Hot Home & Garden Posts
How To: Coat a drywall cornerbead
"Owens Drywall" wall describes how to coat a drywall corner bead. 1. Fill pan with drywall. 2. Take a eight inch knife and use to spread the drywall on wall, starting from the bottom and working your way up. If you drop any on the ground, go ahead and pick it up with knife. 3. Go over the same spot multiple times from the bottom up to ensure the drywall is on evenly and clean!
How To: Tighten & keep tight those loose bolts
Bob Schmidt teaches the secrets to tighten & keep tight those loose bolts in simple steps. First buy a removable blue thread locker and keep it ready to use. Check for any loose door locks or bolts in your house and remove its screw. Squeeze some thread locker out and apply it to the screw and stay away from carpets while squeezing it out. Let it set on the screw for about 5 minutes and fit the screw back. It can also be used in nuts and bolts and bath accessories.
How To: Install a Mortar Shower Pan
Mark Donovan is remodeling a ceramic tile shower, and shows how to install a mortar shower pan. First consider the framing of the shower. Plywood, 2x4's and 2x6's provide a good foundation for the weight of the tile. Then remove the cover from the drain. Use duct tape to cover the drain hole. Staple 15-pound felt paper onto the floor of the shower, and up about an inch on the sides, trimming around the drain, to protect the wood from moisture. Then staple down metal lath to reinforce the floo...
How To: Drywall an archway
Watch this video learn how to drywall an archway in five quick and easy steps. Measure and cut drywall to fit your arched opening. Score the back of your drywall to help it bend to your archway. Place drywall into opening. Tack or nail to hold the drywall in place. Screw drywall into arch. Mark and cut the drywall for the face of the archway. Place drywall over archway and use as a template to cut the drywall. Nail/Screw drywall to the face of the archway. It is now ready for corner bead, tap...
How To: Troubleshoot a toilet that won't flush the easy way
Learn how to troubleshoot a toilet that won't flush at your home in simple steps. First lift the lid and check whether the float ball is broken or touching the sides. Bend it a little if its touching the sides or replace it if its leaking or broken. Now check condition of the flapper valve and replace it if needed. Now check the handle, if its loose tighten the screw inside to fix it. Finally check the chain and replace it if broken or correct it to the right tension to lift the valve.
How To: Cut copper pipe with the right tools
This shirt video will show you how to cut copper pipe with the right tools. Cutting copper pipe is simple if you have the right tools. This short video clip clearly demonstrates how to go about cutting copper tubes. Among other things you will be using a pipe slice. The video also shows you how to remove the burrs before attempting to join the pipe. You are advised to never use a hacksaw.
How To: Build a cold smoker
Learn how to build a cold smoker from this video in simple steps . You will need: smoke pellets, a new soldering iron and a empty can. First leave the lid in the can partially attached and cut a hole in it for the soldering iron. Add you favorite smoke pellet to the can and insert the soldering iron through the hole in the can. Now plug in the iron and place the cheese into the grill on top of the can. Finally enjoy some smoked cheddar cheese.
How To: Read a Lowe's plant care tag
This quick video tutorial from Lowe's will show you how to properly read a plant's care tag. Every Lowe's plant has its own Care Tag, and by reading the tag you will earn how to care for your individual plants. Each tag also comes with a number which you can type in at lowes.com/plants. Here you will find more detailed information about your plants. The tags also come in different colors, and these also have a meaning, for example purple tags represent plants that are good in low light condit...
How To: Pack hanging clothes and drapes for storage or moving
Here you will learn how to pack clothes and drapes for storage or moving. Follow these easy steps to pack clothes and drapes the right way. Hanging clothing or drapes need to be packed in a standup wardrobe. This box comes with an aluminum bar that spans two sides. Place the wardrobe box near the closet. Secure the bar with packing tape and place clean paper at the bottom of the box. Hang clothing, distributing them evenly. You can also place quilts, and bedspreads on hangers. When you are do...
