News (Page 9)

The scoop on what's happening in the world of home improvement.

Latest in News

11 Mistakes You’re Making With Your Kitchen Sponge

11 Mistakes You’re Making With Your Kitchen Sponge

By BobVila.com Staff

9 Top Tips for Blocking Out Noisy Neighbors

Green Building & Remodeling

9 Top Tips for Blocking Out Noisy Neighbors

By Andreana Lefton

13 Plants You Never Knew Were Weeds

13 Plants You Never Knew Were Weeds

25 Things Your Local Thrift Store Doesn’t Want You to Donate

25 Things Your Local Thrift Store Doesn’t Want You to Donate

By Andreana Lefton

The Roofing Tools That Are Most Important for Repairs

35 Things You Didn’t Know Your Home Appliances Can Do

35 Things You Didn’t Know Your Home Appliances Can Do

By Michael Franco, Katie Nolan

9 Things About Your Home That You’ll Probably Hate in a Decade

Interior Design

9 Things About Your Home That You’ll Probably Hate in a Decade

By Timothy Dale

Wiping down a wooden surface to remove wood stain.

Painting & Finishing

How to Remove Stain From Wood

By Debbie Wolfe, Bob Vila, Updated by Teresa Odle

12 Smart Dishwashing Hacks No One Ever Taught You

12 Smart Dishwashing Hacks No One Ever Taught You

By Jennifer Noonan

A close-up image of a spring attached to a garage door.

Can You Replace Garage Door Springs Yourself?

By Timothy Dale, Bob Vila, Catherine Hiles, Updated by Paul Rankin

16 Things Thrifty People Never Buy

16 Things Thrifty People Never Buy

By Debbie Wolfe

12 Little-Known Tricks to Make This Year’s Vegetable Garden a Success

12 Little-Known Tricks to Make This Year’s Vegetable Garden a Success

By Steph Coelho

Woman wearing safety glasses attaches a smoke detector to the wall above a door.

Building & Installing

How to Install a Smoke Detector

By Tom Scalisi, Bob Vila

25 No-Effort Plants for a Foolproof Landscape

25 No-Effort Plants for a Foolproof Landscape

By BobVila.com Staff

25 Ways to Upgrade Your Outdoor Living Space for Almost Nothing

Deck, Patio & Porch

25 Ways to Upgrade Your Outdoor Living Space for Almost Nothing

By Manasa Reddigari, Savannah Sher

These 17 Stone Walkways Are Simple to DIY

Driveways & Walkways

These 17 Stone Walkways Are Simple to DIY

By Jennifer Noonan

Woman scooping a baking soda-based DIY toilet bowl cleaner into the toilet.

30 Lazy Cleaning Tricks for a Spotless Home

A spacious outdoor deck stained a cedar color with patio furniture on top.

Deck, Patio & Porch

The Dos and Don’ts of Sealing the Deck

By Timothy Dale, Theresa Clement, Bob Vila

12 Secrets for a Successful Indoor Garden

12 Secrets for a Successful Indoor Garden

By Glenda Taylor

5 Tips for Building a Strong Shed Foundation

5 Tips for Building a Strong Shed Foundation

By Timothy Dale

Cutting a PVC pipe with a pipe cutter.

The 3 Best Ways to Cut PVC Pipe

By Tom Scalisi, Bob Vila

15 Cleaning Mistakes Everyone Makes

15 Cleaning Mistakes Everyone Makes

By Jennifer Noonan

Person using a trowel to add texture to a wall.

Walls & Ceilings

11 Types of Wall Texture and How to Create Each in Your Home

By Timothy Dale, Bob Vila, Updated by Theresa Clement

Edge of green grass next to dark brown mulch, with some yard tools on the lawn between the two areas.

How Long Does It Take for Grass to Grow?

By Teresa Odle, Bob Vila, Debbie Wolfe

15 Ways Landscaping Can Save You Money

15 Ways Landscaping Can Save You Money

By Debra Immergut

Woman tapes the caulking in front of her bathroom mirror with painter's tape.

The Dos and Don’ts of Caulking the Bathroom

By Timothy Dale, Bob Vila

Side view of a rusted bolt and nut.

Repair & Maintenance

How to Remove a Broken Bolt

By Steffani Cameron, Bob Vila

11 Handy Uses for Borax Around the House

11 Handy Uses for Borax Around the House

12 Ways to Put Your Home on an Energy Diet

Kitchen & Dining

12 Ways to Put Your Home on an Energy Diet

By Larry Bilotti

A person is picking tomatoes from a tomato plant in a garden.

Lawn Care & Gardening

Succession Planting: 6 Tips to Multiply Your Harvest This Year

By Debbie Wolfe, Teresa Odle

Close up view of person with dethatching rake raking the grass.

10 Things to Know Before Dethatching a Lawn

By Heather Blackmore, Kat Hodgins, Updated by BobVila.com Staff

Man pressure washes the front walkway and steps of a home; image looks out toward walkway and front yard.

8 Things You Can Clean With a Pressure Washer

By Jamie Birdwell-Branson

8 Tips for Safely Disinfecting with Bleach

8 Safety Tips for Disinfecting with Bleach

By Glenda Taylor

Bags of both potting soil and garden soil, side by side surrounded by a few terra cotta garden pots.

Garden Soil vs. Potting Soil: What’s the Difference?

