Hot Construction & Repair Posts
How To: Fix a leaky gutter
Tim Carter shows how to fix a leaky gutter. Watch the video for best results.The gutter seal material is easy to work with. It can be spread with a twig or stick and it sticks tight to the gutter. Your leak at that joint will be solved.Watch the video for best results.
How To: Install recessed lighting properly
Installing recessed lighting into your kitchen or living room creates an immediate update to the look of your home! Recessed lighting is very low-key, makes a subtle statement, and yet is elegantly modern. If you are looking for an update to your home's lighting, think: "recessed." Install recessed lighting properly.
How To: Repair concrete cracks in you driveway
While concrete driveways look nice when they are new, over time the concrete can chip, crack and crumble. Cracks and potholes form due to the freezing and thawing of water that has seeped under the driveway through smaller cracks, weed or grass growth in small cracks, and general wear and tear. Regular maintenance will prevent the need to replace the existing driveway. This is usually easy to do and requires up to a half day to complete depending on the condition and size of your repairs. Rep...
How To: Refinish exterior lights
Are your exterior lamps looking totally out of place? Bring them back into the fold with a simple spray paint face lift. As every fashion-conscious gal knows, accessories make all the difference. The same is true for your house: the decorative touches, accent pieces, and color schemes can make the difference between a house that looks all together or altogether tacky. Exterior lights are a perfect example: do your lamps match your home like the perfect pair of earrings match your outfit? If n...
How To: Patch your hardwood floors
Part of the charm of hardwood floors is their imperfections. Slight variations in grain and color, as well as the minor spots and specs in the wood help provide an aged-to-perfection look for your floors. However, you may encounter a cracked plank or damage to a section of your floor that doesn't look quite so attractive.
How To: Knock out a wall
Many homeowners wish that their master bedrooms were larger or perhaps their dining room and living room were one. You can often create larger living spaces in your home by removing non-weight bearing walls. It is always tempting to just start knocking things down but demolishing a wall can be tricky. But with a little planning, you will avoid a house full of dust, long waits to duplicate moldings and trim, and other unplanned construction expenses. The main problem with demolishing walls is ...
How To: Make an instant hammock
Tim Anderson shows us how to make a hammock in a minute from a sheet or any big piece of cloth. He teaches us how to tie the over hand knot (which is also known as a half hitch knot) and we learn how to tie a lark head knot. When completed, it sure looks comfy. Make an instant hammock.
How To: Install base boards
This tutorial will talk you through installing base boards. Installing base molding adds dimension to baseboard. It protects baseboards and it is easy to replace. Remove the old molding. Four techniques will be discussed about different cuts you will have to make. 1) end of run 2 )mid-run joint
How To: Install a chair rail in 3 easy steps
Traditionally installing a chair rail is intended to protect the wall from the chair. Chair rails can also create a dramatic accent to your room. This project has three steps. First mark your walls. Second measure and make our cuts. The third step is to set your molding to make a flush connection. Install a chair rail in 3 easy steps.
How To: Chemically strip wood
Wood can be refinished by sanding off the old stain or paint but sanding runs the risk of removing fine details on the wood. Chemical strippers are the best to remove paint, varnish and shellac. Prepare the area on and around the project, strip, scrape and scrub. You might encounter some tricky situations like finding it hard to clean details on the wood. After project is stripped and cleaned, let it dry over night. It is time to refinish the wood. Bleach wood if needed, stain or leave natura...
How To: Paint exterior trim properly
By painting your exterior trim wih different colors than your siding you can create a dramatic yet attractive and complimentary look. Paint trim wth a higher sheen than the siding. Generally you should use eggshell or satin paint for siding and gloss or semi-gloss for windows and doors. Paint in sequence. Always paint from the top down. Paint exterior trim properly.
How To: Learn the basics of a pressure washer
Pressure washers are a great way to clean a brick patio - if you do it right! The pressure washer can harm the surface you are cleaning or even yourself. The basic operation of the pressure washer is to take the low pressure from you garden hose and increase the pressure with a special pump. The pump uses either a gas powered engine or an electric motor to boost the pressure.
