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Read the latest articles from Bob Vila (Page 213)

Bathroom Remodeling

The Best Soaking Tubs to Transform a Bathroom Into a Spa

Create your own personal mini spa with a soaking tub. Find out what to consider when selecting a model to add luxury to your home.

Furniture & Design

How to Apply Polyurethane Sealer

It's important to top off your home's wood flooring and furniture with a few coats of polyurethane for both protection and an appealing shine. Follow these five steps for a smooth—and simple—application.

Bedrooms

How to Store a Mattress the Right Way

Protect your mattress from mold, compression, and other forms of damage so it stays ready for use year round.

Cleaning & Organizing

The Best Degreasers for Tackling Stubborn Messes, Tested and Reviewed

Not all degreasers work on all surfaces. I tested some top options to discover the best for handling kitchen, automotive, and heavy-duty messes.

Reviews

The Best Tool Deals to Shop This Month, Including Up to $600 Off DeWalt, Milwaukee, and More

Shop our favorite deals from Lowe's, The Home Depot, and Amazon.

Building & Installing

How To: Build a Cinder Block Wall

A well-constructed cinder-block wall can bring privacy, security, and visual interest to your landscaping. Although building a wall is a challenging project, it's one a determined and conscientious DIYer can tackle—if armed with these detailed instructions.

Bathrooms

The Dos and Don’ts of Bathroom Ventilation

Keep excess moisture from building up in your bath—and inviting mold, mildew, and other nasty problems—with these rules.

Garages

5 Steps to Solving All of Your Garage Storage Problems

The garage often serves as a dumping ground for old paint, broken toys, and boxes of clothes awaiting a ride to the local thrift store. Luckily, with the right storage, your vehicle doesn't have to squeeze into its dedicated space. Find what meets your needs in a handful of steps.

Repair & Maintenance

Give Your Worn-Out Concrete a Brand-New Look

Concrete doesn't really need ongoing maintenance. But occasionally it needs repair, particularly after years of hard use or weather exposure. Fortunately, now the average handy homeowner can handle those fixes himself, saving the cost of a contractor, thanks to advanced concrete repair products. Here's how it all works.

Flooring

When in Doubt, Revive Your Grout! Top Tips for Regrouting Tile

If your floor, backsplash, or tub surround is looking a little tired and outdated, the solution may be as simple as cleaning, reviving, or replacing the grout.

Interior

So, You Want to… Install a Laundry Chute

Installing a laundry chute requires planning, never more than when retrofitting a chute into an existing house. So before getting your heart set on one, review these project pointers on siting, design, and safety.

Budgeting & Home Finance

Tackle this Task Right After the New Year to Protect Your Property

Create a home inventory now to protect your personal belongings and ensure you’ll receive proper reimbursement should your valuables be lost or stolen.

Exterior

The 5 Best Composite Decking Brands

Tired of that annual chore of painting or staining your wood deck to prepare for the summer season? Consider a long-lasting alternative with less maintenance—and no splinters!

Building & Installing

TopCon’s RL-H5A Laser Level: A Tested Review

Rotary laser levels are game changers for establishing a perfectly level plane over a 360-degree area. Find out what happened when I tested one of the best-selling models on the market.

Interior

Building a Sunroom: Costs and Key Considerations for Today

Building a sunroom is a complex project with awesome benefits like extra entertaining space and a healthier lifestyle. An average sunroom cost is $47,000, but it ranges between $20,800 and $72,600.

Interior

Here’s How Much TV Screen Repair Costs

TV screen repair costs between $200 and $1,000—but is it worth it? Find out how repairs are priced, and when replacement is a better option.

Tools

Is the Ryobi Auger a Must-Have for Digging Holes? Find Out in This Tested Review

Handheld power augers reduce the time and labor it takes to dig holes. Find out what happened when I tested a best-selling cordless model.

Tools

Precise, Fast, Adjustable: Oregon Chainsaw Sharpener Review

If you’re looking for a way to keep your saw chains in top condition, here’s why the Oregon 410-120 could be the best choice.

Painting & Finishing

How to Thin Latex Paint

Don’t throw away latex paint that has thickened in the can! Follow this 10-minute process to thin it out to the proper consistency, and save yourself the cost of buying new paint.

Lawn Care & Gardening

When to Plant Grass Seed to Get the Lushest, Greenest Lawn

Dreaming of a lush lawn? Successful sowing depends partly on proper soil preparation, an understanding of your climate, and having a good understanding of the best time to plant grass seed for your area.