Home & Garden: Page 73

Understanding how a knife most likes to cut wood is key to doing any woodcarving. In this video tutorial, a pair of disembodied hands will demonstrate, step by step, a method for efficiently carving out the bowl of a spoon with a hook knife. (Said hands use a blank of basswood for expediency; birch is normally used for eating spoons.) To learn more about carving with a hook knife, watch this folksy how-to.

This tutorial will guide you through the process digging the deck post holes and then mixing and pouring the concrete. Before the concrete completely sets, you will then position the precast concrete piers.

Most likely you have planned one or two flights of stairs from your deck to the surrounding yard. Steps can be built a number of different ways depending on your aesthetic preference, however most municipalities have specific codes that must be taken into consideration when you design and build your steps. For instance, many cities require a minimum width of 3 feet for the stairs.

Stripping furniture or woodwork can be like a treasure hunt, revealing a beautiful wood surface beneath old paint and varnish. An old finish can be removed mechanically using a sander, but you run the risk of sanding off fine detail and contours in the woodwork. Chemical stripping enables you to soften the finish and then remove it with a scraper. Chemical stripper will remove most painted, shellacked or varnished finishes. For complete, step-by-step instructions for this DIY project, watch...

Beauty and brains in one package! A ceiling fan offers many functional benefits while adding a certain decorative touch to a room. In the summer it can help cool a room (or even a porch) by helping to circulate air and by creating a slight breeze. In the winter it can be used at low speed to circulate warmer air that has risen to ceiling level. From the viewpoint of décor, ceiling fans come in many styles and colors and can even include a light kit to offer the added feature of overhead...

Range hoods are a necessity in any kitchen. A properly installed range hood will vent hot air and cooking odors outside as well as help keep kitchen surfaces free of grease. The trickiest part of installing a range hood is determining how to run the ventilation ducts. Depending on the location of your range, you will need to decide if it is easier to vent through an outside wall versus up through the roof. Use this tutorial if you determine that venting through an outside wall is the best route.

There are fewer things finer in a home than a hardwood flooring. For the do-it-yourselfer, however, it can be a fun, yet daunting task. Installing a hardwood floor can best be described as a combination of rough and fine carpentry. Pounding the nails home and bending warped flooring to fit is certainly rough work. However, it is detailed as well, because even small mistakes will show.

Have you ever felt cold in your older home, even with the heat cranked? Ever feel drafts that seem to come from nowhere? And conversely, in the summer, is your home an oven? Many older houses are improperly insulated, if there is any insulation at all. This can have a large impact on your heating and cooling bills. Loose-fill insulation can be blown into your walls and attic to help increase the efficiency of your house, significantly decreasing your heating and cooling expenses.

Who needs more storage space? We all do! You may have an untapped gold mine of storage space just over your head, but it is probably too impractical to access. Of course we are referring to your attic, which unfortunately has only a small access door through one of your closets. Every time you need to get into your attic you have to clear out the clothes in the closet and find a stepladder. Maybe it is time to consider a disappearing stairway and put the attic space to good use. (If your attic...

If you have hardwood floors in your house, take a look at your baseboards. Right in front of the baseboards there is usually a smaller, curved molding about ¾" tall. How does this short molding look? Is it painted over, chipped and/or just beat up in general? If so, you can easily replace this molding and make a huge difference in the overall appearance of your room. And, it is fairly easy to do.

Hardwood floors in older homes can be hidden treasures. You may not realize it, but under the dark finish, scuffs and scratches is probably a beautiful hardwood floor just waiting to shine through. Sanding off the old finish gives you a chance to get down to the bare wood and erase many of the scratches and dents. Then you can choose a stain that is more to your liking, or just put a clearcoat on the floor for a pleasant, warm appearance.

There's nothing more annoying than that "squeak-squeak" sound when you walk across your floor! It's enough to put a damper on your day! Have you ever avoided "that' stair because of its incessant screeching? Then this tutorial is for you.

Vinyl wall base molding is an easy-to-install substitute for wood baseboard molding. In areas that you have installed a vinyl or carpeted floor, vinyl wall base molding is a very decorative and functional option for surrounding the room perimeter. You have several color choices that can provide a nice accent to the colors and design of the entire room. Because it is pliable and resilient, it is easy to install and resistant to scuffs and scrapes that can occur over time. Ideal applications are...

Valances add a great touch to windows that you do not want to cover completely, but that you also do not want to leave bare. Bare windows can seem cold and uninviting, and adding window dressing such as a window valance will make your room much more homey and warm. There are several styles of valances from which to choose. This valance is a single rod valance requiring a 2 1//2" flat curtain rod. Although this valance is intended to be poufed, it can be left as a flat valance for a more...

Want to shake things up? Want to affect the mood? An effective way to quickly change the mood of a room is by dimming or brightening the lights. A softer light results in a more comforting, relaxing atmosphere. Brighter lighting is more suitable for normal room use and reading. An easy way to control your lighting is to install a dimmer switch.

Versatility and convenience - two of the greatest watchwords for a comfortable home. Fortunately, installing a 3-say switch can add versatility and convenience to your home's lighting system.

As a home owner, you should pay careful attention to the trees that surround your house. Dead limbs and some smaller "roughage" can pose a danger to you and your family, as well as your home, if your trees are not cared for properly. Essentially, proper pruning is essential for a healthy and aesthetically pleasing tree. Pruning is needed when first planting a tree to control its growth and to help develop its shape. Pruning can help spur growth in foliage, fruit and flowers as well as remove...

A pond can add a dramatic, yet tranquil touch to your yard or garden. Your pond can be constructed in many different sizes and shapes, all which can reflect a part of you. Installing a pond may take a little time and effort, but if done right the result will be enjoyed for many years to come. This article will show you in easy steps how to add this water feature to your backyard. Springtime is the best time to install a pond as you can start planting and stocking your pond immediately after you...

If you live in a colder climate, your water pipes may be susceptible to freezing. For the most part, your plumbing is safely inside the heated living space of your house. However, a sillcock (spigot) on the outside wall of your house is exposed to the elements and can freeze during the colder winter months. Since water expands as it freezes, this situation can burst your pipes causing water damage to your house.

Soldering copper pipes is a basic plumbing skill that once mastered will enable you to tackle many DIY home repair and home improvement projects - for instance, replacing copper water lines or installing a new spigot. It can be as much an art as it is a science, thus the more you get the "feel for it," the faster and easier it gets.