A stepping stone path is a practical solution to create a walkway through your yard or garden and at the same time be a complement to the landscape. You can lay it out as a straight walkway or as a winding path that meanders around trees and flowerbeds. It’s a way to create a path…
Remove Texture Paint
A texture finish can call attention to a not-so-remarkable wall or ceiling, but if that rustic surface isn’t your style you can remove it. However, the job is a time-consuming and often messy project. The fact that it’s tedious is another issue. The project is ideal for a newbie DIYer, because it’s work that requires…
Build a Rail Fence
A rail and post fence is one of the easiest fences to build. Its horizontal rails fit into pre-cut holes in the fence posts, so they go together like pins in a slot. Originally, it was a fast way to keep livestock from straying into a nearby homestead; today, its natural good looks make it…
Quiet Acoustic Tiles Are Easy to Install
Dear James: It gets too noisy in the kids’ playroom. Are acoustic ceiling tiles difficult to install myself, and are there attractive ones made for home use? — Michelle Y. Dear Michelle: Most people like the sound-deadening characteristics of acoustic tiles, but then they think they must look like those big, ugly tiles in a…
Install an Underdeck Ceiling
To take advantage of the space beneath a second-floor deck, consider installing an underdeck. As a ceiling to the underside of the deck it also protects the area from rain and snow. The vinyl material acts as a ceiling drainage system and creates a ground level outdoor room or useful found space for storing bicycles…
Make Old Tiles Look New by Regrouting
Dear James: The grout on the bathroom tiles is crumbling and looks dark even after using bleach. I don’t want to remove the tile and redo it. Can I just replace the grout myself? — Damon W. Dear Damon: You probably won’t have to remove any tiles in the discolored grout areas. Where the grout…
Match Stainless Steel Appliances With a New Sink
Dear James: I have installed all-new stainless appliances in my kitchen. I may have to install the stainless-steel sink myself to stay in budget. What are some selection and installation tips? — Lisa T. Dear Lisa: Many of today’s kitchen appliances are stainless steel or just less expensive stainless-steel fronts for easy cleaning. Actually, the…
Install a Standby Generator
A power outage can be a major inconvenience to any household and cause problems a generator is designed to solve. The job of a standby generator is to keep the appliances and systems of a house working when the power goes out. When a major power outage occurs, the lights go out, the food in…
A Few Personal Choices for a Personal Shower
By Ed Del Grande From Tribune News Service Q: Hi Ed: I want to install a personal shower with hose in our shower stall. I’m a handy person around the house, but can use a little help choosing a nice personal shower set up for our bathroom. Can you suggest some ideas to ponder? —…
Remove Rust From Anything
Do you remember asking the classic question in high school chemistry class, “When will I ever use this?” I admit that I was one who posed this question loud enough that I was rewarded with an afternoon in detention. It was only years later that I came to appreciate how simple chemistry surrounds us in…
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