Home Improvement DIY

It is all too easy to misplace an old skeleton key. Even if you have your skeleton key on hand, it may not be able to unlock a vintage lock. Because of that, many homeowners are left with their hands in the air wondering how they can pick a skeleton key lock.

Are you blessed with a closet and no clutter? If so, you end up with a world of possibilities. There are all sorts of creative, fun and practical things you can do with a spare closet.

Le Creuset cookware is not only one of the best performing brands on the market, but it also looks amazing. Even if you aren’t known to cook gourmet meals in dutch ovens all that often, you might still want to own a Le Creuset simply for its shiny and colorful enamel.

A recliner can be the ultimate relaxation destination within one’s own home. Unlike a couch or a standard chair, which remains stationary, a recliner does just that: reclines. From time to time, however, the recliner footrest may stop working. Instead of tossing it away when it stops working, there is a fix that can be implemented. 

If you found the perfect color paint but find it too thick to paint with, you might wonder how you can make it more workable. Or perhaps you have an old can of paint you need to use for touch ups, but find that over time, it has thickened up too much to use. Either way, this thick paint will have you wondering if you can add water to your paint, and if so, how much?

It’s the day you’ve been waiting for — move-in day. You finally closed on your new place, have the keys in hand, and become a homeowner. However, you’re starting to notice a few minor issues that might give you second thoughts. These are the little frustrations and inconveniences that many refer to as beige flags.

The only time having a mouse in your house is okay is in a Dr. Seuss book (unless you keep one as a pet). Otherwise, it’s safe to say you don’t want mice in your home. But what if you start to see some of the little critters hanging around your abode? Certain smells repel mice; for example, mice hate lavender.

Painting your home yourself is a great DIY project to help you save some money. But even when you take all the precautions, it is still possible to get paint on places where you don’t want it. In many cases, paint is easy to wipe up without leaving a trace. But when you notice paint on your laminate floor that won’t come out, you will want to find an easy way to make the paint disappear.

Noise pollution can make life incredibly difficult. If unwanted noises are reducing your quality of life, you may want to consider soundproofing. Whether it’s a noisy neighbor, busy main thoroughfare, or simply obtrusive sounds traveling between rooms, you can soundproof a room to help decrease the amount of sound disturbance.

Nails and screws are a mainstay in many construction projects. You would be hard-pressed to tackle any home improvement task that doesn’t call for one or the other. But how do you know when to use nails or screws for your project?

If you are working on a project that involves drilling screws into a hard surface like a hardwood or even metal, you probably need a drill bit. You don’t want to drill the screw right into the hard material, as there are all sorts of bad things that can happen. Drilling pilot holes is an important and simple process. It does, however, involve some planning and research. So, when you plan on using #8 screws you need to find the perfect size drill bit to make pilot holes.

When installing a mounting block on vinyl siding, there are plenty of ways things can go wrong. You may ask if your vinyl siding can handle this depending upon the weight. You may not know where to begin.

Microwave ovens are a modern luxury we often take for granted. You can easily heat leftover meals without creating a pile of dishes. They are also amazing at heating and cooking meals, making a dinner that is hot and ready in five minutes. While microwave ovens are amazing, sometimes the sounds they make are anything but. If you have a particularly loud microwave oven that is prone to constant beeping, you have probably wondered if there is a way to silence it.

It can throw you for a loop when you get a particularly high electric bill. That is truer now than ever before, since the cost of living has increased so much in the past few years. So you may ask yourself, why is my electric bill so high?

Mounted wall cabinets are perfect for those who are looking to maximize storage and wall space. They can add a level of depth and sophistication to a kitchen. Wall cabinets can also help you keep a garage or laundry room clean. But that last thing you want is to spend all the time and money to mount the cabinets, only to watch them fall to the ground due to poor installation.

Are you creating a DIY lamp, repurposing an amazing flea market find, or needing to make adjustments to an existing lamp? If you’re fixing, making, or buying a lamp, the right size harp makes all the difference. The harp hides the things you don’t want to see, but how do you know what size to get for a lamp?

The last thing you want to do is run up massive energy bills all winter. It’s tempting to turn up the furnace every time it gets cold, but that will quickly become quite expensive. So, what are the cheapest ways to heat your house in the winter?

Repairing or installing water lines within your home typically requires that you use crimpers, adhesives, or solder. However, adhesives can smell awful and be a very messy undertaking. Also, crimpers are pricey, can be challenging to install in smaller areas, and solder requires that you use an open flame to heat the pipes.

