Hot Construction & Repair How-Tos
How To: Unclog a garbage disposal
Holidays such as Thanksgiving are doomsday for most garbage disposals due to clogs. If you're garbage disposal is clogged, check out this video to see some helpful tips on how to fix it.
How To: Patch a small hole in drywall
While drywall is an inexpensive building material, it's not the sturdiest. Luckily, repairing the inevitable holes is a quick and easy process.
How To: Repair a chimney cap on your home
YouTube's hardwarehelper teaches you how to repair a chimney cap on your home. At worst, you'll have to caulk the edges, but this is a nice, fairly permanent solution to capping a chimney.
How To: Install an interior pre-hung door in your home
Have a new door that needs installed? Well, first thing you're going to have to do is remove the old one, then you're ready to go! Check out this home improvement video tutorial on how to install an interior pre-hung door in your home.
How To: Repair nail pops
This video demonstrates how to repair nail pops. From the people who brought you the Dummies instructional book series, brings you the same non-intimidating guides in video form. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to repair nail pops, For Dummies.
How To: Hang things on hollow walls
This video demonstrates how to hang things on hollow walls. From the people who brought you the Dummies instructional book series, brings you the same non-intimidating guides in video form. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to hang things on hollow walls, For Dummies.
How To: Caulk windows
This video demonstrates how to caulk windows. From the people who brought you the Dummies instructional book series, brings you the same non-intimidating guides in video form. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to caulk windows, For Dummies.
How To: Spot a dishonest contractor for home repair
Learn how to spot a dishonest contractor for home repair. It’s no accident contractors have such a bad reputation – they get more fraud complaints than any other workers! Here’s how to find a reputable one – and skip the scammers.
How To: Hang a door properly
Hanging a door evenly isn't easy, and if you screw it up, you'll probably have to start over with a brand new door. Master this skill, however, and save a bundle in installation fees.
How To: Fix a door that sticks
Instead of pushing, pulling, and cursing, why not fix that door that sticks? You Will Need
How To: Easily tighten screw hooks and eye hooks
Get some simple home repair and improvement advice from the H.O.W. TV team. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to tighten screw hooks and eye hooks.
How To: Mix concrete by hand
Whether you want to pave your patio or give someone cement shoes, here's how to mix concrete like an expert. Learn how to mix concrete by hand with this instructional video.
How To: Board up a window
Board up a window for protection against strong storms and hurricanes. Learn how to board up a window.
How To: Build a light post for your landscape
Learn how to build walls with Allan Block in this video tutorial. See how to build a light post for your landscape, which is great for your front lawn, made with Allan Blocks.
How To: Build a patterned retaining wall with Allan Blocks
Learn how to build walls with Allan Block in this video tutorial. See how to build two-sided patio walls for your landscape, which is a patterned retaining wall, made with Allan Blocks.
How To: Make a wind-powered generator with MAKE magazine
MAKE magazine never fails to amaze. And this time, John Park tackles a DIY wind-powered generator—and he shows you how to do it! Before you start watching the video tutorial, make sure to download the PDF of this project for reference.
How To: Set support beams and rim joists for a wooden deck
This video tutorial from Hometime TV shows how to set supporting beams on top of posts when building a deck. It also shows how to install the rim joists, which define the perimeter of the deck, and demonstrates several types of metal connectors for these framing elements.
How To: Fix air leaks in your home & save on your heating bill
Having a 1/16-inch unsealed crack around a window is like leaving that window open 3 inches. Decrease your heating bill and your energy use by sealing up air leaks. You will need caulk cartridges, a caulking gun, a putty knife, weather stripping and optional: expanding foam sealant. Tip: Caulking guns with an automatic release create much less mess than simple caulk guns and are well worth the extra few dollars.
How To: Install post and dowel fencing
My how-to on Post and Dowel Fencing. My buddy Sven and I, with the help of landowner Rex, installing a massive post & dowel Fence. You need a level, post hill driller, rock bar, and stakes. There are terminator, corner and line posts that have holes specifically for its position in the fence. It's like Lincoln logs that snap together. Lengths of the post vary, but you want 1/3 of the post underground. This is great for lining your property or farm.
How To: Support seats and hanging swings with knot tying
Learn how to tie the the knots necessary for hanging a child's swing. This animated knot tying tutorial is the best you'll find. With this knot tying how to, you can learn how to securely tie a swing fast or slow, or pause it at every step along the way. Support seats and hanging swings with knot tying.
How To: Loosen stuck nuts and bolts
Wear and tear can cause nuts and bolts to get stuck over time. A little bit of grease or lubricant will help de-freeze them from their place. Make sure to check for rust, or the problem will just keep re-occurring. Watch this video home improvement tutorial and learn how to loosen stuck nuts and bolts.
How To: Install a towel bar on a bathroom wall or hollow door
This two part how to video series demonstrates how to install a towel rod or towel rack (remember click on chapter two for the hollow door video instructions). In the first video, your instructor takes you through all the necessary steps of installing a towel bar: measuring, screwing, and assembling. The second video demonstrates how to hang a towel rod on a hollow door. Hollow doors require an extra step when hanging a towel bar. You need a few more tools, but the end result is a towel bar t...
