall joints isn't one of those jobs that has people jumping up and down with excitement. Even with a decent amount of drywall experience under my belt, when faced with the 2000 s...
Home Maintenance Checklist
1. Roof: Check the roof and around vents, skylights, and chimneys for leaks. Repair as necessary. 2. Attic: If there is no ridge vent, keep gable vents open year-round to ensure proper ventilation. 3. Gutters: Cl...
How To: Install Door Hardware
As a person who has recently upgraded from living in a garage to living in a half-constructed house, the novelty of having multiple doors to open and close on a whim cannot be overstated. Over the last several we...
How To: Grout Tile
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 argue that grouting is the best part of a tiling job—and not just because you get to smear mu...
How To: Replace a Door Closer
The door closer on my front porch—that mechanical cylindrical device that keeps the door from flying open too far and then automatically closes it afterwards—had seen better days. With numerous furniture and buil...