When the bitter cold of winter sets in, it is particularly difficult to stay motivated. The freezing temperatures, combined with short days, make even the most proactive person lethargic. While outdoor options might seem limited, the winter months allow you lots of free time to accomplish many home projects that you find yourself too busy to tackle in the spring and summer months.

Finding the right material for your shower walls can be tricky. Remodeling a shower can cost thousands of dollars, and it’s hard to commit to a material when you aren’t even sure what you want. Because of that, many homeowners will look for any alternative that gets the job done without breaking the bank. So, can you use peel-and-stick tile in a shower?

Faucet supply lines are often composed of a single line from your wall supply to your faucet. These lines are composed of several possible materials, and there are several ways to join them. Sometimes, you may find a single line is a wrong length or shape, and you need a second line.  So, which method should you choose?

A bookshelf is a fantastic addition to almost any room. It looks great and can showcase all sorts of items including art, plants, and of course, lots of books. It works well in a bedroom, home office, living room, and even in the kitchen. But bookshelves can cost hundreds of dollars or more. This might have you wondering if it is possible to build your own bookshelf with cheap or free materials.

If you can’t seem to stop a cold draft from entering through tiny cracks around your window, you might feel compelled to do something about it then and there.

Exterior paint is known to be both strong and durable. But, is it appropriate for indoor use? It may seem like a great idea to use exterior paint on interior walls; however, this option has serious downfalls. One has to beware of the dangers of exterior paint when it’s used indoors.

Whether you ran out of paint while painting your walls, or you don’t want to get two separate cans of paint, you might be wondering if you can just use your ceiling paint on your walls.

A garage door is more complicated than just your average front door. This huge metal contraption probably weighs more than you do. However, with a flick of your hand, or the press of a button it opens like magic.

Have you purchased bar stools that are too short, or want to use your old bar stools in a new, higher location? Fortunately, you won’t need to purchase expensive new stools or return the ones you picked out.

It costs between $200 and $3,000 to set up a basic podcast studio at home. Your setup will be cheap if you already have a computer. Of course, you can spend more once you expand, especially if you add a video element to your podcast. The cheapest route is to simply use a USB microphone that plugs into a laptop.

You use your shower to get clean, so if any part of it’s gross, it feels icky instead of relaxing, and you say, “eww” more than “aah.”. If the shower floor starts to get scummy or grimy, it boosts the ick factor because you feel like you’re standing in filth. So what’s the best way to clean the shower floor so you’re not cringing while you’re washing up?

Your air conditioner is a real savior in the hottest months. One AC unit can turn a completely unbearable sunrise into a pleasant morning in bed under the covers. There is so much to be thankful for when it comes to having the modern convenience of temperature and humidity control. But sometimes air conditioners are very loud. In fact, an AC unit can get so loud, it is hard to concentrate on anything else. But how do you quiet a noisy air conditioner?

Everyone wants a home that gives them a quiet place to relax and unwind. But if your house isn’t quite the peaceful retreat of your dreams, what can you do? Whether you’re dealing with a small space, a busy street, or a house that echoes like the Grand Canyon, you can make your house quieter.

Dirty burner caps don’t just make your stove look bad, but they can throw off the vibe in your kitchen. It’s hard to keep burner caps clean when you cook several days a week. However, it’s best to clean them as much as possible before stains form and it becomes harder to remove them. Many homeowners struggle with how to clean gas stove burner caps.

Textured walls had a moment of popularity not too long ago. The method of swirling highly textured paint onto the drywall was an alternative to wallpaper and a departure from the smooth wall. It is, after all, a great way to hide imperfections in the wall.

People have their own reasons for why they don’t want to use designated products for a project, such as outdoor paint for an outdoor paint job. Maybe they have too much extra indoor paint, or they don’t want to spend the extra money.

If you live in a windy area, it is not easy to keep warm water. Your pilot light is one that suffers from consequences. So, how do you stop a pilot light from blowing out on your water heater?

Constant noise and movement can stop you from getting comfortable in your duplex. This is especially annoying if you’re a renter and can’t renovate your duplex to fortify the walls. Many people struggle with how to reduce noise in a duplex.

Have you ever noticed moisture between the window panes of your house? If so, then you know how annoying it can be. Since it is a hard-to-reach place, it can be tricky to get rid of this condensation.

Slowly and quietly, a new trend in smart homes is starting to take root among the ultra-techy. People are now making their own open-source programs for their smart home hubs. But when comparing the OpenHAB vs Home Assistant programs, which is better for your home?