How To: Easily unblock a kitchen sink and waste pipe
Learn how to easily unblock a kitchen sink clogged with food particles in simple steps. Every time you clean your dishes and bowls at your home kitchen some food particles wash out and get clogged. When these particles are clogged the water starts to drain out slowly and bad odor arises. Put some Alka Seltzer tablets in your sink and crumble them through the holes. Now pour some vinegar over the tablets through the hole. Leave it for two minutes and flush the sink with water to finish.
How To: Make a micro terrarium
Learn how to make a micro terrarium which usually holds 1 small plant in simple steps. You can use any type of container like a light bulb, yogurt container, baby fruit jar, spice container, honey jar, etc. Now select your container and add some soil in it. Place the seeds if you are using them or plant the miniature sinningia in the soil. Use a copper wire to tamper down the soil nicely and close the container lid.
How To: Get up tough stains using things around the house
Bob Schmidt from Home Remodel Workshop teaches how to remove persistent carpet stains. Clean up the source of the stain as quickly as possible. Once the source of the stain is removed, mix one teaspoon of dish detergent with a cup of hot water. Pour the mixture on the stain. Soak clean rags in a bucket of hot water and place them over the spot. Place a hot iron over the rags and force steam into the carpet.
How To: Install a light bulb in your own home
This video teaches the secrets of installing a light bulb in your own home. First turn on the light switch to check whether your old bulb still works, but its not working. Now turn off the light switch to start the replacement and remove the light cover. Remove the bulb by twisting in anti-clockwise direction carefully. Now install the new bulb and turn on the switch to check if it works and the lighting is good enough. Finally attach the light cover to finish.
How To: Stop squeaky hinges at home with oil and wire wool
Learn how to stop squeaky hinges at home with oil and wire wool in simple steps. Spray some WD-40 lubricant to the hinge and open and close the door a few times. Use a spray tube to avoid the oil being wasted or even you can use cooking oil. If the hinges are still squeaky remove it completely and rub it wire wool, fix it back and spray the lubricant or oil. You can also rub it with soap instead of wire wool. If you still have the squeaky problem replace the hinge with a new one.
How To: Clean cut using a table saw, mitre saw or power saw
This short video tutorial Bob Schmidt will show you how to make clean cuts in wood. The blade rotation of any pretty much dictates the best way to run your material through. To get the cleanest cut possible remember these tips: Whenever you run wood through a Table saw, always make sure that your finished side is up. Do the exact opposite when you are using your Power saw. The finished side of your wood must be at the bottom. When you use a Mitre saw, make sure the finished side of the wood i...
How To: Make chestnut paling
Learn how to make chestnut paling using a paling machine from Aly May in simple steps. First tie the strings up and down in a wooden pole according to the length you need. Start by placing the wood in between the strings upside down fitting perfectly. Now roll the machine to twist the strings and repeat the same till you get your desired length. You can also use wood with sharpened edges if you want to make a fence. It can be also used for some events but you have to change its length and dur...
How To: Grow tomatoes in a container
Nothing says fresh and delicious like a ripe tomato from your home garden. This horticultural how-to will walk you through the fundamentals of container tomato gardening and present you with a list of the basic materials you'll need to get started growing your very own tomatoes.
News: Bedtime... Millenium Falcon Style
Another addition to WonderHowTo's collection of Star Wars mania. We've seen lots - the Star Wars wedding cake, the Sexy Stormtrooper, Star Wars moneygami, the 30,000 LEGO brick Star Wars droid control ship. And now the geek-sexy millenium falcon bed, created by Kayla Kromer (images by Heather Leah Kennedy).
How To: Install vertical blinds
First measure the window to decide if you would like the blinds inside the frame or outside on the casing. In most cases inside looks the best plus it gives you the added feature of adding curtains.
How To: Prevent Fruit Flies
Fruit flies are an incredible nuisance, as anyone in any warm climate knows all too well. In this video, with Chef Keith Snow of HarvestEating.com, we learn a simple but effective countermeasure against these aggravating little pests. Most successful, he says, is the use of vinegar.