How To: Use a hammer or nail gun correctly
Tim Carter demonstrates how to install a finish nail using a hammer and nail set. Tim also shows how to do it the fast way with a powered nail gun!
How To: Fix a squeaky floor
Learn how to fix a squeaky floor in this brief yet informative tutorial. Note: you will need to have access to the floor and floor joists from underneath.
How To: Make simple lanterns
Sarah McColl teaches us how to light up a room or backyard with homemade lanterns. As she shows us, lighting is one thing you never want to neglect. Electricity is not required.
How To: Rejuvenate a chair
Sarah McColl, the modern Martha Stewart from Brooklyn, takes full advantage of outdoor space. She shows us how to reupholster and rejuvinate a chair. The video is simple and easy to follow, and our host is always entertaining.
How To: Install a power roof vent
Learn how to install a power roof vent for your home. Install a power roof vent.
How To: Make a compact chair from (free) post office boxes
This is an amazingly creative idea. Watch this video hosted by Graffiti Research Lab in NYC and learn how to create a portable chair for free out of post office boxes. These guys provide a resting place for the city lunch roamer, but these chairs would be great for a kids playroom or even the office!
How To: Repair your brick wall using tuck pointing
Your not a brick layer, but this will help you repair mortor in your brick walls, using tuck pointing. Here are some easy to do helpful hints.
How To: Install closet cods
Do you wish you had a bit more hanging space in your closet? In just a few simple steps you can install new closet rods in nearly any closet and enjoy the additional storage.
How To: Diagnose air conditioner condensation problems
Watch for water dripping out of a tube in a place that it's never dripped before. There could be a reason for this. It's called the backup condensation line. This is your alert to unclog the primary drip line.
How To: Fix a squeaky door hinge
Learn how to fix any type of door hinge and quiet your home's squeaky doors. A good lubricant is a must.
How To: Install a deadbolt correctly
Need to make your house more burglar proof? Here are some easy instructions on installing a deadbolt. This lock also is equipped with a key entry.
How To: Fill drywall screw holes
There's a big hole in the wall from the picture I just took down. How would I ever fill that? Watch and see. This video is geared towards the no too handy viewers among us.
How To: Install wood floors
Considering installing hard wood floors? We recommend you watch this video first. Westhollow Floors talks about the various wood choices available, benefits and limitations of each one, and what you need to consider before you start. These guys take you through everything you need to know how to do to install wood floors.
How To: Texture an old ceiling
Watch as home remodeler Kevin Charlton teaches how to texture an old ceiling. Learn the products needed for texturing and prepping a ceiling, how to tape off a room, how to fill inconsistent holes in a ceiling, different texturing techniques, when to use the texture compound, and how to clean up after texturing a ceiling.
How To: Build a gazebo
In this video series, our expert will show you how you can build your own gazebo. You will get easy to follow step-by-step instructions on how to design an octagonal gazebo, how to find the right building materials and how to actually put together a gazebo. This is a great project for amateur builders and do-it-yourselfers, and will add beauty and value to your yard or property.
How To: Build a gravel road
In this gravel road construction video series, learn how to make a gravel road from Ben Ingham. Ben will give you gravel road construction tips such as how to choose a location for a gravel road, how to smooth out the ground before laying the gravel, how to smooth out the gravel, and what equipment is best for making a gravel road.
How To: Build a steel spiral staircase
Spiral steel staircases are extremely space efficient and sturdy, allowing people to climb to a higher floor by spiraling in a tight radius. Making one of these staircases requires some considerable skill in steel fabrication. This process involves cutting and molding the metal and using it to create a structure. Welding is also an important aspect to steel fabrication and can be used to build these spiral staircases.In this free video series, Wendell Moon, fabrication and welding expert, dem...
How To: Roof a house
In this online video series, learn from roofing expert Tom Shean how to roof a house using metal roofing tiles. Tom will demonstrate, step by step, how to frame for and install metal roof tiles. Learn from our expert how to install roof battens, how to frame roof valleys, how to frame the roof ridge and roof hips, how to frame counter battens, how to use metal roof framing, how to lay a full course of metal roofing, how to install wood shake tile roofing, how to fasten metal tile roofs, how t...