Has a home theater always been a dream of yours? Or perhaps with the explosion of streaming services and more and more movies going straight to these platforms, you find yourself craving a theater experience.

In the DIYers world, we always want to find the best ways not to buy something. One of those things comes from tiles and how we can fix them without replacing them. Using this guide, you will be able to handle any tile fixing projects.

Wood stain is a great way to freshen up a drab piece of wood furniture by bringing it new vigor and added protection. Unfortunately, while wood stain might be a miracle worker when applied to wood, it is more of a nightmare when it spills on concrete.

If you love bespoke home accessories, making scented candles at home might be a DIY activity you want to add to your wheelhouse.

Metal roofing is perfect for sheds because of its low cost and how easy it is to install. Still, many home improvement enthusiasts and building-owners have not installed metal roofing on a shed before and want to know how it can be done properly. So, how exactly do you do it?

Porcelain tiles can be an excellent addition to your home. They provide a classic look without sacrificing the durability required of materials in kitchens and bathrooms.

If you need to have wood waterproofed, then chances are you’ve applied Thompson’s Water Seal to it. This waterproofing stain is known for being one of the best in the home improvement world when it comes to keeping your materials looking great. Of course, many of us want to make our projects look even better with a fresh coat of paint. But, is this actually doable?

Purchasing a TV mount and the necessary screws can be an exciting decision. But getting your mount without screws can be an annoying discovery!

In the not too distant past, satellite dishes were incredibly large. If you happen to have a large old satellite dish still, you are probably wondering what you can do with it. With this guide, we hope to answer that question.

If you’re a handy homeowner, your garage probably isn’t just a place that you park your car. It’s actually a place where you park everything from seasonal storage, gardening gear, tools, kids’ toys, and wood saws. Without space-saving shelves to help contain all of these supplies and tools, your beautiful garage can end up looking like a disorganized mess.

Toilets are in every home, but they are hardly talked about until something goes wrong. Toilet issues, however, are more common than you might think. In fact, one survey suggests that 28 million Americans have a toilet that clogs every month. This begs the question – what can be done when you have a toilet that swirls but won’t flush?

Numerous home improvement projects involve working with a hammer and nails. They are among the most ubiquitous tools across worksites and learning how to use them properly is essential.

Electrical work may be confusing even to an experienced DIYer, especially when it comes to wire gauge. Wire gauge is the thickness of a wire and it can affect how much of an electrical load it can handle. So, what size wire should you run to a shed?

No matter how hectic and stressful life gets, you should always be able to count on your home to offer some peace. But if your house adds to your stress instead of taking it away, then it’s time to reassess your home, not-so-sweet home.

Window glass is usually pretty durable, but it only takes one unfortunate event to cause a crack.

No matter your climate, one of the most important things is having a well-insulated home. This will help to keep your place warm in the winter and cool in the summertime.

Grout is an integral part of any tiling job. It helps keep tiles straight, prevents moisture from gathering behind the tiles, and adds to the overall appeal of a room. However, if your grout lines are uneven, they’re more likely to be an eyesore than an aesthetic anchor. 

Ceiling fans are great for providing comforting and efficient cooling. They are especially useful in smaller homes since they don’t have to take up additional space near the floor. Add a ceiling fan to your home and it can be a useful fixture for years to come.

Whether you’re installing a ceiling fan to cool you down in the summer or help circulate heat in the winter, there are countless benefits to adding one to your home. Increase comfortability and save money on your energy bills by installing a ceiling fan. However, what happens if you want to install one in a room that does not have an already existing fixture? Although the project is much simpler with the existence of a fixture, it can still be done without the necessary wiring in place.

After a long, stressful day a good soak in the tub can be a relaxing way to unwind. However, this experience is highly dependent on a working stopper keeping the water from escaping down the drain. If your bathtub doesn’t have a functioning stopper or plug, there are ways to block the drain without them.

Do the pictures hanging on your wall make you do a double-take when you pass by them? Do you find yourself wondering if it’s you or the picture that’s not quite level? If this sounds familiar, it’s time to learn how to stop pictures from tilting on the wall.

You are not alone if you are shocked and angry about rising energy costs. It seems like everything is costing more, and prices are hard to keep up with. While some of these costs are out of your control, there are ways to cut down on your energy usage. In fact, it is a good idea to conduct a DIY home energy audit once a year to make sure you are not spending money in areas where you shouldn’t have to.