How To: Fix a knot
Ever find yourself short on material and that one board you really need has a nice open knot in it? You could always go out and buy more material, but sometimes its just easier and faster to stabilize and repair the knot. And instead of trying to hide the knot, sometimes it's just better to embrace it and make it look look resinous and natural. And that's the goal here. Our guide uses an epoxy/dye mixture to create a stable and decorative knot. With a little elbow grease, and this video from ...
How To: Illuminate your ceilings
This short video from The Ceiling Tile Guy, at ceilume.com shows the process and applications of installing an illuminated drop ceiling. These ceiling tiles are amazing, and beautiful. They come in all kinds of patterns and would make an amazing impact on any room in your home or office. With these "Smart Ceiling Tiles" from ceilume you can create a brilliant designer ceiling on a do it yourself budget. This is a fantastic idea to look into if your thinking about starting a similar project at...
How To: Fix and repair a dripping faucet
James from J&C Home Repair explains how to fix a bathroom faucet. He shows how to turn off the water supply to the faucets and tells you exactly what tools you will need. He demonstrates how to remove the faucet handle and the valve using common household tools, and recommends taking the parts to the hardware store to make sure you get the correct replacement parts. This video shows that repairing a faucet is a simple job that anyone can do. You don't need to call a plumber for this!
How To: Prune a flower carpet rose for the spring
Even though flower carpet roses aren't as susceptible to disease as are other rose species, you'll still need to care for them to ensure that they stay healthy. In this horticultural how-to, Dave, of Growing Wisdom, will tell you how to see to it that your flower carpet roses have a healthy summer and fall.
How To: Install a wall niche
A wall niche is a great way to add a nice decorative look to a wall. The niche is made of lightweight polyurethane. To install the niche choose the location on the wall where you want to put the niche. Put the niche up to the wall and draw an outline around it. Before you start cutting the wall cut a hole in the wall, use a compact mirror and a flashlight to look up in the wall and be sure that there are no wires or pipes where you are cutting the hole for the niche. After checking to be sure...
How To: Remove wallpaper with tips from Lowe's
Lowe's presents a video that can give you a few tips on removing wallpaper from a room. First off you do not want anything to be in the way so clearing the room out is a must. This video shows you a abundance of products that can help you with the task. Also it shows some safety precautions to take before you take on this task. This video will show you a few different methods that can help you when giving a room a new look.
How To: Repair a basic toilet problems
If you're having trouble with your toilet, your first instinct might be to call the plumber. But many plumbing problems are easy to diagnose and solve yourself.
How To: Install door weatherstripping
This video shows you exactly how to weather-strip a door to keep down heating costs. Step by step instructions on how to check your doors to see if they need weather-stripping and how to install the weather-stripping. This also teaches you how to check to make sure that your weather-stripping has been installed correctly on your door to keep out any drafts. All that you need is some weather-stripping, a tape measure, a utility knife, a power drill, and some screws. This video teaches you how ...
How To: Build a wormery
If you don't have room for a full-scale compost heap, you can always employ the services of some worms. In this handy vermiculture how-to, you'll learn how to build your very own wormery.
How To: Remove old wallpaper for dummies
Learn how to remove old wallpaper with this video! Put down a pre taped plastic drop cloth. Tape it to the top of the baseboard. Then score the wallpaper with a wallpaper perforator. Roll it over the wall and it will make little holes in the wallpaper. You can use a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water or a 25/75 mixture of downy and water as a solvent to loosen the glue. Apply the wallpaper solvent with a paint roller. You can put the solvent in a paint pan so you can get it on the roller. Rol...
How To: Strip old paint and varnish
The hardest part of stripping off old paint and varnish is getting all of the residual residue out of the details such as the panels and the raised or indented parts of the piece you are working on. You can make the job a lot easier by using the right tools. Use a small bristle brass brush to get into crevices and cracks. Brass is good because the brass bristles are softer and won't scratch the piece you are working on. Next take a piece of dowel and sharpen it in a pencil sharpener. The shar...
