Hot Home & Garden How-Tos

How To: Make a mitered spline jig

If you're interested in making any kind of l-shaped furniture, having the right jig to create the right kind of joiners is a big help. In this tutorial, you'll find out how to make a mitered spline jig using a router table. It's a pretty difficult task that requires you to be accurate and sure about your cuts. If you have a biscuit joiner, this is a cinch, but if not, check out this tutorial to help you make easy cuts. Enjoy! Make a mitered spline jig.

How To: Make a great inlay using a router

Creating a wooden inlay for any piece of furniture can help add a beautiful accent that will be admired by all. In the past, making inlays was a difficult task that required time and patience and was a tough challenge for any woodworker. Nowadays, technology is so advanced, that making these inlays can be an easy task, especially when you use a router. Check out this tutorial on how to use a router in order to create a great inlay for you table, dresser, or whatever you want. Enjoy! Make a gr...

How To: Cut mitered half-lap joints

There are many ways to attach pieces of wood. You can use screws or nails to keep them nice and secure or another option can be wood glue. But when making certain items, it's a good idea to use joints when connecting pieces of wood. In this tutorial they talk about how to make mitered half-lap joints. The best time to use these joints is when you're using one to two inch stock. Items like desks and dressers usually have half lap joints. It adds studiness to the internal structure without need...

How To: Use a router to make a bowl

There's nothing like the sweet satisfaction of making something using your own two hands. It can give you a great sense of pride knowing that you were able to make something that you and others can use. If you're interested, check out this video tutorial on how to make a bowl using a router and other tools. It's easy to follow and will result in a beautiful bowl that anyone can use. Enjoy! Use a router to make a bowl.

How To: Easily use a framing square

A framing square is a common tool that all carpenters use to help make accurate cuts. But many crafted woodworkers also use the framing square as well. Surprisingly, it can be used to make a perfect circle as well as an octagon. So in this tutorial, you'll find out how to use a framing square several different ways. Enjoy! Easily use a framing square.

How To: Cut rabbets on a table saw

One of the most commonly used tools in woodworking is the table saw. It's easy to use and make clean accurate cuts for any wood project. Out of all the different cuts that can be made, a rabbet is a common one. A rabbet is just a notch that is usually cut into the edge or end of a board and is used with things like cabinets or drawers. So in this tutorial, you'll find out how to cut rabbets on a table saw. So sit back and enjoy! Oh, and when using a table saw, please be careful! Cut rabbets o...

How To: Cut tenons on a table saw using two different tools

A table saw is a powerful tool that can be found in any carpenter shop. It helps make cuts so much simpler than using other power tools. But despite it being so easy to use, it also can be very dangerous for those who have no idea how to use it. So when using a table saw, be careful and wear the correct type of clothing. In this tutorial, you'll be finding out how to use a table saw to make easy tenon cuts. Check it out and enjoy! Cut tenons on a table saw using two different tools.

How To: Choose and use a power drill

Power drills are powerful tools that can help get the job done quickly and efficiently. Now there are many out there on the market that are designed with specific purposes, so it can be confusing when trying to choose the right tool for the job. This helpful tutorial will give you advice on how to choose the right drill for the job and how to use it correctly. So sit back and enjoy!

How To: Use Diatomaceous Earth to kill bed bugs in your home

There's a new way to kill bed bugs and it's with Diatomaceous Earth - a naturally occurring, soft, siliceous sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. Get those bed bugs out of your home with help from this video presented by Canada Bedbugs on how to get rid of those trespassing pests!

How To: Kill bed bugs with Diatomaceous Earth

Have a sneaking suspicion that bed bugs are sneaking around house? Unfortunately, bed bugs is a common problem amongst households and it's even more common to have trouble getting them to leave! In this video presented by Bed Bug Central, learn how to kill bed bugs by using Diatomaceous Earth - a naturally occurring, soft sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white powder.

How To: Clean items with bed bugs you can't put in a washer

Do you have bed bugs hiding throughout the home? If they've gone from your blankets and bedding to say, you're child's toys... you might be a tad clueless as to how about cleaning items you can't throw in a washing machine. In this video presented by Bed Bug Central, learn how to clean those items with bed bugs you can't throw in a washer.

How To: Easily organize your wallet

It doesn't matter if you're a man or woman, but organizing a wallet is an important task for your daily life. Besides the fact that it is your main storage area for cash and credit, but it can also contain information about who you are and what it is you do. So in this helpful tutorial, find out how to keep your wallet nice and organized so when people see you, the first word that doesn't come to mind is messy. Enjoy!

How To: Detect bed bugs inexpensively

Do you have an suspicion that your bed and home is being taken over by bed bugs? Are you waking up with small bites on your legs and arms? In this video, learn how to detect bed bugs in your home, the inexpensive way, with help from this video presented by Ask the Exterminator.

How To: Kill bed bugs by applying dusts

Are you suffering from bed bugs? Does "goodnight... don't let the bed bugs bite" hit closer to home these days? In this video from Bed Bug Central, learn about one technique to try and get rid of those pesky bed bugs: By using dusts.

How To: Plant potatoes yourself

Interested in planting potatoes? Start a self-sustaining garden full of veggies you can take from your garden, straight to your dinner plate. Plant potatoes 8 inches apart and about 4 inches deep. When the plants grow about 6 to 8 inches tall, start to hill up the sides. Learn more about how to plant potatoes yourself from this video presented by Homestead Acres.

