Do It Together

Stencil Designs in Decorating :: The Stencil Revival

Make-Maintain-Fix

Stencil companies used to be synonymous with simple designs and borders. You know the ones I'm talking about. Chickens, hearts...the hideous unsophisticated borders with the tiny houses, butterflies or checkered squares...geez, I...

by Regina Garay

Stopping the Killers — Carbon Monoxide and Fire :: New Codes, Safety Checks for Gas Appliances & More

Unfortunately, during the fall and winter seasons is when we see an increase in fire & carbon monoxide fatalities. Based off the latest estimates, there were over 40,000 Carbon Monoxide cases requiring...

by Sean Lintow Sr

Exercise Tips for Home Improvement :: Battle Plumber’s Crack with These Simple Exercises

First of all, that bending forward thing you all do is technically known as lookee here babes forward flexion. Have you noticed how much your lower back hurts after a while? The...

by Alexandra Williams

A Kick Ass Fall Maintenance List for the Home

This maintenance list is intended to inform DIY homeowners about general home maintenance. The list suggested above is by no means a complete list of items that need maintenance in a home....

by Paul Coates

VOCs :: Smell That Chemical Cocktail

Products

Little did I know I was having my first major run-in with volatile organic compounds: VOC's. I wouldn't hear that term for many years to come, but though I had no name...

by Tammy Dalton

Forget the Man Cave – Creating a Man Room :: A Decorating Solution for those Special Keepsakes

Homeownership

The Man Room. You know, the Man Room. It's that running joke between you and all your girlfriends. It's that room in your house where you put the not-quite-ready-for-prime time accessories, the...

by Tammy Dalton

The Fancy Painters are Here! :: What to Know about Faux Finishing & Decorative Painting

When asked What do you do? and I invariably answer I'm a faux finisher, I sometimes get a quizzical look. I may follow up with I'm an artist...a decorative painter but I...

by Regina Garay

Remodeling Rules :: A Few (House) Rules to Live By

As the daughter of an architect dad and a DIY queen of a mother, I think I truly had no choice but to become a home enthusiast. From growing up watching my...

by Cara Wilkerson

Installing a Solar Thermal Set-up :: Inside the Pro’s Home

While there are certainly systems that can get you off of the grid, Bill's isn't one of them. Virtually all thermal/hot water systems are supplemental only, and they work in tandem with...

by jb bartkowiak

Replacement Window Options :: aka Window Shopping in 3 Steps

Homeownership

But the point being: If it's too much for a professional, someone who supposedly sells and installs windows, and they have difficulty navigating the maze of decisions, imagine how hard it must...

by jb bartkowiak

The Curious Case of the Exploding Toilet :: The Mysterious Crack & Its Damage

Homeownership

This mysterious crack, as he tells me now, was approximately 1/8 inch wide and ran from above the flush handle, down and all the way around to the back of the tank's...

by jb bartkowiak

Removing Rust from Hardware that Cannot Be Removed :: Options

Make-Maintain-Fix

I have worked rusty hinges with either steel wool and/or sandpaper. In extreme cases, I have even loaded up my detail sander and went at it that way. There are a few...

by jb bartkowiak