How To: Multiply red fountain grass
In this video, Shirley shows her viewers an effective way to multiply your red fountain grass in order to create more grass from a single plant. After the growing season, find a large, overgrown patch of grass and use a shovel to dig out a section by the roots. After planting the grass in a pot, it is crucial that you shear the top of the plant so that the grass is only 4 to 5 inches tall. This will ensure that the plant focuses on growing roots rather than its blades at the moment. This meth...
How To: Patch a hole in the wall
A hole in your wall may in fact be easier to fix than is seems. After cutting a rectangular piece of drywall to patch up the hole, cut out another thin piece of drywall to use as a backing. By inflating a balloon and placing it in the back of your hole, the pressure caused by the balloon will allow you to put your backing and piece of drywall in place effectively, allowing you to cover up and sand over any holes in your wall. Using this innovative method, anyone will be able to fix holes in t...
How To: Remove blood stains on carpet
This video is a tutorial on how to remove blood stains on the carpet. The first step is to mix 1 teaspoon of dish detergent with a cup of water in a spray bottle. Spray your mixture on the stain and blot gently with a rag. Be careful not to soak the stain so it doesn't go through to the other side of the carpet. The second step is to mix 1 teaspoon of ammonia with a cup of water in a spray bottle. Once again, spray onto the stain and blot gently until the stain is gone. The third step is to u...
How To: Use drip irrigation systems to water lawns with Lowe's
Another good video by Lowe's on How to water your Lawn and install a drip irrigation system. Lowe's home improvement expert Mike Kraft shows you how you can make use of Lowe's products to water your lawns with their drip irrigation system. This video shows you which tools you need to fit and use Lowe's drip irrigation system in your Lawn. It's an extremely useful video for people who have lawns on their backyard and want to make the watering process simple and easy.
How To: Remove and replace exterior caulk
In this how to video you learn how to remove and replace exterior caulk that has failed. The video suggests a putty knife and/or a utility knife. Once the caulk is removed the video suggests you use a dry clean paint brush to clear any left over. You then simply apply new caulk where needed and the job is complete. This video is about a minute and a half and is great for people learning how to maintain their homes.
How To: Repair sections of 4x8 wood home siding
Weather can really do some damage to the wood siding on your home. When your siding becomes worn and rotten due to the elements, it's time to break out the tools and install new wood. This instructional video walks you through the basic steps of repairing the wood siding on your home. Follow along with the tutorial and keep your home fortified.
How To: Install kitchen cabinets in your home
No kitchen is complete without hanging wall cabinets. Whether your kitchen started off bare, or you've decided to throw up some new cabinets, installation isn't that hard. Like any home project, it just takes time and dedication. This instructional video demonstrates how to find the studs and mark the cabinets. You'll need some standard tools too, but if you've decided to hang your own cabinets, this probably doesn't come as much of a surprise.
How To: Remove & replace a hardwood floor board
Need to replace or repair a single hardwood floor board? Don't want to pay people hundreds of dollars to do it? Well, if you have a circular saw and a straightedge. Then you can do-it-yourself by following this video. First of all, remove the old board by cutting a section of it using the saw and prying it out with the straightedge. Then, get your new floor board, which should be retrofitted, then apply some adhesive and fit the board back into the spot where the old board was. Hammer the new...
How To: Install cabinet organizers for pots, pans & trash cans
This do-it-yourself video from Lowe's describes how to plan and install a pull-out wastebasket and a two-tier shelf. He explains how storage should work within the kitchen triangle. The pull-out wastebasket frame attaches easily with screws. He then adds a slide-out feature so that the door pulls the wastebasket out. The two-tier wire basket is used to hold pots and pans. Slides are attached to support brackets, the frame is set inside the cabinet and attached with screws. Cabinet organizers ...