By Mark Wolfe, Teresa Odle

Woman wearing safety goggles positions nail gun on door trim.

8 Types of Nail Guns and How to Use Them Safely

By Tom Scalisi, Glenda Taylor

Tips for Installing Trim, Baseboard, and Crown Molding

Walls & Ceilings

6 Things to Know Before Installing Interior Trim

By Tom Scalisi, Bob Vila

Dos and Don'ts for Mulching the Garden

The Dos and Don’ts of Mulching the Garden

By Heather Blackmore

5 Things to Know Before Replacing a Garbage Disposal

5 Things to Know About Replacing a Garbage Disposal

By Michelle Ullman, Bob Vila

This Is Where to Store Your Stuff When You Run Out of Closet Space

This Is Where to Store Your Stuff When You Run Out of Closet Space

By Jamie Birdwell-Branson

15 Safety Essentials That Most Homes Are Missing

15 Safety Essentials That Most Homes Are Missing

By Jennifer Noonan

6 Things to Know Before Spraying Insecticide

6 Things to Know Before Spraying Insecticide

By Heather Blackmore

15 Cleaners That Can Do the Most Damage

15 Cleaners That Can Do the Most Damage

By Jennifer Noonan, Andreana Lefton

woman looking outside at snow.

Heating & Cooling

14 Easy Ways to Increase Humidity in a Dry House

By Andreana Lefton, Bob Vila

Rear view, silhouette of a woman wearing headphones, looking out window at illuminated city at night.

5 Smart Tips for Soundproofing Windows

By Gretchen Heber, Bob Vila, Manasa Reddigari

35 Ways to Use Ordinary Things in Extraordinary Ways

35 Ways to Use Ordinary Things in Extraordinary Ways

By Andreana Lefton

Spraying cellulose insulation on the wall.

Guide to Blown-in Insulation: Materials, Installation, and Cost

By Glenda Taylor, Bob Vila, Updated by Theresa Clement

Colorful dishes in the top rack of a dishwasher are wet.

6 Reasons Why Your Dishwasher Isn’t Drying

By Michelle Ullman, Bob Vila, Updated by Margaret Foley

Woman paints primer over a stained wood bench.

Painting & Finishing

Can You Paint Over Wood Stain?

By Andreana Lefton, Bob Vila

Troubleshoot a Smoky Fireplace with These Tips

Fireplaces & Chimneys

Why Is There Fireplace Smoke in My Home?

By Manasa Reddigari, Bob Vila, Updated by Paul Rankin

31 Vintage Christmas Ideas Worth Revisiting This Year

Holidays & Celebrations

31 Vintage Christmas Ideas Worth Revisiting This Year

By Jamie Birdwell-Branson

Many numbered felt Christmas stockings in red, white, and green hanging from a string in a living room.

Holidays & Celebrations

40 DIY Advent Calendar Ideas to Help You Count Down to Christmas

By Manasa Reddigari, Caitlin Castelaz, Updated by Teresa Odle

A man uses a security pad to close his garage door.

8 Garage Door Security Tips Every Homeowner Should Know

By Glenda Taylor, Bob Vila, Updated by Paul Rankin

Photo of a recently renovated modern bathroom with shiplap walls and natural wood cabinetry in a family home.

Interior Design

Shiplap vs. Tongue and Groove: What’s the Difference?

By Michelle Ullman, Bob Vila, Updated by Margaret Foley

A woman in the background as water leaks in the kitchen ceiling. Buckets and pots are on the floor to catch the flowing water, water puddling on the floor.

How to Find a Roof Leak

New copper gutters collect small icicles where a downspout will be installed in snowy weather.

Types of Gutters and Materials to Consider for Your Home

By Michelle Ullman, Bob Vila, Updated by Paul Rankin

Person wearing work gloves prepares to add foam rubber insulation to window overlooking a parking lot.

Repair & Maintenance

15 Types of Weatherstripping to Help Cut Energy Costs

By Joe Provey, Bob Vila, Updated by Paul Rankin

A used and a new furnace filter, propped side by side.

This Is How Often You Should Change Your Furnace Filter

By Glenda Taylor, Bob Vila

Woman wearing a black coat pushed a lawn mower through a lawn covered with leaves.

Why Mulching Leaves Is Better Than Raking Them

By Jennifer Noonan, Updated by Gretchen Heber

Woman extends a tape measure from the corner of the room to measure the wall.

Walls & Ceilings

5 Ways to Find a Wall Stud Without Using a Stud Finder

By Kit Stansley, Tony Carrick, Bob Vila

How to Hang a Heavy Mirror

Building & Installing

How to Hang a Heavy Mirror on the Wall

The foundation of a yellow stucco home has a large crack and dent, causing serious damages.

How to Know When You Should Repair a Foundation Crack

By Theresa Clement, Glenda Taylor, Bob Vila

A can of white paint and paintbrush in front of a half-painted wall of brown floral wallpaper.

Painting & Finishing

How to Paint Over Wallpaper

The 25 Easiest Ways to Save Energy (and Dollars) This Summer

The 25 Easiest Ways to Save Energy (and Dollars) This Summer

Containers of joint compound and spackle with a putty knife and drywall tape.

Walls & Ceilings

Joint Compound vs. Spackle: What’s the Difference?

By Katelin Hill, Bob Vila, Updated by Theresa Clement