How To: Hang a bathroom mirror
Need to upgrade your bathroom's mirror? Well, first you need to take down the old one! And Eric shows you how it's all done in this video guide from GardenFork. Removing a mirror that's been glued to the wall is tricky, but it's nowhere near impossible to take down. Eric covers the mirror surface with contact paper to prevent broken shards dropping everywhere, then start banging on to break it, so you can take it down in sections safely. Once you get it down, see how to hang the new mirror up...
How To: Fix a stripped screwhole
Picture this: You're putting together your new desk or bedframe from Ikea, you go to drill in your final screw with your power drill, and the screw just keeps turning. The hole is stripped, and your brand-new piece of furniture is far from sturdy. What to do? This wuick how-to video clip by professional do-it-yourself Ron Hazelton has the answer. Three different options, actually. Watch this video home improvement tutorial and learn how to fix a stripped screwhole.
How To: Fix a stuck drawer
Every house has a drawer somewhere in it that gets stuck, requiring you to struggle, yank, or shove to get it open and closed. In this quick how-to video clip, professional do-it-yourself-er Ron Hazelton shows you the best ways to overcome sticky drawer syndrome. There are three ways to help keep those drawers running smoothly. Watch this video home improvement tutorial and learn how to fix a stuck drawer.
How To: Cut ceramic tile with a tile cutter
Cutting floor and wall tile with a tile cutter should not be a difficult job. For any successful tile cutting job, the steps are roughly as follows:
How To: Cut tile with a diamond wheel cutter
Want to cut marble, porcelain, slate, granite or any natural stone tile with a diamond wheel cutter? This video guide will show you how. For detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started cutting your own title with a wheel cutter, take a look.
How To: Drill porcelain tile
Wondering how to go about drilling porcelain tile without damaging it? In this video tutorial, you will learn how to drill through tough porcelain tiles using diamond coated hole saws, which also work work on natural stone and marble. Get started drilling porcelain tile quickly and efficiently with this how-to.
How To: Cut ceramic floor and wall tile with a tile cutter
Cutting floor and wall tile with a tile cutter should not be a difficult job.
How To: Cut Perspex or acrylic sheet with a circular or jigsaw
Wondering how to cut Perspex (or acrylic glass) easily? When cutting Perspex at home, you're more or less limited to using circular saws and jigsaws. For cutting straight lines, the circular law works best; for curvy lines, you'll want to use your jigsaw. For more information, including step-by-step instructions on cutting your own acrylic sheet, watch this DIY home tutorial.
How To: Cut tile
Learn how to cut tile with this DIY video tutorial. If you need to make angular and circular cuts, use an angle grinder and fit a diamond disk. You'll need to fit a continuous diamond disk, not a segmented one, because a segmented disk will chip the tiles. And if you're using an angle grinder, don't forget your personal protection equipment, ear muffs, dust mask, and eye protection.
How To: Mix drywall joint compound
Watch this quick video showing how to mix joint compound. In a large bucket, mix a fresh bag of joint compound with water, using an electric mixer. You can mix your joint compound to be thicker, or thinner, depending on the spackling project.
How To: Coat drywall around boxes with joint compound
Watch this instructional video on how to coat detail work around boxes and pipes with joint compound. Spackling drywall is a delicate art, but anyone can create a perfectly smooth surface with a metal putty knife and a fresh bucket of spackle. Learn how to lay dow thin coats of putty around details and box shapes to avoid heavy sanding in the second stage of prepping a room for painting.
How To: Coat butt joints with joint compund
Watch this instructional video on how to coat butt joints with joint compound. Spackling is a delicate art, but anyone can create a perfectly smooth surface with a metal putty knife and a fresh bucket of spackle. Rock the putty knife back and forth to coat a butt joint with joint compound. Once you are ready, try out to bonus trick for spackling masters.
How To: Coat ceiling joints with joint compound
This instructional video demonstrates how to coat ceilings with joint compound, without dripping mud on your face. Spackling is a delicate art, but anyone can create a perfectly smooth surface with a metal putty knife and a fresh bucket of joint compound. Spackling ceilings is one of the more difficult tasks in prepping a room for painting, but this video provides tips on how to lay down thin layers of putty to avoid heavy sanding after the spackle dries.
How To: Coat a cornerbead with joint compound
This is a video demonstration on how to coat cornerbeads with join compound. Spackling is a delicate art, but anyone can create a perfectly smooth surface with a metal putty knife and a bucket of fresh joint compound. Learn how to spackle a corner in thin coats to avoid heavy sanding in the second stage of prepping a room for painting.
How To: Coat nails with joint compound
Here's how to spot nails and screws with joint compound. This instructional video will show you how to coat nails and screw holes in drywall with a thin layer of spackle. Use a metal putty knife and fresh joint compound to get a smooth surface of spackle and avoid heavy sanding.
How To: Putty coat drywall
Here's a way to make your drywall project perfect. Mix up some thin joint compound, using more water than normally required for spackling holes in the wall. You can roll the putty onto the wall with a think rolling brush. After the joint compound dries, it only requires a light sanding. Watch this instructional video to create perfectly smooth drywall surfaces with liquid spackle.
How To: Plan, and build, the deck of your dreams
While building a deck may not be the easiest DIY project, it can be done with proper planning and execution. In part one of this five part series, learn about decking material options, deck style options, building codes restrictions and much more.
How To: Plan and build the kitchen of your dreams
Your kitchen is the heart of your home, and is as individual as you are. No matter what your ultimate goal, there are several initial steps you will take to begin remodeling your current kitchen, regardless of its size or shape.