How To: Repair wood fences
Fear not, proud homeowner! In this do-it-yourself home improvement video series, learn how to repair and maintain your wooden fence, with tips on identifying problem areas and using safety equipment. Get step-by-step instructions for repairing loose gate hinges, replacing rotten wood and removing chipped paint.
How To: Build a straw bale house
In this video series see how to plan an environmentally sound home from a professional environmental decorator. Learn what kinds of materials go into building and environmentally friendly home in this series of videos. The expert will focus on building straw bale houses. Straw bale is actually the dry leftover part of the plant after harvest. Wheat, oats, barley, rye, rice and others are mostly used in straw bale houses to construct walls which are then covered by stucco. She will go through ...
How To: Caulk a door
Repairs to doors and windows are some of the easiest home repairs you can do. Our expert will show you a simple way to fix a broken window by removing it and then installing a new piece of glass in the old frame. You will also learn how to replace exterior door trim, a repair that not only improves the look of your house, but also helps cut down on heating and cooling costs.
How To: Replace rotted siding on your house
In this online video series, learn from construction expert Jon Olson as he removes and installs new house siding to show you how to replace the siding on your home. Jon will teach you how to check your house siding, what tools and materials you will need to remove your house siding, how to remove trim board, how to remove house siding sheets, how to prepare studs for the new siding installation, how to install new siding on your house, how to caulk the seams on your house siding, how prime f...
How To: Build storage shelves in the garage & paint walls
In this online video series, learn from DIY home improvement expert Jon Olson, as he demonstrates garage home improvement projects such as installing garage shelves and painting the walls in the garage. Learn what materials and tools you will need, how to prepare garage walls for primer, including how to mix and paint primer, how to prepare the wall for paint, how to paint a wall, basic painting tips tips, and how to build and install storage shelves in your garage.
How To: Install drywall in your garage
In this DIY project on video, learn how to drywall a new wall as part of a garage remodel. Our expert will explain what drywall is and how it works, with tips on how to prep the wall, calculate the amount of drywall you need, how to cut and hang drywall, mudding, sanding, taping and more. He’ll take you step-by-step through the process of creating a professional quality drywall that you can be proud of. Be sure to check out the series “How to Frame and Insulate a New Wall” to see how to insta...
How To: Install a sliding glass door
In this video series, learn how to tackle a fairly simple do-it-yourself home improvement project that can significantly strengthen your security system. Our expert locksmith will show you how to install a lock on any sliding glass doors you may have in your home. He’ll guide you step-by-step through this project, including a few diagrams to illustrate the inner workings of the lock you’ll be installing. Take a bite out of crime with this free diy home security project. Install a sliding glas...
How To: Install a keyless entry deadbolt
In this series of video clips you’ll learn how to install a keyless entry deadbolt security system in your home. Expert locksmith J. Daniel Nell takes you through the entire process step-by-step, showing you what tools you’ll need to complete the job, how to remove your old deadbolt lock from the door, how to install the electric wiring, program and operate the keypad, and offers tips on maintenance and more.
How To: Install a deadbolt lock
In this video series, learn how to tackle a fairly simple do-it-yourself home improvement project that can significantly strengthen your security system. Our expert, Daniel Nell, will show you how to install a single-cylinder deadbolt lock on any door in your home. Watch these step-by-step video clips and get tips on how to measure for the deadbolt, drill the hole, install the strike plate, and connect the latch.
How To: Paint an exterior wall
In this DIY project on video, learn how to paint the exterior of your home. Our expert will show you everything you need to know to get the job done. Get tips on preparing the wall with a pressure washer, scraping off old paint, caulking, spackle, priming, and more. Learn the proper paint rolling techniques to get an even, professional result. Watch these videos carefully, and turn a potentially disastrous endeavor, both for you and your home, into a simple painting project. When you’re done,...