How To: Harvest marigold seeds

Marigolds are a beautiful addition to any garden and a pleasure to to plant. Plant your own marigolds by harvesting marigold seeds with help from Garden of Imagination. Learn everything you need to know about harvesting these seeds right here.

How To: Trim your rose bushes

Starting a rose garden? Modern Mom is here to help. Learn from gardening expert Melinda Myers how to properly trim rose bushes after the winter to promote new growth in the spring. Prune brown, dried up rose branches and keep your garden fresh and fast growing.

How To: Arrange flowers & ribbons

Want to get started arranging your own vases to fit the design of your home? When arranging flowers and ribbons, choose a simple vase first, use greenery to fill out the vase, and wrap a beautiful bow around. Learn a few tricks on how to arrange flowers like a pro with helpful tips from Modern Mom's gardening expert Melinda Myers.

How To: Organize your kitchen pantry

Is your kitchen pantry cluttered and disorganized? Do you have spices and boxed foods that are decades old? It's time to clean house. Insightful Nana shows you ways to organize your cluttered kitchen pantry with the help of a professional organizer from Harmony Within. Use the stack organizing method to get your pantry lookng together and organized.

How To: Put up a plaster ceiling

Doing some DIY-style renovations on your home? How about that ceiling? Need to retouch or put up a plaster ceiling? In this Storyteller video, learn about the nuts n bolts of putting up a plast ceiling and how to go about accomplishing this with your own two hands!

How To: Unclutter your kitchen

Is your kitchen out of control cluttered? Do you have paper work, utensils, and junk mail scattered in the one room in your house that should act as your sustenance sanctuary? In this episode of Real Women Scrap, the hub of every household is attacked as well as other ways to unclutter your kitchen.

How To: Add colorful plants around a mailbox with Lowe's

Mailboxes don't have to look all lonesome, with only the curb to cheer them up. If you have one of those street boxes on a post instead of a house box, the best thing to do to make a happy mailbox is to give it some company. To improve your home's curbside appeal, take your landscaping efforts to the curb and enhance the area around the mailbox. It's a great way to accentuate your landscape.

How To: Dry your sports shoes fast

It's a bummer when your running or playing basketball and all of a sudden it begins to rain. Now you may not feel harmed, but one thing the rain can hurt is your shoes. Enough water can have them out of commission for some time and make it difficult to wear. Now drying them in a dryer may seem like an obvious choice, but there are a lot of disadvantages to doing that. The best choice? Use a fan! This tutorial will show you how to dry your shoes fast. Enjoy! Dry your sports shoes fast.

How To: Replace a toilet flapper valve

One of the most annoying things about toilets, is the equipment inside can wear out and produce weird noises. This is caused by a variety of reasons, but most of the time it's because of the toilet flapper valve. Over a period of time, this can become cracked or warped and it results in water constantly trickling. It's an easy fix and this video will show you how. Check it out! Replace a toilet flapper valve.

How To: Remove mineral deposits in your water

Now matter what kind of filter or other advanced water system you have, mineral deposits can still lurk in your water. This is an issue because it can lead to clogged aerators and messes with your water heater. In order to fix this problem, check out the tutorial above for steps on how to do it. It's easy and won't take too much of your time. Enjoy! Remove mineral deposits in your water.

How To: Plant and grow potatoes in a container

Are you an amateur gardener, and looking forward to the next thing to plant? Why not plant potatoes? They're hardy, delicious, and don't require too much care. Watch this video to learn how to plant and grow potatoes in a container. At the end of it, you'll always have a great harvest and side dishes for dinner!

How To: Spread mulch at the right time to improve your garden

Spring is a great time to put down mulch. Dave Epstein helps you figure out whether yours needs replacing this spring and, if so, how much to put down. Mulch improves the look of your garden bed, keeps weeds down and keeps moisture in the soil. You want to be careful not to add too much soil as it can keep moisture out and rain or water will not be able to reach the soil.

How To: Install an ignition coil on your 2-cycle lawn trimmer

If your ignition coil is out on your lawn trimmer, you will probably have to replace it. You can easily test the ignition with a spark tester before removing it to see if it is indeed your ignition coil. There are a number of things that can go wrong with the ignition, it can simply just not create a spark anymore or it can be acting up where you're lucky if you get it to start up when you need it to.

How To: Winterize your gas-powered tools & machines

Live in an area where you won't be needing your gas-powered tools for the winter? Such as your lawnmower, trimmer, and any other tools you need gas to operate. If you store them away for the winter and come back to use them during the spring time and realize your tools are acting funny, it may be because the gas you left in them has turned into a gel and has damaged the carburetor. You can do a number of things to protect your power tools from such a thing, you can dump all the gas out of the...

How To: Remove a DeWALT miter saw armature bearing

Removing a miter saw armature bearing on a DeWalt miter saw armature can be a bit tricky if because even if you have a bearing puller, you probably won't have enough space to get it in the armature to be able to get it out. You will get a great tip on how you can use a vise to hold down the armature so you can use both hands to work on getting that bearing out.

How To: Get rid of tent worms without insecticide

Talk about taking one for the team. If you're an eco-friendly earth muffin who refuses to use anything chemical-ridden on yourself and the environment around you, then there exists a gnarly - though effective - approach to killing a tent worm infestation that you may want to try out if you're not squirmy.